The Necessity of Work within the Body of Christ Jesus (Escaping Poverty and Activating Kingdom Prosperity)

The misconception that a Christian believer or a minister of the gospel shouldn’t work for money is one of the invisible seeds limiting the growth of the churches, economies and families. Many people live in abject poverty because they wholly depend on God for provisions (all their needs and wants).

Because of this misconception and ignorance, many families and Christian believers perish in poverty. Some Christian believers confess to God's promises of prosperity and ignore its conditions.

We must understand that God has given us the strength to generate wealth because silver and gold are His properties.

 

…thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

Haggai 2:8 KJV

We must understand that God's promises work with conditions. You cannot confess God’s promises and ignore the terms and conditions. The bank of Ghana can employ you in their financial institution and still walk in poverty if you breach their laws.

God's kingdom works with laws, and these laws are hidden in the Word (Holy Scriptures). The fact (truth) that Christ Jesus became poor that we (believers in Christ Jesus) might live in prosperity does not mean prosperity is automatic.

You must play a role to enable God and His angels to fulfil their promise. You can read my series of articles, How God Judges Cases, for more profound revelations. Even in your home and workplace, you expect your children and employees to obey instructions before you give them their gifts and shares.

If you demand obedience before reward, how much God Almighty? God has set some laws on earth, and failure to follow these laws leads to destruction. Study the types of force in science (under physics), and you would understand some of these laws.

I know some godly Christian believers who live in financial poverty, yet God’s Word promises Christian believers that Christ Jesus became poor that we might be rich.

 

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV

God desires that we prosper because His Word declares it.

 

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

3 John 3:2 KJV

The prosperity of God corresponds with our soul. Until your soul prospers (knowledge of God’s Word), you remain empty. In my book, How to Pursue a Purposeful life Without Money, I have listed the types of prosperity and poverty. You can read that book for more profound revelations.

God created every organ of our body to work. If prosperity were automatic, then God would not create our hands, head, eyes, ears, nose, and other organs of our body. God knew we would need our hands, mind, legs, eyes and other organs of the body to work, so He created them.

You cannot be idle and expect God to provide for you and your family just because you are His child. I will share with you this article and provide some scriptural backups on the necessity of work within the body of Christ Jesus.

Apostle Paul worked in some specific seasons in his evangelistic ministry because he did not want to become a burden to the church.

 

…Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Acts 18:1-3 KJV

Apostle Paul was creating portable tents because it was profitable work in that land and century. The soldiers and citizens needed the tents as a covering because the weather was unfavourable. Through that temporal work, Apostle Paul could generate some funds for himself and his ministry.

Child of God, what stops you from working as a Christian minister or a believer in Christ Jesus? I know some people have a special calling and order from the Holy Spirit to avoid work.

God has a way of providing for these unique vessels, but for you, He may be calling you to work at the initial stage of the ministry to enable you to generate some funds for the church. In my ministry, I realized that people sow seeds (money) to me when I go for evangelism.

I use most of these monies for the ministry. Child of God, get this divine principle right or else you can perish.

 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Hosea 4:6 KJV

God declares that His children become failures in life because of ignorance. This means lack of knowledge leads to destruction. God will reject you if you lack knowledge. Ignorance of God’s principles, the devil’s principles, and laws governing the earth realm will lead to destruction.

This is one reason you must desire knowledge with all your heart. Some people have served the church for a long time, yet they live in pain and poverty. Some people hold positions in the church, yet they swim in the river of poverty.

Child of God, can I present to you that God works with principles. In my previous article, I explained the role of knowledge and power in the field of fruitful leadership. Kindly read that article for a more profound revelation.

Many Christian believers and ministers of the gospel forsake the church because they lack knowledge. Analyze any fruitful leadership, and you will understand that they worked with certain principles.

The principles (knowledge) keep the church, family, economy, and business moving despite the storms. Many ministers of the gospel have backslidden and become prisoners of the devil because of ignorance. The Holy Scriptures makes us understand that laziness attracts poverty.

 

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Proverbs 6:9-10 KJV

Irrespective of your faith and family, if you break the above divine principle, poverty swallows you. You can be the holiest or religious person in the church, if you love sleeping, poverty will chase you. If you hate hard work, you attract poverty.

 

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 13:4 KJV

Solomon writes that a lazy man (it can be a Christian believer) always desire money, clothes, cars, comfort, peace, houses and other human needs and wants, and he will never get them, but the man that is disciplined and hardworking will get his heart desires.

Have you now realized why some unbelievers swim in financial prosperity? These people have discovered that hard work generates money, so they put in all their efforts in their endeavours of life. Most Christian believers sit idle in the house and expect God to rain manna from heaven.

Child of God, it does not work in that way. Keep reading because I will show you some scriptures that validate and endorse this wisdom and further share some truths to enable you to connect with the kingdom prosperity.

 

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Proverbs 20:4 KJV

A lazy Christian will desire some things, and he will not get them because he hates working with the hands and mind. Some Christian believers use this famous Holy Scriptures to validate their laziness and poverty.

 

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Matthew 6:24-32 KJV

Christ Jesus declared that we should not worry about our daily needs because He provides for the birds of the air. You must understand that most of the words our Saviour and Lord Christ Jesus speak are coded in the Spirit.

You will make errors if you literally take most of Christ Jesus's words as recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, you will misinterpret the Holy Scriptures.

God provides for the birds of the air, but you must also understand that the birds will die with their offspring's until they fly and search for food. God gave the birds feathers because they need them to fly to access the food God has provided.

God declares that we should not worry about our basic needs because He has created our head, legs, hands, and other organs of our body to generate these needs. Secondly, worrying can lead to depression, fear, and suicidal thoughts.

Statistically, many people die (suicide) before their time because of worry (depression).  According to World Health Organization, one person dies every forty seconds as a result of suicide.

Globally, over 132 people die every day through suicide which amounts to over 700 000 people dying out of suicides yearly.

Christ Jesus knew worrying will generate fear, and when fear enters our hearts, it destroys our faith in Him and His Word. In verse thirty-three of Matthew chapter six, Christ Jesus shows us the way.

 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:33-34 KJV

Most often, many Christians misinterpret this scripture. Some people do the work of God with no wisdom. Seeking the kingdom of God means we follow the principles of the kingdom and pursue things that benefit the church on earth.

In the course of the kingdom work, God connects you to your helper. The kingdom of God must come first before your work. If you fail in your priorities, you miss the help of God. Most often, you will hear some Christian believers say; this world is not my home.

Indeed, this world is not our permanent home, but you must also understand that God has made us managers of this world.

 

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:26-28 KJV

Christ Jesus declares that we are the light and salt of this world, so should you live in poverty as a Christian believer?

 

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16 KJV

Christ Jesus expects us (Christian believers) to shine (prosper) and become role models in this world. We are supposed to give light (wisdom, knowledge, wealth and power) to the unbelievers. You cannot sit idle and declare this world is not my home, so I will not work.

Failure to work will activate darkness (poverty and pain). If you don’t work as a Christian believer or minister, you will not become significant and note that some people reject the wisdom of the poor. As I wrote in my book, poverty is not always a lack of money.

Money is a piece of paper made of perishable wood. The Federal Reserves and Central banks can print them in abundance. Some financial analysts project that over $ 90 billion flows in the world of man every day.

These monies do not include cryptocurrencies and other coin base investments and transactions. If we add these cash flows (coin base transactions), it will amount to over $ 1 quadrillion running in the hands of men every day.

Never think money is evil. The love of money makes people pursue evil things and die prematurely (See 1 Timothy 6:10). The fact (truth) that this world is not our permanent home does not mean we shouldn’t work for money.

Without money, many kingdom activities or church activates (crusades) will not take place. You must understand that money rules on this earth. Stop living in ignorance and start some godly business.

Discover practical and profitable problems in your environment and country and solve them according to the specification of the people, and you will attract money. China, the USA, business people or other foreign investors are swimming in the ocean of wealth because they solve problems in their countries and other countries.

Problems always generate services and products. When you create a useful service and the product, people will pay you for the solution. This is one of the ways to generate money on earth. Ask yourself.

• How can you support church projects if you are weak financially?
• How can you edit your books and articles or hire a professional editor to edit your documents for publication if you are weak financially?
• How can you embark on evangelistic works in different territories when you are weak financially?
• How can you set up a television, radio or media centre for the gospel when you are weak financially?
• How can you promote the kingdom work on the internet when you are weak financially?
• How can you provide the basic needs and wants of your family when you are weak financially?
• How can you pay your bills and rent when you are weak financially?
• How can you purchase land or buy a house when you are weak financially?
• How can you pay the debt when you are weak financially?

Child of God, money is an important subject and truth you must not ignore. God desires that we live in financial abundance, but it works with principles. God will never rain money from heaven. Maybe God will do that miraculously, but I have not seen that before.

 

A false balance is abomination to the LORD…

Proverbs  11:1  KJV

Haven’t you seen prayerful Christians living in poverty? I mean real prayer warriors and intercessors living in poverty.  These prayerful Christians live in poverty because they don't know how to manage their time.

These Christians don’t use their minds. They always depend on God for provision; meanwhile, God expects them to work. Some wives and children struggle with basic needs because the husband (probably a gospel minister) lacks knowledge.

The minister of the gospel loves Christ Jesus from his heart, but he lives in financial poverty. The gospel minister has failed to understand that God cannot work with man beyond his knowledge about Him.

Until the man or minister of the gospel understands the systems (laws) of God, he remains in that darkness. Like a child who only knows that all animals are harmless. Such a child lives at the mercy of dangerous birds.

Some Christians pray for provision (employment) and sit comfortably in their homes waiting for the job. You must understand that faith without action is dead. Until you act on your faith, it rests in the realm of hope.

It is good to have faith in finances, but you must also take some steps. Like the birds of the air, God has promised them daily food. Until they fly (work) each day, they will never get their food.

Have you seen animals always waiting on God for their food? I love observing animals and watching wildlife videos. You will hardly find a cock or a hen idle. The cock continuously searches out for food. That’s work.  Dogs, cats, ducks, goats and other domestic animals search for their food. That’s work.

If animals can work for their food, why do you expect God to provide for you when you are not working. Why do you expect God to provide for you when you have brains to think and body to work?

One thing about human nature is that nobody will value you until they see your usefulness. Your church can be prayerful, but it will shake in the storms if there is no money. We don't use anointing to pay bills; we use the money to pay bills. We use the money to pay workers because they have families. In one of Pauline letters, we see a profound Word.

 

…we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 KJV

Apostle Paul writes that every Christian believer must engage in business (work). Paul emphasized that he and his associates work with their hands to not lack anything in life and ministry.

Apostle Paul did not command the Christian believers to pray or go to church not to lack anything.  He commanded the believers to do business and work with their hands, not to lack money and other basic needs and wants.

Working in God’s ministry alongside money earning jobs is biblical because the Holy Scriptures endorses it. Maybe you are not called into the full-time ministry; this is the time to pray and work with your hands.

Paul learned the business of tent-making because that was the famous work among the Jews. When Paul entered the scarcity season, he did some secular job to support himself and the ministry.

Do not perish in ignorance by saying that God has called me into the ministry, so I will not work. If you have heard from the Holy Spirit that you shouldn't work, then it's your choice, but as far as the Holy Scriptures command Christian believers and ministers of the gospel to do business, then work is necessary.

 

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 KJV

In verse eight of the Holy Scriptures, Apostle Paul writes that He worked with his missionaries day and night to support the ministry, family and life. Paul made the church in Corinth understood that he and his ministerial assistance did not ask them (the church) for money or anything.

This should let you understand that Paul and his ministerial assistants were hardworking. They did not wholly depend on the church for provision because they did some business to provide for themselves, ministry and family.

Paul writes that any Christian who fails to work must not eat. Lazy Christian believers most often are the ones who create confusion in the church. Like a useless man, he always walks with a forward mouth (See Proverbs 6:12).

Monitor a lazy “Christian,” they engage in all kinds of crimes (Meditate on 1 Timothy 5:13). Lazy people are the perpetrators of crimes in society. They take alcohol and other illegal drugs to enable them to create trouble. Every believer in Christ Jesus (including ministers of the gospel) must provide for themselves and their family because it is biblical.

 

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:32-35 KJV

Apostle Paul writes to the church leaders in Ephesus that he did not covet people’s apparel, silver or gold. He further states that he worked with his hands to provide for himself and the ministry. This means Apostle Paul had a business generating some funds for his life and ministry.

Child of God, it is not a sin to engage in business if you are in the ministerial work because the Holy Scriptures endorses it. Engaging in godly business as a minister of the gospel is biblical because Apostle Paul was hardworking (businessman).

If you work, you will not become a burden to the church. Some widows and weak people may need your financial assistance if you have enough money. Church’s work differs from cash earning (secular) work.  In the book of Ephesians, we see another profound Word.

 

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Ephesians 4:28 KJV

Apostle Paul writes that Christian believers must work to avoid stealing. People engage in criminal activities because they are not involved in any legal work that supplies them cash.

Paul writes that we must labour with our bodies. Opportunities hide in problems, so search for the problems in your community or country and solve those problems. The issues will generate some income.

Financially strong people solve problems, and these problems create a product or service. Through the sales of these products and services, they generate their income. Think of Jeff Bezos, he started with e-commerce, and today he is financially strong.

Think of Bill Gates; he came with the idea of software. This software has catapulted him to a higher life. Think of Mark Zuckerberg; he created Facebook. He has become prominent. Think of the impacts these people can make in the church if they were dedicated, Christian believers.

Think of any successful gospel minister or entrepreneur; they worked hard, prayed hard, fasted, and followed specific principles. You cannot sit idle and expect God to provide for you. Meditate on these Holy Scriptures for more profound revelations.

 

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Proverbs 10:4 KJV

In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

Proverbs 14:23 KJV

He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough

Proverbs 28:19 KJV

Child of God, money is not evil; the love of money makes people pursue evil things. God wants His children to live in abundance, but it works with principles. It takes hard work to generate income.

Hard work means you work effectively and efficiently. With the introduction of computers and technology, you can use your mind to create businesses. God has deposited a gift in you. Read my articles, How to discover your purpose in life and How to stay focus and pursue a purposeful life for more wisdom keys.

Some unbelievers and Christian believers are financially strong because they are disciplined and diligent in their business and daily lives. Why do you expect God to prosper you when you are lazy?

Until you plant the seed in the fertile soil, water it, guard it against weeds and other enemies, the seed dies. You can have the best seed in the world; until you plant it, it remains useless. A word to the wise is enough.

 

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