FINANCIAL BREAKTHROUGH COVENANT WAY. PART 2 TITHING

SCRIPTURES

Gen. 14:18-20; 28:20-22; Mal. 3: 8-12; Matt. 23:23; Heb. 7:1-10, 24;

Prov. 3: 9-10 Neh. 10:38; 13:12; Num. 18:26; Deut. 12:6

 CONFESSION

The LORD shall rebuke the devourer for my sake so that he shall not destroy the fruit of my ground, nor shall my vine fail to bear fruit for me in the field (Mal. 3:11).

 EXHORTATION

Tithing is commanded by God to be observed by His children. This involves the giving of a tenth (i.e. ten percent) of all your income to the Lord. It is an entirely different thing from the first fruits.

There are principles behind tithing that has nothing to do with money itself. Tithing teaches us OBEDIENCE. When God asks us for something, we should be willing to give it freely and gladly. It also teaches us TRUST. Surrendering ten percent of our gross income is seemingly scary, especially if we have little to begin with. We are taught DISCIPLINE by tithing too. Doing something difficult takes discipline. And when we are disciplined with our money, we have a tremendous advantage of character.

We have a financial obligation to support the church. Tithing keeps the door to God’s house open for all. When we give our tithes, we make provisions available in His house. God owns everything (Ps. 24:1). All the money in the world belongs to Him. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). He does not really need our tithes, but is only teaching us how things work, how to release the super-abundance of the kingdom of heaven.

Many people worship money and will do whatever it takes to get it and to keep it. When we freely and joyfully give of our substance to God, we observe a financial stewardship which reveals a maturity of godly character that God treasures. When we honour Him with our financial or material obedience in tithing, He blesses us: And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says the LORD of hosts (Mal. 3:12).

God is asking for ten percent, so that He may bless and watch over the ninety percent for our prosperity (Mal. 3:10-11). A refusal to fulfill this obligation therefore, is tantamount to ingratitude, greed and robbery (v. 8). He does not in any way take kindly to this because it is unrighteousness. And indeed, there are consequences (v. 9).

One of the major reasons for tithing is the personal financial responsibility we have to the church. We have the church management staff and pastors whose business it is to minister to our spiritual needs. We owe them the obligation to be able to live, too (Jer. 22: 13).

Tithing was practiced by the patriarchs before the Law of Moses was given. Abraham gave Melchizedek, who was a figure of Christ, a tenth of the spoil he won in his battle with the kings (Gen. 14: 18-20). Jacob also promised to give the Lord a tenth of all that the Lord gave to him (Gen.28: 20-22).

 BIBLICAL TRUTHS

• The tithe is the tenth portion of all your income.
• It belongs to the Lord, so it is untouchable.
• It is mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments.
• Jesus did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it.
• Disobedience in tithing leads to a curse.
• Obedience attracts blessings:
  • Open heavens
  • Outpouring of creative, divine ideas
  • Release of divine ideas
  • Victory over the devourer
  • Favour
  • Divine intervention
  • Wealth transfer
• It is to be paid on all monetary or material incomes, and all material gifts.

 BENEFITS OF TITHING

• Financial freedom.
• It gives God the opportunity to bless us (Mal. 3:10).
• It opens the door to a situation of more than enough (Mal. 3:10).
• It helps in spiritual maturity, because it takes discipline to tithe faithfully.
• This maturity will help our transformation into free givers.
• It closes the door against the devourer (Mal. 3:11a).
• Makes one to escape the curse of failing to do so (Mal. 3:9).

 REASONS YOU SHOULD TITHE

1. Tithing teaches to put God first

According to Deut. 14:23, the purpose of tithing is to teach us to always put God first in our life.  If God has your finances, He also has your heart. If you refuse to tithe, you prove that He isn’t really the Lord of your life and the Owner of all things, including yourself.

1. Jesus reaffirms our obligation to tithe

In Matt. 23:23, Jesus even commended the Pharisees for tithing. Tithing was the only thing they were doing right.

1. Tithing is essential to spiritual growth

Jesus says in Luke 16:11, “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches”? Many Christians want to believe and claim the promises of God, but don’t want to fulfill the conditions; to obey His commands. To paraphrase Luke 16:11: How can you expect God to bless you, if you refuse to bring your tithes and offerings to Him?

1. Tithing proves you love the Lord

In 2 Cor. 8:8, God says that your giving proves the sincerity of your love.  So, when you honour God with the tenth of your income, not the leftover, you are proving you trust Him, love Him, and you are putting Him first in your life. You see, you can say you love the Lord, but your actions will always speak louder than your words. Put your money where your mouth is!

1. Tithing is an investment for eternity

Jesus tells us in Matt. 6:20, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… When you give your tithes and offerings to the Lord’s work, you are making an eternal investment. You are investing your money in souls for the kingdom. What an honour to give to God and see people’s lives changed for eternity. And eternity is all that matters.

1. You cannot ‘out-give’ God

Paul tells us in Gal. 6:7, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. In other words, God is watching: whatever you give to Him, He will give back to you. You see, giving unlocks the windows of heaven for you. You cannot out-give God.  The measure with which you give to Him is the measure He will use to give back to you.

PRAYERS

1. Thank God for the grace to honour Him with your tithe.
2. O ye heavens, open upon my finances and substance in Jesus name.
3. I receive power for kingdom wealth in the name of Jesus.
4. Satanic anointing of sweat and struggle in my finances and my work, I reject you in Jesus name.
5. O Lord, breathe upon the land of calling and ministry to bring forth abundant harvest in the name of Jesus.
6. Any situation or circumstance working against me, preventing me from fulfilling my tithing obligation, I reject you in the name of Jesus.
7. O Lord, baptize me with power to be a committed giver in Jesus name.
8. Because my God is the Owner of the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10) and He is Jehovah Jireh, I shall not lack any good thing in the name of Jesus.
9. In the name of Jesus, I reject, renounce, and resist the spirit of mammon in my life in Jesus name.
10. Any conspiracy formed to strip my glory naked financially, scatter by fire in Jesus name.
11. I shall not labour for another to eat in Jesus name.
12. O Lord, by Your mercy, turn again my captivity in Jesus name.
13. Every arrow of non-achievement fired at me and my family, come out and catch fire in Jesus name.
14. Throughout this year and beyond, I shall experience supernatural divine provisions in Jesus name.
15. O Lord my God, build a wall of fire around my harvest against satanic devourers in Jesus name.
16. Satanic agents that specialize in wasting people’s harvest, hear the word of the Lord: you shall not waste my harvest in Jesus name.
17. Every wall of resistance preventing my blessings from getting to me, collapse by fire, after the order of the wall of Jericho, in Jesus name.
18. You cloud of financial failure gathering over my destiny, fade away by fire in Jesus name.