WORKING FOR POVERTY?

WORKING FOR POVERTY? ...How to change things around

Haggai  1:1-13  God’s people were not blessed. Earlier they were in a state of discouragement due to the Samaritans and had stopped their efforts in rebuilding the temple, and that’s another story.  At this time they were living in nice houses while the house of God lay in ruin.  They were self-seeking, trying to survive on their own strength and yet neglecting their spiritual life.  The Kingdom didn’t come first. Therefore, everything they labored for was perishing. 

 TRUTH:  Opposition comes to stop you from receiving God’s blessings!  

The people were so weighed down by the negatives of the situation that they couldn't rebuild God's temple, even though they had permission. They were discouraged because of the opposition of the Samaritans. This caused a sixteen year delay in rebuilding the temple and now it was lying in ruins, yet they continued to build their homes. The temple had a foundation, nothing more. 

TRUTH:  Our priorities reveal our dedication and love for spiritual things.

He is aware that you are not blessed!   He knows seeking Him has not been a priority.  He also knows what caused your zeal for Him to diminish.  God has full knowledge of the person, event, or situation responsible for the struggle in your life.  That struggle has taken a toll on you, physically and spiritually, until there’s no energy left to express your love for God.  God knows that…and He is merciful.

TRUTH:  It is disheartening to work hard and reap poverty! 

You have worked hard to put food on the table, pay the rent, car payment, utilities, buy clothes, and gas for the car…rest assured in the fact that God knows how hard it is on you and your family.  He knows there’s not enough money left over at the end of the month. 

God is love.  Because of that love, grace abounds.  Grace, God’s unmerited favor, flows out of love.   

Verse 5 - Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.   God tells them to consider their ways and then He proceeds to tell them how bad their situation is!  Look at verse 6.

1.  You’ve worked hard and have nothing to show for it.

2.  You eat; but you don’t have enough.
3.  You drink; but you don’t have your fill.
4.  You clothe yourselves, but you are still cold.
5.  When you earn money, you’ve only earned it in order to put the money into a bag which has holes.

TRUTH:  Opposition emptied you of all hope that things will one day be better.  

Nothing has changed.  Week after week and month after month, you go to work, bring home the paycheck and still there’s not enough.  Your thoughts are filled with 'not enough'.  Guilt has taken up residence in your mind.  “You aren’t good enough.  You should make more money.  You aren’t smart enough.  You will never make it.”  Opposition places the spotlight on you.  Opposition wants to bring you down so that you can’t have God’s blessings.  Opposition knows that with a beaten-up mentality you are less powerful for the Kingdom.

TRUTH:  When you are in difficult situations, your life is not pleasing to God…and you are not blessed…God comes with the answer!   

 Be encouraged! God sees your situation. He knows where you are.  Haggai had a word from the LORD and he spoke that word to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and to Joshua, the high priest. (verse 3-6)

TRUTH:  When God gives you the answer it will come with an assignment:    
Haggai 1: 8  God sees your situation and the answer to your situation is an assignment from Him.   An assignment from God takes you from your situation into the state of being blessed.  If the poverty listed in verse six was important enough for the Lord to talk about, then we can believe that the poverty points mentioned will be turned into plenty. 

The assignment is to resume the work of the Lord!  The assignment is to put Him first.  Until you do, he will blow on your 'much' when you bring it home (verse 9)!   Why did God do this?  Because they were taking care of themselves and ignoring His agenda!  And, besides blowing on their 'much', He also halted the dew and the fruit and then He called for a drought on the land!  God means business when He says.....Don't ignore me!  When there is a drought, nothing comes forth from our labor!   Carefully read verses 9-11. 

TRUTH:  Verse 13 is the key.  When God says, I am with you, your spirit will be stirred and you will begin to work for the Kingdom and blessings will come.     

Haggai 1 is a perfect example of Matthew 6:3  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  You are weary because there has not been a stirring in your spirit issuing from the Spirit of God.  When God stirs our spirit then hope abounds....we can see that things will become better.  Energy comes from hope. 

TRUTH:  God blessings are always the opposite of negative, the opposite of lack.

Here are five opposites of the negatives listed in verse 6:

1.  There will be plenty to show for your labor.
2.  You will eat and be satisfied.
3.  You will drink and be filled.
4.  You will clothe yourself - you will not be cold in winter.
5.  When you earn money there will be enough to pay your bills and some to save.

 TRUTH:  The Lord takes pleasure, He is happy to see you involved in spiritual activity.  He is smiling because of the blessings that are to come upon you.

 Conclusion:

1.  Look at your situation.

2.  List the negatives on paper.
3.  Note the percentage of your effort spent on survival vs. seeking the Kingdom.
4.  List actions you can take in order to turn from survival to seeking.
5.  List opposites of the negatives in your life.

 Now, by faith see the blessings in the unseen realm as coming into your natural realm.  Call those things that are not…as though they are. 

Post these four words, “I am with you” (verse 13) in a prominent place.  Keep Him with you.

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