The Blessed Life: Breaking the Spirit of Mammon

THE WARM-UP:
Stocks are down, unemployment is up, and cars break down…What is your reaction to these situations? When these kind of financial setbacks occur, how can we look to God rather than men for provision?

READ Deuteronomy 8:18 & Matthew 6:24
Points to Ponder –
• The spirit of mammon says, “You don’t need God. Trust in riches.”
• Greed, covetousness and selfishness are all manifestations of the spirit of mammon.
• Sprit-led giving simultaneously diminishes Satan’s kingdom and makes us more like our heavenly Father.
• Giving is not a get-rich-quick scheme; it is a lay-down-your-life challenge.
• The spirit of pride says, “Wealth comes from hard work.” The spirit of poverty says, “Wealth comes from the devil.”
Mammon tells us that money is the answer to every problem. We often hear about “throwing money” at a problem to indicate that money can be the easy solution but not always the best solution.

THE TEAM WORK-OUT:
1. Can you think of examples when making more money available has led to disappointing results?
2. Are there aspects about money that make you afraid? What are they?
3. Would you continue to give tithes and offerings even if the only reward is your salvation through Jesus Christ?