07/08/2020
THE KINGDOM ISN'T MATERIAL GAIN.
When we truly get born again and Christ lives in our spirit, contentment is produced deep within us. But that, you will not be able to live in until you have well learnt Christ. A baby Christian is impressed by God, but as he begins to grow, God no longer impresses him because if he has learnt Christ, like Paul, he knows how to be content in his spirit (Philippians 4:11-13).
Scripture says that the kingdom of God isn't in eating and drinking (Romans 14:17). That tells you it isn't prosperity. In 1 Timothy 6:5, it says ministry isn't for gain. Ministry is for heaping up of eternal reward.
By the Spirit of Christ, you must be able to kill greed, discontentment and the pressure of wanting to live life to impress others. A man who has been able to deal with these, has won a major battle against the slickly stratagems of the devil. You should live solely to impress the creator, not His creations.
Your joy isn't tied to physically prospering. Of course, material prosperity creates excitement and encouragement in the course of ministry, but that's not our joy; we align with what brings joy to the Father – soul winning, establishing souls in the Word, the advancement of the course of the gospel and the prevalence of truth in the body of Christ.
The reason why unbelievers live their lives to pursue vanity is that they were fabricated that way. Albeit, when you become born again, your pursuit becomes to seek the kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
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.
Matthew 6:24 KJV
If the devil discovers that your pursuit for life is to be successful in material values, you become a walkover for him as concerning the kingdom. He simply fuels that ambition to cause you to drift from God yet the more.
But now I’m afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s clever lies, your thoughts may be corrupted and you may lose your single-hearted devotion and pure love for Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:3 TPT
The devil, in his subtilty, introduces the distraction in tiny bits until they overwhelmingly steal your focus. Oftentimes, because you observe spiritual routines, you'll still think you're on fire, but you're already giving sideline attention to the devil; which will soon become your central focus. Thus, you could be losing the kingdom, and not even know it's happening.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul recounted certain actions of service that believers engage in. As a matter of fact, he summarized all of the works of faith with those actions. Yet, without love, all those mean nothing!
Interestingly, you could even still be getting certain results and think all is well, but you forget that the outcome of a work is not as important as your motive. It is the motive behind the work that produces the result in eternity.
Doing a work is not as important as doing the right work, the right way (with the right motive). In an organization, you're paid for doing the job you're employed to do. Likewise, your labour outside the description of love will not earn you any reward in eternity - it will be burnt off (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).
1 Timothy 6:5-12
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
It's our Month of GLORY
