KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 5:16. – “But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused”.

Money should never be the motivating factor for whatever a minister does for God. The minister of God must know that; God is his or her sufficiency in all that he seeks to achieve. The answer to covetousness is a true knowledge of God. Elisha knew God, and could not be tempted by the gifts of Naaman. Was it wrong for him to have accepted the gifts of Naaman? I don’t believe it was wrong, yet since he rejected it I believe the Spirit of God asked him not to accept it. A decided mind cannot be tempted. His mind was made up to always do what the Spirit of the Lord wanted him to do. Such a man of God is never a slave of money, but rather a master of money. Money will rather rush into the life of such a man, because he has placed God first.

As Elisha was graciously dominating over the temptations of covetousness, His servant by him, was terribly under the bondage of covetousness. When Gehazi saw that Elisha had refused to accept all the amazing gifts of Naaman, he decided to follow him and get it. Gehazi was a slave of covetousness and his actions was just a manifestation of what had bound him. Who is your master, God or money? Matthew 6:24″

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”. You are a misery if money is your god.

The bible says those who have been overtaken by the lust for money have pierced themselves with many sorrows (1st Timothy 6:10). Please look into your heart and answer this question, who is really ruling over your life? Most of the scandals going around about men of God proceed from the bondage of covetousness. Ironically there are a number of very affluent men of God who do not have a bit of the bondage of covetousness over their life. The world sees them that way, yet a close association with them reveals either wise. Money is a servant to such men because God is their God, and not money.  The secret to real riches in ministry is a heart totally yielded to God and a pursuit of His ways. (Matthew 6:33) If you are bound by covetousness, then pray and set yourself free.

CONFESSION

Thank you, dear Lord Jesus, for your deliverance from the love of money. My heart pursues after God and His righteous ways and so all good things migrate towards me. I am abundantly blessed.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matthew 6:33″- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.

1Timothy 6:10″. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”.