A royal priesthood, God's likeness, beloved, regenerated, heirs of the promise, sons, and daughters of God, prince, and heirs of a kingdom whose streets are made with gold; these and many more are our true identity in Christ, but these are not the reality of many believers today. Financial constraints have given believers another identity different from their original one, they don't exhibit the splendor and glory fit for royalty, and they struggle to survive in the place of thriving.
Why?
"have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!" Ecclesiastes 10 vs 7 NLT.
Though they have applied many kingdom financial principles such as tithing, sowing of seeds, and course, praying and fasting these are meant to cause the heavens to be opened and pour out God's blessings on our lives and businesses but are those principles alone enough?
No!
Prayer and fasting won't take the place of our effort for financial dominion. Financial dominion is not just prayed for but also worked for, to dominate financially we have to be mindful of devourers- anything that siphons your money without a clear purpose or which can be counted as an asset is a devourer which should be avoided and ultimately rebuked. Devourers can be excessive spending( buying on impulse), parting, food, internet subscriptions, and not having a specific goal with which you want to achieve with your income.
One of the reasons is lack of or inadequate information on how to manage our finance properly. Therefore one of the ways to prevent devourers in our finances is to have enough knowledge of Financial Management.
It's not the salary that makes one poor nor does having multiple streams of income makes one rich, it's the ability to effectively make use of the money coming in for the desired objective. It's not enough to have an insight as to how to make money, you need to know how to keep and grow your money ( learn about other forms of growth: mental and spiritual).
In a nutshell, know how to make your money work for you rather than money becoming your Lord. Money ought not to take the place of Christ in our lives as the accumulation of wealth is not the central focus of one's life but rather a resource to promote good life and the growth of the work of God.
HERE ARE THE TOP 4 WAYS TO GROW YOUR FINANCE:
- CONTENTMENT: Contentment is great gain; it doesn't take away your right to dream and work towards a better future, it simply allows you to be happy in your present state. It removes the feeling of envy and the need to live above your means to prove a point to others. Contentment births appreciation which results in abundance. Appreciation of your little achievements, appreciation for your current status, and appreciation for the bright future ahead of you. Be contented, don't result in debts for the sake of mundane things, and don't take debts for things that won't yield interest or returns to you; you aren't helping your finance that way.
- GAIN MASTERY: The person worthy of the presence of kings and to dine with the noble is the person who is Good and excellent in what he/she does. How satisfactory are your services? Are they worthy of the attention of great men? It's ok to start little or with one skill but there's room for improvement and growth. Gain mastery in that which you are known for, and be an authority in your field. Diversify- lookout for more channels to which you can spread your business, and improve your skills. Don't let life-changing opportunities meet you unprepared; God only takes prepared men to the prepared place. Be a Master in your field!
- BUDGETING AND SAVING
You can't shy away from it, budget and savings are important tools for financial stability and independence. Budgeting is simply the calculation of estimated expenses and income for a period of time while savings are stored up funds or remains of one's income kept purposely for a specific goal. Budgeting helps you differentiate between your needs and wants and allows you to spend accordingly; it prepares you for emergencies and enables you to stay focused on your long-term financial goals. It's advisable to start budgeting and saving with amounts that you are comfortable with and be consistent with- have a goal that you are saving and budgeting towards, that will help you stay focused. - INVESTING:
Investing is the act of allocating one's income or resources to ventures or businesses to generate extra income or profits; meaning with the extra income you get to reach your financial goals faster and easier- great right? Investing is different from savings while saving is idle is exposed to little or no risks and its returns are little; investment is exposed to risk or returns; meaning you can suffer loss or profit on your investment; that's why it's advisable to do your research accurately and consult with a financial consultant before investing.
Money must be our slave and not our Lord; master it and use it for the deeds of mercy, love, and advancement of God's kingdom.
