The Spirit Of Poverty
Poverty is a spirit and not simply a lack of having something. I have been in East Africa many years and marveled at the fact that no matter how much money you give it usually does not have any lasting effect. You can give much to someone who is in poverty and in a few short weeks they will be in exactly the same position they were before. Why is this so? Why is there no lasting benefit from our generosity?
The fundamental reason that people in poverty tend to stay in poverty, is that their lack is caused by an evil spirit. The truth is that their economic circumstances are symptom rather than the root of their problems. Demons cause their lack and people must fight that “spirit” in order to overcome
poverty.
The crushing spirit of poverty
Spirits of poverty crush the souls of those who they oppress, because they cause people to always have too little no matter how much they receive. People oppressed by spirits of poverty find that even though they work hard and try to be smart their money it is always too little. Many people in simply give up and resort to stealing or other forms of immoral behavior to make ends meet.
Demons support such kinds of sin and so the spirit of poverty allows a certain amount of temporary relief. For a little while, because they are damming souls, people seem to have enough. However, no matter how much people steal it satisfies that spirit of poverty. Robbers must continually steal more and more in order to feed that demonic spirit that drives them.
Thieves become emissaries of the spirit of poverty, because they must make others poor in order to have wealth. They oppress in order to have wealth, becoming generators of need in others so that they can have what they desire. This is currently what is happening in Africa on a grand scale. It is a continent-wide kleptocracy where those in power steal anything and everything they can get their hands on.
The spirit of poverty never has enough
I have often wondered why people who steal never seem to be able to gather enough to satisfy themselves. Some people literally embezzle billions of dollars and still want more. When despots are finally revealed, those who investigate find incredible wealth hidden away in foreign bank accounts. Many of these wealthy people are old men or women who could never spend that much money in ten life times.
The spirit of poverty drives such thieves to accumulate wealth, not for the sake of having enough, but to produce more poverty. They are used by these unclean spirits to cause others to sin through taking everything away from them. I have seen men and women, who want to serve God, do terrible things hoping to finally have enough for themselves and their children. The spirit of poverty takes people legitimate desires and puts enormous pressure upon them to do evil that good may come of it.
How to combat the spirit of poverty
So what is to be done with a spirit of poverty? First of all we must recognize that demons are the real forces that drive it. If you cannot come to accept that there is a spiritual root cause for your poverty then you will only try to fix the “effects’ while that which generates it is left to fester. Here are some practical ways to fight against the spirit of poverty.
1. Pray that God will deliver you from a spirit of poverty.
It is important to ask God to deliver you from these types of evil spirits. There is power in the name of Jesus. When you rebuke such spirits in His name, God listens to you as though His son were asking. This is the first step in any deliverance.
2. Repent of your sin.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is a myth that poverty makes people humble and righteous. In fact the opposite is true: many resort to pride in order to mask the deep insecurities that extreme need creates. In order to become free of such spirits you must refuse the demonic spirits license to be there in the first place. If you have stolen, restore those things you have taken or if that is not possible at least resolve to steal no more. Do not lie, cheat, and otherwise do bad things any longer. Do not align yourself with what the demons want for it gives them the right to stay because you are doing their will.
3. Clean up your home.
Demons love decay and corruption. This is why you never see a clean slum. Where there are spirits of poverty you will always encounter filth because that is the nature of foul and unclean spirits. By simply cleaning up your dwelling place, by organizing and fixing your things, you deny the type of environment the demons like to live in. When you do that they are more likely to leave.
4. Give to God and others for generosity is the opposite of poverty.
Demons want you to feel and believe that you never have enough. Therefore people who have a spirit of poverty tend to be misers of whatever little or much they have. To reverse this type of mindset you must do the opposite of what the demons want. Giving to God by tithing makes such spirits cringe because you are demonstrating that you have faith that God will take care of you. Giving to others is proclaiming to the spiritual realm that you have more than enough for yourself. Such actions of faith begin to break the spirit of poverty in your life by believing God more than you believe the evil spirits.
Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out of poverty
In conclusion, these are just a few of the ways to break the spirit or spirits of poverty in your life. There are many other things you can do and if you ask the Holy Spirit He will lead and guide into ways that you can free yourself from want. The important thing is to recognize that the symptoms of your circumstance are merely effects of something much deeper that you must confront and deal with through God.
