Creation

Day 5 = many of the animals who nurture and care for each other in a far more symbiotic way than plants, giving of themselves appear. 

The Principle 

Stewardship, that is, faithfully managing something that is not yours on behalf of someone else. This can produce the stronghold of fear (there’s not enough). Ownership also creates strongholds— like arrogance (look what I have, that I acquired with my ability) and control (I’ll manipulate others with my resources, based on what I share or don’t share).

The Legitimacy Lie

“I can provide the resources for others to possess their birthright— that is, to walk in their destiny. I am legitimate when I am needed… for the resources.”

The fruit of this lie can become, rather quickly, codependency. And, stewardship might not relate only to money. Sometimes, it includes the creative use of all resources, multiplying them to achieve far more than dreamed possible— such  as the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish (John 6:1-14).

The Enemy’s Tactic

Midianite curse (Judges 6:1-6). They terrorized Israel, such that everyone fled their homes and lived in mountains and caves. Their resources— fields and  livestock— were ravaged. Nothing was left behind for them.

This might happen in cycles for someone under this curse. 

Potential Pitfall 

Control and manipulation, as well as codependency.

The Cross 

John 19:28, “I thirst.”

It’s difficult for a giver to express need— and then receive. But they must learn to do so. As such, God wand to move them to the point where they realize there are greater treasures than early resources— which are merely tools to be used  (see Luke 16:11).

The Blessings

Job was blessed with the ability to accumulate resources as supernatural speed, compressing the normal time and space required to do so. He lost everything at the beginning of his story (which is often the case for true givers— they overcome loss). In the end of his story, he owned twice as much as he did at the beginning. 

The Tabernacle

The Altar of Incense is the next article of furniture in the Tabernacle (see Exodus 30:1-10, 37:25-28). Here, we see intercession and worship fused together in total harmony. This moves us beyond busyness. It moves us beyond the “stuff” of this world. We step into the true treasures of the Kingdom, with radical heart transformation (Matthew 6:21). When the heart is pure, everything on the planet can be managed for godly purposes (see  Titus 1:15, 1 Timothy 4:4-5). 

The Birthright / Destiny 

The Church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) had a reputation of been alive, but they were dead. On the outside they looked fine, but they were truly poor— inwardly. Givers have a destiny to release blessings and multiply resources— and to  create systems that do so. But it must work from the “inside out.” Givers must work to intentionally not create a reputation based on earthly abundance only, but on Heavenly substance. 

Person to Study

Abraham, Jacob, Job, Matthew