Dethroning Money

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

The super bowl is playing for the trophy, but there is a bigger trophy in your life. There is a competition going on for your heart; a competition for your service. This scripture says that money wants your love. It didn’t say money is the root—it says the love of it is the root. Money is the number two cause of stress.

Is it quite possible that in a course of a day people of faith think about money more than they do about God? If that’s so, we need to dethrone money. We need to do it and do it now. We can get some insight on how to dethrone money in 1 Timothy 6.

How to dethrone money

Strive for Contentment

Verse 6, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Contentment is an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace—in spite of outward circumstances. The enemy wants to move you from the place of contentment. There is a difference between contentment and complacency. Inner contentment is where you know that you are at peace—no matter what is going on around you. Godliness with contentment equals great gain.

How to strive for contentment: realize that nothing we have is forever—no matter how new it is. You have to make sure that what you have is sufficient. You can make it without all of this other stuff. Every ad that you see is designed to make you discontent with what you have.

“True contentment comes from godliness in the heart not wealth in the hand.”—Pastor Bill Johnson

Be Careful of Cravings

Verse 9, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

You can be poor and commit this sin if there is an internal craving. The desire to be rich has caused a life of compromise. Jesus says, “it’s not the things that come from without that defiles a man, but the things that come from within.” The enemy knows and is persistent. Dr. Sam Chand said, “Everyone needs an enough line.” Where is your enough line? Be careful of the cravings because there is a downward spiral.

“The root of the spiral is the love of money.”—Pastor Billy Johnson

Heed the Command

Verse 17, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

We need to be humble if we are going to regard the command.

The majority of wealth is in the United States and we complain more than any other nation. Command those who are rich not to just look down on others, but be humble. Riches want you to trust in them but riches are fleeting—here today and gone tomorrow. Trust God! God blesses you to bless others. God looks over how we handle what He puts in our hand. Do good and be generous (verse 19). Invest in Eternity. Let’s go and win the game.

 “It is a battle we need to be equipped to win at every juncture.”—Pastor Bill Johnson

Encourage somebody with:

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT), “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”