This is the Godly definition of Poverty and Riches – what it is means to be rich or poor Biblically. For indeed, the many people we call rich are not.
When I taught that God is not poor, I realized that many do not know what it means to be rich or poor heavenly. To many, being rich or poor is all about having money and material wealth. Though money and material wealth are part of the measure of being rich/poor, there are other weightier standards (measures) that precede.
Godly Definition of Poverty and Riches (What it Means to Be Rich or Poor)
Man was created in the image of God;
- The body; the Outer Court – the temple of God
- The Soul – the Holy Place
- The Spirit – the Holy of Holies
Poverty and riches to a human are also 3 faced;
In that order, let’s study poverty;
1. Body Poverty
Body is the physical aspect of a human. It is ‘the tent’.
Body poverty is revealed by;
- Lack of basic needs – food, clothing and sleep (lack of sleep can destroy the body). Struggling in these basic needs equals poverty.
- Poor health – revealed by diseases and sickness, and weak bones.
- Anything else that harms or devalues the body, the outer court, e.g. tattoos, merchandising, coloring/painting, etc,
2. Soul Poverty
Soul consists of mind (thoughts and imaginations), emotions and feelings, memory, consciousness, etc.
The soul is the battle ground between the Holy Spirit and the Evil Spirit. It the soul of a man that reveals the fruits of the Holy Spirit or fruits of the evil spirit.
Fruits of the evil spirit reveals a poor soul, while Fruits of the Holy Spirit reveals a rich soul.
Abusive tongue, hatred, gossip, slander, love of controversies and arguments, confrontations, lack of peace and not being a peacemaker, stealing, coveting, etc, all reveal a poor soul.
Whomsoever rules your soul (Holy or evil spirit), that will you reveal. A person only vomits what is already in the stomach.
3. Spiritual Poverty
There are only 2 spirits that rule a man; the Holy Spirit and the evil spirit.
God is Rich not poor thus the Holy Spirit equals riches and wealth. Satan is poor, a thief, the lord of poverty thus the evil spirit is poverty. See poverty is not godliness.
Therefore, a spirit of a man under the Holy Spirit is rich and wealthy while a spirit under the evil spirit is poor. A man in Jesus Christ is rich and wealthy while a man not in Jesus Christ is poor and a fool.
Do not confuse this with what Bible says ‘being poor in spirit’ – this means you hunger and thirst for Jesus Christ.
Jesus came, died on the cross to deal with poverty of a man all round; body, soul and spirit … He became poor for us to be rich.
2 Cor 8:9 You know about the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor in order to make you rich through His poverty
When Bible says Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc, were rich and wealthy before God eyes, what does that mean?
How Jesus Makes a Person Rich
God works in a man from inside to the outside; not as the world which only works on the outer man.
Remember that when God was dwelling in the Holy of Holies, His presence was first radiated and seen in the Holy of Place, then the outer court. Remember too how the Word of God moves from the spirit, to the soul, then to the body. See how the word of God moves
And this is God process of making a man rich; spirit, soul, body (in that order).
1. The Spirit
The first measure of a rich person is being in Jesus Christ … not only being but having a perfect relationship with Him. This is the key standard and a measure of riches and wealth that surpasses all.
Jesus makes the spirit of a man be under the Holy Spirit, thus rich and wealthy. Remember we walk in the Spirit.
When the spirit of a man is enriched, then these riches radiate to the soul (the Holy Place).
2. The Soul
Because the Holy Spirit is dwelling in a man, the soul automatically becomes Godly.
A rich man manifests the fruits of the Holy Spirit and godliness. A poor man has only the fruits of the evil spirit wickedness and ungodliness
This is the second measure of riches that surpasses money and material wealth.
After making the soul of a man Godly, He moves to the Body (the outer court).
3. The Body
When Jesus is dwelling in the Holy of Holies (the spirit), He radiates to the Holy Place (the soul), then to the Outer Court making the body Godly.
1. Basic Needs
Jesus Provides – basic needs are automatically taken care of. I always say, it is only in Jesus Christ where basic needs are guaranteed; you never struggle in them. Food clothing and sleep are never your problem nor worry for Jesus knows you need them (Mt 6:31-32).
Look at the birds of the air, the lilies, they are not as worth or valuable as you are before the eyes of God but they never struggle with food and clothing – why you?
Remember, its God who gives sleep … ‘for He gives sleep to His Beloved’ (Psalms 127:2) – why are you struggling to get a sleep?
A man lacking struggling and worried about food clothing and sleep is a slave, is a man still in Egypt yet to be delivered unto the wilderness where Jesus takes care of His own. It is only in Egypt (slavery) where the children of Israel struggled for food clothing and sleep not in wilderness (freedom)
2. Health and strong bones
Prov 3:7 – 8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
Health to the flesh and strength to bones only come from Jesus Christ. Diseases and sicknesses are not part of being rich.
For this reason, Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8) thus healing all kinds of sicknesses and diseases – part of Him being poor for us to be rich.
Show me a man who has not being sick or hospitalized because of a diseases or sickness for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, etc, and I’ll point you to a rich man you go learn Jesus Christ.
3. Makes the body (temple) valuable
Jesus cleans the body from everything that devalues His temple … reasons He commands how to cloth the temple, against marks and tattoos, ornaments, etc.
There was merchandising in the Outer Court of the Jewish temple because God was not dwelling in the Holy of Holies – He had departed the temple. see why Holy Spirit departs
The Outer court is a true reflection of the Holy of Holies. If God is indeed in the Holy of Holies, no poverty can be seen in the outer court. If God is not dwelling in the Holy of Holies, Poverty is automatic in the Outer court
If God is dwelling in a person, no body poverty can be seen. If Jesus is not dwelling in the Holy of Holies, body poverty is guaranteed.
Satan does not work like God – he enriches a man from outside with material things but at the same time destroying the Soul and the body – reason his riches adds sorrows but God riches adds no sorrows.
You cannot be rich before God and yet be in sorrows. Example; A man with material wealth but in diseases and sicknesses, and weak bones, that is a man in sorrows – a poor man.
All man’s poverty can all be traced to one thing – the spirit; no perfect relationship with Jesus Christ, not walking in the Holy Spirit; not being obedient but disobedient and rebellious to the Holy Spirit.
God is not poor thus it’s not God’s will for His people to be poor reason He send His Only Begotten Son to be poor for you to be rich.
I have seen people who claim to be of Jesus but they are ‘poverty defend forces’ – be careful with these for they do not know what they are doing.
Identify your poverty, acknowledge it and go to Jesus Christ
Jesus is Coming
Repent Repent Repent
Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand
