John and Harold in the Netherlands - John will go back in November To subscribe or add a friend click Here     Kings - Is Wealth God’s Will?   With all the urgency and anointing of God’s Spirit the answer is an emphatic YES! We’ll use this newsletter and several more to get fully comfortable with the concept. The eyes of the Lord are searching throughout the earth for those can handle wealth… those who can exercise their faith to receive it and the wisdom to use it to build the Kingdom. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is looking for Kings that are not ashamed to be blessed by God and promoted to new of levels of influence and generosity.   But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. Deut 8:17-18 Where we’ve been – “Poor and humble” has been the goal of spirituality as defined by pastors and missionaries in the past (including me). Over the last few decades the church has transitioned through three major theology shifts. To be effective in ministry you need three things; 1) salvation - including baptism, the Holy Spirit, etc., 2) you need to be healthy, and 3) you need enough financial resources to carry out your ministry to bless others... more than enough. Let's consider each briefly.   1. God’s will is to see everyone saved. Although not everyone responds to the Lord we used to say it wasn’t God’s will for some. We don’t hear that anymore! Even hearing that the Holy Spirit (tongues) isn't for everyone has diminished in evangelical debate. For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live! Ezek 18:32   This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim 2:3-4   The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 2. Its God’s will to see everyone healthy and if they are sick then He wants them healed.  This is still a work in progress. You still hear people occasionally say that God is working through sickness. God’s people have made lots of progress in healing over the last decade… because we’re coming closer to understanding that God does want to heal us. Why isn't everyone healed? Same reason not everyone is saved - it's not God's fault or design. …by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53:5 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 3.  God’s will is to prosper His people – We’re not even close on this one. Most of the body of Christ assumes wealth is more a curse than poverty. The level of deception on this front is amazing. So… we want to devote a series of newsletters to this topic. Kings have to be comfortable with the Biblical basis for receiving abundance from the hand of the Lord. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10  KJV   And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."   10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor 9:7-11 Here is God’s will clearly articulated. His grace abounds to you so that at ALL times you’ll have All you need to ABOUND to EVERY good work. To water that verse down so it doesn’t include finances ignores the old testament pattern. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon, etc. were God’s men and they we’re very prosperous. And the LORD hath blessed my master (Abraham) greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. Gen 24:35 KJV   Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. Gen 26:12-14 Here’s the will of God for you – he wants to prosper you beyond your needs to a place of abundance so that you’ll be in a position to fully understand his nature (God is abundant and generous) “and” so that you be in a position to bless others. How - check's are not going to start mysteriously appearing in the mail. You'll have to use faith, take risks, find an anointing for creativity, and you'll have to "work" diligently. You'll be amazing at how God will multiply your efforts - 100 fold.   Why Prosperity? - Jesus atoning work on the cross includes salvation and healing. I want to suggest it includes financial abundance as well. Most people understand that generosity is "good". What most of us miss is that God's heart is to bless us as well. The main plank of the poverty mindset is that we are unworthy of God's abundance. What if all your needs were so exceedingly, abundantly met that instead of tithing 10% you lived on 10% and used 90% to build the Kingdom. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Cor 8:9 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."   9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Gal 3:7-9 (Refers to Gen 12:2-3, Abraham's covenant blessing)   Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."   14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Gal 3:13-14   Here’s the great commission – “all nations will be blessed through you.” …Something has changed in the Spirit. Our tradition is that people were called to the ministry or missions and then set about itinerating to raise the financial support to carry out their call. God is now calling Kings to embrace abundant prosperity to “go” to the marketplace and “do” greater works. How we reach our cities and conduct missions in other nations will look very different “and” very exciting over the next 10 years. God isn’t just calling pastors, and prophets and missionaries – He’s calling you. Kings that understand abundance will take expanding the Kingdom from theory to practice.   Next week we'll deal with all the reasons and verses people use to avoid prosperity. If you would like to email us your favorite we'll include it in the article. Just send a note to John@releasing-kings.com. Releasing Kings is fun; you may as well help spread the message.   Here's a "teaser" - what happens if I understand my gifts and calling for ministry but haven't found any financial release? Answer: I spend time and energy trying to influence others to support "my" vision with "their" finances. The inadvertent message is that others don't have a vision from God or at least don't have one as important as mine.     Blessings,   John & Harold     PS: If you enjoyed this article your might also like "How You Can Break off Poverty and Embrace Prosperity."   The full story is in our book Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace.   I also recommend two books by Harold entitled "Developing a Prosperous Soul" Volumes 1 How to Overcome a Poverty Mindset and 2 How to Move Into God's Blessing.     PS: we get lots of interesting feedback on these newsletters at "You Wrote Back" http://www.releasing-kings.com/you-wrote-back.html        _____________________________________________________________________ Interested in your own WEB? We've posted information on the software we use to create this web site. If you survive the learning curve without losing your sanctification (mine is barely intact), it really is easy to use and the cost is $299 a year - much less expensive than hiring someone. The primary benefit is the ease of making your own changes. Additional info is at: http://www.releasing-kings.com/releasing-websites.html     Progress - Kingly Bio's are Up We've completed the first round of interviews with Kings.  These are real people that have been blessed by God in the Market Place and have hearts for ministry.  Check it out at http://www.releasing-kings.com/Interviewing-Kings.html.  If you have a success story, we'd like to post it by giving you a web page on our site.     Progress - A Teacher's Guide We've completed the first version of a study guide that targets those teaching the material in Releasing Kings.  It includes a page of notes on each chapter, all the graphics suitable to make overheads, and a PDF file of the book with the key points highlighted that includes marginal notes, comments, and questions.  This material is available for purchase on the teacher's guide page of the web. john@releasing-kings.com 509-308-6873     Friends Tell Friends God has given us a great tool to communicate a message that sets people free in an amazing, contagious, life-changing way.  If you haven't read it - get it.  If you have read it - give it.  http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html   We've gotten a ton of positive feedback on the newsletter too... get it, give it.  Reloading Seniors was powerful.  Pass the link on. http://www.releasing-kings.com/Newsletter.html   PS: don't forget to look at the free reports - show your pastor the article on marketplace ministry from the pastor's perspective.  You can simply email him this link or print a copy to give him. http://releasing-kings.com/pastors-perspective.html     ____________________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html