When You Give (5): “Breaking the Spirit of Mammon”
Have you had the thought lately, “If only I had some money, my problems would be solved”? If we feel that money could solve our problems, then the spirit of mammon has influenced us. And as Jesus said that we cannot serve God and mammon.
The video below is the fourth message of The Blessed Life series by Robert Morris: Breaking the Spirit of Mammon
The Blessed Life, Sermon 4: Breaking the Spirit
of Mammon
Mammon is an Aramaic word, which means riches, and mammon represents the spirit of this world. Money either has God’s spirit on it or a mammon spirit. Jesus said, “You can’t serve God and mammon.” If we think that money could solve our problems instead of God, then the spirit of mammon has influenced us. (Tweet this) Tithing and giving breaks the stronghold and spirit of mammon.
Sermon Outline and Excerpts
Key Scripture: Luke 16:9–13; 1 Timothy 6:10
Luke 16:9-13 says:
9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Tweet this)
“No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). This is the only phrase like this in the Bible—where Jesus contrasts serving God with something as clearly as He does. You cannot do this. No one can do this. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Since Jesus said this, we need to understand what mammon is.
1. What is mammon?
Mammon is an Aramaic word, which means riches. It comes from the Syrian god of riches. Jesus wasn’t simply referring to riches; He was referring to a false god that they knew. The Syrians had a god called mammon, and it was the god of riches.
Mammon has its roots in Babylonian history and essentially means “sown in confusion.” Babylon came from the towel of Babel. The towel of Babel was a system where they believed they didn’t need God. They believed their own work could get them high enough to get to heaven. When the spirit of mammon influences us, we believe we don’t need God if we have money. The spirit of mammon is a spirit that contrasts itself with the Spirit of God. It is an arrogant, prideful spirit that tries to replace God.
Jesus said, “You can’t serve God and mammon.” In other words, mammon is looking for servants. Mammon wants you to look to it, not God. Jesus said you can’t serve both—you will be loyal to one and despise the other.
The prosperity message of today is a give-and-you’ll-get message. The problem with the prosperity gospel is that it actually works selfishness and greed into your life instead of out of your life. It is a mammon message. When people buy into this message, and something breaks or goes wrong in their life financially, they despise God and get mad at Him. They do this because they’re loyal to mammon.
Mammon wants to take God’s place. Mammon promises us everything that only God can give us:
- identity
- security
- significance
- happiness
- joy
- peace
- love
Mammon can never deliver on its promise.
Mammon is the spirit of antichrist. The spirit of antichrist does not rule through the threat of nuclear war. The spirit of antichrist rules through the threat of not being able to buy and sell — “If you don’t bow to me and take the mark of the beast, you won’t be able to provide for your family.”
All through our lives, mammon is trying to get us to bow to mammon, serve mammon, worship mammon … and Jesus is saying, “No! God is the only one that can provide everything you need!”
We’ve all had this thinking at some point or another:
“I either need God to come through … or I need someone to give me some money.”
And if someone were to give us some money, we would say, “I’m okay, God. My problem has been solved. I don’t need you … because I’ve got some money.”
Mammon is the spirit of the world and the spirit that rests on money not submitted to God. (Tweet this) Mammon is a spirit. It is the spirit that rests on money. All money has a spirit on it—it either has the spirit of God or the spirit of mammon on it. All the money in your account right now either has the spirit of God on it or the spirit of mammon. The way you get God’s spirit on it is by giving the first ten percent to God, and He redeems the rest out from under the spirit of the world, the spirit of mammon.
God blesses money that has been submitted and doesn’t try to replace God. Mammon tries to take God’s place by promising us everything that only God can give. (Tweet this) Mammon wants to rule. We must submit ourselves and our money to God only.
2. Is money evil?
1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV); Luke 16:9
“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” (1 Timothy 6:10).
In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul writes that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money is neutral—you can do good or bad with money. Money, in itself, is not evil; the love of money is the root of evil. Loving and serving mammon is a root of all kinds of evil.
Jesus said:
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home” (Luke 6:9).
Jesus is saying, “Take this unrighteous mammon and redeem it by giving the first to the house of God. Use the money that Satan uses for evil—use it for good and build the Kingdom of God. As a result, people will get saved and become your friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. And when you die, they will welcome you into your eternal home.”
In other words, there are going to be people in Heaven who say, “I’m here because you gave. If you hadn’t given, I wouldn’t be in the Kingdom today.” God is the only one who can take unrighteous mammon and turn it into souls, into true riches.
Money can be used for unrighteous temporal purposes or for righteous eternal purposes. The choice is ours. This means we are to use money for what is eternal, such as winning souls for God’s kingdom.
3. What should I do with money?
Luke 16:10–12
Be a good steward with whatever you have. Luke 16:10 and 12 says, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least, is unjust also in much … and if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” We all have something with which we are supposed to be faithful. Tithing is stewarding what belongs to another. Our money belongs to God, not us.
God is testing us to see what we’re going to do with the first ten percent.
“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:11)
People are true riches. Souls last forever. Heaven is being populated and hell is being plundered by your offerings. (Tweet this) That’s why giving is a spiritual act—because when you give, people get saved.
Tweetables
- “If we think that money could solve our problems instead of God, then the spirit of mammon has influenced us. > Tweet
- Mammon is the spirit of the world and the spirit that rests on money not submitted to God. > Tweet
- Mammon tries to take God’s place by promising us everything that only God can give. ~ Robert Morris > Tweet
- “No servant can serve two masters. … You cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13 > Tweet
- “Heaven is being populated and hell is being plundered by your offerings.” ~ Robert Morris > Tweet
Question:
- What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message? He may continue to talk to you about it in the coming days. Tell Him that you’re open to hear Him, and you want the stronghold of mammon to be broken in your life. The quickest way to break the stronghold of the spirit of mammon is to tithe—to give the first ten percent to God.
- Are you trying to serve both God and mammon?
- Are you looking to mammon to provide what only God can give you?
OTHER POSTS IN THIS SERIES
- Giving God the First: When You Give (Part 1)
- When You Give (2): “It’s All About the Heart” by Robert Morris
- When You Give (3): “What Test?” by Robert Morris
- When You Give (4): “The Principle of First”
- When You Give (6): “Am I Generous?”
- When You Give (7): Three Characteristics of an Extravagant Giver
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1. Sermon outline and summary paragraphs from Gateway Church.
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good
Thank you the info, very helpful
I have been going to loans every time lots of debts
This is so enlightening. It explains a lot
Good
Am not good, in tithing but these words had made me feel guilty about myself, God have mercy on me