Kingdom Characteristics – Recognizing Mammon – Clay Sikes

Those that make the best slaves are those who don’t know they are – the strength of the oppressor lies in the ignorance of the oppressed; and mammon, like no other force, has enslaved and oppressed God’s people for centuries, but he is now being opposed by those appointed to oppose him – exposed, opposed, deposed!

.

Jesus said there is ‘one thing’ you can’t do and serve me. One thing MORE than all others is pointed out as a ‘divider’ from God; it separates and keeps us from serving God. This ‘one thing’ hides itself in modern society and most, even in the Church, do not see it! And what is it? It is MAMMON, and often we Christians assign mammon to the rich and greedy, who already do not belong to God; but what about those of us who are ‘called’ to serve God but also serve this same mammon? Is that possible? Yes it is, and many today are blinded by this more subtle form of ‘mixture’ mammon who is just as deadly.

.

Scripture teaches, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13) – “The love of money God says is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL” (1 Timothy 6:10). Mammon will separate you from God like nothing else, simply because it requires your trust in it rather than God, and He (God) will have no other God placed BEFORE HIM. Mammon by definition is an idol, graven image, false god. Mammon is a source to those who worship it as god, yet the toll is so severe. The rich young ruler is our biblical example of one offered everything, but instead chose nothing. Mammon, as a source, offers the death of all things living in our life as it has no capacity to give life, only money. In its subtle way, it requires you to renounce God as your provider (Jehovah Jira). To serve mammon as a source is to temporarily get what you want as it further separates you from God.

.

What is ‘mixture mammon?’ Greed is obvious in the world of mammon, yet ‘need’ is not! Your needs will either drive you to God or mammon, or in many cases a mixture of both. This tainted version of mixture is impure and will not mix with Kingdom dynamics. This is unstable thinking and will not result in God’s best. It is when worry is more tantamount than trust, when plan B is more important than plan A (trusting God), when deadlines are set before we take matters into our own hands, when we subscribe to non-scriptural sayings like “God helps those who helps themselves.” These are mixture. Have you done any of these? I have, countless times with the same results.

Need is often separated from greed in human understanding, but where does it stand in spiritual life? Need can create a love of money in a much more subtle way, and this is the focus of this writing – subtle ‘mixture mammon; hidden from the eyes of God’s people. Some forms of ambition are applauded by society and even the church yet loathed by heaven if the motive is “selfish ambition,” which is ranked right there with murder, adultery, drunkenness, orgies, etc., Scripture teaches that those who engage in these will not see the Kingdom of God. Yet even more subtle than ambition is need that seeks self or others to be met.

.

The love of money can equally, if not more, come from need as well as greed. Here is a key! A needy man can ‘chase money’ just like a greedy man; both follow mammon instead of God. Recognizing who your provider is and where your source of provision comes from is paramount to escaping the death trap of mammon. Are you your provider or is God? This is more about recognizing than strategizing. Strategizing often leads to human hands touching what God is bringing, and when human hands touch what God is doing, human hands will kill God’s provision graveyard dead. Ask me how I know? I have a testimony.

.

“Be not like the pagan and chase money” – Matthew 6:32. A needy man can ‘chase it’ as much or more than a greedy man; scripture makes no delineation. How interesting that Matthew 6:32 precedes the more well known and oft quoted 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, AND THEN all these things will be added unto you.”

.

Strategizing (what will I do to get money) is outside the leadership of the Holy Spirit AND is not God; it is the curse operating in your life. You are not your provider though limited human understanding says ‘you are.’ It is time to graduate from this earthly sphere of understanding and gain a Kingdom perspective. It is interesting to note that the very first thing we are instructed to do, even before seeking the Kingdom, is “not chase money as pagans do” – Matthew 6:32.

.

Part of God’s deliverance pattern from ‘the curse’ of self sustainment (looking to self for provision) is to understand a key Kingdom principle. To the extent I look to and trust God and His way, to that same extent do I enjoy the benefits of Kingdom life on earth (as it is in heaven, where there is no shortage or lack). To the extent that I look to man (most often self) and his way, to that same extent do I lose the benefits of the Kingdom. You must forego the world’s way to gain the Kingdom’s method of receiving. You must let go of one to gain the other (Revelation 18:4). We must come out of the old way to embrace the new way; the way of the Kingdom. This is painful to our flesh and will require more courage than we have, but not more than God can give. This transition can be tough if trust is lacking, but a breeze if trust is deep. No man has the capacity for deep trust without the deep humility to seek it from God. Seek it with all your heart and watch God flood you with trust which is a sign of the profound rest we’re called into (Hebrews 4:10).

.

What we are talking about in simple terms is reversing the curse of toiling (for a living) brought on by Adam’s fall (Genesis 3:17) – the old way. God desires us to walk in a pre-fall state; that’s why Jesus came, to redeem us from from the curse by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13,14). Toil and strain categorically ARE NOT the Kingdom’s Way. “Seek first the Kingdom of God (AND HIS RIGHT WAY) ‘AND THEN’ all these things (you need) will come running to you.” Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

.

What is the Kingdom’s Way? First and foremost a revelation that you are not your own provider; God alone is, and He desires more than you can imagine, to provide you with many good things; but He is extremely limited UNTIL you know the source of your blessing. “Life more abundantly” (John 10:10) is not just material blessing, but all things that pertain to life and Godliness (peace, righteousness, joy).

.

Restoration begins with a true understanding of rest. Mammon cannot operate in the presence of true rest. Mammon came after the fall as a substitute god to meet the needs of men in their ‘cursed state.’ Jesus came to restore man to His God by restoring rest and destroying mammon. Nothing can reverse the curse like true rest. Rest drowns the curse, reversing it to nothing and restoring man to the goodness of God. I’m occasionally asked to prove this in scripture.

.

Let’s look at Noah. The very word ‘Noah’ means rest – to comfort us from painful toil caused by “the curse.” A rising tide lifts all boats – allow this word to lift you right out of the curse of toil, strain, worry, doubt, fear, failure, shortage, and lack. The flood lifted the ark. The flood not only judged the wicked, but it says in Genesis 7:18 that the waters lifted up the ark far above the wicked and cursed world. The rising waters lifted the ark above the mountain tops and finally rested it on Mt Ararat, which means “the cursed reversed” – Genesis 8:4. These Old Testament scriptures serve as a guide of what’s to come. Getting in the ark means linking to God’s Way and going wherever He says go. This is a place of total surrender – you are locked in and at the total mercy of God. WHEN WE ARE LOCKED IN, THE CURSE IS REVERSED. The “locked in” are raised to heights they are not even aware of. Their blind trust brings them to a place called Ararat, the place in which “the curse is reversed.” Trust in God reverses all curses; the name of Jesus redeems us completely and totally – but we must ‘walk it out.’

.

It is time to arise and “reverse the curse,” by entering into His Rest while being carried to the top of the mountain of ‘your calling.’ Connecting to the rest is to connect to the REFORMATION that God alone is birthing in the earth right now. The Rest is simply believing; not striving, not fearing, not warfare or struggle – as with Joshua and Caleb, simply believing and being taken into your promised land, the mountain of your calling and purpose in this life.

.

What does unbelief do? Unbelief leads to making an effort in the wrong direction. His rest is revelation of the finished work (He has already done the work of securing total victory of our assignment and all He needs from us is courage to show up). Rest is trusting the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct. True rest is absent any anxiety or fear. Rest is complete trust in the Lord, and knowledge that in your total trust you will never be disappointed. Rest is believing God’s expanded promises and walking in that direction. It is far more about recognizing than strategizing (from issues of worry).

.

Rest is recognizing ‘the curse’ has no power against you, therefore no ‘reaction’ is necessary or needed, ONLY a well guided response – often in quite and gentle fashion (I’m still learning this). Rest is not fearing evil reports (Psalm 112:7). Rest is ceasing from your own labor (effort, worry, doubt, fear).

.

The Holy Spirit said to me long ago, “When you start, I stop – when you stop, I start.” Rest is the ‘full on’ prerequisite to restoration – there can be no oration (ability to hear God speak) without we first be in Rest (ceasing from your own worry, doubt, fear, and effort).

.

Our destruction comes from REST-LESS-NESS (no rest); our willingness to engage in and entertain thoughts of chaos, strife, gossip, course jesting, sarcasm, worry, doubt, fear – anxiety is the outcome, stress is the fruit, and death is the sentence. Stay calm to stay in His Rest; stay in His Rest to see His Restoration. Allow peace to guide you all day everyday, and carry this inside – “If God be for you, who can be against you.”

.

There mammon! Take that and watch God’s people depart from your wicked, slave making ways. You will enslave no more in Jesus name.