The following is a question I received on Christian finances and the reason why many Christians are not experiencing this coming together well for them. I was asked,

"Do you find it amazing that so many Christians in the body of Christ are experiencing financial hardship?"

I had to answer him that I wasn't at all amazed by this! Sadly, many Christians have no idea what they need to do in their spiritual lives in order to start experiencing God's care for them in the financial and material realm of life. While praying about this, I put together a list of seven essential steps or points for a Christian to take so he or she can be positioned to experience God's promise of blessing and care fulfilled.

Before I give you that list, though, let me pose the question, "Why should we expect our finances to be in any way in a better state that of the people in the world around us?" Here are three prime reasons why:

1) In Jesus Christ, God has delivered us from the power of darkness and set us up in the kingdom of His Son, Jesus. Col.1:13. 2) As Christians, we are citizens of God's kingdom and joint-heirs with Christ. Eph.2:19. 3) By His offering of Himself on the cross, the blood of Jesus has redeemed us from the curse so that the blessing of Abraham may come on us through Him.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us...that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:13-14 - NKJV

Financially, then, we are positioned in Christ to experience our lives set in the sphere of heavenly economics. We can expect to be shielded from the uncertainties and unreliability of this world's economics.

We can and ought to be enjoying Christian finances - finances that have God in them and right behind them. And yet, like everything we have available from God, it can be there for you but you can be missing out totally on the experience of it.

Below is a list of Christian essentials in the form of 7 points. Each point is familiar to most born again, Bible-believing Christians and yet still we see believers for some reason not implementing one or more of these basics of faith.

If you desire to know the reality of the kingdom of God in your life - that is, to know His care and blessing - then this list is for you! Live daily in these essentials and you can be confident of seeing your circumstances start to change and an experience of good Christian finances start to grow.

Point 1. Say what God's Word says!

Follow up scriptures - Psa.34:1-3, 2 Cor.4:13

Speak the report and promise of God's Word! Stop speaking the report of the world and even your own senses that contradict the Word's declaration! (For more information see my class entitled "Word Power".)

Point 2. Stay constant in your Christian course!

Follow up scriptures - Luk.9:62, 2 Pet.1:5-11.

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

2 Timothy 3:14 - NKJV

Point 3. Prosper your soul; daily!

Follow up scriptures - Rev.3:18, Isa.55:2.

(How do you prosper your soul? See Mat.11:28-30.)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 2 - NKJV

Point 4. Rejoice always; in pressure and trouble too!

Follow up scriptures - Phil.4:4, Ja.1:2.

You must rejoice in all this, even if at the moment you are involved in a situation in which you are bound to be distressed by all kinds of troubles.

1 Peter 1:6 - Barclay's translation

Point 5. Worship God before His throne; often!

Follow up scriptures - Heb.10:19-22

This means that he (Jesus) can save fully and completely those who approach God through him, for he is always living to intercede on their behalf.

Hebrews 7:25 - J.B.Phillips' translation

Point 6. Give God your cares; permanently!

Follow up scriptures - 1 Pet.5:6-7, Mat.6:31

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace.

Phil.4:6-7 - NLT

Point 7. Walk by faith, not by sight!

Follow up scriptures - 2 Cor.5:7, Hab.2:4

For our light and transitory affliction is achieving for us, beyond all proportion, an eternal weight of glory - if we look not at the seen, but at the unseen; for the seen is temporary, but the unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 - Weymouth's translation

Apply these seven Christian essentials to your life and you will not only start enjoying better financial circumstances but also better circumstances of employment, family and health.

(N.B. The above list isn't intended as an exhaustive list of Christian "to dos". It's a guide to seeing God's kingdom manifest in your life.)

Check out the topic listing on this page for other pages on this web site dealing with money management (topic list entry - M for Money). You can also benefit from looking at the tithe and its role (topic list entry - T for Tithe).