The Mammon Test

NEHEMIAH WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL

Is your heart fully established in Christ, or is it divided by and preoccupied with material concerns?
Do you choose to be a “love-servant” of Jesus, or a “fear-slave” to mammon?
Does your level of giving reflect a focus on God’s limitless Kingdom resources?

The Mammon Test

When Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all else will be added to you”, He meant it. Our hearts must be firmly, securely, one hundred percent established in Him – that is an issue that simply needs to be settled. We are who we are entirely because of who He is. We must leave all fear behind and begin to truly believe that in Him is all and is in all (Colossians 3:11). 

He will provide everything that is needed to fulfil our Divine purposes – as well as our daily needs – if we are willing to put His Kingdom and His righteousness first, and then step out into the unknown in faith. Success breeds more success, and with it comes “the mammon test”. Every leader will experience this, probably multiple times. It can either manifest as fear of lack, or a hoarding of abundance – otherwise known as greed.

Fear of lack will disrupt the economic supply lines of the Kingdom of God if we allow it to. This fear is generated when we choose to focus on the limited resource of mammon rather than the limitless supplies of our King. The other side of this is that an unhealthy obsession with abundance may shift our focus from the Giver of abundance to the abundance itself, which will also disrupt supply. Addressing both sides of “the mammon test”, Jesus plainly stated that we “cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24b NKJV). 

The New Living Translation puts it this way:

The word rendered “serve” (δουλεύειν douleuein) means to be a slave, or to be subjected to. “Master” (κυρίοις kyriois) means the one (implying “the One – Jesus”) who has supreme authority over your life. The root word translated as “money” (μαμωνᾷ mamōna) has its roots in a Chaldean word that does not just imply wealth, but also avarice or greed. 

The word rendered “hate” (καταφρονήσει kataphronēsei) means “to detest,” and therefore the other object of desire is esteemed less, or loved less. The paragraph that contains this verse (Matthew 6:20-24) is subtitled “Treasures in Heaven,” and in verse 21, Jesus succinctly states, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV).

We can choose to be a “love-servant” of Jesus, or a “fear-slave” of mammon. Love-servants of the Kingdom have been granted unlimited access to the limitless resources of the Creator of the universe. If we do not put Jesus first in the area of finances, ultimately, we will love Him less, and resent or ignore His desire to use us as conduits of Kingdom blessing.

Our increasing – or diminishing – levels of sowing will reflect the focus and desire of our hearts. Fear of lack, or unhealthy love of abundance, should not coexist in a heart where the Christ, the Hope of Glory, also resides; and it cannot exist in a heart where He truly reigns.

Here are some points to reflect upon:

• True stewardship flows from loving Christ above wealth and provision (Colossians 3:11)
• Seeking God’s Kingdom first will secure provision and also align the heart (Matthew 6:33)
• Divided allegiance between God and mammon disrupts Kingdom supply (Matthew 6:24)

Let’s Pray. Lord, help me to seek Your Kingdom and righteousness first. I reject the fear of lack and the hoarding of abundance. May I never be enslaved to money, but instead serve as a faithful conduit of Your blessing, with a heart entirely devoted to You alone. Jesus, I pray in Your Name and for Your glory, Amen.d through me, so that I may faithfully represent Your Kingdom and perform greater works as per John 14:12, and all for Your glory. In Your Name, Jesus, we pray, Amen.

This devotional is written by Pastor Steve Harris, the founder of Global Influencers, an organization that trains and equips leaders and emerging leaders to establish anointed communities that transform nations by restoring Kingdom culture from grassroots to government in the villages, cities, regions, and nations of the world. He is also the Content Development Assistant in the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community.