How to be a Good Steward of your Money

He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ (Luke 19:12)

Can you genuinely say that you are a good steward of your money? Do you see yourself as the owner of the money you earn or is it God’s, and you are just His manager? If you are His manager, how do you manage the money He gives you?

“Jesus Christ said more about money than about any other single thing because, when it comes to a man’s real nature, money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man’s true character. All through Scripture, there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man’s character and how he handles his money.” ~ Richard Halverson

There are 2350 verses in the Bible about money. Amazing right? It is like God knew that we will struggle with the issue of money, so He gave us Bible verses to guide us on how to steward our finances.

The Bible says that the world is the Lord’s and everything in it. That means even the money we make does not belong to us. We found it here, and we shall leave it here. (Psalm 24:1)

What is Financial Stewardship?

It is the management of your financial resources in a way that glorifies God. Christians need to use their money for the glory of God and not for their own selfish interests. Financial stewardship doesn’t mean that God deposits money directly into your bank account. (Luke 19:16-19)

It means that God gives us the power to create wealth. He is the one who gives you the anointing that enables you to prosper.  Therefore He is the source of your prosperity.

The truth is:

Everyone wants to prosper, that is why we work hard. Some Christian believe that they are God’s stewards, but they don’t believe that money is part of the things that they need to steward. But that is not true. Working as unto self and using the money you have to serve your interests is not good stewardship.

Stewardship and Money

Here are a few factors about stewardship and money that you need to know.

●  God has given you money to manage so that you can trust Him with it

What this means is that it is up to God to choose what you will do with the money that He gives you. Now, this may sound scary for some people. You may start thinking that God will tell you to sell all your property and give out all the money that you have. But that is not what will happen.

See, God wants you to prosper in your finances so that you can have all that you need and plenty left over to share with others. But you need to seek His counsel so that He can give you wisdom on how to use your money.

●  Having money is not prosperity, it is the by-product of prosperity

The world will have you believe that having a lot of money means being prosperous. But we all know that is true because some of the richest people in the world are very miserable. We have seen rich people killing themselves because of depression and frustrations. Prosperity means relying on God for all your needs.

How does one become a good steward of their money?

10 Ways to Be a Good Steward of Money

1. See God as your Source

Who is the source of your finances?

It is important to be clear about this because it causes your mind to shift from the lies that the world has fed you about money. Seeing God as your source means looking at Him as the supplier of your financial needs.

When God supplies your needs, He doesn’t do it according to the standards of the world. He does it according to His glorious riches. (Philippians 4:19)

2. Seek God’s Counsel

Do you ever ask God for wisdom when it comes to your finances? Or do you think God doesn’t care about your finances?

There are so many ways that you can earn and spend money. You need to seek God concerning your money so that He can show you how to use it for His glory. Now, this doesn’t mean that you can’t use your money for pleasure.

God wants you to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Honouring Him by seeking His counsel will enable you to use your money wisely.

3. Guard your Heart Against Greed

The love of money is the root of evil, not money itself. If you have a wrong mindset about it, you need to change it.

We are all capable of becoming greedy.  We need to always be on the lookout, especially when we become more successful. It is easy to be blinded by how much money you’re making.

Make it a point to always ask God to help you find contentment in Him and not your finances.

4. Take Good Care of What you Have

Stewardship means managing the finances God has given you well. So whether you have a lot of money or very little, you need to manage it well.

As a matter of fact, God will test you with small amounts of money before He can give you large amounts to manage. Just like the servants who were given talents, you will have to account for how you spent your money when Jesus comes back. (Luke 19:15)

5. Earn Honestly

If God is going to be your source of finances, then you need to play by the good book,  the Bible.  You cannot do things that are contrary to the word of God and expect Him to reward you.

In the book of proverbs, God tells us that He hates dishonest scales.  We can use this same verse to also say God hates people who earn money dishonestly. In a world that glorifies people with a lot of money, you need to be careful so that you do not get caught up in the scrupulous ways some of these people use to earn money.

Don’t lie or steal from people and expect God to bless you.

In the same measure, you should not laze around and rely on getting rich quick schemes.  God rewards people who are honest with their dealings.  He also rewards those that work diligently irrespective of the circumstances they are facing. 

6. Live a Simple Life

The truth is, ‘live a simple life’ is a relative phrase.  What may be simple to you may not be the same for others.  That is why you need to seek counsel from God regarding your finances. 

But it is better to live a simple life so that you can use your money on things that bring glory to God.

Many people get excited when they prosper in their finances.  They will buy the things they don’t need because they either want to please people who don’t care or they want to be like their friends. Look,  you can have all the expensive things in the world, but that doesn’t mean that you will become happy. 

Living simply makes life easy.

7. Tithe

Not all Christians embrace tithing.  While most will agree about serving God faithfully,  some don’t believe that tithing is part of being faithful to God.  Those who don’t believe in this argue that tithing was for people in the Old Testament.

But here is the thing;

The word of God tells us to test God with our tithes and offerings. Look, God doesn’t need our money.  Neither is it meant to make preachers rich.  Giving ten per cent of your money to God is for your own good. (Malachi 3:10)

It is a way of acknowledging that God is in charge of your money. Not just that, it is also a way for us to give Him control of our finances so that He can protect us from any manner of evil that the enemy has planned against our money. 

8. Give to Orphans and Widows

Helping those people that are in need is a major part of Christianity. See, the son did not come to be served but to serve.  Just like Jesus, we need to serve others. 

The Bible says that God gives us all that we need so that we can have that we need and plenty left over to share with others.  Meaning giving is one of the ways that God expects us to manage our finances. 

We were created for relationships, not just with God but also with others.  Jesus said the poor will always be there. God has blessed you so that you can help the poor. Remember, the more you give, the more you receive. When you help others you God opens the floodgates of heaven and pours more financial blessings in your life.

9. Get Out and Stay Out of Debt

While the world system promotes and encourages people to go into debt, the Bible says otherwise. The word calls the borrower a slave of the borrower.  Imagine that! If you owe someone, you are a slave to that person and vice versa. (Proverbs 22:7)

See, when you owe someone money, then you will have to work hard so that you can pay off your debt. 

You must get out of debt as soon as you can.  The Bible says that you should not rest until your debt is paid off.  But that is not all you need to also remain out of debt.  This can be hard, especially for those people that are going through some financial challenges. But it is the best thing to do for your own peace of mind.

It is hard to develop and help others when you are constantly in debt. God has promised to supply your needs.  Ask Him to give you wisdom so that you can get out of debt and stay out of it.

10. Build up Heavenly Treasures

We all work hard to make money because when you have the money you can access the things that you want and do the things you love easily.  But you know what we need to put much of our efforts on, our eternal life. 

Money is a reward for how you manage your time.  But your time here on earth is limited.  We are like mist,  one day we are here and gone tomorrow. (James 4:14)

But how you manage your time, money, and other resources will determine the kind of rewards that you will get.  The diligent servants were given more for their faithfulness.  We need to also be faithful with our money so that we can be trusted with more.  Making money should not be your ultimate goal.  See it as a way of building heavenly treasures where moles and mites can not destroy. 

Jewish Wisdom About Good Stewardship of Money

Probably the best to learn from about money are Jews. Here are some good thoughts about money and business secrets from Rabbi Daniel Lapin. He has been named one of the “Top 50 Rabbi in America” by Newsweek magazine, and is a headline speaker for hundreds of synagogues, churches, companies, and organisations. This discussion will change the way you view your finances, so be prepared to take notes!

Final Thoughts

You need to be a good steward of your money. Managing your money is a way of glorifying God, so you should not take it for granted.  Always remember that God is the source of your finances because He has given you the anointing and favour to make money.  Be faithful will the little, and you will be trusted with more come judgment day.

Prayer – Be a Good Steward of Your Money

Father God,  I thank you for giving me the ability to produce wealth.  Thank you for the favour and anointing upon my life that is enabling me to make money. Father, build a hedge of protection around my finances. Remove greed from my heart and help me to always be a good steward of the money that You are giving me. Lord, when I have plenty, remind me to help those that are in need, and when I have little, teach me how to be faithful with it. 

King of glory, I pray for those Christians that are going through financial struggles.  Give them divine favour in their jobs and businesses so that they can get the money they are looking for and solve their financial issues. 

Lord, forgive me for the times I have misused money and help me to always use it to advance Your kingdom for the glory and honour of Your Holy Name.  It is in Jesus’ name, I believe and pray,  Amen.

If you have struggled with stewarding your money, let me know. We will stand with you in agreement for your financial breakthrough. Or if you have any questions or some of your keys of how to steward money, please share with others! Let us advance the Kingdom together!

Shalom and Blessings!

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