You Must Win the Internal Conflict
January 1st, 2007 | Michael Pink
I believe God has deposited a lot of vision in your hearts. I know He has in mine. I also suspect that many of you haven’t discerned those dreams as being from Him. Many of you aren’t sure if it’s okay to dream that big. If it’s okay to prosper. If it’s okay to really excel. You want to. You try to. But deep down inside, you’re not sure if it’s okay. It seems that in the church, poverty or at least a continual condition of lack is somehow spiritual or admirable or holy. Hogwash! (Not that riches = spiritual maturity either)
I know whereof I speak. For years, I was conflicted on this matter. On an intellectual level, I believed it was a good thing to prosper and be in health even as my soul prospered (3 John 2) but at a heart level, at an imperceptible, subconscious level, I was uncomfortable with the notion of personal wealth. Don’t misunderstand me. I was very comfortable helping you get wealthy; I just wasn’t sure it was okay for me.
It is precisely that conflict which kept me from realizing my dreams. And I know many of you have a similar struggle. You believe one thing at an intellectual level, but believe something else deep within. Care to join me this year as we together remove every last vestige of doubt and finally come into agreement with the vision God has for our lives? I promise you it will be an exciting journey!
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January 3rd, 2007 at 3:34 am
Yes I’m ready! I have and do act on opportunities but I know God has more.
January 3rd, 2007 at 3:41 am
Michael,
Thanks for helping us to realize the freedom we have in Christ to be prosperous and successful in our life’s work. My prayer is that I can be of service to others with what God has blessed me with. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 tells us that we should rejoice in our labor as this is the gift of God. What freedom!
January 3rd, 2007 at 3:45 am
Yes, please. Thanks for the invitation. What are we going to do?
January 3rd, 2007 at 4:49 am
Yes, I too am ready! Thanks for the great insight on the freedow in Christ that can allow us to prosper. Let the journey begin!
Thanks!
January 3rd, 2007 at 4:55 am
It always amazes me! This morning, as I often do, I prayed that God would open my eyes to opportunities, give me the will and the ability to react and so forth. I have ALWAYS had a problem with the notion that, as a Christian, I really shouldn’t look for too much success. Somehow it didn’t seem “Godly”. Well, I open my email this morning and first message is from Michael Pink, addressing that very same issue that has plagued me for many years. So, lead on brother Pink, I’m all ears!!
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:03 am
Yes. How great is this conflict. Every fiber within me wants to think that poverty (in a getting by sense) equals righteousness. This is works based and flys in the face of everything taught us by the holy Spirit. “Let every man walk wherein he is called” … again … “I have learned therewith to be content”.
Our hope, redemption, identity and substance is in Christ. Riches can not substitute.
Let us be diligent therefore to pursue with skill all that He has set before us knowing this that it is He alone that provides. And He provides not just for our enjoyment, but more important for our fullfillment. For here we learn to live, give, and prosper His work in the earth as a tool in His hand! For “we didn’t bring anything into this world and it is certain that we can take nothing out” Let us therefore “store our treasure up in Heaven where rust does not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal”.
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:28 am
Praise the Lord! This is wonderful! It was as if the Lord Jesus was talking to me directly. Thank you for allowing Him to use you this way and speak to our hearts on this subject.
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:32 am
I’m not convinced….it seems to me the goal should be honoring God with excellence in your work and treating others the way Christ would. Contentment with what God provides is key. Performing a job with the idea of getting wealthy as the goal is backwards.
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:40 am
Michael,
You left preaching and went to meddlin’!!
This is really good stuff. It strikes at a very deep nerve in many of us because we are so interested in being “right” before God. We have permitted ourselves to be seduced by religious thinking. Even Beth’s comment above demonstrates the “either/or” mentality concerning financial achievement and honoring God. Ironically, anything God does is fruitful. Therefore, honoring Him includes fruitfulness at all levels.
Unfortunately, there is so much to “unlearn” for those of us who were indoctrinated by (hopefully) well-meaning people who taught us absolute untruths where these things are concerned.
We must quit apologizing and go out and run the race, as Paul said, “for the prize.” There are prizes at every level. A spiritual prize does not preclude a natural (financial) prize, and the reverse is also true. In fact, it is more likely that they will occur concurrently!
God help us as we renew our minds to the truth. And thank you, Michael, for your transparency in this. May God honor it in your life and business!
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:51 am
I’m in! This is exactly the topic which I have constant struggle!
Thanks for your commitment to serve our father!
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:12 am
Count me in, as I’m ready to start anew!
I know he has plans to help me to prosper, if I’ll just listen and act. Thanks, and Happy New Year.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:18 am
I’ll be watching … no, participating! … in this project with great interest. This question has torn at me too. My personal prayer is that whatever God chooses to send my way, that I use it to honor Him!
I’m reminded of a comment my pastor made. Taking this little snippet doesn’t do it justice, but it’s in the context of tithing 10%. Tithing 10% was an important way for the Israelites to provide for the tribe of Levi as they did their priestly work. Because that tribe was called to be priests, they didn’t have the opportunity to provide for themselves like the other tribes.
Fast-forward to our present time. God no longer requires that we give him 10% … he requires that we “give” him EVERYTHING we have (talents, worship, finances, time, etc.) … because it’s already His anyways.
So if I “get” prosperity, I must be very careful to recognize who the true Owner of this prosperity is, and do the most that I can with it for the time this prosperity is entrusted to me.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:26 am
Michael,
Thank you for hearing God’s heart and taking time to share it…I’m with on the journey! And thanks to all who have commented regarding this; It has helped me realize that I am not alone in this struggle(sometimes you can feel that way) and God will use what others say to reveal truth..thanks David G. for your comments about “religious thinking”. I’ve been stuck there but am getting “unstuck” and ready to run that race.
January 3rd, 2007 at 6:49 am
Michael as you may remember from the NACFC confernence, that was and still remains a struggle for me. But, it’s time to receive all that God has for me so that I can be a blessing to the Kingdom of God. COUNT ME IN!!
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:03 am
I totally relate. I’m in real estate and this last year has been very difficult. I’m ready to experience GOD’s financial blessings again so I can again give generously to HIS work. Sometimes I wonder why some people always get the big sales and I get the little ones. I like dealing with first time buyers, but wonder why HE doesnt’ see fit to let me get some of the big ones too.
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:18 am
I relate to this topic. I seem to do the same work as others for half the price because I try and make it affordable but I’m in the top 1%-3% in my field of labor(credit & credit scoring). So sometimes I think I should raise my prices. That is a constant battle.
I’m In!
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:18 am
we will be made rich in every way so we can be generous on every occassion,all hard work leads to profit,dilligent hands produce wealth,give and it will be given back to you;pressed down.shaken together,running over-men will give into our bossum,WHATS NOT OT BELIEVE!
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:29 am
Very encouraging! I am in, I am committed to the vision of being and having what the Lord has for me (as a steward) and blessing others. Being in insurance sales, this was a boost I needed.
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:36 am
Greetings Michael,
I know the Father wants to bless us. Scripture teaches this.
But like so many I’ve been stuck in that rut of being torn between, be content with what I have, to what more can I do to provide for my family and future.
I look forward to your teaching. I do have one request, less on the opinion and more proof from the scriptures.
I say this, because anyone can make the scriptures sound or fit their own beliefs.
Woody Quinones
ImpactYourArea.com
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:46 am
I’m in Michael. I also struggle with this. For me though, I’m almost afraid of success. I’ve existed for so long with “just enough” that I’m not sure what I would do if God released the storehouses.
I know there is a difference between being content with what God has provided and yearning for more of God and what he has for me and I do yearn for more.
We need to be careful when we camp out on the “being content with what God has provided”. First is it really God who has placed us there, or have we allowed ourselves to get stuck there. Did God even direct us there? Also, it gets very close to being “Karma” if we truly believe that our situationcan’t change, or that it is wrong to want more.
Our hearts shouyld yearn for more of God and his blessing for not only ourselves but for others. If we are not on the front lines in mission work then we should be supporting those who do. And this takes money…
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:17 am
I too am at war internally fighting the fear of success and living life as God has intended me to live. I have been camped out at this site for far too long and the fear is overwhelming at times. I am ready to move on and live life God’s way. My prayer is that this is the beginning of a fresh confidence in really learning and believing, to the depth of my soul, who I am in Christ and what He says I can have. Let’s get started!
January 3rd, 2007 at 10:31 am
I have always heald back for 2 reasons. The first reason is the “proverty is righteous” issue. The second reason is that I am afraid of the pursuit of riches becoming more important than God. (money-making becoming my idol).
January 3rd, 2007 at 10:45 am
Very interesting!! I’m with you, Let’s go for it.
Thanks for moving in this direction. It’s needed.
Joe
January 3rd, 2007 at 11:31 am
AMEN
January 3rd, 2007 at 5:59 pm
It has taken me decades to realize prosperity and wealth is to do with “focus” on the “right” things. Get a crystal-clear focus and direction and God will certainly pour out the blessings. We find the focus in the scripture: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having ALL SUFFICIENCY in all things, may abound to EVERY GOOD work”
Once I realized that he WANTS us to have wealth so we can help others, I changed the direction of my life and focussed on sharing and helping … not just getting for me! I launched a medical charity.
I have a friend who is 60. His goal for the next 5 years is to make enough money to buy a 200 ft. ocean going yacht and then retire at 65. Our goal in this humanitarian medical charity is to provide free medical treatment to tens of thousands of suffering people every year. Who is right … who is wrong? Not sure, but I do believe the Lord will open more financial doors to us … in order to “abound to every good work”.
“GET LOADED … and GET SHARING” should be our motto.
I am very grateful for Michael Pink and his wonderful and very inciteful teachings!
Neill Newton - neillnewton@gfhospitals.org
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
I love the synergy that I experience when I read these emails. There is such a prophetic spirit on each email, that shines right to heart issues. I am grateful that you wrestle with these tough subjects to help bring “release and freedom to the captives”.
My wife and I had an early educating experience of getting an inheritance at a young age. Our pastor told us to “burn through it because it will hinder our trust in God and be a stumbling block.”
Thinking my desire and pleasure in the marketplace was compromise, and second best in Heaven and scum of the Earth on, well Earth, I went to ministry school and burn through it we did.
As we went through very trying times afterword, the Lord lovingly led us to His Heart and His promises. It was in a large and extravagant way, through SAW’s Seminar in Florida, that I applied SOME of the truths Michael has been sharing, and experienced 400 percent growth in sales in less then 4 years, with only myself as a consultant. I have been humbled and exhilirated to see how the Lord has ambushed us with His desire, to give us power to create wealth and care for the poor of the earth. There are many poor wearing Armani and driving Audis and wrestling through these truths turns messes into Messengers. Never have a felt so much joy in writing checks to those in need and I am just touching the hem of these Truths, only eating what is falling from the table of the King. This is a year to be invited to “come up higher and sit with the King” and join those pioneers in the marketplace who are in agreement with the purposes of Heaven to see transfers of wealth come to the faithful. I love being able to give, and give and give, then …receive, receive and receive…so I can give, and give..I am in from head to toe, brothers and sisters. This is just the beginning…
January 3rd, 2007 at 9:45 pm
I’m in too,Lets dig the WORD !!look at it,stare at it read it study it in and out one word at a a time till it speaks back to us.
Thanks
2007 is already exciting !!
January 7th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Hello everyone who has commented here thus far… WOW! I am so moved by your comments. So much heart. It would take more time than I have to respond to each comment. Much insight there. I get a lot of help from your comments too. Thank you so much for posting! 2007 Will be a most excellent journey!
Blessings my friends
January 8th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Ahh, the delima. Cain’t accept mediocrity, Musn’t lose our souls in the persuit of money.
Truly we must hear Him on both sides of the wealth issue.
Pro 30:7-9
Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
January 9th, 2007 at 3:25 am
I share with you in the idea of being wealthy, that is for others and helping them to achieve success, but I forgot about myself… or did I? Most of my life has been to invest in others, now I am allowing others to invest in me… you do reap what you sow!
January 11th, 2007 at 11:46 am
YES! I was ready yesterday! I want the best that God has - not because of selfishness but because THE BEST IS GOD.
Let’s get started.