Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus,
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, King and Great High Priest of The Kingdom of God, speaks God’s Word in Luke 16:11-12. I remember reading these verses on occasion years ago and wondering what Jesus was truly speaking about. At that time, I was ignorant of God’s Word and revelation, even though I was saved and had experienced the baptism of The Holy Ghost some years earlier. This is what happens when one never takes seriously God’s command in II Timothy 2:15 to “study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed.” When I remember those days, I’m ashamed I was in that position and caused needless harm and delay to my family, myself, and to The Kingdom of God. I don’t dwell on it because I’m only looking forward in complete belief and declaration that I am what God said I am. I only remember now to express gratitude and thanksgiving to my Father and my King for being patient, gracious, compassionate, and merciful with me.
Luke 16:11-12
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
These verses come from the parable Jesus told of the unjust steward, Luke 16:1-13. In this parable, the rich man is symbolic of God, and the unjust steward is symbolic of a Believer that is out of alignment with God’s Word. Jesus used parables to teach lessons that compared and contrasted The Kingdom of God with the world system, the New Covenant with the Old Covenant, Grace with the law, the Spiritual with the physical, and one’s heart with one’s mind and one’s mouth. Ten out of thirty-eight parables concerned money, wealth, or possessions. Approximately twenty-six percent. Jesus spoke about money more than almost any other subject besides The Kingdom of God. Why? Because money and how one handles it reveals the condition of one’s heart.
We’ve spoken about “mammon” in previous messages. Mammon was the name of an ancient Chaldean god of wealth and power. Mammon is a demonic spirit, a principality, which means in the hierarchy of demons and evil spirits, it is a very powerful spirit with many spirits reporting to it in a military-style hierarchy. We learned that we, as Believers, are no longer cursed through Christ Jesus; however, the earth and its system is still cursed. God didn’t create money. Corrupted man, influenced by satan, created it. Therefore, money is cursed. What removes the curse from money? Yes, the tithe. When a Believer brings their tithe to God, God blesses the Believer and blesses his money, his possessions, and his family. God protects the tither by commanding his angelic hosts (read Malachi 3 where God as The Lord of Hosts is referenced seven times) to guard over the tither, their family, and their assets. If a Believer doesn’t tithe, the curse remains on their money and will affect them, their family, and their assets. The devourer has legal right to everything except the Believer and the family members who are Believers (read the Book of Job).
When we read Luke 16:1-13, we will learn of the Believer who misappropriated God’s tithe, using it for himself, and in the process had even that which he did have in assets taken from him. Specific to understanding the theme of the parable is Luke 16:11-12. Let’s address verse 12 first. Verse 12 just didn’t make sense to me. Why? Because I only thought of it as a physical reality trying to place it in the world’s context. In time, The Holy Spirit revealed to me who the “another man” was in this verse. Or should I say, “Who” the “another man” was in the verse. Yes, the “another man” is Jesus. Jesus is the Son of man. As the Son of man, and as the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Hebrews 7:8 tells us one of the courses or ordinances that Jesus performs – for all eternity.
Hebrews 7:8
And here men that die receive tithes; but there He [Jesus] receiveth them, of Whom it is witnessed that He liveth.
This is as plain as it can be. We, as Believers, give our tithes to the pastors, priests, bishops that die, but Jesus Spiritually receives and records them in each of our Books of Remembrance (Malachi 3:16). Jesus records our tithes and offerings. We are rewarded both on earth and in Heaven for our right hearts and our willingness and obedience. As we can see, Luke 16:12 clearly states if we are not faithful in the tithe and offerings, that which is another Man’s, Jesus Christ, then “Who” will commit to our trust the true riches? There is a question we must ask ourselves. What are the “true riches?” And what does the “true riches” have to do with money?
True riches are those things that exist in the Spiritual realm while everything in the physical realm is temporary, external, and resides in money, property, and status. For instance, The Kingdom of God is in the Spiritual realm. We, as Believers, can manifest things from the Spiritual realm into the physical realm for our use through The Kingdom of God. True riches are to walk in perfect health, at complete peace, delivered and protected from all attacks (not that they don’t come, but we, as Believers, thwart them before they’re ever conceived or stop them in their tracks once conceived and brought against us), and to be exceedingly abundantly prospered so we can bless others. Let’s look at Luke 16:10 which explains it for us.
Luke 16:10
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Jesus, speaking The Words of Luke 16:10, and in the context of an unjust steward of his master’s resources, lets us know that if we, as Believers, are not faithful in the tithes and offerings, which are the least in The Kingdom of God when compared to healing, raising from the dead, casting out demons, etc., then Jesus, King of The Kingdom of God, cannot trust us with the true riches of His Kingdom. Think about it. What good is money if one is sick, if one’s thinking and actions are heavily influenced by demons, if one’s family, one’s businesses, or one’s ministry are being destroyed, or if there is little-to-no peace every day? God called us to live in divine health, divine abundance, divine protection, and divine deliverance. All of this was delivered to us by the finished, redemptive works of Jesus Christ. We have it all in us, in The Godhead, which is the Spirit of God within us. Our Father is waiting for us to learn and to use the measure of faith He put in us (Romans 12:3) to manifest the divine fruits of righteousness from The Kingdom of God, which is within us (Luke 17:21), into the physical realm for the glory and advancement of The Gospel of Jesus Christ and The Kingdom of God.
Now, to underscore what Jesus said about money being the least or the easiest thing to obtain in The Kingdom of God, Jesus also illustrates it through His works in the earth. Let’s look at John 2:1-11. I wrote about this in the previous message, but I’ll give more details in this message.
John 2:1-11
1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
2 And both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And He saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him.
This passage of Scripture speaks about Jesus’ very first miracle performed in the earth. Was it a miracle of healing, was it a miracle of casting out demons, was it a miracle of raising the dead, was it a miracle of healing the broken hearted? No, it was a miracle of provision, a miracle of wealth, a miracle of riches. Please, let us remember that NOTHING is circumstantial or happenstance with God. EVERYTHING is ordered and is precise to the nth degree. God orders things for a reason. In the well-known Sermon on the Mount, or more commonly known as the Beatitudes, in Matthew 5, what was the first thing that Jesus spoke?
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is The Kingdom of Heaven [God].
This Scripture is speaking about those who are humble and contrite in spirit, recognizing that their self-sufficiency and self-righteousness will not gain them entry to Heaven and The Kingdom of God. However, once in The Kingdom of God, they don’t have to rely on themselves for provision or anything else; they now rely on El Shaddai. El Shaddai most commonly means “God Almighty,” but its roots also suggest “God of the mountain” or “God who nourishes and sustains.” It’s a name that blends power, provision, and covenant faithfulness. If we believe and confess God, in faith, as our Provider, as a good Father Who withholds no good thing from His children, as The One Who greatly desires to bless His children, then we are no longer “poor in spirit.” Our declarations of faith and willingness and obedience to God’s Word will transform us just as it did the poor widow (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4) to one that is rich Spiritually, physically, mentally, financially, and materially. Remember, The Holy Spirit revealed to me the “poor widow” was not poor when she left this earth. She had received revelation from Jesus’ teachings on how to operate the Spiritual laws in The Kingdom of God. We will see “El Shaddai” in this miracle of the wine and the wedding.
Examining John 2:1, it speaks to “the third day.” In Hebrew, Tuesday is “Yom Shlishi,” literally “the third day.” Tuesday, or the third day, has Spiritual significance to the Jewish people. Jewish tradition views Tuesday as a day of fruitfulness, growth, and blessing. On the third day of creation, God caused the dry land to appear and commanded the earth to bring forth vegetation, trees, and fruit. Wine is made of fruit. This is the first day in creation where God declared “it was good” twice — a “double blessing.” Because of the “double blessing” of creation, Tuesday is a favored day for weddings in Jewish tradition. So, Jesus’ first miracle – turning water into wine – fits perfectly into this Hebraic framework of abundance, covenant joy, and divine presence.
Notice that Jesus’ mother, Mary, calls Jesus and his disciples to come to the marriage. Why? John 2:3 tells us. Mary said to Jesus, “they have no wine.” In Jewish tradition, wine was central to celebrations, especially weddings. It symbolized gladness, covenant blessing, and divine favor (Psalm 104:15). Providing abundant food and drink was a sacred duty of the host family. Running out would be seen as a failure of hospitality. In an honor-shame culture like first-century Galilee, failing to provide wine could damage the family’s reputation for years. Since wine represented joy and blessing, its absence could be interpreted as a bad omen for the marriage. Mary’s urgency reflects the seriousness of the situation: the family’s honor was at stake.
So, what does Mary expect Jesus to do? Yes, we know. Mary is exercising her faith in her Son, Who she knows is The Son of God. Notice Jesus replies to her, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” In Greek, “Woman” (gynai) was a respectful form of address, like “Madam” in English. The Greek idiom for “Woman, what have I to do with thee,” means “What is this to me and to you?” or “Why is this our concern?” It expresses that Jesus’ actions are not dictated by human initiative – even His mother’s – but by divine timing. He gently clarifies that His miracles are not performed at human command but according to God’s plan. However, much like the Syrophoenician woman or the Roman Centurion, faith moved Jesus outside of the plan. Mary approaches Him as mother, but Jesus responds as Messiah, showing that His mission transcends family ties. However, faith moves God.
It shouldn’t be lost on us that Jesus doesn’t perform a miracle for someone without them having faith that Jesus can use. Mary plainly exhibits this in The Scriptures. When Jesus replies the way described in the previous paragraph, Mary essentially ignores His reply when she says to the servants, “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.” Mary has complete faith that Jesus will obey her faith. Jesus is able to act upon Mary’s faith to change the water to wine. Jesus’ miracle not only saved the hosts from shame but also revealed His glory – transforming potential disgrace into overflowing blessing. This miracle by Jesus shows that He brings the true “wine” of The Kingdom: abundant joy, grace, and covenant fulfillment. The miracle at Cana anticipates the greater “hour” when Jesus provides the ultimate wine of salvation—His blood shed for humanity – for you and me.
The single-most expensive wine in history is a 750ml bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée‑Conti that sold for $558,000. Jesus transformed six waterpots, holding about 30 gallons each, from water to wine. 180 gallons of wine converts to 908, 750ml bottles of wine that would be valued at $506,664,000 today based on the sales price of the 1945 Domaine. We all know Jesus’ wine would sell for so much more. I believe it is easy to say that our Father, God, is a very generous and very abundant Father. He is “The Infinite One.” There are no bounds to God’s generosity and abundance for His children. What we can believe, we can have, as long as we are in line with God’s will, or else many, many verses would have to be removed from The Scriptures.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
John 14:13-14
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that The Father may be glorified in The Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it.
I John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
According to God’s Word, finances should not be an issue for us, as Believers, in The Kingdom of God. Jesus both teaches this in His Word and illustrates it in His works. If Jesus is willing to bless the host family and the bride and groom at the wedding in Cana, then, by covenant, He must bless you and me as well. However, there is a part we must play to be blessed. We must be willing and obedient to obey His commands and instructions. To do this, we must know what His commands and instructions are concerning prosperity in The Kingdom of God.
In closing, the one who controls the resources controls the influence. God speaks forward, not backward. God speaks destination, not the situation. Our tongue should be a key, not a chain. In Psalm 81:10, God tells us to “open wide thy mouth and I will fill it.” God fills it with His Word for us to declare over ourselves (Job 22:28; Psalm 103:5). God fills the open mouth, not the closed one. If our mouth is closed in fear, the windows of Heaven remain closed too. Words create transactions. Feelings follow confession. Results follow confession. Joy follows confession. Money follows confession. Our mouth is the receiving line between Heaven and earth. We must learn to say, “My mouth is a money magnet. God has blessed me. I speak The Blessing. I attract The Blessing. I authorize The Blessing. The Blessing multiplies to me. God’s supply is flowing to me now. There are miracles riding on the rails of my words.” We must learn not to allow our emotions to choose our confession. The devil will always try to rush us into doubt and fear. We must keep our mouth employed. We must keep our tongue declaring The Word and Promises of our God. It is a Spiritual battle and whether one fights it or not, they will be affected by it. Choose to speak the outcome rather than allowing satan to dictate the outcome to us.
In Christ Jesus,
Larry