Satan's Favorite Bible Verse, Part 1

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24, NIV)

All of us have a favorite Bible verse or verses. For some it’s Jeremiah 29:11 and its promise of hope, for others it’s the strength we draw from God in Philippians 4:13, and for still others it is Proverbs 3:5, 6 and the knowledge that God is continually directing our paths. In stark contrast to those uplifting and encouraging messages, I firmly believe that one of satan’s favorite verses is found in Matthew 19:24. For centuries the devil has watched this one verse be repeatedly taken out of context and effectively used to keep God’s people marginalized & impoverished, unable to finance any type of lasting and effective missions or evangelistic outreach.

The devil has a variety of tactics and creative strategies to accomplish his goal of destroying mankind. However, one of his very favorites is using God’s Word and His people against themselves, rendering them ineffective in accomplishing their great commission. He tried the same thing against Jesus, though unsuccessfully, during His time of testing in the desert (See Matthew Chapter 4). Satan had the audacity to use scripture to try and deceive Jesus into cancelling his mission on earth and forfeiting his throne in Heaven. If he would try it on the Son of God Himself, why would we be surprised when he uses the same tactic on us?

When it becomes apparent to the devil that he will be unable to drag you into a lifestyle of sin, debauchery, and rebellion, he changes his focus to simply try to neutralize you, preventing you from doing any further damage to the kingdom of darkness. It’s called devil damage control or lucipher loss mitigation, if you will. By taking Matthew 19:24 out of context, and manipulating Christ’s followers into doing the same, satan has been successful in keeping Christians poverty-minded & consuming their time with making ends meet rather than preaching the good news to a lost generation. His minions continue to make billions of dollars to finance the moral destruction of humanity, while our missionaries spend more time itinerating than “seeking and saving”, because most of their donors can barely afford a few dollars per month.

When it comes to the topic of God’s will to bless his people and my blog subscribers, I know I run the risk of “preaching to the choir.” However, even those who believe God wants them to prosper still have a tough time explaining the meaning of this verse to others, not to mention to themselves. The “eye of the needle” concept, though completely misused and misunderstood, has become so deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of believers, that many times they will subconsciously sabotage their own success in fear that wealth will somehow keep them from God. Therefore, I want to help shed some light on the subject so that you can move forward in confidence that God truly wants to see you succeed.

#1 – The Preponderance of Evidence.

To rule on the side of the prosecution in a criminal trial, a jury must believe guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt”; however in a civil trial the burden of proof is simply “the preponderance of the evidence.” Once all the facts are gathered and analyzed, they are laid on the scales of justice and whichever way it tips determines the ultimate verdict. In the Bible, there are literally hundreds of verses that declare God’s will and desire to bless his people abundantly in regards to wealth and prosperity. There are a couple, literally 3 or 4, that when taken out of context could be used as an argument to the contrary. Yet, it never ceases to amaze me how many believers will hold fast to the one or two misunderstood verses, while ignoring “the preponderance of the evidence” that illustrates our loving Father’s desire to give good gifts to his children.

#2 – Guidance from the Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was one of the most radical followers of Christ to ever walk the face of the earth. He was the driving force of the rapid, exponential growth of the 1st century church and was eventually martyred for the cause of Christ. His zeal, passion, and unwavering adherence to the directives of the Lord were unmatched by any person of his generation. If Jesus’ advice to the rich young ruler was intended to create church doctrine and a fundamental belief system, wouldn’t Paul have been the first to admonish the church to flee from wealth and economic prosperity? Yet we find Paul repeatedly speaking of wealth and riches in a positive light

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9)

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2 Corinthian 9:10-12, emphasis added, NIV)

In 2 Corinthians 8:9, the word that is translated as “rich” is the Greek word “ploutizo”. The root word “ploutos” is actually defined as “riches, wealth, and an abundance of external possessions.” Paul’s statement that Christ died in poverty to make us “rich” refers to literal, physical riches, not just a spiritual blessing. As hard as it may be for poverty-minded people to accept, Christ’s death on the cross accomplished a lot more than just salvation for the lost. For those who are willing to receive it, Christ’s shed blood brings healing to the spirit, the body, the mind, and the pocketbook. Praise God!

In fact, the only time in the New Testament that Paul refers to riches in a negative way is in 1 Timothy 6:9 when he states, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” Notice that the warning is to those who “want to get rich”, not to those who are rich or become rich. Paul was speaking to the attitude of want, greed or the “love of money”. However when extracted from the rest of Paul’s writings and taken out of context, this verse may lead some to believe that Paul was advocating against wealth & prosperity in the church. But when you read just a few verses later in the same letter to Timothy, you see him giving guidance to his young apprentice in the faith on how to advise those who are “rich in this present world.”

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6: 17-19, NIV)

It is obvious from his writings, which make up the majority of the New Testament, that Paul felt money could be used as a powerful tool for meeting the needs of Christians and providing the means necessary to continue the church’s evangelistic work. When combined with the hundreds of other verses throughout scripture, both Old and New Testament, it’s unmistakably apparent that in regards to His children, God’s very nature is one of abundant provision and blessing. The harvest is ripe and plentiful, but the Lord needs laborers who are well-financed and focused on the mission at hand, not on how they will pay this month’s mortgage payment. The truth of God’s Word, and his desire to bless you financially, needs to be fully assimilated into your spirit so that you will never hesitate in your entrepreneurial pursuits. It is then that we will begin to see the wealth of the wicked laid up and taken hold of by the righteous, and used to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and hasten the return of our Lord. Amen!

(This blog post was originally intended to be just one part, but as I began writing the content expanded beyond my control. Therefore, I will continue next week with part 2 of “Satan’s Favorite Bible Verse” when we examine the context of Jesus’ statement in Matthew 19:24, as well as God’s definition of what “rich” truly is. Until then, have a blessed and prosperous week!)