Is the Spirit of Poverty Attacking You? Get the Checklist

What Is the Spirit of Poverty?

The spirit of poverty is the work of the enemy. This spirit deceives, manipulates, blinds, and discourages us from seeking the desires that God has placed on our hearts. The spirit of poverty attacks in stages. It is strategic and crafty. 

The Stages of the Spirit of Poverty

We know the enemy uses schemes to steal our hope and joy. And the spirit of poverty is one of those spirits that play right into the framework of the enemy. This spirit leaves us feeling discontent, worried, fearful, prideful, entitled, and bitter.

Stage 1. The poverty mindset. The spirit of poverty begins by infiltrating our thoughts. We begin to have thoughts of lack or discontentment. 

Stage 2. The poverty belief. Once those thoughts settle in and take up residence in our minds, our beliefs become rooted in them. We no longer think of the possible blessings and abundance from the Lord, but instead camp out on beliefs that produce bitterness and disappointment. Our beliefs start to reflect the idea that what God has given us is not enough. 

Stage 3. The poverty actions. Once we start believing the lies of the spirit of poverty, our actions begin to reflect them. Those around you can sense this. Your feelings of discontentment and your “poor” attitude will become evident through your actions. 

Stage 4. The total adoption of the spirit of poverty. After years of living with the spirit of poverty, it begins to impact more than just you. This spirit begins to impact families, even being passed down to the next generation. Perhaps it has been passed down to you. 

The Spirit of Poverty Manifestations

This spirit often manifests in a person’s behavior through actions of hoarding, greediness, tightfistedness, lack of generosity, and even envy. 

It can be difficult to see it in ourselves or our family line because we have grown up exposed to this mentality for our entire lives. 

However, once you begin asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the intentions of this evil spirit in your life, your eyes will open and you will be able to deal with the spirit of poverty at its root. 

What the Spirit of Poverty Does

The spirit of poverty strives to put blinders on the eyes of Believers. It reminds you of your past failures and highlights what you don’t have. It steals your ambition. This spirit often compares you to others and positions you as “less than.” After stealing your joy and hope, you are ultimately left feeling empty with no zest for life nor vision for the future.  

The Checklist |The First Step Is Acknowledging the Spirit of Poverty in Your Life

Review this list below. These are thoughts that the spirit of poverty leads you to believe. Do any of these resonate with you? 

• I struggle with chronic, long-term lack—a cycle of poverty seems to continue, no matter how much money I make. 
• I think I have to give all of my work away. 
• I constantly think about how “expensive” it is to pay for a service. 
• I feel like I win when I get something for free. 
• I don’t tithe or bring offerings to the Lord.
• I find it difficult to be happy for wealthy people.
• I struggle to make wise financial choices, which leaves me stressed. 
• I find myself criticizing others for the financial choices they make, even if they have the resources to pay for them.  

Remember, this list is not to bring about shame or guilt, but to expose this evil spirit so that you can deal with it and be free from it!

Click HERE if you need prayer and freedom from the spirit of poverty!

Is the Spirit of Poverty Holding You Back in Your Assignment?

Because of our Adamic nature, when the Holy Spirit prompts us to take a step of faith toward an assignment, we naturally open our wallets to check the contents before we open the Word to remember the promise.  

As a result, we do not often get to fully experience all that God has for us because we want to trust what we see versus where our faith should be. 

“Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

—John 20:29

We must prayerfully develop a habit of self-discipline to go to the Word first. 

You see, the voice of the spirit of poverty says, “When I get (name an amount of money or a particular position), THEN I will take that step of faith and give or journey toward the desires God has placed on my heart to further His Kingdom.” 

But this is not what God’s Word says!

“‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.’”

—Malachi 3:10

Let’s be clear about this…

God is not asking you to give what you DON’T have. He is asking you to give and live joyfully from what you DO have. Another lie from the spirit of poverty is this: “But you don’t have enough.” 

Just as mentioned before, this evil spirit seeks to remind you of what you don’t have. But the Holy Spirit reminds you of what you DO have…

• A rich inheritance that will not fade

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

—1 Peter 1:3-4

• An abundant life 

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

—John 10:10

• A God who supplies all you need

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” 

—Philippians 4:19

Ask the Holy Spirit every day to remind you of the richness of the Lord!

One Reason the Spirit of Poverty Lands on You…

One reason many of us continue to wrestle with these lies is because we chase the dollar before we decree the Word.  

Decree and declare the abundance of the Lord. Come into alignment with His promises. Review the scriptures listed above and proclaim them!

Deny the right of the mammon to control the steps you take toward the promise. If God says move, then you don’t need to justify it—move! 

Click HERE if you need prayer and freedom from the spirit of poverty!