The natural power of wealth has influenced every society from the very beginning. Money has been at the center of the rise of fall of every great empire. Whoever controlled the wealth could control governments and nations.

The god of this world has held on to the wealth in the earth with a clinched fist. He has manipulated and controlled multitudes through greed and materialism. He has gripped the earth's wealth as though it were all his - but it is not. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein."

All that is in the earth ultimately belongs to God. Yet, He did not create it for Himself but for His family. The time has come when God is moving the earth's wealth out of the control of the wicked and ungodly and into the hands of His family.

Satan's stronghold is about to be exposed and destroyed. The control of the earth's finances is shifting and being transferred into the hands of those who will honor God with it.

Among many religious people there has long been a sense that wealth was dangerous and certainly could not be spiritual. It has been blamed for corruption, compromise and the endangering of all that is holy.

Yet, wealth and money does not cause evil. Money only amplifies the inner qualities someone already possesses. If there are deep-rooted flaws, they will come to the surface and be seen. When a person has the money to do what he wants, you will find out what he really wanted all along.

If your heart is turned toward God and His will is the desire of your heart, natural wealth will become the tool to amplify God's plan to move through you. Then these plans will move from being only in your heart to coming into your hands. The projects He has given people; the vision for ministry, land, equipment; and all the other things needed to fulfill the calling of God can now be financed. The fulfillment of all these callings and plans God has planted in the hearts of His people has never been nearer than it is in our generation.

One day the Holy Spirit spoke some very startling words to me. He said, "This message of bringing wealth into the hands of believer's will tear down Satan's final stronghold."  It struck my spirit like an explosion. He referred to this financial realm as a stronghold of Satan and the final stronghold His family would overcome.

This opened up the question, "How can I understand this from the Word?" Anything we receive from the Spirit of God will completely agree with the Word. The Holy Spirit pointed out that 1 Timothy 6:10 said, "For the love of money is the root of all evil." All evil! Every wicked and perverted thing has its root in the same thing - the wrong concept of money. To love and regard wealth is to put it into a place of priority it does not belong.

This issue of money and wealth touches every aspect of evil Satan has ever designed against mankind. When we turn the money issue around and grasp its importance from a biblical standpoint, we will strike at the root of all of Satan's kingdom. Money itself is not the root of evil, but the wrong attachment or affection for what wealth can do will open a person to Satan's strategies.

This means that every kind of evil has its root in the wrong use of wealth. Anything that has corrupted God's plan for man is evil. God did not bring mankind into sickness, pride, depression, fear, sexual perversions, or poverty. These are all a result of man's separation from God through sin. They are manifestations of the sin that has twisted God's intentions for people.

Of course, a sick person is not necessarily evil. Nor is someone who is in poverty or depression. But his condition is a result of the pressure and plan Satan brings against all mankind. The thread, which links all of these wicked attacks together, is the love of money. Yes, the love of money.

The love of money is a focus on the wrong things. When someone's focus is on natural things, it will keep that person from seeing with the right perspective. Anything money can buy is part of creation. The land, home, food, car or clothes bought with money are all natural things.

When a person sets his affections on these kinds of things, he has elevated them into a position in which they do not belong. When he makes his goal the pursuit of money, he has lifted creation into the position reserved for the Creator. Jesus said to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). God alone is worthy to be sought.

Colossians 3:2 says it this way, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." Real wealth comes from fellowship with God. When your mind and affections remain on Him, you will keep your priorities in harmony with His will. Knowing these things will turn the message of God's plan to prosper you into one of the most important things you could understand. This knowledge will strike at the root of every evil known to man.

To understand how God's people are going to strike this blow to the root of Satan's power, we need to make sure we understand what a stronghold is. A stronghold is a fortress, a place of strength. Satan has used greed, covetousness, and materialism to consume people with lust, divide them and turn them against one another. The strength of his kingdom is in deceiving people. If he can deceive them into making wealth the focus of their pursuits, then he can keep them limited to the natural realm and on the treadmill of never quite having enough.

A stronghold either holds people in or keeps us out. In one way, this stronghold of wrong thinking concerning wealth will keep people in the rat race of seeing and wanting but never being satisfied. It will keep them in natural and carnal thinking. This same stronghold will keep people out of God's best.

Those Christians who remain carnal in their thinking will never find how to rise up out of the worldly system of finance into God's way of doing things. They will never discover how to give in faith and receive from God. They may give but not grasp the importance of increasing. They will be limited to what they can do naturally.

You can break the limits and rise up to a new level of receiving from God. You can turn your financial world around and sever the root of all evil once and for all. The importance of attacking this financial arena is that if you can cut the root of every evil designed against mankind, you can destroy the fruit. When money is in it's proper priority, it will be used but not abused. It will do what it was designed to do - glorify God.

Wealth is for the purpose and plan of God. His plan is for you to prosper personally, promote the gospel of Jesus, and bring freedom to people worldwide. His purpose is to destroy the works of the devil. How better to destroy his work than to take from him the wealth he has considered his.

You can become a vital part of His plan to bring the wealth that is still in the world system. Let this check list help you tear down Satan's final stronghold.

First, know that all wealth is for God's plan and purpose. Second, commit yourself to His plan to prosper you. Third, recognize the pitfalls of improper priorities. Fourth, set your mind and affections on His goals and priorities. Fifth, give tithes and offerings in faith expecting to receive.

Sixth, expect ideas and insights that will keep increase and prosperity coming toward you. Seventh, be thankful for what you now have and all He has blessed you with.

God is committed to bring His increase to you and destroy all that Satan has done to pervert His plans for people. You can rise up and receive.

Source: The Power to Increase by Dennis Burke.
Excerpt permission granted by Dennis Burke Publications