Blog by Steve Backlund 05.02.2024
The “poverty mindset” (or poverty spirit) is rooted in the victim mindset and focuses on:
1. What we don’t have
2. Our apparent inability to be blessed
3. Other people as the source to meet our needs
4. The reasons we are at a disadvantage in life
I remember reading in the 1990’s Harold Eberle’s Developing a Prosperous Soul, I was surprised at how much of a poverty spirit was embedded in me. During that season, the Lord was taking me from a lack mentality to an abundance mentality. I realized that there was no way I could fulfill the Great Commission in Matthew 28 (of going into all the world) if I was lacking in energy, health, wisdom, finances, favor, protection, love, spiritual gifts, or power.
Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack.” In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give life and life abundantly.” These are strong verses to help convince us to embrace an abundance mindset, but today, I want to discuss this poverty mindset that plagues so many of God’s people.
In 2 Kings 4:1-7, there is a story of a widow who was in debt. The creditors were coming to take her sons to pay off the debt. The prophet Elisha asked the widow, “What do you have?” She said, “Nothing, but a little oil.” As she was in Elisha’s presence, her thinking started to change.
One of the purposes of prophetic ministry is to move us from a poverty mindset to an abundance mindset. It helps us take our eyes off what we think we don’t have to see what we actually do have. It happened to the widow. God supernaturally blessed what she had. It paid off the debt and she lived off of the rest. I believe it will happen to you too.
In order to move past the poverty spirit, it will be helpful to identify how it manifests in our lives. Continue reading “Overcoming a poverty mindset”