Let me encourage you to try an experiment. At your next extended family dinner ask a relative who is prosperous what was the best financial decision they have ever made. This will do two things. It will help you break out of the fear of talking about money and likely you will find out some financial information that will help you. If we ask and observe who is around us, it is likely that the Lord will provide some financial mentors for us. It will feel uncomfortable at first, but you will develop confidence and find who is willing to help you. Most financially prosperous people will take it as a compliment that you want to learn from the wisdom they have. Proverbs connects “not learning” with poverty. We must be willing to learn:

He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance (Proverbs 13:18, 1:5).

Wealth is not evil, so lose your attitude toward wealthy people! This attitude is rooted in envy and jealousy. Envy and jealousy are sin. In his book Breaking the Power of Evil, Rick Joyner says,

One of the biggest open doors that the spirit of poverty has into our lives is through our own unrighteous judgments…I once visited a state that was under one of the most powerful spirits of poverty that I have witnessed in this country. It was remarkable because it is a state of great beauty and natural resources. It had talented and resourceful people, but a spirit of poverty was on almost everyone. Another characteristic that stood out was that almost everyone I met there seemed to uncontrollably scorn and criticize anyone who was prosperous or powerful.

With every pastor of a small church whom I met (and almost all of the churches in this state were very small), the conversation would inevitable turn to criticizing “mega-churches” and “mega-ministries,” which these people obviously thought were the reason for many of their own problems…Many pastors yoke themselves and their congregations to financial poverty by criticizing how other churches or ministries take up offerings or solicit donations. Because of their judgment of others, they then cannot even take up a biblical offering without feeling guilty. They have yoked themselves by their unrighteous judgment.³

Most wealthy people have some financial wisdom we could use. Our judgments against them erect a wall that will keep us from becoming like them. Remember in the U.S., most millionaires still work 50 hours a week and did not inherit their money. They have financial wisdom. Ask prosperous people for advice. Find someone who has victory in a financial area that you are lacking and humbly ask them for help. Jesus said you would be like your teachers, so ask someone to help you with a budget or to go to see the bank manager. It is wise to ask for help.