“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11 NASB) “The greatest TRICK the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” (Charles Baudelaire, French Poet) 1. TITHING IS A SPIRITUAL STRATEGY FROM GOD “ ‘Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. ‘You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me…’” (Malachi 3:8-9 NASB) “ ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows.’” (Malachi 3:10 NASB)  ONE OF THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE DEVIL IS TO STARVE GOD’S HOUSE – AND YOUR HOUSE Devil’s strategy is to:  CONVINCE BELIEVERS, “ TITHING ” IS A TRICK, AND DOESN’T MATTER 2. IT’S THE LORD , THAT PROVIDES TO HIS PEOPLE , AND THROUGH HIS PEOPLE, TO HIS CHURCH “…remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” (Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV) “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law – justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” (Matthew 23:23 NLT) 3. TITHING, OR NOT TITHING MATTERS TO GOD , BECAUSE IT CAN AFFECT YOUR LIFE , YOUR CHURCH , AND YOUR DESCENDANTS “…he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” (Haggai 1:6 NASB) “ ‘You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains…’” (Haggai 1:9-11 NASB) “ ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of the nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 1:7-9 NASB) Victory Group Questions: 1. How is “tithing” a spiritual strategy from God? 2. Why does the devil trick Christians away from tithing? What do you think the devil has to gain? 3. Why is it important to put God first in your finances, by tithing? 4. What’s the difference between “I have to give” vs. “I get to give”? Please note: 1. If you are NOT receiving income from employment etc., you are not expected to tithe. 2. If New Hope Las Vegas is NOT your “home church”, you are not expected to tithe here.