Tenet #2. God is the source of all our needs – financial, spiritual, physical, relational, or otherwise.We’re talking about needs for fulfilling the vision.
This could be where the leader (who has access to the ministry accounts) wants to tell all the followers (who don’t have access to the ministry accounts), “Don’t ask what the ministry can do for you, but what can you do for the ministry.”
The love of money works both sides: people who have will hoard, people who don’t have will resent (feel that someone else is hindering them) – both are ‘the love of money’.
As a leader, I have access to lots of money, but I don’t give money to you because I have lots and you have little. First ask yourself, “Why do I have lots and you have little?” Because I am responsible for lots, to invest for greatest purpose.
But on a cultural level, I am offended by the interpretation of tenet #2 that says, “As your leader I have no responsiblity concerning your needs.”
If I was working for a man’s vision then that man would have to supply all my needs. But we established in Tenet #1 that this is God’s vision! I’m not your source because I’m not the author of your vision. Is this a cop out?
As in Tenet #1, ‘God is our source’ is a third dimension, spiritual matter. Kingdom economy must be both taught and caught.
Paul said it, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (II Corinthians 3:5-6)
1. With God as our source we are in Kingdom Ecomony and kingdom economy doesn’t differentiate between meeting financial needs, spiritual needs, relationships, etc. They are all the same thing, even in the way we say it: we make friends, we make money, and we make it happen.
How did Moses, David, and Abraham have their vision supplied for? It actually was never a concern, at least not that they talked about, it was more of a happening as they followed God. It came out of their call and obedience. Faith in God is the common denominator.
2. With God as our source I am not responsible to meet your needs but to release commonwealth prosperity. A leader’s level of sacrifice for you and generosity toward you, rather than the amoun of money he gives you, is what makes tenet #2 a responsibility, not a cop out.
King Solomon was rumored to be so rich and so wise that the Queen of Sheba traveled from afar to see if the rumors were true. She brought him extravagant gifts and difficult questions. Solomon doubly impressed her with his wisdom and royal generosity.
Royal Generosity is a level of leadership generosity that gives, not to meet needs, but to release kingdom-wide abundance. Because of the generous spirit of the leader, gold and silver became so plentiful in Israel that people gave no more thought for what they would eat or what they would wear.
We don’t see David asking God for resources to build the temple – we see him giving out of his personal accounts and thanking God for the grace to be able to give so much. That’s how leaders do it!
3. God is the source of all our needs doesn’t happen by itself. As leaders, how do we get God to be the source in the lives and ministries of those we lead? Teach it. Model it. Disciple it. ‘It’ being life in the Spirit; faith and miracles.
Let’s go back to Galatians chapter 3 where Paul did not ask “Have you received salvation by the works of the law or by the hearing, of faith?” He asked, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?”
Paul is not talking about how to get the life but how to live the life.
By the hearing of faith God supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you. The just shall live by faith so that the blessing of Abraham would come on us: the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Tenet #2 ‘God is our source’ is not a leadership cheap-out but a commitment to empower those we lead into abundance of resources by our example of faith and our generosity.
Here’s where we get such faith:
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (II Corinthians 9:6,8)
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (II Peter 1:2-4)
How this works in real life: http://www.vimeo.com/78046014
Al Purvis 
I love your frankness and honesty!
This series on The a Ten Tenets of Victory is a lot of fun. We’re noticing that the condition of the heart of a leader will either use the tenets to manipulate others or empower them – it’s a choice!