Handling Household Finances
Handling Household
Finances
I N T RO D U C T I O N
The following prayers may be
prayed individually or as a
couple. In preparation for marriage it is great wisdom for
the couple to discuss finances. E a ch party comes with an
individual view of how to handle money — spending and/or
saving. It is wise to set up a budget that is agreeable to both.
There is a danger in the tendency to assume that the other
party has the same opinions and ideas about money or, in case of
disagreement, that one’s own way is right and the other person’s
is
wrong. Financial differences are one of Satan’s greatest weapons
for introducing strife and bringing pressure to bear on a
marriage.
Spending money can quickly evolve into an emotional experience,
causing many other problems.
God is El-Shaddai, God Almighty (Ex. 6:3 AMP) — the God
Who is more than enough — and His intention is that His
children enjoy good health and that all may go well with them,
even as their souls are getting along well (3 John 2 NIV). Two
people coming into agreement with God’s financial plan will
offset the enemy’s schemes to divide and conquer.
If you and your beloved are planning to marry or to establish
a financial plan in your existing marriage, listen to one another.
Understand what each other is saying. Realize that there are
differences in viewpoints about money and allow for those
differences. Determine who is more astute in financial matters:
balancing the checkbook, paying the bills on time and making
wise investments. Set aside time in your schedules to keep each
other informed, review goals, and make plans. Wisdom from
above is willing to yield to reason; cooperate one with the other
( James 3:17 AMP).
P RAY ER
Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus. Thank You
for the Holy Spirit Who is present with us as we discuss our
financial future together. We thank You for bringing us to this
place in our lives. You have started a good work in us and will
perform it until the day of Christ.We welcome You as we prepare
to set up a budget that is pleasing to You and to each of us.
Jesus is our Lord and our High Priest, and we purpose to
bring Him the firstfruits of our income and worship You, the Lord
our God, with them.
Father, You are Lord over our marriage — over this union
that we believe has been ordained by You.We confess Your Word
over our life together and our finances. As we do so, we say that
Your Word will not return to You void, but will accomplish what
it says it will do.
Therefore, we believe in the name of Jesus that all of our
needs are met, according to Your riches in glory.We acknowledge
You as Lord over our finances by giving tithes and offerings to
further Your cause.
Father, on the authority of Your Word, we declare that gifts
will be given to us; good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
and running over shall they be poured into our bosom. For with
the same measure we deal out, it shall be measured back to us.
We remember that it is written in Your Word that he who
sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and
grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come
to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.
Lord, remind us always, and we purpose to remember, that it
is You Who gives us power to become rich, and You do it to fulfill
Your promise to our ancestors. We will never feel that it was our
own power and might that made us wealthy.
Father, not only do we give tithes and offerings to You, but
we also give to those around us who are in need. Your Word also
says that he who gives to the poor lends to You, and You pay
wonderful interest on the loan! We acknowledge You as we give
for the benefit of the poor.
Thank You, Father, that as You bless us and we bless others,
they will praise You and give You thanks and bless others and the
circle of Your love and blessing will go on and on into eternity.
In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Scripture References
John
14:17 Luke 6:38
Philippians
1:6 2 Corinthians 9:6 AMP
Hebrews
3:1 Deuteronomy 8:17,18 TLB
Deuteronomy
26:10,11 Proverbs 19:17 TLB
Isaiah
55:11 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 AMP,
Philippians
4:19 NIV, PHILLIPS
I .
S ETTING ASIDE THE TIT H E
Father, Your Word states, “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all
that your fields produce each year....so that you may learn to
revere
the Lord Your God always” (Deut. 14:22,23 NIV).We purpose to
set aside the tithe because it belongs to You, O God our Father.
It is our delight to bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of our
income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in Your
house. Lord of hosts, in accordance with Your Word, we prove
You now by paying You the tithe. You are opening the windows of
heaven for us and pouring us out such a blessing that there shall
not be room enough to receive it.
Thank You, Father, for rebuking the devourer for our sakes;
he shall not destroy the fruits of our ground, neither shall our
vine
drop its fruit before the time in the field.
We praise You, Lord, for recording our names in Your book
of remembrance of those who reverence and worshipfully fear You
and who think on Your name so that we may be Yours in the day
when You publicly recognize and openly declare us to be Your
jewels (Your special possession, Your peculiar treasure).
Thank You for bringing us out of the authority of darkness
and translating us into the Kingdom of Your dear Son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord.
In His name we pray, amen.
Scripture References
Malachi
3:10,11 AMP Colossians 1:13
Malachi
3:16,17 AMP
I I .
GIVING THE OFFERI N G
Father, we give offerings at the direction of the Holy Spirit.
We are ever ready with a generous and willing gift. At Your
instructions we remember this: He who sows sparingly and
grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who
sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also
reap generously and with blessings.
We [give] as we make up our own minds and purpose in our
hearts, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion; for
You, Lord, love (take pleasure in, prize above other things, and
are
unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous “prompt
to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].
Father, we thank You that You are able to make all grace
( eve ry favor and eart h ly blessing) come to us in abundance, so
that we may alw ays , under all circumstances and whatever the
need, be self-sufficient [possessing enough to re q u i re no aid
or
support and furnished in abundance for eve ry good work and
ch a ritable don a t i on].
Father, [You] provide seed for our sowing and bread for our
eating. Thank You for providing and multiplying [our resources],
for sowing and increasing the fruits of our righteousness. Thus we
will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that we can be
generous, and [our generosity as it is] administered by us will
bring forth thanksgiving to You.
We confess with the Psalmist David, we have not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
We thank You for food, clothing, and shelter. In the name of
Jesus, we determine to stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and
worried) about our life together, what we shall eat and what we
shall drink, or about our bodies, what we shall put on. Our life —
individually and together — is greater [in quality] than food, and
our bodies [far above and more excellent] than clothing.
The bread of idleness [gossip, discontent, and self-pity] we
will not eat. We declare on the authority of Your Word that our
family will be mighty in the land: this generation of the upright
will be blessed.
Father, You delight in the prosperity of Your people; we
thank You that wealth and riches are in our house and our
righteousness endures forever.
Good comes to us for we are generous and lend fre e ly and
c onduct our affairs with justice.When we lack wisdom, we will ask
of You, and You will give genero u s ly without finding fault with
us.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Scripture References
2
Corinthians 9:5-11 AMP Psalm 112:2,3
Psalm
37:25 Psalm 37:26 NIV
Matthew
6:25 AMP 2 Corinthians 9:9 AMP
Proverbs
31:27 AMP James 1:5 NIV
Psalm 35:27
