The Believer's Authority Regarding Finances

By Kenneth E. Hagin

Through Jesus’ death on the Cross, believers have been given authority over Satan. They just need to believe that they have that authority and then exercise it in every area of their lives, including the area of finances.

Colossians 2:15 says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Jesus spoiled principalities and powers! The margin of a good reference Bible will tell you, “He put to nought principalities and powers.” He reduced them to nothing. In other words, He took away their ability to dominate us. Therefore, principalities and powers can’t dominate us in any area, including the financial area.

Since these principalities and powers are dethroned, why then are they still ruling in the world? Because the world doesn’t know that they’re dethroned. They don’t know about it, and therefore, they can’t act upon it!

1 John 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

“Well, I’m trying to overcome them,” someone may say. No, you don’t try. You just accept by faith what Jesus did. What He did, He did for you! Christ’s victory is your victory!

That’s why when the Lord told me to claim the money I needed, I understood what he meant. He was telling me to believe and exercise my spiritual authority in the area of finances.

The Lord had said to me, “The money you need is not up here in Heaven. I don’t have any money up here. The money you need is down there. It’s Satan who’s keeping it from coming, not Me.

“Don’t pray about money in the way you have been,” the Lord said. “Whatever you need, claim it in Jesus’ Name. And then say, ‘Satan, take your hands off my money.’ And then say, ‘Go, ministering spirits, and cause the money to come.’ ” This was back in 1950. And from that day forward, I have never prayed about money for myself personally.

At that time, when I began to see how faith worked in the area of finances, it was all new to me.

In fact, I said to the Lord, “What do you mean? I can understand the part about how we can exercise authority over the enemy, claim the finances we need, and tell Satan, ‘Take your hands off my money.’ But, what do you mean about the part, ‘Go, ministering spirits, and cause the money to come’?”

The Lord said, “Didn’t you read in My Word where it says that angels are ministering spirits sent to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14).

Because I thought it said “minister to those,” I had to get my Bible and read it. It’s strange how we can read Scripture for years and read right over things and not get what the Word says. These angels are ministering spirits that are sent forth to minister for us. “For” us means they were sent to do something for us!

Once, I was holding a series of meetings at a church and staying in the parsonage. And I was in a bedroom in the parsonage when the Lord showed me this. I walked over to the empty church and stood on the platform. I’ll be honest with you—since this was a new revelation to me, my knees were shaking. I had never heard anybody say anything like this, yet I could see it because I had Scripture for it.

I was trembling, not because I was afraid in the way someone would be afraid of a rattlesnake or a bad storm. I’m talking about a holy, reverential fear. Remember the Apostle Paul said, “And I was with you in . . . fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3). What I experienced was a different thing entirely from tormenting fear. It was a holy fear.

What the Lord had shown me was new to me, and my head was telling me, “That’s not going to work.” I stood on the platform in the empty church and pictured the little crowd of about 70 that had been coming to the meetings. I said, “Well, let’s see. It takes one hundred and fifty dollars a week to meet my budget.” (That was big back then.)

I said, “In Jesus’ Name, I claim one hundred and fifty dollars this week. Satan, take your hands off my money in Jesus’ Name.” Then I also said, “Go, ministering spirits, and cause the money to come.” That’s it—that’s all I did.

In the process of time, the pastor persuaded me to stay on through Wednesday night of the following week, which gave us about a ten-day meeting. So I changed the amount I had claimed to meet my budget. Instead of $150, now I was claiming $200. When the ten-day meeting ended, I had the $200 plus $40-odd dollars over that amount!

Having faith in God and acting on His Word will bring results every time. When you walk in the light of the Word, your faith will bring into manifestation what God has provided for you in His great plan of redemption.

Believing and Saying Get the Job Done

For the Word to work for you, it has to be in both your mouth and heart. Folks can say things, but if they don’t really mean them—if their heart doesn’t agree with what they’re saying—it won’t work.

Or they can believe something in their heart, but if they don’t vocalize it—if they don’t say it—it won’t come to pass. Faith that receives the promises of God will only work by believing and saying.

Second Corinthians 4:13 says, “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.”

If you talk about your lack of finances, it will stop money from coming in. But if you will believe in your heart what God’s Word says concerning finances and confess it with your mouth, you’ll get results.