Running With Self-Control- Breaking Free from the Lust for Money

 

Breaking Free from the Lust for Money

Key Verse

“…though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”
— Psalm 62:10b

1. The Hidden Master

The psalmist’s words pierce like an arrow: “Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.” Notice the warning—wealth may come, possessions may grow, success may flourish, but the danger is not in the increase itself. The danger lies in the heart attaching itself to what was never meant to be its foundation.

Money in itself is not evil—it is simply a tool, a resource, a temporary gift to be stewarded. Abraham, Job, and Joseph of Arimathea were men of wealth whom God used powerfully. But when the heart begins to set itself on riches, when affections shift from the Giver to the gift, then lust for money takes root.

Paul echoes this truth centuries later: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Not money, but love for it. Lust for money is a silent master, whispering security, promising peace, yet slowly pulling your heart away from God.

Jesus warns plainly: “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Here lies the real battle of self-control—not in how much or how little we possess, but in who holds our heart’s loyalty.

2. The Nature of Lust for Money

Lust for money is more than wanting to meet your needs. It is an unhealthy craving, an inward fire that pushes you to grasp, hoard, and chase wealth beyond what God has assigned.

It says:

  • “If I had more, I would finally be secure.”
  • “If I could just earn a little extra, I’d have peace.”
  • “I need money to prove my worth or status.”

This lust is deceptive because it feels reasonable. After all, who doesn’t need money? Yet when money becomes the source of trust, identity, or joy—it becomes an idol. The enemy knows that if he cannot make you fall into obvious sin, he can chain you with a subtle master: financial desire.

The Bible gives us a stark picture: “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Lust for money is a thirst that cannot be quenched. The more you drink, the thirstier you become.

3. The Trap of Insatiable Desire

Lust for money is like a pit with no bottom. You keep throwing your time, energy, and dreams into it, but the pit never fills.

  • You think wealth will solve your fears—yet your fears multiply.
  • You believe it will bring rest—yet it brings anxiety.
  • You imagine it will bring freedom—yet it enslaves your soul.

This is why Paul warns: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9).

Notice the words: trap, ruin, destruction. This is not exaggeration—it is prophecy. Many marriages have collapsed, many ministries have stumbled, and many hearts have grown cold because of unchecked lust for money.

Proverbs is even more blunt: “The greedy bring ruin to their households” (Proverbs 15:27). How many families are divided over inheritance fights, business ambitions, or hidden debts? The lust for money does not just wound individuals; it destroys homes.

4. The Spiritual Dangers

Lust for money is not just a bad habit. It is a spiritual cancer.

Paul continues: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Look carefully:

  • Lust for money leads to wandering from the faith. It pulls your loyalty away from God.
  • It pierces with many griefs—mental anxiety, relational strife, spiritual emptiness.

Jesus warns in the parable of the sower that “the deceitfulness of wealth” can choke the Word, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:22). What a terrifying image—God’s Word alive in your heart, suffocated slowly by financial lust, until no fruit remains.

That is why this battle requires self-control through the Spirit. Left unchecked, money lust blinds you, binds you, and slowly robs you of eternal reward.

5. The Call to Contentment

The good news is this: God never exposes sin without offering a way of freedom. The antidote to lust for money is contentment—a Spirit-given peace with what God has already provided.

Paul writes: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6–7). What liberating truth! You entered this world with empty hands, and you will leave the same way. Why then clutch at what cannot last?

Hebrews echoes: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5). Notice the connection—contentment is not based on bank balances but on God’s presence. His unshakable promise is the believer’s wealth.

Self-control here is not grim restraint; it is joyful trust. It is looking at money and saying: “You will not master me. My portion is the Lord.”

6. Eternal Perspective – Treasures That Last

Why does lust for money feel so powerful? Because it promises immediate pleasure. Yet the wise learn to look beyond the immediate.

Jesus said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

Earthly wealth is fragile:

  • Moths destroy (inflation, loss, decay).
  • Rust corrodes (value fades).
  • Thieves steal (markets crash, scams, betrayals).

But heavenly treasure—acts of generosity, faithfulness, worship, obedience—cannot be touched by rust or thieves.

Self-control says “no” to the temporary in order to say “yes” to the eternal. Every time you resist lust for money, you are investing in the Kingdom bank of heaven—where returns are infinite and secure.

7. Prophetic Call to Action

Beloved, hear this sober warning: lust for money is not harmless. It is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). And idols demand worship. They demand your time, your thought-life, your affections. Slowly, without realizing, you may already be bowing at the altar of Mammon.

But God is calling His people to freedom. The Spirit is whispering: “Break your allegiance. Tear down this idol. Return to Me as your only Treasure.”

This is not a call to poverty. It is a call to purity of heart. Whether you have much or little, your heart must belong to Christ alone. Wealth must remain a servant, never a master.

Today, choose self-control. Choose to look at money and say, “You are not my God. My treasure is in heaven. My heart belongs to Jesus.”

8. Walking in Freedom – Practical Steps to Overcome Lust for Money

The Spirit not only convicts but also equips us to live differently. Here are some ways you can exercise self-control and break the grip of money lust:

a. Practice Generosity

·       Every time you give, you break the chains of greed.

·       Even small acts—sharing, tithing, supporting missions—train your heart to trust God, not wealth.

·       Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

b. Cultivate Gratitude Daily

·       Each morning, thank God for what you already have. Gratitude kills the voice of “not enough.”

·       Keep a journal of God’s provisions and answered prayers—it reminds you that He is your Provider.

·       1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

c. Live with Open Hands

·       Hold money as a servant, not a master.

·       Ask often: “Lord, how do You want me to use what You have given?”

·       When He prompts you to release, obey quickly.

·       Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

d. Set Eternal Goals, Not Just Financial Goals

·       Planning is wise, but make sure your goals are kingdom-shaped.

·       Instead of asking, “How much can I earn?” ask, “How much can I impact for eternity?”

·       Matthew 6:33: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

e. Surrender Your Security to God Daily

·       Confess with faith: “My security is not my salary, my savings, or my possessions—my security is Christ alone.”

·       Pray over your finances, inviting God’s presence into every decision.

·       Philippians 4:19: “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

9. Closing Prayer

Let us pray:

Father, forgive us for every time we trusted money more than You.
Forgive us for the times we craved wealth, believed its lies, and let it distract us from Your presence.
Lord, set us free from the lust for money. Give us the gift of self-control through Your Spirit.
Teach us to be content, to live with open hands, to give generously, and to treasure heaven above earth.
Jesus, be our portion, our security, and our joy. Break every chain of financial idolatry and make us rich in faith, rich in good works, and rich in Your love.
In Your precious name, Amen.

Whisper of the Spirit

“When God is your treasure, money loses its power over you.”

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