His Abundance

Many passages of Scripture support the fact that Jesus bore the poverty curse. Let us look at two in particular, starting with 2 Corinthians 8:9:

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (KJV)

I used to quote the end of that verse as “might become rich”! But the Holy Spirit showed me that it means “might be rich.” We can become rich and then become poor again, but to “be” rich has a sense of permanence. Jesus took the evil—poverty—so that we might have the good—riches. Jesus took our poverty so that we might have His wealth.

Some people suggest that Jesus was poor throughout His earthly ministry, but I cannot accept this idea as accurate. We need to keep in mind the distinction between riches and abundance. Jesus was not rich in the sense of having a large bank account or great material possessions, but He certainly had abundance. Any man who can provide food for a crowd of five thousand men (along with women and children) is no pauper! Actually, Jesus had much more left over after feeding about twelve thousand people than He had when He started (see Matthew 14:15–21). What a beautiful picture of abundance!

Furthermore, Jesus transmitted this abundance to His disciples. When He sent them out to spread the gospel message, He told them to take nothing extra with them. Yet their testimony afterwards was that they had lacked nothing. (see Luke 22:35). That is not poverty!

Jesus was never worried or perplexed. He was calmly and completely in control of every situation. He never doubted that His Father’s goodness would provide everything He needed. And the Father never failed Him.