Sons or Beggars (Part One) by Phil Spence

 Over the past few decades of life and ministry, I have had hundreds of ministries from many nations reach out to connect with me. Some ministries ask for money for their family, ministry, or orphanage in the first conversation. I have learnt that these people will never be true sons because they are beggars.

Some ministries want to build relationships, some ask for Bibles or training material, and some say they are looking for a spiritual father. Sadly, even those looking for a spiritual father can be motivated by the concept that a spiritual father will resource their ministry. They are also beggars.

 The idea that a spiritual father is responsible for resourcing the son’s ministry comes from two sources. Firstly, colonialism, which was based on the colonial power supplying everything to the nation that they colonised. And while colonialism has been rejected, and nations have received independence, there lingers the desire from people within formerly colonised nations to have their needs supplied by people from perceived ‘wealthy’ nations.

 Secondly, long-term missionaries to many nations have also invested finance and practical resources into the nations in which they have served. This was appropriate during that era, but it has reinforced the colonial mindset. Churches and other ministries have reinforced this mindset by continuing to pour in finance and practical resources without teaching and imparting faith in these areas.

 Sadly, this has meant that the church in many parts of the world is bound by a poverty mentality instead of a prevailing, abundant spirit. The primary way to break out of this seems to be connecting with a benefactor from another nation. This is the way of beggars.

 My testimony is that I have never asked for money or practical resources from my spiritual fathers. When God has called me to do something, He has always assured me that He will provide. When God called me to plant a church in the eastern part of my city in 2009, I had to spend $8,000 with a credit card to pay for everything that was needed.

 I had no other way of funding it. I had no backup. I didn’t ask anyone to give me money. God would have to provide. Three days after our first service, someone gave me $10,000 which paid off the credit card and gave me a bit of money to live on while the church grew. This happened because this is how the Kingdom of Heaven works here on earth. It is not because I live in what many perceive to be a ‘wealthy’ nation.

Earlier in 2009, before I started that church, I was asked to go to another country to speak at an apostolic round table. The Lord directed me to speak firstly from the account of the healing of the lame man in Acts chapter three. This story is not just about a miracle and the thousands that came into the Kingdom after Peter preached.

 Acts 3:1-8

 1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple,

3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

 The first thing that struck me in this story is that the man had been lame for forty years, and a beggar for most of that time. As a result, he could not fulfill his role as a husband or a father. He could not work on the family land. He was outside the temple and its activities. His business was begging from those who were able-bodied. This is what his whole life would always be about.

 When the man saw Peter and John, he asked them for money. Peter and John would have walked past this man countless times on their way into the temple. They most likely would have given him money. However, on this day, Peter was prompted to do something different.

 He told the beggar that he had no money for him, but that he would give him what he carried in God. As a result, the man received a great miracle. He could now walk and jump. The first thing that he did was to enter the temple with the two apostles.

 There is a greater miracle that happened that day. The man’s future had been reformatted. He no longer had to beg. He was restored to temple worship. He was restored to full manhood. He was restored to full marital function. He was restored in his fatherhood. This man could also now work on the family land or begin a completely new and different business. His family was restored in the community.

He could enjoy a different destiny because he was no longer a beggar. He was now able-bodied. God’s plan has always been for His people to no longer be beggars but become able-bodied spiritually and in every way. The DNA of God’s Kingdom people is a prevailing spirit. We are not beggars; we are those who overcome. We are more than conquerors!

 Back to the apostolic round table early in 2009: the Holy Spirit showed me that I was to pour what He had given me into ministries, churches, and movements in the nations. This would be far more transformational and valuable than giving money. And it would produce sons instead of beggars.

 Obviously, if the Holy Spirit prompts me to give, I do. And, over the years, I have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in airfares, accommodation, and other expenses to go to nations where I have sons, so that I can pour into them and their work. However, my overarching commitment is to impart to them what has been imparted to me and see the grace of God produce far greater outcomes than money alone can accomplish.

 I do not invest in beggars because no matter how much a beggar receives, he will be back at the same spot in his lameness the next day. I invest what I carry in God into sons, or beggars who want a very different destiny from what they are currently involved in. I am committed to delivering people from a beggar mindset, and releasing them into a faith-filled, victorious life and ministry.

 Keep a lookout for Part 2 of this blog, coming soon!

© 2025 Philip M Spence

 Phil Spence is an author, speaker, mentor, and musician. He leads Enlarj, a relational apostolic network influencing more than 20 nations. He oversees School of the Kingdom Global in many of these nations. Phil is internationally recognised as an apostle. Phil may be contacted via phil@enlarj.com