Starting a Venture with "Zero Capital"

First off, this is not about some lucrative marketing or sales venture, though the principle can help lots with business started from scratch. Firstly, I'm talking about Kingdom business. God often starts his ventures with "zero capital." With the nation of Israel, he started with nothing. I mean, he called Abram from North Mesopotamia or Ur, sent him off with practically nothing and made him trek through no-man's land--bare desert and wilderness--exposing him vulnerably there.

Initial zero capital.

You may opt to see it this way, if you want the principle applied to your situation--God can start you off in an actual business undertaking from scratch. You just have to learn the principle like some business people I know who apply concepts in the bible to their businesses, and find them actually working. One believer started his now very profitable online business with a free blog. 😃

Photo by Liam Pozz on Unsplash.

You know how challenging God's zero-capital principle is? It's like this. It's a nice feeling being hired for a new job or position because you know it comes with compensation, benefits, perks and incentives. You know exactly what the job entails and what to do; just ask for your job description. You have specific goals so you start with clear direction. But Abram? He was sent off "to a land I will show you." Where exactly? He didn't know initially (later he was told it was Canaan). What was he going to do there? He had no idea. Plus, he had zero budget to work with? See?

Zero capital.

You Know and Yet You Don't

Yeah, the call came with promises, but they were kinda vague. It's like being sent to Mars and given the assurance that you'd make it good there. 

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

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But no budget release prior to starting a project so massive and tremendous in proportion. Will you do the same? You start off with nothing? Because if not, then you're not ready for a genuine God-initiated project. You will rest in man's plans and assurances which are often unreliable. If they are reliable, man either expects something in return or gets all the glory. No Kingdom benefit for you.

So, most times, God wants you to step out in faith with nothing (initially), then provides exactly what you need along the way, often without giving any hint when and where it's coming. God loves suspense thrillers, and it can be pretty scary. Often, you find yourself cornered in a dark alley, about to be caught or eaten, then a strange escape route suddenly appears from nowhere at the last minute. Believe me, it's going to be a lifestyle. But supernaturally powerful.

What For?

Also, the project would seem trivial or unimportant and useless. I often find myself asking "what for?" when God tells me to do seemingly inconsequential or trivial tasks. Later, you see how the menial tasks bridge two big Kingdom events, without which the events wouldn't come together to start off a major move of God. But only those who see the Kingdom see this. If Abram hadn't left Ur, there wouldn't be the nation of Israel. 

Do you think the little boy who donated his 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus felt big-time? I don't think so. In fact, Andrew wondered, "but how far will they go among so many?" Almost zero capital. But Jesus used that to feed 5,000 men, not counting the women and kids.

How about the water in the 6 large jars? You think the servants thought it worth serving to the wedding guests at Cana? It was as good as zero capital. Yet Jesus turned them to high quality wine. And the 5 smooth stones David picked up at the river to slay Goliath with? You think they felt superior to the giant's weapons? They were zero capital. But the whole world now knows what happened.

Abram's, Sarai's Terah's and Lot's departure from Ur was a small seed God used for a major move.

But don't get me wrong. Our disobedience or failures can never frustrate God's plans. If Abram had not obeyed, God could've easily used another. I think this is one of the wisdoms you get from God's zero-capital principle. Anyone can be used (or rejected), because we're all zero-capital. We cannot boast of anything and no one is indispensable. I've always rejected the idea that a person's earthly (or even churchy) qualifications fit him for a particular ministry job, or his skills or educational attainment qualifies him for a church position. 

Everything and everyone is zero capital.

What Qualifications?

I find it absurd that pastors should have seminary degrees, masters, doctorate or ordination rituals before they are given bigger responsibilities or hold key positions. They naively think your seminary degrees qualify you to lead or teach. That's Pharisaical. Abram was chosen not for any degree or diploma or prominence he had at Ur. He was chosen by grace, not of works or achievements, lest anyone should boast. He had to be taken out of a bustling and thriving city and driven to the wilderness with zero balance to go to "a land I will show you," which was revealed to be Canaan only later. 

Moses, on the other hand, had to be driven out from the comforts and abundance of the palace to look after sheep and goats. Riches to rags. Hefty bank account to zero balance. God starts with the smallest seed. John the baptizer, too, had to forsake the perks of priesthood (his dad was a priest and priests then were very well off) to live as a hermit in the wilderness, eating nothing but insects and honey. Zero capital. 

And yeah, Adam had nothing in the beginning, not even a shirt.

See the principle? God takes you away from anything you can gain from man--his ways and institutions--and puts you back to square one--to zero balance or zero capital--before he fills you with genuine Holy Spirit equipment to make you usable to him.

All this is about the zero-capital Kingdom principle. The smallest seed.

So, are you ready for God's business venture for you?

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