I recently read Ruth Fernandez’s new book, Kingdom Wealth: It’s Not Luck, It’s Your Birthright. I found the book to be both fascinating and deeply thought-provoking. During a recent interview with Ruth, her insights were not only compelling but incredibly practical. What follows is my attempt to capture just a portion of the powerful truths she presents—truths that challenge conventional thinking about money, purpose, and the role of faith in shaping our lives and our nation.
At the center of today’s cultural and economic anxiety is a simple assumption: that everything rises and falls on money. Markets move, currencies fluctuate, inflation rises, and with it comes fear. But what if that assumption is fundamentally flawed? What if money is not the foundation—but the reflection—of something deeper?
The kingdom of God presents a radically different framework. It is not built on material accumulation, but on alignment. Not on scarcity, but on stewardship. Not on fear, but on faith.
Jesus made this clear when He said, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). The word mysteries implies hidden systems—real, functioning dynamics that govern outcomes, yet are invisible to those operating only in the natural realm.
In other words, there is an economy that precedes the economy.
In America today, we are watching the consequences of a purely material worldview. When money is seen as finite, fear becomes inevitable. People grasp, hoard, manipulate, and control. Entire systems are built on anxiety—what if there isn’t enough? What if I lose what I have? What if the system collapses?
But Scripture reveals a different reality. The kingdom of heaven is “like treasure hidden in a field” (Matthew 13:44). When that treasure is discovered, everything else is re-evaluated. The man in the parable didn’t gain the treasure by accumulating more—he gained it by recognizing value and realigning his priorities.
This is the foundation of the kingdom economy: alignment before increase.
The church, at its core, was never meant to be a passive religious gathering. It is God’s governing body on earth—a spiritual embassy representing a higher kingdom. When a person is born again, they are not simply forgiven; they are transferred. They move from one system into another—from the economy of the world into the economy of heaven.
That transition requires reeducation.
We must learn to think differently about wealth, authority, and provision. In the kingdom, prosperity is not the goal—it is the byproduct. When a life aligns with God’s will, provision follows purpose. This is not prosperity theology in its shallow, transactional form; it is kingdom theology in its original design.
Obedience unlocks access.
Faith is not wishful thinking—it is alignment with a divine directive. When God places a vision, assignment, or calling in a person’s heart, it carries authority within it. That authority has the power to shape circumstances, not just respond to them.
We see this principle even echoed in modern scientific theory. Physicists have long studied the concept of a “graviton”—a hypothetical particle that carries gravitational force. One fascinating idea is that rather than the particle adjusting to dimensions, the dimensions adjust to it. In a similar way, faith operates as a force that does not conform to the environment—it transforms it.
We are not victims of economic systems—we are influencers of them. The church was designed to legislate spiritually, to bring heaven’s order into earthly systems. That includes business, government, education, media, and yes, finance.
But authority requires understanding.
Scripture speaks of a structured spiritual hierarchy—principalities, powers, rulers of darkness. Ignorance of this reality does not protect us; it exposes us. Many believers struggle not because they lack faith, but because they lack awareness. They are fighting natural battles with natural tools, while the real conflict is spiritual.
At the same time, heaven has not left us unsupported. Angels—described in Scripture as ministering spirits—are assigned to assist those who walk in alignment with God’s purposes. Prayer is not symbolic; it is operational. Words spoken in faith carry authority beyond geography, beyond circumstance, beyond limitation.
This reframes everything—including money.
Money is not merely physical. It is connected to trust, stewardship, influence, and purpose. When it is reduced to a material object, it becomes a source of fear. But when it is understood within a kingdom framework, it becomes a tool—a resource for advancing what God is doing in the earth.
The real issue is not how much money we have.
The issue is what system we are living from.
Provision follows purpose. Order follows authority. Peace follows surrender.
The future will be shaped by people who understand who they are, where they are seated, and how the kingdom operates.
Buy Ruth’s book now by clicking here.
Phil Hotsenpiller is the Founder of American Faith and Senior Pastor of Influence Church in Anaheim Hills, California. A theologian, cultural commentator, and author, he speaks on leadership, faith, and national renewal.
