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The Strategy of First: Five Day Devotional

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Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:


Day 1: No Longer Orphans

Based on the Message: "The Strategy of First" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33

Devotional: Trusting God is not just a financial principle; it’s an identity issue.


Jesus points to the birds, the grass, and the lilies and says, “If God takes care of them, how much more will He take care of you?” (Matthew 6:25–30). Jesus is not just talking about provision; He is reminding you who you are.


When you live in constant worry—about money, future, or needs—you can start to move like a spiritual orphan. Orphans don’t know who their Father is. They survive. They hustle. They expect to be let down. Many of us carry that same mindset into our walk with God: “I love Him, but I don’t know if I can really trust Him.”


Jesus confronts that directly: “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things… but your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:32). In other words: People who don’t know God chase after stuff. Children of God chase after Him.


Your bank account may be low. Bills may be high. But none of that has authority to define your identity. You are adopted, not abandoned. You are seen, not overlooked. You are provided for, not forgotten.


To seek first His kingdom and His righteousness is to live like a true son or daughter—prioritizing His will, His ways, and His pleasure above everything else. When you do, “all these things” become His responsibility, not yours.


Quote: " Orphans don't know who their Father is. To truly trust God is to believe that He is your Father. God is not a deadbeat dad; He is present and He knows what you need.”" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: Where do you see “orphan thinking” in your life—especially around money and security?What would change practically if you really believed, “My Father knows what I need”?


Prayer: Father, thank You that I am not an orphan. Forgive me for trusting my fears more than Your character. Teach me to seek Your kingdom first and to rest in Your care. Help me live like a true son/daughter who knows they are loved and provided for. In Jesus’ name, amen.


Day 2: Surrendering Our Will to His

Based on the Message: "The Strategy of First" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:1-2

Devotional: One of the hardest battles we face as believers is the daily choice between our will and God's will. This struggle becomes especially real when it comes to our finances. We want to spend on what makes us happy, save for our own security, and give when it's convenient. But God calls us to something different, something that requires dying to our natural desires.


Every morning, we wake up with a choice. Will we live according to our flesh, or will we surrender to God's plan? Our flesh wants immediate gratification. It whispers, "You deserve this," or "Just this once won't hurt." But spiritual maturity means recognizing these voices and choosing God's way instead.


This isn't a one-time decision we make at salvation. It's a daily, sometimes hourly, choice to let our will die so that His will can live through us. Even the most mature believers face this battle. The enemy doesn't stop tempting us just because we've grown in faith or gained spiritual titles. When it comes to money, this surrender looks like asking God before making purchases, seeking His wisdom about investments, and being willing to give even when it doesn't make sense financially. It means trusting that His plans for our resources are better than our own.


The beautiful promise is that when we align our will with His, we experience true freedom. We're no longer slaves to our impulses or fears about money. Instead, we become partners with God in managing His resources, and that partnership brings both peace and provision.

Quote: "If you're going to become all that God has called you to be, you must crucify your flesh daily and allow the will of the Father to always be greater than your will." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr

Question: What specific area of your financial life do you find it hardest to surrender to God's will, and what would it look like to trust Him more in that area?


Prayer: Lord, I confess that my will often conflicts with Yours, especially with money. Help me die daily to my flesh and trust Your perfect plan for my finances. Transform my mind and help me surrender completely to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 3: From Worry to Worship

Based on the Message: "The Strategy of First" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." - Matthew 6:31-32

Devotional: Have you ever noticed how financial stress affects your ability to focus on God? When bills pile up or unexpected expenses arise, it becomes nearly impossible to concentrate during prayer or worship.


There's a reason for this. Worry literally strangles our spiritual life. The word "worry" means to harass or strangle. When we're anxious about money, we're allowing fear to choke out our faith. Our minds become consumed with "what if" scenarios and worst-case outcomes. We lose sleep, snap at loved ones, and find ourselves distant from God. Not because He's moved, but because worry has created a barrier.


Jesus understood this struggle. He knew that financial anxiety would be one of the biggest obstacles to spiritual growth, which is why He addressed it directly. He reminded us that our heavenly Father knows what we need and that worry doesn't add a single hour to our lives or a lone dollar to our bank accounts.


The antidote to worry isn't positive thinking or better budgeting (though those can help). The cure is worship. When we shift our focus from our problems to God's greatness, something supernatural happens. Our problems don't disappear, but they're put in proper perspective. We remember that the God who created the universe is also our provider. You can't worry and worship simultaneously. Your mind can only focus on one thing at a time.


So the question becomes: what will you magnify today? Your problems or your God? When you choose worship over worry, you're not ignoring reality, you're acknowledging a greater reality: God's faithfulness and provision.

Quote: "Worry magnifies your problems; worship magnifies the Lord. The enemy will try to strangle you with worry; don't let him choke you out. Throw your hands up and fight back with worship; worshippers will survive!" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What financial worry has been strangling your ability to worship lately, and how can you intentionally shift your focus from that problem to God's faithfulness today?


Prayer: God, I confess that worry has been choking out my faith. Help me release my financial anxieties to You and choose worship over worry. Remind me of Your faithfulness and help me trust You completely. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 4: The Power of Putting God First

Based on the Message: "The Strategy of First" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."- Matthew 6:33

Devotional: Order matters. When you cook grits, you don't pour them directly onto the stovetop; you get a clean pot first, add water, and then grits. Sequence is essential to everything; this same principle applies to our finances.


Jesus gave us the divine sequence for financial peace: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The word "first" means coming before all others in time, order, position, rank, and importance. This isn't just a nice suggestion, it's the key to supernatural provision.


Many of us have the sequence backwards. We pay bills first, spend on wants second, save what's left third, and give to God whatever remains (if anything). Then we wonder why we're always stressed about money and never seem to have enough. We've violated the divine order.


God's sequence is different: trust Him, give first, save next, then live off the rest. This might seem backwards to our natural thinking, but it's how God's kingdom operates. When we honor Him with our first and best, He promises to take care of everything else. This isn't about earning God's favor or manipulating Him into blessing us. It's about aligning ourselves with His principles and trusting His character.


When we put Him first in our finances, we're declaring that He's our source, not our job or our investments or our abilities. The beautiful promise is that when we get the order right, God adds what we need. Not necessarily what we want, but what we truly need. And often, He gives us far more than we could have managed on our own.


Quote: "We have to get beyond "conceptually" putting God first, and practically put Him first in our finances... Second ain’t first, third ain’t first, 29th ain’t first.. first means first!”" - Dexter B Upshaw Jr.

Question: Looking at your current financial priorities and spending habits, what would need to change for you to truly put God's kingdom first in your money management?


Prayer: Father, I want to get the order right in my finances. Help me trust You enough to put You first, not just with my words, but with my actual money. Show me how to seek Your kingdom first in practical ways. In Jesus' name, Amen.


Day 5: Giving Our First and Best

Based on the Message: "The Strategy of First" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." - Proverbs 3:9-10

Devotional: There's something powerful about giving God our first and best rather than our leftovers. When we honor Him with the first fruits of our income, we're making a statement about who we trust and what we value most.


Biblical giving isn't about percentages or meeting quotas, it's about relationship and covenant. David refused to give God an offering that cost him nothing. True giving should cost us something. It should require faith and trust. When our giving is easy and comfortable, it might not be sacrificial enough to grow our faith.


The principle of first teaches us that our first and best belongs to the Lord. This means giving before we pay bills, before we buy groceries, before we do anything else with our money. It's a declaration that God is our Source and Provider, not our employer or our investments.


Some people say they'll give more when they make more money, but that's rarely how it works. If we can't be faithful with small amounts, we won't suddenly become generous with large amounts. Generosity is a heart issue, not an income issue. When we practice faithfulness with little, God can trust us with much.


Giving first also protects us from the trap of lifestyle inflation. When we establish the habit of honoring God first, we're less likely to spend everything that comes into our hands. We create margin in our lives and resources that can be used for God's purposes and generational impact. Remember, we're not giving to get, we're giving because we've already received. Every breath, every ability, every opportunity comes from Him. Our giving is simply a response to His goodness.

Quote: "Our first and our best is holy and belongs to the Lord." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What would it look like for you to give God your "first and best" rather than your leftovers? What fears or concerns must you surrender to God, in order to give God your first and best?


Prayer: Lord, I want to honor You with my first and best, not my leftovers. Help me trust You enough to give sacrificially and faithfully. Show me how to make giving a priority, not an afterthought. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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