Keys to Surviving Financial Crisis

Where is the world’s economy headed? Will the cost of living continue to climb? Will we see another recession—or, worse yet, a full-blown economic meltdown?

These are not theoretical questions. Whether you own your own business, work for an employer, or are on a pension, your money is important, and these questions affect your life. But what can we do about them? Can we even do anything?

Much of the financial news in our headlines is not good. We hear of tariffs and trade wars, fears of a recession, rising inflation—and we see the escalating prices firsthand in our grocery bills. Several countries in the Western world are carrying extremely high debt, expressed as their debt ratio, the amount of debt in relation to gross domestic product (GDP).

We see alarming news of a national debt in the U.S. that now sits at more than $39 trillion. Such a colossal mountain of debt is hard to comprehend. The World Population Review website lists the American national debt at 124 percent of GDP, which means the debt accumulated by the government of the United States is significantly above the value of what the entire nation produces in a year. That should be deeply concerning to all of us.

But debt is not just an American problem—other nations aren’t doing much better. France’s debt ratio sits at 113 percent, and Canada’s debt ratio is similar, at 111 percent. The United Kingdom’s is not far behind, at 93.6 percent.

A great many countries are carrying a sizable amount of debt. And all it takes are a few unexpected disasters—“polycrises,” as they are now beginning to be called—for prices to soar and jobs to disappear.

So, what does the future hold? The sobering news is that there are tough times ahead. But you and I can be ready. If you are concerned about the financial welfare of your children and grandchildren, you don’t have to face the future unprepared. You can be forewarned and forearmed. You can survive the coming financial crisis.

But how?

How to Prepare for an Economic Collapse

Multibillionaire Warren Buffett, former CEO of the American investment firm Berkshire Hathaway, has obviously been extremely successful as an investor. When stock markets tumbled in response to tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, several market observers noted Buffett’s classic advice: When things go bad, keep your head, don’t panic, be patient, and keep your eyes on the long-term goal (“‘Keep your head’ if you’re spooked by tariffs: Warren Buffett once suggested reading a 19th century poem when stocks fall,” CNBC.com, April 3, 2025).

That is good advice. It’s easy to panic when the economy begins to sputter. And it’s tempting to worry about the future, especially when it comes to money.

“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”

But God doesn’t want us to be fearful about the future. Jesus was consistent in that message to His disciples, saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). We can be heavily burdened with worries, fears, and doubts, especially when we recognize the dangerous times we’re living in. Jesus told His disciples, “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

Later on, just before His arrest, trial, and execution, He repeated His comforting words, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1).

God doesn’t want us to fret about tomorrow. Yet He does want us to understand prophetic warnings for our time. Many of the prophecies of the book of Ezekiel are intended for the end-time Israelite nations of our day. For a more detailed description of Ezekiel’s prophecies and their impact on the end times, check out the telecast by Gerald Weston entitled, “Ezekiel’s Message Unlocked.” You can find it on our YouTube channel or at TomorrowsWorld.org.

Financial Crisis Prophesied as God’s Punishment

But let’s focus on one prophecy of Ezekiel for a moment:

Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, and I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways, and I will repay you for all your abominations. My eye will not spare you, nor will I have pity; but I will repay your ways, and your abominations will be in your midst; then you shall know that I am the Lord’” (Ezekiel 7:1–4).

It’s a sobering glimpse of the judgment that will soon come upon many nations. But why is that judgment coming? Because we have God’s testimony of how He wants us to conduct our lives—it’s called the Bible—and yet painfully few really live accordingly.

Going on, notice what Ezekiel says conditions will be like as the end-time descendants of Israel fall: “They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be like refuse; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they will not satisfy their souls, nor fill their stomachs, because it became their stumbling block of iniquity” (Ezekiel 7:19).

That’s describing a total economic collapse. When there’s no food, all the gold and silver in the world won’t do any good. And these conditions will spread around the globe. During the Day of the Lord, when the trumpets of Revelation sound, people will no longer be concerned about whether they’ve bought gold or stocks or invested in real estate. They’ll just want to be safe and have enough to eat.

When Christ returns with power and glory, we want to be ready. And being ready for that day is not done by having a big salary or picking the right pension plan. Speaking of those days, Jesus gave a sobering warning, but ended with a message of encouragement:

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near (Luke 21:25–28).

So, how can we face the coming days of judgment with faith and not fear? By identifying sound biblical strategies for surviving the economic storms to come.

Key 1: Don’t Just Be a Consumer

One such strategy is simply to buy the right things. We’re living in a consuming society. Especially in the affluent Western nations, people are used to spending money. Our economies are built around it. Sometimes we spend money for things we really don’t need—that’s the marvel of modern advertising. Marketers try very hard to create a supposed need for a product they’re selling, whether it’s pizza, tennis shoes, or a new car. They are masters at convincing us we need things that we really don’t. And if we’re not careful, we can fall into a never-ending cycle where the chief activity of our lives is just consuming things.

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah centuries ago of the need to buy what’s really important in life. Notice: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance” (Isaiah 55:1–2).

God is saying, You’re spending your money, your time, and your energy on things that don’t really last. And this applies to us today more than ever, as we have distractions and time-wasters like no generation before us. Our phones are addictive. Social media is addictive. Even typically harmless pursuits, like watching reruns of old television shows, or watching sports, or doing puzzles or games, or reading about celebrities, can be addictive. But at the end of the day, what do our activities accomplish in our lives?

In other words, what are we spending our money and our time on? After all, our time is our life.

We need to not just focus on physical pursuits, but also, more importantly, on spiritual values. Jesus spoke of the importance of thinking about what we consume, saying, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27).

Going on, He said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me” (John 6:56–57).

Of course, Christ did not mean this literally—rather, we are to drink in and feed on the words of Christ. We must study His word every day, so that we begin to think like Him, act like Him, follow His footsteps, understand His ways, and obey Him. He summarizes and clarifies, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

As we think about investing in the future, let’s make sure we are spending our money, our time, our energy, and our focus on something that’s really going to last.

Key 2: Store Up Treasures in Heaven

That brings us to our next strategy for investing in these end times: Lay up treasure in heaven. Jesus taught His disciples to not just focus on the physical but, more importantly, to invest in their spiritual lives: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

God wants us to remember that cars rust out, homes can burn down or be broken into, and money invested can disappear in moments. Some lost tens of thousands of dollars in the financial meltdown of 2008, for example, when company-sponsored 401(k)s seemed to lose much of their value overnight.

What can we depend on? And how should we face the future? Notice something else Christ said:

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature (Matthew 6:25–27)?

If we recognize that God created us, formed us, and gave us life, we must remember that He can take care of us. He feeds the birds, He forms the blossoms on the trees, and He produces the fruit of the fields. That’s the focus we need to have, especially as we enter uncertain times. “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:31–33).

Christ is bringing that Kingdom when He returns. We are to seek to be in that Kingdom as the number one priority in our life now. And with it, we are to seek for His righteousness. We learn His righteousness by diving into His word every day. It’s not just a sentimental feeling, but a necessity of life as much as the air we breathe.

We don’t need to worry about the coming difficult times if we’re investing in the right things—God’s Kingdom and His character—in our lives.

Key 3: Focus on Your Spiritual Inheritance

Another strategy for facing economic crises in the end-times is to look forward to the right inheritance. Some may have an inheritance being left to them. If you do, consider that a blessing. But if you don’t have a “rich uncle” in your family, don’t despair—you actually have a Father in Heaven who is not just rich, but who owns everything.

And when I say everything, I mean literally everything. Notice what one of the prophets of old said: “‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8).

Now, stop and think for a moment: Even if we are a little short on cash—or maybe a lot short on cash—what is that in the face of resources our Father in Heaven has? They are unlimited. He owns everything in the entire galaxy, in the entire universe. He made the universe.

Can He provide for us? Does He know our needs? As the Apostle Paul wrote, God can “supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

And He is rich—that’s not a metaphor. He literally owns everything, and we must not forget that. What’s more, He wants to give it to us as an inheritance. David wrote, “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance” (Psalm 16:5).

David said, God, You are my portion. You are my inheritance. I’m going to know You and live with You for all eternity—that’s my inheritance!

And Hebrews 2:8 gives more details when it says we will inherit “all things.” “All things” ultimately includes the entire physical universe. Think about that! The destiny of man—and that means you and me—is to inherit portions of the galaxies to work in, to tend, to beautify in ways we can’t fully fathom now. What a tremendous inheritance waiting for us from our Father.

If we don’t have great wealth in this life, that’s okay—if we give our lives to God, He has great plans for us in the life to come, and He is more than capable of providing our needs in the meantime.

Key 4: Acknowledge God in All Your Ways

And the last strategy? Continually acknowledge your Creator, the One who gave you everything.

Our God has given us life and breath. He’s given us the chance to know the joys of life. And certainly, we learn through the sadness of pain and suffering in this flesh as well. It’s all for a purpose. He wants us to learn to trust Him and love Him and submit to His way for our good, forever. He wants to grant us salvation through His Son. He wants us to live in His Family. But we must believe Him, repent of our sins, obey Him, and come under the blood of Jesus Christ.

When we grasp that our Father has given us every good and perfect gift, as the Apostle James notes in James 1:17, then we ought to be willing to give back to our Father as well. And that is what He teaches us. A good explanation of that is found in Malachi 3:8: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’”

Who would ever have the audacity to rob God? Yet that’s exactly what He says happens. He explains, “But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (v. 8). The word tithe is just an old word meaning “tenth.” The Bible commands God’s people to give a tenth of their income back to Him in acknowledgement of His blessings and guidance in their lives. Not tithing to God, He says, is, in effect, robbing Him.

Going on, notice what He says as a result of His people not tithing:

“You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts; “and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts (Malachi 3:9–12).

Let this sink in. There are individual consequences—and national consequences—for not tithing. And what better way to prepare for hard times ahead than to show God our loyalty and faithfulness in tithing to Him now? He promises to provide for those who put Him first. In our Western world, how many of us faithfully tithe to the God of heaven, who gives us rain in due season and sunshine to give warmth and to make the crops grow? Are we acknowledging the God of heaven, who gives us every beat our heart makes?

Giving a little bit back to the God who has given us all things—and plans to give us even more as an inheritance—is really just a small sacrifice. Going on:

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him” (Malachi 3:16–17).

You can learn more about tithing by reading the free Tomorrow’s World study guide God’s People Tithe! This insightful resource is available in full at TomorrowsWorld.org, and you can also order a free copy from the Regional Office closest to you, listed on page 4 of this issue.

Protection Comes from God

Gold, silver, money, real estate, or bank accounts will not be a protection in the coming hard times. When financial crises strike, we want God to be with us, which means we need to be with Him.

Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied… then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:11–13, 17–18).

Where will the economies of the Western world go in the months and years ahead? Will there be a bumpy road economically? Things may go up. They may go down for a while. But at some point, if these nations don’t repent, God will allow them to hit rock bottom.

Wherever the road takes us, we need to be wise and careful in regard to how we handle money. But, above all, we need to keep the big picture—and the big picture is that there is a God in Heaven who made us and provides us with everything we need if we wholeheartedly look to Him. He is planning to give us a great destiny in His Kingdom forever if we are willing to give our lives to Him now.