Getting and staying in debt has become normal behaviors in our culture today.
We have accepted it; we practice it; we embrace it; we can’t seem to survive without it. But this is not God’s plan for your life.
Debt is the very thing that keeps families and individuals from moving ahead. In fact, normal thinking is that as long as we can make the monthly payments, everything will be fine. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only do your minimal monthly payments only pay on interest accrued, but they keep you in a cycle of paying on them until about the time Jesus returns!
Now, I don’t believe all debt is bad. Owning a home is good debt. However, our society is stuck in unhealthy patterns of borrowing money for depreciating items such as cars that are falling apart and won’t start, groceries we have long since eaten and disposed of, and clothing that we no longer fit into.
I want to challenge you to get out of debt. We serve a faithful God who wants to help you, but first, you must make a commitment to be debt-free.
God’s Provision, Our Choice
Often, when people seek my advice about their finances, I learn that 99% of the time, they only desire to take a portion of the resources given to them and apply it to their debt while using the remainder to spend on other things. This is problematic thinking because, one, we are squandering God’s provision for our debt, and two, we end up staying in debt!
Early on in our marriage, my wife and I accumulated $34,000 in debt. I remember coming across an impactful teaching about how to get out of debt, and it changed my life. It was then that I made a commitment to surrender my debt and financially live how God wanted me to. After a while, we paid over half of our debt down to $15,000, and wouldn’t you know, we received an unexpected check for the exact amount in the mail. And at that moment, the devil started tempting us, saying, “You’re almost out of debt, why don’t you just take a portion of that money to pay off your debt and use the rest for something nice? After all, you deserve it.”
Saints, don’t fall into this trap. When you surrender your debt to God, He will provide the exact resources you need. Stay diligent, stay focused, and remain surrendered.
Now, you may be asking, “Does God really care about my debt?” Yes! Throughout God’s word, there are many stories of financial stewardship. Together, let’s look at two instances where God supernaturally relieved cycles of debt.
God’s Supernatural Provision for Debt
There Is Something in Your House (2 Kings 4:1-7)
“A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘You’re servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves. So Elisha said to her, ‘What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?’ And she said, ‘Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.’ Then he said, ‘Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors – empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.’ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, ‘Bring me another vessel.’ And he said to her, ‘There is not another vessel.’ So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.’”
2 Kings 4:1-7, NKJV
In this passage, a woman’s husband has died and did not leave his family in a place of good financial standing. Now, his widow is struggling to care for her family and pay off his debt. However, God shows up supernaturally, and I believe we, too, can apply the following principles in our daily lives.
Identify An Asset (vs. 2)
Crying out to Elisha in her struggle, he responded with one simple question: “What do you have in the house?”
The key to getting out of debt can most likely be found among the very things in your home. We all have items lying around our attic, garage, or basement that we haven’t used in quite a while. By taking the time to go through your unused belongings and offering them to sell, you may just find a buyer who is willing to pay good money for it!
People struggle with selling things because, in our culture, we have been conditioned that the more “stuff” we have, the wealthier we are. (And the cycle of debt continues.) But the truth is, there is no freedom when we are enslaved to debt.
What do you have that you can sell? Start small, and you will begin to make tiny steps towards getting out of debt.
Develop the Asset (vs. 3)
Far too often, when looking for prospective items to sell, we get so caught up in the state of what we have. Yes, we want what we are selling to be in usable condition, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
If the object is covered in dirt and dust—clean it up!
If something is missing a few buttons—grab your thread and a sewing needle.
Take care in what you are selling, leaving it in better condition than you found it, for this could be a treasure to someone else and a provision towards your debt!
Sell the Asset (vs. 7)
While you may have accumulated things around your home, what you don’t need can help position you in a better position!
The only thing the widow had was oil. God took that oil and multiplied it until there were no more jars to fill. God wants to supernaturally bring provisions to you, anointing what you have lying around to bring you out of debt.
Sell what you can, and if it is really important to you, buy it later with cash! Saints, let’s break the cycle of debt.
Do Your Job Well (Matthew 17:24-27)
“When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, ‘Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?’ Peter said to Him, ‘From strangers.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.’”
Matthew 17:24-27, NKJV
In this instance of supernatural provision, God used a man’s vocation to provide the exact amount he needed and more. Saints, God is the same yesterday, tomorrow, and today, and if He was able to move abundantly through the everyday work of Simon Peter, He will do the same for you and me.
Deliverance is Tied to Your Skills (vs. 27)
In verse 27, we can see that God’s provision came from Peter’s skills as a fisherman. When we are good stewards of the occupations God gave us, He will provide abundantly.
Before my job as senior pastor, I worked in a good-paying government job. For almost ten years, I gave 110% and, over the years, was promoted multiple times. During my time there, I was intentional about performing well and going beyond what was expected of me. When I became the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, I was working full-time in both jobs and decided I needed to dedicate my focus to the church, so I turned in my resignation. While my boss with the government job thought this was crazy, he also offered to hold my position for one full year without pay, and when that time was up, we would reassess. About halfway through that timeframe, my old boss called me back to the office and offered me a promotion when I hadn’t worked for them in six months!
This is the favor of God when you work as if working until the Lord. He will bless you immeasurably more than you could ever imagine.
What can you do today to work beyond what is expected of you?
Deliverance Required Obedience (vs 27)
Not only did Simon Peter work excellently to catch the fish, but he was obedient to the instructions Jesus gave to him, and God provided for him in a way that he didn’t expect.
Obedience is the key to living a flourishing, supernatural life!
We see this throughout the life of Jesus. He knew his calling while here on earth and ultimately in his surrender on the cross, where he received the supernatural provision of being raised by the Almighty God.
In what area of your working life can you be more obedient to God?
In both situations, the widow and Simon Peter were met with clear instructions from God. And in both situations, God showed up in a mighty, unexplainable way as they obeyed the word.
If you feel stuck in the trap of debt and you desire God to lead the way out of it, I encourage you to take these principles and apply them to your life.
Sell your material things.
Be the best employee you can be.
And in all things, obey God.
Be resolute to kill the spirit of debt in your life, and supernatural miracles will abound.
For more on removing debt from your life, check out Pastor Jenkins’ sermon, Overcoming Debt.
