How To Decapitate Debt

There are over 800 verses in the Bible that talk about money. Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid debt, it does warn against it. It should be noted that the Bible does have harsh words for lenders that charge exorbitant amounts of interest! Consequently, I believe God is very interested in helping to free us from the bondage of high interest. I am convinced that God wants and will help us decapitate the GIANT of debt.

SIZING THIS GIANT UP.

1. The Giant of Debt robs you of your freedom and security.

Proverbs 22:7 (NRSV) “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”

Proverbs 22:26-27 (NIV) “Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; 27 if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.”

2. The Giant of Debt robs children of their inheritance.

Proverbs 13:22 (NIV) “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.”

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

3. The Giant of Debt robs God of His tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:8-9 (NIV) “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.”

HOW TO DECAPITATE DEBT

The book of Joshua is the story of God delivering His people from the land of bondage to the land of blessing These Israelites were used to bondage—their parents (the previous generation) had been in bondage in Egypt and they (the Israelites depicted in the book of Joshua) spent their lives in the desert. Just because their parents lived in bondage doesn’t mean they have to do that and just because they’ve been living in bondage doesn’t mean they have to keep living there. It’s now time for them to occupy the promise of God—they need to move from WHERE THEY ARE to WHERE GOD WANTS THEM TO BE. It time we did that too!

Occupying the promise meant war then and it means war now. It means conquest. It means, as always, trusting in God’s strength. The first 5 chapters of Joshua speak of their invading the land—Chapter 6-12 detail them fighting for the land—Chapters 13-24 shows them dividing up the land.

I want to draw your attention to one of their key victories (Chapter 10) because in it we will find principles for becoming debt free. As we read this Scriptue, we see that Joshua knew specifically who his enemy was—he could name them.

Do you know who the enemy of your finances is? (It’s not your spouse)—your spouse is not your enemy, you two need to be on the same team. DEBT is your enemy—I know that goes against what culture tells us but it’s the truth! We are taught to believe that debt is our friend. We are also told it “Pays to Discover”—Yeah, it pays them! “Normal” in America is BROKE—let's be weird.

Here’s how:
1. Like Joshua, clearly define your enemy.

Joshua 10:5 (NIV) “Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.”

Romans 12:2a tells us to do: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

2. Like Joshua, strategically fight your war.

Joshua 10:6-7 (NIV) “The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.”

Prov 27:23-24 (LB) “Riches can disappear fast... so watch your business interests closely. Know the state of your flocks and your herds.”.

3. Like Joshua, completely trust your God.

Joshua 10:8 (NIV) “The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

Psalm 25:1-2 (NIV) “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”

4.Like Joshua, relentlessly pursue your enemy.

Joshua 10:9 (NIV) “After an all-night march [26 miles] from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.”

Joshua 10:10 (NIV) “The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.”

5. Like Joshua, gratefully accept God’s help.

Joshua 10:11 (NIV) “As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.”

I end with the most important step in becoming debt free—CLEARING YOUR SIN DEBT. Nothing is more important than getting your sin debt forgiven because, as Jesus said, "…what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

The GOOD NEWS is that your sin debt has already been paid for. Listen to Jesus’ last words on the cross: John 19:30b (NIV) “Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Jesus’ phrase “it is finished” comes from the Greek word “tetelestai” which means paid in full. The GOOD NEWS is that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God will apply Christ’s payment for your sin to your sin debt--marking it, PAID IN FULL!

That how to live debt free--financially and eternally! :)