*Recap of*
*Be Inspired Family Day Discussion*
*By Sister Leah Adepeju*
*Saturday 26th January 2019*
*Prayer*
All praise we give to Elshadai the almighty Father, the great I Am. The one who is more than enough we exalt you Jesus. Lord we ask that you have your way in our programme today. Speak to each of us expressly. Exalt yourself through the Word, Lord. At the end, let all the praise return to you alone. In Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Amen.
*Topic:* *Debt*
Now one of the wives of a man of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha [for help], saying “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant [reverently] feared the Lord ; but the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves [in payment for a loan].” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have [of value] in the house?” She said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a [small] jar of [olive] oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow containers from all your neighbors, empty containers--and not just a few. Then you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out [the oil you have] into all these containers, and you shall set aside each one when it is full.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing her the containers as she poured [the oil]. When the containers were all full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” And he said to her, “There is not a one left.” Then the oil stopped [multiplying]. Then she came and told the man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
2 KINGS 4:1-7 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2ki.4.1-7.AMP
Please if you love debt kindly give us a 👍🏽thumbs up.
If you do not love or like debt please raise your hands ✋.
Okay.
Let us briefly look at the scripture.
It is the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who died and left so much debt..
The debt collector was going to use his children as collateral.
Imagine after a loss then bailiff or debt collectors come in and request to take your children..
That is just double blow.. it's double jeopardy if I may put it that way.
I want us to discuss these 7 verses looking at it literally.
So the prophet died..
To start with what is debt?
Debt is money owed.
When you owe and you are not a debt-comfortable person, your mind is always in it.
Even when you have plans of paying back your mind is tuned to it ever so often.
The moment you pay off that debt your heart leaps up in joy with freedom.
To start with, God is a God of abundance and He doesn't like us being in debt..
It's like going to the president of a country and telling them that their child owes money and they haven't paid..
Is it that the president can't pay that debt off?
Now think of the King of kings who owns everything. Do you think He likes debt? No!
So this widow went to Elisha and cried to him explaining her predicament.
She has just been widowed, and then this is happening to her, how disheartening! Imagine her predicament.
Then Elisha said to her.. what shall I do for you..?
He then asked, what do you have (that is of value) in your house..?
She said I have nothing..
Because her spiritual insight is blocked..
Except a small jar of oil (olive)...
Elisha asked her to go and borrow some containers.. this widow must have been good to her neighbours for them to lend her empty containers.. because they probably knew that she was being pulled by the creditors due to her husband's debt.. yet they lent her the containers.
Elisha said to her, Shut the door behind you with your sons, set each container apart, pour the oil into each container...
This woman did not argue. She went back home, did as she was instructed and, guess what? That small oil that she had filled all the containers and only stopped running when all the containers were filled.
Elisha advised her to pay off her debt with the money she makes from the oil that she will sell.
Do you know she started a business out of nothing...?
Yes when she was asked what does she have she said nothing.
You wonder, why did I say her spiritual mind was blocked? Because until she was able to key in to making something out of the nothing which is the small oil she was still in debt.
Debt is not a friendly situation I tell you.
People will mock you as a believer if you say you are in debt.
Let me give you a classic example: someone was in debt and was paying tithe and someone said to them, the money you are using to pay tithe you can pay the debt you owe me off yet you refuse to do so.
What is that person saying? They are calling your faith into question.
To live a life of debt is not living a life of comfortability, no way.
If you are living in debt and you feel all joyous and comfortable, please go and check yourself something is definitely wrong.
Do you know you can come out of debt?
Yes you can..
You don't have to take a debt to settle another debt and claim you're sorting yourself out.
You are just living in denial.
Say, for example, you have a credit card and they give you limited credit of say 10000 the value of money of your country.
And because you see that, you start splashing, saying well it's credit card I will pay monthly.
You are digging your imaginary grave of debt.
The fact that you have a credit card with 10000 limit doesn't mean you should spend like there is no tomorrow.
If you can spend 100 out of that 10000 and get it paid before your bill date, good enough.
If you think your limit on the credit card should determine how you spend, you are just a learner.
Some financial systems in some countries work differently - the more debt the better your credit rating.
But it doesn't mean you should stay in that and live in that.
Like the widow if you are in debt your primary assignment and heart cry should be, how will I get out of this?
You should start thinking of means to get out.
And if it seems not clear, cry to God to open your eyes.
That widow had that tiny little oil in her house before going to Elisha.
Yet when he asked her what has she got, she said nothing.
Then she said, just a little oil.
But her means of payment was already in her house.
Many wiill be in debt and they will say, no I can't do dirty job.
But you can have dirty insult all because of debt, right?
I am not talking down on anyone or trying to make anyone feel bad.
I have experienced debt myself and glory to God it helped me to structure my spending, my saving and my giving.
Yes, my giving.
You can't continue in debt in the sake of giving, wisdom is profitable to direct.
Everyone has one financial need or the other. If you decide to use your credit card as means to save someone out of financial need and you do not have an iota of clue of how you will pay that money back you are actually jumping from a cool bed to a hot fire🔥.
This is a new year.
You might have lived in debt in the past years but this year you need to plan your spending.
Some people believe in pastor's and minister's decree.
I see money...
You are blessed...
They will jump up I catch it fire 🔥.
Some will even start speaking in tongues.
Yet they leave that gathering, go home and sleep.
No career prospect...
No business idea..
Same job...
Same old, same old...
Yet they see another preacher saying, yes your name start from L I see your account loaded...
Yayyy! I catch by fire 🔥...
Hmmm
Yes, there can be miracle money, I tell you God can do that but God will not come down to do what He expects us to do.
So while you catch by fire, watch what you are doing.
Take necessary steps...
Have a progressive mind...
Don't just sit down, catch by fire, catch by thunder in Jesus name...
Yes, in Jesus name miracle happens, but some things are just not right.
You cannot be fetching water into a basket and expect to have drums of water.
No...
You are in debt, every uniform they call for party you must buy.
You are in debt, they called you to donate something you have no clue how to get it.
God is not even telling you to do it.
Yet you start running from pillar to post, borrow money from pepper seller and brick seller, carry and donate; then pepper seller starts dragging you.
Please stop.
Elisha told that widow, settle the debt with the proceeds from that oil.
Are you even willing to live in a life without debt?
Let me tell you...
You can live a life of giving, even giving to the things of God without running your account on debt.
One thing I know is God will make a provision for every vision He gives.
If God is in it there is no limit.
Daddy, you are busy lavishing money outside, your children haven't paid school fees yet you come home with shoulder pad ego.
Yes I am the father.
Indeed you are...
The only difference between such father and the son of the prophet that left his widow and children in debt is that you are alive.
Proverbs 13:22 says a good man leaves inheritance for his children's children.
I didn't write the Bible before you say, where did I get it from?
Mummy, your children look like tramp yet you call make up artist to do make up for you.
Yes I need face beat, they must know that I am there...
What is your joy?
When you can sit down and just do your make up by yourself if you cannot afford make up artist.
And you will still live.
Many wonder how come this children don't look after their parents because some children actually raised themselves up.
Daddy has gone to fill his tummy with alcohol causing gradual liver degeneration, Mummy is face beating and slaying, the children are left to raise themselves, nobody to put them right but they still come out well God willing.
It takes the grace of God for such child to come back and say yes let me do this for my parents.
In fact some children learnt how to be great professional debtors from their parents.
I understand some circumstances are beyond your control but you will overcome in Jesus name.
Do not give up on yourself and watch what you confess.
Elisha asked the widow, what do you have?
She said nothing...
But she had something...
God is the one that brings something out of nothing.
Some people have no children, no responsibility, instead of investing in right places and business...
I must use latest i-phone X R...
I must use this and that...
I must slay...
Yes.. but wait a minute...
Pray...
Meditate...
Be conscious...
Elevate (progress)...
And slay all those things.
Do you think you are too young to be an entrepreneur at 18yrs😁🤦🏽♀?
Think again.
Jesus knew that He came to this world for His father's business He started young.
At 12 he was found in the temple.
So at 18 years without being a criminal you can make a difference in your life.
A child they say only have 18 yrs to be a child; any age above that your adult life starts.
So when parents give you money, learn to keep some saved for yourself.
Don't say I will call my dad or I will call my mum they will send me money. Put thoughts behind your spending.
Living a life free of debt starts from conscious living.
You can pay all your necessary dues to God and still live in abundance if you live consciously.
An adage says cut your coat according to your size.
You cannot eat your cake and have it.
Do you know that that little oil in that widow's house made her to become an entrepreneur in her old age.
That little oil saved her children from a life of servitude.
What are you doing with your life?
Some people will say but I don't have anything...
You have talent...
Yes, you do...
Some of us have so much talent that we just need to dig into one aspect and God backs us to explore and become great through it.
When Jesus said greater works shall ye do, He meant greater works in all spheres of life.
Not just greater works holding mic to sing, preach or collect offering.
Greater works as that financial analyst...
Greater work as a nurse...
Greater works as a stylist...
Greater works as a therapist...
Greater works as a designer...
Greater works as a writer...
Greater works as a parent...
Through what we do and by doing it diligently we showcase Jesus Christ.
Do you know you owe debt if you fail to use your talents and potential here on earth and die with it?
It is a debt on its own cause.
God called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.
He called us to be fruitful and to multiply.
You need to be debt-free...
It is not the plans of God for you.
Start planning now.
January ends in 5days...
Start your plans...
If you saved 1000 your currency or even 100 your currency every 2 weeks or every month you will have 12000 at the end of the year or 2400 at the end of the year.
I pray God will enlighten us more.
He will take all spiritual blocks off our minds to get out of debt.
As He opens our hearts and opens ways for us we will tap into it and make exploits in Jesus name.
We will stop living a life of 'I catch it, I receive' we will live a life of active faith henceforth in Jesus mighty name.
For as many of us just like that widow helpless and without hope I decree the visitation of God upon us all now in Jesus name.
I decree new ideas to succeed and do greater works in every aspect of life is released unto us all in Jesus name.
I decree an end to debt, grace to plan, grace to save, grace to spend wisely is released into us in Jesus name.
No more lack in Jesus name.
Door of abundance is opened unto us in Jesus mighty name.
*Amen*
