The Miracle of Debt Cancellation (Sent 25/11/2010)
“...Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My Name, there I AM in the midst of them [Exod. 3:14]. Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven! Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a human king who wished to settle accounts with his attendants. When he began the accounting, one was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents [probably about $10,000,000], And because he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made. So the attendant fell on his knees, begging him, Have patience with me and I will pay you everything. And his master’s heart was moved with compassion, and he released him and forgave him [cancelling] the debt...” – Matthew 18:19 – 27 AMP
During the Roman political dominion over most of the world, there was an active slave trade going on. A ready supply of slaves came from a variety of sources including conquered armies from newly acquired provinces, as well as financial debtors... It was common practice to sell a debtor and his entire family into slavery if he could not settle his financial obligations, and as with every one of His teachings recorded for us in the Bible, Jesus was using parables and recounting every day examples the listeners could well understand to explain the heavenly concepts He was endeavouring to impart to them.
During these times, the world was governed by kingdoms and dominions. And our Lord Jesus, through His life revealed how that the Kingdom of Heaven which conveys the same meaning as the Kingdom of God exists in the same space with these other earthly kingdoms and rules over them ALL (Psalm 103 Vs 19). No subject during those times could get away unscathed with calling a king a fox (Luke 13:32), even if He was an important Rabbi... and it is quite notable that as with the persecution faced by Jesus’ disciples today, there were people going everywhere He went to teach so as to find some word He spoke to accuse Him... it is therefore safe to assume that Herod knew Jesus had called him a fox! Yet he dared not do anything... because this holy One had come from above... and was on a higher plane of authority than Herod’s... Herod was later to learn this the hard way some time after as recorded in the Acts of the apostles (Acts 12:21 – 23)... it is quite notable that it was this same Herod’s family that attempted to wipe out Messiah when He was born in Bethlehem of Judea...
We must however point out that though in possession of a higher authority than all others in the Assignment of the Father, Jesus submitted Himself to earthly authorities (Luke 2:51)... for the precise reason that the apostle Paul was later to write on (Romans 13), that every authority has been established by God... we do clearly see however, that He was not enslaved and defined by the every whim of these authorities, recognising that the enemy’s constant strategic goal is to take possession of earthly authorities and use them to enslave people in darkness... we see clear examples of this in the behaviours of the religious authorities in Israel at the time... their thoughts continually dwelling on how to murder Jesus... and politically as recorded by the prophet Ezekiel of the Kingdom of Tyre (Ezekiel 28) bordering Israel, and not that far off from Nazareth in Galilee of the gentiles where Jesus grew up... I will not elaborate too much on this here, but will certainly in another issue should the Lord
submission and obedience to authority are two very distinct and separate things... we allow, but I will however comment that
are all called to be both submitted and obedient to God, our Creator, Father and the Authority of authorities... it is quite possible however to remain submitted to an earthly authority and decide not to obey a certain order, because it is contradictory to the Word of God... if a government requires you to do things that are clearly in opposition to what the Lord has said for you to do in scripture then you evidently see that individuals so affected can indeed still be submitted to that government but withdraw their obedience to those contradictory requirements... because that government or authority by so requiring have withdrawn themselves from under God’s Authority, which brings them under divine judgement and it would do individuals a most immense good to secure their individual favours with God by ensuring their submission before Him, and obedience to all of His will are complete... even if it means being branded illegal, disobedient and un-submissive by the earthly authority in question... we thank God however for the laws of most traditionally Christian countries in Europe which were founded for the most part on the written Word of God... the Bible... what does all this have to do with debt cancellation Temisan? We will come to that... I am being led much like you are ...
Jesus was recounting common incidences the listeners at that time could well relate to, and were well acquainted with, probably from having seen neighbours, work colleagues shipped off into slavery as a result of being unable to settle financial obligations... one of
the debt economic system which basically drives modern economies today was clearly viewed in the Jewish mindset as the very opposite of the Blessed life promised in the covenant. the things we draw from this is the fact that
Some of the things included in the curse for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28 was being indebted financially and being unable to pay, the individual’s sheep, oxen, properties, children, whole families taken away from them with their eye seeing it, but unable to do anything about it... not that this was God’s desire for the disobedient person, but that He would be unable to protect them outside of the covering protection of the covenant because of their disobedience, as devils operating through the ungodly people surrounding His covenant people are always primed and ready to exploit any opening we allow them...
We, who are what we would term `modern` day followers of Jesus Christ understand that His Word is timeless... His instructions are infinite... they define the completeness of human existence from beginning to end never to fade away, because He created us and knows our motivations and actions even before they come to our minds... It is very clear from this that no philosophy of a so-called “new morality”, or debt financing “...the harbinger of a modern society...” can erase the very clear implications revealed in the Word of God about this which’s warnings we see recounted again and again throughout all the books of the Bible... even in the Middle ages in Europe, there existed what was called “debtors prison”, and the inability to settle financial obligations was an offence punishable by a prison sentence, with inmates often spending years till their families could repay the debts... in some cases dying from disease or abuse by other inmates before their release could be secured...
Though our modern times would not countenance slavery as it was expressed in these earlier times, we see the glaring reality of this in the emotional turmoil indebted individuals and whole families come under as a result of this strain, not the least mortgages which are fervently preached and righteously advocated as the responsible way to go in ensuring the security of your family... Jesus said, “...Wisdom is justified of her children...” (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:35), meaning that the results will determine if this is in fact Wisdom... If this is the responsible way to go as defined by modern society, why are lots of families laden with the heavy burdens of negative equity and such the like today, that not even the FSA in the United Kingdom can save them from... When you take out a mortgage, banks would normally require you fund a percentage of the total cost of the house (5% - 20%) while they loan you the rest... all well and good, but the problem occurs when the value of this house you borrowed to buy drops well below the amount you owe... this no longer becomes the
family future investment we are sold on, but the curse expressed in repossession and helpless indebtedness we see among many today...
At the height of the property boom, beautiful new seaside apartment blocks were built in my neighbourhood with single bedroom apartments going for as much as £177,000... with lots of people sold on this idea of purchased happiness, and taking out mortgages, re-mortgaging already owned property just to buy into this new lifestyle of style, wine, seaside evening dining, and scenic views... only to be brought rudely into the gripping throes of the reality of their actual financial circumstances when the property bubble burst... the builders had their money... mostly... in the same apartment blocks today, you can even buy 2-bedroom suites overlooking the sea for as little as £110,000... what happens to those who sold property, re-mortgaged inherited property generations worked sweat and brow for to buy into a dream, now a nightmare... and now staring dismally at the prospects of a life filled with poverty and lack because they believed a lie... how are they to be helped? ...and who are they to turn to for help? The FSA... the government? The lenders of finance have as much right to be paid as the borrowers indebted to them, and so where do we go from here?
“Temisan, I agree, but how am I going to pay up this mountain of debt that I have managed somehow to accumulate” ...well, this is the subject of this email... with no help from anywhere else, I will let you know there is help in God... He detests debt... and the trouble it brings His people under because of a lack of knowledge of His economic system... in some other countries in our so-called modern economy, whole families have been broken up on account of financial debt... wives... daughters... sold into sexual slavery to settle debts... people murdered on account of unpaid debts... even here in the UK, there have been clearly known and well publicised cases of suicides on account of financial indebtedness... where are we to go from here... who is to help the helpless?
God wills to... if you will walk in obedience before Him... this does sound quite contrary
when you are in financial straits is not the time to stop tithing or giving financially into the gospel friend... this is when you especially need to be obedient in this area... it is not a case of what you can or cannot afford to do, but it is a case of Whose Help you need and seek... everything in the Kingdom of God runs contrary to human to human rationality without God, but
rationality... humans say, “seeing is believing”, but God says until you believe you will not see... they say... “look before you leap”, but God says... trust Me, because My Word is your security from a fall...
Finances are the most spiritual of objects known to man... it represents your heart... it represents the objects of your worship... I once worked as an AntiMoney Laundering Compliance Administrator at a large legal firm here in Edinburgh, Scotland and part of my job was fulfilling the Know Your Client requirements under AML legislation; as such, I regularly pored over hundreds of individual bank
I can tell you that this information told me exactly what the owner or owners were about... I could tell what they were like, what motivated them, even though I had never met them! This information compiled together with information drawn from other sources, even readily available on the Internet, I could predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy what choices they would make faced by a variety of situations... Dangerous yeah... thank statements and annual reports and accounts every day, and
God for the Data Protection laws in Europe...
In this parable the Lord was using to teach, we see two parallel themes (the two-edged sword of God’s Word)... the primary being the necessity of extending forgiveness to others for wrongs committed against us, if we are to be forgiven by our Heavenly Father for wrongs we have committed... we do also see the clear account of a servant who owed an estimated $10,000,000 USD in those times... allowing for inflation over time, this would bring this sum to staggering amounts in our day and age I would not even bother to calculate... I think very few people could ever come to owe that much unless they deal in oil & gas or airplanes... How did that happen? How was a servant able to rack up such an enormous amount of financial indebtedness to his
what I can comment on is this staggering amount was forgiven, and cancelled... wiped out in an instant... and this servant was set free, and walked out of that court owing no man master? We don’t have Jesus’ Words on this so I cannot comment, but
anything but love...
In His teaching recorded for us, Jesus clearly mentioned the events in sequence which took place that led to this servant’s total debt freedom... the sentence had already been determined on him for such indebtedness... he and his entire family, and all that they had was to be sold and payment to be made... this servant fell to his knees and pleaded with his master, begged for his existence... he deserved the verdict given the circumstances... we don’t know how he managed to stack up such debt, but accounting was made and this servant had personally racked up a staggering amount of financial debt at his master’s expense... he deserved the punishment, but for compassion... mercy triumphed over judgement... and this servant was forgiven and became a free man again... he walked out of there able to breathe again... feel the breeze again... and enjoy the morning sun without fear, and look at his wife and children’s smiling faces again without shame and with a glad heart...
Recorded In 1st Kings 17 is the account of how Elijah the prophet of the Lord had just released the Word of God’s judgement for a recession upon the whole nation of Israel for their sins of idolatry in baal worship, and the resultant associated sexual impurities and the heavens withheld the rains and there was a severe recession upon the whole land such that animals were even hard pressed to find forage... this current recession is nothing compared to what they were facing, but will increasingly get worse if nations and individuals refuse to repent... hear the Word of the Lord to unbelieving Europe...
“...O My people, what have I done to you? And in what have I wearied you? Testify against Me [answer Me]! For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house where you were bond servants, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O My people, [earnestly] remember now what Balak king of Moab devised and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him; [remember what the Lord did for you] from Shittim to Gilgal, [Inspired Paraphrase: earnestly remember how heathen nations sought your destruction but I gave you the world...], that you may know the righteous and saving acts of the Lord. With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? [Inspired Paraphrase: Have I desired your sacrifice for money? Or will multitudes of your gold and silver given in aid bring Me any pleasure?] He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? The voice of the Lord calls
the city—and
to
it is sound wisdom to hear and fear Your Name—Hear (heed) the rod and Him Who has appointed it. Are there not still treasures gained by wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a scant measure [a false measure for grain] that is abominable and accursed? Can I be pure [Myself, and acquit the man] with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? [1 Thess. 4:6.] For [the city’s] rich men are full of violence; her inhabitants have spoken lies and their tongues are deceitful in their mouths. [Inspired Paraphrase: In the name of
justified market research, advertising and marketing that make the helpless a prey... I will require from your hand... the blood of the innocents...] Therefore I have also smitten you with a deadly wound and made you sick, laying you desolate, waste, and deserted because of your sins. You shall eat but not be satisfied, and your emptiness and hunger shall remain in you; you shall carry away [goods and those you love] but fail to save them, and those you do deliver I will give to the sword. You shall sow but not reap; you shall tread olives but not anoint yourselves with oil, and [you shall extract juice from] the grapes but not drink the wine. For the statutes of [idolatrous] Omri you have kept, and all the works of the house of [wicked] Ahab, and you walk in their counsels. Therefore I will make you a desolation and an astonishment and your [city’s] inhabitants a hissing, and you shall bear the reproach and scorn of My people...The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is none upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; each hunts his brother with a net. Both their hands are put forth and are upon what is evil to do it diligently; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters his evil desire. Thus they twist between them [the course of justice]. The best of them is like a brier; the most upright or the straightest is like a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even of [God’s] judgement and your punishment, has come; now shall be their perplexity and confusion. Trust not in a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Keep the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies are the men (members) of his own house...” – Micah 6; 7:1 - 6 (Amplified Version) – This ought to make an Intercessor out of every believer in Europe who fears the Name of the Lord to repent for the sins of this continent, and pray fervently for God’s revival.
“ELIJAH THE Tishbite, of the temporary residents of Gilead, said to Ahab (The King), As the Lord God, the God of Israel, lives, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years but according to My word...”.
God gave His prophet very detailed instructions for his own financial upkeep during this recession while everyone else suffered except the 100 prophets of the Lord preserved by Ahab’s servant Obadiah... “...the Word of the Lord came to him (Elijah) saying, Go from here and turn east and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. So he did according to the Word of the Lord; he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook...”
Did you notice that... Elijah followed these very detailed instructions to the “T” ... he didn’t try and rationalise them with God, or presumably say, well God is powerful enough to release rain on my little patch of ground so me, his very own prophet can eat with my family... if he did that, he would have been in disobedience and could very well have died in that recession together with all the other people because the whole land was under judgement... As a side, to show the power of this miraculous provision, ravens are one
of the most selfish birds known to man, and would never give anyone anything not least their own kind... but these ravens could not disobey God...
After a while, even this brook dried up... to show how severe this recession became, as a result of the people still clinging to their sins of unbelief and idolatry... God had been waiting for them to be convicted of their wayward lives, realise their wrongdoings, repent and turn back to Him and He would heal their land, but they had long forgotten the covenant of their fathers with God, and were suffering for it... much like modern day Europeans claiming not to believe in the God of the Bible... well, I feel for you because His enemy
satan believes you
exist...
and you have been vulnerable to demonic influences and torments outside of this covenant... satan has exploited this to the full to throw your life into fear and confusion, diseases of every kind your fathers never knew, poverty and lack, divorce and breakdown of the family unit, murders, suicides... a defence budget of all the money in this world a billion times over cannot stop this enemy... it is faith... in the blood... of Jesus... His Testimony... and the power... and authority... in His Name... delegated to you... that stops him dead in his tracks... and renders him useless... for this is the victory that overcomes the world... even our faith (1 John 5:4)...
God’s prophet Elijah did not begin to cry and doubt His God... “whoo whoo... ...sob... sob... you directed me here... ...sobs... sobs... I obeyed you... sob... now the brook is all dried up and I am thirsty...” ...at least we have no record of him doing this, and I am sure we would have had if he did... we do have record of David’s sin (2 Samuel 11:4)... Peter’s unbelief in denying the Master (Matthew 26:69 – 75) and his subsequent hypocrisy in separating himself from eating with the gentile Christians when some Jewish believers from Jerusalem turned up (Galatians 2:11 – 14)... there’re your saints... we are all special to God, and our only claim to good is Yahweh’s love, demonstrated in the precious blood of His spotless Son, our Messiah and earnest Treasure, Yeshua Hamashiach... Jesus our Messiah...
He had his heart tuned to God, because he was sure God had not forsaken His prophet... he had the words of David an earlier prophet and king who wrote, “...Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His (Abba’s) faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday. Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord [in the end] shall inherit the earth...I have been young and now am old, yet have I not
seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread (Psalm 37)...” ...Elijah knew the words and stipulations of the covenant as recorded by Moses in the 1st 5 books of the Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy, so he believed and knew God would deliver him... we do know he was thirsty because the first thing he did when he reached the next destination of his leading... the first thing he asked for was a drink in the words in verse 10 “...bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink...”....you can either use this to justify lack and poverty or believe like me that the prophet must have gotten too comfortable by this brook to hear the next set of instructions early enough before the brook dried up... there was a widow and her son in Sidon with perfect hearts before God who needed saving...
Elijah trusts his God and Father though... and his heart is not calloused from unbelief and fear, but is soft, tender and responsive in thanksgiving for this glorious relationship with the God of all the earth with him a mere immigrant and temporary resident... and he knows there is a way out of this which is hidden at this moment in time, but is to be revealed by his great Daddy he has come to know intimately through the writings of David the son of Jesse... sure enough... the next set of detailed provision assuring instructions come in the Words in verse 9 “....Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. Verse 10, So he arose and went to Zarephath...” ...still our very obedient but very thirsty prophet ... “...when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her...” and his very first words were “...Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink...” ...the prophet wasn’t just trying to get fresh and strike up a conversation, prophet was very thirsty ... ...try walking an estimated 90 miles in the hot Mediterranean sun without a drink... “...as she (this widow) was going to get it...” imagine this woman’s heart... in a severe drought... a complete stranger turns up at your doors and you are about to give him water that could very well mean life or death for you and your immediate family... straight off the hat without any grudging or complaining... proper care for strangers was firmly established in these regions culturally, and still is for the most part to this day... verse 11 “...As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, bring me a morsel of bread in your hand...” now this was a problem because as revealed in verse 12, “...she said, As the Lord your God lives...” She knew Who was really God! The Sidonians worshipped baal and ashtaroth... the very reason Israel was being judged over... in actual fact, Israel had been the very essence of Salt to this geographical region and the world, and when this Salt lost it’s savour, they were fit for nothing, but to be trodden under foot of men, which history has exhaustively revealed to us... but there is mercy with God... that He may then be feared, and held in reverence... this woman knew who was God, which is the very reason she was the one God sent His prophet to out of all the widows in Israel in Messiah’s own Words (Luke 4:26), “...I have not a loaf baked but only a handful of meal in the jar and a little oil in the bottle. See, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it—and die”...verse 13, “...Elijah said to her, Fear not; go and do as you have said. But make me a little cake of [it] first, and bring it to me, and afterward prepare some for yourself and your
Whoaaa! News headlines “...man of God takes away widow’s last meal...”...not so... this prophet knew something the woman son...”
didn’t... he knew the creative power of the Word of God... the Word had been spoken
that she was to sustain him and he clearly knew he could not be sustained by just a little cake and then go on an enforced fast while he watched this widow and her son die...
no no no emphatically no! He knew, glory to
God!!
...he knew this woman, even though she had resigned herself to financial ruin... in actual fact, death... was on the verge of the greatest of breakthroughs because he knew the ways of the Master... he knew the covenant of the Tithe... and he knew that this woman though a Sidonian who were some of the most ungodly people of those times worshipping the asherah goddess, was about to come under the shelter and shade of the covering Covenant of El-Shaddai through her act of faith obedience in giving the Tithe to God’s representative... he knew the Word of the Lord that when you receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, when you give a prophet even if it is a mere cup of water, you receive a prophet’s reward... and the prophet was kind enough to reveal the Word of the Lord to her in verse 14 “...For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: The jar of meal shall not waste away or the bottle of oil fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth...” ...the next verses reveal her obedience of faith, and manifestation in abundance... even though a Sidonian conscious of her sins, and not of Israel the natural seed of Abraham the only covenant people of God on earth at the time, so wide reaching was the touch of the Master upon this woman’s household for bringing her finances and thus in consequence her heart into His care that when tragedy struck and that slimy old thief satan, feeling threatened by this move of faith, and her son a potential man of God witnessing this miracle first-hand, was about to steal this young man away from her and destroy her testimony, the power of God raised him up... Our Lord Jesus referred to this woman’s testimony in His ministry on earth and
your covenant with God notwithstanding, obedience of faith is what it takes to experience victory on earth... you can fill your heart with pride over your many years of service to God, become complacent and a newcomer baby but obedient Christian will put you to shame... This prophet had nothing which was recorded in the gospels giving us clear information that
materially, yet he was God’s source of provision for the widowed woman, and neither did she, but she was also God’s source of provision for him... how does that work out rationally speaking... if you read on about this prophet’s ministry, you will discover God’s loving heart in detail... in a low period of his life, when he was burnt out from ministry, Abba supernaturally cooked food for him a la carte, served by an angel... you didn’t know God can cook yeah ... Heidi Baker in sharing the testimony of multiplied spaghetti to some Singaporean believers in Joseph Prince’s church, asked them to look at their fingers and decide which is harder for the Father to make... spaghetti or their fingers...
“Temisan, I can’t really afford to give financially... I am just an immigrant in Europe struggling to make ends meet...”, well consider that so was Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah whom God promoted to the highest of offices in a foreign land... the greatest superpower politically of that age, because of their uncompromising faith, integrity and faithfulness to God’s covenant even at the risk of their lives... consider
Daniel who became the premier Administrator and Financial Auditor over the whole realm and even censored other people’s work in what they considered as their own land... “...well Temisan... according to the Septuagint of the epicurean detail... that is not completely eruditely correct or accurate... you see they were nobles from the royal family of Jerusalem and had to be treated so”...ok then explain Elijah, who the Amplified translation clearly reveals was of the temporary residents of Gilead coming to declare before the ruler of that nation... what had entered into this man? ...the Word of God friend... which you have full access to... when Elijah first declared the Word he was most likely laughed at by Ahab’s court... “...look at this hairy bushman... this illegal immigrant... you’d better leave the most reverenced king’s presence before I change my mind and spear you to that wall...” well... after three and a half years of red balance sheets and empty stomachs they weren’t laughing anymore... that insignificant bush illegal immigrant became in the king’s own words, “...he that troubles Israel...”.
Going further, Elisha had received a double portion of the prophetic mantle from Elijah, who had just been raptured into heaven, an event that was generally known would happen among the company of prophets even before the Chariot of Fire took him up. In 2nd Kings chapter 4 and verses 1 to 7, it is recorded how the widow of a son of the prophets came to Elisha and cried for his help because they had been in debt and the Banks had come knocking for their money... not finding any ability to pay they were settling for taking her two sons into slavery... we see here the true nature of financial indebtedness and its under-lurking wicked cruelty thereof... this was the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who had reverenced God all his life still grieving over the loss of her husband, and the system in place was about to take away all she had left... her two children... the system in place threatened to wipe the memory of her husband’s service to the Lord into the hallways of infamy and create bitterness not only in her heart, but in the tender hearts of those two young men who were going to spend the rest of their lives in bitter servitude to another man’s existence... not even owning the skin on their very backs... no possibility of marrying and raising families of their own... lives filled with ruined dreams, which would doubtlessly have been blamed on the Lord, and as such at risk of loosing their very souls to eternal misery away from His Presence as a result of bitterness and un-forgiveness for their assigned lot in life... of no fault to themselves... this son of the prophet their father had become prey to loan sharks as a result of the severe recession over the whole land in the days of Elijah as a result of Israel’s idolatry originated by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and spurred on by Jezebel, Ahab’s wife... he had been unable to pay off this debt before he died... and now his family had no one to turn to for help other than the prophet who had contact with God... and she did, praise God... her husband’s service to the Lord was not in vain... Elisha asked her what she had of sale value in her house and she had nothing in the house except a jar of oil... The prophet asked her to go around and borrow as many empty vessels as she could gather from all her neighbours, and when she comes home, she should shut the door and she and her sons should pour out the oil they have into all these vessels, setting aside each one when it is full... at this point most people would have been like “...but man of God we only have a little oil in our jar... our neighbours know our predicament and would laugh at us when we come and borrow empty vessels from them...” ...no... she was desperate... there was no help anywhere else so she did as she was told to do in obedience of faith, and the oil was multiplied to the point that she filled all the vessels they had to the full, and only then did the oil
stop multiplying... the same miracle our Lord Jesus did 600years later which was astounding the people of Israel who had access to 2nd Kings and had read about this miracle... Elisha then told her to take the oil, sell it, get out of debt and live on the rest... the oil obviously fetched quite a hefty sum for it to have been sufficient not only to wipe her financial miseries away forever, but still enough for her and her sons to live on till they were financially viable enough to look after her as well as their own families... glory to God... now her sons could marry the beautiful neighbourhood lassies Dinah and Deborah ... and they lived happily ever after completely self sufficient and debt free.
In another account in 2nd Kings Chapter 6 and verses 1 to 7, the sons of the prophets serving under Elisha, came to him and mentioned the place where they lived was too small for them... Elisha then responded affirmatively both to their requests to go to the Jordan and get wooden beams to build an extension for themselves, and to go with them... all looked well up to this point as all of the sons of the prophets took each man his axe and went to fell their assigned trees, but reality of one of the sons of the prophet’s true financial status came out into the open when his axe-head fell into the Jordan... crying out he said “Alas, my master, for it was borrowed!” This son of the prophet had not even been able to afford his own personal axe and borrowed one specially for this project and now it was lost... if it was not a financial issue and just a fact that he didn’t do much DIY work so didn’t need an axe he would have just used one of the other sons of the prophet’s own after him and refunded the axe no problem, but this was a problem... he had been immediately thrown into debt by a freak act of physics... much like borrowing money to buy a car because you need one to commute to work effectively, but something happens to this necessary mechanical object that not only deprives you of its use, but you are still making payments on it... no problem at all for the Anointing... much better than comprehensive car insurance... Elisha asks where the axe-head fell, and he was shown the place... he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and the iron axe-head began to float and this son of the prophet’s neck was saved from this financial debacle... you see, there are benefits to serving the Lord... not only was he financially saved, this would have been a warning to him never to borrow what he could not pay up again, and his faith for the Lord’s care over him was strengthened.
“...I like your stories Temisan but I am still in dire straits and need some help here...” Well, I’ll dive straight into it then... your first step to freedom is acknowledging that you have gotten yourself into this mess, and blaming no one else... agreed... now you have racked up enormous amounts of debt you believe you cannot repay... you have lived under fear of the potential consequences and been unable to enjoy even the simplest things of life like a good weather day... all kinds of fears have racked your mind day and night as you look at the dim prospects of your financial future with no hope in sight... there is help friend... and His Name is Jesus... He is the Authority of authorities... authorities... national and local governments worldwide, Financial Institutions, Companies, and Individuals inclusive... He owns everything and everybody and has repaid all your debt of sin, including
“...we are talking about some hard currency here, Temisan you are a nut-case!!” financial debt (Colossians 1:16/ 2:14)...
...perhaps... I’d rather be a nut-case standing on the Word of God than not... if you
believe your sins have been dealt with, why do you still falter and stumble in sin every now and then? I will tell you why... you have not fully realised the power of your redemption from sin but are growing in this grace through the knowledge of the Word of God, and as such sin is having less and less of a grip on you... from God’s perspective, it is all dealt with and fully paid, but from your perspective you are increasing progressively in the power of this redemption based on your level of willingness and obedience to grow in the knowledge of the Master (2 Peter 1)... It is in this same redemption from sin and forgiveness thereof that your financial debts are forgiven and wiped off if you can receive it... this is because the physical manifestation of every problem has its roots in the spiritual, originating in the curse, which Christ Jesus through His sacrificial offering of Himself, has redeemed you from (Galatians 3:13)... and you have only been able to realise the power of this to the degree of revelation knowledge that you have been able to acquire concerning it... and you shall know the Truth... and the Truth shall make... you... free (John 8:32)... and free... indeed... complete freedom...
Testimony In June 2009, I had measurably more financial indebtedness than my income could sustain, from quite a large overdraft on an account and a credit card which I used to fund my education. Frankly quite fed up with this by then, as I had carried it in my finances and on my heart for a number of years, my heart was open and responsive to change... The Lord then began to teach me this revelation that He has paid it all in full... I heard other testimonies of this from other believers, some even receiving letters saying their debts (including mortgages) had been fully paid, and so I decided to pray and stand in faith for my debt forgiveness... Ensuring I tithed faithfully and gave offerings, I followed very clear detailed directions from the Lord in obedience which included cancelling the repayment insurance often sold along with most loans (which I had been paying for every month in addition to the debt interest), and cutting up the credit card to ensure it’s not used again, and began chipping away at the most expensive of this debt month by month and rejoicing as every successive hundred was removed... this was possible... freedom was within my grasp... In addition to these actions, I obeyed the Lord and consistently declared “I am out of debt now!”, together with my daily confession packet I shared in an earlier email titled `The Statutes of Liberty`, which Words I earnestly admonish you to fill your heart and mouth with daily... I declared these things even though these letters and bills were still physically staring me in the face... one day, the Holy Spirit whispered to me (with a smile of joy I felt) to check my bank account... you can know the Master’s smile... and
the exact
amount of money I had asked for, and which I needed to clear off the rest of the debt had miraculously appeared in my bank account... my wife will bear witness to this... To this day, I have no idea where that money came from other than from my Heavenly Father... I even completely forgot to give the Tithe of it because I was not expecting it in such a miraculous way but was reminded by the Holy Spirit, and then got a Tax refund from the government enough for the Tithe of that sum and this refund with some offering on top ... explain that with our modern economics... I laughed out loud grinning from ear to ear when the month after I had cleared this balance I received a bill from the credit card company clearly showing the zero balance but with their usual threatening warnings for not making a payment that month ... here’s a scanned image of it... I’ve kept this bill and will even preserve it for posterity...
“...Temisan God loves you more than me...” ...I agree with you... keep that confession going ... no He most certainly does not.... He can’t even if He tried... because
Love...
He is
that is Who He is... imagine loads of people going about looking for
love in stuff, other people and places, not realising that
Love is a
Person...
only two words away... “Yes... Jesus...” He can’t be any less for you... or me... it just seems so because, He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)... I put my name in there in my own Bible, but did you read in yours in Mark 11:22 -25, if Temisan shall say to this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea...? ...John Mark recorded that Jesus said, “whosoever”... and that means you... and me too... I just take Jesus up on the offer...
Jesus... is the Model... the Son... of all of us sons... the First-begotten of the Father... before the cross, He was referred to as the Only-begotten Son of the Father... after the cross, He became the First-begotten... meaning there was a second begotten, third begotten... and so on... well the immediate 12 disciples who began to live lives without any limitations in the book of Acts would most certainly count... so would the 120 (the 12 inclusive) waiting in Jerusalem who were baptised in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost... in like manner the 3,000 who were saved after Peter’s Anointed sermon... and the disciples in Antioch who were first called Christians (Christ-like) because they so resembled the Master in their demeanours and behaviours and results... as well as the successive thousands and thousands, and millions upon millions after that... my number and yours most certainly counting in there somewhere...
“Oh Temisan... my life is filled with sin... I am just an old sinner saved by grace... I couldn’t possibly hope to be counted in that number...” ...you definitely want to be certain you do friend... you are not an old sinner saved by grace but a different person entirely... a new creation when you become born again (2 Corinthians 5:17)... a new specie of being that never existed prior to this, such that you no longer live but Christ lives in you (Galatians 2:20)... and the life that you live in the body, you live it by the
if God was willing to give up His only Son for you, this should let you realise that your value in His estimation is nothing less than the standard height of perfection of His pure, undefiled and spotless Son... who is now glorified, sitting faith of the Son of God Who loves you... and gave Himself to redeem you...
on His right hand, and still... making intercession for your sorry old sinner mentality broke self ...
Jesus has paid the price for everything... including your financial debt freedom... He has wiped your slate clean... no man can lay a charge against you for anything but there is a caveat... there is a condition and requirement for this... which is nothing less than you completely forgiving others for all the wrongs they have
Though Jesus has paid the price for everything, your un-forgiveness nullifies the effects of the blood of Jesus to redeem you... un-forgiveness blocks you committed against you...
from the same Power that cleanses you of all un-righteousness including the fear and guilt effects of financial debt... if you read on in that earlier parable, that servant learnt the hard way, when he refused to forgive his fellow servant of a meagre $20 when he had just been forgiven $ 10 million USD... the full effects of a life of indebtedness came upon him with full force... he was delivered to the tormentors... this shares meaning both with sins committed, and financial debts... if you want to be forgiven a sum of money you owe, then perhaps you can listen to Jesus (Luke 6:30 – 38) and sow a seed in forgiveness of monies owed to you... if they with integrity insist on paying you back... fine... but if not, expect nothing in return, and watch God give you a testimony that will be a blessing to you, your family and many forever...
Your brother in the Anointed One, and His Anointing, Temisan
P.S. I have raised a very thought provoking issue with regards to potential conflicts between national legislation and God’s Word... if you go deliberately breaking the law saying God said you should, you will suffer the penalty for this, no less prison or the appropriate judgement prescribed under that law... this is because you have just removed yourself from under submission to that authority and by consequence God’s (Romans 13:1)... the appropriate way to go about this is to enforce God’s Word over that country in prayer and those mischief laws in opposition to the Word of God will be repealed and changed to line up with God’s Word... I know this from personal experience... no reflection on any politician because neither you nor I have any right to judge, only God and His Word alone... but what happened to the labour government’s plan for I.D. cards for so-called immigrants in Britain ... my wife and I knew this did not line up with the divine Counsel of God established in the humane laws of Britain founded in the Word of God and so we appealed to the Court of Heaven in agreement... and had this plan removed to line up with the Constitution of constitutions... the divine Law of laws... God’s Word. This process is kind of like modern judicial systems in federal republic systems of government, where you appeal your case to a higher court in the land if you are not happy with the judgement you received in a lower court... from our earthly standpoint, when you get to the Supreme Court and they give their judgement, that means your case is settled... but there is an even higher Court than this which is The Court of Heaven with its Constitution and Laws which is the Living Word of God... the Presiding Judge is your Father... the star Counsel for the defence is your Senior Brother... Christ Jesus... Who died for you... is touched with the feelings of your weakness, and is even
right now pleading your case, but you must cooperate with Him with your faithfilled words... and the Enforcer... the Heavenly Chief of Police... the Spirit of the Living God is your Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor and Friend... devil has no legs to stand on... you got it made pal ...
Finally, it is very necessary for us to remove debt financing completely from our mindsets as a way of getting things done... if not you would find yourself in the same situation again and again, and even worse off some time afterwards, when you obtain the manifestation of God’s complete freedom from your current indebtedness.
“...LET EVERY person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment. [Prov. 8:15.] Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgement upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]. For civil authorities are not a terror to [people of] good conduct, but to [those of] bad behaviour. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and commendation. For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath and escape punishment, but also as a matter of principle and for the sake of conscience. For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service. Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honour
Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his to whom honour is due.
neighbour [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one’s fellowmen meeting all its requirements]. The commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, you shall love your neighbour as [you do] yourself. [Exod. 20:13 – 17; Lev. 19:18.] Love does no wrong to one’s neighbour [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law...” – Romans 13:1 – 10 AMP
“...[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins. [Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the Visible representation of the Invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation. For
Him that all things were created,
it was in
in heaven and on earth, things
seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities;
all
things were created and exist through Him
[by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). [Proverbs 8:22 – 31.] He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent]...” – Colossians 1:13 – 18 AMP
“...Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]...” – Colossians 2:14 & 15 AMP
“...The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His Kingdom rules over all...” – Psalm 103:19 AMP
“...Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations...” – Psalm 145:13 AMP
“...But that same attendant, as he went out, found one of his fellow attendants who owed him a hundred denarii [about twenty dollars]; and he caught him by the throat and said, Pay what you owe! So his fellow attendant fell down and begged him earnestly, Give me time, and I will pay you all! But he was unwilling, and he went out and had him put in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow attendants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and told everything that had taken place to their master. Then his master called him and said to him, you contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to. And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you? And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed. So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses...” – Matthew 18:28 – 35 AMP
“...Give away to everyone who begs of you [who is in want of necessities], and of him who takes away from you your goods, do not demand or require them back again. And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them. If you [merely] love those who love you, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even the [very] sinners love their lovers (those who love them). And if you are kind and good and do favours to and benefit those who are kind and good and
do favours to and benefit you, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even the pre-eminently sinful do the same. And if you lend money at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even notorious sinners lend money at interest to sinners, so as to recover as much again. But love your enemies and be kind and do good [doing favours so that someone derives benefit from them] and lend, expecting and hoping for nothing in return but considering nothing as lost and despairing of no one; and then your recompense (your
reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful and the selfish and wicked. So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these]. Judge not [neither pronouncing judgement nor subjecting to censure], and you will not be judged; do not condemn and pronounce guilty, and you will not be condemned and pronounced guilty; acquit and forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop), and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released. Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you...� – Luke 6:30 – 38 AMP
“...You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father...” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:13 – 16) New Living Translation