Biblical Wealth Principles
 
Chapter - 3
 
 
Debt & Debt Demolition
 
Introduction
The biblical perspective of debt will help us to stay away from debt. If we have debt, we need to get out of it quickly. If we are out of debt, we need to stay out of it. In this lesson, we will study about the myths of debt and the biblical teachings on debt.
 
Debt and Demolition of Debt
 
1. Debt enslaves
  1. We were born to live free, owing nothing to anyone. The society we live and the satanic system of the world, wants to enslave us and thus brought in the concept of borrowing or spending more than we earn. Jesus wants us to stay out of slavery.
    1. Proverbs 22:7. IRtupathd; jupj;jpuid MSfpwhd;; fld; thq;fpdtd; fld; nfhLj;jtDf;F mbik.
      The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
  2. It is commanded that we stay out of being a guarantee for someone else. By becoming a surety, we are making others to borrow from us. We should encourage each one to live within the limits of their earning potential and to make efforts to grow their potential to earn. We should flee from being a surety or guarantee!
    1. 1. vd; kfNd> eP cd; rpNefpjDf;fhfg; gpizg;gl;L> me;epaDf;Ff; ifabj;Jf;nfhLj;jhahdhy;>
      My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
    2. 2. eP cd; tha;nkhopfshy; rpf;Fz;lha;> cd; thapd; thu;j;ijfshy; gpbgl;lha;>
      Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
    3. 3. ,g;nghOJ vd; kfNd> cd; rpNefpjDila ifapy; eP mfg;gl;Lf;nfhz;lgbahy;> eP cd;idj; jg;Gtpj;Jf;nfhs;s xd;W nra;.
      Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
    4. 4. cd; fz;Zf;F epj;jpiuAk;> cd; fz;zpikf;Fj; J}f;fKk; tutplhky;> cd; rpNefpjdplj;jpy; Ngha;> cd;idj; jho;j;jp> mtid tUe;jpf; Nfl;Lf;nfhs;.
      Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
    5. 5. ntspkhd; Ntl;ilf;fhud; iff;Fk;> FUtp Ntld; iff;Fk; jg;GtJNghy> eP cd;idj; jg;Gtpj;Jf;nfhs;.
      Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
 
2. Debt is treated as a curse (opposite of blessing)
  1. God treats debt as a curse and lending (giving) as a blessing. So we need to become givers and not borrowers.
    1. Deuteronomy 15:5. cd; Njtdhfpa fu;j;ju; cdf;Fr; Rje;jupf;Fk; gb nfhLf;Fk; Njrj;jpy;, cd;id Nkd;NkYk; MrpHtjpg;ghH
      Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
    2. cd; Njtdhfpa fu;j;ju; cdf;Fr; nrhd;dgb cd;id MrPu;tjpg;gjpdhy;> eP mNefk; [hjpfSf;Ff; fld; nfhLg;gha;> ePNah fld; thq;Ftjpy;iy; eP mNefk; [hjpfis MStha;> cd;idNah mtu;fs; MStjpy;iy.
      For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
  2. When we disobey his voice and disobey his commandments and trust in men more than God, we fall into debt. If we listen to him and depend on Him, he will remove the curse from our life.
    1. Deuteronomy 28:42. cd; kuq;fnsy;yhtw;iwAk; cd; epyj;jpd; fdpfisAk; tpl;by; gl;rpj;Jg;NghLk;.
      All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
    2. 43. cd; eLtpypUf;fpw me;epad; cdf;F Nkw;gl;L Nkd;NkYk; cau;e;jpUg;ghd;; eP kpfTk; jho;j;jg;gl;Lg;Nghtha;.
      The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
    3. 44. mtd; cd;dplj;jpy; fld;glhd;; eP mtdplj;jpy; fld;gLtha;; mtd; jiyahapUg;ghd;> eP thyhapUg;gha;.
      He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
    4. 45. cd; Njtdhfpa fu;j;ju; cdf;F tpjpj;j mtUila fw;gidfisAk; fl;lisfisAk; iff;nfhs;Sk;gb> eP mtu; rj;jj;jpw;Fr; nrtpnfhlhjgbapdhy;> ,e;jr; rhgq;fs; vy;yhk; cd;Nky; te;J> eP mopAkl;Lk; cd;idj;njhlu;e;J gpbj;J>
      Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
 
3. Stay out of debt
  1. Paul writes to us to stay out of debt as it will eventually enslave us and cause our relationships to become sour. We will pray to God to strengthen our hands so that we will have more than enough to give.
    1. Romans 13:8. xUtuplj;jpnyhUtu; md;G$Ufpw flNday;yhky;> kw;nwhd;wpYk; xUtDf;Fk; fld;glhjpUq;fs;; gpwdplj;jpy; md;G$Ufpwtd; epahag;gpukhzj;ij epiwNtw;Wfpwhd;.
      Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
  2. We are called, NOT to become slaves of the satanic system. We must stay out of debt, as Christ commanded us to do.
    1. 1 Corinthians 7:22. fu;j;jUf;Fs; miof;fg;gl;l mbikahdtd; fu;j;jUila RahjPddhapUf;fpwhd;; mg;gbNa miof;fg;gl;l RahjPdd; fpwp];JtpDila mbikahapUf;fpwhd;.
      For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
    2. 23. ePq;fs; fpuaj;Jf;Ff; nfhs;sg;gl;Bu;fs;; kD\Uf;F mbikfshfhjpUq;fs;.
      Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
 
4. Stay out of co-signing
  1. Co-signing is becoming common in our country. It tempts us to co-sign or legally become responsible to pay someone else's debt. The banks wants us to co-sign because they are not sure if the person borrowing is able to make the money to pay it off. The burden of paying will most likely fall on the co-signee. God wants us to stay out of co-signing.

    1. We should stay away from co-signing.

    1. Proverbs 22:26. ifabj;J cld;gl;L> flDf;fhfg; gpizg;gLfpwtu;fspy; xUtdhfhNj.
      Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
    2. 27. nrYj;j cdf;F xd;Wkpy;yhjpUe;jhy;> eP gLj;jpUf;Fk; gLf;ifiaAk; mtd; vLj;Jf;nfhs;sNtz;bajhFNk.
      If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
 
5. How fast should we pay off the debt.
  1. We should come out of debt as soon as possible. We should not delay it or procrastinate the payment of debt. The faster we get out, the faster we will be free from slavery and enjoy the abundance that God has for us. In this example, the prophet commanded the widow to first go and sell and pay the debt and then live on the rest.
    1. 2 Kings 4:1. jPu;f;fjuprpfSila Gj;jpuupy; xUtDf;F kidtpahapUe;j xU ];jpuP vyprhitg; ghu;j;J: ckJ mbahdhfpa vd; GU\d; ,we;J Nghdhd;; ckJ mbahd; fu;j;jUf;Fg; gae;J ele;jhd; vd;gij mwptPu;; fld;nfhLj;jtd; ,g;NghJ vd; ,uz;L FkhuiuAk; jdf;F mbikfshf;fpf; nfhs;s te;jhd; vd;whd;.
      Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
    2. 2. vyprh mtis Nehf;fp: ehd; cdf;F vd;dnra;a Ntz;Lk;? tPl;by; cd;dplj;jpy; vd;d ,Uf;fpwJ nrhy; vd;whd;. mjw;F mts;: xU Flk; vz;nza; my;yhky; ckJ mbahSila tPl;by; Ntnwhd;Wk; ,y;iy vd;whs;.
      And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
    3. 3. mg;nghOJ mtd;: eP Ngha;> cd;Dila may;tPl;Lfhuu; vy;yhuplj;jpYk; mNefk; ntWk;ghj;jpuq;fisf; Nfl;Lthq;fp>
      Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
    4. 4. cs;Ns Ngha;> cd; gps;isfSld; cs;Ns epd;W fjitg; G+l;b> me;jg; ghj;jpuq;fs; vy;yhtw;wpYk; thu;j;J> epiwe;jij xU gf;fj;jpy; it vd;whd;.
      And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
    5. 5. mts; mtdplj;jpypUe;J Ngha;> jd; gps;isfSld; fjitg; G+l;bf;nfhz;L> ,tu;fs; ghj;jpuq;fis mtsplj;jpy; nfhLf;f> mts; mitfspy; thu;j;jhs;.
      So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
    6. 6. me;jg; ghj;jpuq;fs; epiwe;j gpd;> mts; jd; kfd; xUtid Nehf;fp: ,d;Dk; xU ghj;jpuk; nfhz;Lth vd;whs;. mjw;F mtd;: NtNw ghj;jpuk; ,y;iy vd;whd;; mg;nghOJ vz;nza; epd;W Nghapw;W.
      And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
    7. 7. mts; Ngha; NjtDila kD\Df;F mij mwptpj;jhs;. mg;nghOJ mtd;: eP Ngha; me;j vz;nzia tpw;W> cd; flidj; jPu;j;J> kPe;jijf;nfhz;L ePAk; cd; gps;isfSk; [Ptdk;gz;Zq;fs; vd;whd;.
      Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
 
Snowball Method
The snowball method recommends paying off the smallest debt first, irrespective of the interest rate. It gains momentum, as you pay from the smallest to the biggest, not only in numbers but also the thrill of overcoming one debt at a time... For more details, please click on : http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/how-the-debt-snowball-method-works
It is time to start the snowball effect now!
 
Conclusion
Debt demolition requires supernatural intervention. May the Holy Spirit quicken us to get freedom from debt and to stay out of debt. Debt includes even home mortgages and car payments. We should use whatever resources that are available to pay off the debt. Even if it takes extra hours of work as the Lord commands, "Thou shalt work six days of the week", we should work hard and give preference to pay off the debt and then live on the rest of our income.
May the Lord deliver us from the curse of debt and make us lenders, to be a blessing to many people in our lives. Next week, we