Debt is one of the many ways in which greed manifests. If you find yourself constantly in debt to others, know that you are a victim of greed. You are a victim of the god of gold. A captive will always want to borrow to acquire everything their eyes see and their heart desires, even though their current means cannot provide it.

The spirit of debt is terrible. The moment you take strides that are larger than your steps, or wear shoes bigger than your size, know that you are shortening your life without realizing it. Don’t you know that it is always possible to purchase something with what you already have in hand? What I don’t have now is not a need, but a lack.

And God has committed to meeting all my needs according to His riches in glory through Jesus Christ, because I walk in the Covenant (Phil. 4:19). There is always something that matches your current status. Find your size and be content with what you can acquire for now.

Lack of contentment will slow you down in life and destroy your defenses. No matter your current level, know that God has made special provisions for your food, clothing, and housing. Be content and live happily at your level.

Remember the parable of Jesus in Matthew 18:23-27. This man could not pay his debts. His creditors ordered that his wife, children, everything he had, and he himself be sold to settle the debt! You see, no debtor can claim to be comfortable, especially in the presence of their creditors.

A greedy person, when seeing an item or new merchandise, will always say, ‘I must have it at any cost.’ But God says in Deuteronomy 28:12:

“The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.”

And the Apostle Paul reiterates this in Romans 13:8:

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

Owe no one anything… Borrowing makes you a slave to your creditor (Proverbs 22:7). Jesus said that you cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Therefore, if you are in debt, the one who lent you money becomes your master, your lord. Yet God has said:

“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” Exodus 20:3,5

Deuteronomy 15:6 says: “The Lord your God will bless you as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. You shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.”

You do not reign with debts. You reign as a creditor, as a lender. A content man can never fall into the trap of debt. You don’t cut your fabric according to your size: you cut it according to the amount of fabric you have! A man earning 30,000 euros annually cannot live in a house with a yearly rent of 36,000 euros, at the risk of falling into chronic debt. Those who lend you money do so to destroy your destiny.

If you take a stand against debt today, you will live long. I made this decision on October 4, 1984, and since then, I have had no debts. I gained my freedom from this vice through Deuteronomy 15:6. He who borrows will never see the throne. Wake up! Do not live beyond your means or your size!

Listen to me. You will live long if you free yourself from financial unfaithfulness and the seduction of debt. It is not a lifestyle to adopt. Wait to do tomorrow what you cannot do today. A man’s life is not determined by what he has. If you live according to your means, your size will know no limits.

I don’t change anything unless I can afford it. I don’t even think about acquiring what my means do not allow. From the moment you borrow to buy a bed, how will you find sleep on it? You’ll likely have to borrow sleep as well!

Going into debt to eat means you’re eating more than your stomach can handle! Borrowing to buy shoes means you’re wearing shoes bigger than your size. Buying a necklace on credit means you’re putting a noose around your neck, and soon you’ll choke. You won’t leave debts as an inheritance for your children! Your end on earth will be covered in dignity.

The documents for your house will be in your home, not in a bank, as collateral for a loan. Those for your car won’t be in a loan institution but in your home, in the precious name of Jesus.

The inherent torture of debt should make you despise it. Some people cannot even live in the houses they built because of debts. I’ve seen creditors insult, harass, and humiliate their victims. Dear friends, it’s time to be free!

May the grace of contentment come upon your life today and remain forever! Read this poetic illustration I made long ago. The poem is titled Mr. Greedy and Mr. Give.

I met two neighbors of the Covenant.

Mr. Greedy and Mr. Give.

Greedy does not give, Give is not greedy.

Greedy loves money, Give adores God.

Greedy stores on earth, Give stores in heaven.

Greedy leads to death, Give leads to life.

The choice is mine. I choose Give as a friend.

I don’t want to end up empty. So help me, Lord…

This text is an excerpt from the book “WALKING IN THE NEWNESS OF LIFE” written by David O. Oyedepo.
We invite you to read the next article “AGENTS OF SIN.”

AVOID DEBTS. AVOID DEBTS. AVOID DEBTS

AVOID DEBTS. AVOID DEBTS