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Breaking the yoke of bondage
by beatrice ofwona I recently purchased a DVD that had an important lesson on financial management by T.D.Jakes and thought it best to share what I had learnt. You may find yourself in situations that you struggle with and from which you are unable to untangle from. The most important thing is to first understand where exactly you are as compared to where you would be if you did not have this source of stress. In our world today, money matters reign high on our list of things that are a constant pressure to our lives. Deliverance from financial stress is to therefore know where you are. If you are in debt, you should know by how much. If you have bad credit, ask yourself why. If your credit card was declined ask yourself why it should not have been, especially with your history which is now common knowledge to any other potential debtors.. If you cannot locate where you are then you cannot help yourself. You need to come to your senses like the prodigal son 'who came to himself'. No matter how well dressed you are, if you are operating on credit to look that way then you need to wake up and come to your senses. Borrowing from one credit facility to finance another is bad, it is bondage. You should therefore get a clear picture of where you are by clearly listing down your assets and liabilities; you then get down on your knees and pray intelligently for wisdom which will enable you to now steer your life in a different direction. God operates from your current situation to where you are going. From two fish and five loaves, five thousand men were fed. . Where are you emotionally? Is it the reason you are still single when all your friends have found husbands? Are your roller-coaster emotions the reason you are unable to hold your marriage together? Life is a struggle and more so for the brethren who have the enemy constantly trying to devour us and bring us down. But you cannot give up and for as long as there is still breath in you, you must live your life by constantly improving who you are and striving to be the perfect image of Christ. You cannot think of doing this if financial stress is taking up all your reflection time. So you have messed up in the past, so what? It is time to move on. Paul, in Philippians 3:13 says 'Brothers I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and struggling towards what is ahead. I press on towards the goal to win the price for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus'. What matters is the final goal and striving towards it needs peace not bondage that keeps you awake at night.. You cannot embrace your future if your present is keeping you tossing and turning with worry every night. What are your goals in life? Are you speaking to God about them so that He can align His will for your life with them? God does not work in a vacuum, He works with what there is; just like the prophet of God was able to multiply the widow's little oil into many jars. Jesus himself used the water that was available to turn into wine. What do you have that God can work with? What plans do you want to come to fruition? Talk to Him about them. As for single women, do not put your plans on hold while awaiting marriage, live your dream and let the man find you busy when he finally shows up. In Philippians 3:`3 Paul shows us his hunger to get to a certain goal, a predetermined spot. You too must operate with specifics. The woman with the issue of blood knew what she wanted to do-touch the hem of Christ's gown; she was specific. Be specific about your life, be specific with your actions. Do not live in bondage to anything because that is where the enemy wants to keep you. How then will you get out of bondage and into freedom? Plan. . If you have no plans, then you have already planned to fail. Luke 14:28 says, 'Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?' If you have decided to try a side business to compliment your income then you really need to have long term seriousness. Most people go into business with only three month's cost of overheads considered. This is like planning to fail already because businesses generally take more time before they can break-even. Are you ready to be married? Can you be self-sustain for that long? Can you trust yourself to stay interested in this trying union? It will only be a mockery if a few months or years down the line you want 'out because you never considered the cost. Maybe you are a compulsive, insatiable junkie who will want more and more and bring the marriage to its knees because of your selfish demands which cannot be met by the little resources that you and your spouse have? Or maybe you have friends who are bringing you down- the Slick Willies, Dirty Dannies or Freaking Freddies of this world who will use you, step on you, abuse you and betray you? You really need to take stock of those that are around you and how they are contributing towards your bondage to negative things. There is no demand that God cannot supply, no need that He cannot meet, no desire that He cannot fulfill. Think of what can change you, have a goal, a gift a heritage for those that you will leave in this world. But do it His way-ask Him for wisdom first. Have short term and long term range goals. The steps of man are ordered by the Lord and He is methodical about that. He does not spurt into action, He prepares us and uses whatever we have or whatever we have gone through to fulfill our dreams and to His glory. In Genesis we see God creating the world and complimenting His work-by saying, with every passing day, that it is good. You too should have these moments once you gain momentum into your plans. Periodically step back and celebrate and applaud yourself. Tell yourself when you do good. Thank God for the much you have done. Step by step you will walk out of your bondage, out of that which holds you captive. Many marriages are falling apart because spouses are not encouraging one another, some do not even acknowledge the struggle their partners are living with to keep the family together. The issue to also address is whether or not you are on schedule. But alas! you can never know if you had no plan. This therefore means that you can never really know if you are successful at what you are trying to achieve if you did not have expectations and how they should be met. Our God is God of movement He is not a monument, He is God of action. He is not a religious symbol or statue that you pray to without results! In a flash He can turn your circumstances around. Real anointing brings power not chaos; because He is God of order not chaos. Through Jesus Christ we learn of the power of God. Jesus began what we are to finish so let us pick up the baton and continue with the race in the style and way that Christ taught us-without bondage, for he came that we may live life more abundantly. Write down your goals, your business plan or your plan for life; but remember to involve God because He will give you the power to get wealth through ideas and connections in relationships that will steer you in the right direction. Stop trying to do things by yourself, ask others for advise, for help. Walk in the light of what you know to get out of bondage. May these words (sermons), from various men and women of God be a blessing to all. contact:[email protected] Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |