I Became Debt Free By Using Biblical Principles

I haven't always been debt-free. I used to wonder what it would feel like to be debt-free and not worry about money.

I am in awe because now I am debt free! I became that way by using biblical principles.

I Give in Faith

I give according to biblical principles while trusting God to do what He says about giving, according to Luke 6:38.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Mighty things happened after I moved the limitations from my faith, especially concerning my giving.

I Give Out of My Need

It is a biblical principle to give out of your need. The poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 gave two copper coins out of her need because that was all she had to live on.

I often shared the little I had with others, even though I needed it for myself. I remember I had only $139 in my checking account. One Sunday, when an old lady at my church said she was celebrating her birthday, I wrote her a $100 check even though I needed it to pay a bill that was due.

In subtraction, when we give some away, we will have less. God tells us that when we give cheerfully, we’ll receive even more in return. That is contrary to math and different from how most people think.

It is easier to give out of our surplus because we won't miss it by having so much left over. God also requires us to give out of our need.

The story about the widow at Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:7-16 taught me to give out of my need. She had only a small amount of flour and oil to prepare the last meal for her and her son. After she gave to Elijah before she and her son ate, a miracle happened, and she never ran out of food again.

I Affirm God Is My Source

For an entire year, I wrote on a calendar each day one affirmation consisting of only four words, nothing more and nothing less:

“God is my source.”

During the following year, a friend gave me the proceeds from the sale of her house. The total of the unexpected gift was $7,770.36. My friend had no idea I had been pinching pennies. She didn't know, but God knew.

I Watch My Words

I am very careful about what I say about money and finances. For instance, I never say, “I am on a fixed income.” When you are on a fixed income, it remains the same. It doesn't increase or decrease. I never curse my money by saying it is “fixed” because anything fixed remains the same, as being cemented in place.

I Journal

I journal and thank God for what I need even before I get it. I rarely request material things. When I do, I vow to share my blessings with others.

I have given away “clothes off my own back.” If someone compliments me about something I am wearing, I give it to them. Items I have given away include a brand-new blouse, scarves, rings, earrings, necklaces, and watches.

No one ever leaves my house without taking something with them. Items have ranged from food from my pantry to paintings off the wall.

Whenever I talk to people, and they mention something they need or would buy when they have enough money, I would order the item from Amazon and have it shipped to them as a surprise. Some of them have been big-ticket items such as laptops, speakerphones, and a television.

I Believe in Sowing Seeds

Second Corinthians 9:10 says:

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”

I grew up on a farm, and I know that to reap a harvest, one must first sow seeds. The seeds we sow today will produce a harvest in the days ahead.

“If we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly. If we sow generously, we will reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)

I also know that if I don't sow seeds, I will not have a harvest to reap.

I Sow Seeds Into Good Soil

I have learned to sow seeds into good soil. The best harvest comes from seeds planted in good soil. I rely on God for discernment about the soil to sow in.

If there is any evidence that the ground is not good soil, I do not invest in it. However, when God prompts me to sow, there is an urgency to do so. I don't hesitate to give. That's how I know that my giving is not done in vain.

I Invest In Others

I invest in people, especially young people, the downtrodden, and those who appreciate my giving.

When I see young people doing great work, I am led to invest in their endeavors. For instance, I have invested in college students by giving them a monthly allowance while they were in college.

I Participate In My Own Blessings

There is a proverb that says, “Waste not, want not.” I do not waste anything. I budget and am respectful of the money I spend.

Even though I can afford certain things now that I am out of debt, I do not splurge. I am a good steward of money. I used to budget when I had little. I still budget and count the cost.

I Stopped Focusing on Money

I grew up worrying about not having enough money for my needs. I didn't go to college the year after I graduated from high school. I worked to get money to go to college a year after my classmates. In college, I worked to pay tuition.

For most of my life, I feared that I would not have enough money to take care of myself. Later in life, I discovered that fear was blocking my blessings. After I eliminated the blocks, my finances changed.

I Respect Money

Well-known financial advisor Suzy Orman says that we should respect money. That means not balling it up but keeping it straight in your wallet with all denominations of bills placed together with heads going in the same direction.

I have seen people toss balled-up money in the offering plate at church. The trustees have to straighten it out before it can be counted. I have never balled up money.

I Cash in My Biblical Receipts

In Philippians 4:15-17, Paul explains how God gives a receipt to those who give. The receipt can be exchanged for any need. We can cash our receipts in for what we need at any time. It doesn't have to be for money. It can be for deliverance, healing, a job, or a relationship.

Author's Note!

Everything in this article is true. I am not suggesting that these biblical principles will work for everyone. However, they have worked for me over many years. I invite you to begin using biblical principles instead of merely confessing, “Money cometh!” without participating in your own blessings.