Owe No Man Anything, But To Love One Another
Romans 13:8 says that we are to "Owe no man anything, but to love one another : for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Because of the true foundation that has been laid in my heart by the apostle-prophet ministry, through Doyle Davidson, and the false ones that have been rooted out and pulled down, also through Doyle, the things I share with you have taken place in my life. And that true foundation, which is a sure foundation, is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Some may think I am full of pride about what I am getting ready to share, and that is fine. Others may think I am boasting, and I am - in the Lord. Psalm 34:2 says, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." And Psalm 44:8 goes on to say "In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever." This will encourage others (the humble), though, to show what the power of God can do for anyone who will even dare to believe this gospel. God is no respecter of person's and I thank Him for that.
In my last testimony, I shared about God revealing to me what 'love' is according to the Word of God. As a matter of fact, I was going to share this one last time, and the Lord changed the sequence around. But Jesus is Lord over these testimonies and I just obey what He directs. But love is obeying the Father and it says we are to owe no man anything, but to love one another. We are not to owe one man anything, except walking in obedience to the Father. Talk about a liberty in the Spirit - that definitely is!
In Ephesians 3:20 it states that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can think or ask, according to the power that worketh in us. And I can honestly say that everything that He has done in my life through the apostle-prophet ministry since 1985, has been just that! By far the greatest thing, though, has been having the gospel revealed to my heart. Because believing the death, burial and resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ produces everything in a person's life that they will ever need in this life until they go to be with the Lord, and really everything they could ever desire. Although He will put His desires in you, which are far greater than your own!
I have previously shared (briefly) how finances were never in abundance for JR and I over the years. We lived like the average American family, in that we always owed money and never seemed to have any left over after paying all the bills. We took out a 30 year loan on our house when we bought it - which was a year after JR and I were married, we almost always had a car payment - usually it would be a 4 year loan, and if anything unexpected came up, such as needing a new washer or dryer, buying a new set of tires for the car - or any car repair, needing a plumber to come out, taking one of the kids to the doctor, etc., it would put us behind financially. The unexpected expenses usually were the ones that we would put on a charge card, and although we never let it get over several hundred dollars at one time - and that was rare, it was still a debt that had to be paid, and I personally hated it. Even owing a couple of hundred was more than I liked having to owe. We would pay the minimum payment each month, sometimes more, but if something else came up, then it would be right back up where it was before, or even higher - which is what you hear referred to as a 'tape-worm' account! Many times we would get back a refund for our income taxes, and if money was still owed on this particular charge card, we would use the refund money to pay the charge card off... until the next emergency! A never ending cycle, or so I thought... There were times we would only keep out $20-25 cash for the week and even though that was years back, it still did not go far. And the only reason I am going into some detail here is because there are people out there that can easily relate to what I am sharing, who if you will believe what I am going to tell you, will see God's power manifest in your life as it has in mine. And one thing that power has done in our lives is allowed us to be debt free!
I always liked nice 'things', but never really would go into debt to obtain them. The debts were almost always incurred for emergencies as I described above. You have heard of 'champagne taste on a beer budget' - that described me well - which produced frustration!! Just being honest... Anyway, a little over a year after coming to Water of Life Church, the Lord rebuked me sharply for murmuring about not ever having any money and God brought my heart to repentance right then and there (read my testimony on 'God's Prosperity'), and shortly after that things started gradually changing for us financially in a way which before seemed only as a dream. But I am here to tell you that this gospel that we preach is real, and it is available to anyone who will believe it (trust in, rely on and adhere to it daily). There are no short cuts with God, and this has not been a 90 day wonder. But III John 2 tells how God getting us completely out of debt has come about - "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." A prospereth soul (the soul being the will, intellect and emotions) goes right along with prosperity and perfect health. When you mix faith with the gospel (Hebrews 4:2), the power of God will start setting your soul free from the powers of darkness that have you bound. And lies that we have been taught, and believed, have bound our soul and kept us from obtaining the blessings of the gospel. And prosperity is a part of the gospel.
II Corinthians 8:9 says, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." That does not say God made some rich, and others will just have to struggle along in life to barely get by. That is a lie, and if you have heard that and believed that, you need to repent and believe the gospel. Change your will and what you believe to what God says about you. And II Corinthians 6:2 tells us that now is the day of salvation. Anything you need for this day, salvation is available. Salvation is deliverance from every hindering influence in your life. Does your checkbook need salvation today? Believe that Jesus took all your lack (of no money) upon Himself and overcame it when He was raised from the dead. And when He was raised from the dead, He raised you up with Him, far above all lack (of no money) and made you rich. If you need $10 today, salvation is available to you NOW. If you need $l,000, salvation is NOW!! Being rich is having everything you need for that day at the exact time you need it. Paul said he had learned how to abase as well as to abound. But he was content (sufficient) in whatever state he was in. Abasing was something I could do - it was the abounding that was lacking in my life.
Read Malachi 3 about being cursed because you have robbed God in tithes and offerings, but also read what will happen when you bring the tithes and offerings into the storehouse - the windows of heaven will be opened, and God will pour you out a blessing, that you will not have room enough to receive. Something we would almost always do, even before coming to Water of Life Church, was to tithe. And I have to believe that God honored that, although I was a real 'sucker' for giving to different T.V. ministries who 'begged' for money. And that was sowing to the flesh (Galatians 6) and that is why it reaped corruption and nothing worked for us financially, or in any other areas of our lives. And also because we did not know what the gospel was - that it was the power of God unto our salvation if we would believe. Being led by the Spirit of God in obeying the Word of God will produce blessings every time. And believing the gospel will produce EVERYTHING in your life that you need - not just money. That is why it says in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything will be added unto you. The kingdom of God is not in word but in power - I Corinthians 4:20, and that power is that Jesus died, was buried and rose again the third day. And the righteousness of God is revealed to us in the gospel - Romans 1:17.
But getting back to God rebuking me for my murmuring - after that, things did start to change. Almost a year later we came on staff at church and have been ever since. One thing I will say again is that obedience always produces blessings and coming on staff with Water of Life Church was in obedience to the Lord Jesus. It says in Proverbs 10:22 that the blessings of the Lord maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with them. And if you are obeying the Spirit of God, walking in this gospel daily, perfect provision will be made for everything in your life and there will be no sorrow with those blessings! God is faithful to His Word and to His promises.
When God sold our house back in May 1996, and we paid off the balance we owed on it, we came out debt free and absolutely owed no man not one thing, and came out with money on top of that. (We had been in that same house for 17 years.) The Lord then (May 1996) put us in the apartment, and did it for us to overcome more of the Jezebel spirit. I knew - and I will repeat that again - I knew without a doubt, that God had, by the Spirit, led us out of debt and that we were not to get back in debt by buying another house. I was so grateful to the Lord for doing this for us that I had no desire, and there was not even the slightest temptation, for us to get back in bondage by owing money. And I knew it was God's will for us to lease a house after we got out of the apartment - there was just no question about it. JR had a struggle with this, and I am sure he would not hesitate to tell you about it. But his main problem in leasing a house instead of buying one was for tax reasons. But after God worked some things out of his heart, it was not a problem for him any more. You see, God does not care about the things we care about - He does not even look at things the way we do. He owns all the silver and gold, and money is nothing to Him. Our reasonings for wanting to do things the way we do, do not even faze Him one bit, and that is why it is just easier to get in line with what His will is - not ours!
I remember telling the Lord more than once, while living in the apartment, that it seemed totally absurd what He was having us pay each month for that tiny 900 square foot apartment - even though it was 'fully' furnished. It did not bother Him one bit! And as a matter of fact, the house He put us in is almost the same monthly amount as what we were paying for the apartment. Incredible - but that is God!
One thing I want to say right here is about a couple of things Doyle spoke to us by the Spirit that absolutely manifested. When we were right at the end of overcoming that apartment, Doyle spoke to us and told us we would be out in a few days (either three or five, I do not remember), and within that time period we were completely out. He had also told us months prior, by the Spirit, the price range house we would live in, and that came to pass also. When a servant of God speaks by the Spirit, it will come to pass every time.
When we were looking for houses, we were looking for one around 2200-2400 square feet, and quite frankly, I did not want anything much bigger because I knew I would be the one cleaning it! (But God saw fit to give us one much bigger and it has worked out fine.) Jesus never has let me have someone come and clean, and years back when I really needed someone, I would literally have to believe Him to give me an hour or so during the week so I could get my house cleaned. He was leading me down righteous paths day and night - so it was not laziness in case you were wondering!, and I had the money to do it. I just felt I did not have the time, but He saw different and I obeyed Him - not always with a thankful heart either! Thank God for His forgiveness, because there were times I needed much of it. But when I say I have not gotten my own desires in this walk, I mean just that. If I had, it would have been rebellion. Whatever GOD tells you to do or not to do, you had better obey Him. Not to say your soul will not have struggles with doing things God's way, because it will, until you overcome it. And you purify your soul by obeying the truth (the gospel) through the Spirit. You will have to put to death the flesh through the Spirit. That is why I have spent the hours I have praying in other tongues. This has been a process - I did not just wake up one day and all of sudden it was an easy thing to do. This has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life - overcoming my soul, that is. Because the soul does not want to obey God. But as you overcome it with faith, it does get easier and easier!
Anyway, when we moved in this house, I told God, the devil and whoever else might be listening, that this house was going to get furnished NOW because I believed that He did not give it to us to sit empty, or even half empty, and I was not going to let it drag on for a year getting it furnished. I absolutely believe this was the faith of God inside of me standing up. (Our lease is for one year, and only God knows if we will stay in it longer. It does not matter to me one way or another, and only the Spirit of God could have brought my heart to that place. I am just grateful to be where I am for this day.) Each week, though, the Lord would allow me a certain amount to spend, and in two and a half months I had the whole house furnished - all paid for, and what a blessing it has been! The mercy and grace of God is absolutely incredible. Years back, I would have never thought we would be in this kind of position - but the power of God will do the impossible, and will do it in ways you never thought or asked - you just have to humble yourself and being willing to do it His way! I shared last time about faith which worketh by love, and these are the rewards for obedience, and also God's great mercy and grace upon our lives.
Owe no man anything, but to love one another - and love is doing the will of the Father - and you know you love the children of God, when you love God and keep His Words. This is an amazing thing that the power of God has done for us (at least to me, if no one else), and because of the apostle-prophet ministry laying the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ in us, has this taken place. There is a real appreciation to the Lord, because I know where we came from, and we have by no means arrived, but this gospel working in our hearts and souls has produced some tremendous blessings, that we otherwise might not have ever obtained. Not only do I appreciate the Lord, but I appreciate Doyle for his obedience in bringing us this gospel and for laying the foundation in our hearts by the Spirit of God. I know we are partakers of his grace, too, and I will always be thankful for that.
I would encourage you this day to start believing the power that raised Jesus from the dead to work in every area of your life. Whatever it is you need this day - whether it be finances, healing in your body, forgiveness of sins, deliverance from doubt and unbelief in your heart, a new job, etc., that power is available NOW to meet your need(s). There is nothing greater on this earth that you will ever do than believing the power that raised Jesus from the dead to work in your life, accomplishing His will and His purposes for you. This is the greatest honor any human could ever have on his life.
Remember that God is no respecter of person's, and every one of these things were provided for us 2,000 years ago when Jesus was raised from the dead - all we have to do is believe it!
Well, praise God, and I will see you next time!
