This document discusses freedom from debt and its relationship to God. It references a Bible story where a widow's debts were paid off after she poured oil from a small jar at the prophet Elisha's instruction. The document argues that debt denies God's ability to provide and makes one a slave. It provides several Bible verses indicating that Christians should avoid debt. Finally, it advertises an upcoming small group study on managing finances God's way using Crown Financial Ministries resources.

1. Freedom From the
Bondage of Debt!

2. Why talk about debt?
Because debt
directly affects
our relationship
with God…

3. Why talk about debt?
Because our
possessions may
at times compete
with the Lord…

4. Why talk about debt?
Because most
Americans
struggle with debt
in pursuit of the
“American
Dream”

5. II Kings 4: 1-7 (NIV)
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to
Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he
revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two
boys as his slaves.”
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you
have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar
of olive oil.”
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars.
Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door
behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is
filled, put it to one side.”…….

6. II Kings 4: 1-7 (NIV) cont’d
….. 5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They
brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars
were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped
flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil
and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

7. Play Movie Preview:
“The Widow’s Oil”
(a production by Crown Ministries)

8. Debt denies God the opportunity to
provide
Consider the story of the Widow’s Oil…
What if the Widow denied that she had a jar of oil?
What if the Widow never got jars from her neighbors?
What if the Widow never poured oil in those jars?
What if the Widow never paid her debts?
What if the Widow borrowed more money to pay her debts?

9. What does the Bible say about DEBT?
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one
another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8,
NIV).
Read the first portion of Romans 13:8 carefully from several different
Bible translations:
“Owe no man any thing” (KJV).
“Pay all your debts” (TLB).
“Owe nothing to anyone.” (AMP)
“Keep out of debt and owe no man anything” (AMP).

10. What does the Bible say about DEBT?
DEBT is considered as slavery and hardship
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave
(Proverbs 22:7).
Let the creditor seize all that he [the wicked] has; and let strangers plunder the
product of his hand (Psalm 109:11).
When you are a slave to debt… God is not your master. (Matthew 6:24)

11. What does the Bible say about DEBT?
DEBT is considered as slavery and hardship
A slave does not have control.
A slave does not have access.
A slave does not have confidence.
A slave does not have power.
A slave does not have a voice.

12. My Testimony
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there
may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord
Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing
that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi
3:10).

13. Is your answer “Yes” to Any of these
Questions?

14. “Managing our Finances God’s Way”
by: Crown Financial Ministries
6-week Small Group Study
Coming Soon!
Start Date, Time, Location to be announced

15. Questions????
For more information and many resources:
www.crown.org