Without Walls
He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. (Proverbs 25:28)
God is speaking to us very personally here, and we all should easily be able to relate - whether assessing our own responses to situations when we've allowed our flesh to dictate our actions, or seeing the results of others whose demonstration of this verse became clearly visible.
In biblical times, the sturdy walls of a city as the one above were the main protection against foes, which would otherwise come in to steal and overthrow them. It is not much different with each of us, if we do not rule over own spirit, the enemy and our flesh will attempt to steal from and overthrow us.
As it relates to our finances and debt, it has never been easier to get into trouble and more challenging to maintain a distance from overspending than today. This is due to the ease of obtaining credit cards, their acceptance in every corner of the marketplace, how monthly subscriptions and payments are loaded onto cards, and especially our ability to purchase nearly anything online 24/7 - including online gambling.
Whether it is ourselves or others we've observed, those who repeatedly give in to impulse spending have their "walls" broken through, usually resulting in heavy credit card debt, a multitude of things not needed, along with the constant burden and stress of how to pay for it all.
That is why to have a purposeful "rule over our own spirit" is of such importance. And the best "rule" to employ so that we will rule over our spirit is to always look to God's Word for direction. Psalm 119:130 tells us "The unfolding of your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple." We all need the light from the Lord to see plainly... both inside and outside ourselves.
This light comes in multiple ways, one is the obvious direction that comes from a verse such as Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." You know this to be true if you've reached a sizeable level of debt to where it feels like you go to work and labor as a slave week after week just to turn over that money to your lenders.
Another way that light from the Word benefits the believer is how it increases our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. If we are listening, the Holy Spirit will disclose to us if an action we are considering is not God's will, and also will lead us with His peace if we are to go a certain way, and thus we can go in perfect confidence. As mentioned, with so many opportunities available to overspend in this day, we all the more need the Holy Spirit's direction.
I encourage you to set for your household a goal, a setting in place of a "wall" that in one month from now your credit card balance will be less than it is today. Then build upon that "wall" that in the next month following it will also be less than the previous month. Ask the Lord to help you be inflexible to overspending in this effort, and He will certainly answer that prayer.
Remember in your prayers that it is a glory to God for our finances to be in order, so take with you these words from Jesus - "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:13-14)
God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,
Paul
