TRUST GOD

God has me testifying more than I imagined I would but He definitely knows best. Someone reading this is getting a breakthrough!  

In July 2011, my family and I were struggling to pay bills. I was recently laid off from my employer and that was the only income for our family of three. We fell behind in the bills a few months prior, for reasons I cannot recall. As a result, we could not pay our rent in this particular month.  Here is a little information about apartment communities; rent is due on the 1^st, late after the 5^th and court filing for eviction is usually around the 15^th of each month. Of course I did not want a court eviction filed on us. Rental agencies RARELY rent to anyone with prior evictions. You cannot hide a court ordered eviction; it appears on your credit report.

Anyhow, we were past the 15^th but there was still a chance to NOT be evicted. Court papers were filed on us but the court date had not yet been set. As long as you pay in full prior to the court appearance, the case is dismissed.  I tried my hardest to not worry about the situation but instead cast my cares upon the Lord. I prayed about it often and immediately after praised God for his help in the situation. He inhabits the praises of His people. One morning, as He woke me from my sleep, God says “Go to the bank and take out a personal loan for the rent.” I quickly got out of bed, and got ready to head out. Before I did, I went into my husband’s music studio where he and our son were. Now at this time, we were not praying as consistently or effectively that we do now. But God met us where we were. He saw our hearts and our faith in His Word. My reason for entering into the music studio was to read the daily devotional with my husband. I informed him that we HAD to read so I could go get our rent money. Reading was really the only thing we were consistent in at that time but that’s okay. Thank God for growth.

My husband was focused on finishing one of his songs so his mind was not completely on what we were reading. Also our son was being very distracting during our reading. Because of these things, I feel some negativity in my spirit laughing and saying “You may as well forget about it. They don’t care, you are in this by yourself.” In spite of, I CONTINUED to read and do the ending prayer and headed out the door.

I rejoiced during the car ride to the bank because I felt a sense of peace about the situation. As soon as I feel this, of course the enemy tries to tear it down. “How are you going to get money FROM a bank when you OWE them?! Not going to happen.  Turn the car around.” There was a bit of truth in that statement. The devil does speak true things with some distortion in the midst. ((Remember his conversation with Eve?)) Let’s not forget, the devil is a liar. (John 8:44) Here is the truth: at that time, I owed my salary advance. This is exactly what it sounds like; the bank advances me a portion of my paycheck and I pay it back when my funds are direct deposited into my account. Whenever money is requested for an advance, a percentage is deposited in my checking account and a percentage is deposited into a separate account that I cannot use. Also, my account was overdrawn. In total, I owed about $600 TO the bank. The lie: I was not getting any money from the bank. I knew in my spirit what God had spoken to me. I also knew that He had already worked out our situation.

 Too often, people hear from the Lord and without realizing it, allow the enemy to steal their blessings. When Satan speaks, he often puts it in “I” or “me” to make it appear that those are your words but they are not! Ask the Lord for discernment to know when you are under attack!

So I arrive at the bank. I write my name on the sign in and wait to be seen by a Loan Officer.  I go in, I fill out the credit application for $400 (the remaining portion of the rent needed) and waited as she processes it. To the Loan Officers surprise, not mine, she mentions all my college debt as well as recent accounts that were unpaid. She explains that she cannot give me a loan based on my credit report. I say okay and remain in the chair with my hands in the praying position as instructed by the Holy Spirit. She then gets an idea. (Of course she does) to write my situation (needing rent money, one income, and a plan to pay back in a couple weeks) on a sheet of paper so she can present it to her boss. This is not a typical thing that is done in this company. 

I sit there for maybe five minutes, praying and praising God for whatever He was doing. I had no idea but I was not leaning on my own understanding. She comes back to me with a WITHDRAWL slip for $400. She explains that while they are loaning me the money, they will GIVE it to me. They took the money from my salary advance account.  With the salary advances I performed I accrued enough to total what I requested as a loan! This money is usually not available unless you close out your salary advance and pay off whatever is owed but those are man’s laws. God has his own set of laws for His people! So here I am, with a withdrawl slip for $400, STILL having a salary advance account, STILL owing the bank $500 for my previous salary advance and STILL owing $90 in my checking account. Ain’t God AWESOME?!?! He is worthy of ALL praise!!

I sincerely thanked her (as if she had a choice) and went to the teller station. Now this teller, bless her heart, was just doing her job. I hand her the slip and give her my account information. She looks at my account info, looks back at me and says “I will be right back. I have to call upstairs and verify this slip.” I laughed and said “I understand, do what you have to do.” She thought I forged the slip! But why wouldn’t she? I owe money to the bank yet I have a slip from one of the big wigs to be issued money. She returns a few moments later and hands me the cash with a smile. Here comes Satan once more, the hater that he is, and tries to make me fearful that someone will steal my money on the way out the bank. Satan, get thee behind me!!

When I get home, I explain everything that happened to my husband. He has this shout/dance/praise that he does when things like this happen. It is comical to me but I know God receives it. After I explain everything God speaks to me again. He reminds me of why I started the salary advance; to get married in August 2010. He explains that He knew this day would come so He had us sowing into ourselves for almost year in preparation! Hallelujah!! If we can reap a few hundred bucks by sowing into ourselves, how much more will we reap by sowing into His Kingdom?!!