The Three Top Tips Toward Triumphant Debt Settlement Programs

1) Slow And Steady Wins The Race

Easy to get swept up in the excitement of settlement reduction, the momentum especially heightened among those borrowers formerly suffocating midst credit card debts bills and previously unawares that the debt settlement programs even existed, but you will need to keep a steady hand at the till when designing the budgetary predictions that shall, after all, be of paramount relevance to the culmination of any settlement plan. To a degree, the counselor working with your family should help point out recurring snags that most borrowers face – forgetting about the substantial jumps in utility payments around the colder seasons, for example – but the final responsibility will inevitably rest with the head of household most familiar with all of the hindrances toward consistent payments that tend to come up.

2) Make Certain You're The Only Client

It's become fairly well known that Consumer Credit Counseling companies regularly, as almost a tenet of their business plan, request fees from not only the debtors asking for help with their credit card bills but also the lenders themselves during the organization of a plan for compensation. Now that debt settlement programs have become increasingly viable (and have begun to slowly but surely eat away at the Consumer Credit Counseling companies' share of the debt relief market), some of the newer firms have begun to do the same. As you should automatically suspect, whenever the companies have two different masters, they'll have rather less motivation to craft the best possible settlement arrangement for the borrowers. Accordingly, you should be sure to force the issue during the initial consultation, and don't let the counselors weasel out of the question. The representatives of any forthright and upstanding debt settlement program will be more than happy to declare that their borrower clients would be the only source of corporate funding.

3) Remember That Debt Settlement Programs Are Only A Band-Aid

Even if you manage to qualify for one of the debt settlement programs – harder than one might think under the ever more stringent eligibility requirements regarding the disposable income following taxes and household deductions – and, more difficult yet, make your way through the program (which takes four or five years on average), a full compensation of all of your lenders hardly means that you should consider yourself out of the lion's den. Sad to say, a growing percentage of settlement customers, now that access to the programs have grown to encompass the whole of the American cultural and economic landscape, make their way to the end of the debt gauntlet only to turn around and slowly amass more unsecured burdens until they're in exactly the same problem as before they started working with the settlement firm.

Actually, to tell the truth, they'll be in a far more dire position, since their previous financial partnership with the settlement negotiation specialists will be dutifully recorded along with all other financial transactions upon the credit agency reports, and they'll subsequently find their chances for bankruptcy protection (and, accordingly, settlement agreements) all but extinguished as a result. Don't let the savings garnered through debt settlement programs go to your head nor spur easy and foolish use of whichever credit card accounts you attain following the remuneration of past bills. It's hard enough to budge lenders toward forgiveness of their rightfully owed claims the first time, but you'd best believe they'll hold on for dear life should you try again, no matter the cause.

 

Determined to Be Triumphant

All through the scriptures we read of people who were victorious, who fought the good fight, and went the distance to overcome and stand above their circumstances.  For some time now the Lord has been speaking to my spirit concerning what it means to be identified as an overcoming Christian.  What is an over comer?  I have determined to identify the condition and characteristics of a true Christ like nature within myself.  I am determined to be an over comer.  I am not a helpless victim of circumstance.  We have the power of creation and life at our beck and call.  We have all of the weapons of heaven at our disposal.  But, the only power that can make it work for us is faith and commitment to the principle that makes the power work. 

We must use the right tools to do the required task.  We must believe that God is, that he does exist, and that he rewards those who diligently and earnestly seek him.  Christians throughout the past centuries have been conditioned to believe their lot in life was to be accepted as being weak, defenseless, and continually persecuted for being who they were and standing up for their beliefs. It is usually accepted that when a person becomes a Christian that he or she is expected to stand in the precarious position of defending themselves from the ungodly, sinful world around them.   This is not possible without the life of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of Truth guiding, comforting, and teaching us.  Jesus Christ is our defense.   If we are in him, we cannot be defeated for the battle has already been won, but only in Christ Jesus. 

Rev. 2:7,  “To him that overcomes….”
Rev. 2:11, “He that overcomes….”
Rev. 2:17, “To him that overcomes….”
Rev. 2:26-28, “And he that overcomes….”
Rev. 3:5, “He that overcomes….”
Rev. 3:12,  “Him that overcomes….”
Rev. 3:21, “To him that overcomes….”

The promises that have been given to us of God were given to those of us who are willing to conquer, overcome, and stand victorious over the prevailing conditions around us.   The promises were not given to those who hide themselves away physically from the world of humanity, nor were they given to those who take on the role of being the victims of circumstance.  To overcome something requires there first be an obstacle to overcome.

Obstacles come in many forms.  It could be the guy who is physically attacking us or it could be the pressure of finances, a sick child, maybe a flat tire at the most inopportune time, or our transportation breaking down.  It could be the pain of a personal, devastating event that has left many emotional scars.  It could be the trauma of debilitating or terminal sickness, a bad marriage, a wrong decision, an accident, or rejection from a friend.   It could be spiritual and not physical, such as our faith being tested, or our purpose and our focus being challenged.   Each of us has sat in church gatherings that have tested the limits of our faith.  It is in the midst of humanity that we overcome and develop our senses to discern between good and evil.  It is in the midst of humanity that we have to face our worst enemies (not people), and overcome and let our light shine.

The objective of a true Christian is to face the opposition (not people), overcome the problem, and bring our spirit into subjection to the light of the truth as a testimony so that others may see and come to the knowledge of the truth.  It is the over comers, those who walk in the light and glorious gospel of the truth, who are the light, the children of day, a city setting upon a hill for others to come and share in the security it provides.

The action of overcoming requires an effort on our part and our participation.  We have to initiate the action within ourselves.  Our Father provided the power by which we are able to overcome.  The primary enemy that is to be defeated within us, is death, and we must believe (trust) that the weapons, the tools that he has provided for us are sufficient enough to do the job required of us.

 

Zech. 4:6,  “Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Jesus did overcome death.  He destroyed it within Himself.  But, it is obvious that death is still working in the heart of man.  It does not take a genius to figure out that death is still present around us, for the evidence is clear.  The spirit of depression, aggression, anger, hatred, variance, lust, greed, looseness, domination, rebellion, witchcraft, homosexuality, pride, contention, fear, anxiety and such like continue to operate and even flourish in members of the body.  To pretend that these spirits are not present is ludicrous.  Until these spiritual conditions are overcome (defeated, conquered) within our own members by the Spirit of truth working within us and eradicated, death will still have power over the mortal man.

 

Jesus Christ did overcome and defeat the enemy – death.  Because he overcame, we too are able to face the enemy and overcome, but only by, through, and in him.  It is by his power alone that we can overcome.  The ‘He’ I am referring to, is not the man Jesus who walked upon the sea and lived two thousand years ago.  The Jesus I am referring too is the living Word of Truth, the life giving, quickening Spirit that moves and has its being within us working within us as the Spirit of Truth and Life.

There are obstacles that have to be overcome and conquer and the burden of responsibility to overcome these obstacles and enter into the presence of the Father rest squarely upon our shoulders as confessing Christians.  The truth, the power of the spirit of love, will not force himself upon anyone.  He gave us the weapons, the tools, to use to fight our battles, and defeat death and it is up to us to use them.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, the firstborn from the dead.  No one can come into the presence of life unless they go through the son.  Some of the conditions that were present in the early church are present today.  Unless we identify them and stand against them by the power of the Holy Ghost, we will always be bound to the conditions of humanity, under the dominion of death.
   
Rev. 3:20 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore, and repent.   Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.”

Isn’t it strange that church gatherings provide us with some of our greatest spiritual challenges?  It is in the gatherings that we are beset by the false doctrines, the loud overbearing ministers, loose people, angry people, bitter, mad, confused people, new age people, and bold aggressive ignorant people.   It is in the midst of the church gatherings that we have to face those who come to rob, steal, kill and destroy.  It is in the midst of our church gatherings that the sheep are gathered, so why wouldn’t there be the wolves in sheep’s clothing present?  This is where the wolves come to feed also. 

Fascinating, isn’t it?  The very place that we go to feed the hungry, cover the naked, heal the sick, raise the dead, open the blind eyes, set the captives free, shelter the homeless, mend the broken hearted, help the widow and generally do the work of the ministry is the very place we have to confront and face our greatest enemy.  I have not been to very many meetings that did not have the spirit of the whore mongers, thief, and wolf in sheep’s clothing present in one form or another. 

I wonder what Jesus would have done about the deplorable situations we have to face in some of the church gatherings we attend?  I do not believe he ran away and hid, but instead he stood his ground and faced the opposition head on and overcame in all things.  Not only did he defeat the opposition, he did not think he was being cheated or robbed to lower himself and his position to become like as we were and walk among us in the bondage of death in order to over power the enemy of death.  He knew he had to submit to the condition of man in order to overcome it and give us the power to free ourselves from death’s hold over us.  He was not ashamed to love us and call us one of his own, even when we did not deserve him and were fighting against him within ourselves.

One part of the church body John was speaking to in Revelation was measuring itself and what it could do by its material wealth. Because they did not have material riches, they felt poor and could not see beyond their physical needs.  Another part had lost sight of their true purpose, which was to minister to the needs of the people, not the building.  They had lost sight of their first love. Another part thought they had everything they needed and had the reputation that they were alive but they were dead.  There were false prophets, persecution and rebellion in the midst of the early church body.  None of the instructions they were given instructed them to separate themselves from the people or run from the face of the enemy.  He instructed them to face the problem and to hold fast to their faith, keep their garments clean, and undefiled until he revealed himself in their midst, within them, and declared His glory.

In all of these examples the responsibility of overcoming was given to the individual. There has to be an inner resolve, a determination to repent and change direction.  We have to recognize the enemy, look him in the eye and put him under foot by focusing upon the power of God, the living Word, within us.

Rom. 2:10-11 “But glory, honor and peace to every man that works good, chiefly (most importantly) to the Jew and also to the Gentile:  For there is no respect of persons with God.”

I John 5:4-5 “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

       
We overcome the world and bring it under subjection by the power of faith.  Our faith is the force that makes us whole or complete.  It is the power that processes us into higher realms of development. Faith results from hearing from our Father.  In order to hear we must be in communication with our Father and recognize that he is the source of our being and His anointed Word of Truth (Jesus) is the only way to enter into the essence of pure life.

Rom. 12:21, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” 

       
In order for the body to overcome anything, it must be able to receive its instruction or direction from a single source.  There is only one truth, one life, one way, one door, and one authority that provide this instruction.  Jesus Christ is the head and the body cannot enter into the presence of the Father without the leadership, or connection to the head.  Without the head, there is no direction, for there is no information getting to the body.  The body becomes confused and begins to go off in many different directions, having no cohesion, purpose or vision. 

There must be recognizable perimeters, boundaries, or rules, by which we are able to identify and recognize if we are to overcome or conquer the adversities.  There is a difference between a Christian, who is born from above and has dedicated their lives for the betterment and spiritual enlightenment of others, and a person who has not accepted the Spirit of the Lord into their lives.  Something happens when we turn our lives over to the Lord.  There is a definite change in character that separates a Christian from the children of the world. 

     

Just as good parents set the perimeters for the actions of their children and establish guidelines for the children’s actions, so does the Holy Spirit for those who have been born from above.  By the power of the Holy Spirit the church body creates an environment for growth, development and the maturing of its members.  The body provides structure, perimeters and protection.  The body receives its instructions from its head (leader, chief part, of most importance, first birthed). The body without a recognizable and declared head is headless and without direction, lost, confused and of no value. There has to be a unifying element or one central point from which instruction and guidance is received. Jesus Christ, alone, as the living Spirit of Truth, must be recognized as the only source from which we receive instruction.

Not everyone has been born from above and has the Spirit of God dwelling within them, for it is obvious that self-will and the spirit of the world still works within their members. As Christians we have to deal with two different types of people.  The first group is made up of the lost, confused, blind, maimed, sick, hurting, and even the rebellious that do not know any better and are in need of salvation.  The purpose of the church body is to minister to the needs of these people by the Spirit of Christ within us and bring them to a place of acceptance and deliverance from the power of death that holds them in its grip.

       

The next group is those who recognize no authority, except it be their own, whose primary purpose is to dominate and rule over the spiritual interest of others.  These types of people are present within almost every church body.  They are liberal with their thoughts, opinions and ideas, and have no compassion, tenderness or love for those they are ministering too.  Death is death, and if it is being spoken liberally and goes unchecked, then all who are under its influence are going to suffer from it.   Their sole purpose is to conquer, destroy and to be recognized as being important.  These are the wolves in sheep‘s clothing that mingle with the children of God.  I do not have to fellowship with the wolves in sheep’s clothing, nor do I have to accept them just because they call themselves members of the body and say they love me.  I have no guilt in declaring that they are not part of my body.  Paul said, mark those who cause division and have no part with them.  We were also instructed not to have fellowship with the works of darkness and workers of iniquity.  

       

Our job is to stand up and declare our Father’s glory by revealing His presence in our lives.  Love felt no hesitation in sending his only begotten son to bring an end to death and confusion.  Jesus Christ did not hesitate to identify the cause of death and establish a pathway of deliverance and protection for those who were truly hungry for righteousness and truth.  He came to destroy the enemy.  He did not at any time mince words and coddle the enemy he saw working in others, for the sake of not hurting their feelings.  Neither was Paul gentle with those who would cause division and confusion.       

Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

I cannot read anywhere in the scriptures where we are to stand by and wait for God to make the changes or submit to the conditions that hold us in bondage.  Every successful man or woman of God, stood up, stepped out in faith, and boldly claimed their place in history.  They confronted the situation and overcame the obstacles by taking authority over them through their faith in the power of God.

Rom. 8:36-39, “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Paul was confident in his relationship with our Father.  He knew and accepted the power that was bestowed upon him through his faith in Jesus Christ.  Nothing was going to separate him from the Love of God.  Neither will it us, if we hold fast our faith and reach up and grab hold of the power that comes with the presence of the Holy Spirit within our lives.

Rom. 15:13,  “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

1 Cor. 2:4, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”

1 Cor. 15:43  “It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:”

2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosper.”