Having followed Christ for eight or nine years, Sister C in my church group burst into tears each time we met her three years ago.
Indicted for debts to her customers as her boss who ran a financial investment company went into jail, she had to report to the economic investigation corps of the local public security every day.
She was also in a relationship with a non-Christian who often agitated her. She poured out her complaints to us several times.
At the evening meeting during this year’s Chinese New Year, the woman shared the good news that her life was transformed by God.
Divorced from her ex-husband more than ten years ago, she intended to get married once more to a different man, but the relationship did not go well. She then turned to making money to prepare for her retirement.
She made many financial investments during the golden years, but the situation ended up with a sad story. There were some issues with her company and she lost the money invested in many programs.
Putting a mortgage on her house, car, and garage, she faced financial pressure without income. Deeply in debt and troubled by her relationship, she was pushed to the sidelines, seeking help from our church group.
One evening, three years ago, our group leader L led Sister C and me to pray for God’s guidance in a teahouse.
The leader analyzed her situation and deduced that her worldly values were from various kinds of temptation from Satan, such as pride, unrealistic comparison, and desires...
Running after financial speculation to gain huge benefits, she tried to keep up with the Joneses via housing and cars, deceived by several “make-up” financial platforms. She went further away from God, sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire of error.
L suggested she repent from her sins and not set foot in financial investments during chaotic times. Rather, she should do an ordinary job and make a financial plan according to actual circumstances. She could sell the big house, then purchase a small-sized house and repay all her debts.
However, she rejected the proposal throughout the year. Reluctant to sell her house, she wished for housing prices to increase every day, but it was the contrary.
At the onset of the second year, she regretted not listening to our advice. Her house was sold at the end of that year and she rented an apartment. She at times shared gratitude for God's help in ridding her of all debts.
It was still not over yet. Reversals and zigzags rebounded, with her relying on God for a while, while also worshipping money and her boyfriend at other times.
Still engaged in financial investments, she told us that she and her boyfriend went through thick and thin during hard times. We exhorted her to break up with the man who is a non-Christian because God commanded us to have boundaries for love. She could preach the gospel to him to see if he was the right one.
Our church watched and prayed for her for three years. We encouraged her to build a closer relationship with God and join a Bible reading fellowship to establish the right views of money and marriage.
The third year saw a breakthrough in her life. She became more humble and fearful, beginning to love praying and reading the Bible. She parted with her boyfriend, preaching the gospel to him. She also had an ordinary job, more hunger for spiritual growth.
Delighted with her gradual progress, we give thanks to the great Lord who has freed her from money and lust!
(The original article is published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Karen Luo
我们教会我所在的小组有位C姊妹，50岁左右，信主八、九年了。三年以前有一段时间，见到我们就哭，因为工作的金融投资公司老板坐牢，她也被客户起诉，每天必须到经侦大队报到。
近几年，姊妹非常热衷金融投资，特别看重金钱，也交往了一位非基督徒的男朋友。虽然，男朋友对于她的帮助很少，还异常搅扰，姊妹痛苦万分，多次给我们倾诉。于是，我们小组组长L弟兄，带领小组家人一路陪伴和祷告，寻求神的帮助。
2021年春节，在线上辞旧迎新晚会上，她告诉大家喜讯，自己有了受教悔改的心，生命被改变，被神释放得自由了。
一、 C姊妹深陷玛门捆绑的原因：
C姊妹是一位离异十多年的姐妹，没有小孩，离异后最开始想再婚，结果感情一直不是很顺利，转而投向多赚钱，为自己养老。所以，她在中国近几年金融投资最为热门火爆，又乱象丛生的时间里，执着于各种金融投资，谁知所在公司出现问题，后来还投资很多项目，钱先后也被套进去了。她的房子、车子、车库，都是按揭贷款，一旦没有收入，经济压力可想而知，加上诉讼和每天去经侦大队，又负债累累，情感上也是异常纠结。离异后多年在金钱和情欲的捆绑上不能自由，她快要崩溃了，找到我们小组家人求助。
二、一起祷告寻求神的带领和帮助：
三年前一个傍晚 ，L组长带着我和C姊妹，找了一间茶楼坐下来，一起祷告，寻求神的带领。
听了姊妹哭诉详细情况以后，组长怜悯她的境遇，作为一位兄长和牧者，陪着她哭，安慰、鼓励她，并劝勉她在神面前认罪悔改，从属世界的价值观分别出来。首先，给予分析，属世界价值观有各种撒旦的诱惑 ，比如虚荣、攀比、欲望……大家都攀比住豪宅、开豪车，不是力所能及的消费，而是透支使用未来的钱，一旦失业，或者经济不景气，再加上金融投资各种不规范操纵，还有骗局，若是不谨慎误入其中，会让自己的经济情况雪上加霜。姊妹自己的罪是被属世价值观深刻影响，一直在追求金融投机行为，借此想获得巨大利益，同时，也在攀比住大房子开好车，好几次被包装过后的金融平台所蒙蔽，被骗被套，在这条道路上，离神越来越远，没有祷告按照神的心意行，越陷越深。
紧接着，组长给予建议，劝勉她悔改得救，要警醒祷告，认识神，认识自己罪，建议她在最近几年金融投资比较混乱的时期，不用涉足这个行业，在其它行业上做一份普通工作，按照神的供应体量大小，可以量体裁衣做财务规划，购置房、车、车库，不用大量按揭贷款，可以卖掉目前大房子，来换一套全款小户型，解套各种债务。若是顺服神，倚靠神的庇护，我们才可以平安度日。
但是，一年下来，她并没有顺服下来，也舍不得卖了房子，天天盼着房子涨价，但是，房价反而继续下跌。第二年年初，她懊悔没有听取我们的建议，终于在第二年年底卖了房子，暂时租赁房子住，重新按照神的旨意安排生活次序，好几次分享，感恩上帝帮助她解除所有债务，感谢神帮助她跨出顺服神的第一步！
这个远远还没有结束，中间她还是有反复，一会儿倚靠神，一会儿又把安全感放在金钱的敬拜与寄托男朋友身上，并不是尊崇神为大，依然侍奉玛门。一方面继续在做金融投资，一方面，还告诉我们，男朋友曾经在金融投资灾难中，与她患难与共，也舍不得分手，陷在两难犹豫不决里，我们还是劝勉她，没有信主弟兄不能交往，这是神的诫命，需要爱的界限，可以给他可以传福音，看神的心意看对方是否是赐予的未来丈夫，要祷告交托。我们属灵家人继续为姊妹代祷，恳求神继续帮助她！
三、 深陷玛门捆绑的姊妹被神拯救释放得到自由：
尽管C姊妹来回摇摆不定。我们依然为她恒切守望祷告，看到危险以后，坚持温柔地劝勉姊妹要敬畏神，走出玛门崇拜，作为一个真正基督徒不是追求属世的目标，而是追求耶稣，建议她如下几个方面生命的更新建造：
1、鼓励姊妹建立与神更为亲密的关系，把生命的锚投放在神的帐幕里，尊崇神为首位
“一个人不能侍奉两个主；不是恶这个、爱那个，就是重这个、轻那个。你们不能又侍奉 神，又侍奉玛门（玛门：财利的意思）。”(马太福音 6:24 和合本)
2、和小组家人一起坚持操练《个人生命的祭坛与转化》，悔改更新生命
不从恶人的计谋，不站罪人的道路，不坐亵慢人的座位，惟喜爱耶和华的律法，昼夜思想，这人便为有福！他要像一棵树栽在溪水旁，按时候结果子，叶子也不枯干。凡他所做的尽都顺利。(诗篇 1:1-3 和合本)
3、求圣灵带领她结出属灵品格的九个果子
圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、温柔、节制。这样的事没有律法禁止。(加拉太书 5:22-23 和合本)
4、扎根话语上，参加同步陪读圣经团契，建立正确的金钱观和婚恋观，顺服神的旨意生活
他就稍往前走，俯伏在地，祷告说：“我父啊，倘若可行，求你叫这杯离开我。然而，不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。”(马太福音 26:39 和合本)
5、大家恒久求神做工C姊妹生命中，造清洁的心，拯救释放她得到自由：
神啊，求你为我造清洁的心，使我里面重新有正直（或译：坚定）的灵。不要丢弃我，使我离开你的面；不要从我收回你的圣灵。求你使我仍得救恩之乐，赐我乐意的灵扶持我，我就把你的道指教有过犯的人，罪人必归顺你。神啊，你是拯救我的 神；求你救我脱离流人血的罪！我的舌头就高声歌唱你的公义。(诗篇 51:10-14 和合本)
经过2018年到2020年整三年多时间，神抽丝剥茧的奇妙工作，弟兄姊妹们的代祷，多次恳谈交流。这位姊妹有循序渐进的成长，在第三年2020年有比较大的突破，越来越谦卑，开始敬畏神，喜欢祷告，开始喜欢阅读圣经，也顺服神遵循“信与不信不能同负一轭”，与未信主男朋友提出分手，为他传福音，从一个普通弟兄姊妹做起……我们看见，她还找到一份普通的工作，更加渴慕追求属灵生命的成长。我们为她每一点的进步，感到欣慰。
感谢我们伟大的神，在C姊妹生命中施行拯救的工作，让她终于可以慢慢放下金钱、情欲，逐步挣脱玛门捆绑，得到自由！
见证：深陷玛门捆绑的姊妹被神拯救释放得自由
Having followed Christ for eight or nine years, Sister C in my church group burst into tears each time we met her three years ago.
Indicted for debts to her customers as her boss who ran a financial investment company went into jail, she had to report to the economic investigation corps of the local public security every day.
She was also in a relationship with a non-Christian who often agitated her. She poured out her complaints to us several times.
At the evening meeting during this year’s Chinese New Year, the woman shared the good news that her life was transformed by God.
Divorced from her ex-husband more than ten years ago, she intended to get married once more to a different man, but the relationship did not go well. She then turned to making money to prepare for her retirement.
She made many financial investments during the golden years, but the situation ended up with a sad story. There were some issues with her company and she lost the money invested in many programs.
Putting a mortgage on her house, car, and garage, she faced financial pressure without income. Deeply in debt and troubled by her relationship, she was pushed to the sidelines, seeking help from our church group.
One evening, three years ago, our group leader L led Sister C and me to pray for God’s guidance in a teahouse.
The leader analyzed her situation and deduced that her worldly values were from various kinds of temptation from Satan, such as pride, unrealistic comparison, and desires...
Running after financial speculation to gain huge benefits, she tried to keep up with the Joneses via housing and cars, deceived by several “make-up” financial platforms. She went further away from God, sinking deeper and deeper into the quagmire of error.
L suggested she repent from her sins and not set foot in financial investments during chaotic times. Rather, she should do an ordinary job and make a financial plan according to actual circumstances. She could sell the big house, then purchase a small-sized house and repay all her debts.
However, she rejected the proposal throughout the year. Reluctant to sell her house, she wished for housing prices to increase every day, but it was the contrary.
At the onset of the second year, she regretted not listening to our advice. Her house was sold at the end of that year and she rented an apartment. She at times shared gratitude for God's help in ridding her of all debts.
It was still not over yet. Reversals and zigzags rebounded, with her relying on God for a while, while also worshipping money and her boyfriend at other times.
Still engaged in financial investments, she told us that she and her boyfriend went through thick and thin during hard times. We exhorted her to break up with the man who is a non-Christian because God commanded us to have boundaries for love. She could preach the gospel to him to see if he was the right one.
Our church watched and prayed for her for three years. We encouraged her to build a closer relationship with God and join a Bible reading fellowship to establish the right views of money and marriage.
The third year saw a breakthrough in her life. She became more humble and fearful, beginning to love praying and reading the Bible. She parted with her boyfriend, preaching the gospel to him. She also had an ordinary job, more hunger for spiritual growth.
Delighted with her gradual progress, we give thanks to the great Lord who has freed her from money and lust!
(The original article is published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Karen Luo
Testimony: Woman Freed from Bondage of Money
