Love like no other!
John 10:27 Jesus says "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me".
What happened in our country that we have become so divisive and it's not okay to agree to disagree and accept each other? Where did the Divisions come from? So much is going on in our world, it makes me wonder if it has always been under the radar or if this division is new. Then I remember the Word of God and what divisions that really stick out are and some of us can really remember those stories of division.
The Holy Spirit reminded me of running hard. I looked and there were two girls behind me. Those two girls spent about 3 years tormenting me, chasing me home and if I stopped they beat me up! One day, a knock on the door and it was one of the girls who told my mom that I said she could use my roller skates. I didn't. I was beat up again. It wasn't until we moved out to our country home that it all ended. I forgave this girl and the other one and forgave myself for holding on to all that yuk.
I thought I had let it go, but I remembered how scared I was and that's what brought it forward.
There are many more for another time.
For today, work on shining the light into the dark places. Next time we will cover a few new things. Our hope is you grow and let go and shine that light into the dark places so you can shine your light before men and you radiate with His Love all over you. ZERO Debts!
This was a powerful movie of forgiveness.
What happened in our country that we have become so divisive and it's not okay to agree to disagree and accept each other? Where did the Divisions come from? So much is going on in our world, it makes me wonder if it has always been under the radar or if this division is new. Then I remember the Word of God and what divisions that really stick out are and some of us can really remember those stories of division.
Adam and Eve- disobeyed God and were sent out of the Garden of Eden.
Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Pharaoh and his people who were enslaved and built so much, whipped and beaten. How Moses stood up to Him but with the Lord's help.
Sometimes our own families come upon division and it's hurtful. We may never understand why or how. And even when we do, we cannot go back and change what happened and that is where FORGIVENESS comes in.
Unforgiveness in all these is a thread that sings out. Unforgiveness turns to bitterness and self-bitterness. That itself can cause so many health problems and our own family issues.
Crosswalk.com gives us an article about this. If I don't forgive others does Christ forgive me?
What is happening to the Faith of Americans? What happened to the time when going to church on Sunday and living with faith was something that was done? The generation after that, some have walked totally away, some have become Nominal Christians (The definition of nominal is something that has almost no value or something that exists in name only.
Why are nominal christians walking away from faith? Read what Billy Graham's Decision Magazine says about this.
An example of nominal is when a person in a court case is minimal damages of only $1 because he was wronged but didn't actually suffer any harm.
Click on the links and they will take you out and you can come back and finish, please.Why are nominal christians walking away from faith? Read what Billy Graham's Decision Magazine says about this.
In Christianity Mag. today, we see another reason many walk away... Why are American's walking away?
Maybe along your own life's journey you have never really sought the Lord, you just never did. Maybe along this journey you never saw a need for Him in your life and you believe you still don't. Maybe you are on this Faith in Jesus journey and it is going great or maybe your faith is waning!
God knew you before you were even a twinkle in your parents' eyes. He formed you and knitted you together. He created you to worship Him. You are His.
Scripture tells us this: The Bible tells us God is involved in our creation from the womb:
"Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb? (Job 31:15)
Yet Thou art He who didst bring me forth from the womb; Thou didst make me trust when upon my mother's breasts. Upon Thee I was cast from birth; Thou hast been my God from my mother's womb. (Psalm 22:9-10)
For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, `Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen. (Isaiah 44:2)
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself, And spreading out the earth all alone, (Isaiah 44:24)
Human vs. animal
God distinguishes between human life and animal life, since the killing of animals has been allowed by God from as early as just after the fall.5 It would be helpful to first define what makes human life different from that of the animals. The Bible says that God created three kinds of creatures:
- Creatures which possess bodies (Hebrew - basar, Greek - swma) only
- Creatures which possess bodies and souls (Hebrew - nephesh, Greek - psuchay)
- Creatures which possess bodies, souls, and spirits (Hebrew - ruach, Greek - pneuma)
Most of God's creatures possess bodies only. These creatures include the insects, worms, fish, etc. God defines the creatures possessing souls as being the birds, the whales, the predatory and domesticated land mammals, and human beings (Genesis 1:20-27). Creatures which possess a soul have the characteristics of having a mind, a will, and emotion. Most of us who have cats or dogs realize that these soulish creatures have all these character traits.
Therefore, the difference between human life and animal life is that, in addition to having a body and soul, we are endowed with a spirit, (1 Thessalonians 5:23), by which we can communicate with, love, and worship God. The Bible tells us that God forms this spirit within us,6 and we are endowed with a spirit before birth (Luke 1:15), which makes us fully human before we are born.
When we are growing up, sometime, many times our parents know what to do, but sometimes they don't. Sometimes the division in our thinking begins and creates a huge mess that we have to fix later on in life.
Maybe you have never walked through the resolution to forgive and let go, leave it behind and don't pick it up again. If there is pain in the memory, it has not been forgiven.
Sometimes we can hang on to our division so long that we don't grow into the person we should have, we become argumentative, baiting others, hating others, jealous and envy come into play. We don't really allow ourself to grow in the faith and grow in our relationships because we are too hurt to do so. Mom's and Dad's, brothers and sisters, friends, no one is perfect but we are to strive to be perfect because Jesus was. He also gives us in the Lord's prayer to forgive one another so we ourselves can be forgiven.
So how do we move on from this point. Letting go of those hurts through asking the Lord to set you free. Lord Jesus, set me free from what I am holding onto.
We've been talking about forgiveness, look what we found!
We found this article from Cancer Fighters Thrive Magazine Winter 2011! It confirms what we with the help of Art Mathias - Biblical Foundations of Freedom book teaches!
It seems that fear and anxiety attacks are common and allow our bodies to become major testing labs for the medical professions. I don't despise Dr's, but I believe that there is always a pinpoint to our illness or diagnosis. It has started somewhere in our bodies for some reason we didn't know about.
One of these starters are fear and anxiety. They cause so many problems in our bodies.
Here's just a short list, but the list is so much longer:
Acid Reflux
Resting Tremor
Phobias come from this too!
Kidney stones are caused by self-bitterness, self rejection, fear and anxiety.
PTSD is also caused because of fear and anxiety, guilt, worry, depression, self-hatred, trauma and shame.
PMS does too but it has some other stuff with it too, conflict, fear of abandonment, depression, self-bitterness, anger and guilt.
Memory loss can be caused by fear and anxiety too!
Also insomnia!
Tension Headaches
Migraines too!
Our bodies are incredible and they really only break down when we haven't taken care of the issues at hand. Anything that produces adrenaline causes our bodies to break down. Exercise produces this too but it is in a healthier way because it takes everything in your body to work.
For some people, it's the fear and anxiety itself that causes the whole problem!
Isn't the devil sneaky? He gets you to believe that this bad stuff takes meds to get rid of it. I am not against meds, but I am for finding the pinpoint to the entry of the problem. I don't believe meds are always the answers. God created our bodies to run like well oiled machines and to do so is to find the answers to the problems.
Let me share with you first, I have had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for 30 years! When we began to pinpoint this for answers to it, we found that it is caused by anxiety, fear, unforgiveness, bitterness, trauma, and depression.
I had bitterness, but I didn't know it until the Holy Spirit showed me.
To Forgive Is Divine
A CANCER DIAGNOSIS
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the pastoral care team has added one more treatment option to the mix: forgiveness. What does forgiveness have to do with cancer and its treatment? According to new research, a lot.
Forgiveness and the Immune System
It turns out that time does not heal all wounds. In fact, research indicates that individuals who harbor resentment and ruminate on past wounds trigger a physiological stress response in the body. Over time this chronic stress—and the consequent flood of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol—has a dramatic impact on the immune system. Put simply, anger and hatred eat away at us from the inside.
The link between stress and illness is still emerging. Researchers understand that there is a connection between the two, even if they have not yet been able to quantify this link. Still, sometimes a connection is enough to warrant caution (as evidenced by the link between smoking and lung cancer).
Unforgiveness —defined as being unable or unwilling to forgive—creates chronic stress and anxiety that isn’t helping the immune system and just might be hurting it. In fact, harboring anger or unforgiveness has been compared to drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. is an overwhelming introduction into the world of medical terminology and treatment options. While you’re still trying to decipher the complex language of your pathology report, you’re suddenly faced with big treatment decisions. You may choose to undergo surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and any number of other treatment options.
Defining Forgiveness
Most people confuse the terms forgiveness and reconciliation, but they are not the same. Forgiveness refers to the cancellation of a debt or an offense. People
who experience forgiveness have a sense of peaceful indifference toward a situation or person that formerly triggered an emotional response. Forgiveness requires only one person; you can experience forgiveness without reconciliation, but not vice versa.
Reverend Michael Barry, DMin, director of pastoral care at CTCA in Philadelphia, has been studying the link between forgiveness and cancer for years. His new book, The Forgiveness Project: The Startling Discovery of How to Overcome Cancer, Find Health, and Achieve Peace, is the culmination of years of research and experience working with cancer patients.
Rev. Barry says, "Forgiveness is the culmination of a miraculous process whereby a human heart, hardened by anger and hatred, is transformed into a heart released from these negative emotions. The process of forgiveness is not complete without this release.
"Forgiveness is often described by patients as a feeling of lightness," the minister explains. "It feels like you have literally been unburdened." In fact, one woman with breast cancer had a profound forgiveness experience and felt as if she had literally "gotten something off her chest."
If it sounds wonderful, that’s because it is. People who have found a way to forgive past transgressions radiate a sense of peace and joy. In fact, the number one trait of happy people is that they are forgiving.
Prescribing Forgiveness
We all know we "should" forgive. In fact, forgiveness is a basic premise of nearly every religious tradition. So, why is it so hard? And how do we do it?
With his new book and his forgiveness curriculum, Release!, Rev. Barry is helping cancer patients walk the path toward forgiveness. He says that forgiveness is not a simple step-by-step procedure but a unique process that unfolds differently for each of us.
Rev. Barry educates patients by removing barriers to forgiveness, including misperceptions about what it means to forgive. Forgiveness does not require reconciliation or condoning transgressions. It’s simply a way to empty oneself of hatred. Rather than offer steps, Rev. Barry offers insights that help lead patients on a journey of forgiveness.
He says that one of the primary ingredients necessary for forgiveness is the motivation to forgive. "Forgiveness from the heart begins with a decision to forgive and ends when you have an emotional shift that takes place. We can help you start a journey, and we can educate you, but a lot of it depends on where your heart is and whether you really want to forgive. I can be the best teacher in the world, but if the person doesn’t want to forgive, I can’t help them."
Rev. Barry explains that most of us employ avoidance tactics to suppress past hurt and trauma, but avoidance actually prolongs our suffering. Instead, he has patients face these wounds by writing about them. He prescribes a very intentional process whereby patients write for three 20-minute sessions within a 24- hour period. The idea is to spend time contemplating the trauma and dumping it out onto paper.
This narrative therapy begins the process of unburdening the pain and embracing forgiveness. By focusing on the situation, patients can remove the emotional charge associated with it. The process differs for everyone, but it begins with motivation and focused intention.
Finding Forgiveness
Rev. Barry sees himself as an educator. He tries to help people connect the dots and find their way to forgiveness. He has witnessed its healing power. He has studied the research. He believes in the inherent value of forgiveness, and his mission is to lead the horse to water, so to speak.
"I could not give you $25 million and tell you to go fall in love with someone. That’s not the chemistry of love," Rev. Barry jokes. "It’s the same with forgiveness. I could not give you $25 million and tell you to fall out of hatred, either. There’s essentially a little bit of mystery— an X factor, so to speak—with religious and spiritual dimensions."
In the end, forgiveness is a mysterious, spiritual experience that is unique for each person. "It’s a journey that people go on; and if their heart is in the right place, quite often it happens," Rev. Barry explains. "But there’s no guarantee. We don’t guarantee people will find forgiveness, but we can educate you and help you start a journey."
How will you know you’ve forgiven? "Oh, you’ll know," assures Rev. Barry. "You will no longer be overwhelmed by hatred and anger and you will know." CF THRIVE Magazine - Thank you!
So, here is help to get through it! First- bitterness comes from fear, fear of what could be, letting go and then what happens?
It seems that fear and anxiety attacks are common and allow our bodies to become major testing labs for the medical professions. I don't despise Dr's, but I believe that there is always a pinpoint to our illness or diagnosis. It has started somewhere in our bodies for some reason we didn't know about.
One of these starters are fear and anxiety. They cause so many problems in our bodies.
Here's just a short list, but the list is so much longer:
Acid Reflux
Resting Tremor
Phobias come from this too!
Kidney stones are caused by self-bitterness, self rejection, fear and anxiety.
PTSD is also caused because of fear and anxiety, guilt, worry, depression, self-hatred, trauma and shame.
PMS does too but it has some other stuff with it too, conflict, fear of abandonment, depression, self-bitterness, anger and guilt.
Memory loss can be caused by fear and anxiety too!
Also insomnia!
Tension Headaches
Migraines too!
Our bodies are incredible and they really only break down when we haven't taken care of the issues at hand. Anything that produces adrenaline causes our bodies to break down. Exercise produces this too but it is in a healthier way because it takes everything in your body to work.
For some people, it's the fear and anxiety itself that causes the whole problem!
Isn't the devil sneaky? He gets you to believe that this bad stuff takes meds to get rid of it. I am not against meds, but I am for finding the pinpoint to the entry of the problem. I don't believe meds are always the answers. God created our bodies to run like well oiled machines and to do so is to find the answers to the problems.
Let me share with you first, I have had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for 30 years! When we began to pinpoint this for answers to it, we found that it is caused by anxiety, fear, unforgiveness, bitterness, trauma, and depression.
I had bitterness, but I didn't know it until the Holy Spirit showed me.
Then it broke whatever bits of depression I had which seemed to rear it's ugly head at inopportune times! So, I have worked on taking this off my list of ailments! I have not had an episode in months. I claim that this is Holy Ground and the devil can't mess with Holy Ground!
So, here we are, we are going to pray these prayers aloud, the devil has to hear you cast him on his tail and run like a crazy! However, you may have to face other things in your life as well to keep him running away not toward you.
Fear Prayer
Beginning prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, we give you permission to try our hearts for any wicked way (pain or grief) and we covenant with you that when you reveal a wicked way (pain or grief) we will deal with it in forgiveness and repentance. We set aside this time for you and ask the Holy Spirit to be in charge and In the Name of Jesus we bind all evil spirits and command them not to interfere. Amen.
Repentance Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for (specific fear). I repent for not trusting you in this area of my life.
I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from (come out of agreement with) (same as fear above). In the name of Jesus, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me in this fear in my life and in all my generations, because God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.
Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth about this situation.
(Remember, you will need to be still and know that He is God and listen to the Holy Spirit and write down what is said, seen, felt, or breathed on you.)
You may have to do this prayer for whatever fears you have, listing them singly so you can pinpoint the problem.
When you have completed these prayers, don't quit, your almost done.
After you have prayed through all known fear, close this ministry in fear with this prayer.
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for any and all fear. I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from all fear.
In the name of Jesus, I cancel all Satan's power and authority over me in any and all fear in my life and in my generations. God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself. It is done and over with. In the name of Jesus, I command the principality of fear and all of its armor to leave me now.
Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth. Amen.
Don't forget to write down what He says to you.
Hope this helps break some strongholds in your life and you get your life back on track!
So, here we are, we are going to pray these prayers aloud, the devil has to hear you cast him on his tail and run like a crazy! However, you may have to face other things in your life as well to keep him running away not toward you.
Fear Prayer
Beginning prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, we give you permission to try our hearts for any wicked way (pain or grief) and we covenant with you that when you reveal a wicked way (pain or grief) we will deal with it in forgiveness and repentance. We set aside this time for you and ask the Holy Spirit to be in charge and In the Name of Jesus we bind all evil spirits and command them not to interfere. Amen.
Repentance Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for (specific fear). I repent for not trusting you in this area of my life.
I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from (come out of agreement with) (same as fear above). In the name of Jesus, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me in this fear in my life and in all my generations, because God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.
Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth about this situation.
(Remember, you will need to be still and know that He is God and listen to the Holy Spirit and write down what is said, seen, felt, or breathed on you.)
You may have to do this prayer for whatever fears you have, listing them singly so you can pinpoint the problem.
When you have completed these prayers, don't quit, your almost done.
After you have prayed through all known fear, close this ministry in fear with this prayer.
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for any and all fear. I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from all fear.
In the name of Jesus, I cancel all Satan's power and authority over me in any and all fear in my life and in my generations. God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself. It is done and over with. In the name of Jesus, I command the principality of fear and all of its armor to leave me now.
Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth. Amen.
Don't forget to write down what He says to you.
Hope this helps break some strongholds in your life and you get your life back on track!
The Religious Spirit
Ephesians 4:27 says, "Neither give place to the devil." The word "place" means a right to us or a room in us. Paul said in Romans 7:17, "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." It is our responsibility not to give place to the devil. But I want to carefully point out that we are talking about the evil spirits and the nature of Satan, no people. We as people choose to sin, we choose to allow Satan to act out his nature through us but we are not evil. Satan is evil. As humans we were created in the image of God, not Satan.
Character of the Religious Spirit
It wants to hold people in one place, tied to traditions of men. It wants to tie us to the rules and traditions of a church or religious practice. It wants us to hold on to "something" rather than trusting and holding on to God.
We can become very comfortable with the traditions of men. We can feel good in doing a certain ritual. The things that we are "used to" and have "always known" and have "always done" can provide a false security. Our trust is to be in our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ and not in how we have always done it.
In Matthew 17, Peter saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elias and than wanted to build three tabernacles in their honor. As men we want to build things instead of seeking the deep spiritual truths that were being revealed and enjoy the relationship with God.
The spirit wants us to be afreaid of what is new or different from our experience or worldview. Everyone is affected by this spirit in some way regardless of where we are on the religious spectrum. Every denomination and every church develops its own traditions and ways of doing things. Every church in doing this runs the risk of traditions ahead of God. This is called idolatry.
The religious spirit desires to make our relationship with God one of obligation and duty instead of passion. Religion can be used to control. If we do what we are told to do and go through the external motions of the church then we will be okay. The outward appearance become all that matter, not what is on the inside. Sometimes we like being told what do do because there is a level of safety and security. We pray because we are told that we are suppose to pray. We go to meetings because we are suppose to go to meetings. We feel like we are right with God because we have done what was required.
The religious spirit focuses on the letter of the law. When we become focused on the letter of the law - love, unity, peace, kindness and charity disappear. All that matter is filling the block and completing the requirement. The joy in a person's healing, miracle or blessing is gone. Instead we focus on "did they violate scripture?" "God doesn't work that way." "This can't be of God, He didn't do it for me." "I have never experienced it so it cannot be of God." The letter of the law kills, but the spirit brings life (2 Corinthians 3:6)
Ephesians 4:27 says, "Neither give place to the devil." The word "place" means a right to us or a room in us. Paul said in Romans 7:17, "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." It is our responsibility not to give place to the devil. But I want to carefully point out that we are talking about the evil spirits and the nature of Satan, no people. We as people choose to sin, we choose to allow Satan to act out his nature through us but we are not evil. Satan is evil. As humans we were created in the image of God, not Satan.
Character of the Religious Spirit
It wants to hold people in one place, tied to traditions of men. It wants to tie us to the rules and traditions of a church or religious practice. It wants us to hold on to "something" rather than trusting and holding on to God.
We can become very comfortable with the traditions of men. We can feel good in doing a certain ritual. The things that we are "used to" and have "always known" and have "always done" can provide a false security. Our trust is to be in our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ and not in how we have always done it.
In Matthew 17, Peter saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elias and than wanted to build three tabernacles in their honor. As men we want to build things instead of seeking the deep spiritual truths that were being revealed and enjoy the relationship with God.
The spirit wants us to be afreaid of what is new or different from our experience or worldview. Everyone is affected by this spirit in some way regardless of where we are on the religious spectrum. Every denomination and every church develops its own traditions and ways of doing things. Every church in doing this runs the risk of traditions ahead of God. This is called idolatry.
The religious spirit desires to make our relationship with God one of obligation and duty instead of passion. Religion can be used to control. If we do what we are told to do and go through the external motions of the church then we will be okay. The outward appearance become all that matter, not what is on the inside. Sometimes we like being told what do do because there is a level of safety and security. We pray because we are told that we are suppose to pray. We go to meetings because we are suppose to go to meetings. We feel like we are right with God because we have done what was required.
The religious spirit focuses on the letter of the law. When we become focused on the letter of the law - love, unity, peace, kindness and charity disappear. All that matter is filling the block and completing the requirement. The joy in a person's healing, miracle or blessing is gone. Instead we focus on "did they violate scripture?" "God doesn't work that way." "This can't be of God, He didn't do it for me." "I have never experienced it so it cannot be of God." The letter of the law kills, but the spirit brings life (2 Corinthians 3:6)
Lastly, something you may not have even thought about! But they affect us too. Vows!
What is a Vow? We aren't talking wedding vows, but what is a vow, do you know?
I am using the "Green Book- Wellspring School of Ministry, the Wellspring model. How to Minister Workbook. By Art and Patti Mathias
Have you ever said: "I will never let a man (or woman) ever hurt me again?"
Or, "I will never put myself in that position again." "I can't trust anybody." "Nobody can do it right but me." "I will never be like my mother (or father)." "I will never be like that." "I will never share what I really feel, it is not safe."
Many men say this about their mothers, and then it transfers to their wives. "Men (women) never do it right." "Don't share", etc.
Proverbs teaches us that as we think in our hearts, so we become (Proverbs 23:7a). If we make these "vows", or statements, they are waiting to be fulfilled, and Satan will make sure they happen. Many of these vows were said as children, yet they affect our lives as adults. If you have ever made such statements, it is now time to go before the LORD, and repent and break the power of the curse that was placed on your life.
Suggested Prayer
The following is a list of typical vows: (condensed)
When we give a foothold to the devil, he takes advantage of us because we have allowed it.
Steve and I have been working though this and have found that our bodies are being healed as we let go.
There is so much more we will talk/teach about another day. Today, I would love it if you asked the Holy Spirit to show you and tell you where you have made those vows. Sometimes it takes just a quiet moment to bring up something that caused a hurt.
Let me share with you what happened one night. Steve and I are talking in bed, this is very usual for us.
I am using the "Green Book- Wellspring School of Ministry, the Wellspring model. How to Minister Workbook. By Art and Patti Mathias
Have you ever said: "I will never let a man (or woman) ever hurt me again?"
Or, "I will never put myself in that position again." "I can't trust anybody." "Nobody can do it right but me." "I will never be like my mother (or father)." "I will never be like that." "I will never share what I really feel, it is not safe."
Many men say this about their mothers, and then it transfers to their wives. "Men (women) never do it right." "Don't share", etc.
Proverbs teaches us that as we think in our hearts, so we become (Proverbs 23:7a). If we make these "vows", or statements, they are waiting to be fulfilled, and Satan will make sure they happen. Many of these vows were said as children, yet they affect our lives as adults. If you have ever made such statements, it is now time to go before the LORD, and repent and break the power of the curse that was placed on your life.
Suggested Prayer
Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and as an act of my free will. I confess, repent, and renounce the vow of (specific words) in my life and in all my generations, clean back to Adam.
I ask you, LORD, to forgive me and all my family members and all my past and future generations for involvement in this vow. I release myself from the curse of this vow.
In the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and by the power of His blood, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me because of the vow of (specific words).
Holy Spirit, heal my heart and cleanse me from the effects of this vow. Please speak your words of truth to me.
The following is a list of typical vows: (condensed)
- I don't matter
- I'm not good enough
- What the use in trying? I'll never be good enough.
- I am an outcast.
- It's too complicated.
- I can't do it.
- I'll just suck it up and go on.
- I'll just pretend it doesn't hurt and go on.
- Nobody will believe me.
- No one will hear my heart, or listen to me, or validate me, or acknowledge me.
- Emotions don't matter.
- It's my fault.
- I'm worthless.
- I'd better be perfect.
- Everyone else gets what he or she wants. I never get what I want. When is it going to be my turn.
- I'm defective.
- I don't have time for emotions.
- I'm a victim.
- I am unclean.
- Men have to be tough, or strong.
- You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
- I'll always find a way out; I will survive.
- I have to be good.
- I have bad blood.
- I'm going to carry my cross and the thorn in my flesh.
- I'm depressed.
- It's so hard.
- What's wrong with me, I just can't get my life together.
When we give a foothold to the devil, he takes advantage of us because we have allowed it.
Steve and I have been working though this and have found that our bodies are being healed as we let go.
There is so much more we will talk/teach about another day. Today, I would love it if you asked the Holy Spirit to show you and tell you where you have made those vows. Sometimes it takes just a quiet moment to bring up something that caused a hurt.
Let me share with you what happened one night. Steve and I are talking in bed, this is very usual for us.
The Holy Spirit reminded me of running hard. I looked and there were two girls behind me. Those two girls spent about 3 years tormenting me, chasing me home and if I stopped they beat me up! One day, a knock on the door and it was one of the girls who told my mom that I said she could use my roller skates. I didn't. I was beat up again. It wasn't until we moved out to our country home that it all ended. I forgave this girl and the other one and forgave myself for holding on to all that yuk.
I thought I had let it go, but I remembered how scared I was and that's what brought it forward.
There are many more for another time.
For today, work on shining the light into the dark places. Next time we will cover a few new things. Our hope is you grow and let go and shine that light into the dark places so you can shine your light before men and you radiate with His Love all over you. ZERO Debts!
This article is what we have been teaching on here. This is from Beth Moore. One of the keys to a sound mind is forgiving others and forgiving yourself for holding onto all that grief or pain. I thought I would share this with you today because it really does fit into the Biblical Foundations for Freedom (I Found Freedom) plan for enemy attacks.
A Saved Mind
with Beth Moore
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV)
The New King James renders this phrase in the Greek as “sound mind.” The other part of the phrase is where we get the idea of “salvation.” It refers to a saved mind.
When I think back on what Jesus Christ has done for me, I can tell you that He saved my mind. I truly was a tormented and insecure child coming out of abuse, second-guessing, self-doubt and self-loathing. With that kind of mindset, you absolutely despise yourself and believe that you'll never amount to anything. You feel like you have to constantly prove something and perform. Talk about torment of the mind! I lived my life in a cycle of defeat.
But the enemy overplayed his cards with me. He tried to convince me that God could never change me after God’s Word said that's what Jesus Christ came to do. Jesus did not come for the well; He came for the sick. He did not come for those that were already whole; He came for those that needed Him desperately. I began to see what the Bible says and I decided to believe it.
I should give a disclaimer of sorts: I am not talking about genuine, medically-diagnosed mental illness. That is something that God can and does heal through various processes, but what I’m really speaking to are situational challenges where something has happened – a circumstance, sudden crisis, whatever it may be that has caused us to go through a pronounced season of defeated thinking. Maybe we're even going so far as to make fools of ourselves externally, where our defeated thoughts come out in our defeated actions and we begin acting like the person we are thinking like.
Can you imagine what would happen if the enemy could just hold us there? If we became convinced that we don't have soundness of mind and got trapped in that place? All sorts of negative things could happen.
The Apostle Paul talked about it in Romans 7:15 when he said, “What I hate, that I do.” How many of us have done things and, while we're doing it, thought, "I don't even want to be doing this." I can remember times of defeat in my life when I thought, “Why am I doing this? I don't even want to be doing this. This isn't even where my heart is!”
It can come from rejection, loss and many other things. We can think, “I cannot mentally survive this.” We will reaffirm that idea in our minds over and over again. “I cannot make it through this. My mind will never come back together again.”
This doesn’t mean that we don’t grieve. The Word of God says we grieve, but not as those who have no hope. We certainly want to have a healthy grief, but forecasting ourselves as never having a sound mind is a lie from the enemy.
Victimization can do it. This is one I've seen over and over again because this is my specific past. I thought I would have a broken mind forever. I felt that if I had to look squarely in the face of where I had been that I would not emotionally and mentally survive it. I had to begin dealing with my emotional family tree. That is the biggest drop-out rate in the journey, because people are convinced they are not able to tolerate it. But that is a lie! We are not wimps! We have been given a strong heart and a sound mind. We are far more resilient than we realize.
I'm a big believer in seeking godly counseling. I'm a big believer in going to a professional and talking through some of the things we're going through. We can’t let the enemy intimidate us from seeking wholeness and health in Christ by having it in our heads that we will never survive it. That is a lie!
“He sent His word and healed them,” Psalm 107:20 tells us, “And delivered them from their destructions.” (NKJV)
God sent His Word to heal you. We can reprogram our thoughts to reclaim a sound, saved mind. You will feel like you think, so redeem your mind through the health and wholeness of God’s Word.
Adapted from Beth Moore’s teaching, “A Beautiful Mind.” Beth joins James and Betty all week on LIFE TODAY to talk in depth about reclaiming a sound, saved mind.
The New King James renders this phrase in the Greek as “sound mind.” The other part of the phrase is where we get the idea of “salvation.” It refers to a saved mind.
When I think back on what Jesus Christ has done for me, I can tell you that He saved my mind. I truly was a tormented and insecure child coming out of abuse, second-guessing, self-doubt and self-loathing. With that kind of mindset, you absolutely despise yourself and believe that you'll never amount to anything. You feel like you have to constantly prove something and perform. Talk about torment of the mind! I lived my life in a cycle of defeat.
But the enemy overplayed his cards with me. He tried to convince me that God could never change me after God’s Word said that's what Jesus Christ came to do. Jesus did not come for the well; He came for the sick. He did not come for those that were already whole; He came for those that needed Him desperately. I began to see what the Bible says and I decided to believe it.
I should give a disclaimer of sorts: I am not talking about genuine, medically-diagnosed mental illness. That is something that God can and does heal through various processes, but what I’m really speaking to are situational challenges where something has happened – a circumstance, sudden crisis, whatever it may be that has caused us to go through a pronounced season of defeated thinking. Maybe we're even going so far as to make fools of ourselves externally, where our defeated thoughts come out in our defeated actions and we begin acting like the person we are thinking like.
Can you imagine what would happen if the enemy could just hold us there? If we became convinced that we don't have soundness of mind and got trapped in that place? All sorts of negative things could happen.
The Apostle Paul talked about it in Romans 7:15 when he said, “What I hate, that I do.” How many of us have done things and, while we're doing it, thought, "I don't even want to be doing this." I can remember times of defeat in my life when I thought, “Why am I doing this? I don't even want to be doing this. This isn't even where my heart is!”
It can come from rejection, loss and many other things. We can think, “I cannot mentally survive this.” We will reaffirm that idea in our minds over and over again. “I cannot make it through this. My mind will never come back together again.”
This doesn’t mean that we don’t grieve. The Word of God says we grieve, but not as those who have no hope. We certainly want to have a healthy grief, but forecasting ourselves as never having a sound mind is a lie from the enemy.
Victimization can do it. This is one I've seen over and over again because this is my specific past. I thought I would have a broken mind forever. I felt that if I had to look squarely in the face of where I had been that I would not emotionally and mentally survive it. I had to begin dealing with my emotional family tree. That is the biggest drop-out rate in the journey, because people are convinced they are not able to tolerate it. But that is a lie! We are not wimps! We have been given a strong heart and a sound mind. We are far more resilient than we realize.
I'm a big believer in seeking godly counseling. I'm a big believer in going to a professional and talking through some of the things we're going through. We can’t let the enemy intimidate us from seeking wholeness and health in Christ by having it in our heads that we will never survive it. That is a lie!
“He sent His word and healed them,” Psalm 107:20 tells us, “And delivered them from their destructions.” (NKJV)
God sent His Word to heal you. We can reprogram our thoughts to reclaim a sound, saved mind. You will feel like you think, so redeem your mind through the health and wholeness of God’s Word.
Adapted from Beth Moore’s teaching, “A Beautiful Mind.” Beth joins James and Betty all week on LIFE TODAY to talk in depth about reclaiming a sound, saved mind.
We are thinking creatures. Thinking and making plans are not sinful. God created us with minds capable of recognizing problems and working out solutions. The error is made when we do not count God as part of the equation. While we are right to plan a day, a week, a season of labor on a farm, of buying and selling as a merchant, or on a production line, we must also recognize that God may have other plans.
First, we need to be sure that we are taking God's righteous standards into account. How are we treating the people we work with, the people who buy our goods and services, the people who live around us? How are we treating our own family? Then, we must consider the quality of our products, our labor, our services rendered. Are we giving honest value for the prices or fees we charge?
The idea is not to live in guilt but to plan our lives around the righteous standards God has already revealed to us in His Word. God will honor some attitudes and practices while judging others as unfair or "not right." If we are not right in the choices and plans we make, then we can expect God to intervene, correcting us. He wants us to care about the welfare of all those we interact with. Much is at stake. Not only in this life, but also in the next. Believers must live as witnesses to the truth we have received from God.
And then there are the plans God has that we cannot know anything about. Few of us know the day of our death ahead of time. Few of us know when a society or nation (or even the whole world) may be judged by God, or when He simply plans to change everything around for His own good reasons.
God always works to make things right. It may not seem that way to us at the time, especially if we seem to be on the losing end of some major change. But God is very good at making things right, and at giving everyone an opportunity to do better. The Lord is not only fair and righteous, He is also very, very wise in working things out.
We do not live in a very good world, even though there are many good things going on in the world. This world suffers under the curse of sin, as Paul reminds us again in Romans, chapter 8. Everything beautiful thing in the world suffers harm, illness, erosion, decay, and death. Nothing in this world exists without a beginning and an end. No matter how perfect or wonderful a work of art, a social structure, a relationship or career may seem, it will always come to an end.
God has a plan, and in that plan we each have a little while to live and work and enjoy whatever God has provided for us. We can make all the plans we want for tomorrow, next week, next year, but God will work His own plan. He will give us good strength and wisdom and great skill for a season, and then He will bring about the changes that are in His own plan.
My steps are ordered of the Lord. So are yours. No matter where we plan to go on our little journey, God Himself will bring us to the place of His own choosing. We will see what He wants us to see and learn what He enables us to learn, and accomplish what pleases Him for us to get done. Let us then make all our plans with God in mind, and let us also learn to trust His will above our own.
from the website: http://gospelgifs.com/clips/clipz07/gospel_art011.htmThis was a powerful movie of forgiveness.
Amish Grace
Starring: Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Matt Letscher, Tammy Blanchard Genre: Drama
The peaceful Amish community of Nickel Mines is forever changed when a gunman senselessly takes the lives of five girls in a schoolhouse shooting before taking his own life. What transpires afterward takes the community by storm, as the media descend on the town and criticize its Amish leaders for their notion of unconditional forgivenessof the shooter and their outreach of support to his widow, Amy Roberts (Tammy Blanchard). Devastated by her daughter’s death, Ida Graber (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) finds herself struggling with her community’s belief in the transcending power of forgiveness. Deeply conflicted and unable to forgive the gunman and his family, Ida is tempted to leave the only life she’s ever known before re-embracing her faith.
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