Could it be that sometimes Faith in Action means standing firm with a promise and consistently claiming it, no matter the circumstances? He is Lord of my life. Things may not look very much different from yesterday... there are still gaps in my work life and finances. I recently quit a job I was very good at, and paid well for performance, because "it felt like my soul was dying." (This has been a repetitive pattern throughout my life. My family calls it "self-sabotage.") Now I am sure that it wasn't the job, but it heralded in a rapid turning-over in my spiritual life and after 12+ years of seeking spiritual mysteries beyond Jesus Christ, just this weekend I prayed and asked Him to be Lord of everything in my Life. I did my best to repent, asking for His help in illuminating any other sin that has blocked our relationship that I was unaware of. I had just been, or so I thought, communing with six familiar faces of deceased friends and family who were all claiming to be my "spirit guide team." I had been drawing nearer to Jesus, so I asked where He stood in all of this... I was rather expecting Him to show up as a guide. They claimed they all worked "under him." I entered a google search of "how to reconcile psychic nature with Christian faith." I was looking for someone to tell me that it can, indeed, be done. I mean, I obviously needed to figure out how.
And, bada-boom. I became convinced and convicted of the biggest stronghold that had been operating over and throughout my life. That of the spiritual forces of darkness through the occult.
I went to church on Sunday. I found it by way of searching for churches with prayer ministries. I applied for a private prayer session with some of their people. James said if we need prayer, to seek it out. I gathered all the occultish library books I had just begun reading and returned them. I took some things from around my house down from their normal spots, but have not destroyed them. I do not really know what to do there, as I don't want to be acting out of fear, and yet I want to be willing to destroy anything that I have worshiped as a lie. A neighbor lent me a movie to watch, after a conversation we had last week about emotions and stuffing them. On Friday when he dropped it off, I had every intention of watching the film but by Saturday, I had renounced all seducing spirits of occult. The film had all kinds of dark themes with some type of production name called, "Mutant Enemy." I did not watch it and gave it back.
Now, how does one also walk in grace regarding these things? I could see potentially becoming very strict as far as what I listen to, what I see, what I take in, etc. I have made fun of families for living that way, but I kind of understand now. Especially if it is something by which I have been greatly deceived. Already I feel a growing indignation for how common these things are in daily life. I know there are Christ followers who seem to reject nothing. They can sit through dark films and perhaps learn from them. I mean, with Jesus, we can do anything. But I did come across something this weekend, stated by T.D. Jakes that I am kind of holding to for now: "You can't fight an enemy you just got done sleeping with."
I am so glad that after quitting my last job, it was only one week that I passed without another job. That is a much faster turn-around than any previous job-breaks/escapes. I work part time, and earn minimum wage. And I am happy about it!? The job is challenging; it is scribe-work and I feel that I am learning a lot. Kind of like getting paid for an education, whereas the job that was easy was just that... easy. Sometimes too easy, and I read from a script. Haha. But it was a good job. I learned much there, and am grateful for the money I was able to put away. I do have an interview as a kitchen assistant this Friday. I've done a lot of work in front-of-house/admin areas of restaurants, but have often wanted to get in behind the scenes. We shall see. I love hands-on, I love learning new skills. But mostly I love a life knowing that all I have is God's. May He order my life, may He help me to order my life according to His eternal glory and honor. Falling down on the job rarely brings God glory, I can only guess.
Selah.
And, bada-boom. I became convinced and convicted of the biggest stronghold that had been operating over and throughout my life. That of the spiritual forces of darkness through the occult.
I went to church on Sunday. I found it by way of searching for churches with prayer ministries. I applied for a private prayer session with some of their people. James said if we need prayer, to seek it out. I gathered all the occultish library books I had just begun reading and returned them. I took some things from around my house down from their normal spots, but have not destroyed them. I do not really know what to do there, as I don't want to be acting out of fear, and yet I want to be willing to destroy anything that I have worshiped as a lie. A neighbor lent me a movie to watch, after a conversation we had last week about emotions and stuffing them. On Friday when he dropped it off, I had every intention of watching the film but by Saturday, I had renounced all seducing spirits of occult. The film had all kinds of dark themes with some type of production name called, "Mutant Enemy." I did not watch it and gave it back.
Now, how does one also walk in grace regarding these things? I could see potentially becoming very strict as far as what I listen to, what I see, what I take in, etc. I have made fun of families for living that way, but I kind of understand now. Especially if it is something by which I have been greatly deceived. Already I feel a growing indignation for how common these things are in daily life. I know there are Christ followers who seem to reject nothing. They can sit through dark films and perhaps learn from them. I mean, with Jesus, we can do anything. But I did come across something this weekend, stated by T.D. Jakes that I am kind of holding to for now: "You can't fight an enemy you just got done sleeping with."
I am so glad that after quitting my last job, it was only one week that I passed without another job. That is a much faster turn-around than any previous job-breaks/escapes. I work part time, and earn minimum wage. And I am happy about it!? The job is challenging; it is scribe-work and I feel that I am learning a lot. Kind of like getting paid for an education, whereas the job that was easy was just that... easy. Sometimes too easy, and I read from a script. Haha. But it was a good job. I learned much there, and am grateful for the money I was able to put away. I do have an interview as a kitchen assistant this Friday. I've done a lot of work in front-of-house/admin areas of restaurants, but have often wanted to get in behind the scenes. We shall see. I love hands-on, I love learning new skills. But mostly I love a life knowing that all I have is God's. May He order my life, may He help me to order my life according to His eternal glory and honor. Falling down on the job rarely brings God glory, I can only guess.
Selah.
