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Growing in Christ
- Thread starter leastone
- Start date
It is, it is!
Happy Thanksgiving all! May we all remember to give special thanks to the Lord for all that he has provided us with. Thank you, our truly great God!
~~~
I talked yesterday about what allowing the Lord to prune us meant, and gained inspiration for that post through the words of Leastone (God bless him) and from guidance from the Lord.
Again, it's from the inspiration of LeastOne's word, and guidance from God that today's post comes.
So now we know part of what allowing him to discipline us means, and what it is, we can learn ourselves the HOW.
Going through the experience of learning patience with my family, whom I found rather irritating the majority of the time, was and indeed is, a very tough lesson for me to learn. Being significantly older than my siblings their mannerisms and behaviour was something I couldn't tolerate as I was growing up. Then it reached a point where I was so intolerant of their behaviour that I was intolerant of them. They only had to open their mouth and a sharp retort of 'shut up, I don't want to hear it' was fired straight back.
When I realised that this had to change, it had become such a habit that when they opened their mouth, I'd often not be quick enough to stop my words, and wind up biting my forked tongue in regret at my words. It's only recently that the Lord has shown me how to over come this.
I refer to a post made by LeastOne
This is exactly how to overcome this. By focusing on the Light of the Lord. By holding It in our hearts always, and allowing it to shine through as we live our day to day life.
If you will, we should imagine ourselves walking along a path, to the sides are the tribulations of our day to day life. At the end of the path in the far distant is our Saviour, Christ. If we are constantly looking at him then the scratch from an overhanging tree branch can only hurt us as we pass it. If we then stop and turn our attetion to the tree, our sight is no longer on our goal, and we surely prolong the process of Growing In Christ.
We must allow ourselves to be the tea cup being scraped clean. There may be times that it will hurt, but if we continue to look up at the One who is cleansing us, then the scraping will only be hurtful as it is being performed. If we attempt to jump from His hands we risk digging the knife into ourselves further.
Unfortunately, I can't think of a passage that I can use in this post. My scriptural rememberance isn't terribly great. If anybody can think of one I'd be grateful!
~~~
LeastOne: I hope you dont mind me quoting you, and using metaphors you've used in the past.. your posts speak out greatly, so what better way to speak out more by posting something along similar lines
~~~
I talked yesterday about what allowing the Lord to prune us meant, and gained inspiration for that post through the words of Leastone (God bless him) and from guidance from the Lord.
Again, it's from the inspiration of LeastOne's word, and guidance from God that today's post comes.
So now we know part of what allowing him to discipline us means, and what it is, we can learn ourselves the HOW.
Going through the experience of learning patience with my family, whom I found rather irritating the majority of the time, was and indeed is, a very tough lesson for me to learn. Being significantly older than my siblings their mannerisms and behaviour was something I couldn't tolerate as I was growing up. Then it reached a point where I was so intolerant of their behaviour that I was intolerant of them. They only had to open their mouth and a sharp retort of 'shut up, I don't want to hear it' was fired straight back.
When I realised that this had to change, it had become such a habit that when they opened their mouth, I'd often not be quick enough to stop my words, and wind up biting my forked tongue in regret at my words. It's only recently that the Lord has shown me how to over come this.
I refer to a post made by LeastOne
leastone said:
This is exactly how to overcome this. By focusing on the Light of the Lord. By holding It in our hearts always, and allowing it to shine through as we live our day to day life.
If you will, we should imagine ourselves walking along a path, to the sides are the tribulations of our day to day life. At the end of the path in the far distant is our Saviour, Christ. If we are constantly looking at him then the scratch from an overhanging tree branch can only hurt us as we pass it. If we then stop and turn our attetion to the tree, our sight is no longer on our goal, and we surely prolong the process of Growing In Christ.
We must allow ourselves to be the tea cup being scraped clean. There may be times that it will hurt, but if we continue to look up at the One who is cleansing us, then the scraping will only be hurtful as it is being performed. If we attempt to jump from His hands we risk digging the knife into ourselves further.
Unfortunately, I can't think of a passage that I can use in this post. My scriptural rememberance isn't terribly great. If anybody can think of one I'd be grateful!
~~~
LeastOne: I hope you dont mind me quoting you, and using metaphors you've used in the past.. your posts speak out greatly, so what better way to speak out more by posting something along similar lines
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Hi Saints:
My apologies for being gone so long from this thread; the Lord has been leading me through a cleansing process, and teaching me as I go, so I haven't trusted myself to write anything until He specifically told me to do so. But I am greatly uplifted by the encouraging posts that have been entered during my absence.
As most of us know all too well, getting rid of sin in our lives - especially long-established sin - is extremely difficult and nearly impossible. I have been personally troubled by one such sin-stronghold for nearly 30 years and have tried everything to be rid of it, but without any success. Until now, praise God! What I am learning I would like to share with you, dear saints of God, in the hope that you too may find these teachings useful in your walk towards righteousness and holiness in Christ before God.
Although humanly we tend to categorize sins as "big" and "little" or "major" and "minor" and thereby seek to justify ourselves in our own eyes concerning our own "minor little" sins, the truth is that God does no such thing. He views all sin and every sin as lawlessness - being without or apart from His Law. Thus, disobedience is the root cause of all sin in our lives. Momentary or "short term" sin is willfulness, or being obstinantly self-willed; established or "long term" sin is rebelliousness, or actively defying God's Authority and Will.
Believe me, to have the Lord convict you of the reality of this in your own life, your own heart, your own walk with Him is an excruciatingly painful awakening. Yet without this conviction, we are walking blindly in the delusion of our own self-righteousness.
He has made very clear to me over the past weeks that all my efforts by will-power to overcome these pockets of sin within my own life - even when apparently successful - merely strengthen my own self-righteousness. These "victories" are of the flesh only and therefore will never "inherit the Kingdom of God", because they do nothing but strengthen the flesh rather than put it to death on the Cross! Rather than produce humility, the efforts of our own strength only produce pride.
Quite honestly, just when I thought I was really making progress in my battle over this particular sin in my own life I failed miserably, ending up going right back to the very sin I was fighting! The very first thing the Lord asked - after I confessed my sin yet once again - was, "Do you know what your biggest mistake was?"
"No, Sir!", I cried, because I was feeling very ashamed before Him.
"You keep looking at the sin rather than toward Me.", He answered. "As I have been telling you, stay with Me - stay in Me - and all that is in you that is not of Me will burn away. Whatever you are looking at, wherever you are focused is what you are drawn to. So keep your eyes on Me and your ear turned toward Me always and only!"
And then this (paraphrased) scripture came to my mind and stuck there: "Only those whom the Son sets free are truly free."
So I learn anew that it is only as I obediently and humbly and sincerely follow Him as He leads me each day by His Spirit within that I can let go of those things that would enslave me; only by "walking in the Spirit" at all times can I overcome the "strong desires of the flesh" that hinder me and cause me to stumble.
My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit plant this truth deep within the hearts of each of us who sincerely seek to grow in Him: to keep our focus only on the Lord Jesus at all times!
LeastOne
My apologies for being gone so long from this thread; the Lord has been leading me through a cleansing process, and teaching me as I go, so I haven't trusted myself to write anything until He specifically told me to do so. But I am greatly uplifted by the encouraging posts that have been entered during my absence.
As most of us know all too well, getting rid of sin in our lives - especially long-established sin - is extremely difficult and nearly impossible. I have been personally troubled by one such sin-stronghold for nearly 30 years and have tried everything to be rid of it, but without any success. Until now, praise God! What I am learning I would like to share with you, dear saints of God, in the hope that you too may find these teachings useful in your walk towards righteousness and holiness in Christ before God.
Although humanly we tend to categorize sins as "big" and "little" or "major" and "minor" and thereby seek to justify ourselves in our own eyes concerning our own "minor little" sins, the truth is that God does no such thing. He views all sin and every sin as lawlessness - being without or apart from His Law. Thus, disobedience is the root cause of all sin in our lives. Momentary or "short term" sin is willfulness, or being obstinantly self-willed; established or "long term" sin is rebelliousness, or actively defying God's Authority and Will.
Believe me, to have the Lord convict you of the reality of this in your own life, your own heart, your own walk with Him is an excruciatingly painful awakening. Yet without this conviction, we are walking blindly in the delusion of our own self-righteousness.
He has made very clear to me over the past weeks that all my efforts by will-power to overcome these pockets of sin within my own life - even when apparently successful - merely strengthen my own self-righteousness. These "victories" are of the flesh only and therefore will never "inherit the Kingdom of God", because they do nothing but strengthen the flesh rather than put it to death on the Cross! Rather than produce humility, the efforts of our own strength only produce pride.
Quite honestly, just when I thought I was really making progress in my battle over this particular sin in my own life I failed miserably, ending up going right back to the very sin I was fighting! The very first thing the Lord asked - after I confessed my sin yet once again - was, "Do you know what your biggest mistake was?"
"No, Sir!", I cried, because I was feeling very ashamed before Him.
"You keep looking at the sin rather than toward Me.", He answered. "As I have been telling you, stay with Me - stay in Me - and all that is in you that is not of Me will burn away. Whatever you are looking at, wherever you are focused is what you are drawn to. So keep your eyes on Me and your ear turned toward Me always and only!"
And then this (paraphrased) scripture came to my mind and stuck there: "Only those whom the Son sets free are truly free."
So I learn anew that it is only as I obediently and humbly and sincerely follow Him as He leads me each day by His Spirit within that I can let go of those things that would enslave me; only by "walking in the Spirit" at all times can I overcome the "strong desires of the flesh" that hinder me and cause me to stumble.
My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit plant this truth deep within the hearts of each of us who sincerely seek to grow in Him: to keep our focus only on the Lord Jesus at all times!
LeastOne
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Hey Pseud:
Thank you, glad to be back. I just re-read your post over Thanksgiving and am reminded again why I am the "least one" in God's family: I seem to learn so slowly! Truly I think I am in His "special ed" class of those He must teach the same things over and over and over again! It is good to see that you are applying those truths you are learning.
LeastOne
Thank you, glad to be back. I just re-read your post over Thanksgiving and am reminded again why I am the "least one" in God's family: I seem to learn so slowly! Truly I think I am in His "special ed" class of those He must teach the same things over and over and over again! It is good to see that you are applying those truths you are learning.
LeastOne
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bluesgal
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- Dec 6, 2003
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LeastOne,
Thank you for your many post in this forum. I have been asking the Lord to show me how to live, learn,love Him more and seeming to be getting nowhere. After reading your post the Lord has shown me what to do. Thank You
Thank you for your many post in this forum. I have been asking the Lord to show me how to live, learn,love Him more and seeming to be getting nowhere. After reading your post the Lord has shown me what to do. Thank You
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Super Gnat
Take my hand, precious Lord, and lead me home
- Sep 15, 2003
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Hi Saints:
More than I can ever express, each one of you whom the Lord leads to grow spiritually from these writings are a true blessing to me - especially those who respond so encouragingly. As always, I deeply appreciate each of you.
Some years ago an older man was telling me a story about clearing land in west Texas, which mostly involved removing rocks. He and his brother were both young men and were helping their father get a large section of their ranch cleaned up. He said that this particular section was filled with all sizes of stones (as much of the land is out there), and the first day he and his brother immediately ran to the largest boulder there and began pushing and prying, trying to move it down to where their father wanted the rocks piled. His father just ignored them and went about his business. The two boys worked themselves until they were exhausted but were unable to even budge that boulder. Finally they went to their father and admitted their failure.
The man told me that his father laughed and told them, "I was wondering how long it would take you boys to wear yourselves out."
Then he proceeded to have them start moving the smaller rocks first, and only after these were completely cleared away did he have them go back to moving the boulder. They were amazed how much easier it was to roll away once the smaller rocks were cleared from under and around it!
The Lord often seems to deal with our sin in the same manner. The big hard places in our hearts - the glaring sins that we would so much like immediately removed - He often ignores for a time, dealing instead with those smaller ones that we may not even notice. But it isn't that He is condoning the big ones, it is that in His wisdom He knows which ones must be dealt with first before tackling the obvious "boulders". I believe He does this out of His great Love for us: each sin, each hard place in our heart - no matter how small - that is cleared allows a little more of His Light to shine there. And each success we have builds up our faith a little more, so that by the time He is ready to remove the big things, we have enough faith and enough Light that we also are able to handle it.
This is my experience at least, and as I see Him currently breaking up and pushing away this particular boulder of sin in my own heart I too am amazed at how smoothly He is accomplishing the task! Over the years, I have exhausted myself so many times trying to get rid of that thing (smoking cigarettes), and failed every single time. Yet by doing what He says, and concentrating only on staying close to Him, I am seeing that stronghold just crumble away to nothing! He is so wonderful!
My prayer is that each of us continue to trust Him in how He is working in our own lives; as the "Beginning and Completion of our faith", the wisdom of God found in Jesus - and His timing - is truly sufficient for all that He desires to perform in us.
LeastOne
More than I can ever express, each one of you whom the Lord leads to grow spiritually from these writings are a true blessing to me - especially those who respond so encouragingly. As always, I deeply appreciate each of you.
Some years ago an older man was telling me a story about clearing land in west Texas, which mostly involved removing rocks. He and his brother were both young men and were helping their father get a large section of their ranch cleaned up. He said that this particular section was filled with all sizes of stones (as much of the land is out there), and the first day he and his brother immediately ran to the largest boulder there and began pushing and prying, trying to move it down to where their father wanted the rocks piled. His father just ignored them and went about his business. The two boys worked themselves until they were exhausted but were unable to even budge that boulder. Finally they went to their father and admitted their failure.
The man told me that his father laughed and told them, "I was wondering how long it would take you boys to wear yourselves out."
Then he proceeded to have them start moving the smaller rocks first, and only after these were completely cleared away did he have them go back to moving the boulder. They were amazed how much easier it was to roll away once the smaller rocks were cleared from under and around it!
The Lord often seems to deal with our sin in the same manner. The big hard places in our hearts - the glaring sins that we would so much like immediately removed - He often ignores for a time, dealing instead with those smaller ones that we may not even notice. But it isn't that He is condoning the big ones, it is that in His wisdom He knows which ones must be dealt with first before tackling the obvious "boulders". I believe He does this out of His great Love for us: each sin, each hard place in our heart - no matter how small - that is cleared allows a little more of His Light to shine there. And each success we have builds up our faith a little more, so that by the time He is ready to remove the big things, we have enough faith and enough Light that we also are able to handle it.
This is my experience at least, and as I see Him currently breaking up and pushing away this particular boulder of sin in my own heart I too am amazed at how smoothly He is accomplishing the task! Over the years, I have exhausted myself so many times trying to get rid of that thing (smoking cigarettes), and failed every single time. Yet by doing what He says, and concentrating only on staying close to Him, I am seeing that stronghold just crumble away to nothing! He is so wonderful!
My prayer is that each of us continue to trust Him in how He is working in our own lives; as the "Beginning and Completion of our faith", the wisdom of God found in Jesus - and His timing - is truly sufficient for all that He desires to perform in us.
LeastOne
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Yesterday I went before the Father in prayer to ask for the healing of a friend's partner who was sick. It was imperative that they were in good health, not only for the obvious reasons, but because they were going through some important things in their life that REQUIRED them to be well. And so I prayed, and asked the Father from my heart to please, make things well for the couple, and the Lord answered positively.
Just as I was giving thanks to the Lord He suddenly directed my thoughts to something that I hadn't thought about in a long while. I was being reminded of one of the first times I ever prayed. I was in the presence of the Most High, literally smiling at him, and letting my spirit show it's love for Him. I never asked for anything, I was just blissful in His company and in His love.
I had been too caught up in prayer, asking for things to make my life better, to make other people's lives better, to make me stronger and other people stronger, that I'd neglected to show the Father that I loved him!
Of course He knows it, it's in my heart, but He also likes to be told it!
As the Lord reminds me of this, I in turn do His will to remind you, in case there is anybody who like me, that sometimes it's good to just pray, and show the Father that you love Him.
In Christ,
Pseud.
Just as I was giving thanks to the Lord He suddenly directed my thoughts to something that I hadn't thought about in a long while. I was being reminded of one of the first times I ever prayed. I was in the presence of the Most High, literally smiling at him, and letting my spirit show it's love for Him. I never asked for anything, I was just blissful in His company and in His love.
I had been too caught up in prayer, asking for things to make my life better, to make other people's lives better, to make me stronger and other people stronger, that I'd neglected to show the Father that I loved him!
Of course He knows it, it's in my heart, but He also likes to be told it!
As the Lord reminds me of this, I in turn do His will to remind you, in case there is anybody who like me, that sometimes it's good to just pray, and show the Father that you love Him.
In Christ,
Pseud.
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God's voice is so easily recognized in your spirit. Your life has been used and is being used to bring forth that voice.
My wife and I have been going through similar circumstances you are experiencing with God.
I didn't know how much deeper it would go but after reading your posts I know that there is much more for us to do and to know and to become.
God bless you,
On another day (when I'm not dealing with a trial of fire like I am right now) I will try to add to this post.
Just to let you know that I am right there with you in the spirit--you are my brother--my kinsman. I have been looking for other kindred spirits for a few years now--it is good to find you.
My wife and I have been going through similar circumstances you are experiencing with God.
I didn't know how much deeper it would go but after reading your posts I know that there is much more for us to do and to know and to become.
God bless you,
On another day (when I'm not dealing with a trial of fire like I am right now) I will try to add to this post.
Just to let you know that I am right there with you in the spirit--you are my brother--my kinsman. I have been looking for other kindred spirits for a few years now--it is good to find you.
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Hi Saints:
May God richly bless you all for your encouragement and mostly for your continued seeking to be made "blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." I am so blessed by each one of you in my spirit and inspired by you in my own spiritual growth in Christ.
Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness..."
I have noticed that each time in my life that the Lord seems to be calling me closer to Him - to a deeper spiritual experience in Him - for a time it appears as if He backs off, and I struggle for awhile to find His Presence again in my life. It is not the same as when I have offended Him somehow, as in "quenching His Spirit", when it feels as if He turns His back on me (for unfortunately I have also experienced that to my shame and dismay.) Rather, this is more that He is there and I know it, but He is just keeping quiet.
Driving home from work yesterday, as I was praying I was wondering about this in my heart and a mental picture came to me of a father teaching his small child to walk. I could see the man squatting down, holding out his arms, encouraging the child to take those first few steps. And I could see the baby, standing and swaying shakily with his little arms flinging about trying to maintain his balance. Both father and child were smiling and I couldn't help smiling to myself as well as I watched the child take that first wobbly step. And each time he fell his father was there, keeping him from being badly hurt, but putting him back on his feet to try again.
As I quietly thanked the Lord for what He was saying in this encouraging little "vision" I found myself thinking over my own past and the many times when I felt separated from Him, and I saw another picture in my mind of a wavy line with a straight line running through it; the curves of the wavy line were broader at one end but gradually narrowed down to a much tighter pattern at the other end, as if it was "tuning in" or honing down to match the straight line. Again, I immediately understood: this was a graphic representation of my own spiritual progress. At the beginning of my Christian life, it would take me many months to find my way back to Him, but gradually - as He has worked within and upon me - He has been changing me to become more and more in His likeness, so that I too will one day walk with Him along that straight line of our Father's perfect Will. I am not there yet, but the wavy lines are getting smaller and smaller, praise God!
And this is the same for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ: you who are sincerely seeking Him and, as a result, are experiencing trials in your life; you who are being purged and purified as in a refiner's fire, and who may be wondering where the Lord is at this time.
As He cleanses and purifies His Bride, that she may be "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish", He is always right there with her. And He is always right there with each of you as He scrapes and burns away all that is not of Him. He is teaching each of us to stand and to walk and to live "in the Light as He is in the Light". And though we do suffer for a little while, to be found in Him - to be as He is - is worth all of that and more.
May you keep your focus upon Jesus always!
LeastOne
May God richly bless you all for your encouragement and mostly for your continued seeking to be made "blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." I am so blessed by each one of you in my spirit and inspired by you in my own spiritual growth in Christ.
Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness..."
I have noticed that each time in my life that the Lord seems to be calling me closer to Him - to a deeper spiritual experience in Him - for a time it appears as if He backs off, and I struggle for awhile to find His Presence again in my life. It is not the same as when I have offended Him somehow, as in "quenching His Spirit", when it feels as if He turns His back on me (for unfortunately I have also experienced that to my shame and dismay.) Rather, this is more that He is there and I know it, but He is just keeping quiet.
Driving home from work yesterday, as I was praying I was wondering about this in my heart and a mental picture came to me of a father teaching his small child to walk. I could see the man squatting down, holding out his arms, encouraging the child to take those first few steps. And I could see the baby, standing and swaying shakily with his little arms flinging about trying to maintain his balance. Both father and child were smiling and I couldn't help smiling to myself as well as I watched the child take that first wobbly step. And each time he fell his father was there, keeping him from being badly hurt, but putting him back on his feet to try again.
As I quietly thanked the Lord for what He was saying in this encouraging little "vision" I found myself thinking over my own past and the many times when I felt separated from Him, and I saw another picture in my mind of a wavy line with a straight line running through it; the curves of the wavy line were broader at one end but gradually narrowed down to a much tighter pattern at the other end, as if it was "tuning in" or honing down to match the straight line. Again, I immediately understood: this was a graphic representation of my own spiritual progress. At the beginning of my Christian life, it would take me many months to find my way back to Him, but gradually - as He has worked within and upon me - He has been changing me to become more and more in His likeness, so that I too will one day walk with Him along that straight line of our Father's perfect Will. I am not there yet, but the wavy lines are getting smaller and smaller, praise God!
And this is the same for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ: you who are sincerely seeking Him and, as a result, are experiencing trials in your life; you who are being purged and purified as in a refiner's fire, and who may be wondering where the Lord is at this time.
As He cleanses and purifies His Bride, that she may be "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish", He is always right there with her. And He is always right there with each of you as He scrapes and burns away all that is not of Him. He is teaching each of us to stand and to walk and to live "in the Light as He is in the Light". And though we do suffer for a little while, to be found in Him - to be as He is - is worth all of that and more.
May you keep your focus upon Jesus always!
LeastOne
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Hello leastone,
I just wanted to thank you for sharing all that you have posted. You really have a way with words and a good understanding of the Lord. I hope you are doing well.
God Bless you.
Mirth
I just wanted to thank you for sharing all that you have posted. You really have a way with words and a good understanding of the Lord. I hope you are doing well.
God Bless you.
Mirth
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Hey Leastone,
I've read through your posts, and the one about Satan's lies really touched me. I've been really depressed lately, and I tried to cut myself. But luckily I didn't do it hard/deep enough to draw blood, just little scrapes that went away. But I've been feeling like there's no one that really loves me, that God doesn't love me, that He's disgusted with me. *sigh* But that post helped me to realize that God does love me, even when it doesn't feel like it, and that I need to start talking to God more and focusing on Him.
I've read through your posts, and the one about Satan's lies really touched me. I've been really depressed lately, and I tried to cut myself. But luckily I didn't do it hard/deep enough to draw blood, just little scrapes that went away. But I've been feeling like there's no one that really loves me, that God doesn't love me, that He's disgusted with me. *sigh* But that post helped me to realize that God does love me, even when it doesn't feel like it, and that I need to start talking to God more and focusing on Him.
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Hi Saints:
Mirth, thank you for your kind words; I am doing well - just allowing the Lord to "have His way with me" - continuing to learn and grow in Him as He leads me.
Godschild, your message touched me this morning, and the Lord has prompted me to share an incident that I pray will be a blessing to you and to others that may be experiencing similar events in their lives.
First, I confess my ignorance in knowing what the spirit realm is really about; I once thought I knew something about it, but as I have grown in the Lord I realize that I actually know very little - really only what He has been gracious enough to reveal to me (which is the only true knowledge anyway.) One thing He has told me is that the enemy somehow knows those who are called to be Children of Light; he knows our destinies even before we are born, so he attempts to defeat us at every turn - beginning long before we ourselves are ever aware of that destiny. And he seems to really attack those whom God has called to do something for Him in their lives.
As I said I don't claim to really understand this but I do believe it to be true, because of my own experiences as well as various biographies I have read of other Christians. One man greatly used of God was afraid to walk over any bridge because the urge to jump off would come upon him so strongly! Another man who taught many of God's love for them struggled with thoughts of suicide nearly every night of his life.
Once I was with a Bible study group listening to a tape of a man describing how the enemy had tried to kill him many times during his life. As we all listened, the Lord began giving me a "vision" of my own life; showing me the many times Satan had tried to destroy me, starting with my own birth (which I apparently barely survived). Some of the earlier incidents I did not know about were later confirmed by my parents, while others I remembered but just did not ever realize their significance. When I came out of this vision, the tape was long over, and everyone was staring at me, knowing that something was going on because I was sitting there with tears streaming down my face - totally oblivious to my surroundings!
Godschild (and whoever else this speaks to), the point is this: it is crucial to remember that the enemy is a liar. As god of this realm he has access to our flesh - our minds and feelings, the nature we inherit from Adam - and can bring all kinds of pressures upon us in the attempt to deceive us into accepting those thoughts and feelings as our own. I too struggled with depression for many years, never knowing that it was just a big lie brought on by that big liar. I too fought self-destructive urges for many years, again never realizing that they were also just a big lie. And I too felt totally unloved through much of my life; feeling that I didn't matter and meant nothing to anyone, especially God. Again though, these were all just big lies, aimed at me by the enemy solely to defeat God's purpose for my life. As the "accuser of the brethren", he is the one constantly whispering his lies in your ears, telling you how unworthy and how worthless you are; since he is a liar however, you can rest assured that the more he does this, the more certain the opposite Truth really is.
The Lord has patiently taught me how completely unreliable my feelings are - they vary day to day even now - but how totally reliable His Word is. We can know absolutely that He loves us, because He says so in His Word and God does not lie! He sent Jesus to die in our place...just because He loves us! He tells us that nothing - absolutely nothing - can separate us from the love He has for us in Christ Jesus! God has elevated His Word above all things - even His own Name - therefore we can depend upon that Word always and forever. As His Word, Jesus is truly "the same yesterday, today and forever".
Child of God - wherever you are at this very moment, no matter what you may be feeling - Jesus truly and deeply loves even you! He is not disgusted with you ever; to Him you are His dear one, the very one for whom He lay down His own life. And as you keep seeking Him, and keep believing His Truth rather than the lie of the enemy, His Life, His Spirit will grow in you day by day. And I am witness that as this happens you will really and truly begin to realize His great and wonderful Love for even you!
LeastOne
Mirth, thank you for your kind words; I am doing well - just allowing the Lord to "have His way with me" - continuing to learn and grow in Him as He leads me.
Godschild, your message touched me this morning, and the Lord has prompted me to share an incident that I pray will be a blessing to you and to others that may be experiencing similar events in their lives.
First, I confess my ignorance in knowing what the spirit realm is really about; I once thought I knew something about it, but as I have grown in the Lord I realize that I actually know very little - really only what He has been gracious enough to reveal to me (which is the only true knowledge anyway.) One thing He has told me is that the enemy somehow knows those who are called to be Children of Light; he knows our destinies even before we are born, so he attempts to defeat us at every turn - beginning long before we ourselves are ever aware of that destiny. And he seems to really attack those whom God has called to do something for Him in their lives.
As I said I don't claim to really understand this but I do believe it to be true, because of my own experiences as well as various biographies I have read of other Christians. One man greatly used of God was afraid to walk over any bridge because the urge to jump off would come upon him so strongly! Another man who taught many of God's love for them struggled with thoughts of suicide nearly every night of his life.
Once I was with a Bible study group listening to a tape of a man describing how the enemy had tried to kill him many times during his life. As we all listened, the Lord began giving me a "vision" of my own life; showing me the many times Satan had tried to destroy me, starting with my own birth (which I apparently barely survived). Some of the earlier incidents I did not know about were later confirmed by my parents, while others I remembered but just did not ever realize their significance. When I came out of this vision, the tape was long over, and everyone was staring at me, knowing that something was going on because I was sitting there with tears streaming down my face - totally oblivious to my surroundings!
Godschild (and whoever else this speaks to), the point is this: it is crucial to remember that the enemy is a liar. As god of this realm he has access to our flesh - our minds and feelings, the nature we inherit from Adam - and can bring all kinds of pressures upon us in the attempt to deceive us into accepting those thoughts and feelings as our own. I too struggled with depression for many years, never knowing that it was just a big lie brought on by that big liar. I too fought self-destructive urges for many years, again never realizing that they were also just a big lie. And I too felt totally unloved through much of my life; feeling that I didn't matter and meant nothing to anyone, especially God. Again though, these were all just big lies, aimed at me by the enemy solely to defeat God's purpose for my life. As the "accuser of the brethren", he is the one constantly whispering his lies in your ears, telling you how unworthy and how worthless you are; since he is a liar however, you can rest assured that the more he does this, the more certain the opposite Truth really is.
The Lord has patiently taught me how completely unreliable my feelings are - they vary day to day even now - but how totally reliable His Word is. We can know absolutely that He loves us, because He says so in His Word and God does not lie! He sent Jesus to die in our place...just because He loves us! He tells us that nothing - absolutely nothing - can separate us from the love He has for us in Christ Jesus! God has elevated His Word above all things - even His own Name - therefore we can depend upon that Word always and forever. As His Word, Jesus is truly "the same yesterday, today and forever".
Child of God - wherever you are at this very moment, no matter what you may be feeling - Jesus truly and deeply loves even you! He is not disgusted with you ever; to Him you are His dear one, the very one for whom He lay down His own life. And as you keep seeking Him, and keep believing His Truth rather than the lie of the enemy, His Life, His Spirit will grow in you day by day. And I am witness that as this happens you will really and truly begin to realize His great and wonderful Love for even you!
LeastOne
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Thank you for sharing this with us. I am so eager to learn more about walking with God and growing in my faith. Thanks again!!
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