Mind-Binding Spirits: Chapter 6

Simple6

:devil: Bound?:devil: Bound! :devil: Bound?

:devil: Bound in fear?

What if......God is really not real?
What if.....this is all make believe?
Maybe I am not good enough.
What if all I believe is really a lie?
How do I know this is really true?


:devil: Bound by doubt?

Can I really do this?
What if nothing changes?
It hasn't worked before, why will it work now?
God didn't step in for me before, why would He now?
God lets me suffer. It was so much easier before I started this study.

:devil: Bound by expectation?

Why is this so hard? This is too hard. I can't do it!
I don't want to do it.
nobody understands me, if they only knew how hard I have it.
why is everyone doing so good and I am struggling so?
Why does she get it so easy and I don"t?

:devil: Bound by significance?

Everyone seems to do better than me.
Why does God speak to her and not me?
No one could love me if they really knew me.
I am awful
I fail all the time.
I am a failure.

:devil: Bound by approval

What will my family think?
What will my friends think?
Why didn't she respond to me?
No one really likes me.

:devil: Bound by unmet needs

No one has ever loved me
I have never had enough anything
I am never enough
God is not enough
I know God can but will He?

:devil: Bound by lack of knowledge

I can't
I can't
I don't know
I don't understand
I don't get it.


JESUS CAME TO SET US FREE!
NO MORE BOUNDS!

John 8:36
So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.



Dearest Ones,

Oh how the enemy of our soul is active and aggressive. His fiery darts consist of thoughts we feel are justified by our emotions and supported by our past experiences. If we feel it, then it must be true. Our experiences have proven it. News flash: experience is not our God! Why does it feel like it is?

This is not God's original plan for us. The minute Eve gave into the serpent, she give up her authority to operate submitted to God, to her emotions, to what she could understand. So mankind became a emotional, mind ruled society. The problem is that we were not created to be our own gods. We were created to worship Him. It took the blood of Jesus to restore order to us. His blood restored the authority and order that we are to submit to. God and Him alone. However, we have to learn how to operate in that. We are used to operating by what we think, what we feel and what we know about ourselves and our situations, instead of what we feel about God, what we think about God and what we understand about Him. We went from God focus to self focused. Now we are learning how to be God focused again. Talk about a long, involved process. It is, but He enables us to do it.

This week's chapter is all about recognizing that there is a battle coming against us. Sometimes it is coming through places that we have left opened and vulnerable and sometimes it is Satan. When we are in the thick of the battle and we cry for help, God always answers. No matter which of these is accurate or even if both are accurate God's plan is for us to overcome. Often the hard part is to find the right position for us to receive....but even this we trust the Lord with. Joyce was doing all that she knew to honor and obey God and the enemy attacked. God wanted her to learn a new strategy to graduate into a new realm of authority. God always teaches us to war. He always works all things to our good.

My Beloved Sisters, you may feel that your situation is worst beyond worst. I don't doubt in any way that is so hard. Yet, your God is good and His plan for you is for good. This is the absolute truth! So, decide to believe that only good can come out of these moments. Ask God for the strategy to overcome the devil. Ask Him to be the Lord of this situation. Decide that you will see the goodness of God in this situation. Decide that you will not bow down to your emotions, your opinions, your fears, that you will allow God to rule in this situation.


Joyce writes:

"As Christians, we need to learn to decide to believe. God often gives us faith (a product of the Spirit) for things that our minds just can't always seem to come into agreement with. The mind wants to understand everything-the why, the when, and the how of it all. Often, when that understanding is not given by God, the mind refuses to believe what it cannot understand.

It frequently happens that a believer knows something in his heart (his inner man), but his mind wars against it.

I had decided long before to believe what the Word says, and to believe the Rhema (the revealed Word) that God gave me(the things He spoke to me or the promises He gave personally), even if I didn't understand why, when, or how it would come to pass in the my life. "

We need to decided to believe too. There is always only one plan that God has for us....IT IS TO OVERCOME. Every trial we walk through, through every loss, through every heart ache, through every abuse His absolute plan for us for good! His Good! Jesus overcame everything. Yet, he was rejected, scorned, disrespected, and even put to death. Still He had the victory! Jesus believed what God said, He would do. So when the heat of trial came to Him, Jesus was able to endure because HE believed. We too, must decide to believe. That no matter what we feel, what we see, what we hear or what is told us, we are going to believe God. Our God never fails and always completes His work, which is a good work in you and I.


Father,

I just hold up my sisters to you. You are the God of freedom! You are the God who sets free. I thank you, that my sisters and I walk in the freedom that you have given us. That the spirits of confusion, doubt, unbelief and self hatred are broken by the blood of your son, Jesus. By faith, I believe that we are growing in your word and in understanding You. That the work of the enemy is stopped and derailed. That you, Lord work all these situations for our good. That we are women taught of the Lord. Lord, we ask you to reveal that battle strategy you have for us to overcome. We choose You, Lord, We choose to believe in You with all our hearts, with all our minds and with all our souls. We ask You to reign in our lives. We ask you to reign in these situations. Lord, we submit our emotions and thoughts to you. Help us process them. Help us to recognize when we are operating in a place of bondage and to repent and receive your grace for operating in faith and freedom. We acknowledge and allow this thought to reign in our thinking....God's plan for us is for good, so only good can come out of this. Father, help us to recognize your good, in each of these situations. In Jesus Name, Amen

milove1029

Jennie you are doing a superb job in keeping the bible study! After reading Chapter 6 and then reading what you have written Jennie this is what came into my spirit!
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
No matter what negativity we are feeling, no matter what obstacle appears to be in front of us! FIRST seek the Kingdom of God!

Simple6

Jennie you are doing a superb job in keeping the bible study! After reading Chapter 6 and then reading what you have written Jennie this is what came into my spirit!
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
No matter what negativity we are feeling, no matter what obstacle appears to be in front of us! FIRST seek the Kingdom of God!

Gwen,

How God is using you. Just this week I had an opportunity to rethink how this study is going. This scripture is the one that started my whole journey on MFP. Thank you for sharing it with me. It confirmed my heart with this study. Your words also affirmed me. I wish to honor God and thank Him for keeping me on track for teaching me how to go on. God used you to minister to my heart. Your exhortation for us all to First seek the kingdom of God is so good. It reminded me of something I read in a book this week.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Matt 6:9-10
The will of God is simply this: "On earth as it is in heaven." Isn't that basic? Isn't it refreshing? When we pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done," We are praying for the King's dominion and will to be realized right here, right now. That is a life-transforming, paradigm-shattering way to "do" normal Christianity. God has not kept His desire secret: He wants the reality of heaven---joy, peace, wisdom, health, wholeness, and all the other good promises we read about in the Bible should be free to operate here on this planet, in your home, your church, your business, and your school. What is not free to operate there, sickness, disease, spiritual bondage, and sin-should not be free to operate here, period. " Bill Johnson~The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind.

Seeking first His kingdom is the best way.

I really needed to hear this today. Thank you sharing.

milove1029

Good Morning Donna, you also have been so wonderful in the support to this bible study and I read your words last night and I awaken this morning and while not even on this site, words came into my spirit and the words was "You can not buy love" then I had to apply this to God's Holy Word and we have to know that we can not "work" our way to heaven, that is why we need a Savior. Jesus Christ is our Savior and he died in our place. We need a Savior because all our good works still fall short of the Glory of God.

We are saved by Grace not by keeping the law. . Grace is a gift that can not be earned by good deeds.

Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

With that said Donna speak the truth for God's Glory, what you have learned and now feel praise God and let everyone hear it, just do not beat up on yourself. We are saved by God's grace he sent his only begotten Son; He without sin, to save us with sin.

Jennie yes that is my favorite prayer, our father, I ask God to come with his kingdom and hear my prayers, come and intercede for us so that we can preach the kingdom of God to all. The second coming of Jesus Christ will not be until all of the world have heard the Kingdom of God.

Thank You my sisters for bearing with me being gone from this study. Love you all this beautiful Sunday morning.

milove1029

Please excuse my typos!:blushing:

milove1029

It should have been all of the world have heard! I think that is the worse one! The others is further up! lol

Simple6

My Dearest Friend, DonnaLynn,

How agonizing are these moments. How my heart feels your pain and frustration for I have known this kind of heart ache. The scripture says in Proverbs 13:12 (MSG) "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around." Your heart is sick. Sick of hoping and seeing no change. Sick of hanging on with all your strength and feeling like it is to no avail. I so identify with you in feeling like I would rather be quiet and still and out of the radar of the missiles. How my heart is weeping over the pain of this for you. I am seeking the Lord over how to encourage you and love you. You are not alone. I care very deeply for you and think very highly of you.

I want to remind you that God is the healer! Your sick heart is not so sick that He can't heal it. He is the God of hope. Hope heals a heart sick with unrelenting disappointment. Your heart is so discouraged because you can only see what you are not. Let me share with you what you are.

You are DonnaLynn, who feels broken and shattered, battered and bruised and angry. That is how you see yourself. He sees you as His most beloved one. The one who is worth the cost of His son's blood. He sees you as worthy of this cost. Nothing you do changes His view. Jesus's blood puts you in right standing with Him. You see yourself as a failure and bad but that is not how He sees you. He sees you as DonnaLynn, healed, whole, healthy and at peace. Furthermore, you stand before Him blameless and irreproachable, totally reconciled to Him. (Col 1:22) There is nothing separating you from Him. This pain makes you feel separated. Your behavior makes you feel separated but NOTHING can separate you from Him and His love. He is standing right there with you. He is standing there in love and compassion, not judgement and condemnation. He is not disappointed in you. He already knows what is in you. He knows. He is not shocked by this behavior or you.

Jeremiah 31:3 (AMP)

3 The Lord appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.

Beloved, God loves you with an everlasting love.......how are you loving yourself? You are being so harsh with yourself. I know that you would never treat me with such harshness, yet here you are beating yourself up. You, who are His beloved are DonnaLynn bashing. This does not honor God or honor you. It hurts you and keeps you in a place of defeat. Often the place of defeat feels comfortable because we have lived there so long. It is familiar but not safe. It is the kindness of God that draws us to repentance.(Romans 2:4). Yet, in this situation you have only shown yourself harshness and contempt. God wants to show you kindness but you only want......what? Penance for wrong done? He wants to give you grace for this moment and hope for the future. You want to give yourself shame and condemnation for this moment. Chose Him! Ask Him to help you chose Him. Ask and you will receive.

Then there is the fact that you feel so overwhelmed by all you think is required. You can trust God with yourself. He will help you. Help you to know what to do and when to do it. He is not standing there checking off your list of to dos. He is not saying, "Oh look DonnaLynn only prayed two minutes today, read her word three and forgiven 1 and half times. So we need to withhold our goodness from her till she comes up to measure." Jesus died the most agonizing death ever, so that we would no longer have to live under the demand of the law. That demand leads to death. His grace leads to life. To Him, you already measure up. He wants you alive and whole, not dead and crushed under the weight of the law.

You are working out your salvation. Meaning you are learning what it means to depend on God. Screaming and yelling and cursing and whatever else is part of the process of learning. Those things don't work, but you only know that if you experience it. It is how you were trained to respond. It is what you know. However, you are learning a new way. Hebrews 10:20(ERV) We enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way that leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. This takes time, this takes lots of time. Your emotions are very strong and God created them that way. Your emotions are full grown hurt, frustration, anger and fear, your new way is infantile. The good news is that it won't always be infantile. He is growing you in it. The balance will soon change and you will overcome.

Victory is uncomfortable when all you have know all your life is defeat. Yet, even in this God will make a way. He created you for DonnaLynn victory, not Elijah or David victory. You are His own personal brand of DonnaLynn victory. He will show you what that looks like. He will reveal what you need to know. You are becoming more than a conqueror. How hard is that to grasp when you feel so conquered? Yet that is what He is doing in you. David killed Goliath but he still had to face Goliath's brothers and over come them. There are always going to be giants in the Promise-land. That is just fine, because God always gives us the power to overcome.

I am reading a book right now that is really helping me with this. I think it might help you too. Here is a portion of it.

You know the story of Jacob and Laban? Jacob made a deal with Laban that he would work for the spotted and speckled sheep and goats. Jacob proceeded to place carved branches that resemble spots and speckles at their watering hole. There the sheep and goats came to drink and mate. Soon they were producing spotted and speckled offspring. We are the sheep of His pasture. The watering hole is a place of reflection , which means both gazing at something and meditating on it. Meditation involves our imagination. If we feed our imagination with thoughts of what we don't want to become and drink the well of regret, we reproduce that very thing in ourselves. It doesn't matter what we want to reproduce. It is only important what we imagine while we are thinking and drinking at the watering hole of our imagination.

This principle is also illustrated in the creation of man. The Bible says we were created in God's image. In other words, what God imagined, we became. Proverbs says, 'For as a man thinks in His heart, so is he"(Proverbs 23:7). Our imagination is a very powerful part of our being. We tend to reproduce what we feast our thoughts on.

We spend much of our lives reacting to what we don't want to be instead of responding to the call of God in our lives. We waste a lot of energy trying not to be something. In order to not be something, I have to keep it in front of me so I can avoid it. The crazy thing is that I reproduce what I imagine. If I see what I don't want to be all the time, then that is exactly what I will reproduce. " Kris Vallotton

DonnaLynn, this is what is happening in your life and mine. We want so bad to do right and honor God that we try really hard. We make our list of what we are supposed to do and inadvertently highlight all the wrongs we are doing. Because they are highlighted they stand out and become our focus. That is what is being reproduced in our lives. Our imaginations become filled with all that we do wrong. The good thing about this, is that our imaginations work very well. Look at how well we reproduce failure. Just think how excellent it would be to reproduce His life and His ways? We just need a slight adjustment in focus. Eyes on Him and not on ourselves. If our eyes are on Him then we will begin to reproduce Him. We already know our imaginations work. Now, we just need to look at Him.

Father,

Please help, DonnaLynn. Hold her as she faces this trial. Sustain her in the moments of despair and disappointment. Be her place of refuge and her high tower. Help her to see you through this storm and run to you. Even if it requires her to walk on water. Help her to readjust her focus so she can reproduce you in her life. Encourage her. You approve and love her. Give her peace in her walk with you. Help her to know Your love so she may learn how to love herself and others. Help her to hear your approval and acceptance. Stop her ears from only hearing judgment and condemnation. Show her worth and value. Give her a revelation of how you think of her. Heal her heart. Fill those empty places. Help her to make you her source. You always supply all her needs. You never fail. Help her to take courage. In Jesus Name, Amen

I love you. I love that you are human and learning just like me. Together we will be taught of the Lord and we will overcome by His power.

TamaraGraceS

The quiet sister here. I read all you write and try to absorb it all. i learn so much from you all. I loved this book and am thankful to be apart of this study and your lives :flowerforyou: Love and respect Tamara

meemeejones

I don't think it's Donna --I think it's being human.

We hear the Gospel and are set afire by Its Message.

We listen and learn about a strange Kingdom with no boundaries and no end. We yearn to see it, and we faint for longing to be there....a place different than this place of tears and sorrows where things are wrong. We are distracted with thoughts about the Place where things are Right.

I only know one remedy. The writer of Hebrews stated it: "Fix your eyes on Jesus....He started this and He will finish it".

It was just Donna's turn to feel the seering heat of everything sin: the fallenenss of down here, the inability of the redeemed --EVEN THE REDEEMED!--- to live out the commandments.

Romans 7: my chapter! the Chapter for all of us failures! " ....what I don't want to do, that's exactly what I do; what I WANT to do, I don't do it..... OH, wretched person that I am!!! WHO can help someone like me???" ( ..gotta go to end of Ch7 and begin of Ch 8 to get the answer that desparate question!!)

So can we let it sink in deeply that the problem is being human? Yes, The Lord has prepared "a Way that we should walk in it"...
but, NO, none of us walk in that Way all that well...(thank you, Lord.). Donna loves Christ. That is the Way He has prepared that we should walk in it

---

not performance.

This week it may be my turn to twist and groan in the anguishes of being a sinner in a sinful race! No human behavior should shock us----not even the behavior of the redeemed of Christ!

"How long!!??", asked the martyrs in Revelation 6. "How long until You make all of this right?", they cried out. "How long??"

...if you look carefully, you can see the Lord's Wonderful answer the next verse down from the outcry: "not long".

right2b

In life what is it that you choose to seed?
Is it to sow love? Or is it sow hate?
In a little while if in secret was it cast- shall show what prize or scorn.
I have heard it told that by God’s light- heavenly filters act to weed and
Then by miracle on the ‘morn wakes
And find the beauty of the Rose has bloomed -
Amongst the brier’s thorns.
Awake to find God’s true light
Has shone down to dance on the
Fertile heart that tender love has sown a seed.
Wait patiently o’soul of mine the prize
That sure to last. The everlasting love within
The Perfect bloom
God’s Rose.


My Heavenly Father...I thank you today that you tend to each of us as your perfect bloom because You grow nothing less. Amen.

meemeejones

Beautiful.

right2b

Unbelief
Misery
Sluggish
Losing the vision
Beyond decision
Free
Peaceful
Full of life
Progressive provisioning
During my days of freedom (lol), my single group at church had a progressive party. I was asked to help coordinate this event. I went all out…even had balloon palm trees made for the house we started with the dinner. Have you gone to one of these types of parties? The purpose is a mixer and really kind of fun. At the time, there was someone who was interest in me…and of course…there was someone else who had a long, long standing crush on him…before I ever started in the group. The proverbial triangle…except, I really was seeking God…and Christian friends…not a mate. But…I did like him.
I made some fabulous items too…pineapple boats and some very special ethnic dishes to keep with the “Island” theme. All evening we (him & I) hung out from house to house. Progressing….until we were at the last stop. This was at a barista shop that belonged to one of the people in our single group. There was a contest/game we had planned for the nights’ entertainment and the winner would be announced here during desert & coffee. So, we had music, singing and on open mic set up on a platform for everyone to participate. It was a blast! But something in my heart kept nudging me all night…I think it had started a little before but I shook it off as stress.
So, when it came time for me to announce the winners…I took the entries and excused myself to the backroom. By this time, the gentle nudge was pounding in my heart like a tiffany drum. I remember standing there…stunned by what had just been dropped in my spirit. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. My first inclination was to rebuke every evil spirit known to torment mankind. I peeked out one eye as if to validate my prayer…so, I reached in the basket of names and pulled out the first…my heart still pounding! “Lord”…I said under my breath…opened the piece of paper and read the name. I sighed with relief and smiled but before I reached for the next name…I felt impressed to pray. One word came in my mind. “Lord” I said…my eyes full of tears by this point…I choose the second name. I slowly walked out to the platform and announced the winners. My knees were knocking and my voice trembled as I said the names. I remember the looks on the faces of my friends and the two people. I gave the prize to both…a dinner date.

That set back my faith walk. But my family and close friends never left me alone to get too depressed. But I battled this mind-binding spirit during a short span. Our minds do want to understand everything. Especially, matters of the heart. When God does not answer the way we think He should…our hope is dashed or that’s how we feel. Oh…I mopped about for weeks…I retracted from most of the single activities because I just didn’t want to deal with it. I had given two people a chance to fall in love…what was I thinking!!! I was regretful, miserable and a sluggard…in private, of course. At church…all smiles.
As hard as it was- I knew this was the right thing in my heart and that I had to obey the Spirit, but my thoughts of regret made me soooo miserable. I told myself to snap out of it, get a grip and move on! So, I did…with the help of my best friend and niece.
Well, you say…how did it all end? The couple from the progressive party ended up getting married. (Yes…I intentionally drew her name…and yes, it was my date that night.) Who could have known a few months later…I met the guy who would fall in love with me and buy me dinner for LIFE! Oh…and the word the Lord whispered in my spirit at the party? RELEASE! “Release…my daughter.”
Okay…hopefully my anonymity will stay intact, either way it’s all good.

ccadroz93

Shopgal,That is such a beautiful story about you and your husband! I love it! I was just telling my nephew that if we are meant to be with someone we will be and it doesn't matter what we do in the mean time....when I first met Teddy I heard,"you're gonna marry this guy" it was immediatly followed by, "ya, right! He lives 2000 miles away from you!" I met him in Pennsylvania. I lived at the time in Texas. I ended up getting married to someone else and Teddy and I were pen pals. When I found out my husband had a girl friend that was 8 months pregnant and Teddy's girl friend had broken up with him on Valentine's Day he and I would talk on the phone for hours about everything and how we never were going to date again EVER. Turns out we didn't ever date again. After about 6 months of phone and letters I moved to Pennsylvania and Teddy and I got married!! Giggle giggle:bigsmile:

Anyway, this weeks chapter was great even though it was so short, but it was so full of great tools! I posted in the earlier chapter of all the things the Lord has seen fit to relieve me of, but this mind stuff is just that- its in my mind!! All my addictions have been physical things I could put down, but I can't just "put down" my mind so that is where my battles rage. I think it is pretty cool how the Lord has just revealed that to me as I was typing this...."I have taken all the other away first so it would be clear this is where your true battles always started." WOW!!! What a revelation!! And it is so true what Joyce is saying...all my addictions and my acting out on them started in my mind as a way to control how I was feeling about something or someone or some situation that I was in.:laugh: I have to laugh, because it just popped in my head!! God loves me soooo much and he is so merciful to have taken things away one at a time until he got me to here-in this bible study-in a safe environment with other sisters to reveal yet another hurtle in my walk with Him!!

I was asked to share this one tool that I have been using during this study. Before I start reading the chapter I have been going through the workbook and writing down all the verse references in the margins so I have them right there. Then as I read through the chapter and go to answer the questions I have them convenient. I find it helps me stay more focused. I'm sure you can tell by how I write that I am pretty scattered....quick, look! There's a chicken!!....Just kidding, really, it helps me. Did anyone else notice that James 1:4 was in this chapter? Joyce also used that in Chapter 4 when we were talking about discouragement- "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything." I am so thrilled that scripture is beginning to become more familiar! How exhilerating to realize that my conversations with Him are beginning to stick!!

So anyway....my mind is a board room with a white board and many different personalities that seem to always want to talk at the same time when I am in a quandry about something or when, heck, I am just sitting down to watch tv!! There are the committee members that say, "what would God want you to do here" and then there are the butt-holes that say,"you don't need to do that, just look what you have filed back here under this category...that will fix it!" So many times I will listen to that guy and pull something out of the memory bank that has been filed for months or years and bring it to the front to help me get to where I want to be. ( In the beginning of this study I mentioned I was going to be relating everything towards my physical intimacy with my husband) Soooo, that being said, now that the Lord has revealed to me that He took everything else away so I could see that it all starts in my mind, it is only fitting that my memory banks be challenged with what is stored there. And, just like with the physical things, they CAN BE MANAGED BY GOD!!! This chapter talked about how as believers we made a choice to believe when our minds so often want things explained and to understand. It is no different than the physical although I thought it was! I get to make a decision to turn my thoughts and all the images in my memory banks over to God. In doing that I can be more free to be with only Teddy in my mind, heart and body, which in turn is going to bring me closer to God!! I have no clue if that makes sense to any of you, but the important thing is I feel the Lord has shown this to me! WOW!! Makes me feel all giddy!!:bigsmile:

So what do I do now that I am up and finished this weeks chapter?? I am going back to bed to sleep this cold off some more!!

My love to you all on this glorious day sickiness from Texas!!
Christine

right2b

Christina:
It amazes me when I hear the stories of how couples met and married. God is amazing…isn’t He! Marriage is not a cake walk. More like a smorgasbord. It’s better if you don’t serve burnt food…but sometimes the heat in the kitchen can get away from you…and well, things are not so good. It takes care, good preparing and a watchful eye to the recipes. No one likes things underdone or half baked, either. So…marriage takes balance on both sides. We are individuals connected by a vow. Make allowance for creativity…it’s the spice of life!
:bigsmile:

right2b

Aww, thank you Bev, I'm glad you liked it. :blushing:

Simple6

In life what is it that you choose to seed?
Is it to sow love? Or is it sow hate?
In a little while if in secret was it cast- shall show what prize or scorn.
I have heard it told that by God’s light- heavenly filters act to weed and
Then by miracle on the ‘morn wakes
And find the beauty of the Rose has bloomed -
Amongst the brier’s thorns.
Awake to find God’s true light
Has shone down to dance on the
Fertile heart that tender love has sown a seed.
Wait patiently o’soul of mine the prize
That sure to last. The everlasting love within
The Perfect bloom
God’s Rose.


My Heavenly Father...I thank you today that you tend to each of us as your perfect bloom because You grow nothing less. Amen.

I love this expression of your heart and your prayer is exactly blooming perfectly in my heart.

Simple6

That set back my faith walk. But my family and close friends never left me alone to get too depressed. But I battled this mind-binding spirit during a short span. Our minds do want to understand everything. Especially, matters of the heart. When God does not answer the way we think He should…our hope is dashed or that’s how we feel. Oh…I mopped about for weeks…I retracted from most of the single activities because I just didn’t want to deal with it. I had given two people a chance to fall in love…what was I thinking!!! I was regretful, miserable and a sluggard…in private, of course. At church…all smiles.
As hard as it was- I knew this was the right thing in my heart and that I had to obey the Spirit, but my thoughts of regret made me soooo miserable. I told myself to snap out of it, get a grip and move on! So, I did…with the help of my best friend and niece.
Well, you say…how did it all end? The couple from the progressive party ended up getting married. (Yes…I intentionally drew her name…and yes, it was my date that night.) Who could have known a few months later…I met the guy who would fall in love with me and buy me dinner for LIFE! Oh…and the word the Lord whispered in my spirit at the party? RELEASE! “Release…my daughter.”
Okay…hopefully my anonymity will stay intact, either way it’s all good.

Awww....Zoey, what a perfect example of facing, feeling, processing and overcoming. I love how God helped you to obey and then He blessed your obedience by giving you the man of your heart. You are so right, that often, when our minds don't understand, our emotions run ramped. Obedience was sacrifice for you and that sacrifice was a sweet smelling fragrance to the Lord. It is even producing to this moment. That is very cool.

Simple6

So anyway....my mind is a board room with a white board and many different personalities that seem to always want to talk at the same time when I am in a quandry about something or when, heck, I am just sitting down to watch tv!! There are the committee members that say, "what would God want you to do here" and then there are the butt-holes that say,"you don't need to do that, just look what you have filed back here under this category...that will fix it!" So many times I will listen to that guy and pull something out of the memory bank that has been filed for months or years and bring it to the front to help me get to where I want to be. ( In the beginning of this study I mentioned I was going to be relating everything towards my physical intimacy with my husband) Soooo, that being said, now that the Lord has revealed to me that He took everything else away so I could see that it all starts in my mind, it is only fitting that my memory banks be challenged with what is stored there. And, just like with the physical things, they CAN BE MANAGED BY GOD!!! This chapter talked about how as believers we made a choice to believe when our minds so often want things explained and to understand. It is no different than the physical although I thought it was! I get to make a decision to turn my thoughts and all the images in my memory banks over to God. In doing that I can be more free to be with only Teddy in my mind, heart and body, which in turn is going to bring me closer to God!! I have no clue if that makes sense to any of you, but the important thing is I feel the Lord has shown this to me! WOW!! Makes me feel all giddy!!:bigsmile:

Dearest Christine,

How you bless my heart. I love what God is revealing to you. It is touching my heart. I especially love this" I get to make a decision to turn my thoughts and all the images in my memory banks over to God. In doing that I can be more free to be with only Teddy in my mind, heart and body, which in turn is going to bring me closer to God!!" This is the truth. God's Truth, that He has to reveal to you so that you can walk in it.. YUM! His truth is so delicious and nutritious.

As I read your post, specifically this, "Soooo, that being said, now that the Lord has revealed to me that He took everything else away so I could see that it all starts in my mind, it is only fitting that my memory banks be challenged with what is stored there. And, just like with the physical things, they CAN BE MANAGED BY GOD!!! This chapter talked about how as believers we made a choice to believe when our minds so often want things explained and to understand. It is no different than the physical although I thought it was! I get to make a decision to turn my thoughts and all the images in my memory banks over to God." Amen! This confirms what I am learning from a book I am reading. Please permit me to share

FORGIVENESS REWRITES OUR HISTORY

"Whenever we review the events of our lives apart from the blood of Jesus, we subject ourselves to the influence of the spirit of deception. In reality, my sinful past no longer exists. The Lamb of God purchased it with a payment in blood, forever removing my sins from the records of Heaven. The atoning blood of Jesus covers my sin, never to be uncovered again. Sin's power to destroy us is itself destroyed by a superior reality: Forgiveness

The devil keeps records of our past. Yet those records are powerless without our agreement. He is the accuser of the brethren, but Jesus is our defender. We make an agreement with the accuser whenever we look at our past apart from the blood. When agree with the devil, we empower him. When he is empowered, he devours.

On the other hand, agreeing with God empowers us, it frees us from the power of a lie and enables us to live according to the will of God. This empowerment is not independent of God; it is empowerment because of God. When we agree with God we step into the power of truth, the momentum of the Cross. The truth is already in our favor because King Jesus died in our place. Our agreement with God, which is always the focus and activity of faith, enables us to reap the fruit of truth. And that fruit is freedom. Faith grows by agreeing with God from the heart.

Religion rubs our noses in the past to keep us humble. Reviewing the sinfulness of our past in order to become humble is a perversion. It actually creates shame; shame is a poor counterfeit of humility. Shame is the fruit of humiliation that works against the truth. To maintain consciousness of our sinful past to help us become more humble is the cruelty of a religious spirit; it requires us to keep something in our minds that isn't in God's. In reality, it is much more humbling to live in the liberty of unearned forgiveness. When we are forgiven, the King gives us permission to live as though we had never sinned.

Living in forgiveness does not mean we are to forget our past. Rather, seeing my past through the blood of Jesus brings praise to my lips and frees me from the burden of a guilty heart. Jesus will be known throughout eternity as the Lamb of God; so we will always remember that it was the provision of the spotless Lamb that obtained eternal redemption for us." Bill Johnson.

Nothing in our memory banks it too great for His blood! As I look at my memory banks through His blood, my focus changes from how awful I screwed up and how awful I am , to how great is the God who forgives me and restores me. I decide to believe God's version of my past. With that focus change comes complete peace and a new wholeness. Christine, thank you for reminding me of this.

Simple6

Bev

Yes, Oh yes! He is helping me to fix my eyes on Him. No wondering eyes for me, and no wondering thoughts. Only focus on my Beloved, Who is beautiful to behold. He is so lovely in you.

right2b

...Christine...sorry I misspelled your name. :blushing:

Simple6

My Lovely Tamara

So wonderful to share this journey with you. Our God is such an excellent teacher.