2 posts tagged “lord jesus”
Well, I believe that the Lord is mixing things up a bit in my world yet again. For the last five or more years I have dealt with an illness that I don't know what it is. It will go away for a while, and then come back with a vengence. I continue to pray for healing because I know that the Lord still heals today -- I am an example of that due to the fact that He has healed so many areas of my life since coming back to Christ in September 2004.
So the new change is He has prompted me to quit my job, stay home, and get well. The doctors continue to test me for various things, and I see yet another specialist in June. They continue to talk along the lines of an auto immune disease. Interestingly enough, the Lord brought into my life a wonderful woman about a year ago who is a Christian, used to be a pastor (now does worship at her church), and has lived with Lupus for 12 years. Our symptoms mirror each other. When Joe and I realized that maybe I needed to quit we began to seek the Lord in that direction one weekend, and I had lunch with her on a Monday and she began saying all of the same things that we had just gotten done praying -- quitting my job, staying home, and getting well. Interesting how the Lord brings along a confirmation when we are not quite sure.
One of the things that the Lord has done in my heart through this is brought me JOY. I have a JOY during the midst of trials and pain that I've never had before. I have a love like I'd never had before. It is amazing. One night I had a particularly hard night, and got up early before anyone else and was in tremendous pain. I got up and spend the morning with the Lord, in the Word, and realized that I had this tremendous joy. I thought at that time that if I have this JOY and this love, then I can deal with this junk going on in my body. Really truly. If this is the fruit of suffering, then I will eat it! I'm serious.
Now, some people may think I'm crazy and not understand, but hey when has anything that the Lord has asked me to do made sense or when have most people understood. That has never stopped me before.
So here's the thing, I know that the Lord has something up His sleeve next for me, and He's not going to leave me in this condition forever -- and if He chose to, you know what? I'll praise Him even then. You know, some people would say that that is a statement of lack of faith -- not it's not. It is a statement as to a great deal of trust for the One Who created me. He has my life in His hands, and I trust Him with everything that is in me.
God has called us to love Him with all our heart, soul and mind, and love our neighbor as ourself. So I am doing my best to listen to His instruction, and pray for His will to be done in my life.
You know, when the disciples were with Jesus, they asked Him to teach them how to pray. It's very simple. "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory forever, Amen."
It's quite simple. It's not a magic formula. It's that simple. Start there.
Mark 3:22 “And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He [Jesus] is possessed by Beelzebub ! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."
I am finally laughing right now – you see, I am a threat to the devil because the Lord did an amazing work in me on Sunday, and now he’s "honked off". I give God all the glory. I had someone tell me that the stuff I am going through (sickness in my body) is basically because of a demon, and that it just needs to come out. You’re saying I’m demon possessed? Are you joking? Seriously. I do not believe a Christian can be demon possessed, and I’ll tell you why. When I said that simple prayer and invited Jesus into my life, He became ruler over my life and came into my heart. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I don’t believe that the two could reside together in my body. Come on!
Matthew 12:29 “ “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.”
I am listing these things not to brag on me, but to brag on the Lord. He was the One who chose to use me this week. I include these to encourage you to be obedient when He asks you to do something. I Cor. 1:31 “Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
You see, on Monday the Lord allowed me to minister to a homeless woman, and gave her a word from the Lord – I knew it was right on because she began crying right then and there. On that same Monday, went to a meeting with the senior pastor and elders of our new church, witnessed to them with my testimony and got prayed for for healing, and they (and we) also began praying that the Lord would show Joe and I what our part is at our new church.
On Tuesday, same homeless woman, now says something that lets me know she is a Believer! Wednesday the Lord allowed me to pray with a clerk in one of the local stores after she told me her dog was ill and in critical condition, and may not make it. I asked her if I could pray for her. Praise God, when I talked to her today, the dog is doing better! On Wednesday I also got an invite to a new group in Snohomish County of Christian legal professionals!!
Thursday, I was in the doctor's office getting checked in for my MRI, and the woman checking me in begins having a heart attack. They immediately called 911, and then I immediately called my 911. Jesus Christ! I asked her if I could come around and pray for her. She let me, and I felt the Lord totally move. There were many people in that office today (15-20), and the Lord did a work! I believe through that witness of Jesus people will come to know the Lord. By the time the paramedics got there her pain had diminished almost completely. Also, my step-daughter had been witnessing to a young man about Jesus, and he was at youth group Thursday night!
Today (Friday), the local clerk tells me that now she and her husband are now praying! Dog is still holding on, but not fully better yet. Praise the Lord! I told her I would continue to pray for little Susie the dog.
Don’t tell me I’m demon possessed because here’s the thing, the Lord is using me. If I was demon possessed the Lord would not use me the way He has chosen to this last week after my spiritual breakthrough. The Pharisees of that day said that Jesus was demon possessed, so I am encouraged that I am more like Jesus now. The devil meant to use this comment as a tool to discourage and stop me. I am using it to propel me!
No, my body is not cooperating in complete healing just yet, but here’s the thing, I wouldn’t have been at that doctor’s office if my body was completely healed now would I? Paul had a thorn in his flesh (God says “my grace is sufficient for you”). Jesus was crucified (God’s will). John the Baptist was beheaded. Paul was eventually beheaded, after being shipwrecked, imprisoned, etc. Peter was crucified (and here’s the thing with THAT, he (Peter) knew that he would be crucified because Jesus told him – also God’s will)!
Don’t ever discount anything that you do for the Lord because it is a seed that is planted, and the Lord is the one who waters it. And don’t let anyone discourage you or stop you from moving forward into all that God has for you or wants you to do.
When I heard that comment I was upset to say the least, and it started to make me want to draw back because my thought was “what if I am demon possessed, I don’t want to get that on someone else.” Then the Lord started showing me these things. So, thank you Jesus for using me this week – I give YOU all the glory forever and ever amen!
Oh, so why am I telling you this? I’ll tell ya, because the same thing may happen to you someday and I want you to be encouraged, and not give up on Jesus because He says He will never leave us nor forsake us. As to the person who said this, I have forgiven, I still love them, and want to thank them! Why? Because I have now grown about a foot more in the Lord this week! So I pray the Lord blesses the person who is saying this about me because I believe they just know not what they do.
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” My life is so FULL today!
http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-demon-possessed.html -- or another good one http://www.letusreason.org/Pent24.htm for more information on whether a Christian can be demon possessed. What do you think? Can we? Or can't we? My vote is no.
