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Stand

8/22/2017

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness."--Ephesians 6:13-14(KJV)

Stand: Strong's G2476-histemi: to stand, set, or establish. To uphold or make firm; stand immovable; continue safe and sound, to stand ready or prepared; of quality--one who does not hesitate or waiver

One of my favorite flowers is the gladiolus; it is a beautiful picture of what it means to stand. This hardy African perennial plant is known for is strength and ability to thrive in almost any yard; it can be planted almost anywhere in the garden. Its erect sword shaped leaves, spikes, and vibrantly colored blooms make them the focal point of a landscape.

Similar to the gladiolus, we, as the children of God are designed to stand in any terrain. We have the ability to thrive in any soil (family) or landscape (community) in which we are planted. As the seed of the word of God is implanted in our hearts at the moment of salvation, our spirit grows. Allow the word of God to grow in your heart! The word of God is alive, quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)! The seed of the word planted deeply in the soil of hearts enables us stand in any situation. Even if we think we have forgotten the word, the Holy Spirit will bring it back to our remembrance because God is for us! He really does want us to stand and thrive and progress through life (and all of its challenges) with joy and peace.

Consider these truths of the Scriptures that your heart may be seeded with the word thereby enabling you to stand:

Genesis 1:26--As children of God, we were created in his image and likeness. We reflect his beauty, strength, and faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23--It is of the LORD's mercies we are not consumed. His compassion never fails--they are new every morning. Great is the LORD's faithfulness.
Matthew 5:14--Wherever we go, we are the light of the world
Psalm 8:5--Arrayed in different colors, we are the flower of his workmanship. We have been crowned with his glory and honor. He ahs made everything beautiful in his time.
Isaiah 40:8--The word of God stands forever

Shared by our guest blogger, Patricia A. Marriott

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Why God?

8/11/2017

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"You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head."
--Psalm 139:5 (NLT)

I have had people share their stories of trauma, abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Invariably, one of the first questions they ask is, "Why did God let this happen to me?" It's an honest question. It's an appropriate question. When we are hurt and wounded--we are riddled with questions. It's human nature to attempt to make sense out of chaos and distress when our world feels out of control. We look for someone to blame, some sort of rationale or reason why things happen.

In my work with children and youth who were abused, molested, abandoned, or born addicted to drugs or alcohol--my heart would break. I often asked the very same question so many ask, "Why, God? This is an innocent child. He/she did not ask to be here."

I'm not sure I have a simple answer; perhaps these questions are best suited for individual wrestling and grappling with the Lord in prayer, as Jacob did in Genesis 32:26. However, may I offer some points to consider?

Man's Free Will
We know from Genesis 2:7 that when God breathed into the nostrils of man, man became a living soul. Man was given a mind, will, and emotions. These are gifts from God. Every human being has been given a free will. We are not puppets or robots. We have been given the capacity to think, act, and make choices and decisions freely. Yet, it doesn't always mean we do or say the right thing or make the right choices all of the time. In Genesis 6:6, we learn that when God saw the wickedness of man it broke his heart.

The Omnipresence of God
In Psalm 139, David beautifully pens the truth of God's word--he is always with us. Even in the darkest, most abysmal place we are never sans the presence of God. He the reality of his presence is what gives us the grace and strength to overcome the most horrific of circumstances. No one knew this better than David. He was overlooked by his father Jesse (I Samuel 16). He spent most of his time alone and isolated tending to his father's sheep (I Samuel 16:19). As a young lad, he fought off a lion and a bear to protect the sheep in which he was entrusted (I Samuel 17:34). His brother, Eliab, looked down on him (I Samuel 17:28). Saul grew to hate him and wanted him dead (I Samuel 18). His wife, Michal, verbalized her disgust at his unseemly dance of victory
(2 Samuel 6:16-20). And, his very own son, Absalom, usurped his throne (2 Samuel 15). Throughout a lifetime of drama, David maintains that God is with him.

Healing Comes with Pursuing
Each of us must resolve to take our deep "Why?" questions to the eternal, omniscient, omnipresent God (Psalm 42:7). He is the only one equipped to answer in a way that brings healing and wellness to our souls. Even in our state of unrest, anger, and inner turmoil we can experience healing is possible.

Read about my "Why?" question in the article, "Angry with God".
Click on the link below.

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Overcoming an Orphan Spirit

8/4/2017

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"You see, you have not received a spirit that returns you to slavery, so you have nothing to fear. The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God’s own family. That’s why we call out to Him, “Abba! Father!” as we would address a loving daddy."--Romans 8:15(VOICE)

We know that a spirit is a mindset, an attitude, a disposition or an influence that governs the way a person thinks, perceives, interacts, or relates with/to people, situations, or environments. We also know that an orphan is a child without parents. So what exactly is an "orphan spirit" and how does one who may be struggling with this spirit overcome it?

I spent many years working as an in-home counselor. I often worked with children in foster care who were without parents for any number of reasons--death, abandonment, permanent removal from the home, etc. It was not uncommon to observe children struggling with serious challenges like Attachment Disorders, hoarding behaviors, hypervigilance, night terrors, as well as fear and anxiety. Despite being placed in loving, nurturing homes (many with adoptions pending) because of a traumatic history, these little ones had great difficulty adjusting to their new family and acclimating in an environment foreign to them.

That's in a natural sense. What about in the spiritual sense? What does an orphan spirit look like? What is its genesis?

We all have a basic need to feel loved and accepted. It's human nature. When these fundamental and foundational needs go unmet, especially early in life we are predisposed to the orphan spirit. Some of the symptoms of an orphan spirit are:

Feelings of rejection
Abandonment issues
Resentment
Envy
Insecurity
Lack of identity
Lack of purpose; feeling directionless
Deep rooted anger
Difficulty building lasting, whole relationships
Unmet longings and brokenness
Feeling vulnerable and unprotected
Feeling unloved, unwanted--a "sub-par" person
Comparing self to others
Covetous
Never satisfied
The need to be a "one-upper"
Wandering/nomadic personality
Feeling vulnerable and unprotected
Never feeling "settled" or having "roots"

This type of spirit is rooted in a lie created by the enemy to thwart our relationship with our Heavenly Father. If not addressed, it will cause breeches that leave many spiritually crippled and maimed because the One person who can bring healing and redemption, is the One that we are resistant to turn to because we have been conditioned to feel that we are an island. A lone wolf of sorts with no recourse but to "go it alone".

Many things happen in our lives that leave us reeling--feeling alone and broken. Yet, the word of God says that nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:31-35). The way in which to move into a place of wholeness, health, and healing from the orphan spirit is to go to our Father. It is to believe, by faith, that no matter what my experience is or has been, I am not a spiritual orphan. It is to take every symptom before a loving, compassionate Father in prayer. The more time we spend pursuing Him, the more the orphan spirit is dismantled. It will lose its power, grip, and energy in our lives. We must be purposeful and diligent in not relinquishing or determination or will to this spirit/mindset. It is FALSE. This spirit or mindset is relentless in its pursuit to hold the CHILDREN of God in bondage.

The Good News is we are no longer in bondage! We have been spiritually adopted and welcomed into the family of God. All we have to do is receive that TRUTH by faith. It may take some time to embrace this truth as reality, so be patient. When thoughts that are contrary to what God is speaking in
Romans 8 pop up, arrest them with the word of God. Encourage yourself with the word! "I am loved of my Father God!" "God loves me with an everlasting love!" "Jesus died on the cross for me to bring me into a relationship with my Abba Father (Daddy)!

Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I confess that I have been struggling with an orphan spirit. I decree that you are my Father and I am your child. I pray that you would increase my faith that I would be empowered to receive the truth of your word. I thank you for lifting and removing every false belief and lie that has obstructed my relationship with you. I pray that I would receive your love, care, and acceptance. Amen, and so be it according to your word!

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Stand

Why God?

Overcoming an Orphan Spirit

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