WHEN HE LIES HE SPEAKS HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE
FOR HE IS A LIAR
AND THE FATHER OF LIES
JOHN GIVES US REPEATED WARNINGS ABOUT OUR ENEMY
ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTI-CHRIST.
WE MUST BE ALERT TO HIS LIES, AND THEN, AS REBECCA SAID
“SMACK HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH THE TRUTH!”
We often fail to be alert, to realize that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with powers, with principalities, with the prince of darkness.
How clearly I remember a night when our boys were little and we had invited our new neighbors in Seattle over for dinner.
J. R. was looking at our guests and piped up, as only a child would:
“Do you guys love Jesus?”
The silence was awkward.
“Oh, oh — do you love the devil?”
We laughed, thankful for the comic relief. Then the man said:
“Well, little man, are those our only choices?”
I can’t remember how we recouped the moment, or if we did, but I do remember thinking, Yes — those are the only two camps. We’re either in the realm of darkness or the realm of light.
The spirit of the anti-Christ is everywhere. At the close of 1 John, he tells us “the whole world is is under the power of the evil one.” John gives us many “signs” to be alert to the spirit of the anti-Christ, and he also tells us the ultimate lie in 1 John 2:22 when he says:
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
Kenneth Wuest, in Word Studies of the New Testament, explains that the word Jesus means “Jehovah saves,” and Christ means “anointed one, Messiah.” Therefore this denial is a denial of who Jesus is and of the atoning work on the cross He came to accomplish.
Early in my speaking ministry I was asked to speak at a retreat in my state for women ministers from a mainline denomination that I knew to be very liberal in its theology. My book, The Friendships of Women, had just been released and I think the retreat coordinators felt that friendship would be a light and “safe” topic, one that would not delve into the atoning work of Christ or His literal resurrection, neither of which they embraced. I accepted the invitation and prayed and prepared earnestly. It seemed an opportunity to share the gospel and its power within the framework of friendship.
When I arrived Friday afternoon they welcomed me. A fire blazed in the dining room of the lodge and we sat at tables eating pizza and answering light get-acquainted questions the coordinators had put at our places. We were laughing. The ice was broken.
But I was only about fifteen minutes into my first talk when the ice returned. The talk began well when I opened with how my closest friends and I had had a heated argument right in the middle of my writing The Friendships of Women. I told them we were talking about how to be good mothers, a dangerous topic, and we disagreed. We were full of pride and not careful with our tongues. One by one my friends left in tears. The women were attentive.
The ice began to form when I told them how God led us to forgive one another. None of us wanted to, but when we got alone before God He reminded us of how much we had been forgiven, and of the price Christ paid on the cross for us. How could we not forgive one another?
Eyes began to avert and papers began to rustle. The temperature dropped. The gospel is either the fragrance of life if you embrace it, or the stench of death if you resist it.
Afterwards, the plan was for women to stay up and play games. The retreat coordinator approached me and told me I didn’t need to stay. She also told me firmly that she wanted me to stay with the topic of friendship.
I went back to my room, prayed, and called my husband, telling him of the icy response. He promised to pray for me the next morning while I spoke.
That next morning I spoke about the friendship of Ruth and Naomi. I felt compelled to also show them how hidden in the book of Ruth was Boaz, a Christ figure who paid a ransom for Ruth. I told them the gospel is everywhere, from Genesis to Revelation, and it also turns up in every biblical friendship. I thought if they could just see how it is woven everywhere, it would open their eyes. But they didn’t want to listen. They began to turn to one another, muting me with their whispers.
Afterwards, I sat at the book table, but only a few browsed, and no one bought books. At lunch I was ushered to a table where I sat alone. I decided to pick up my tray and join a group of women, but as soon as I did, their talking ceased. I asked them to tell me about themselves, but they didn’t. One woman asked me why I was so dressed up, since this was a camp. Another asked me icily where I had learned to speak. I wanted to cry, I wanted to run.
I went back to my room and called my husband again, this time in tears. He listened empathetically and he prayed for me. Before we hung up, he quoted Peter to me:
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the home that in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.
1 Peter 3:13-16
“I’ll pray for you while you are speaking, honey.”
In my final session, I opened with my testimony, thinking that even if they didn’t believe the Bible, that this might persuade them. I told them how selfish and spoiled I had been – how difficult I was as a wife, how frustrated as a mother. I couldn’t see that the problem was my sin. I didn’t understand that the hunger in my soul was for God. It wasn’t until my sister came and shared the gospel and the dramatic claims of Christ that I began to see and to fear the Lord, which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom. And it wasn’t until I surrendered to Him that I had the power of transformation in my life.
It was very quiet. Many were looking at their shoes.
Then I turned to the topic of friendship again, using Mary and Elizabeth and their excitement over being part of God’s plan to bring the Savior into the world.
Afterwards the retreat coordinator expressed her disappointment to me. She told me again I had not stayed with the topic of friendship as requested. She also told me I had been insensitive to use only biblical women who struggled with infertility as my models, for many there struggled with infertility. Though I recognized that as a fiery dart from the enemy, it still tore at my heart.
Never was I so eager to leave a retreat. I packed up my unsold books, carried them to my car, and drove home weeping. I had experienced a fraction of the pain that many of the prophets experienced every day all through their lives, and I didn’t like it. As far as I could see, the retreat had been a bust. I wept for the women themselves, for the sheep they were leading astray, and for my failure to break through.
I was so eager to get to Steve, to let him hold me and help me process the weekend. He reminded me that I had been faithful, and that was all God asks. He reminded me the women had a vested interest in not believing, for it’s hard to admit you have been leading whole congregations astray. He also reminded me that I didn’t know what might happen — there might have been someone listening, and with God nothing was impossible. When Ezekiel was his most discouraged, God showed him a valley of dry bones that came to life!
Steve and I didn’t talk in terms of idolatry, though I see it clearly now. If they embraced the gospel, they could lose their jobs, they would have to admit they had done severe damage, and they would lose one another’s approval. For those women, every idol was threatened: comfort, approval, and security. And I am sure the enemy was there, for he had a lot to lose. He was whispering his ancient lies, that God would not be enough for them.
But it isn’t just unbelievers who are lured and blinded. It is a battle every Christian faces every day.
A DAILY BATTLE
The difference for us is that we are in a battle we cannot lose, though we certainly stumble and fall along the way. Rebecca has told us of her fears of giving up over-eating at night. She wasn’t sure she could handle the pain. She wasn’t sure God would be there for her. But when she did move out in faith, He was there. What happens, and you are going to see this, is that victory leads to victory, because we see the lie more quickly, and we trust God’s faithfulness as we remember His faithfulness in the past. For example, Rebecca shared last week that she had made a mistake at work and didn’t want to own it. But she saw her idol of approval and went and confessed to her boss. This time she wasn’t as vulnerable to the enemy, because God had been there for her with her comfort idol, so she was able to trust He would be there for her approval idol. She smacked the serpent over the head with the sledgehammer of truth and he went slithering out.
Likewise, I so appreciated Kim’s testimony last week, of how God is helping her look at her sin in a new way — not that she could lose her salvation, as her old church taught, but that it could keep her enslaved to idolatry, and she wants to be free. The truth can slam the enemy on the head, and that is what we must do!
Anne made herself vulnerable and prayed so honestly and vulnerably for the walls to come down in her marriage. I loved what she wrote near the end of the week about God pulling up the bitter root in her and her relying on the Spirit. She said she had HOPE.
Susan gave a wonderful testimony (which I will repeat in full in an upcoming post) of how seeing her idol is giving her more victory in the way she responds to her husband. Then others, including Joyce and Laura-dancer, encouraged by her vulnerability, shared they struggle in similar ways and asked for prayer.
Elizabeth saw a turning point with her daughter as she felt led to share the parable of the sower with her, and her daughter wept. Tears are such a sign of life! Though she says this will be a lifelong journey, she has HOPE.
Meg is experiencing victory with her besetting sin and praying she will care about the things the Father cares about.
Angela, though she is often laid low by Lyme’s disease, wrote of how she often is experiencing intimacy with the Lord in those times, seeing something new in Scripture, feeling flip flops in her heart. She shared a painful story of cruelty to her daughter, but also of responding in grace.
I almost waited to post Terri’s testimony below because she’s having a busy week — but when I reread it, and saw she has gone through the deep waters many of you are going through, I felt I should — for she could be a powerful mentor IN BOTH MARRIAGE AND MOTHERING. (Consider her wonderful daughter Stacy!)
So God is on the move!
SO TAKE THAT, YOU OLD DEVIL!
Because we are children of the light, let’s walk in the light. We are in a battle we cannot lose.
ICE-BREAKER AND REVIEW (Sunday-Monday)
(DOWNLOAD THE FREE SERMON NOW — YOU DON’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO IT YET, BUT YOU’LL HAVE IT READY IF YOU HAVE TIME. HERE’S THE LINK
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.)
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy?
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
BIBLE STUDY (MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)
I realize this could be a frightening study, but it can be a powerful prayer guide. Our only two offensive tools against the enemy are the Word and a prayer of faith — so combine them and find power! Last week I finally got around to reading Philip Yancey’s book on prayer and it has revitalized my prayer life, which is my area of accountability. The enemy hates prayer, especially prayer that uses God’s Word.
So let’s go after the father of lies.
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23? If you have someone you love who believes this lie, pray for him or her, using 1 Timothy 2:25-26. Paul prays that “God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
6. John gives lots of red flags that let you know the spirit of the antichrist has a hold on someone. If you see these flags in yourself, then repent and move into the light. If you the flag in someone you love, pray for him. Find each flag:
A. 1 John 2:4
B. 1 John 2:9
C. 1 John 2:15
D. 1 John 2:19
E. 1 John 3:10
F. 1 John 4:2-3 (Keller discusses this so we’ll come back to it in the sermon part.)
G. 1 John 4:5
7. How does John encourage us in 1 John 4:4? Have you been able to slam the enemy with God’s truth this week? If so, share and encourage us!
8. Watch this video from the publisher of Kisses from Katie and find some ways she overcame the lies of the enemy with the truth: Link
SERMON (THURSDAY-FRIDAY)
9. WHAT COMMON LIE DOES KELLER TACKLE AND HOW DOES HE SLAM THE ENEMY WITH THE TRUTH?
10. KELLER TALKS ABOUT DENYING THAT CHRIST CAME IN THE FLESH. HE SAYS CHRISTIANITY, UNLIKE MANY OTHER RELIGIONS, DOES NOT TELL US TO ESCAPE THE FLESH BUT REFORM IT. GIVE AN EXAMPLE — CHOOSE SEX, FOOD, HALLOWEEN, OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE! (Some would say Halloween cannot be reformed for it was never from God, no Christian origins, but I think there are ways to overcome its spirit. I have an opinion on this and may share it if you are interested, but neither do I want to rabbit trail here.)
SATURDAY
11. HOW CAN YOU AFFIRM TERRI IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY?
12. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE-A-WAY AND WHY?
GETTING TO KNOW OUR BLOGGERS! TERRI!
I’ve been so glad to have Terri with us — I sensed her maturity right away, and felt a kindred spirit because of her prison ministry. I also was impressed with her daughter, and we have so many younger moms on this blog who could be blessed by her mentoring. This week she has two sisters with her, so she may not respond a lot til later. She had more pictures and I had trouble technically with them, but we might be able to get them on during the week. Note how she writes below that God has used her marriage to help her mature. What a good word!
Here’s Terri:
I was a teenager when God began speaking to me through the messages I heard at my youth group and church. God through the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin and I received the forgiveness of my sins and the assurance of eternal life. The support I received from my pastor and my youth leaders were instrumental in my spiritual formation.
I married my best friend who I met in church when I was 18. After he finished seminary, he served as a pastor, in for a total of 19 years in two churches. I loved being a pastor’s wife and having the opportunities to minister , especially to youth and to the women he brought into our lives.
My spiritual gifts are hospitality and helps/serving- and most of my life I have served as a youth leader in youth groups in the churches I have been in. On my day off you will find me in the kitchen cooking or baking –often with my grandkids, or in my vegetable garden. I love to have people into our home to share food, fellowship and games. Scrabble is a family favorite and Dawn and I have some friendly competition going on when we get together!
I have 2 sons and 2 daughters age 23-33 and two daughters in law, one son in law and 7 of the most precious grandchildren on earth—age 18 months-8 years / I work 4 days a week and Friday is Grandma day, and I watch the two grandkids that live with us.
Some of my greatest challenges in my life have been control and anger. My husband and I are polar opposite personalities. I have a pretty big personality and I am quite strong and opinionated. My idols have been affirmation and control, and God has often used my marriage to reveal areas of sin in my heart. I have been a slow learner but thankfully I have a godly devoted husband who loves me and even in the tough times, affirmed his covenant to God for a lifetime together. A lesser man would have left me years ago.
God has used these online Bible studies to challenge me and I jumped in at a time when I was not connected to a local church. The honesty of the women on the blog has been such a blessing to me and God has challenged me and keeps showing me how to walk closer to him. The most significant thing to me has been Speaking truth to my soul and dialoguing with God to work through an area of struggle instead of trying to legalistically conform to what I know is the truth. I want God to make it a change of heart not just a change of behavior.
This is Stacy and me
392 comments
just a quick prayer request. My sister Susan is planning to come to church and the SS school class that my husband and I are teaching about love and relationships. I am praying that the blinders would be removed from her eyes and she would be able to see the truth as our pastor speaks it this morning.
Terri, Will be praying for you!
Yes — yes — will pray! Exciting.
Father, I lift up Susan to You. Thank You that she is coming to church and SS! May You woo her, may You break down her defenses, may the people be loving to her, may the Word be clear and not return void, may there be sensitivity on the part of people with whom she interacts.
In Jesus Name
And Terri — if you e-mail me those other pictures, I’ll get them on with David’s help. They were corrupted it said — and that’s beyond me — but David said if you e-mail them to me or him we’ll get them up.
Got those darling grandchildren Gabi and Jake in — and you — you are lovely!
Terri, Yes we will be praying! I wanted to encourage you-I loved your testimony and sensed what Dee said about you-yes you are lovely indeed!
Lord, I ask that you would pierce Susan’s heart with your light-Lord break down her defenses, and we ask that you would open her eyes to your deep love for her-and cause her to long for you. Lord thank you that she is going to Sunday School too! Open her eyes also to the love among the brothers and sisters there-your mark Lord-and quicken their hearts to love Susan as well. In Jesus name.
Praying! How exciting! Cannot wait to hear what God does. Though sometimes we cannot know right away.
Dee, your retreat story brought me to tears-such cruelty from Satan too, yet so powerful how Jesus Christ shined through Steve to hit Satan with the truth to bring you comfort and strength. Loved the quotes from everyone, God is on the move here so I agree-take that satan, God is indeed on the move here!
Terri, I am off to church, but wanted to quickly tell you I join in the prayers for your sister Susan! I am so drawn to your warmth Terri–I have always sensed your wisdom and maturity, so thankful you are here. I only got to glance at the story so far, but my eyes fells on “Scrabble” (my husband and I play nightly, a favorite between us since we were 16!), so when I saw those words, I thought ahhh…how we would love to sit down and play with you two! I’m sure your husband is a man with such wisdom too.
Blessings and I’ll keep you all in my prayers this morning!
Elizabeth, I found an old scrabble game in our closet as I was cleaning and throwing out old games the other day-I thought of you all here who enjoy it so much-I saved it so I could learn how to play. I think it will be fun to play with my family. 😉
Also thank you all so much for your prayers last week too for my daughter and me and the situation…I appreciate it and you all so much. You all bless me so. I have not been commenting alot but been trying to read and pray over comments.
1. What stood out to you from the above and why? Well the retreat! WOW! We exp. a small portion of that at a church but man the retreat was ice cold. But your strength in Him continuing anyway, I must trust God did use it somehow. Also, reading each of the ladies stories then seeing the hammer brought tears to my eyes. It is a choice. We chose to praise Him anyway, resist the evil one, etc. Any victory he gets is temporary anyway. I love to slam the hammer down. Today my legs are not working right so we are home from church. Yet this is my song – No matter what I will trust and praise Him (Slam the hammer down. :))http://www.youtube.com/embed/OA3MSqufJP4?rel=0
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.) Please use this story. It strikes much emotion. It hits right at the needing approval idol and how you overcame. I also liked the story of your boys question too. It all flows well together. Words seasoned with salt not like these women were following satan so this is how they behaved…It was a great seasoned lead it. I learn so much from you as a writer and have so much further to go!!!
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy? I wish you could have a testimony from a woman who attended that retreat who changed. That would be awesome. But of the women in our study like I said I was just in tears. I have grown to love each one so much. I love to see the hammer go down so much with each victory, each choice to follow God and resist temptation or the idol. Specifically from last week I have really been praying for you Anne and Susan about marriage stuff. I appreciate your vulnerability. I know God is going to work in amazing ways.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready. Well, at this moment since I am having such a hard health time and my legs are giving me trouble, etc. I think after I stop these antibiotics it will stop (I hope) but until then I feel like I am a burden. That is a lie. So the trust is I am a valuable child of God, chosen, loved, redeemed, forgiven, bought, adopted, never left or forsaken. Ephesians 1.
You surely are a joy here, Angela — and I know to many others. Some of the sweetest fragrances are from those who have suffered.
Angela, thank you for that awesome song. It could be my theme song!
Wow! I love that song, Angela. Thanks for sharing it.
Love the song too Angela! One of my favorites!
One observation about Terri I saw both in the ‘getting to know her’ above and in what I see here on the blog is that she is genuinely ‘other’ focused-a sweet fruit of the Spirit.
Rebecca, I agree!
ICE-BREAKER AND REVIEW (Sunday-Monday)
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
I was struck by how young JR pointed out, there are only 2 choices—and how easily we deceive ourselves into thinking there is a shade of gray to rest in between the 2.
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.)
I was SO taken by this story Dee! Oh!! My first, honest reaction was—if you ever have to go somewhere like that again, I want to go with you and hide out in your room praying! I thought to myself—how could they not recognize the gift they had of having DEE Brestin with them? And immediately, I thought, they did not recognize they gift they had of having their Savior. They have rejected Him, not just Dee.
This story truly modeled John 15:18-21: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.”
I was also saddened for these women. I have known women like this, churches like this, and I felt like I could picture them.
I was also saddened because I have done 2 things towards women “like this” I have judged them. How can I know if the seed may be growing within them, I cannot judge His work in them. And I have missed opportunities. While I have never been in such a high position as Dee, I was reminded of when I was Chaplain of my sorority, at one of the largest state schools in the nation. I was so afraid to offend, so concerned with their approval, that I was purposefully careful what I would share in devotions. I was like the retreat director to myself. My idol of approval kept me from being bold.
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy?
I love Rebecca’s testimony—of admitting her fault to her boss, I relate to that fear. And Anne—her sweet humility, the root of bitterness I so identify with, and wanting it out, knowing only He can pull it.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
My idol of approval has been on my mind, so I was thinking this morning how the lie it tells me is if rejection is a possibility, or becomes likely in a situation, distance yourself before your get hurt. I have done this in my marriage, in friendships, with my Mom, my Dad before he died, my daughter…anytime I fear rejection, it’s as if I reject first by distancing myself—believing the lie that this will somehow protect me from pain.
This morning at church I was thinking of having Christ’s armor over me, but for some reason, I wanted a different image today. And then I pictured the robe we talked about last week. I imagined Christ, taking off His robe, and putting it on me—a big white, soft robe—that is filled with His Spirit—His protective Power—and that allows me to enter in to relationships, without fear of being hurt, resting in His comforting arms.
Thank you, Elizabeth for all your support and comments. Love the picture of the white fluffy robe.
This was one of the songs we sang this morning, and it seemed so fitting with the story Dee shared. The Church’s One Foundation (Indelible Grace): http://youtu.be/oKNldb_g6Rc
Hey 🙂 we sung this song in church too this morning!
Ok since I am laid up I had to listen to Keller early. HAD TOO! 🙂 So I am answering now. Gotta take the time you are blessed with.
9. WHAT COMMON LIE DOES KELLER TACKLE AND HOW DOES HE SLAM THE ENEMY WITH THE TRUTH?
Exclusivity – How can your religion be the only one true religion? It is the main barrier
to peace in the world. Feels like a superiority…creates condition of division/dehumanize
1-We Worship God who always was who came in flesh to love others who would not love Him.
2-He came to redeem us and this world it all will be made new.
3-All through grace nothing we have done or can earn.
Summary it all points to Him – period. Other religions have human origins, avoid or deny flesh, and strive. What Christ accomplished for us is done. That is what brings peace and humility. Moralism or secularism both bring an attitude of superiority.
10. KELLER TALKS ABOUT DENYING THAT CHRIST CAME IN THE FLESH. HE SAYS CHRISTIANITY, UNLIKE MANY OTHER RELIGIONS, DOES NOT TELL US TO ESCAPE THE FLESH BUT REFORM IT. GIVE AN EXAMPLE — CHOOSE SEX, FOOD, HALLOWEEN, OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE! (Some would say Halloween cannot be reformed for it was never from God, no Christian origins, but I think there are ways to overcome its spirit. I have an opinion on this and may share it if you are interested, but neither do I want to rabbit trail here.) I would love to hear your thoughts on halloween if would be worth a rabbit trail to me here. 😉 You know though this is uncomfortable for me I am going to chose sex because it is something I have read several have had struggles with so it is good to share. I was not a virgin when I was married. I was also date raped. I felt so much guilt and shame from all of this and felt so dirty. All the time the marriage bed felt like a place that was dirty and really I was afraid. I tried to avoid sex like the plague. Anyway, as I grew and read through the bible and confessed past sin I discovered Scripture where God called Israel His virgin though they were adulterers to Him. He called them this thing there were not. It quickened my heart because I realized that if He called them that then I could be that too, clean. This old sin that was confessed and not committed anymore had been forgiven. I had been clean like a virgin in His eyes. So now I had to learn to live that out in my marriage bed. It took much reading of Scripture and believing who I was in HIM. Truth about sex (which I think is a title of a book by Kay Arthur I read that was helpful and Intimate Issues too I think all that helped). God started freeing me to know that this was a special thing to be free with for my husband alone. A gift. Along the way I realized the importance to really open up and discuss all this with him so we talked often about it and even had to pray before we approached it. We prayed about it often and eventually I found my healing. I can actually say I enjoy my marriage bed now greatly. It took so long because I was so trapped in shame. God wants us to be freed up in this area in marriage. So I just say this to encourage you to keep pressing in to Him and I am encouraged that you all have brought these things into the light. God is on the move. Do struggles still arise? Of course! Do flashbacks still happen? Of course. But they are fewer and farther between. Of course too we avoid seeing anything that has any sexual acts in them like movies, etc that would contribute to the unpure. those things I think set you back. Hope that helps.
Okay — rabbit trail on Halloween for Angela, laid up, but loved!
I think it’s a hard one. I was always torn as a mother because I didn’t want to be the Christian mom who spoils fun because she is legalistic.. I loved the candy, the carving of pumpkins, and the costumes as a child. On the other hand, Halloween is so filled with the occult, and I didn’t want my children in vulnerable situations. I decided that it was okay for them to dress up in non occult costumes and take them to a few friends and neighbors. Then we went to a carnival the churches in our town combined to have. The kids were supposed to come in biblical costumes and I remember the year Sal spent the whole day in her room creating and then made her grand entrance as “the burning bush.”
I know there are Christian families who have nothing to do with Halloween, and they do so out of honor for the Lord, and I respect them. I felt free to do what we did, but I’m always glad when the day is past. I know some parents pass out tracts with candy — I never did that — and I don’t know what I think. One year I passed out Christian comic books (Archie) but then my nephew, who isn’t a believer but is superb writer (teaches creative writing at a well known liberal school) wrote this essay about Archie Christian comics that was hysterical but too true I’m afraid. He said he used to read them when he was ocming of age because there was something so provocative about Veronica lathering her legs with suntan oil and saying, “You must be born again.”
So — love to hear what others do and why. I may be getting myself into big trouble here — but it’s all for my love of you, Angela!
P. S.
Today in church the pastor was talking about how tomorrow is Reformation Day when Luther nailed his thesis to the Wittenberg door. I think that is interesting because Luther had such a battle with the enemy.
I personally dont like halloween.. I think it is part of the occult and evil. But i dont have kids. At our church we usally have a fall festival.. but the gal who runs it is away at college and no one wanted to step up and do it. I know some people in our church hand out tracts with, the candy, and i know some who turn off their lights so no one shows up and some who are fine with it. I dont judge anyone who does it.. i just dont personally like it.
I want to go back to last weeks question that asked us to report how we are doing. Last night when I felt such a burden to pray, my mind kept drifting to darkness and light as we have been studying. I decided that even though I am a christian I need to pray that God keeps shining His light on my soul. I like this: “Because we are children of the light, let’s walk in the light. We are in a battle we cannot lose.” I am seeing progress as I turn to the Lord’s light. I know He will continue to ask more of me but empower me as well. It is an exciting journey.
When my boys were little we didn’t do Halloween at all, but then spoke with some godly friends who had a different view and we re-thought it out. Kind of like schooling-we did homeschool, and private for a while and we would go to our death before we would public school but God ripped the rug out from under us and we didn’t have a choice. That was a huge test of faith for us, but I am REALLY rabbit trailing now. Anyway, we have standards in regard to Halloween, but I do see the battle, and I do respect other’s views.
ha ha! Thanks for this I so feel the love! :)Turly
I am so excited this year because we are actually having a reformation party at church instead of Halloween. And I like to buck the worldly system plus I LOVE Luther and can so relate to Him! It was a kind of last minute thing some moms decided and we will see how it goes. Maybe it will become tradition. It is interesting about the same day of the 95 thesis…and the sermon Keller preached on about the spirit of the anti-christ. It is just too weird. Plus this day truly is used for some real evil. We have a church member who came from satan worshipers and actually practiced horrific rituals. unimaginable evil and she said this was their holiest day. So in love our church has not done anything like harvest festivals, etc. It is all just too hard for her. I don’t see anything wrong with non occult things either but then I started looking around at all the darkness. What can you find redeeming in ghosts, zombies, skeletons, etc. Well when the kids were so little I did start taking them to harvest festivals at churches and found my youngest to be very afraid of any images that were dark at all. Since it was a community outreach I thought well we would just bow out. As I prayed about this as a family we decided it best to just avoid it all together. I cannot even really take my daughter to the store unless I know how to avoid the Halloween stuff. This is my youngest. And I have a hard time in October too. It just feels heavier to me, it is like i can sense evil all the more, I am just super sensitive too it. So to avoid has worked best for us lately. I do pray through the season. I am so happy for it to pass and all the dark stuff to come down. I do fear becoming legalistic about it or judging others though but so far I have been ok with our conviction with this. Plus we do live on a very high hill and it is really dark so no one really wants to come to our door so there is no pressure to do the trick or treat. 🙂 I am very curious about what everyone does. Thanks so much Dee for sharing.
Angela — your testimony about rescuing the sexual intimacy in your marriage from the enemy is tremendous!
where is this? i missed it!
sorry, found it!
Cyndi, I missed it too and just read it.. So good!
Thank you! God does amazing transforming work. Hammer down!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful testimony with us, Angela! You have overcome much. Bless you!
thank you for sharing this Angela! what a beautiful testamony!
I had to jump in here because the way I first found this blog, was through Halloween! I just found the old email I wrote to Dee, Nov. 2, 2010. I knew Dee was a strong woman in the PCA that I had read and respected, I just never made it here. I had searched her name and Halloween, wondering her thoughts, and found only the title for a post but couldn’t find the actual post, so I emailed, thinking I’d get a “webmaster”, but instead I got a personal reply from Dee (that’s when I was hooked)! She wrote this:
“Hi Elizabeth, I searched too and I found drafts but am not sure I actually did a final post. I started to write about the play Screwtape Letters, and this is all I wrote in my draft:It’s the day I’m always glad is over. Yet I know as a Christian I’ve been called to redeem a fallen world. I’m invited to a costume party for my 16-year-old grand-daughter tonight. I’ve decided to go as the serpent himself, hissing and telling them lies. I’ll tell them God doesn’t love them. I’ll hiss that He doesn’t care about them. I’ll twist His words. I want them to know the enemy is real and wants them to back away from God. This is a picture from the production of Screwtape letters in which Screwtape’s helper, a demon, was played by a gymnast. When Christians would back away from God because of Screwtape’s lies, she would cartwheel across the stage. But if they wouldn’t believe Screwtape’s lies, if they would cling to God, she would scratch the air and screech.”
Then she asked me what I was doing to redeem Halloween. In previous years, we’ve just gone to a few houses on the neighborhood. But last year, I was led to do something different. We taught the kids about Reformation Day, and we carved a pumpkin while reading some great Scriptures–I can share the whole outline if anyone is interested. But the kids LOVED it. We still let them dress up inside, eat candy, and we watched a movie together. The carving was the highlight though–we talked about the Power of the Word to come in and cut out the stone, to remove the icky inside and fill it with His Light (and put a candle inside).
Sorry this got so long–but hopefully it was helpful–and I loved how it shows Halloween redeemed in my life, because God used it to bring me to Dee 🙂
AND PS–LOVE your testimony and your heart dear Angela!
Dee–I apologize, I should have asked before posting that, since you never did choose to put that on the blog. And now I’m past the time to edit–so sorry for rushing to post w/o praying for discernment.
No apology necessary. That was great — I’d forgotten our interchange and so glad you shared it. As you can see, I’m conflicted over the day and love your story. What a great example of what to do!
Love this Elizabeth! We have done those things too! Love the pumpkin thing! Doing the Reformation thing this year. Very excited. Some kids are doing presentations.
1. What stood out to you from the above and why? I like this e picture of the snake.. It gives me a nice picture to think of when i am being tempted. I am scared of snakes so this should really work 🙂 This morning i have an example of how the faither of lies got at me; Yesterday i was supposed to do the 5k but i got sick so i couldnt 🙁 but all this morning the devil was saying to me ha ha you couldnt do the 5k ha ha and for awile i let him do it until about half way through the service i got mad at him and totally turned around and started believing what God was saying and i was speaking to my soul.. Meg even if you did go out and run when you were sick you wouldnt have done as good of a job and you would have been upset at yourself.
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.) First of all this story brought me to tears.. It made me sad for you Dee.. I liked the fact that you used Ruth and Naomi as examples from the bible.
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy? I liked what Rebecca said: we must smack the devil over the head with the truth.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready. I will give another example of yesterday: Performance, There were 3 or 4 of my friends that were going to come and watch me run.. i was excited .. i wanted them to see me perform and hear all the nice things that they were going to say to me afterwards. The enemy would likely tell me that they wont love/ like you if you dont perform well for them. I would tell him that thye do love me.. they loved me before and they will love me now. Their Love for me wont change based on my performance.
Meg, this made me smile: “I am scared of snakes so this should really work :)”
Me too! This picture is a perfect representation of how satan is-it looks slimy and green where it can quietly camouflage itself as part of the grass-tricky, slithery, nasty thing.
I’m with Rebecca — I laughed out loud at that comment about the snake!
Meg, you are so funny:) I love that, great picture of the snake keeping you from wanting to sin!
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
This: “Because we are children of the light, let’s walk in the light. We are in a battle we cannot lose.” -This spoke to me..yes we will stumble, but we need to remember to use our weapon-the sword which is the word of God while at the same time remembering that we can’t lose. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit..We just need to pay attention and respond.
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.)
What stood out to me was how God intervened with His word to help Dee battle satan’s lies and she wasn’t alone. He gave her Steve who prayed for her and reminded her of the Truth in 1 Peter 3 so that she could press on and battle Satan’s lies-she didn’t leave that next morning. I am afraid I would have! I firmly believe Satan spoke to Dee through those women, yet she stayed the course and fought the battle. Even when she got home she still was battling satan’s lies and again God hammered him with Ezekiel and the dry bones. God is faithful, He gave her everything she needed to fight.
This meant so much to me because this is a great picture of what it looks like to walk in faith and bash satan over the head with prayer and truth and press on-Also, that God didn’t intend for us to walk alone-He gave us one another-the body of Christ to love, lift up and encourage with truth.
YES, you should use this Dee. Seriously, it is really good!
Thank you, Rebecca!
1. and 2.
I hate that green snake but I am glad you use it b/c it is a powerful visual tool. I want to hate my idols too.
It is hard to read what you went through at that retreat. I wanted to rush in there and stand by you. So very true how some are so blatantly lost. It puts a burden on me to be a soul winner. Glad for your good husband at home doing spiritual battle on your behalf.
Your story reminds me of a lady I once spoke to in my small town about Jesus and poured out my heart and testimony to her to be saved. She gave me a look that could have froze a pond and said, “No, I am not interested.” I looked back at her and my eyes filled with tears then left. I cried all the way home and it still makes me cry to think of her turning down Jesus. How could she turn down MY Jesus! I cried buckets over her soul. I cry thinking of those women ministers. How Jesus must have cried too looking down on His servant that weekend. I so hope you use this story in your book.
Kim, I loved this: “I want to hate my idols too.” -This is thought provoking for me!
KIm posted this at the end of the last weeks study and it was such a blessing to me i wanted to make sure all of you saw it.
I feel such a burden to pray over the marriages represented on this blog. So much hurt here. I went to sleep praying and I woke with a call to prayer.
Father in heaven, hear our cry, comfort hurting hearts and restore and bring wholeness to your people. Rekindle the love between every man and wife represented on this blog. Remind them of the love that once was in the beginning between them. Turn the hearts of the men towards their wives and wives towards their husbands. May each woman put you first, her man second and children last-as was your plan. May each woman experience a little taste of heaven on earth in marriage. Turn the hearts of children towards their parents and restore to us God centered families. Save the unsaved spouses, may they experience a revelation of your great love. Do it Lord, we are praying, do it that your glory may be seen! And for the single woman I ask that blessing, comfort and joy abound in them
I have really been struggling in this area for the past few weeks. when we were on our trip i gave myself so completley to my husband and yet we got in an argument on the way home and it made me feel so sad and vonerable that I have not been able to pull the wall back down. this has caused me to be very critical of paul, myself and everyone around me. and has made all of our “intimate” times since very hard on me emotionally. Im just having a very hard time pulling that bitter root. I know in my head that Satan is loving this, and I know I need to fight these lies but I’m just not sure how to. I “know” the truth. I just can not seem to get my heart to “feel” the truth.
I am praying for you Susan. It is so hard to give yourself physicaly when the emotional isn’t there. but i can tell you from experience that it has saved our marriage that I have learned how to make this an important part of our lives. It has made paul much more open to me emotionally. We are just having a rough patch so please don’t read this and think…”see its not worth it, it hurts to bad” because that is not true. it is worth it, even when it does hurt, its worth it to obey God in this area of your life! this may be tmi but I do not “fake” it, i really have learned to love it! forgive yourself for your past!! and know that when you are loving your husband in this way you are showing him Gods love for him, its the closest thing to intimacy with God that he has since he is not a believer….this is your way of being Jesus for him..
sorry by last post was so long and not on this lesson!
1. what stood out to me most was the way steve responded to you and comforted you! everytime i am struggling with something Paul tends to tell me to quit. he did this for years whenever i was having a bad day homeschooling…..Im sorry, thats that critical/bitter root again!!! as i was writing it i realized that and was about to erase it but thought it was better to let you all see what I am struggling with and be “real”.
dear Jesus PLEASE forgive me for my pride. please clean my heart. please take all the hurt and heal it. soften my heart, put it back together and break down this wall of self rightousness that I have been building. i can not pull this bitter root out lord Jesus, i need you to do it for me.
This is for Cyndi and all of you married to left-brained husbands —
When we were young, and I would go to Steve lamenting about something he would try to fix it or want me to give up until I told him I just wanted him to say, “Poor Dee Dee” and hold me. (Then he overdid it. 🙂 But I think it is natural for men to try to solve the problem.
In this great book by Yancey on Prayer he tells of studying Deborah Tannen’s book You Just Don’t Understand (Men and Women in Conversation) one night at their couples study. (Such a creative idea — and I loved that book — Tannen is Jewish) He said that the men learned that when the women complain, it is a lament, rather than wanting them to fix it. He tells a great story in the book.
I think, Cyndi, your husband in his own left-brained way is coming to your rescue. He probably doesn’t know you want a different kind of rescue!
very wise and very true Dee!!! I will find that book! I “know” this about him but it does not make it any easier to emotionally deal with it when I am a wreck:)
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.)
You mentioned that they had idols and that they were blinded. It’s also that they had hard hearts. Somehow, they believed they were right and you were deceived. This happened a long time ago didn’t it? I bet things are worse now in liberal churches. I am surprised that they were so blatantly antagonistic. I have found most people are polite but turn away nonetheless. Satan must have been strongly blinding them. I would be interested also, if you would elaborate a bit on your last sentence that they believed God would not be enough for them.
Sure, Diane. Yes — it was 25 years ago.
I think letting go of our idols is hard when you feel God won’t be there for you. They might have feared being fired (security) and that God wouldn’t provide for them. They might have feared their peers disapproval and felt God’s approval wouldn’t be enough. Idols replace God, so we have to believe God will be there for us when we let go.
2. The story of you speaking made me amazed at your bravery and your ablity to obey and not give in to your approval idol. I would have caved! I would have just been the really nice lady talking about friendship telling myself that I would be throwing my pearls among swine if I did otherwise so why bother. I see how often I make excuses for not being strong with the truth…I don’t want to offend, I feel like i want others to like me so that they will like the God I serve…WOW once again I am convicted by you Dee!
3. I can’t pick just one. all of the testimonies working together last week helped be see why I have been struggling. I have known that something was wrong but could not tell you what it was. after so many of you shared your growth i realized I had built that wall of pride back up again to protect myself. Anne and the bitter root and Elizabeth with her daughter spoke the loudest.
4. the lie i believe is that I should be better then everyone else. this leads to insecurity which leads to pride and the need to control. I get mad at myself for gaining 4 pounds, for not getting up earlier and working out, watching to much tv, staying to long on the computer, for not being a good enough cook, wife, housekeeper, mom, homeschooler (not getting everything graded fast or spending enough time with each kid), friend, daughter, sister, volleyball mom, ballet teacher, dance mom, when I make a meal I wonder how i could have made it healthier, when i shop i feel guilty for not saving more money, Im always telling myself if I was just more disciplined i could be better…OH MY GOSH NO WONDER IM IN KNOTS! I honesty did not know i was expecting so much of myself until i just read that! Im going to go get my Bible and see how I can stop doing this to myself…to be continued
Cyndi,
Thanks for re-posting Kim’s prayer from the end of last week’s post and for your encouragement for me in the area of intimacy….you are right in all you said. The decision for me is to wholeheartedly obey the Lord in this area and choose to allow Him to bring a blessing into our marriage through the area of intimacy. A mature Christian friend once told me that sexual intimacy can be (I can think of it as) like a garden that I am nurturing and tending so it will grow. I have surely neglected this garden and need God to plow up the hard soil of my heart first.
I also want to encourage you – wow, you are growing weary under a huge burden of things that you are being hard on yourself! I pray that you will go to Jesus, and His yoke is light – remember He is “pulling” along with you – and that you will be able to enter into His REST.
THANK YOU, your encouragement has come at the perfect time. you are right, I need to let him take this heavy yoke off me and trust HIM with the results. thanks again, I am praying for you and your husband.
YES, NO WONDER YOU ARE IN KNOTS! 🙂
I’m going to pray that you really believe more and more the height and depth of His love for you, Cyndi.
thank you Dee:) I covet your prayers 🙂 I guess the biggest problem I don’t think i need to do all that to please HIM but to please myself. its not His love Im after, i know I have it. I am spending a lot of time in prayer trying to figure out the ballance between living a sinless life, holy and pleasing to God and not beating myself up everytime I feel like Im not doing my very best….
I agree. I have been pondering how to pray for you, Cyndi and Dee has said it. If you see yourself as greatly loved by Him you see how very valuable you are and what you are doing is if what you are doing is all for Him.
thanks Kim. everything I do for Jesus because of His love for my, which makes it even more important that i always do my best, because it is for HIM. do you see the trap i get myself in? I think right now Im going to just pray for for HIS guidence on how to use my energy each day and not do it for my prides sake but for HIS sake. I understand that He loves me not matter what, that I am HIS princess, dearly beloved and that no matter what i do HE will still love me……but that does not translate into feeling like Im doing enough to effect this world for HIM. I want HIM to shine through me and for me to fade into the background, I want to love others the way HE does, I want to use my resoursed wisely to help as many as I can, I want to raise my kids to know how very loved they are by God….do you see my delema?? its not that I doubt HIS perfect love for me, its that I am so humbled by it that I long to give HIM all of me and when my human frailty gets in the way I really struggle, not because I Need to be perfect to please HIM but because I want to give back to HIM a little of the love HE has given me by loving those around me……
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
Dee, your bravery in speaking to these cold women really challenged me. I need to let God work on my approval idol. I could never have done what you did. When the women objected, I would have been so devastated that I probably would have left. That is part of the reason that my sister-in-law’s cruel words to me hurt so much. By the way, I called my brother last night and asked him to call me, but he still has not. I took a great deal of struggle with fear to call and then to only get the answering machine and now this further silence is puzzling. What is God trying to do?
I don’t know that I felt that brave, but compelled. So it must have been the Lord’s love for them compelling me.
With your brother and sister-in-law I’m proud of you for giving grace, for endeavoring to be a peace, for overcoming evil with good. I also think after several attempts it would be okay to lay it down and wait. It’s sort of like letting a wound heal instead of monkeying with the scab.
Please pray for us. My brother sent me an email saying he did not want to talk to me, rejecting my apology. He also sent my father an email telling him that he did not want to see him because Dad has not made enough effort to keep in touch in recent years. (Dad had planned to go up at New Years.) Satan is attacking on all sides. It seems like Satan is winning. It’s a complicated story that I don’t feel free to share here between my Dad and brother, but he did not deserve this rejection from him. I believe Satan has filled my brother’s mind with lies and this is the fruit. Dad and I are really hurting, and other family members who know what is going on. We really need your prayers.
I need to ponder the verse that Meg shared from 2 Timothy 2:25-26 where Paul says that “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” I pray this for my brother and sister in law.
Diane — I’m so sorry. this is painful. I will pray for healing.
I’m so sorry for your dad too.
Diane, this is hurtful. I recently decided to try to make amends with my sister after years of not speaking. I went to Dallas for a wedding and my sister lives in Ft. Worth. I called her the week before and made plans. I was there for 3 days and she chose to meet me for lunch the day I was leaving! I said fine, she ended up ditching me in the end anyway. I understand your pain. I’m sorry. at least I tried. I can’t change her heart
Thanks for your concern, Laura. I appreciate you sharing your similar struggles. I know a lot of families struggle too, but it’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with for a long time.
4. continued. “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus our Lord!” take that Satan! “We are God workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He has prepared in advance for us to do” I HAVE been lazy, that is conviction, not condemnation:) BUT I also need to let go of the missconception that I can be perfect.
8. watched the kisses from Katie video, I had heard of her but I was amazed at her! This quickens my heart and makes me want to foster children. I have felt God calling us in this direction but my dear husband has not heard that…yet. both adoptions took 2 years of prayer before he heard God calling us to adopt. Im always many steps ahaid of him so I fell like im always riding my breaks:) so with this I will keep silent and pray and let God do the work, if He is calling me, he will call him…eventually:)
I am hopelessly behind again:/ I had no idea there were so many comments already. Dee, I just want to say that I think you did a wonderful job of persevering in the face of persecution at that retreat. You were so beautiful in seeking them out at lunch when they were obviously so cold. I am sorry for the way you were treated and even more sorry for the blindness of these poor women.
I am now attending the church where I first heard you speak. Joey chose to go there last week and again this week. He seems to be softening a little more each week. We have far to go but I am encouraged.
I mention this church because they invest in their women and I am hoping they will have you there again.
I’m so happy about this church. Was it long ago I was there or recently? You are in North Carolina, right?
Yes. It was in Chapel Hill NC in the winter of 08. Chapel Hill Bible Church. I am very new there but my friend has been there quite a few years. In fact she is the one who invited me.
Ladies, thank you for the prayers. Our SS lesson this morning was on forgiveness and my sister even participated– and my husband clearly shared about the ultimate forgiveness we have in Christ.
After church, Susan said, “Your pastor is a great speaker”. (he is) His message was from Ephesians 3– God’s love- the power of Christ in us, the truth was communicated so well. But it is not that she hasn’t heard the truth many times, it is that God has to pierce her heart with the truth. I have prayed for her for 40 years. I have to continue to pray and not lose heart…..Tomorrow I will take the day off and spend it with her. Hoping, no praying that without all the distractions and noise of a houseful we will have some time for spiritual conversations. Praying that I will be sensitive and not timid if God opens the door for me to share. It has taken a long time for our relationship to get to the level it is at, and I always fear that if I say too much that she will close herself off to me and I won’t have the chance again. Oh that I will just follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and not get in his way.
Praying that God will give you favor, love, wisdom, Terri. That His truth will penetrate Susan’s heart.
praying Terri!
What stood out to you from the above and why?
Oh, Dee, my heart went out to you in reading about your speaking at the camp. I can only imagine how hard that was for you….I would have reacted the same way.
It is so clear that satan wanted the truth silenced but you spoke the truth. It may have fallen on ears that did not want the truth, but I wonder if it may have been an encouragement for one or for a few that were there. Or maybe in the years following, the Lord has used that word to minister– it is so amazing how God’s word spoken- because it is alive, can bring forth fruit many years later.
And I am struggling now, thinking about if I share with my sister and she rejects it again. Several of us family members have shared the truth of the Gospel with her, but so far she has rejected it. But she is drawn to us, she wants to spend time with us and that is something I don’t want to lose, because I feel it is the Lord in us that she is attracted to. I just want to do and say what the lord wants, but I admit I fear rejection personally, but also don’t want to hear her reject Christ again.
I’d say you have a group of women who love you have you covered in prayer tomorrow. Jesus, shine your sweet light into Susan’s heart and illuminate yourself, your love and your truth to her. Give her eyes to see and ears to hear your call. Amen. Remember, Terri, a word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver. 🙂
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted?
I love all the testimonies. I love the vulnerability of those asking for prayer. So often we have similar struggles and victories. The one that is the most like mine is Rebecca’s b/c she is a testament to victory that can be mine. I love your encouraging words, Dee, victory leads to victory. I am in a place where I have been before with food-having some real victories but this is where fear begins creeping in saying it wont last. I need to combat that with the Word. I will ask the Lord to give me something I can cling to.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
The Lord has been speaking to me lately about manipulation. I first saw it when I wanted Susan to ask forgiveness and then ask to paint the piano room and clean the carpets. After all she admitted to us she was sorry. I am thankful the Lord shined His light on my heart. Would this be a power idol? yes, I think so. If I am not careful I can take advantage of my husband’s goodness. I know him so well I know how he thinks, reacts and what makes him tick. I can look far down the road ahead of him and anticipate his reaction and before I know it he is doing just as I wanted all while I pretend I am the submissive wife. Wow, the more I write the more messed up I feel! The next time that slimey green big mouth serpent tempts me to get my way-and it will be soon, I will tell him I refuse to undermine my marriage and hit him with the Word. Proverbs 16:2 says The Lord weighs my motives and I want my motives to please the Lord.
Oh Kim — thank you for your honesty. It encourages us all to walk in truth.
Everyone is in bed, and so I am snatching some time alone (with the Lord and with all of you).
What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy?
so often we partially quote John 8: 32 that says “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
But there is more to it, John 8:3-32 says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. THEN you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The struggles that each woman (and each of us) is facing is difficult, but when we are his disciples, he empowers us and sets us free FROM the power of the enemy AND to live for him.
Everyone is not in bed, but on my way! Terri, you and your family and grandchildren are beautiful and I enjoyed your story so much!
Halloween
when Luke and Abby were little I did not let them do Halloween. we did the harvest party at church. then one year my best friend and her husband were here and they had a 3 year old and assumed me would go trick or treating, he was in a very Church of Christ Bible college at the time so i did not feel qualified to argue with him. well, that night we met some neighbors that we invited to church, they came that week and have been some of our best friends since. they had given up on God but through our friendship went back to the Catholic church (he grew up catholic) and are in leadership there. they still come to our Bible study on fridays even after we moved.
that night Don shared with us that Halloween was actually a holliday created by the catholics to scare away all the evil spirits before all saints day on the first of Nov. so it is a ANTI satan day:) We talk to our kids about how the enemy is very real and that only Jesus can scare away satan, we did the “pumpkin parable” with them when they were younger (I need to do that with Lily!!! she has not heard it!)
I have found through my years of a redeamed leagalist that almost anything can be redeamed if placed in the hands of Jesus, except my leagalism…
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy?
I want to go through all of them and also include some others here but I haven’t the time. 🙁
Anne and Susan: I am encouraged how they have won 1/2 the battle against satan with discovery-their struggles are tough trials we experience in marriage and satan wants to break apart marriages-especially Christian marriages. The HUGE victory with Anne is HOPE. Not only does Susan have hope too, because of her vulnerability, satan lost again and two other women have been vulnerable as well and really the first step in the battle is discovery, admitting it is a problem and having the desire to change. satan doesn’t like that-so let’s see he has lost four or five battles in one day. I like that.
Kim: Another victory won over satan-two smacks on the head. he has spent a long time convincing her Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t enough, but that has changed-Kim fought back with the truth and has embraced that His sacrifice is enough-she can’t lose her salvation. she did nothing to gain it-all on his merit-and she can do nothing to lose it. Also now she sees that the problem with sin is that can lead her to her idols which can bar intimacy with God-I am sure satan hissed at that.
7. while I was studying and praying something came back to me. early in our marriage and even as near as a year ago when I went to paul when i was feeling bad about myself he would always tell me that it was conviction that I should be doing better. I would lement that i just couldn’t seem to get it all done, or i was just to tired that night to have sex and he would say that if i didn’t take the kids on field trips or watch TV i would have time to get it done and I was being convicted by the Holy spirit and that is why I was feeling so bad about myself. just this summer he told me i was not doing my best…WOW is that the enemy speaking lies to my heart or what!! I did not realize that I was still believing that!
I know that memory was from God because I had not thought about that in a long time because I have promised to let go of all the hurt of our past and move on fresh so i do not “play that tape” anymore, plus as I remembered this I did not get angre at Paul but really just felt like God was showing me the lie I was believing.
Jesus please speak truth to my heart today, don’t let me believe the lies that the enemy is whispering in my ear “the one who is in me is greater then the on that is in this world”
I have such a hard time not taking the “your not good enough, your not trying your hardest” message to heart!!!!
And He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it!
Cyndi, in Paul’s defense I think he was trying to help you. It is a seriously annoying thing that men do when trying to ‘make it better’ when we just want to lament. I am so glad the Lord used it to show you how to speak truth to your soul.
Oops! I see that I repeated what has already been stated…bad thing about getting behind.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
with me satan uses condemnation a lot, but I have noticed I am more alert lately.
Here is an example of my approval idol temptation: The other night I spent time with some ladies from church. We broke the ice, but I longed to go a layer deeper and get into some fellowship-even if it wasn’t real deep. Yet, I am not sure that was the right venue-we weren’t doing a ‘Bible Study’. After I opened up a bit about what God was showing me with a couple of women, there was silence and the subject changed. A thought went through my head-oh great Rebecca, you jumped and went too deep and really what you said was kind of stupid. You didn’t give it enough time-you know some women are more guarded than others which is fine-Why can’t you be more wise with timing! I am sure they already think you are a fool anyway-approval idol/satan’s lies.. Right after those lies popped through my head I beat those lies with: “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1…Then I would say, I speak as a woman approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel- 1 Thes. 2:4. NOW, I know I need to be careful of the Holy Spirit’s leading as well, so I am learning-you can’t jump into deep waters when you are just getting to know women, but I didn’t walk away with my head down thinking I blew it-and even if I did, so what? God knows where I am at in my growth-I am so thankful he is patient with me. He knows my heart and motives and unless he shows me different, they were pure. I walked away feeling refreshed being in their presence and rejoicing inside in the Lord’s approval. YET…God is still working on this area-he is still pulling out some weeds since I have walked in this since a child-yet the point is that I am having victory now! Praise the Lord!! Each step-a battle won!
This is good Rebecca. You are wise to him and his lies. I pray that you will have relationships where you can go deeper. Friends that want to talk about exactly that.
Anne, your comment made me think of Hebrews 5:14-Iam a child still-yet I yearn to be one of the mature! I am starting to think of these as God allowing them for opportunities to train my senses to discern better-dependant responsibility. I am SO encouraged how God is really impressing this in my heart through this study!
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23? If you have someone you love who believes this lie, pray for him or her, using 1 Timothy 2:25-26. Paul prays that “God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
Denying that Jesus is the Christ.
Lord, I pray for my mom who doesnt know you, she says that she knows and believes in you.. but i dont see it lived out in her life. PLease help me to be a good light,and witness to her.. and give me the right words to say when i need to say them. Open her eyes to see that she is in need of a savior and that she will stop believing the lies of the devil.
Amen
OH and another area God is working on me is loving others. I have been reminding myself-Listen to her, find out her needs, encourage or help her out somehow. The same goes for my husband. As I reflect more and more on the Gospel God has helped me to become other focused-His sacrifice-he emptied himself of His glory because he loved me and wanted me, and He is God! He did this for those women too-he loves them as much-he wants them as much-so go and love them. This is another truth that helps in the battle with my approval and comfort idols-and smacks satan on the head. I have to add because he is freeing me from the control of idols I am more free to love because there isn’t a block between me and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to love. I hope I said that right. I think you understand what I am saying. 🙂
Rebecca, I am right behind you. What you share here is so helpful. And what you say about remembering how God loves that other one that may not be so lovable at the moment is indeed powerful.
Yes, yet I loved what Dee said below-that God compelled her to love-it didn’t come from her-she didn’t have the choice. That really is sticking with me this morning.
5-The Ultimate Lie is believing that Jesus is not the Christ.
I am going to start praying those Scriptures over my in-laws.
6-
a-claim know’s God but does not obey
b-hates Christian brother or sister
c-do not love the world
d-left churches(community)
e-does not live righteously or love
f-acknowledge God came in flesh and dwelt among us. Was and is and is to come unlike any other religious founder
g-world listens to those of the world
7-I think so. Though at this moment I feel weak and tempted to pity party wah wah. His power rests on me, His grace is sufficient, He gives and takes away so blessed be His name. I do believe there is a full body connection with mind, body, and spirit. Keller even talked about it on one sermon addressing depression. Anyway it all goes together so I am praying God balances all those areas out. Last night I had a horrible nightmare but I kept waking as well. My body felt so bad and I was sweating. I felt like also people were in trouble then the enemy spoke to me that snake like I was helpless what could I do. I almost surrendered to it. Then I remembered I may be hopeless and helpless yes me BUT GOD is in me and in HIM I am certainly not. So I picked up my sword in prayer and spoke HIS name and started praying and lighting fell down and I felt freedom coming to people and that weakness started to release, etc. It lasted it seemed forever but it was a victory!!! I do not want dreams like that. But it was a victory. That snake reminds me of the Silver Chair serpent from the Chronicles of Narnia. In a way I was like the guy trapped in that chair until I realized I had the power in me through Christ. Please keep praying I have maybe 17 days of antibiotic left and it is so hard. That is why I am having leg trouble. As those horrible bacteria are killed in various places it greatly effects body function. But I welcome the kill off I want them out of me. I want it aggressively done and I want all the hidden ones found and dead so they can do me no more harm. I can only do it by the help of your prayers.
8-That is an amazing story. She did not believe she was too young or just one person etc. She just started doing it. That is what true faith lived out looks like. I love that.
Angela–your answer to #7 is so powerful! I am so sorry for the awful pain you have to bear, but this thorn you carry–it is just so evident how He uses it to draw you to Himself, and so beautiful to hear how you listen to Him in your trial. I imagine you, a wounded little lamb, but still listening faithfully, following your Shepherd. Praying especially for you today–that the antibiotic would do it’s job that He would carry you. Thank you for your powerful model of faith!
Angela
I am sorry that you had a nightmare last night.. I have been having really bad dreams as well, before i Go to bed i pray overmyself and tell the enemy to get lost and that he is not welcome. It has worked.. I am glad that you prayed at that moment too.. But try praying overyourself before you go to bed.
Dear Angela, I am praying for God to touch your body and give you relief. So sorry.
Angela, I am so sorry too and praying for you.
6. John gives lots of red flags that let you know the spirit of the antichrist has a hold on someone. If you see these flags in yourself, then repent and move into the light. If you the flag in someone you love, pray for him. Find each flag:-
A. 1 John 2:4- Claims to know God but does not do what he says
B. 1 John 2:9- claims to be in the light but hates his brother or sister
C. 1 John 2:15-do not love the world or anything of the world
D. 1 John 2:19- left churches (community)
E. 1 John 3:10-anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s Child nor who loves their brother and sister.
F. 1 John 4:2-3 (Keller discusses this so we’ll come back to it in the sermon part.)
G. 1 John 4:5- they are from the world, therefore they speak from the viewpoint of the world.
http://youtu.be/u3kr9eqxwCo
this song encouraged me today….
Love it Cydni! This is one of my favorite songs!
This is a beautiful song with well done pictures. Thanks for sharing Cyndi.
That is so beautiful!
5. I only know two who openly deny Jesus as the Christ but they are so far gone that I couldn’t gently instruct them. I can pray and hope the Lord will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. Would you join me sisters in praying for these two women? They are openly anti-God and gay women. I have a heart of love for their souls and one is the daughter of missionaries. I worked for the one years ago and God opened the door for me to love her with His love and we were Facebook friends until she deleted me. I know she couldn’t handle the Word I shared on posts.
Cyndi posted this song and it spoke to me so much. Here are some of the words.
[Chorus:]
But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely
I’m loosening my grasp
There’s no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me.
{Bridge}
Wonderful, beautiful is what you see
When you look at me
You’re turning the tattered fabric of my life into
A perfect tapestry
I just wanna be me
But you see the real me.
This seems to be my theme song of the past month. I was hiding behind my idol, scared and broken from within and I believed I could never be free but God unveiled the truth about my sin and let me see it the way He sees it. I repented and He is breaking through and loosening my grasp on my comfort idol(food) I will have to release my faith that He will take the tattered fabric of my life, the mess I’ve made, and weave a beautiful tapestry out of it.
Kim, this is beautiful! I am praying for you now.
Thank you, Anne, it means a lot to me.
I am so glad to be back reading Dee’s Studies and all these wonderful blogs! I haven’t be able to keep up because my dad who lives in a nursing home was rushed to the ICU two weeks ago. He was on powerful medication including assorted psychiatric meds. It appears his body ( or mind) finally had a severe reaction causing his temperature to peek to 103 degrees. He is in the beginning stages of dementia, and two weeks prior people who know him including family started noticing his mood becoming more intense. And what I mean by that is his temperament was more agitated.
It was touch & go because he seemed to have lapsed into unconsciousness (like a coma). But God is amazing, he came out of it slowly as the doctors took him off ALL his psychiatric meds. I believe( and claiming) he received a healing! They moved him to another floor after a week as he progressed quit rapidly! And he is back at the nursing home, but to me appears much better than before he went into the hospital! I had a nice visit with him this morning over coffee and had a good laugh when I asked him if he remembered anything about being in the hospital . He said “no not a thing” but then told another resident a few mintues later that he felt as though he were in jail and was being tortured when he was there.” that response to me is good because it shows my dad is back to himself….lol
anyhow I was reading this study and walked away with a few things to ponder:
2) What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers?
Their obvious coldness and indifference to God’s Word!
Dee tried using Biblical illustration as an example to situations she experienced while writing her book ( which I read this past summer- good read); and they were to offended and put off apparently that Dee did “evolve into the intellectual geniuses” they seemed to think themselves to be! lol
Our society is so politically correct today that Jesus ( or Christianity ) is now offensive to many unless it’s watered down to make it easier to drink for some.
Those women seem to be of the mindset that rationalizes God’ truths as old, archaic and not to be taken literally.
Where the Bible is to be seen as a two edged sword piercing flesh, bone & marrow. Simple put: the truth hurts-and praise God for that!
When correctly read, we should be like a piece of clay,bendable pliable. We are to be as though sitting in a refiners fire waiting while the dross ( garbage) gets pulled out until we are as pure as gold! Not reading for warm fuzzy moments and take His truths as metaphors for living dull empty lives waiting for the next fix!
Any how, Dee you handled to darts well. Better than I could ever of held up under such scrutiny. Which leads me to my next question …what is my idol?
My temper, I have an anger issue that needs to be addressed! And thank you Terri for sharing your testimony! Please pray for me, I now see this issue must be addressed by changing my heart. Not legalically as in the past!
God Bless!!
lol…I am laughing so hard right…yes my temper needs to be refined! I m thinking how I could not have made it through that seminar Dee had to give. My big mouth would have ended that trip much sooner …lol
Good to have you back Laura Marie! Your dad sounds like he is a dear man with a good sense of humor. I’m sure had some scary times in the last few weeks.
I saw a few of the Halloween comments but don’t have time to read all right now. I have a favorite Halloween memory. When my oldest was around 8 or 10 we had fall festivals at our church. The rule was that they dressed up as something positive. They did and had fun as Bible characters and such. One year I helped Alfred dress up as an angel. He wore flip flops with rawhide laces wrapped up his legs, a white robe with a sash, a big sword and breast plate with jewels. I can’t remember how I made the wings or halo but he was the bomb! And he went trick or treating, in flip flops. Only in NC. I kept checking his feet and they were warm as toast.
Joey went trick or treating a few times but never had a great love for Halloween. Alfred only wants to carve a pumpkin and drove all over town looking for one yesterday. I think what has worked for me is not making a big deal one way or the other.
I agree with you Anne on the not making a big deal either way. I will say, I lived in a very liberal TX city for a long time, where there was a Wicca community–I witnessed the reality of evil spirits, and I have an especially sensitive spirit to “dark” things. But I have come to apply Romans 14:22 to Halloween, realizing & respecting, that for many, it’s just a simple fun holiday.
I hear you Elizabeth. Definitely do not want the teens out alone, which I did when I was a teenager. Yikes! How the Lord has watched over me.
Appreciate this discussion.
I almost did a blog on Halloween — and may someday using Elizabeth’s example. I think there is something to not making a big deal either way, yet to walk circumspectly.
I do absolutely love the idea of celebrating Reformation Day!
I have a story to tell on that — may tell it at bottom so others can see it.
Dee, I would love it if you did a blog on Halloween.
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23? If you have someone you love who believes this lie, pray for him or her, using 2 Timothy 2:25-26. Paul prays that “God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
The ultimate lie is denying that Jesus is the Christ.
6. John gives lots of red flags that let you know the spirit of the antichrist has a hold on someone. If you see these flags in yourself, then repent and move into the light. If you the flag in someone you love, pray for him. Find each flag:
A. 1 John 2:4 Red flag – if we do not do what God commands
B. 1 John 2:9 Red flag – if we hate our brother or sister
C. 1 John 2:15 Red flag – if we love the world or the things that are in the world
D. 1 John 2:19 Red flag – if we leave the body of believers
E. 1 John 3:10 Red flag – if we do not do what is right or love our brother or sister
F. 1 John 4:2-3 (Keller discusses this so we’ll come back to it in the sermon part.)
Red flag – if we do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh
G. 1 John 4:5 Red flag – if they are from the world and the world listens to them
7. How does John encourage us in 1 John 4:4? Have you been able to slam the enemy with God’s truth this week? If so, share and encourage us!
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
That verse is so encouraging. Right now, in my life, the enemy seems to be winning the battle for my brother. God is greater. God IS GREATER. “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17) Not only that, but Satan is already defeated. He knows his time is short and he is desperate. Take that, Satan! You’ve already lost!
8. Watch this video from the publisher of Kisses from Katie and find some ways she overcame the lies of the enemy with the truth: Link
Lie: You shouldn’t displease your parents no matter what.
God said to her, “You choose to please me or you choose to please your Dad.”
Lie: You can’t do enough. Truth: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
“I didn’t find it [God’s will for my life] IT WAS JUST THERE IN THE BIBLE… love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself.”
“My self doesn’t want to be starving and I don’t want other people to be starving.”
“Jesus does not ask that we care for the less fortunate; he demands it.”
3. What do you learn from any of the testimonies that I quoted above or any other testimonies from the women on this blog who are seeing victory with the enemy?
I really appreciated Anne, Susan and others who admitted their marriage struggles. It was a tender note of honesty and openness to God.
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
I had a hard time with this question because I did not want to answer lightly or say the obvious thing. I think one of my deeply entrenched idols is fear. Fear has prevented me from doing a lot of things I should probably have done in my life. It is connected to the approval idol. I want everyone to like me. Even when I do step out and do something for the Lord, I have to fight a hard battle with fear before I do it and even while I am doing it. I often try to figure out why fear is so deeply embedded in my life.
But I know that God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 I need to live this verse.
Wonderful answers Diane. So glad you are pressing into the truth in this time of pain.
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23?
To deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and therefore denying also God the Father.
6. A. 1 John 2:4-does not obey God
B. 1 John 2:9-Hates his brother
C. 1 John 2:15-loves the world
D. 1 John 2:19-left fellowship
E. 1 John 3:10-does not obey, does not love his brother
F. 1 John 4:2-3-does not acknowledge Jesus is God
G. 1 John 4:5-from the world, and speaks from that point of view
I love the instruction given to pray 1 Timothy 2 over those we know with these flags. I will do like Angela, and pray this especially over my in-laws.
7. How does John encourage us in 1 John 4:4? Have you been able to slam the enemy with God’s truth this week? If so, share and encourage us!
First, I love the reminder that we are His dear children. No matter how dark and oppressive the weight of sin, of our trials, of our temptations, our pain…no matter what we are struggling with…HE is greater. I loved the Keller sermon a few weeks ago that talked about God’s glory, His weight. When we are focused on how big our trouble is, we are giving it the glory instead of God. When we look at the Cross, everything else shrinks in comparison. We are not defeated, we can never be. The battle was fought, and Christ won. We have victory in Him!
I hadn’t planned to share this, and cried when I asked for my husband’s permission, but I am going to apply this to the coming months when my husband’s bipolar rage has notoriously flared. This is HARD because I will be honest and say that after 17+ years, I have come to expect it, and not believe it is possible to go a year without. Though the incidents are much rarer, and less severe, they come. So this feels risky. But HE is greater. And I will remind myself this truth when I begin to fear and turn to my own resources for protection—instead I will trust in Christ alone.
8.
Absolutely LOVE Katie. She humbles and inspires me!
One lie of the enemy I thought of was her parents lack of support. I know personally, it is a strong tactic Satan can use to keep us from what God is calling us to. I also thought of her peers, their career choices—the pressure to choose something more esteemed by the world, and those who thought she wouldn’t be able to handle it. Also the practical obstacles—financially, physically. But her life lives out that His call is stronger, and His power is greater!
Oh elizabeth i know what you meen. the winters are always so much worse here to, its hard to not expect/except it and put the wall up to protect yourself from it.
I will join you in praying and believing that this winter WILL be different!
Praying for both of you — and your dear husbands, for winter must be a time when the enemy comes in his darkness. Thanks for your openness.
Thank you all for the prayers. This is not something I have shared with family, and only 3 close friends over the years, so I SO appreciate our sisterhood–such a blessing!
i know! i have only shared it with a trusted pastor, Paul is so private I dont want to betray his trust!! this is such a wonderful blessing to have woman who do not know him so i can share, it takes such a weight off my heart!!!
My mother is bipolar and often goes without her medicine. It is really hard but I am learning to lean on the Lord to help me stay sweet no matter what she says and does. I will pray for you and your husband as I pray for my mom and I. I so appreciate you and your husband’s willingness to be open so that we can come into agreement.
I appreciate your sharing your struggle, Elizabeth. I will pray for you and your husband. Could you give me the title of Keller’s sermon on the weight of glory of God. I think I missed that one and think maybe listening to it might be helpful to me.
Hi Diane–it was from our Oct 2 study, “Knowing We Know; Three Tests”, on 1 John, part 1. It is $2.50, but TRULY worth 10 times that at least!
Here’s the link:
http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=17698&ParentCat=6
Thanks, Elizabeth.
6. Find each flag: Doesn’t do what God tells them, hates another, loves worldliness, left the fellowship of believers, does not obey, does not love his brother, doesn’t acknowledge Jesus as God.
7. How does John encourage us in 1 John 4:4?
Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
7. Have you been able to slam the enemy with God’s truth this week? If so, share and encourage us!
I know as I go on this journey God will require more and more of me and frankly it scares me if I let it. The devil seemed to keep whispering to me today that it’s gonna get harder and harder to which I finally got fed up and said, “Yes, it will get harder but He will enable me in each test and I get to feel His pleasure with each victory.”- Um, yeah, I talk out loud to the devil. Actually I had a really easy first day without sweets (I felt God encouraging me to do this). I had to laugh at the timing of it since today was Halloween-boy it smelled good but I was peaceful and felt His presence and thoroughly enjoyed treating the kiddies. Honestly this is the easiest day I’ve had w/ food temptation ever which encourages me so.
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers? Why? (I’m thinking of using this in The Stonecutter so I want you to be honest, please.)
Dee, I can’t believe you stayed the whole weekend! I would have left. It would have been do hard to press through it when people were being so cruel. What’s up with a “church” like this? I have never heard of anything like it. How can people pick and choose what they want out of the Bible? It’s a sacred book and given to us be God. We must respect the entire document whether we like what it says or not. This is why I left my family denomination; they have twisted the words and ideas to fit their needs. It is disrespectful. Also, thank God for Steve! He held it together for you:)
4. Using an example of an idol in your life, what lie is the enemy likely to tell you? How can you be ready for him with the truth? Remember to get your sword ready.
I suppose I will stick with the idol of my children. Satan would probably say if I am not in control of them then God doesn’t really care about us. For me to let them go and trust in the Lord is difficult. But they are His and I have done all can to help them here on earth. It is through Him that they must live. I can continue to help them, and pray they find their way back to Him, and trust they will.
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23? If you have someone you love who believes this lie, pray for him or her, using 1 Timothy 2:25-26. Paul prays that “God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
6. John gives lots of red flags that let you know the spirit of the antichrist has a hold on someone. If you see these flags in yourself, then repent and move into the light. If you the flag in someone you love, pray for him. Find each flag:
A. 1 John 2:4
B. 1 John 2:9
C. 1 John 2:15
D. 1 John 2:19
E. 1 John 3:10
F. 1 John 4:2-3 (Keller discusses this so we’ll come back to it in the sermon part.)
G. 1 John 4:5
oops..
ICEBREAKER AND REVIEW
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
Oooh…that snake! It gives me a creepy feeling to stare at it, I would be in terror if that thing was really about to bite me – imagining the pain I would soon feel! Yet Satan’s lies are like the bite of a snake, they are meant to inflict pain on us, meant to inject us with his venom, meant to kill us spiritually and even physically (how many have be driven to suicide because of believing his lies?), or if he can’t kill us, the bite of his lies can make us very sick, making us live in a state of defeat.
I had an attack of his lies at church on Sunday. I had picked up my daughter from her class and I was talking with a couple of women, and then those two women started chatting and we were all walking in the hall; I was just behind them. I think my daughter was tired and was anxious to get home; I looked over at her and she looked tired so I was what’s wrong, honey, are you tired? And she said something like let’s get going around them, you’re like always trying to get in other people’s business!
I was really hurt by that “dart”, and all the way home in the car the lies in my head were “you’re never going to fit in there, you’re always going to be left out, you’ve never really had many friends and you never will…..”
2. What stood out to you from Dee’s story of speaking to the women ministers?
If it had been me I probably would’ve packed up and left or I would’ve broken down and cried! I felt like I was in the room, watching all this unfold as Dee told the story. It had to have been God’s supernatural power upholding you, Dee, and keeping you that enabled you to persevere and to not just go with the flow, as the director suggested you “keep it light” and stick with the topic of friendship. You could have but it would have compromised what you believed in about God and what He has especially gifted and empowered you to do – share the gospel through your writing and speaking. There was good seed being scattered at that retreat, but it was falling on hard, packed-down, frozen cold dirt and it could not penetrate. Their verbal cruelty surprised me; their treatment of you – sitting you by yourself at lunch – they were trying to make a statement. Their treatment of you shows the darkness they were really living in but how scary to think they were ministers, but ministers of what? What message did they have to give to their congregation? I was so hoping that at the end of your story I was going to read that one or two women contacted you at a later time and wanted to talk to you more about Jesus. But we don’t know – even years later one or more of them may have had a change of mind and heart and recalled your words! We can only hope and pray on that!
Susan — I’ve been thinking about you at church and praying for a friend. I wish you lived near, for I would love a face to face friendship.
I have a quote from Walt Wangerin in my book on friendship: Faith is hard work, but along the way, God ambushes you! I pray He will ambush you with a friend — surprise you to the uttermost. Keep taking those risks, and don’t let what your daughter said discourage you. Praying for you.
Oh Dee,
Thank you! Thank you for a really wonderful prayer – to be “ambushed” by God! I have been blessed by the friendship of you and the women here, and perhaps one day, some of us will meet face to face here! Also, your mentioning Walt Wangerin (senior?) reminded me of a short story I read years ago written by Walt Wangerin Jr. called Ragman. I just searched it on the internet and read an excerpt. Just the part I read was moving to me. If you haven’t read it, it’s a beautiful story of what Jesus does for us; not only taking our dirty rags in exchange for a clean new garment, but how He takes upon Himself our pain and sorrow.
The same Walt Wangerin. He’s so good. He is dying of cancer now.
Yes, perhaps we will meet face to face before heaven!
Susan, I loved your application of the snake-excellent! 🙂
I wanted to relate with something you said, but all my boys are up-have been since 5 a.m.. I have gotten interrupted like every five minutes.:( So, I have to get offline earlier than normal.
Susan, I wanted to share that I too had some lies thrown at me last night that were very similar to yours. I have often felt alone here in Kansas like I don’t fit in. Yet God has brought me Donna, a friend I deeply love, and do have that connection with-and it is growing deeper. HE is faithful..It was so dark out last night-spiritually speaking. I don’t know, I just sensed more attack than normal-I saw a group of women acquaintances-women who are believers who I love but haven’t really connected with spiritually and they were together trick or treating with their children. I was alone waiting on mine to finish up at a home. When we said hi to one another, satan snuck in and whispered those lies in my head-here you are alone, you will never fit in here. Then I reminded myself of the truth again-yet I let it go too long before I did as I was tired. At night I am exhausted and that is usually when he attacks. It is a constant battle though. I felt down until we got back to the house and I fought him with truth again-but I let it go a bit longer than I would have liked.
5. What is the ultimate lie according to 1 John 2:22-23? If you have someone you love who believes this lie, pray for him or her, using 2 Timothy 2:25-26. Paul prays that “God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”-
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ-the Messiah-the One who came to die and bring salvation to those who would believe. So they deny the Gospel.
6. John gives lots of red flags that let you know the spirit of the antichrist has a hold on someone. If you see these flags in yourself, then repent and move into the light. If you the flag in someone you love, pray for him. Find each flag:
A. 1 John 2:4
Those who claim they know him but do not obey Him.
B. 1 John 2:9
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates their brother or sister.
C. 1 John 2:15
Anyone who loves the world more than God-as in walks in obeying their lusts, walks in pride, bound by loving the world more than God.
D. 1 John 2:19
When someone who is among the body-goes to church, participates with the body-yet when the going gets tough leaves the faith, then they were never in the faith.
E. 1 John 3:10
Whoever does not do what is right, and whoever does not love their brother or sister.
F. 1 John 4:2-3 (Keller discusses this so we’ll come back to it in the sermon part.)
Whoever doesn’t acknowledge that Jesus is more than just a prophet or a good teacher. He is God incarnate-wrapped himself in flesh and walked among us. Those who don’t acknowledge that are in the hands of the evil one.
G. 1 John 4:5
Since they are from the world, they speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens.
You are such a great group.
I do want to say something about that incident so many years ago. I honestly cannot take the credit for staying and continuing to preach the Gospel. God’s love compelled me, a force within me that was not of me at all. He loved those women and their sheep, and that mighty energy was at work within me. I never felt I had a choice. It wasn’t me. It was Him.
If I knew what I know today, I would have confronted their idols. Tim Keller says that is important to do. He does it on his video The Reason for God with the six unbelievers in the room, telling them they have a vested interest in not believing, and they need to keep that in mind.
I also am thankful that the women kept coming to hear me, for they could have skipped the sessions.
Though I don’t know if anything ever happened with those hearts, I have been privileged to encourage, up here in Wisconsin, a woman pastor from that same denomination. Truly, she took a true Martin Luther stand with her congregation. She told them, “I cannot support what our denomination teaches anymore, so I want us to leave and join a more conservative synod in our denomination. If you choose not to, I will leave, because I must.” They didn’t want to, but they didn’t want to lose her, for they loved her, so they are now part of the more conservative denomination that believes the Bible as it was intended to be believed.
I also have seen, because I have a sister in what I would call an unbelieving church (she would not) how subtle Satan is. She says she does believe the Bible, but it is taught from the pulpit that everything is metaphorical: Jesus death, resurrection — and so the meaning is completely changed.
Like many of you faced with impossible walls, I pray — He brought down the wall of Jericho, He made dead bones live, and He can change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh.
Dee, what you say here makes me think that because God orchestrated your participation in this event, there must be fruit that is not visible yet. It reminds me of events in Acts because of the way the Holy Spirit worked in and through the apostles. And I love your prayer. Not only can He raise the dead but He can make dead dry bones live and breathe. That picture encourages me greatly.
This from The Gospel Coalition may interest some of you — today at 7 EST:
Tim and Kathy Keller have released their new book, The Meaning of Marriage . They’ll speak together on marriage at TGC’s 2012 women’s conference, June 22 to 24 in Orlando. But before then you can pick up their book, read a review by Collin Hansen, and scan Tim’s interview with John Starke. Visit here on Tuesday, November 1, at 7 p.m. EST to watch a livestream of the sold-out book launch event featuring the Kellers at the New York Society for Ethical Culture.
Yay! 🙂 🙂 Huge smile.
Dee, is this on the Gospel Coalition site?
It should be!
It is. I found it.
I think our church leadership is going to encourage men to send our women to this!! I really want to go!!!
I will be away at 7 tonight. Boo. 🙁 I bet it will be good.
Hey and I just check my email and I got a personal invite encouraging me to go and was told my husband has been encouraged to send me!!! WOOHOO! Hoping I will be at that women’s conference. If anyone else is let me know it would be fun to meet you in person.
fyi for all–I just received an email from Westminster Bookstore that the book is 45% off ($14.27) today!
Great! I wonder if my bookstore on my Nook would have it available?? I will have to look.
Shoot, I just saw this…..is there a place online I can go to watch the video?
7. How does John encourage us in 1 John 4:4? Have you been able to slam the enemy with God’s truth this week? If so, share and encourage us! Greater is he who is in you then he who is in the world!
I think so, Last night i went for a run, and someone whom i knew from high school was out trick or treating with her kids and she said to me “Meaghan its not a good night to be out running with all of these people. and then her daughter who couldnt have been more than 5 said yeah its halloween night. Right away i thought, great should i really be out running, i was wanting to cry and i almost stopped running. But then i said to myself no i can run if i want to its a free country and the roads are closed to just trick or treaters. I can run if i want to and i kinda had an attitude about it too. But i am so sick of people tearing me down. I have dealt with it almost my whole life.. and usually i get upset and start crying but i kept going!
Meg — of course I don’t know — but I wonder if they were, rather than putting you down, concerned about you — because Halloween is a dangerous night, where it seems spirits and evil is on the prowl. Just a thought, dear one.
Dee,
True, but it was also only 5:15 and still broad daylight!