Ian from sunny Sydney here. Spring is here, Down Under and the flowers are beginning to blossom as the temperature increases.

Photo courtesy of Mikhail Nilov and Pexels.com

We’re a little sad in our house at present. Fiona and I were off on a holiday last week, but I injured my back, and it didn’t make sense for us to travel. Besides the pain of the travel, I would have been limited in what I could do as my back slowly heals. This isn’t a new thing for me – as I’ve gotten older, these episodes occur every couple of years. Unfortunately, this time was particularly inopportune.

BTW, my back is slowly improving, and I have some plans in place to hopefully minimise future episodes.

Stuff Happens

We’re often disappointed, aren’t we? Things aren’t turning out the way they should be or how we hoped they would? We probably all can think of something in recent times where we’ve been disappointed. It might have been something small, or something bigger like a holiday being cancelled. Or there are the perennial ones that seem always to be in the back (or perhaps forefront of our minds) like our spouse still seemingly no closer to joining us in loving God, or one of our kids making decisions we don’t approve of, or our jobs not working out the way we want them to.

What about our dearest friendships? The intimacy we once shared has disappeared. Why, we don’t know. There’s an open wound in our heart that brings us to tears most weeks.

Why God why? It wasn’t meant to be like this!

We want our situation resolved now. We get disappointed when it doesn’t. Our hope fades. How many times have you wondered whether your spouse will ever come to the Lord? Me, too many to count!

It’s Okay to be Sad!

Too often in Christian circles we minimise disappointment and sadness. We all do it. We’re always wanting to help others in their sadness, confusion, or grief. We want to help them be happy and restore their hope. But many of us feel uncomfortable when someone we love is sad or disappointed. It’s a yucky feeling and experience, isn’t it?

But it’s okay to be sad. Remember, Jesus was sad a few times, one when he received news about John the Baptist being beheaded and when Lazarus was dead. We’re told he even wept when he arrived at Lazarus tomb. He, the creator of the universe, experienced every emotion we do. Really truly!

As Kate Bowler says, “You are okay to feel what you feel. We need freedom to acknowledge the brutality of life without minimising or pretending or justifying.”¹

Lament

As I’ve mentioned a few times, I’ve been reading the Psalms continually for a few years now. I can’t get enough of them. They’ve been pivotal in my gaining a better understanding of God’s goodness, wonder and mystery. Lament psalms feature the most of any ‘category’ of the 150 psalms. Why? Because it reflects the human condition. Life doesn’t turn out the way we want, bad things happen, and there’s much we don’t understand. So, the writers of the lament psalms give us a means for expressing our feelings to God, knowing that He listens and is always offering us His love, protection and kindness.

One of the aspects of the lament psalms I love is they’re at times brutally honest. Here’s a sample:

“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2)

These are the words Jesus cried on the Cross:

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest. (Psalm 22:1-2)

Bowler writes, “But all the good things that can come from prayer – trust, acceptance, connection, occasional miracles – are there waiting for us. But first comes radical honesty. The more genuine our prayers, the more freedom there is to acknowledge the reality of all a life with God can be.”²

A Blessing for When you’re Disappointed.

I thought I’d finish with an abbreviated version of a Blessing Kate Bowler wrote about disappointment:

“Blessed are you, dear one, when you are disappointed, when you have prayed and hoped and wished, and still your cry for help does unanswered. Blessed are you in the grip of the radical honesty that says, God, what are You doing? Why don’t Your answer? … Blessed are you, when you have lifted it all up to God and now must sit among the broken things and pray a one-word prayer of need. Help. Save. Come.

Blessed are you still there before God amid the unanswered prayers. For you are not alone. No. There is One who has come to feel what you feel, to suffer what you have borne. And this Jesus comes right to the heart of your pain. That’s the place he knows best. And desires to transform with the blazing light of healing love. That’s the only thing that makes the difference.

Blessed are you, sweet child. Daring to ask, God, help me trust You, even if You never tell me why. Then settling yourself into the reality that God’s hands are the safest place to be. And you pray again. Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Hide me in the shadow of You wings.”³

If you’re struggling with a particular disappointment right now, please share it with us in the comments if you feel comfortable doing so and we can pray over you. Grab a hold of the Word and draw close to Him. Let His Word minister to you. Remember He has never left you and is always working in the background. Just as He is with all our spouses.

Grace and peace, dear friends.

Notes: 1 & 2, Kate Bowler and Jessica Ritchie, Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection (Penguin Random House, New York, 2022) 135

Notes 3. Ibid, 136

Happy Monday, SUM family!  Last week on our Facebook page I did a video about an evangelist's wife who once prayed this prayer: Help me love my husband more, but help me be less 'in love' with him!

Is that a good prayer to pray? Well, take a listen to this video about her story, see what you think, and perhaps we'll chat in the comments!

Image courtesy of Janpen04081986 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hello, dear SUMites, Ian from sunny Sydney. The world was turned on its head this time last year when the first people outside of China began to be diagnosed with this new virus strain which the medical community named COVID-19. The virus soon spread exponentially (a term that became part of our daily lexicon) throughout every land, borders in many countries were quickly shut and panic set in.

A year later, some countries are still in the thick of it. Vaccines are being rolled out to the masses and everyone’s hoping and praying that by the end of 2021 the world might go back to normal.

Lament

The loss of life, both in terms of deaths but also change in daily routines, access to family and friends, loss of employment, and so on has been immense. The world has been crying out, ‘how long will this go on?’ The shock and disbelief still reverberates.

For those of us who follow Jesus it’s made many of us question where God is in all of this. “How long, Lord?”, like the Psalmist has become a common refrain along with many other cries from the heart. Lament, a passionate expression of grief or sorrow, is a very acceptable posture before the Lord. As Pete Greig states, “struggle and travail are important expressions of biblical spirituality. Lamenting is more than a technique for venting emotion. It is one of the fruits of a deepening spiritual life that has learned to stand naked before God without shame or pretense …”¹

If you’re familiar with the Psalms², you’ll most likely be aware that at least one-third of them are laments where the writer is in the midst of some unresolved pain.

If you’re grappling with some unresolved pain, may I encourage you right now to express your pain, sadness, grief, disappointment, fear or frustration to the Lord. Sit quietly and be gentle with yourself, grab some tissues and simply ask Jesus to be present. And now share whatever you’re feeling. Take your time. Jesus won’t leave.

If you expressed your emotion and feel up to it please let us know in the comments so we can join you in your lament.

Solution or a Person

I was struck the other day by two stories of lament, one Biblical (from Job) and another about a marriage breakdown. We’re all familiar with Job’s story of incredible loss that occurred suddenly. He lost his family, his possessions, his health, everything. Friends came to counsel him while Job cried out to God. And heard nothing in reply nor was his situation resolved or fixed.

I find when I’m struggling with unresolved pain, I just want God to fix it. Heal me, open a door, provide something and so on. Or at the very least an explanation. ‘Why has that friend suddenly deserted me? What have I done?’ Anyone else with me?

We want the answer, the solution, the explanation, so we can control the situation, make sense of it. When we understand something, we are able to exercise greater control over it.

But so often, nothing happens. Right? Like Job, it makes no sense. ‘How long, Lord?’ we cry for the umpteenth time.

Let’s go back to Job. After 37 chapters, God finally responds. And what a response it is. Let’s look at the first few verses, but I’d encourage you to read the rest.

‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
   Tell me, if you have understanding. 
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it? 
On what were its bases sunk,
   or who laid its cornerstone 
when the morning stars sang together
   and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? (v 4-7)

What tone do you hear in God’s voice as you read these verses? A harsh demanding one or a loving Father that speaks tenderly and honestly? The former makes God to be a critical judge that chides his impatient underling, while the latter makes Him to be a caring Father who happens to have the entire universe in His hands. Included in this universe is suffering Job.

God has never left Him. Not for a minute. Everything and everyone is in His loving care. Similarly, to Job, God hasn’t left us during this past year. He’s still very much in control.

What do we prefer? The solution or Him? The provision from His hands or His warm embrace saying He’ll never leave us or forsake us?

May I encourage us to choose to believe that our loving God is always with us irrespective of our circumstances and He wants us to continually turn to Him, for Him and not just the solution. He is always the answer! He wants us to surrender control, even if we can only do it with gritted teeth. Yes, cry out for the solution you seek, and He may well provide but most importantly He will give Himself which is the best thing we could ever hope for.

Much love, my friends.

Notes:

1. Lectio 365 App, Tuesday 2 March 2021 “Learning to Lament” Words taken from Pete Greig’s book, ‘God on Mute’
2. Some of the well-known Lament Psalms include: 6, 10, 38, 42-43, 130.

A Dead-End….

…Divorce…

…Failed adoption…

…Lost job…

…Friendship betrayed…

…Circumstances…

…Cancer…

Arrival on: Dead End Street


This is a familiar road to me, perhaps to you as well. We arrive in this desolate place by many different vehicles and at various speeds.

I have ambled down this road in a slow, painful progression, via a loss of a friendship. I have slammed into the road sign, leaving it flat on the pavement, after screeching to a halt. I look around bewildered at my arrival once again. Pride usually facilities this crash. I have followed Christ, with absolute certainty of His leading, only to take up residence once again next to the familiar roadblock because I didn’t trust Him completely.

Arrival on Dead-End Street brings the inevitable questions: Why? What purpose does this serve, God?

The question to ask is not why. The question to ask is, God what are you up to?

James 1:5-6 (New International Version)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Ask Him about it. In many instances, God has future Kingdom work so intense and fantastic we would fear it and run. It is in the waiting that we are prepared to climb to the next plateau. Living on Dead-End Street forges a soul of Christlike character. Life is not about us. It is about Him. God utilizes our dead-end to magnify Himself.

Romans 11:36 (New International Version)
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

The holding pattern teaches us to set aside our ambitions and help others. God works through people. If we are flying down life’s highway screaming past the befuddled bystanders, we can’t possibly show them Jesus. God is revealed when we enrich another’s life, a child, our spouse, a stranger, and especially others stranded on Dead-End Street. If we refuse to slow down willingly, God will unquestionably find a way to do it for us.

1 Timothy 2:4 (New International Version)
4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

It is at the dead-end where God will pursue us, change us, and grow us. Are you stuck on Dead-End Street right now?

If so,
YOU ARE ON HOLY GROUND!

Jeremiah 29:11(New International Version)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Lord, we are standing on holy ground in your presence waiting. Reveal your desire for our lives and character while we abide in this desolate place. Keep our memory strong. Never allow us to forget the lessons learned here. Let us find peace in the promise that you want to give us a hope and a future. In Jesus name, Amen.

(I wrote this prior to Martha's Post. The Lord understands and loves us so well. Hugs, Lynn)

SUMites,

My heart has been with the many who are reading here and are STILL waiting for your miracle. It may have been difficult to read about spouses coming to faith while you languish in the loneliness and deep conflicts of a mismatched marriage. I know for me, reading about happy couples was sometimes a dagger in my chest.

Several years ago, the Lord spoke to this issue.

One of the biggest tests of love is when someone else receives their miracle while you wait for yours. And the biggest sign of your maturity in Christ is your ability to genuinely celebrate with your brother or sister. Listen to me. It’s not easy to rejoice over someone else’s joy when you are asking God for the same and you’re met with silence.

In these moments the demonic will rise up and swirl the lies and confusion around you. They whisper, “See, God doesn’t listen to you. See, you are not making any progress. Yes, divorce is the answer. See, your life isn’t worth notice.”

Tell me these swirling thoughts don’t rise up? I know because these are the very wicked demons who once would whisper to me.

So, friends, TAKE CAPTIVE THOSE LIES AND SEND THEM TO THE PIT!

The truth is this:

• You are powerful.
• God listens to you because He is madly in love with you.
• You are His favorite!
• Your presence with Christ within you, changes your home for the better. If you weren’t there, O Lord have mercy, what a mess it would be.
• Your love WINS!
• The battle is the Lord’s. You pray. Command the demons to leave. Let the angelic do their work!

You can celebrate with your sisters because you ARE experiencing victory every day. Did you wake up breathing? Hallelujah.

Did your kids smile at you? GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD.

Did you lay down in a bed? Great is our King!

Your brothers and sisters who are walking ahead of you are PLOWING the road for you, so you don’t have to wait so long. You don’t have to endure the pain as much. Lean into what your brothers and sisters bring to the table because their victory IS YOUR VICTORY.

I love you. Don’t give up.

I bless you with courage to move forward today. I bless you with grit…. To fight for your family. I bless you with heaven’s powerful determination to pray your family into the Kingdom. I bless you to walk in integrity, maturity and in the love of Jesus. I bless you to never violate love and to let love be your highest goal, in Christ Jesus. AMEN

Be blessed, Lynn

Last Tuesday as I zipped my travel bag closed and was about to drive to the airport, my iPhone buzzed.

Your flight has been delayed. Your new departure time is……

My mind screamed… We will miss our connection.

I scrambled about on the internet. There were no other flights available. Reality came crashing in. Tomorrow was one of the busiest travel days of the year. Nothing available tomorrow either. Everything was booked.

I sat in the chair in my bedroom and a reluctant memory of 30 years prior came rolling back into my mind. This same scenario was playing out all over again. A much-anticipated trip home, to Colorado, for the holidays. Cancelled and my joy ruined, and gloom overtook my heart. I truly didn’t know how to process the deep grief of my unmet expectations, dreams and hopes.

I realized that thirty years ago, I was visited by a wicked marauder…. Disappointment. And it has been a steady tormentor for years.

I know the cancellation of a trip is trivial when compared to a cancer diagnosis, world hunger, or lost souls. But for me, this demon has rendered great destruction upon my heart.

Disappointment has met me in turn, throughout my married life. Most of us SUMites walk this road of disenchantment. Our dreams of attending church with our spouse dissolve sometime early on in marriage. Unity in faith, raising kids as believers, tithing, praying together, these are only a few of battlefields where we’ve fought then were left bloodied and bereft of spirit. This demon, when left to propagate, invites in other invaders such as disillusionment, regret, unforgiveness and finally bitterness.

The only hope for us as Christians is to cut the head off the snake with truth.

Surrender…. I give the Lord my broken hopes and dreams. I cry. I sometimes pout. I’m often angry.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. —James 4:7

Repent….. Oh, this humanity thing is really hard at times. I really, really, really don’t want to give up what I want… But because of Christ… I CAN DO ALL THINGS! I rid my mind of the anger and lost hopes and broken expectations.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. — 1 John 1:9

Thanks….. Giving thanks and appreciating what I DO have already realigns my heart and then my emotions and head will follow.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. —Psalm 100:4

Restore….. I ask the Lord to show me in the situation where I could have done better and what was wrong or what occurred by the enemy’s hand.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. —1 Peter 5:10

Wisdom…. Lord, let me see all of this through your eyes. This is when the GLORY comes. I see my disappointment, the people involved and the circumstances through lenses of grace, mercy, glory and revelation. WHOA! This is when I can see the broken people. I see my husband and his fears when he turns down my invitation to church. I view those who are nasty in line at the store as fallen children of God who are crying inside. I behold those situations that were caused by demonic forces such as Chaos, lawlessness, pride, selfish ambition.

I choose to believe God will provide in every situation, even in the circumstances which He doesn’t provide a way through in the moment. When He says NO. He has a reason and I know that He will gladly explain in time.

I don’t know what demon holds you back but for me, disappointment rears its head often. Determined to make me recant my declarations of faith.

BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN! Even in the disappointment…. I remain faithful for God has been faithful to me. All of my life.

Interestingly, thirty years later as I sat in the chair dreading calling my mom and my daughter who was already on an airplane headed to Colorado, God showed up.

He whispered into my ear, “Not this time.”

My husband, a medallion frequent flyer, called the airline. A small miracle ensued. They booked us a departing flight on a different airline, on the second busiest flying day of the year. There was space and not only that, we were able to sit together on both segments out of California and into Colorado.

Whatever you are facing, God is in it with you. The answer may be yes. It may be no. It may be not now. But…… GOD IS IN IT!

My goal is that they (believers) may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. —Colossians 2:2-3

Some pics from our visit to Colorado:

ya, that's a 90 foot drop behind her. NUTS!

Lynn, Caitie, Mike

Hey SUM Family,

Tiffany here:

ev·i·dence -  

a : an outward sign : indication

b : something that furnishes proof : testimony; specifically : something legally submitted to a tribunal to ascertain the truth of a matter

(Merriam-Webster online dictionary)

Last post (This Is Just The Pits!) we began to take a look at the life of Joseph. We discovered that there are ten tests we must face in order to fulfill our God-given purpose (I highly suggest you read From Dream to Destiny by Robert Morris for more on this topic). I want us to really dive into the deep end of the pool as we learn more about the pit test.

First, let's continue on in the story of Joseph. At this point he was ambushed by his brothers and thrown into the pit. Changing scenes, we see what happens with his family next:

So [Joseph's brothers] took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in blood. Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, "We  have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?" And he recognized it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces" (Genesis 37:31-33).

Joseph's brothers did not flat out lie and say that Joseph was killed. Jacob came to that conclusion because of their leading question, "Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?" This is what we would call fabricated (false) evidence.   Remember evidence is an indication or something that furnishes proof. This evidence in Jacob's mind was proof that his favorite son was dead - to him it was the truth.

For over 20 years, imagine Jacob as he says in v. 35, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Imagine a father so heartbroken that he was not able to be consoled. I don't know for certain but I can imagine countless nights of crying himself to sleep, restlessness, no appetite, deep depression...unable to move on. Not only that but his other sons could have easily freed him from all of it...over 20 years of seeing and living with their father. What callous and prideful hearts!

What about you? What fabricated evidence has been stacked up against you? Your marriage? Your parenting? Your identity in Christ? What lies of the pit have kept you trapped for far too long? 

We live in a sin-hardened world, and we will be tempted by fabricated evidence just as Jacob was. And like Jacob, we will suffer unnecessary grief if we allow the lies of the pit to determine what we believe.

This is very important. If you want to get out of the pit, you must learn to discern the lies of the enemy. Because when you are in the pit, you are especially vulnerable. When you are in the pit, circumstances usually don't look very favorable - and that is exactly when Satan will manipulate those circumstances in order  to deceive you. He will hold up those circumstances before you as evidence that you should believe him rather than have faith in God. But fabricated evidence is not the truth. Joseph's brothers held up a bloody coat as evidence, and that evidence looked pretty convincing. But it was fabricated evidence. It was not the truth. If you want to overcome the lies of the pit, you must learn to focus on what God has said. When you are in the pit, you must remember that nothing is too hard for God, no matter what evidence the enemy might produce...

Yet even worse than his fabricated evidence is Satan's biggest lie: "You've messed up too badly. It's too late for you. You've messed up too badly to ever fulfill God's destiny for your life." Do you realize that the Bible is a book entirely about restoration? The Bible is filled with stories of people who messed up so badly that it seemed even God couldn't do anything about it - and yet He restored every one of them. He wants you to know that nothing is impossible for Him. As long as you have breath, it is never too late to call out to God. It doesn't matter what pit you are in. If you call out to God, He can fix it. And that is the real purpose of the pit. (pp. 38-39, From Dream to Destiny, Robert Morris)

Next time I want to finish up with the hope we have - the light at the end of the tunnel - in times of experiencing the pit test. But for now, let's meet in the comments. Let me speak truth into you and pray with you as we debunk the lies of the pit. Lean into this reality that fabricated evidence, no matter how convincing or real it appears, is NOT the truth. I promise you that this assurance will transform your life and catapult you out of the pit.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

-- Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)

SUMites, each of us have walked the lonely road of disappointment. It is a commonality when you are unequally yoked. Our dreams about a family, a spouse who attends church together and leads the family devotions are only but shadows of a hope lost in reality.

What do we do with disappointment? How do we work through disappointment with the Lord?

I know that I’ve wrangled through disappointment with my spouse. Many a time. Many times, I take my man to the Throne of Grace and receive mercy and grace in my moment of surrender of expectation. In the divine and holy moment of speaking forgiveness over a man who has no idea the strength it takes to place a piece of my heart on the throne of love and surrender. I give him grace that I didn’t receive. And the only way that I can move through this process with complete honesty is through the power and love of Jesus Christ.

And Jesus shows up every time and it is well with my soul.

I can forgive and love my husband fully and with honesty.

But, disappointment with God…… Yikes. I feel shame to admit that I have walked in seasons of quiet confusion and disappointment in God. This is usually a result of something I believe I heard from the Lord given to me to have faith for it to become a reality and then it doesn’t come to pass.

Husband’s conversion
Prodigal child
Loss of a book contract

Are we afraid to ask God about what we truly want because if it doesn’t happen, we believe we won’t recover from the disappointment? It’s a vulnerable moment to come before our God and tell Him, “I don’t understand. I’m confused. I’m brokenhearted. You let me down.” Just being real here.

SUMites, we need to come before the Throne and just let Him have it all. Tears, pain, loss, and you know what happens? He lifts our head and whispers into our stained face, “I can handle your disappointment. I am bigger than every loss, broken dream and dashed hopes. I will handle your heart. I will heal it. I won’t leave you abandoned and lost. I will lead you into the new Promised Land. I will not fail you.”

Oh, gang, will we dare to believe He is bigger than all of our brokenness?

How do I know He can handle it? His faithfulness in our history over and over plus perhaps we borrow the history of others. Isn’t that what we do when we read the Bible. We lean on the history of believers from the past and their triumphs through faith in God.

Have you experienced moments of divine healing? Does your heart contain memories of His love that healed past wounds. These are our testimonies of His faithfulness that will certainly pull us through our current disappointment.

Today, what is hidden deeply within your heart. If you need to give it to Him, leave it in the comments. I will pray with you to release it and then receive a new gift from Him in the place of your pain. Gather your courage. This is a divine moment of real healing for your life. He longs to heal. He longs to set you free. He longs to love you fully and in for you to rest in quiet trust.

I am crying out with you, Lord, I invite you, I plead with you, heal the wound in my soul, this very hour. I have faith for this healing and in Jesus name, I ask. AMEN

There are many of My children who have languished in this end-time season, locked in the enemy’s prisoner of war camp. The barbed wire of disillusionment and abandonment, gouge and leave bleeding scars. Through this extended, grueling season of illness, persecution has devastated their very soul. They are prisoners of war, left abandoned on the plains of battle. Whispers of finality through betrayal, hopelessness, apathy and fear are the lies that fortify their restraints.

These are My Beloved Children who love Me and once believed in My truths and Kingdom. But the blows of darkness birthed perceived falsehoods that I was unaware of their sufferings. They turned toward the lies that I allowed the brokenness or cared little when tears drowned their faith.

From My Throne; My voice thunders in peeling crack of raw emotions and booming love.

It is NOT SO!

My love and power are always enough to liberate every soul.

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. —Psalm 56:8

I have wept with you as I collected every tear as a token that restitution is due. I have stored each droplet that cries out for vindication of all that the enemy of life has stolen.

Today, My children who are beset by bitterness and strife, determine your heart to trust Me again. Pray. Speak to me again, for I never left you alone. People may have failed you, left you devastated, lost in rejection, but I stand for you. I am your hope, redemption, your healing, life and I have every answer to your questions. I AM your place of refuge.

Delay not another moment. Release your heart to Me. I’m a moment away. Your faith and My love are your healing script. Pray without ceasing and never give up.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. —Revelation 21:4

SUMite Nation,

Don’t give into discouragement. The month advances and perhaps you fasted, perhaps not. But God is moved by our prayers. For me personally this past week has been tough. I’ve battled discouragement, confusion and even frustration as the answers I’m seeking, have yet to come to light. In my discouragement I felt my spirit drain of its hope and despair was standing by just waiting to pounce.

I gathered myself and went on a prayer march on Sunday morning. Along the route the Lord spoke, “You are a Daughter of the King. Rise up and remember. You have fabulous promises. My Word is a hammer that shatters despair and disappointment (Jeremiah 23:29). Press in. The devil is scheming and plotting, and blocking your breakthrough and dreams. Decree the promises over your life. Speak that which is not as though it is (Romans 4:17).”

Wow, did I ever need that pep talk! So do you. Believe and do not listen to the lies of the enemy. GREAT things await those of us who believe!

Gang, I also want to share some exciting additions to the SUM writing family. I will continue to write on Mondays and Fridays. I’ll also offer an occasional guest post in some of my slots.

Many of you reached out to offer your help since Dineen moved along. And I’m thrilled that there are so many aspiring writers out there and most of them went through my online writing seminar. So along with my voice and our long-time contributor, Ian Acheson, please welcome Ann Hutchison, who is also our Newsletter coordinator and writer. Christy Edney who coordinates our Prayer Partner ministry and the Facebook Group along with Taylor Talmage. This month Tiffany Carter joins us. She will write once a month and Martha Bush, who recently wrote some great articles on submission. Martha will contribute random posts as time permits. Finally, we also have a new voice that will be writing and sharing short inspiration on our SUM Facebook page, Patty Tower, who starts in February.

To read more about the team members, click on the Meet The Team link in the menu. Also, if you have a story to share, please visit the Contributors page for post guidelines and submissions. I am always looking for SUM family to share their triumphs and hopes who have been part of our community in the comments, etc.

I love all of you. I’m NOT giving up on the dreams the Lord has placed in my heart. Don’t you give up either. Perseverance, persistence and rejecting the lies of the enemy is the pathway to victory!

HALLELUJAH!!!

Dear friends, I am on "vacation" this week. It's actually my oldest daughter, Rachel, who is on vacation and spending the week with Mike and I. We won't get to see her at Christmas this year so I am making the most of this week with my girl. I'll be back next next week.

In the meantime, this testimony from Alissa is so beautiful and powerful, of how God met her, reassured her, and even gave her revelation and insight to understand what was really at the heart of her husband's choice to be an agnostic. When I asked her if I could share her testimony here, this is what she said:

Absolutely you can use this. One thing I learned on my missions trip was the power of testimony. We learned that the word testimony, literally means 'God do it again'. So if my testimony can give someone else hope and encouragement that is really the ultimate goal, God do it again!

Thank you, Alissa! 

Be encouraged, SUMites. God has you and your spouse, right in the palm of His hand. He never lets go. Hugs! ~Dineen

How God Spoke to My Heart About My Husband
by Alissa Berglund

A little back story first...  A couple of weeks ago I went on a missions trip to Romania while my husband stayed back and took care of the kids. While I was on my trip he got together with some of our friends (all unbelievers) and they got into a discussion about faith and God. Fast forward to this week. I went on a walk with my best friend who isn't a believer but is open to God and she was telling me that this discussion and taken place but didn't offer up any details, and I didn't push for the whole story, just listened to what she offered up.

Dear friends, the following is a post I did a few years back. The Holy Spirit has continually reminded me of this post the last week or so, but I wasn't sure if it was a needed subject at the moment. Then on Thursday as I was working on the registration details for the Hope Ignited conference our healing rooms and my church were hosting, I heard the Holy Spirit say over and over again throughout the day, "Don't take offense."

I assumed it was for me, specifically something the Holy Spirit knew I would encounter at some point over the weekend at the conference. Then our worship leader gave a word on this very subject Friday evening. I knew then it was a corporate word. And then Lynn's post yesterday confirmed that! Wow! Don't you just love how the Holy Spirit speaks to us?

God is on the move, my friends, to restore this nation to peace and righteousness. I truly believe we will be astonished in how He does this through His amazing love.

So, I present to you, "Reaction Mode," originally posted in September of 2011. I pray it speaks to your heart and encourages you. I've updated it just a bit for our community needs right now.

Reactions Mode

Are you in reaction mode in your marriage?

I remember to this day when I made this revelation about my marriage. I stood in our home office, about to react to something my husband said. I believe at that moment the Holy Spirit stopped me and then gave me a complete picture of the situation. And it wasn’t pretty. If this pattern didn’t stop soon, my marriage would soon crash and burn.

And even more sobering (i.e. convicting)? I was the heart of the problem, because my heart was in a bad shape. Years of resentment toward my husband and unmet expectations had created a barrier between us.

What I call “reaction mode” is this highly destructive and very draining place where you and your spouse are walking in your marriage more like adversaries than partners. Every comment is scrutinized under suspicion and communication has completely broken down.

Though not always true, I find this often starts with women. We stop communicating out of unforgiveness and resentment. Or, like me, we never learned to communicate in a healthy manner.

The saddest part of reaction mode is that it leads to contempt toward one another. And where there is contempt, respect and love no longer exist. They simply can’t coexist. For example, a husband reacts back to his wife harshly, because he’s not receiving his deepest desire, which is to be respected. The wife then retreats or closes herself off, feeling unloved when her deepest desire is to be loved.

Do you see the vicious cycle? That’s the first and most crucial step to breaking reaction mode—seeing this pattern in your marriage. Whether you are male or female, this pattern will not stop until you make the first move. What does this change look like?

1. Be Careful What You Speak.

You know, there were times that I realized my reactions to my husband bordered on the behavior of a sarcastic teenager. Not a pretty sight but very convicting when recognized. Our words have the power to build or break down. If you’re inclined to speak without thinking first, stop right now and ask God to help control your mouth. This is a biblical principle and He will help you. Trust me on that.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. — Proverbs 15:1

We can also seek the Holy Spirit for the right words to speak as well. If we choose words that are honest and without an agenda to prove we’re right or place blame, we can be instrumental to restoring peace to our marriage.

2. Dwell on the Positive.

It’s easy to fall into this place where we think our spouse has an ulterior motive to his or her words. Even simple requests can turn into a battleground, because we’ve somehow fallen into the lie that our spouse intends to harm us. This suspicion perpetuates the reaction mode and is its fuel. Suspicion can also be fueled by lies, so the best way to combat this is to counteract with the truth. What does your spouse do well?

Make a list. My husband is great about making sure the garbage goes out every week. I appreciate this even more when he’s out of town and I have to do it. Yuck! He’s also great about going grocery shopping with me, and he’s quick to show his love and affection. Start with small things and your list will grow. Then study it whenever you fall into thinking those negative thoughts about your spouse.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. — Philippians 4:8

A negative thought feeds the enemy and breeds more negativity. This can even evolve into scenarios playing out in your mind of how your spouse could potentially hurt you. Then you wind up hurt and defensive over something that never even happened.

A positive thought feeds the spirit and releases the Holy Spirit to work in your mind for transformation (Romans 12:2). He also works in your heart to help you forgive and allow God’s love to flow more freely to and through you.

Which one do you want to grow “fatter” in your life?

3. Respect Him Even When You Don’t Want To, Love Her Even When She’s Unlovable.

Our hubbies need to know we will still stand by them when they mess up. And they will mess up, just as we do. We need to extend that hand of grace and acceptance, just as we want it extended to us. I’ve never seen anything quite as destructive to a marriage as contempt. And it is subtle in its presence. This goes right back to number one in how we use our words.

Add to that how you sound. What is your tone? Are you speaking in a way that solicits cooperation or are you condemning and accusing? This was the biggest area that I needed to change, and I know I could not have done it without God’s help. Sometimes we aren’t even aware that our tone and words hurt those we love. Pull out that list you made and go over it again. When it’s hard to show respect to your husband, find the things you can respect and show it to him. Then watch him bloom under your praise.

… and the wife must respect her husband. — Ephesians 5:33b

And loving someone when they are unlovable is one of the most powerful and sacrificial things a person can do. I have watched a woman be astonished by the fact that my church was assisting her out of our own desire to help and we weren’t getting paid by the government to do it. I have been deeply humbled by my husband's love when I was in pain and cranky. Love speaks louder than anything. Anything! Love changes hearts, marriages, families, cities and nations.

God is love so when we love, even when a person hasn’t “earned it,” we display His heart and presence in the most powerful way possible by revealing His very nature. Love (1 John 4).

4. Keep a “We” Mentality.

Isn’t this really the truth we forget? We enter in to marriage as two “I’s” and suddenly have to figure out what it means to be a “we.” This requires putting our spouse first, this means loving and respecting even when we don’t feel it, this means seeing our marriage truly as a team effort and pulling our weight even when we feel our spouse isn’t. God sees our heart and our efforts. Your actions to honor Him in your marriage are never wasted!

Don’t quit the team. Be the one who stands strong and keeps Christ in the middle—your faith and prayers do that (1 Cor. 7:14). Whatever issues you’re dealing with, remember that you and your spouse are a team. Blame solves nothing. Teamwork always gets the job done.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. —Genesis 2:24

Finally, remember that we can’t make these changes on our own. We need God’s help. Start with prayer and trust that God really can work in you, in your spouse and in your marriage to bring change and healing. It takes time, but when we desire God’s will for our marriage—a partnership built on love and respect—He will give us the desire of our heart (Psalm 37:4).

SUMites, I want to leave you with one final thought here (and this is a new part I'm adding). No matter where we are in our faith journey, God sees us the same way through His love and according to who He created us to be. We are His righteousness through Christ Jesus. And He never changes for He is the God of today, yesterday and tomorrow. He doesn't function within time as we do. He is present in all places—past present and future.

Now this is where it gets really interesting and may blow your mind a bit. Just as He sees us in this way, as who He created us to be, He sees our spouse the same way. He does not define them by their lack of faith but according to the measure of faith He has set aside for them. He sees them as they are intended to be, His children. I believe that is the heart of Eccl. 3:11 too. 

Father God, give us Your eyes, Your perspective of our spouse. Help us see them in the potential and in the light of eternity that You've placed within them so that we can love them according to that image and be part of releasing the truth of Your love in them. Thank You, Lord! Thank You! In the amazing name of Jesus, amen!

Love you so much, SUMites! And God loves you even better. ;-)
Dineen

Photo courtesy of taoty/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You know when you’re in church listening to the sermon and you feel the pastor is speaking specifically to you and only to you? Well I had that experience a week ago. The message was all about disappointment. But I also sensed the Lord wanted me to share some of it with us.

Yes, leaning on my pastor for inspiration once again. I trust you don’t mind.

Misplaced Expectations

We’re often disappointed aren’t we? Things aren’t turning out the way they should be or how we hoped they would? Our spouse still hasn’t made a commitment to the Lord even though we’ve been praying for it for however many years. In fact, they appear to be even more opposed to it. Our kiddies are struggling too which grieves us so and increasingly sends us to our knees.

What about our dearest friendships? The intimacy we once shared has disappeared. Why, we don’t know. There’s an open wound in our heart that brings us to tears most weeks.

Why God why? It wasn’t mean to be like this!

We want our situation resolved now. We get disappointed when it doesn’t. Our hope fades. How many times have you wondered whether your spouse will ever come to the Lord? Me, too many to count!

The Road to Emmaus

We’re all familiar with the story of the two disciples who have left Jerusalem on their way to Emmaus. I’d encourage you to read it again today (Luke 24:13-32).

Jesus (out of nowhere) comes alongside and asks them a question:

“What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” (v17)

The two disciples were “restrained” from recognizing it was Jesus in their presence.

Remember this is on the day Jesus is resurrected. The greatest day in history.

They had heard (whether firsthand or from other disciples) that Jesus wasn’t in the tomb and that angels said He was alive! (v23)

But they were sad! So sad in fact they were getting out of town.

Seriously?

Why?

“But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel.” (v21a)

They had expected someone else; someone like Moses who was going to free them from the Roman rule. Jesus brought something far better: freedom from sin and death so we could enjoy relationship with the Father.

Misplaced expectations.

“When your hope is misplaced you are guaranteed disappointment.” (Phil Pringle)

This disappointment also blinded them from Jesus’ Presence. They couldn’t recognize Him. Ever felt that when you’re so upset with disappointment you struggle to draw close to the Lord? Even when He’s right there? I have.

The Power of the Word

Jesus proceeds to give them the best bible study they (and anybody) have probably ever heard. They so marveled at His words they asked Him to dine with them when they arrived in a village.

They still didn’t know who He was.

It was only when He had blessed and broken bread that the duo’s eyes were opened, “and they knew Him.” (v31)

Then He vanishes. They now believe. So they return to Jerusalem and tell the other disciples all about their experience with Jesus.

I’m sure some of the eleven would have asked the question, “But you didn’t recognize Jesus for how may hours while He walked with you?”

Disappointment can do that. It steals our hope and blinds us.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick. But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12 NKJV)

If you’re struggling with a particular disappointment right now please share it with us in the comments if you feel comfortable doing so and we can pray over you. Grab a hold of the Word and draw close to Him. Let His Word minister to you. Remember He has never left you and is always working in the background. Just as He is with all of our spouses.

Grace and peace, dear friends.

This photo CRACKS ME UP!

Continued from Friday's post....

BUT…. This is what I learned from that experience.

I believe I was wrestling with a spirit of anger. I believe it was demonic in nature and it erupted in very rare moments as to keep me from recognizing it. And just like a volcano, when eruptions happen…. Devastation.

Later that evening when the eruption cooled and I knew things were in a bad place, I fell on my face and I begged God to forgive me. I asked Him to remove this spirit of anger from me and I promised Him I would never again let this anger be part of my life.

God did just that.

I haven’t felt that weird surge of ferocious anger since. And out of His great love, he healed everything in our family. Everything.

Our Father is so good that He delivers us, heals us even when we screw up everything in our own lives. He loves us through it and is protective.

Now I know not everything turns out like this. I look other areas of past resentment and anger with my spouse, yet my husband remains an unbeliever. God hasn’t move in him…… yet….

But what God did was reveal this area of oppression and He has completely freed me from that beast!

Hallelujah and Amen.

I’m sharing this story with you because I believe that are SUMites who are dealing with an angry spirit. Either it strikes you and/or your spouse. And if there is anger in you or your spouse, your children are vulnerable to become angry as well. Just sayin.

HOWEVER, You can pray to defeat anger.

Pray with me out loud:

In the name of Jesus, today I break any and all agreements I have with anger. I say that anger no longer has a place in my heart, soul, body, mind, will and emotions. I will live in the peace of the Kingdom of God. I declare that anger is hereby banished from my thoughts. No longer does anger have access to my mind. It must leave immediately and go into the pit and cannot return. My home is now a safe zone from the enemy and especially from the spirit of anger.

Also, in the name of Jesus, I declare the spirit of anger in my spouse must leave right now. I stand in authority over it by 1 Corinthians 7:14. My spouse in now protected and anger has no hold on my husband/wife or my children. The spirit of anger must go directly into the pit and never return. In the powerful name of Jesus. And I declare the blood of Christ over me, my spouse, my children and home. AMEN

Pray a version of this prayer every day, out loud for as long as it takes, (days, months, perhaps even a year). Personalize it with names. Pray the scripture verse out loud as well, claiming it’s truth and power over your faith and life.

-----

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:30-32

Okay, the next post is about dealing with ongoing annoyance, anger and our perceived unfair treatment. Then we will tackle disappointment and finally the granddaddy of them all... Fear of Man. Can't wait to get to that one.

I love you. Is this prayer helpful? Is this series helpful, let me know your thoughts about dealing with anger in your life in the comments. 

I bless you with Shalom today. In Jesus name. AMEN I love you, Lynn

We have been contemplating loneliness and marriage. And wow, some great comments following the last post. Go read them!!!!

I’m in a place of contemplating – Suffering. Gulp!

I think I struggle to even speak this word aloud. I wrangle with the implications and shrink back.

I consider the life of a Christian in the Western world as compared to a believer who lives where Isis roams the land and kills even children who profess Christ. Do we truly suffer in the Western World for our faith? Do we suffer in our marriages to unbelievers? Geeze, these thoughts mess with your head. 

The answer? Yes and no.

It’s never an easy answer, is it?

Yes, we suffer for our faith. No, we don’t suffer the threat of death for our faith today. But tomorrow, who knows? Yet the anguish in our lives and marriages over our faith in Jesus is very real.

I remember a long time ago I met an older woman once a week at a tiny little diner in our town. We met for breakfast and she poured her love and wisdom into me over hotcakes and steaming coffee. I remember carrying on and on about my sad and difficult marriage. Oh how I complained about every little offense committed by my unbelieving husband and I moaned about some insignificant injustice in our relationship (sarcasm intended.)

That was until one morning when it dawned on me that Jenny buried her teenage daughter. Her daughter died before she graduated from High School of Cystic Fibrosis. I stopped short in our conversation, ashamed, and said, “Oh Jenny, here I am complaining about this stupid stuff and you buried your daughter.” Tearily I said, “Please forgive me. If anyone here has a reason to be complaining, it’s you.”

Jenny smiled so gently at me as she always did. Her eyes twinkled when she smiled and she speaks one of the wisest and helpful sentences I’ve ever heard. “Lynn, your pain and what you experience is just as difficult. It’s not worse or better. It’s just different.” In those words, she gave me permission to have pain. I didn’t need to pretend it wasn’t there just because it wasn’t the same as someone else.

So my suffering may be different than yours but to the Lord, it’s suffering and He feels it along with us.

Sometimes it’s easy for us to forget that Jesus was a man. He experienced suffering. And when we think about Jesus’ suffering, our mind usually goes to the cross. And the Cross WAS TERRIBLE. But have you thought about what it felt like to Jesus when He was betrayed? Betrayal is at its core -pain. It is rejection, dismissal, a knife in the back all rolled into one. He was betrayed because of His faith. He suffered and was persecuted because of His faith. 

We as the mismatched also walk this path of suffering. We are ridiculed because of our faith by the very person or persons who we should expect to always defend us. We feel betrayed and rejected by the one person on the plant who was supposed to love and honor us always. Ouch. Praise the Lord Jesus because forgiveness overcomes all betrayal.

My friends, we walk our fair share, or maybe more than our fair share, of suffering in this world.

But…..

In the suffering is where we find the gold. And it’s the gold that is spoken of in Revelation. We are earning our gold that will make us rich. Don’t believe me? Read it for yourself. Revelation 3:18-19

So, could it be our suffering is by design? Could it be that we were placed into our unequally yoked marriages with purpose? What do you think? See you in the comments. This is gonna be good. Also, what did you think of that passage in Revelation? Read to the bottom of the chapter. It ROCKS! Hugs, Lynn

I began this series on disappointment from a place of victory. Last week I have shared my defeat, struggle in captivity of the enemy and my escape. I have told you that we face a very real enemy who is continually looked for ways to derail our faith and life in God. The enemy will work relentlessly in one area, which has proven to be quite successful. The demonic realm will try to drown you. Not in water but in problems. And if he can’t get to you directly, he will overwhelm your family.

I'm mad!!

My disappointment and oppression ended while I was visiting my mother in Colorado. Finally, the day prior to my departure, the Lord began to talk to me again. I felt the oppression lift. The Dove came home. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!!!!

I prayed with people that day with power and God showed up. But wouldn’t you know it, that day my daughter called from Cambridge bawling her eyes out about something. I was stunned. She should be having the time of her life. I spent an hour encouraging her, praying assuring her through FaceTime. Later that evening, I’m praying again with others, my son texted me with bad news and my husband told me an hour later that he had one of the worst days ever, at the office.

I kid you not.

If the enemy can’t get to you, he will come at you through your vulnerable family. I became furious. I began to pray with power and vowed that every day for the rest of my life that I would pray with power and protection around my family. I told the devil he can’t have me or my family. I walked around the vineyards, my house, on the phone with Dineen, with my prayer partners. My family is no longer open to attack because by God’s Word they are covered and sanctified through me. (1 Corinthians 7:14

I’ve been praying every day and will for the rest of my life for their protection, favor and covering. I saturated my prayers with passages of truth and promises of God’s Word. The devil must bow to the power of God’s Word and Jesus. So quote The Word of God to him my SUMites. And then I let Jesus loose on his head!!!!

My friends, I’m convinced God is raising up a great company of woman. We have been prepared for such a time as this as we enter in to the “End Times.” Our men are stressed, deceived, over-worked and broken. They NEED us gals. And at just the right time, Jesus will raise us up. The men will welcome us and we are going to do battle with powers of darkness. But we, who have been fighting in the trenches for decades, will be ready. We are already powerful. Full of faith. We swing a sword of such great power that the demonic realm trembles. When we arise, this great company of women, we will startle the world with our determination, our wisdom, love, kindness and our convictions. Our convictions and the love of Jesus in our hearts will conquer nations, restore homes, heal the people and bring the greatest glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

So BATTLE ON WARRIORS!! We are in the trenches now. Jesus is teaching us as fast as He can so that we will walk in victory in our lives. And soon, very soon, we will bring victory to our communities, towns, our cities, to our friends and neighbors. Literally, we will be looked to for wisdom, healing …..  hope… And we, this great company of women, will point people to: The One.

The Holy King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus…. Our God, The Great I AM and the Holy Spirit. The powerful and loving Triune God. AMEN.

Let these words come forth and set us in motion Jesus. All for your Kingdom! In Jesus name. Amen.

Many interesting perspectives, truths and revelations have come out of this season. I realized I truly have a powerful faith. I REALLY, really believe the Bible. I also sense that the Lord is giving me a new dream:

How about a retreat or a camp where we all meet and learn to walk in the gifts together? A place where we meet and allow the Lord to have all of us. A weekend together where we let God have His way and He raises up “A Great Company of Women.” Can you imagine what will happen in our world after a weekend such as this? It’s in the planning stages. Let’s pray about it because it will take a community to make it happen.

I love you so much. Get ready, the Kingdom is advancing. And always remember this: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ~Lynn

Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and share this truth!

In fighting against the tide of the demonic there is nothing more powerful than our words.

The tongue has the power of life and death —Proverbs 18:21a

I literally believe this. So I speak two kinds of words. Words of life - faith, belief, affirmation and truth from the Word of God over my life and family. And second, I speak words that bind, cancel, blind, silence and cast out the enemy.

If you could walk with me one morning in the vineyards, you would likely think I’m wacked. I pray out loud. I shout, wave my arms, raise my arms and let the Holy Spirit inspired words flow. The spoken Word in prayer wields great power. I tell the devil he is a liar and my God who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.

I will pray something like this:

In the name of Jesus, I command the demonic spirit of fear, confusion, sadness (any others that have been revealed to me by the Holy Spirit) I cast you into the pit. I silence you and you have no voice. I command the warrior angels sent to protect me to take you to the pit and to cut off your head. I have the authority of Jesus, my Savior, to cancel all assignments of the enemy. No weapon formed against me will prosper.

Angels, I have been given authority to trample of the enemy (Psalm 91). This very moment I trample on him and all his works and effects assigned to my life. I command the demonic into the pit along with all their works and effects. This spirit of fear, anxiety, sadness cannot go to my children nor follow any of my family line. I rebuke it and command it to leave me and my family forever. I plead the blood of Christ over my home and my family. In the name of Jesus and by His authority.

Jesus, I ask that you would surround me and my family (I name each one by name) with a hedge of protection. Place your holy angels around us. Prosper me and my family. Protect our hearts, soul and bodies. I ask for more of Your Presence and your anointing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let our homes be a place of safety, freedom, love, security, peace and joy. Lord, help me to bring heaven into our home.

Papa God, thank you for your faithfulness (I name several specifics). Thank you for your blessings and your provision. I will live to publish your deeds among the nations. Let everything I do, say and think, be anointed and inspired by the Kingdom. Thank you for Your Word. I believe it. I will proclaim it. I will use it as a powerful sword to bring freedom and healing to people.

Keep me humble and always looking to You. The only thing important in this world is Your Presence. I praise you. I worship you. I will always be loyal to you. I am your daughter. In Jesus name. Amen.

SUMite Family:

I struggled in my prayer time so I made myself write down the many past encounters, blessings, provisions and favor the Lord has poured into my life over the past 20 years. My undeniable encounter, with the power and love of Christ was on October 12, 2012. That moment changed me and everything about my life and faith. I would cling to that truth as the anchor in this dark period. Then I would write down the love notes God sends me. I wrote about some of them here and here. 

I would then pray.  And I’m still praying today. I walk in the vineyards, walk and pray. I sing worship songs to the King of Kings. Worship is essential to keep us from losing more ground to the enemy. I would pray honest prayers and I would keep practicing what I have always done even if my heart wasn’t fully in it, even in my doubt I continued to practice what I knew was right.

I walked through a process and I’m thankful it only took me 30 days. It is my hope that by sharing what I walked, others will walk through their struggle quickly and /or become unstuck and reach the end of their captivity.

Process to overcome Disappointment in God.

1. Grieve – your loss, your expectations, your disappointment, your faith, your confusion.
2. Surrender – Give Him your plans, hopes, expectations, and again your confusion. Ask for understanding even knowing you might never receive it in this life. Forgive God.
3. Pray – begin to pray again. Gather others around you to pray. Rely on scriptures. Psalm 91 became very powerful to me. I listened to it in a song so I could memorize it. I studied it. Looked at the Greek, Hebrew translations.  I believed!
4. Listen and wait. – I waited. I’m not patient. But I began to perceive that God wanted me to enter a season of rest. He also wanted my focus and attention in an area of my life for which I'd been asking for healing for years. So I started to understand His intent in this season was to heal ME and just be with ME. My healing was more important to Him than another book.
5. Choose to believe - I also thanked God and remembered and relied on my past experiences with God. His faithfulness in so many areas. Years and years of faithfulness in my life is what i leaned on in my confusion.
6. Allow Time – In the rest and waiting I discovered that He never left me. He began speaking to me about four weeks after my disappointment. I haven’t nor do I expect an explanation. But God’s not finished with me and the healing and new dreams I’m receiving are unexpected and amazing.

My friends, tomorrow I am going to share a prayer that I prayed and I continue to pray that defeats the demonic.

Through my experience can it be that God is shouting to you in your dark place? DON’T GIVE UP. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. Fight back with everything you have. Put on the full armor of God. Remember and trust in your past history with the Lord. Focus on every good thing Jesus brings to your life. Choose to look up and not at your circumstances. And my friends pray even when you don’t feel like it.

Hello SUMites;

My friends, where do I begin? I have experienced tremendous defeat and disappointment in the last 30 days as well as amazing breakthroughs coupled with providential appointments, miracles and more.

The spiritual warfare has been relentless.

My friends, now I’m mad. I want to punch satan in the face and I promise you this, my mission for the rest of my life is to hurt the devil and destroy the demons.

But before I bring you to this place of war, what I found is that God needed to teach me about surrender. And man, can I just say, bummer! It’s hard.

Most of you know that I’ve been working on a new manuscript for over a year. My ability to write came under intense warfare last year through my son’s arrival in California. His family moving in, baby and all. His marital separation shortly after and what followed was six months of illness. Both myself and the baby. I kid you not, I was ill every two or three weeks, on the couch, in the doctor’s office, ill. I couldn’t pull myself out of bed let alone try to be creative and write. A entire year of warfare in one form or another was at hand.

But there are great answers to prayer even in the midst of spiritual warfare. My son’s wife returned to her marriage nine months later and the family is doing well. This was an outright miracle! Truly! Time marches on. I finally complete my book proposal and four chapters of the book.

Then on June 16, 2015 my manuscript was turned down for publishing. My title and content were now old and many new manuscripts with similar content and title were already in the process of coming to market.

I missed the window.

Disappointment doesn’t come near to describing the feelings that swirled within. I have learned to release offense and disappointment which I experience at the hands of people. But my friends, what do you do when you feel disappointed by God?

You see, I KNOW the Lord gave me the outline for this book. He spoke the title to me, clearly during my prayer time. I had several people, who don’t know me, speak prophetically over me about it. So, what do you do when you feel like God set you up for a great disappointment?

I truly struggled with trust for the first time in a long while. During the past year, I believed scripture promises and I spoke them over myself and my writing. I believe so fully that this book would come to market, that I had set a number of things in motion in support of the future book launch. I was that confident in my faith and in hearing the Lord.

Devastated, I wrestled with confusion. My prayer time faltered. I felt a terrible and great distance come between myself and God. I cried. A lot. I asked Dineen to pray for me. I tried to understand why God would tell me to do something then allow the warfare to ensue to keep me from completing the assignment.

Am I alone in this?

Anyone?

In this season that I experienced beginning mid-June through early July, faith was difficult and the core of my belief was challenged. But ………

Praise be to Jesus because He will not leave us in this place.

I have so much more to tell you, so stay tuned, as you have me all week. (Dineen is traveling this week) Get ready for some blondeness, some crazy antics, and get ready as we learn to deal with “our stuff.” Do you truly want to walk in freedom? Do you want to walk in powerful faith? Well stay tuned as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. There is something waiting at the end. And can I just tell you…. Everything is going to be okay.

Today, in my heart I’m moved to pray for you. Perhaps you are also dealing with faltering faith or great disappointment, let me pray for you. Tell me how to pray and the specifics in the comments. Because our God is not dead. He will bring beauty from ashes. We are on the road to learn all about His redemption of disappointment. We need to know how to walk fully in this kind of tried and true faith because it’s going to take every bit of our conviction to walk in the months ahead in this world that is growing increasingly darker and more evil.

I love you, SUMite Nation. You are more powerful than you know. You are braver than you think. God has not abandoned you. He will, in due time, explain all things. He loves you WAY TO MUCH to leave you where you are.

See you in the comments. Love you so much, Lynn And stay tuned because there is MUCH more to come. Hugs.

Dear SUM family, Lynn and I hope and pray the series on the Books of Peter has encouraged and strengthened you. We enjoyed sharing this journey with you, and Lynn and I both feel so honored to be a part of this community and to be praying for you. Your requests Monday have moved our hearts so deeply, and we know they have moved our King Jesus' heart too. He died for us, He lives for us, He cries with us, He heals us. We believe this in the Name of Mighty Jesus, and as His Word stands,

But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them. — Isaiah 52:6 NLT

My friends, this is the truth we stand on and right now as many of are grappling with the recent supreme court ruling. Lynn and I want you to know that we are too. We have felt our own grief along with a heavy grief that we can only describe as coming from the spiritual realm. We are processing this with hearts and minds turned to Abba for wisdom and guidance, and we are determined to stand on the truth and in the great love and hope of Jesus above all.

He is faithful, my friends. As I walked and prayed on Monday, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart that the Lord is releasing hope for His children right now. And as I looked up into the sky, I heard His still soft voice say,

"I reign supreme."

Things are shifting and changing, yes, but Our God is the same as always. 

So as we celebrate Independence Day in America, my friends, let's renew our hope and trust in God. He reigns supreme and nothing changes that. I know it's challenging right now, as many of us are walking in places of disappointment and defeat. Next week, Lynn and I have some very encouraging words to share with you, things the Holy Spirit has impressed upon us to share to encourage, uplift and strengthen you so we can persevere and run this race well together as God's family.

Lynn and I are taking the rest of the week off, but we'll still be hanging out in the comments. As of next week, I will be switching my posting days to Tuesday and Thursday and Lynn will continue to post on Monday and Friday. We feel this will better serve our community. We hope you think so too.

And just a heads up. We have something very special planned for August. Our Lord is so good. He is working to put things into place to equip you, my friends. Lynn and I are excited to share this study that we believe will help you to equip your children in navigating the waters of this changing world and stand for God's truth. Right in their schools. We will be using our book Not Alone as reference to do this.

Lots happening, SUMites. Lynn and I truly believe our SUM family is here for such a time as this. Have an amazing holiday, hug your hubby and kiddos tight and tell them how thankful you for them. Perhaps the face of freedom is shifting in this country, but our freedom in Christ is the same as ever, my friends.

We love you, SUMites! See you on Monday!
Dineen and Lynn

Today's study post comes from Sumite, Pam O. Thanks Pam for your great words of encouragement. 

SUMites, our community is, and has been, under a lot persecution.  I just recently posted some of my woes on this forum.  It is so uplifting to receive words of encouragement from others in the battlefield.  However, the Lord has placed these thoughts and words on my heart and I hope you don’t mind if I share these insights with you. 

It started with a passage from John 12:27 where Jesus is in the Garden and struggling with what lies ahead.  He says, 

“Now my soul is deeply troubled.  Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came!” 

These words just jumped off the page at me.  In essence, why am I praying to be delivered from the very reason God put me here? 

In contrast to my thinking, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will.   His mission was to advance the Kingdom. He did not waver in fulfilling the purpose for which he came. 

I find myself too often praying in earnest to be delivered from the pit instead of stopping to look around the pit.  What is it in the pit that I need to see, what is it that I need to learn, what did I not learn the first time?  

Is being in the pit about me at all or does it serve the advancement of the Kingdom.  Is my pre-believer, my children, co-workers, small group members, or online community watching me during my time in the pit and do I reflect the fruits of the spirit.  While the pit is no surprise for God, I still find myself questioning, “How did I get here”, “Why am I in the pit?” and “Why am I in the pit and (s)he isn’t”? 

How can I speak of having faith, perseverance, humility, and obedience without having any firsthand knowledge of being in the pit or knowing how it feels to be pulled out of it?

Do I say I am a follower of Jesus, but only as far as the edge of the pit? Am I truly willing to follow his example and die to myself to advance his Kingdom? Do I not trust that he knows how stinky, unjust and painful it is in the pit? 

The image of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father with nail pierced hands has humbled me, and I am reminded of this verse from our study of I Peter 5:10. 

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 

Yes, I am in the pit.  Yes, God knows I’m in the pit and has been preparing me for this time here.  Yes, Jesus has gone before us and has paved the way.  He has come out victorious and fulfilled his purpose.  

After this downloading from the Holy Spirit, I have a different outlook on being in the pit.  Although it is not a fun place to be and I don’t want to live here, I will not be in as big a hurry to leave it.  I’m going to sit here a while, look around and pray for God to show me what I need to see.  I am going to be more willing to be in the pit for the advancement of His kingdom and not the advancement of my kingdom. I am putting my full Faith in the one who has already been in the pit and will pull me out when my mission is finished to bring honor and glory to his name.

Martha Bush grew up on a farm in Donalsonville, Georgia. She graduated from Valdosta State College, Valdosta, Georgia, with a BS degree in Business Education. After graduating from college, Martha began her teaching career that spanned grades 5-12 in both public and Christian schools. She also taught adult vocational courses in the Atlanta school system. Her love for teaching led her into areas outside the school system as she began teaching Bible study courses in jails, prisons, and at her local church. She also writes a monthly inspirational post at Created Woman and is a contributing editor for Created Woman Magazine. In addition, Martha is a contributor to Girlfriends Coffee Hour and a member of the Orange County Christian Writers Guild. Through her years of teaching, as well as being an avid reader of human behavior and grief counseling from noted Christian psychologists, she recognized how a team effort can help build a foundation in children at an early age that will enable them to cope with the losses in their lives. She believes this team, made of up parents, grandparents, educators, and spiritual leaders, can guide a child to healing from losses he or she might experience. They can do this simply by recognizing his pain, listening to his pain and then teaching the child how to apply the principles of God’s Word to his hurting heart. This led her to write Helping Hurting Children: A Journey of Healing. Martha resides in Orange, Texas, with her husband, Glen. They are the parents of two grown daughters who have blessed them with three beautiful grandchildren.

SUMite, Martha Bush, wrote to me privately and I asked her to share her story. I wept with hope upon reading her anointed words. I love you Martha! Hugs, Lynn 

“Better get your praying done, because we are moving from this house December 15!”  And with those piercing words to me, my husband started packing.

Did you ever just feel in your bones that something is just not right, that what is happening is not a God thing? No, the feeling goes deeper than the bones; you feel it way down deep in your spirit.

That’s the way I felt about this move.  It was just not the right thing to do, nor was it the right time.  Even my pre-believer husband, who had been so adamant about this move, had said to me, “I don’t understand you; you have never been a materialistic person, why is this move from your large beautiful home into a smaller one bothering you so much?” 

As you know, you just don’t say to your pre-believer, “Sweetheart, I just don’t feel the peace of God about this; can we pray about it more?”  Coupled with that, I felt as though he was mocking God and my faith by saying, “you had better get your praying done, because come the morning of December 15 at 9:00 A.M, the moving van is coming.”

And so, I put on the whole armour of God, and I rebuked, commanded, spoke the word over it, and exercised all the Biblical calisthenics that I knew to do.   But, alas, December 15 came, and right on cue at 9 o’clock, the moving van pulled into my driveway.  

And that’s when I pulled the Joshua thing.

“Sun stand still!

God is about to place himself in front of that moving van

and turn it around; there ain’t no move taking place here today.”

But, to my dismay, the sun went down and the thing I had believed in my spirit was wrong, happened.

As the moving van was pulling out of my driveway hauling my cherished belongings to another house, I stood on the driveway saying, “Where were you, God; what didn’t you arrive before the sun went down?”  Prior to this day, I had prayed for many things, and saw God move in miraculous ways, but the day I prayed for the sun to stand still, I felt that I was at the height of my spiritual growth and faith level, but it didn’t happen.

I could just hear the old devil laughing and saying, “Commanding the sun to stand still?  Really, Martha, who do you think you are? It only happened one time in the Bible.  Did you think you were going to make it happen a second time?”

Let me hasten to say that moving to another house is nothing compared to what some of you are going through.  

• Some of you have had to face separation and divorce from your spouse, and yet you have faithfully been the believing spouse who has honored your marriage vows. 
• Some of you have struggled financially.  You may even faithfully pay your tithes, do the Bill Ramsey book on----and got your cards all lined up..Yet, you barely can live from pay check to pay check.
• Some live with addictions, devastating health problems, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, fear, and rejection.
• My own beloved pastor, David Berkeheimer, preached Luke 4:18 for over 30 years.  Upon his retirement, he made many trips to California to consult with Bill Johnson and was in the process of establishing a school of supernatural ministries in Jasper, Texas, modeled after Bethel.  Yet, cancer invaded his body, and he died, leaving his life savings tied up in a healing ministry that never came to pass.  (Say what?)

Why, why, why???? Why did God not arrive before the sun went down for me, as well as for you?

My Dear Sumite friends, please spare me your Chrisitnese answers.

• It must not have been God’s will.  (But, it says so right here in the Bible; look let me show you!)
• If you had had faith.  (Oh, please, give me a break.  It only takes a grain of mustard seed, surely we have that.)
• You should have spoken the word every day.  (Holy cow, I spoke it and I spoke it, and I spoke it.  How many times to you want me to speak it.  I spoke it until I am blue in the face.  Come on)

I am a former school teacher.  I stood in front of my classes many times and spouted off to students:  “If you had done steps #1, #2, #3 like I told you to, you wouldn’t have missed the problem.  You are goofing off and just not using the “right steps.” I then laid a guilt trip on them for not paying attention and focusing.  (Please tell me we don’t preach the “step plan” to our friends when things seem to follow apart in their lives?)

Can we just sometimes get real and answer the “why” question simply by saying “I don’t know why,” as Robert Koke, pastor of Shoreline Church, Austin, Texas, did when his 17 year old son was killed in an automobile accident.

In working through his grief, Pastor Koke tells the story of how he kept asking “Why, God.You could have spared his life.  I don’t understand why you didn’t.” 

Finally, he tells of the day, he came to the conclusion that helped him start moving forward:  “I don’t know why.  But, I wouldn’t exchange the things I do know about God for the things I don’t know about Him.”

• I know He died on the cross for my salvation.
• I know He was resurrected and rose from the grave.
• I know I have a home in heaven and will see Him one day.
• I know, if I allow Him, He will still give me the peace that surpasses all understanding in the midst of my trials.

Well, Pastor Koke’s answer is good enough for me, but I have to confess. I’ve got this little mischievous thing about me.  When I get to heaven, I still may just sneak up to God and try to kid with Him a little bit and say:  “By the way, God.  Not that it makes any difference now, (ha, ha, ha) but I was just wondering why didn’t the sun stand still for me like it did for Joshua.”

On second thought, I got a feeling that all my why’s will vanish and there will be only one thing I want to do.

Please take a few minutes and listen to the words of this song.

My friends, 

Well, I’m here. After a bout with the stomach flu. Sheesh, it’s a mystery. I experience miraculous healing in my wrist yet I continue to fight on this challenging front of colds and flues. Can I just toss this statement out there. 

The Kingdom of God is often times mysterious. 

I want to write more about the mysteries of God and how he answers prayer but today, I feel compelled to speak to all of us about breakthroughs. Last week Dineen and I shared our testimonies of answered prayer and healing and last Friday, Penny, shared her astounding testimony. If you missed it, click here and watch it. I’m still amazed. 

But how do we walk through seasons where everyone is receiving breakthroughs, answers to prayers, even miracles and yet you remain, what appears to be forgotten? Can we talk about that today? Because I know that there are some of us walking in that place right now. 

This has rested heavily on my spirit since last week. And I’ve asked Jesus to teach me about this. I think I have two thoughts I want to share. 

1)    Recently I was listening to a pastor and he asked a question specific to this issue:  “We all can praise the Lord when it’s our turn for blessing. But, can we praise God when He blesses someone else while we are still waiting for ours?”

It’s learning to truly rejoice when another receives that builds our character. Is this easy? NO WAY. Is it possible? Of course. 

I love the honesty of our SUMite Nation as this was some of our conversation last week. Thanks Lynette for saying what many were thinking. She said: “Going to be transparent here and say that while I rejoice in her miracle, part of me is jealous.”

And I love how Jim replied: “It's how you handle that, that positions you for your own breakthrough... If you can simply rejoice with Penny, and give thanks to Papa for what He's done for her, then you are positioning yourself for your own breakthrough - which will be just as wonderful, but almost certain to be different.... Just because He can! Lol!” 

I agree Jim. I agree Lynette. (And Lynette, I know, that I know, in my knower *grin*, your breakthrough is in process and when you begin to see all that God has, you will be utterly astonished. Because it’s better than you could ever dream up or hope for. I absolutely believe this for you, even if you don’t or can’t see it.) I know our Daddy loves you that much. 

2)    Prayer. I’ve been praying, pleading and declaring until I’m blue in the face that I will not be sick again. Yet stomach flu. So badly I woke my husband up crying and begging him to drive me to the doctor. Sheesh. The doctor visit helped a ton! Yet, I’m miraculously healed of an injury that a few months ago required surgery. Say What??? Why does this happen? Healed and yet sick….. 

Was I not praying correctly? Did I do something wrong? Man, I have a lot of questions. And in the last few days I’ve really questioned my many years of praying for my unbelieving spouse. 

So what do I do with all this? Well I do have some thoughts to share that I think will bring hope and light. Stay tuned and we will visit this mystery of heaven… 

… this thing called prayer. 

I love you my friends. Stay kind, in a world that is harsh. Walk in hope, in a world that lives in despair and shine your light, because Jesus is just getting started and we are in for a ride, unsurpassed in HIS-story.

Dear friends, before Thanksgiving I started a series on the Three Deadly Ds: Dubious Doubt, Debilitating Disbelief and Disparaging Disappointment. In Part One of Dubious Doubt we talked about how the enemy comes in and plants seeds of doubt, as he did with Adam and Eve, and in Part Two I shared some examples of breakthroughs that came as a result of pushing doubt aside and re-establishing God's truth firmly in its rightful place.  

Today, let's talk about Debilitating Disbelief. And that is exactly what the enemy's intention is, to debilitate (weaken, enfeeble, enervate, devitalize, sap, drain, exhaust, weary, fatigue, prostrate; undermine, impair, indispose, incapacitate, cripple, disable, paralyze, immobilize; informal knock out, do in) our faith. Once doubt has come in like a ravaging worm, disbelief moves in to fill those empty places like a fungus or mold. 

• Your mind is riddled with questions and you may even feel tormented at times.
• You try to read God's Word but find yourself questioning its truth or thinking it's true for other believers but not for you. 
• Praise and worship become difficult.
• Your attitude of gratitude has fled the scene and his unwanted cousin, grumbling negativity, has moved in.
• Fear subtly increases and can even move into physical manifestations such as anxiety and health issues.
• Guilt and shame move show up like uninvited guests and make you think you've messed up and that God will never be pleased with you again.
• You cry out to God but feel like He's abandoned you.

This is why it's so crucial to to seek God in prayer and in His Word, especially in these dark times, and in a mismatched marriage as we don't have a believing spouse to uphold us in prayer and encouragement. And, despite how we feel. The enemy will use your feelings against you to keep you from running to Abba, to our Lord Jesus, for the truth.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. — James 1:22-24

Community becomes even more important because the enemy's final tactic is to isolate you so you'll forget who you are and Whose you are. God's Word and those who carry it are our greatest source of healing, hope and restoration.

My friends, a burden Abba seems to be asking me to carry right now is for those of you whose spouse used to walk in faith with you but has recently walked away. I've received several emails from many of you in this place and have had divine appointments with several dear women who find themselves in this painful position of betrayal. 

Let me say that I get why some walk away. Much of what I've shared today is from my own experience. The enemy tried to destroy me earlier this year and now I understand why someone would walk away, or be tempted to walk away, especially if their faith foundation is shaky or built on sand (Matt. 7:26-27).

Part of my journey to freedom came one night when the demon assigned to torment me finally revealed himself. Amazingly (to me, not God) Abba had prepared me the day before, even though I didn't realize it until after the encounter. He'd shown me more about my authority in Jesus. That night this enemy revealed himself in the darkness, with oppression and hissing. He tried to make me fearful and afraid in my semi asleep/awake state. As soon as I realized what was happening, I rebuked him and went back to sleep! To God be the glory!

What I have learned is that disbelief opens doors to the enemy, who tries to steal our divine destiny and destroy our peace and joy in the Lord. These are the tools that brought me through this dark night of the soul and taught me so much. 

• Read the Bible every day and write down key Scriptures that speak to your spirit and soul. Go back and reread them later in the day and to start your quiet time the next morning. You’ll be surprised at how much more you receive out of God’s Word by doing this. Our bodies sleep at night but our spirit doesn’t. Give the Holy Spirit a chance to work God’s truth into your heart, soul and mind. Believe His Word—it’s true for you too!
• Worship and worship more. There are many ways one can worship. With music, by reading Scriptures out loud (the Psalms are great for this), by speaking out praises to God about His character and who He is. Take a walk and praise Him for His creation. Pet your dog and praise Him for putting the fur baby in your life.
• Invite that attitude of gratitude back home and boot his ungrateful cousin out!
• Rebuke the spirits of anxiety, fear, oppression, depression and confusion (and any others the Holy Spirit brings to mind). In the name of Jesus, they must go! 
• Plead the blood of Jesus over your mind, your thoughts and your feelings and speak God’s Word against guilt and shame (no condemnation in Jesus—Romans 8:1).
• Know, believe, profess and remind yourself that no matter how things seem, God loves you, He always has loved you and He always will love you. His word says He will not abandon you, so believe it. He is with and for you!

I still have much to learn and continue to press forward into more of God (Phil. 3:12). My faith is stronger and I am better equipped to recognize the enemy’s darts. And this translated into helping others to be released from this spirit of torment when I’ve prayed with them in the healing rooms. The places we find freedom and victory will be the places God calls us to pray for and help others find that same freedom and victory (2 Cor. 1:3-7).

My friends, the next and last part of this series will be about disparaging disappointment. I’m waiting on Abba to give me the words and message He wants conveyed for us, His children. Please pray that I hear Him clearly amidst all the hustle and bustle of this move and Christmas. 

Remember, Jesus came to heal, to set the captives free and release prisoners. He is always on our side and always fighting for us. Amen!

And MERRY CHRISTMAS, SUMites! Love you!

 Copyright: gajus / 123RF Stock Photo

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The Three Deadly Ds: Dubious Doubt, part 2

Our Transforming Influence

My friends, today I want to begin a series about the three deadly Ds: Doubt, Disbelief and Disappointment. Gods’s been showing me some very sobering truths about these three and how the enemy uses them very subtly to kill, steal and destroy our faith. I’ve been a victim to these three—perhaps you have been too. So let’s take our time and explore these three deadly Ds so that we can learn to recognize them in our life, learn to defeat them, and even learn to discern the enemy’s attempts to shoot these arrows at us so we can raise our shields of faith in defense (Ephesians 6:16) and deflect him like the fly that he is. Let’s begin where it starts…

Dubious Doubt

Doubt is subtle and makes its entry slow and stealthily. This is the birth of sin. Lets go back to Genesis 3 a moment and take a look at the first entry of doubt into mankind’s existence.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” — Genesis 3:1-5

The enemy enters shrewdly and begins his dialogue with a question—“Did God really say…?” That is the seed of doubt he plants with the intent of making his target question and doubt God and His truth. God told Adam and Eve clearly the truth about the tree of knowledge. The enemy cast doubt upon this truth, but even more subtly, the enemy made Eve doubt whether she could trust God. This is the subtext here, my friends. Read these and tell me if you relate to any of them:

• God is withholding something (His goodness) from me.
• Therefore, God doesn’t really love me.
• So, I must not be good enough.

As Eve stood there, I can only imagine how these played out in seconds in her mind. That’s all it takes for doubt to implant and sprout.

• She now perceived God’s protection as keeping her from something better.
• She now perceived God’s stipulation as Him not loving her completely and she has somehow been rejected.
• She now perceived a lack within herself that would only be solved by taking matters into her own hands and doing what she thought best. She doubts God.

My friends, the enemy’s tactics have not changed since the beginning. He uses the very same strategy he used on Eve to try to destroy us. And when we begin to entertain doubt, everything thereafter is affected from this tarnished perspective.

Let’s take a look at James:

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,” — James 1:5-7 NASB

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” — James 1:5-7 NLT

I want you to look at both of these translations to see the full meaning behind them. And I encourage you to do your own study as well. In the NASB translation I’ve bolded the part that so clearly shows the meaning of James’ words about God’s generosity. Our God does not give according to our ability or perceived worth. If He did, He would not have sent His Son Jesus to die for everyone. And the Bible—which He gave us as His Word and truth, to learn from and grow in—is full of wisdom. God desires to give us wisdom.

In the NLT translation, the bolded statement is clear that our faith must be in God alone, not ourselves. Almost as if to say, “No back up plans.” When we do this we’re not trusting God. We’re not believing what His Word says. We doubt God and the truth of His word.

At the end of last year and early into this year, the enemy hit me so hard that this doubt crept in and began to attack my faith. I even began to doubt the truth of Romans 8:28! If you’ve been hanging out her for any length of time, you know that is my life verse. I’ve lived by it for years, have taught its truths and have built my faith upon it.

Yet there I was in total chaos doubting what I had once known to be true. The enemy had found an opening and snuck in asking, “Is God really good to you?”

If you look at the verses earlier in James 1, you’ll see he’s talking about our faith being tested. This leads to our need for wisdom. What James is saying is that when we ask for wisdom, we must believe we will receive it. And I believe this truth applies to all of God’s promises. He’s given us His Word and He is faithful. Instead of tossing back and forth like that wave looking for answers, we need to be still and wait upon Him to give us the answers, wisdom and grace that we need. And believe that He will.

I have danced around the truth of James’ words for years, my friends, not wanting to be that doubter tossed by the wind and sea—it’s very humbling and sobering to realize I’d allowed the waves of doubt to rock my boat. But now that the shrouding clouds have lifted, I’m learning to recognize doubt and eradicate it.

I love this quote from Jennifer LeClaire:

“The battle is in the mind but the war is for your heart. Believing in our mind is mental assent but believing in our heart—having pure faith in our heart—is where the miracles happen.” — Jennifer LeClaire, author of Heart of the Prophetic

God’s Word tells us that:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. — 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

What are those weapons of war that we wield? God’s Word, prayer, faith, truth—our spiritual armor (Eph. 6:10-17). My friends, the battle truly is in our minds first, thus why a transformed and renewed mind is crucial to a doubt free walk of faith.

Doubts diminish as faith increases.

I will stop her for now, but be sure to come back Friday for the rest of this revelation God gave me about "dubious doubt" and the stunning proof He gave me of what happens when we shift from doubt to belief. It's a story about miracles, my friends. I can't wait to tell you the rest!

Grateful to be on this journey with you!

Copyright: alphaspirit / 123RF Stock Photo