"Wrestling With Satan"

Hello, my dear friends,

         I learned  what wrestling was like in the days of the apostles. I read that it's not like the planned wrestling of today. Two guys would go into the arena, naked., The wrestlers would fight till someone died. Then the winner, would desecrate the dead body. He would poke out the eyes,  pull out the tongue, take off the persons genitals and stuff it in his mouth. Then to top that , he would cut open the abdominal cavity,

 making fun of the looser. Leaving the dead person. To be fully humiliated.

This is what we need to keep in mind as we read in Galatians six, that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against all the powers in the heavenly realm. This is what Satan wants to do with you and me.  When we read that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, the bible is serious. We are on his hit list.

  We hear the words,  Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy,  so often, that we do not take it to heart.

I want to leave you with this. Isn't God wonderful, he does not leave us at the mercy of the devil. Jesus was manifested so that the works of Satan, would  be destroyed.

The word of God says, greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. And no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and last of all, The weapons of your warfare are not carnal, but mighty....

We serve a powerful God!!!!!     

May God fill you with his strength, wisdom and power!!

"Marriage, crucifying the flesh"

God is dealing with me strongly, regarding my marriage.  Since all ministry starts with the home and goes outward.  I can't love the unlovable, if I'm having trouble in my own house.  I have a friend that God has dealt with in her marriage.  She is very hard on me. The things that she tell's me is straight forward and  very hard to hear.  But I want to change, and I know that deep down she is right.   So, I want to encourage you ladies to hear whats hard to hear.  My goal in sharing all this is that you may grow and become the women and wives that God wants you to be.   May God give you the grace to hear and the strength to change.

In Colossians 3:5-10,&12-15,&17

It says, put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry.   Because of these things the wrath of God us coming upon the sons of disobedience in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.    But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created Him.

12-Therefore, as the elect of God, Holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful,

17- And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through Him.

We have to crucify our old nature and be alive to God.   My friend wanted me to read about Jesus and the crucifixion and see what He went through.  For to crucify the flesh is going to hurt, real bad!  Having to die!   Well, I was to see this very soon, my husband yelled at me sharply.  I did not want to have any thing to do with him at that moment.  I wanted to be as far from him as possible.  I went into the bathroom and cried, prayed, and had a tantrum.  My husband asked if I was going to the bathroom, or hiding.   Ooh, I was so mad.  I finally got my self together and slowly came out and said, "Crickett, stand up."  He did, I gave him a hug and said, “I know that you are frustrated and don't feel well, I'm sorry.”   Then I went into my bedroom.   I did not want to be around him.  I felt good that I was able to give him a hug, but I diffidently was not at a forgiving level.

I learned how you respond to someones sin, can be sin.   My husband yelled at me sharply, which was a sin. My response was anger, unforgiveness, resentment, and not wanting to be near him.   So, to his one sin, I committed four!  It took almost all night, before I would even lay near him.   I did not want to put the old nature to death.  It is so hard!   I just have to focus on the fact that Jesus forgave me and he loves me unconditionally and he wants me to forgive and love my husband unconditionally.  I kept praying that God would touch my husband, but the hard part is knowing that God wants to use me, to touch my husband.   It is so hard to give up hurt and unforgivness, and walk in unconditional love.

My friend also said that the only person that can change is YOU!  YOU have to look at your self as the problem and change you.   Ladies we are going to be held accountable for all of our actions and I don't think God is going to accept excuses.  You can no longer concentrate on what God can change in your mate, you have to concentrate on what God can change in you.   If you do that and nothing is different in your situation, just having a changed out look, can change your marriage.  My friend also reminded me that just maybe what takes the man to change is when he sees the miracle in you!

My friend shared that she never imagined her marriage to be where it is today.  God has truly done a miracle! Knowing her and praying together are giving me hope, strength and the will to do what is right.   Marriage is hard work!   You have to die to yourself and think of others more highly then you.  This process seems like it's going to take forever before you see something good come out of it.   But, what gives me hope is that my friend is seeing the fruit of her labor.   If God can do it for her, he is big enough to do that for me, and for you!   So ladies, the truth is, there is hope.

Together we are on the journey of life.  Together, we will learn, grow, and change.

May God Bless you all!  

To Be Bold For Christ!

To my new friends

I have been dealing with fear and rejection my whole life. God is delivering me. I do not want to walk in Fear on this blog sight. I choose to step out in boldness! I want to bring hope and encouragement. Salvation, which is being saved, deliverance, restoration,forgiveness, healing, joy, peace and love. Is brought about by the word and standing up and being a doer of the word and not a hearer only.

God's Word brings life. Jesus told us to love our enemies, To bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. That is HARD. But that is what God wants. In Matthew chapter 10 it talks about Jesus is bringing division, not peace but a sword. Enemies will be in your own house. Jesus goes on to say that we will be hated by all for His names sake. Jesus say's “ Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

He goes on to say in Matthew 6 “Blessed are you who when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. REJOICE and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Now whoever confesses Jesus before men, Jesus will confess before the Father who is in heaven.

I have been greatly afraid of what men say and think. I have been taught not to make waves. I have been afraid to stand up. I am not going to be able to stand if I don't practice standing and proclaiming that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's.

I choose to be bold and transparent. If you my readers hate me for it, then so be it. Now, folks, this is growth! It would be much easier for me to give feel good poems, and light testimonies but that would not help me, or you in the end. I desire to give hope with growth.