STEPS TO FREEDOM
This segment is a quick-study of staying out of fear once you have been delivered from the spirit of fear. Because even though you have gotten rid of the spirit, there may be a residue left behind - it manifests in situations, memories, and feelings. Each and every one of these issues will need to be dealt with as they come up. But once they are out, they are out. Then to stay free, you do so by staying under the shadow of His wings. And how do we do that? By daily receiving God's love and forgiveness. The Bible says that don't give the enemy a foothold, and we do that when we don't walk in love and forgiveness. Remember, this is the main principle for living a life of promise and hope - love and forgiveness. (Matthew 22:38-40; and Mark 12:28-34)
Become acquainted with God:
1a) I will never break my promises
Become acquainted with God's love. Mark 1:10 "You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." We need to hear this from our Heavenly Father - by faith. We need to know that we are accepted, that God is pleased with us, and that we are His beloved son/daughter. We need to know this. If you need help in this area, be sure to refer back to God's Love teaching.
1b) I will never leave you
We need to know Him deeply and intimately so that we will know He will never leave us. Many think God has abandoned them, yet He has not. It's only because we don't "know" Him. We need to take the time to know Him. How do you get to know others? By spending time with them. Also, remember by studying about Jesus, you are getting to know God. Because even Jesus said he couldn't do anything he didn't see his father do, nor say anything he didn't hear his father say. You need to have a healthy interpretation of God and His relationship with mankind - it's not hard, pressing or wrathful for those who are His. It's kind, loving, and joyful. You may need to do a check on your perception of God. If you think Jesus is playing interference for you with God, then again, you need to have your mind renewed in truth. I encourage you to read the life of Jesus for in doing so, you are reading God's life. Jesus came to show us the Father, not show us himself.
1c) I will not remember your sins
This is one of the hardest things for us to comprehend. That ALL our sins are forgiven. When they are forgiven, God doesn't use them against us - ever! No matter what you "think." (Go to the session on "taking every thought captive," if you have problems with thinking.) He will not remember our sins! Our job is to confess them, and He purges them - and they are gone! We have to do it over and over, but He forgives over and over! If he tells the disciples to forgive 7 x 70 just think how much he forgives us? More than that I I'm certain. 2 Peter 1:9 says that we have forgotten that we were purged from our old sins. If you are heavy laden with care right now, it may be that you have not confessed them lately. Stop and take some time to do that so you remain clean before the Lord. It's not that you will become perfect, but your heart will become perfect before Him because you trust Him enough to take these things to Him. Fear will cause you not to want to... but push past that. Don't run and blame others like Adam did in the garden, run TO God. Fear causes us to run away and prevents good things from happening to us. Stop that right now by receiving God's love and forgiveness right now.
Bottom line is: When we know who God is, know who we are, know where we've been and where we are going, then we'll be at peace. But when we "know" we are knowing the Truth that will set us free (John 8:32). And when getting "wisdom" get "understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). Without understanding, knowledge alone can become bondage and cause fear.
Prayer for you:
"Father, I ask for your perfect love to flood this person's heart and life. I ask you to help them find their identity in you. I ask you to help them get wisdom and understanding about who you are in their life. You said that if we ask for wisdom you will give it to us, and so I pray this for them right now. I also ask you accompany it with understanding so that your Word isn't just laws and regulations but truth that will make them and keep them free from all fear and torment. Let your mind be in them. Let them run to you not from you when they make a mistake. Help them get a revelation that fear prevents, but love receives. Help their minds be renewed daily in all truth. Write your words upon their hearts Lord and hide them under the shadow of your wing. Make your love know to them Lord and help them receive it. Perfect love, your perfect love, casts out all fear and torment and we have confidence in this scripture that our job is to receive your love, your job is to keep fear away. Thank you for loving me and keeping me. In Jesus name, Amen."
REMINDER
Stop and eflect on what you have learned, not rush on to the next teaching before it has had time to really do a work in your heart. All head knowledge is only going to cause you to be top heavy! We need to allow time for the seeds planted to grow and take root into our hearts. We not only need the "knowledge" but the understanding. Understanding gives revelation, and revelation makes it a reality in our own lives. Not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge that changes us. By doing this, you are "receiving." We not only need to "know", we need to "believe and receive."
Praising God is crucial to having all you learn take permanent residence in you. We remain in peace when we are strengthened in our spirit and that happens when we thank the one we are doing all this for.
And lastly, all work and no play is not scriptural. If you become overwhelmed or "heavy" spirited, stop and take a breather. It reminds me of flooding. If the water comes too quickly it doesn't have time to absorb into the soil, causing flooding and all that water is wasted. But if the water comes softly, and just enough that the ground absorbs, then it does great good!
Become acquainted with God:
1a) I will never break my promises
Become acquainted with God's love. Mark 1:10 "You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." We need to hear this from our Heavenly Father - by faith. We need to know that we are accepted, that God is pleased with us, and that we are His beloved son/daughter. We need to know this. If you need help in this area, be sure to refer back to God's Love teaching.
1b) I will never leave you
We need to know Him deeply and intimately so that we will know He will never leave us. Many think God has abandoned them, yet He has not. It's only because we don't "know" Him. We need to take the time to know Him. How do you get to know others? By spending time with them. Also, remember by studying about Jesus, you are getting to know God. Because even Jesus said he couldn't do anything he didn't see his father do, nor say anything he didn't hear his father say. You need to have a healthy interpretation of God and His relationship with mankind - it's not hard, pressing or wrathful for those who are His. It's kind, loving, and joyful. You may need to do a check on your perception of God. If you think Jesus is playing interference for you with God, then again, you need to have your mind renewed in truth. I encourage you to read the life of Jesus for in doing so, you are reading God's life. Jesus came to show us the Father, not show us himself.
1c) I will not remember your sins
This is one of the hardest things for us to comprehend. That ALL our sins are forgiven. When they are forgiven, God doesn't use them against us - ever! No matter what you "think." (Go to the session on "taking every thought captive," if you have problems with thinking.) He will not remember our sins! Our job is to confess them, and He purges them - and they are gone! We have to do it over and over, but He forgives over and over! If he tells the disciples to forgive 7 x 70 just think how much he forgives us? More than that I I'm certain. 2 Peter 1:9 says that we have forgotten that we were purged from our old sins. If you are heavy laden with care right now, it may be that you have not confessed them lately. Stop and take some time to do that so you remain clean before the Lord. It's not that you will become perfect, but your heart will become perfect before Him because you trust Him enough to take these things to Him. Fear will cause you not to want to... but push past that. Don't run and blame others like Adam did in the garden, run TO God. Fear causes us to run away and prevents good things from happening to us. Stop that right now by receiving God's love and forgiveness right now.
- Knowing the future - How many want to know the future? Well, there is only one who knows, and that is God. Anxiety is a result of thinking ahead into the future. However, if we commune with the Holy Spirit, since He knows the future, we can know it too. (John 16) One area of "knowing" is that we are going to Heaven. Another area is that the enemy is defeated, and going to lose the war. We can even see what it will be like in Heaven. We can know the future if we search the scriptures. But if we think ahead in our own imaginations into the future, this will cause fear. We are to cast down every imagination that exalts itself over the truth (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are not to think ahead, the Bible is clear that we are not to take thought of tomorrow. Matthew 6:34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." God knew that we can only handle today.. So stay in this moment and trust God with the rest.
- Planting good seed - you will begin to reap a good future by planting today. Renew your mind daily and you are sewing seeds into your future. Then, even here you can know your future by the fruit you are planting. Take every thought captive and cast down all imaginations that exalt itself over the knowledge of God. (II Cor. 10:5). We are to put our mind on things above (Phil 4:8). We have been given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) We are to think like God thinks. By doing this, we are planting truth into our heart that will reap a good harvest.
Bottom line is: When we know who God is, know who we are, know where we've been and where we are going, then we'll be at peace. But when we "know" we are knowing the Truth that will set us free (John 8:32). And when getting "wisdom" get "understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). Without understanding, knowledge alone can become bondage and cause fear.
Prayer for you:
"Father, I ask for your perfect love to flood this person's heart and life. I ask you to help them find their identity in you. I ask you to help them get wisdom and understanding about who you are in their life. You said that if we ask for wisdom you will give it to us, and so I pray this for them right now. I also ask you accompany it with understanding so that your Word isn't just laws and regulations but truth that will make them and keep them free from all fear and torment. Let your mind be in them. Let them run to you not from you when they make a mistake. Help them get a revelation that fear prevents, but love receives. Help their minds be renewed daily in all truth. Write your words upon their hearts Lord and hide them under the shadow of your wing. Make your love know to them Lord and help them receive it. Perfect love, your perfect love, casts out all fear and torment and we have confidence in this scripture that our job is to receive your love, your job is to keep fear away. Thank you for loving me and keeping me. In Jesus name, Amen."
REMINDER
Stop and eflect on what you have learned, not rush on to the next teaching before it has had time to really do a work in your heart. All head knowledge is only going to cause you to be top heavy! We need to allow time for the seeds planted to grow and take root into our hearts. We not only need the "knowledge" but the understanding. Understanding gives revelation, and revelation makes it a reality in our own lives. Not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge that changes us. By doing this, you are "receiving." We not only need to "know", we need to "believe and receive."
Praising God is crucial to having all you learn take permanent residence in you. We remain in peace when we are strengthened in our spirit and that happens when we thank the one we are doing all this for.
And lastly, all work and no play is not scriptural. If you become overwhelmed or "heavy" spirited, stop and take a breather. It reminds me of flooding. If the water comes too quickly it doesn't have time to absorb into the soil, causing flooding and all that water is wasted. But if the water comes softly, and just enough that the ground absorbs, then it does great good!