Christianity Oasis Forum

[anne marie]

There! I have reread the first four steps, taken notes to refer back to daily and feel so much better. Praise be to God!!

[Dora]

Praise God indeed!

GB

[anne marie]

Step 6

Forgetting the past and looking to the future. Something that I find difficult at this time. Changing negative thoughts to positive in order to cleanse the soul, mind and body. Oh!! That is the truth!!! I have felt that so keenly these last four months. Funny how these steps are so accurately reflecting the needs that I have. I remain so thankful to God for leading me here. Throughout these last four months, as awful as they have been for me, I know that God has blessed me many times the entire time. He wanted me to know what was going on around me that I wasnt aware of. He is expecting something of me and other than growing in my faith I am unsure what it is. I have faith that if I am to know, He will disclose it to me eventually. If not, I know I am to continue to move forward as I am with His help and the support of this wonderful place he has led me. Thank you God. I am so grateful.

[ciny]

Hi Ann Marie
i have trouble with the pas t creeping up on me as well and not lookig to the futuer to.
i also have noticed that the steps are going rigth along with how iam fealing and doing.
I have a scripture taht has helped me out in my healing .when the past creeps up on me and the enemy is trying to make me think i have no hope of a good future. the word of God says diffrent.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For i know the thoughts that i think tword you.says the Lord,thoughts of peace and not of evil,to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and,i will listen to you.And you will seek me and find me with all of your heart.

God bless keep seeking Ciny

[mlg]

He certainly will disclose it in His time...if it is His will for you. Sometimes we have to wait...as He is preparing us or others around us...it's like the disciples...they were in Jesus presence until God felt it was time to take Jesus to Heaven and send the Holy Spirit to the disciples. God had the time down perfectly...and as we saw...the disciples had a path already laid out that God guided them through...He will do the same for you.

luv ya

[anne marie]

Ciny and MLG-Good to hear from you and read your encouraging words. Thank you for the scripture Ciny and from your lesson on allowing God to work this in His own time. Understanding that I have to let go and let God is one of the most important lessons I have learned in this difficult time. But yet, it is not as difficult as I would have imagined. Rather, it gives me peace.

Step 7
Changing lies to truth in the mind. This will be a difficult step for me as unfortunately, much that has occurred is in fact based on truth. But, that is looking back isnt it??? And I need to look forward. So necessary. To forgive and forget is soooo hard. I would never have known as I have never had such a transgression to forgive. Is this my test of faith?? My faith in God and His will??? I will continue to work towards this and continue to be thankful and praiseful of God who has given me so many blessings. And still does. His love is infinite.

[mlg]

Amen...it's not until we experience the bad that we are able to recognize the good....often we think about all the should have's, could have's and would have's of where we were...and we can sit and dwell and let the ill thoughts take over...or we can make the choice...to use those as a way to recognize future bad things...and to help keep us from those things...and to choose the direction of the good.

luv ya

[anne marie]

Thank you MLG. I believe that you have helped me greatly with your short note. Using the bad thoughts to make the right choice for the future in order to stay away from evil. This has really been my confusion all along. I have to learn to distinguish and understand the messages God is sending me through another. He is telling me loud and clear I believe.

Step 7 (I have messed up the numbers on the steps and have 7 twice. I am reallly only on 7! )

Getting rid of bad thoughts and resisting carnal temptation. Hmmmm, ok. Being more patient in awaiting Gods will. Resisting the evil from Satan in the form of those bad thoughts. I dont understand though. the bad thoughts that i am experiencing now I cannot get rid of by using Truth. They are the truths of the problem i am experiencing. They are not lies. I am using other means learned through the steps in making them leave my head as they do soil my soul. I ask Jesus to help me in not thinking them, I pray for strength to forget. If i am still thinking them, does this mean i have not forgiven??

[deetu]

Hi anne marie
Looking good there sweetie

You are forgiven if you asked to be forgiven but the evil knows what hurts and will bring it back so you can doubt.
I have found that telling the thoughts to leave me in Jesus' name, out loud, works. (Scripture based, when Jesus told Satan to leave him after his test in the desert.) Everything has to bow down to Jesus' name so they have to leave. May have to do it quite a few times but it still works... then grab onto something good... praise God, a favorite scripture or song.

[Mackenaw]

Hello Anne Marie

God bless you this day.

Just as Deetu said, telling the enemy to flee, in the name of Jesus, has to be said aloud. The enemy of our souls CANNOT read our minds, only The Lord can read our minds.

The enemy of our souls CAN plant thoughts, and he watches and listens to what we say and do -- so he can manipulate us. But, again, he CANNOT read our minds.

You said:

I dont understand though. the bad thoughts that i am experiencing now I cannot get rid of by using Truth. They are the truths of the problem i am experiencing. They are not lies.

If they are current problems, trials, tribulations that brought a harvest (because all seeds produce an harvest, whether good or bad seed) and you are dealing with the consequences, remember...

Psalm 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (KJV)

I like it in the NIV version -- to really bring it home

Psalm 103:10 He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. (NIV)

When walking with God, even though we may have to go through the consequences resulting from previous bad seed planting, etc. -- God walks along with us. He loves us, and is not about poking and prodding when we are hopeful in Him and truly seeking Him. Yes, the consequences and/or repercussions will still arise and we'll have to deal with them, but not in the same way we'd have to deal with them alone. Jesus is our advocate. Awwwwwwww, Thank You Jesus.

A repentant heart is key. And our Lord knows if we're repentant or not.

Hebrews Chapter 12 is an awesome chapter to read too when dealing with harvests from bad seeds previously planted.

In situations where others have wounded us because of bad choices they have made it -- situations where we need to extend grace and forgiveness, yet the enemy keeps telling us that they did it once, so they'll do it again....well, yes, what they did was in a sense...the truth of the matter. But, if we apply blessed TRUTH/Jesus/The Word of God to the situation, we'll not focus so much on the defensive posturing that the enemy is trying his best to have us focus on, but instead, we'll focus on God, believing that His will, will be made known and will manifest itself. His will is always the best for us; therefore, rest in God.

I'm praying for you, Anne Marie. God's blessed will be done.

God bless and keep you.
Love,
Mack

[mlg]

Just because they may be the truth of why you are in the situation you are in...does not mean that you should allow those bad thoughts to repeatedly beat you over the head. In fact it is letting go and letting God that you really need to be working towards. I have a terrible past...but I learned long ago...my past is now what brings glory to God as a testimony...

So take those bad thoughts...and previous actions...and allow God to do a work in you...and use them to show others how He has delivered you from the miry clay.

luv ya

[anne marie]

Thank you all so much for your kind words and guidance. On saturday I was finallly able to understand taking out the bad thoughts and replacing it with a truth. "yes he did that, but the truth is its in the past and God is giving me strength to move forward". It felt good to understand that. However, on Sunday, it was a meltdown. I do struggle daily with the bad thoughts Satan deals my way. I will say out loud for him to leave me alone in Jesus's name. I understand what Satan is doing. He would rather destroy the chance God has given us. I know God wants my marriage to be whole again and Satan is trying to work against that. I finally understand!! I hope and pray that I will not allow Satan to overcome me again like that as i know that sabotages progress that has been made. I did move on to the next step today, but would like to review it again tomorrow.
Thank you all so much for your help.
I am so grateful.