Poster | Thread | learn Member

Joined: 2008/7/24 Posts: 613
| Re: | | Thank you JIG, Browny and others for all your help and continual prayers. Words cannot express how I feel.
Because of the severity of the experiences that I've had, I admit I don't want to look at this thread anymore if possible unless I really desperately need help again. Its just too painful--a reminder of the pain and extreme emotions and aches everyday for weeks. I know the memory will never leave and another 'ache' God has decided to give me will stay (although I hope that God will decide to 'heal/fulfill' that ache)
So forgive me if I miss out any posts that may be written here or do not reply as I'm trying to put some closure to this. I know it isn't over yet but maybe if again I need help online, its best that I start a new thread (with a link to this) when and if it happens. I'm just trying to limit whatever painful memories so that I can heal.
Thanks. I hope you can understand. _________________ geraldine
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| 2012/8/23 23:20 | Profile | learn Member

Joined: 2008/7/24 Posts: 613
| Re: | | Ummm...God wants me to reopen this thread.
I did not seek His permission to close it. It felt good to close the thread--avoid the pain and embarassment.
But God had to put fear in me to make me reopen this thread. Plus I hope that I did not hurt people like JIG and Browny by closing this thread. I can only apologize if I did.
Proverbs 16:9 comes to mind In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps _________________ geraldine
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| 2012/8/24 17:35 | Profile |
| Re: | | Hi learn. Just wanted to tell you that I completely understood and sure didn't feel anything negative about it.
Praying you're doing better and smiling more. I'll smile 'for' you, if that'll help (o:
I'm just stepping off from posting on the forum, but only for some personal reasons and posted that before you re-opened the thread, I believe. I was reading some of your old posts, late Thursday night and was praying that you'll be back to yer ol' self again soon.
Love you, learn. Stay well In Him ~ cuz He's willing! |
| 2012/8/25 1:51 | | learn Member

Joined: 2008/7/24 Posts: 613
| Re: | | JIG, I need your continual prayers. Not doing well at all. _________________ geraldine
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| 2012/8/25 14:32 | Profile | Myst Member

Joined: 2012/7/22 Posts: 32
| Ongoing suffering | | Hello, Geraldine,
Regarding your comments on the suffering your are enduring:
Many Christians living in the plenty that America offers fail to see how a Christian can suffer for a long time. We have all the physical resources we need in our society for food, housing, and healing, so when we hurt, we have a solution for them. In a crisis, we often have little need for God, and therefore little opportunity to learn how to deal with our problems spiritually. For the rest of the world, they may suffer for many years with whatever bothers them. While they have a dire need for for dependence on God, they, too, have been (sadly) indoctrinated (infected) with western theology.
Also, our doctrines in America usually tell us that it is God's will for us to suffer, so we face our suffering with a kind of stoic philosophy that tells us, whatever is happening is ok with God, therefore, we accept our troubles as thought God is somehow behind it.
But to address your situation in which you said you have been suffering under for years, I would like you to notice some of these Scriptural ideas.
First of all, suffering is a reality for Christians. In all cases our suffering has its roots because we have entered the family of God, and that in itself turns the world against us. 2 Cor 4 tells us the god of this world, Satan, is in control of our realm, so if we try to seek our the true Christian life and live it, he will oppose us.
However, we see that God also has His had in our disciplining. Proverbs 13:24 and Hebrews 12:6--for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives.
In fact Jesus Himself endured suffering, Heb 5:7 For Jesus, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared, 8 though being a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
In order to learn obedience, Jesus Himself, in the days of His flesh, had to suffer.
However, it is NOT His will that we suffer, the above passages simply say that there are REASONS that we suffer. Jesus us taught us to pray that our Father's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Hosea 4:6 says, for lack of knowledge my people perish.
Isa 5:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge.
Because we lack proper knowledge, we can suffer for extended periods of time, even as Hosea said, unto to the point of perishing.
Some will object, that those passages are from the Old Testament, and do not apply to us. But even John twice spoke about, "I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one." We have to learn to overcome Satan.
It is Satan who afflicts us with destruction: Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
Remember, the Israelites went through the wilderness for 40 years before they were allowed to enter the promised land. They were kept out, because they had not learned the essential lessons they needed to know in order to overcome the evil one, Satan.
It is a Scriptural principal that we are not allowed to overcome too soon or too easily, but must grow spiritually in order to acheive our victories:
Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
So there are many reasons for our suffering. But the clear promise is, whatever we are suffering, we can overcome it by using Scriptural, spiritual principals that will lead us to victory.
Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Act 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good, and healing all those who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with Him.
So we know that whatever we suffer can ultimately be traced back to the demonic, and our victory ultimately is won through Christ. We just need to know and apply the spiritual laws that will give us our life and freedom through Christ.
Learning to accept our suffering in this life, justifying it as something given us within the will of God, is simply not an option according to Scripture. We are repeatedly promised victory, and anything less is just not our destiny in Christ.
Whatever you are dealing with reject it, resist it, fight it, and eventually victory will come. The reason we do not achieve our victory is that we lack the spiritual leaders who know how to fight and overcome the evil in which the satanic entangles us.
Our Father has given us all the tools we need to overcome the evil one. May you be blessed with knowledge in the course of your battle. _________________ Robert Sands
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| 2012/9/7 18:37 | Profile | learn Member

Joined: 2008/7/24 Posts: 613
| Re: Ongoing suffering | | Thank you Myst for the post and the email.
_________________ geraldine
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| 2012/9/8 6:18 | Profile | Myst Member

Joined: 2012/7/22 Posts: 32
| Re: Please pray for me | | Hi Learn.
When we are in the wilderness, we must always hear from our Father. In the midst any spiritual conflict (spiritual warfare, battling sin, etc), we need to not only know what we are fighting, but how to fight it.
The problem with human counselors our lack of spiritual discernment and knowledge leading us to give opinions. Our divine ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5) requires us to function as a NT priest, bridging the gap between God and man, when another can not. That usually requires exercising the office of prophet, passing the voice of God through to those unable to receive it just then. (Our 3 ministerial offices are as prophet, priest, and king.)
Yes, too much information, sorry. The point is that ministering to ourselves or others (fixing us or them) is always a spiritual function, an art. Yes, it is often done by natural means, but is far more effective in the spiritual realm, within the essence of our being.
For a spiritual solution, we must touch the spiritual realm. Scriptures overflow with examples for us, because we are complex. So if our problem is not precisely described in Scripture, we have a Father who can directly tell us both our problem and its solution. So the key is in listening to your Father, then doing what He said.
You said you often heard from Him in the past. But its true, in times of testing or wilderness, there is an illusion He is silent. At that time we must be aware of the MANY ways he speaks to us. Having already been too didactic, let me just list some He speaks to us. This is helpful, because with just an awareness, you can be watchful for Him speaking to you.
Our Father speakes through:
The Scriptures: Paul (1 & 2 Cor) the Scriptures are spiritually interpreted (our Father) or veiled (the demonic). In time of need, usually I ask my Father for a Scripture. Most often I am given to a specific verse (to look at with the context) or chapter. The passage gives me an equally specific answer. But at times I have been given an entire book or even a section, such as the OT prophets.
The inner voice of God. In Rev 3:20 Jesus said if you open the door when He knocks, He will enter and commune with you. In communion there is always revelation. In true Scriptural meditation we will clearly hear God speaking.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice."
Paul said, "Faith comes by hearing (hearing is audible!!) and hearing by the Word (here the Grk uses rhema: spoken Word). So faith is imparted when you hear the AUDIBLE Word of God. This most often occurs as we read the written Word, and profound truths clearly stand out. But we can also hear Jesus speaking to us clearly by His inner voice through meditation, or through "synchronictiy".
Synchronicity is something that happens to us when we are looking for a spiritual answer. We earnestly ask our Father a question, and it may not be answered immediately. But in the course of a day (usually the same day), we encounter a situation (usually many) in which our answer comes. It may be something overheard (conversation, radio, TV, a song), or an incident that plays out almost like a living parable for us, but it strikes us in such a profound way, we know our Father just answered in an unexpected way. Paul called an example of this an "open door".
However you want your answer to come, ask your Father your question. Chances are He will answer you repeatedly (in the mouth of two or three witnesses, ie revelations or experiences). You will take joy in hearing from Him throughout the day. The height of your joy will be in the fact that the God of All takes time to arrange whatever must be arranged to speak to you often and in surprising ways, amazing you by His utter love for you.
By the way, the reality of synchronicity is so evident, it became a life-long study of Carl Jung and central to his work (psychiatry). Its existance is so evident that even secular scientists research the "phenomenon".
Bless you on your quest and with the joy you will have in intering with our heavenly Father. _________________ Robert Sands
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| 2012/9/12 18:04 | Profile | learn Member

Joined: 2008/7/24 Posts: 613
| Re: | | Thanks Myst _________________ geraldine
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| 2012/9/14 1:02 | Profile | davidkeel Member

Joined: 2006/5/11 Posts: 519 West Sussex, England
| | | Hi can anyone tell me what this request is about ? I have read all four pages but it doesn't seem to explain anything with information. _________________ David Keel
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| 2012/9/14 8:54 | Profile |
| Re: | | David, I've dragged the first post here so you can observe Geraldine's request.
Quote:
I need prayers. It seems that God wants to test me and it may likely be for years. It has already started for some time and its almost more than I can bear. Previously there have been lucid moments where I feel normal and therefore can rest but I don't know whether I will have these moments. I guess He will still give me moments of normality during these times.
I sincerely and desperately need prayers especially long term ones. Thanks.
Learn (Geraldine)
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| 2012/9/14 9:37 | |
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