Chapter 8 - WHEN is my mind normal?

Ok...back on track here.  Between Spring Break, my boys going to Dallas, and then getting ready for our State Testing at my school, and then it is finally here.....well, I lost track of some time. 

WE are on Chapter 8.  I need to do a roll call....who is still with me here?  I am determined to finish this book, it has HELPED in so many ways in my battle against the enemy that, I just don't want to quit and miss anything that GOD can use to help me further my healing.  Right?  Amen? 

Dear Beloved, I noticed something this week within my home...the enemy hit hard in the area of depression.  Depression is a REAL thing, and sometimes you need to deal with it in a professional way, but there is a depression or a 'funk' that I call just stinking thinking...this book has really helped me to decrease that stinking thinking.....and by the way, I am praying against that spirit of depression that has decended upon my home -- it is real thing.  But...that is for another time to chat about.  Back  to our book study.......

What a chapter - When is my mind normal? 
Whoa?  Did that make you think as you  read it?  I hope you are ahead of me and reading beyond now, maybe you have even finished it but, let us go back to this chapter and look at a few things. 

I read a story written by Carol Kent, infact, she has a book entitled "A new kind of normal". She goes on to tell you how her life changed and what became normal would seem to abnormal to you and I.   And I will never forget Mr. Morrone talk about 'normal' in his Science Fiction Lit Class.  You know how you see the reporters interview a neighbor or relative of someone that just killed a person, or  she went on a killing spree and the person being interviewed says, "he/she  was always normal"....Mr. Morrone woul say, " I guess I want people to say, he was always crazy only that would make sense, if he was always normal - than why did he do what he did?"........I still quote him at times. 

As I read this chapter, I  love how Paul spoke about the eyes of the heart...our normal mind should be that of Christ...we need to think and act like Him..that is normal. 

 I loved how Joyce reminded us that our minds should NOT be filled with reasoning, worry, anxiety, fear and the like...it should be calm, quiet, and serene.  However, that really only happens when we DO the work and renew our minds...with HIS WORD and communicate with HIM on a regular basis in prayer. 

She uses scripture to remind us of how our minds can be normal when we have the mind of Christ. 

I remember when this just did not make sense; however, God allowed stuff in my life where I had to allow Christ's mind and Him to take over me otherwise I would not be 'acting' normal!

For example, the normal way to react to finding out your husband cheated on you may be to 'hurt something or someone'.  The normal thing may to make everyone's life miserable.  However, God did not want that.  I knew instantly, within a few days, that I was to show grace and mercy -- I had to  I had to as I clearly could see how my own sin was just as disgusting to my LORD as  my husband's was. And if I did not show grace and mercy ( which is what Christ showed me) than things would NEVER be normal again.  I just knew it. 

I remember in some of the most lonely of days when I crawled into my bed at night alone, I would beg and plead with God to 'end' my sadness.  And I believe one of the lessons I had to learn was to trust God in the sad and lonely times but also in the good times.  I mean, I could trust HIM when all was well, but that is also when I did not 'need' HIM...I did not refresh my mind on a regular basis...I did not communicate with HIM on a regular basis.  And I would have this conversation with My Lord and  it would go like this: 

Me:  God....this is going to last as LONG as YOU need it too...cause you need to trust that I won't just seek you in the hard times but in the good as well...
God:  ...maybe....
Me:  I promise, I will....
God: ....I know you ...and you won't...at least not yet...
Me:  I realize that...but I want that drive and LOVE to seek you in ALL times...
God:  then trust me now and go to sleep....
Me:  God, I want to trust you....
God:  I know...you are dearly loved, even when you don't trust me...

Well, maybe it did not really go like that each night but, there was a pattern of this conversation over and over with God.  HE and I chatted a lot.  Now, I believe I can say we still chat, often...daily..and not just at prayer time, I do think of HIM more than I ever did. 

So,  God knew...HE knew that my time of separation with my husband wasn't just for 'us'...or for 'him'...it was for 'me' too. 

My mind had to trust HIM.  I had to learn to rely on HIM and really NEED HIS word.   And at the time, THAT was my normal. 

I guess I am really commenting on 'normal' and maybe getting off track here. 

The rest of the chapter gets into the gift of tongues.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I can say this, for years I was SCARED to death of it.  Then I believe I received it but held it in a box...until August of 2010 when I finally forgave a friend I had been holding unforgiveness  against....some 22 years worth, but I knew at the moment when he was praying with me and I said outloud, I forgive you..the flood gate opened up and I spoke in my prayer language without any reservation or doubt.  And God helped me practice it, and God showed me how to use it in the months to come and it was such a blessing to be able to pray in my spirit because I did not feel normal. 

I don't know WHERE you are with your walk with God and how much you trust or are aware of HIS gifts.  So, I am going to stop here, and just let you read the rest of the chapter and encourage you to seek someone that CAN answer your questions.  Feel free to ask me, call me, or INBOX me on Facebook and I will do what I can and contact you.....

I know that my walk with Jesus changed over the past  5 years, it changed the MOST over the past 2 years.  May is approaching.  May of 2010 is when  a great revelation was shared with me and my married life changed in an instant.  It had been changing, but that is when my life was NO longer normal.  However,  God has brought beauty out of ashes. 

Learning how to fast and pray and then pray in tongues  -  straight to God's ears, have been some of the miracles and blessings that DID sustain me. 

Reading HIS word, seeking  (sucking the life out of)  other godly women and men by asking them to pray for me and with me, and then seeking everything HE had for me....are more reasons that I believe I did not crazy.   And remarkably, people who would speak to me or talk to me, thought that was very abnormal...and unique...however, it was God.  It was HIM within me. 

So I can understand now, how you can have the mind of Christ.  I wish I could of figured it out prior to all of this -- but you know what - I really don't have regrets anymore, I realize that HE restores and HE loved me more than I could ever fathom or understand. 

HE wins. 

Having the mind of Christ is normal. 

Have fun reading.  I promise that Chapter 9 is going to be posted in a few days.  I want to move on to the next book study HE is wanting us to do....

This is me reading a menu...needed the flashlight on my phone so I could read it -this may not of been the normal way to read a menu..it was a NEW kind of normal! 

In HIM, Michelle

PART II - Conditions of the mind......

Hello.....sort of took a Spring Break ...break....did you?    Have you fallen behind on your reading too? 

NOT a problem, let us GET back on track!     I was so thankful for this introduction to PART II...but, here is the HARD part....I need   you......yes you.....to join in. 

I believe in the beginning of this book I asked you to comment 'what' was on your mind, at that time.  Do you remember? 

The first question was  IN WHAT condition is your mind?  ........

And it started off...'have you noticed the condition of your mind changes'......  OH yeah baby! 

I loved it when she said -- it will TAKE TIME.....
I loved it when she said -- our minds are not born again with the NEW BIRTH....they have to be RENEWED...See Romans 12.2. 

She also reminded us NOT to be devestated if our minds don't 'look' and 'sound' like victory right away....and most of the time, our minds will be in a state of 'abnormal'....if we are seeking Christ.

Wow...what a statement....

So,  this journey...this ride in life is NOT going to be easy? 
This life with Christ is not going to be smooth?
This path I want to do well on ......may be HARD?     Yes, dear sister ..yes........

ARE you ready? 

I am! 

I will give you an example that HIT me square in the face on Sunday morn.  I awoke, and went to check emails.  The settings were off on my computer ( the kids and my husband usually always use it )  and it bothered me.  So, I had to go to history to find my 'spot' and immediately something hit me in the history.  I saw the words WTF...and a comment about a photo.  

Now...you can imgine what I thought of...but, instead of yelling...instead of assuming...I really had to pray and believe that my mind was NOT going to get caught up in a trap. 

Right away, the Enemy wanted me to assume the conditions or the state of mind of the last user on my computer....Right away, if I would of allowed myself...I would of started a firestorm of  just YUCK within my family.  Instead I prayed and renewed my mind. 

I actually checked out the site and it was a photo of a 80's icon wearing something VERY stupid, but by today's lingo...WTF...well...it ..sorry, I should not even use that initials.....but anyway.....

And, within the hour, in a mild conversation, I was able to ask my family about 'what' one was searching and to be careful...that was my school computer...etc. etc.  etc.

God worked it out..because I choose to renew my mind and now allow the enemy to GET in there and cause doubt.  That is all he can do you know - cause doubt..he has NO truth!

OK.  as we get back on track and read chapter eight...let us take this next part of the book and focus on really doing the hard work to RENEW our minds...so that we can have that VICTORY. 

Please...share a comment -- what is on your head...how you are liking the book so far...or what is up - share, I dare ya....

Michelle

Chapter Seven Think about What you are thinking..

Hello Ladies,  did you think I forgot?

With a soccer tourney this weekend and getting a cold, I was a bit behind.  So sorry, and I guess I wasn't ready to blog just yet....I see it was one week ago that I posted for Chapter Six....

So, how are you?  I did not see any responses, but trusting that the book study is going well and that you are beginning to see how you can get complete FREEDOM in this battle....

Chapter Seven was  a good chapter as well.  It started with the scripture:  "I will mediate on YOUR precepts and have respect to Your ways"...Psalm 119.5

Quite frankly the chapter was very specific and to the point -- we must mediate on HIS word.  What we spend our time on...is what we are ....this makes so much sense to us moms.

It is very easy for the Enemy to lie to us and tell us how un godly we are when we are in the middle of changing diapers and making lunches.  And then we have so many other tasks and we practically don't have any time for our husbands.....does this sound familiar?  

I so want to be like the tree that is firmly planted...what she reminded us of in Psm. 1.3...

How about you?

Mark 4.24 tells us to be careful in WHAT we think.
I loved how she gave her own testimony on her thought process..she would read the word and listen to the word but not ATTEND to HIS word..and when she began to put effort into learning HIS word and seeing what it said to her...she got her freedom.

I also could relate when she stated our flesh is basically LAZY...can I get a witness?

I want to walk in the counsel of the godly....I want my delight to be HIS desire and I want my delight to be the desire to SEEK HIS word and instruction  and HIS teachings...

And she reminded us that we should meditate on it day and night..that was in Joshua 1.8

I believe she also had great insight toward the end of the chapter when she said, there are going to be many saved people in heaven...but they won't be free....they could of been.

I want that victory.  I believe I have found that freedom and victory, my walk with Jesus and God is so different now ...so alive.

However, I am sorry to admit it took a LOT of pain and wake up calls to get to this place, but so be it.

I just want to encourage you, to continue to read and  as we approach the 2nd part of this book, the Conditions of the Mind...I pray that you are thinking positively and that you can see and feel the victory that HE wants for you.

I also pray that YOU are enjoying a closeness with our Heavenly Father..one that is so different..one that is not like anything else...and may the two of you grow even closer.  HE loves you so.

Amen.  

PS.  I am attaching a photo of my husband and I.  It was the 'first' photo I asked him to take  in  awhile. For so long he did not want to be near me....near us...and today when I asked for photo and he sweetly bowed his head, I melted.  There has been so much ugly and unpositive between us, praise God, HE did a miracle....HE can heal.


The photo reminded me today - to focus on the positive. Period.


Whatever hurts, whatever is going on in your life, I KNOW HE knows and HE can make a way when there seems to be no other way -- just ask.

now here is chapter six

Hello dear beloved,

How are you?   I think it is important to give yourself a PAT on the BACK...way to go...finding the time to read and much less post a response on a book blog is a challenge!   Give yourself credit for keeping up with the reading and praying and thinking!

I hope this finds you very well.  I am sorry this came a bit late,  if you did not know, we moved again.  This is our 2nd major move to a new spot in 6 months.  Prayerfully....we are hoping this new home could be our next real home.  We are renting it for now, for the same price we were paying for the last house we were renting, but his house is a dream.  It really is everything we have ever wanted and it has a pool....so, God willing, we may be able to make an offer on it in a year or less.  That is what we want to do.  We are going to see where God takes us.

We are still in a state of restoring and rebuilding and even with the stress of moving, there were many laughs.  I used my thoughts and stayed positive.    How about you?

Chapter Six is titled:  Mind-Binding Spirits.

I can relate.

The scripture, "let the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"......that peace, is something I strive for each day.

I could really relate to her story in this chapter.  Joyce was given a vision, God promised her stuff and when things just did not happen as fast as maybe she thought...the enemy came right in and caused doubt and lied.  It is easy to listen to the lies if we are not prepared.

I can attest to that.  Can you?  Satan knows that if he can control your thoughts...he can control you life.

Moving brings forth memories.  When you pack something up, stuff just floods your brain.  Many of the memories were awesome and good, but the enemy had to attack...he thought reminding me of past hurts would get me off track.  Praise God, I am reading Joyce's book....these mind-binding spirits had NO control over me.

I did as she said, and cast them out.

How about you?

I would like you to take a chance this week and respond and share something that had been trying to get to you...what is the Enemy using to hurt you?  How is he lying to you?

Please share, remember what is said in this blog response will stay here and your sisters in Christ will help pray.

That is your assignment for this week:

These are my siblings....I pray for them each day...I pray that they get freedom from any mind binding spirits!  

I pray that you can relate because you recognize those mind binding spirits and I pray you have overcome them as well, and then share -- your victory.

Faithfully,
Michelle

chapter six.....

Hello Ladies, Hello Beautiful positive women of God.....

I have moved this past weekend and don't have access to the Internet just quite yet....I will be posting for Chapter Six tomorrow or Friday. 

Begin to read.  I haven't read my chapter either..I have been BUSY packing, unpacking, cleaning, and enjoying this new place...I will attach a photo too.  See you tomorrow or Friday. 

In the meantime, our mom is in the hospital, please pray for her - healing.  Thanks! 

Michelle 

chapter five -- being POSITIVE

Hello Ladies....

First of all -- WELL DONE...we are at chapter five, beginning a book study and keeping up with it takes time and persistence and obedience.  Well done.  I commend you.  I realize this task can be a hardship at times...with kids...with a job...with a home, finding time to read, comment, and then respond can be hard. Just wanted you to know - God knows it too.  Bless you.

Second of all....this chapter is LONG...FULL....full of stuff.  I have read it about 3x and each time I read it, I think of something else and how being positive changed this or that.  How about you?

At the beginning of the chapter she speaks about the avoidance of hope, as a way of protection against being hurt.  That was deep.  I started  to ponder...of the times I wanted to avoid hope, but then the outcome was .......  And I pondered about a time when all I could do was hope and it hurt.  How about you?

Joyce also commented:  "when I really began to study the Word and to trust God to restore me, one of the first things I realized was that the negativism had to go".

I want to camp on that....

Would you respond this week?

Please answer these questions:

1.  Do you think you are a negative person?
2.  If you think Yes...do you believe God can change that?  Do you want to change that?
2.  If you think No...how do you handle people that are negative around you?

Would you share?

And finally:
3.  MAKE a list of 5 positive things...don't think too hard, right off the top of your head and just share:

OK -- that is it for this week.  I hope to read several responses....
I will start.

Am  negative?

  No, I don't think so and yes, it is hard to handle negative ones around me.  I tend to just listen and then avoid them.  I will pray for them...but, I try my best to stay away.  I want to get to learn how to talk or share with them in a positive way.

My positives:      1.  Thursday is my birthday.
                             2.  I know that I know that I love GOD and what that means and entails.
                 3.  I love my husband.
             4.  Taylor..my daughter
           5.  Hunter..my son.    Oh wait, I am sort of mad at him right now...so #5 is...we are moving into a newer, bigger house this weekend with a POOL...yes a POOL....Yeah!

Now it is YOUR turn.

chapter four - little by little

Okee Dokie  Ladies.....I believe THIS chapter practically JUMPED off the page for me.  How about you?  WOW.....

I believe I just want to reshare a few things Joyce stated...and just read them again.  So here I go, Michelle's ( JOYCE MEYER's)  TOP TEN golden nuggets of truth from Chapter Four: 

1.  And the Lord your God will clear out those nations before you, little by little, you may not consume them quickly, let the beast of the field increase among you.  Deuteronomy 7.22

WHOA....that really struck me, I asked God, what does this mean....and I believe for me, HE reminded me that HE will clear out all of the obstacles in front of me...in HIS time..in HIS time...in HIS time...little by little.  What did it speak to you? 

2.  The renewing of your mind will take place little by little, so don't be discouraged if progress seems slow.

WOW, I copied this on my index card spiral.  IT is a thought that deserves being memorized.  How many times in the past year or so have I prayed to God ...why is it taking to long?  why?  And now, I realized that it does TAKE time ..HIS time.  So, therefore, why would it not take time for my transition as well....changing habits...rethinking things...etc. etc.  This statement brings peace. 
Does it bring peace to you?  Are you discouraged today?  


I believe the timing is the HARDEST thing to deal with and realize.  It just is.  Do you agree? 

3.  Suffering precedes liberation. 

Oh MY.....can you attest to this?  I can.  And HIS word says it as well: 

 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, Who called you to HIS eternal Glory in Christ Jesus, will HImself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.  1 Peter 5.10

4.  Joyce wrote:  I believe that from the time we acutally realize we have a problem until Jesus delivers us, we endure a type of suffering, but we rejoice even more when freedom comes. 

AMEN.

5.  The devil will try his hardest to stop you in the area of renewing the mind.  He knows that his control over you is finished once you have learned to choose right thoughts. 

OK -- I just have to add in a personal experience here.  My husband and I have been in a lot of therapy over the past 18 months.  Just have.  And one of the tactics or exercises the counselor used was this ---  "put it on the table, state it..with no judging or changing but then it is there...then it can be heard..then the power of the thought or the action is gone and it has NO hold over the person thinking or wondering it" 

....Sometimes the thought or action just had to be said.  Sometimes something had to be confessed.  Sometimes it just needed to be said but not commented on.   Or maybe just a rumor had to be stated and then proved fact or fiction.  

 However, once it was said - it could be dealt with. 

Does that make sense?  I will site an example. 

 The Enemy would tell me lies and over and over again, I would listen and believe that a certain situation transpired.  However, the acknowledgment of that situation or that particular element of the lie  was not exactly something that my husband wanted to share.  I could not blame him.  There were things that I did not want to confess and share.  


 ON one hand, you could say he needed to 'come clean'.  ON the other hand, the past is the past.  However, back to my illustration.  I had to finally get to a place where the lie had to be put on the table.  


 It was finally 'put' on the table.   And it was a hard 'fact' but now that it was stated or placed on the table...I can't tell you HOW MUCH freedom there is for me.   Glory be!  REally,  I literally sang a sweet song, ha ha ha ha ha Satan - YOU lose.  I did.  Satan can NO longer use that lie against me.  Period.  And I really don't have to ask any more details or bring it up...does that make sense?  There is true freedom in that.  So therefore, the devil will try his hardest in the area of renewing the mind.  My mind can now concentrate and never go back to that situation. 

But this can happen in every aspect of our lives, has this happened to you?  Are you being lied to and is Satan working overtime to block you from choosing the right thoughts?  It does take time and sometimes literal practice. 


2nd illustration, it has been 24 hours since I posted this original message and today I am going to update it....it happened again today.  Satan lied.  He lied.  I prayed, thought about asking a person if this particular thing was true or fiction, but God quickly spoke to me...it was not true, or noble, or praiseworthy...etc.  It did not line up with what GOD does and IS...so I immediately knew it was a lie.  And it could not hound or hurt me ANY longer.  It is an active thing.  Beth Moore talks about an ACTIVE faith, God's word is alive and active and it HAS to be to live in this world or we will fall to the Enemy's lies.  I pray and hope that makes sense to you.  I know it will to some.  And if it doesn't, I am trusting the Holy Spirit to speak to you and you will SEEK HIM on it.  

6.  Don't get discouraged.  Psm 42.5    Why are you cast down, O my inner self?  And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me?  Hope in God and wait expectantly for HIM, for I shall yet praise HIM, my Help and My God. 

Discouragement can destroy hope, so the enemy will naturally discourage us.  Don't let him.


THIS is one of the BIGGEST things I see and encounter each day - I pray to God to encourage me...HE does.  

7.  We like everything instantaneous.  WE have the fruit of patience inside, but it is being worked to the outside....God will at times, take HIS time to bring us to our full deliverance......HE uses the difficult period of waiting to stretch our faith and to let patience have her perfect work.  God's timing is perfect.  HE is never late. 

AMEN....THAT says it ALL...Don't you agree? 

8.  Phil.  2. 13, 1: 6    The Lord has begun a good work in me, and HE will bring it to full completion.

9.  Our weapon -- HIS word. Our Weapon...HIS word....OUR weapon  HIS word and prayer!!   

My photo of encouragement....

10.  Remember God is delivering you, little by little, so don't be discouraged and don't feel condemned if you make a mistake. 

Ok Sweet beloved women of God.....I hope and trust that this chapter will JUMP out to you as well.  I am NOT putting any pressure on anyone, but please note, you can comment if you want to.   It does my heart good to know that this is helping you; however, I don't need a pat on the back or a response as I believe truth is truth, and those seeking and those wanting a deeper relationship with Christ WILL seek and WILL meet HIM and I trust God.  This is HIS endeavor, I just want to be the typing piece.  HE is BIG enough to do it.  I love HIM so.  

 I added this photo of my husband and I.  It was taken back in 2005, at a dear family's wedding.  It was taken at a time that was REALLY good in our marriage.  I don't have all the answers, and neither does he, but I can say this now - we are rebuilding.  There was a time in our lives when we did allow the Enemy to speak to us.  WE both fell out of love with God in our own ways...and with each other.  However, God does USE everything. 

When we were separated, I would stare at this picture and it gave me hope on many nights when I could not see our situation getting better.  It gave me hope, and I prayed over it -- wishing and praying that we could be 'this'  happy again.  God used this picture and HIS word, HIS servants to remind me when I wanted to quit...that HE can heal, restore, and renew. 

When I finally gave up and totally GAVE it all to God, knowing that I had to trust HIM with everything, HE had freedom then to begin to work on my husband, until then, I tried to control God.....


I am going to repeat myself...when I FINALLY gave it all to God, really gave it all and believed that HE just may use divorce and the breaking up of a family for HIS kingdom, THEN God could begin to work in others.  But THAT took time...real time... long time.  I would say that I finally just really 'got' that, about a year ago...maybe only 10 months ago!  And our lives have been in a battle for the past 4-5 years!  

God used our season of hurt for a reason, I have never been more in love with HIM, my LORD,  than I am now, nor do I appreciate and love my husband as I did before.  I laugh as I wanted to be 'that' happy again and now, I just want a 'new happy'...HIS happy...being one with my husband as a prayer warrior and friend in Christ.  I also laugh, as I did not like Joyce Meyer at all...and yet, God used her in a mighty way and in doing this book study, HE is cementing HIS promises. 

And, I realize that it may seem that I have a lot of experience because of what I have walked through...but I don't want to be a poster wife for infidelity  or suffering...I WANT HIS light to shine out of me...I want to share HIS love...I want to see people fall in love with Christ and get the freedom HE claimed for us.  So, it may seem like I have all the answers, but I really don't - I only know HE does.  And HIS word does. 

I only want God's best to be read in these posts and I don't want to use our past to illustrate a point or every chapter, but at times, I believe by being real and sharing...you can also believe and hold on to HIS promises.  I pray that makes sense.    God never fails.  Love never fails. 

I hope this post finds you well, reading, and getting closer to God.  HE loves you more than anyone...HE wants to be with you at all times.  HE can give you complete freedom.  I know it.  And I will encourage you - don't give up. 

Have a great day...

in Christ, Michelle


PS, if this post did speak to you - awesome for GOD.....as HE is in me.  I am praying as I edit and publish this, that it will not be a tool of the enemy to cause any more hurt - for anyone.