"spoon fed"

I will never forget the first time I heard about the Rapture.  I remember lying awake all night long, afraid to close my eyes, as I didn't have a relationship with JESUS.  I remember this went on for months, however the person who told me about it, never did invite me to their church.  They just kept telling me about the rapture and what was to come.  After about six months of living in constant fear that it was going to happen, I finally gave up the fear, and decided this person was crazy.  Little did I know it was just another one of HIS "whispers."  

It would be almost four years later that I would hear of the rapture again, and this time I was in church, and I was actively pursuing a relationship with JESUS.  However, I was being spoon fed.  Meaning I was attending church every weekend, and I was sort of reading my bible, but I was taking my Pastor at his word, and believing him without seeking GOD's truth for myself.  For years I lived this way.  

In 2005 we began attending a new church, and the Pastor there would challenge us every week.  He would say, "don't just take my word for it, go home and look it up and read it for yourself."  He was always encouraging us to read our bibles.  Even then I knew I needed to be actively seeking HIS truth for myself, but I was much more comfortable being "spoon fed."

This past January after attending our church for a year and a half, and from an enormous amount of encouragement from my Pastor, his wife, and my women's bible study leader I began searching for the answers for myself.  

I first read the entire New Testament, with the knowledge that when I opened my bible daily, Satan's pursuit for my life would only increase.  So naturally it was no surprise when bad things started happening, and once again Satan tried taking me out of this world.  Attacks started happening between my oldest daughter and I, and slowly trickled down until almost all of my relationships with my kids were hanging on by a thread.

What I had failed to realize was that I had let Satan's demonic influences take over my life.  However, GOD was up to something BIG and HE wasn't going to stop until HE won!  Thankfully HE did in fact win, and I fell to my knees in defeat, threw my arms into the air, and cried out to HIM, "LORD JESUS, please, please, please help me!"  It was then that I began the journey where my life has been forever changed.

In choosing to not be "spoon fed" any longer, I was finding out things I had known about, believed, but had never really experienced for myself.  One of Satan's biggest lies was revealed to me when I began seeking JESUS and asking HIM to be the center of my life.  HE showed me that I fell into the trap of believing Satan that I must not have been a very strong Christian and I must not of had enough faith, otherwise demonic influences wouldn't be in my life.  GOD's truth is telling me that when it comes to Satan everyone is prey!  Therefore, as a CHRIST FOLLOWER I must pray!  I must actively seek HIM to be the center of my life, and ask HIM to teach, lead, and guide me through every single step of my journey.

GOD is wanting me to know that Satan's ultimate deception has been to keep me from the knowledge that I, Heather too have been suffering from the demonic influences in my life.  He is letting me know it is through the anointing of HIS HOLY SPIRIT within me, that I do indeed have the power, and the strength to break free from the bondage, lies, and agreements that I have made with Satan, even when I was too young to even know that I made them.

HE is wanting me to know that when I seek HIM HIS truth will be revealed, and I will be able to have total freedom in HIM.  HE is letting me know that Satan's ultimate goal is to possess me, but thankfully the only one who can possess me is the one who created me, and that is GOD.  I am learning that I am HIS, I am in HIM, and HE is in me.  Therefore, I must rebuke, and break the bondage and the hold that Satan's demonic influences have on me.  

HE has let me know that in order to break free, I must first seek  HIM and ask HIM to show me where those influences are in my life.  I must then do everything that HE tells me to do, and I must know that HE is my only source of strength to break free.   HE is wanting me to remember that possession implies ownership, and as the author writes, I feel as if these are HIS Daily Teachings to me today.  

"We are owned, purchased, and bought with a price by the LORD JESUS."

Today HE is wanting me to remember this whenever I am feeling pulled by demonic influences in my life, "I, Heather am a child of GOD."  "I am not a spawn of Satan's."  I grew up hearing that phrase a lot, and without even realizing it I made agreements with that statement, and just this morning it was revealed to me of that agreement, and so today I publicly declare, "I am GOD's daughter!  I was born and made for HIS plan and HIS purpose!  I am here to live out HIS plans, and HIS purpose!  HE is the only one who I will serve. HE is my number one!

I know that I have believed those things for a long time now, but I've never really actually known them, so when I read this line in the book,  HIS Daily Teachings all began to make total and complete sense to me.

"Knowing is better than believing"

GOD is wanting me to know that HE wants me to step out of the realm of just believing and into the comfort of knowing that HE is GOD!!!  HE is wanting me to know that JESUS really did perform the miracles spoke of in the bible, and HE really did heal people and set them free from the demonic influences of their lives.

"God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good and healing all who were troubled by the devil because God was with Him." Acts 10:38

HE is wanting me to know that while I may "think" my ideas are biblically based, I must be sure to know that it is indeed HIS truth.  I must be able to align my ideas with scripture.  HE is wanting me to know that in order to grow according to HIS plans and HIS purpose for my life, I must be in HIS word daily.  I must put HIM first, as having HIS presence in my life is my number one desire.

These words really spoke to me, while I was reading  "When Pigs Move In," "lift up JESUS CHRIST and expose Satan and his kingdom of darkness."  When I read those words, shivers went up and down my spine, and my eyes welled up with tears.  As I sat there trying to make sense of my tears, I felt HIM speak to me, "This is MY purpose for your blog, this is why you write HIS Daily Teachings."

Once again, I am overwhelmed, and even more so overwhelmed at how much I have written in today's blog that I didn't even write down.  HIS love for me never ceases to amaze me.  This morning I am so thankful that HE is asking me to go beyond being "spoon fed" and giving me the courage to seek HIM, and find HIS truth for myself.  I am in awe by how HE has taken me from being a mediocre CHRISTIAN, to an ON-FIRE CHRIST FOLLOWER ,and WARRIOR of HIS army.

The final part of HIS Daily Teaching today is that because I now have the knowledge that I have been anointed by HIS HOLY SPIRIT, I must be bold enough to stand up against Satan!  HE is wanting me to remember that it is Satan's kingdom of darkness, that is responsible for sickness and disease.  HE is letting me know that in choosing to say "YES" to HIM, HE is preparing, and equipping me for an amazing journey.

I pray today that you will have enough courage to stop being "spoon fed" and seek HIM and find out HIS truth for yourself.  I pray that you will go where HE calls you to go, and that you will do your small part of bringing HIS kingdom of Heaven here to Earth.  I pray that you won't worry about being a world-pleaser, and instead put on the armor of GOD and be a true warrior in HIS army.  I pray for HIS favor and blessings to be poured over your life for your obedience.

Blessings,
Heather