March 28, 2024

Captivating: Chapter 11 Warrior Princess – “Fighting Back” – “Emotional Attacks”

Sword and RosesWhen I’m working with new clients or patients one of the things I make sure to stress from the beginning is that when it comes to life and the things we go through in life, our mind, body, and soul are all connected. What we are going through does not just affect one of these areas and one area cannot be affected without the other two areas being touched also. These three aspects of our lives are interconnected, and make up who we are.

Emotional attacks in life are very real.  These attacks are not limited to our minds, or our hearts, but are aimed at our bodies as well. The example Stasi uses of dizziness made me think. This was something I knew, but also something that I didn’t think of on a regular basis, it was one of those “oh yea” moments for me. I learned a long time ago not to put anything past satan. He is out to hurt us, and he will do so at any cost. “Demons smell human brokenness like sharks smell blood in the water, and they move in and take advantage of our weakened soul”. Yes, satan has his ways, but God also has His, and His ways are stronger, more powerful, and made specifically to protect us.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:8-9

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you”.

Luke 10:18-19

For reasons I have yet to understand, society makes it seem as if mental health is a taboo subject. The need to seek out the professional help of a counselor to the need for medicine such as anti-depressants has been made to appear as a negative “out”. This is far from the case. The act of verbalizing your thoughts and feelings to a Christian counselor or trusted advisor can be one of the best decisions made by someone. If God is leading you to speak to someone, then please do. God has given individuals in this world a gift to help us through our struggles in life. There are a lot of things in our life we overlook because we see them as “normal”, and even if they are not as “normal” as we would like them to be, we are hesitant to talk to someone about them. My favorite quote from these two sections was this one, “It’s amazing what we will live with because we think it’s normal when it’s not”.

What if I don’t know what should be normal and what shouldn’t be normal?

 PRAY

Constantly talk to God, if something feels less than normal to you then talk to Him and ask.

The title of one of these two sections is “Fighting Back”; it’s time we fought back, it’s time we told satan, “no more”. But we can’t do this alone. Let God “began to train our hands and heart for battle”. Let Him touch our hearts, minds and souls

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With Love,

Tonya

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, normal is a word that has taken on many meanings, and can be hard to figure out. Please touch our hearts, minds and souls and show us what you have intended for us, what is normal Lord? What do we need to bring to you? Lord remind us that our body, mind and spirit are all connected, we cannot address one without the others. Thank you for caring for all of us Lord. Lord, I pray that when we question normal, or when we question ourselves that we automatically come to you, Lord I pray that we make praying without ceasing a normal part of our life. Thank you for your tools, and thank you for your protection.  In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.

Your Assignment:

What are your thoughts on fighting back? What does it mean to you?

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Our next Women’s Online Bible/Book study will begin March 24th!

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We hope you will join us!

 

Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 7 – Preventing Relapse (pp 212-219)

It starts with the little slips, in small stages. It’s the big ones that push us over, really.  So we aren’t paying attention to the small snowball that we have started rolling down hill.

For me, it could be folding laundry before it’s turned right side out, or hanging clothes before they are ironed. I may start going to bed without washing my  face, or skipping teeth, and prayers go by the wayside; I will start fresh tomorrow. I rationalize, minimize. I leave dishes in the sink at night instead of waking to a clean sink. I may have had a backache or a toothache and tell no one.  I make a doctor appointment. I get a prescription and tell no one. I hide the bottle. I’m gone. It can happen that fast.  If we aren’t enmeshed in Him!!!  We must plant ourselves at His feet daily. It’s like water for us, friends. He is our Stronghold now and what an awesome Stronghold!

HisFeet

See, the slippery slope is gradual. It’s hiding things from loved ones, it’s lying or maybe just omitting important details of our lives to the ones we love. Like Adam and Eve naked in the garden, we try to hide from God. We stop talking to Him because why would He want to talk to us when we are deliberately disobeying Him? This, dear friend, is dangerous because cutting Him out is like making a conscious decision to go back to your old way of life! I’ve been there, more than one time. I started this journey of sobriety in 2002 and stayed sober for a year. I got pregnant with my fourth child, had a c-section and I was off and running on a two year relapse. You don’t have to do that. You don’t have to be a slow learner. You can stop that snowball before it becomes an avalanche.  

How many times have you heard that relapse is part of recovery? I heard it over and over. Each time I picked up that 24 hour chip, someone made me feel better by saying that. It doesn’t have to be part of your story; relapse, that is. This chapter gives us a handbook on maintaining sobriety, preventing relapse, and keeping that momentum going for God! Evaluate-Meditate-Prayer!

John Baker gives us the guidelines and the how-tos and the why’s of evaluating, meditating, our prayer life and its importance to our maintaining sobriety. I love the check-up on our HEART, don’t you? I heard early in my recovery that when I had a craving I needed to HALT! It meant was I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.  If I was, I needed to take care of the issue and stop hard and turn it over to God. It’s like this: If you’re hungry, eat something. Angry? You must let that one go before it becomes a resentment. Lonely? Reach out to your accountability partner or, better yet, step out of yourself and help someone else. And last, are you tired? Rest!!! The Bible tells us so many times that our bodies need rest so that we can listen to Him and allow Him to fill us back up.

This is a spiritual condition, my friend. We have to make sure we are relying on God and not ourselves, or anyone else. Don’t allow anyone to live in your head rent free! Isn’t that a great analogy that the author gives? Make sure you are giving yourself credit for the good that you do. In our daily moral inventory, we are keeping up with our mess-ups, but why not end that on a positive note? Think of something good you did that day and pat yourself on the back and say good job!  You are so worth it! Celebrate any victory because your Father celebrates you! Thank Him for the little things…a good parking place, money for extras this month, etc. Thank Him for things yet to come, the blessings He has in store for you. This keeps you in a grateful mode and away from the slippery slope. Claim His word and soak in His promises. His word is the pathway to His heart. This is vital to your maintenance program.

Romans 12:2 says “But be transformed by the renewal of your mind, by its new ideals and its new attitude, so that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Don’t you love the “new this and new that?” Perfect will of God? Everything in His word exhorts us to expect restoration and renewal!

Joel 2:25-26 says “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm and the caterpillar and the palmer worm, my great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, that has dealt wondrously with you and my people shall never be ashamed!”  Amen.  He doesn’t want us to be ashamed!  Renewed, restored, and totally relying on His ability!

Last but not least, if you are feeling weak, and the enemy is creeping in, claim James 4:7, “Resist the devil and submit yourselves to God and the devil will flee from you.”  Together we shout a big NO to the enemy and a big YES to Jesus. Together!  Shall we?


Let’s Pray:
Lord, thank You for Redeeming us, for loving us and forgiving our wrongs. Daily we disappoint You and yet Your grace is freely given. Lord, we need You to stay with us, help us maintain our healing so that we may carry Your message to all still hurting. We have come a long way! And for those still struggling, keep them safe until they surrender. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.



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