Patience

Practicing Patience When God Has You Waiting

 Written by Barbara Erochina

Some days, it is a lot harder to be patient. When we’re bringing our concerns to the Lord again and again, we grow tired of waiting. It soon begins to feel like our prayers are falling on deaf ears. Often our desire is to take control and just “do the best we can”; it is our fleshly reaction to the silence. We know Galatians 5 lists patience as a fruit of the Holy Spirit so we confess our desire to rule our own lives. We ask the Spirit to fill us, empowering and directing us even as we continue to wait on the Lord.

This doesn’t mean our circumstances change. Our only child remains sick in the hospital, the thread our marriage hangs on continues to splinter, and the hope we’ve held on to for years fades with increasing speed. Having prayed fervently about whatever issue you are facing too many times to count, it’s easy to feel your bank of patience depleting once again. On these days, let these reminders on the nature of patience be an encouragment to you as you continue to wait.



Life Lesson: Time management
Are you still growing spiritually?: Check your compass and let God lead you

You are not alone in the waiting.

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – Romans 8:22- 25 (New International Version)

Waiting is a common experience. All your brothers and sisters in faith, as well as all of creation know what it is like to wait on the Lord. Consider those who have waited before you: Job, David, a myriad of Prophets. There is plenty of encouragement in the Bible concerning a need for patience and those who have excelled in it. James 5:7, Colossians 1:10-12, Psalm 40:1 and Revelations 14:12 are just a few examples of the myriad of passages about the topic.

The New Bible Dictionary defines patience as “God given restraint in the face of opposition or oppression”. Patience is only needed when there is a reason to not wait. It is only necessary in the face of opposition. This is why seeking patience is in many senses a battle. The promise we can lean on here is that patience is God given restraint. The Lord is the one who provides us with spiritual armor to go into battle. We often think of patience as mere endurance, but such logic is faulty. We are not exercising restraint on our own strength. In truth, our only responsibility is to trust that God will provide the strength to hold on, and then act accordingly to our faith in that promise.

How is this strength given us?

We receive this strength by being filled with the Spirit. As Christians, we know that the ultimate source of patience lives within us. Our role is to trust that the Holy Spirit does live within us, and ask Him for strength to persevere in whatever situation we find ourselves in. This is a provision we can claim by faith as taught us in Romans 5:1-5.

Patience as listed in Galatians 5 is often called longsuffering. The original Greek word is makrothumio, meaning “long temper”. We are to keep a long and slow temper towards God, others and ourselves. This spiritual posture calls for grace. It is grace that compels us to trust God, grace that we can extend to others when they hurt us and grace to forgive ourselves when we stumble and fall.

The experience of waiting on God reminds us that our reality as Christians is not within our apparent circumstances, but rather in the truth of Christ’s love and life in us. This gives us hope as Romans 8:28 assures us that “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It is not in our abilities to know the time or way in which God will work things out. Ecclesiastes 3:11 and Isaiah 55:8-9 are great reminders that these rest solely in the domain of God’s knowledge. Our role here is to trust the promise of Philippians 1:6 and wait with hope as God’s brings about to completion the good work He began in each of our lives.

What is our role in the battle?

Consider again the definition of patience as God given restraint. God allows us to access divine restraint, but it is our choice to accept it and act in willful obedience. Adam and Eve were given complete free will. They were gifted many provisions in the garden so they wouldn’t need to partake in the fruit that was forbidden. However, they chose to not exercise restraint and instead disobeyed God’s command. When we use God given restraint to wait on His will and timing, we renounce their fallen actions and step out in obedience towards God.

There is purpose in the process. Take a look at Hebrews 12:2. Waiting on God forces us to look to Him. It casts our eyes rightly to Christ as the source of our faith and the assurance of our salvation. It reminds us that Christ’s death and life is the reason we can be filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Trials cause us to persevere by deepening our knowledge of God and relying on him more intentionally. As James 1:2-4 tells us it is here that a mature and complete faith is grown.

Standing patiently when we wait on the Lord does not mean being stuck at a standstill. Consider Ephesians 6 which instructs us to “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then.” To hold ground by remaining obedient to the Lord while waiting is not passive. Note that the word stand is repeated three times. Patience is an act of the will to claim ground for the Kingdom of God, and is rewarded richly by Him. Revelations 3:10-11 tells us of God’s care for those who persevere through the battle.
Whether we feel we lack patience to wait on God, or to continue to love those that may be hard to love, we do in actuality have access to all the patience we need. We can trust God to give us the strength to bear our circumstances and instead use the time of waiting to grow in intimacy with the Lord.

Abraham – The Father of Many Nations

God promised to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. But when the promise was first given (Genesis 12:1-3) Abraham and his wife Sarah did not have any children. God continued to restate His promise to Abraham through the years (Genesis 13:6; 15:1-6; 17:6-8; 18:10).

Abraham, though known as a man of faith, took his wife’s suggestion and had a child with Sarah’s handmaid. The son’s name was Ishmael. But this was not the son God intended for Abraham. (Genesis 16)

Finally when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old God gave them their son Isaac. Though it took years of patiently waiting, they received the promise of God. Hebrews 6:15 says of Abraham, “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”

Joseph – From Pit to Prison to Palace – A Picture of Patience

Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave (Genesis 37:27, 28). Though he did not understand all that was happening, he trusted God to work out His plan in His time. Joseph patiently worked faithfully in each situation he was in. He waited for God to fulfill His promise that Joseph would be a leader of his people (Genesis 37:5-11). He had to be patient as he believed God, but probably wondered why he was sitting in a prison cell.

God did lift Joseph up to great power and responsibility. Not only was he a leader of his people, but he ruled over the people of Egypt too. Patience was needed to allow God to accomplish His purposes in the life of Joseph and his family.

Job – The Man of Patience

Probably the best known story of patience in the Bible is the life of Job. To prove Job’s faithfulness to the Lord, God allowed the devil to destroy everything Job owned (Job 1). Job was a wealthy man. He lost his crops, property, cattle and servants. But most devastating of all was when Job lost his children. However, Job did not blame God. He accepted that God had a plan and would be patient for God to reveal His plan.

Job’s friends came to council him. They tried to find out what great sin Job had committed to deserve the punishment he received. Job would not admit to any sin. Job knew that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Often people will talk about the patience of Job. He knew God had a plan and was willing to accept what God allowed in his life. In the end God restored to Job twice as much as he had in the beginning (Job 42:10).

Simeon – Eagerly Awaited the Messiah

Luke 2 tells the story of the birth of Christ. The angels announced his birth to the shepherds who then went to see Jesus in the manger. Later, in the same chapter, Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to give an offering to God for the birth of their child.

The Holy Ghost had revealed to a man named Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the birth of the Messiah. The Bible does not indicate how long Simeon waited for the birth of Christ, but the fact that it says he would not die until he saw the Saviour indicates that he waited some time.

After Jesus arrived in the temple Simeon was led by the Spirit to visit Him there. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and thanked God that the promised child had arrived. Joseph and Mary were surprised by Simeon’s actions. Simeon knew that he could depart in peace.

Jesus – An Example of Patience

Hebrews 12 says of Jesus’ death on the cross that it was something He “endured.” While His crucifixion was for our salvation, the Bible says His death is also an example for our lives. When we are worn down during our daily tasks we are reminded in Hebrews 12:2, 3, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Before Jesus arrived at the cross He patiently trained the disciples. Even after His miracles and proclamations of being the Son of God, the disciples were often confused as to who Jesus was. Today we think of the disciples as being mature men of faith. But as we read through the gospel accounts, Jesus was still trying to teach them how to persevere in prayer up until the moment He was taken in the garden to be crucified.

Patience for Us Too

Whatever the task is that God has called us to, we need to continue doing the work even if we don’t see the progress we would like to see. Even Jesus was teaching His disciples until the moment of His death. Jesus is an example of patience for us.

Is God upset with me?

How do you perceive your relationship with God? Did you know that your faith depends on how you perceive your relationship with God? A person may have no trouble believing God's Word when it tells us that we have authority to lay hands on the sick, and see them recover, but where that person may have a struggle, is when they doubt their worthiness to walk in such manifestation of God's Spirit. If a person has a problem with feeling worthy, then they need to understand the power of the Blood of Jesus, and what difference it makes to their relationship with God. It is absolutely essential that you perceive your relationship as if it were washed clean with the Blood of Jesus. God's Word tells us that if we walk in the light, then the Blood of Jesus continually cleanses us from all our failures along the way:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

Are you walking in the light and forgiving / loving one another as Christ has loved you? If so, then your under the constant protection of the Blood of Jesus, which washes away your failures. It is no ticket to continue living in sin, but it is an opportunity to grow in Christ.

Perceiving your relationship with God depends on how seriously you take what He says about your being made right with Him through faith in Christ Jesus. If He says that the Blood of Christ has washed away your sins, but you still see yourself as guilty and shameful, then you're not really standing on that promise in His Word. You're not taking what God says seriously, and therefore it is causing you to see your relationship with Him in a way which is not true. Such perceptions greatly affect our faith.

Satan wants you to feel like God is somehow angry or less than satisfied with you.

It is one of Satan's biggest lies that he tells the children of God that even if God isn't "angry" with them, he wants them to feel in some way, that they have failed God and now He isn't as thrilled about them as He once was. God's Word tells us how His heart is towards those who repent and turn back to Him. If you question God's heart towards the repentant backslider, then you need to read the entire chapter of Luke 15, where Jesus uses a parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son, to illustrate the heart of the Father towards those who return to Him. Although I highly recommend reading the entire chapter, here's a few verses I want to point out:

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:20-24

That is just ONE passage in scripture that shows the heart of God towards those who are coming back to Him with a repentant heart - there are MANY other examples in scripture! Jeremiah 3:11-22 is another great passage. Some people feel that God is a cruel distant taskmaster, because He would allow His people (the Israelites) to come under heavy oppression and slavery. This is a perfect example of not considering God's side of the story - the Israelites were some of the most rebellious people we find in scripture. They were even slaughtering their own children for the sake of demons! If you study the Bible about the rebellion of the Israelites, you'll see WHY God allowed them to come under such heavy oppression. God's Word also tells us of His lovingkindness and mercy side towards those who turn to Him and who fear (respect & honor) Him.

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.... For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Psalms 103:8,11

Psalms 145:8 tells us that, "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy."

Satan uses discouragement as a weapon against you!

Once a person feels distant from God, for some reason or another, their interests are often directed elsewhere because they are discouraged in their relationship with God. This often leads to depression, addictions, obsessions (crafts, movies, sex, sports, etc.), spending binges, and unbalanced priorities. After a while, the person loses more and more interest in their relationship with God, until they simply don't even bother to pick up their Bibles and spend time with Him. This is how Satan will use discouragement to destroy a person's relationship with God.

The whole reason that Satan (who works through evil spirits) wants us to feel discouraged, is because he wants to get us to a place where we will give up. He wants our relationship with God to just seem "impossible" and too hard to maintain. This leads a person to lukewarmness, and deflates their faith in God, because they have no confidence in their relationship with God. The Bible tells us to draw near to God with assurance, having our heart's sprinkled clean from an evil conscience!

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:22

The reason that Satan tries to attack is with guilt and shame, is for the very purpose of destroying our confidence in our relationship with God.

Satan uses past failures as "excuses"...

Satan will also work diligently to convince a person that because of a certain failure(s) in their past, that they cannot be restored in right standing before God. This often involves one sin in particular, such as abortion or fornication. Even though the sin has been repented of (confessed as sin and turned from), the enemy will continue to badger the person with guilt and shame over what they have done, as if they never repented of it! This is known as false guilt, because once a sin is repented of, that failure is washed away by the Blood of Christ. In other words, Satan is pointing at something that is no longer on your account! God's Word tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. This is a promise!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

In the above verse, we also find that he won't just cleanse us of certain sins and not others, but we find that He is prepared to cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness! It's those sins which we fail to confess, which are not covered by this promise.

Jesus' attitude towards the woman caught in adultery...

We know that Jesus is an exact representation of the Father (John 10:30 & John 14:9), that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and also that God is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). Therefore, the way that Jesus handled this woman caught in adultery, is the same way that He would handle you or I, if we were in that same situation. Just look at the compassion, love, and forgiveness that flowed out of Jesus' heart for this woman who was caught sleeping with other women's husbands!

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

John 8:3-11

If you want to learn more about the true nature of the Jesus of the Bible, then I encourage you to read my teaching entitled, "The Jesus of the Bible." It is quite a different Jesus than many churches today will have you believe!

"Pulling you away from God"

One of the common means by which Satan works to pull us away from God is through a combination of guilt and materialism. First, he throws guilt in our faces to the point where we feel unworthy of a genuine relationship with God, then there is this empty void in our lives that must be filled… so along comes materialism, a means to attempt to fill the void. It could be money, book reading, television watching, sports, etc. If it's trying to fill a void in your life that should be filled with a genuine relationship with God, then something is wrong! What is acting as a blockage between you and your heavenly father? Do you feel unworthy to fellowship openly and freely with Him? Do you feel dirty inside or not fit to be in His presence for one reason or another? Look into those things and get them cleaned up. It is through the Blood of Christ that our sin might be washed away and our conscience cleansed!
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:22

"Imagine this..."

Here's a blog entry that I posted recently about the power of imagining the truth about God seeing you through the eyes of love, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Satan and evil spirits are always eager to make a person feel as if God is angry with them. It puts the person on the edge of their seat and makes them afraid of God… which causes them to feel discouraged in their relationship with Him, and tend to give up on spending time with Him. These things, of course, leads to a backsliding relationship in no time. No wonder Satan wants us to feel like God is somehow angry or disappointed in us!

Try this: if you have struggled and felt like God is angry with you, then try to imagine that God sees you, knows where you’ve been, and yet still looks favorably on you? It will loosen up the tenseness on your whole system once you begin to see things as God wants you to see them. Once you can imagine it, then turn to God’s Word, and learn of how He really does look upon you with favor and hope, even when you've messed up and done horrible things! He's always calling us back to repentance, so that He can restore our relationship with Him.

I can't tell you how powerful that imaginations can be when used for God's glory instead of Satan's. This is a powerful key to freedom and healing for many!

Have you done enough to be accepted by God?

Many feel that if they do enough good works, that God will finally love and accept them. This is nothing more than the legalism fruit of a mindset bound in dead religion. I have an eye-opening teaching titled, "Exposing Dead Religion" that I recommend reading. The Bible is clear that Jesus loved us, before we did anything to earn His love and mercy. We were still in rebellion when He reached out, and gave His life so that we could be given right standing with God! It is clear by the verse below, that we were loved not because of anything we've done to deserve His love, but because of who we were:

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Does the Blood of Jesus mean anything to you?

Those who constantly struggle with guilt and a sense of shame from their past mistakes, are overlooking or underestimating the power of the Blood of Christ. They somehow have this lurking feeling that they aren't truly forgiven of what they've done; that somehow their sin is greater than the Blood of Christ, although they would never openly say such a thing. One key to freedom is to honestly face the facts: do you really believe that your past failures are greater than the Blood of the Son of God, the creator of heaven and earth? Do your failures outweigh the Blood of Jesus, or does the Blood outweigh your failures?

Just how powerful is the precious Blood of Jesus to you? Is it stronger than all your failures? Is it so strong, that it will wipe away even the sins of a cold-blooded murder, such as the one who hung on the cross next to Jesus?

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Luke 23:42-43

Could the compassion and mercy of Jesus, be so great that it looked past the terrible sin of adultery (which was JUST committed!), and clean her slate in one moment's notice, without hesitation?

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

John 8:10-11

Or do you feel as if your sins are too great for the Holy Blood of the Son of God to remove? How dare we degrade the priceless value of the Blood that the Son of God has shed for us!

If we repent of our sins and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, but yet still feel guilty and wonder if we are forgiven, then my friend, let me assure you that you are grossly underestimating the Holy Blood of the Son of God!

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:7,9

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 1:18

The Israelites would even commit human sacrifice unto demons (see Psalms 106:38), yet God kept calling out for them to return to Him. God kept crying out to Israel, saying, "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings..." (Jeremiah 3:22)

I have a powerful teaching on the Blood of Jesus, and how it is enough to forgive our sins all by itself, without anything added or subtracted from it! For a great teaching on the Blood, check out The Blood is Enough.

God LONGS for the backslider to return to Him!

God created us for fellowship with Him, it grieves His heart when one of His sheep go astray. When a couple are madly in love, and one of them leaves, it can leave a terrible wound in the other person's heart. The same is true when we leave our first love (that is, God - Revelations 2:4). Do you think that God's heart isn't broken when His bride turns her back on Him? God's Word tells us that we are engraved on the palms of His hands (the nails from the cross), and OUR WALLS (which we put up) are continually before Him:

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Isaiah 49:15-16

God takes no pleasure in punishing His people, but takes pleasure in giving mercy

God never takes pleasure in punishing or allowing evil to fall upon His people. He is not up there tapping His foot, waiting for us to make a mistake so that He can punish us.

Don't tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you.

Joel 2:13 (NLT)

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:18-19

God's Word even tells us that He desires not to even remember our sins, for His sake!

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25

The Bible also tells us that He FREELY justifies (makes innocent) us through the redemption that is through the work of Christ Jesus.

Being justified [made innocent, as if one has never sinned] freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3:24

God is EXCITED when His lost sheep turn back to Him!

Many who have went astray, feel that if they ever do come back to God, then their relationship with Him would never be the same; that somehow, things would never be the same. Jesus made it very clear that there is great joy in heaven when one of Jesus' sheep that got lost, are found again and have been returned to Him!

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luke 15:3-7

In the next few verses, Jesus tells us of how the Father's heart towards us, is similar to a woman who lost a valuable coin, and how she would turn the house upside down to find it. When the lost coin was found, she threw a party to celebrate, and this is like how the Father throws a party for us when we turn back to Him!

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Luke 15:8-10

And then my favorite parable comes up in Luke 15, which tells the story of the son who went the world's way, and felt he would never be accepted back as a son, but when the father saw his son returning, he ran towards him, hugged him, and threw a huge party for the safe return of his son. This story is similar to God's attitude towards us when we return to Him after going out into the world and messing our lives up by wild living (or whatever other sins we've committed). Look at how this parable is wrapped up though:

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:20-24

The 15th chapter of Luke is not the only place in the Bible where we read of such love, compassion, and forgiveness. God's Word is FULL of examples just like this! Even the OT was rich in examples of God's love and mercy towards those who returned to Him. Look at what God is saying in Isaiah's first chapter:

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Isaiah 1:18-19

The entire book of Hosea is a great place to read of God's heart towards those who have rebelled and turned away from Him. He longs for the backslider to return, so that He can clean up the stain of sin, and restore His relationship with them! One verse I like in Hosea tells us:

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

Hosea 14:4

Strongholds

Strongholds

I think too many people make strongholds out to be a complex subject. Strongholds are merely incorrect thinking patterns. They are patterns in our minds that are programmed to think contrary to the truth.

For example, a common scenario is where a person feels dirty, guilty and is shameful of their past. They are so used to thinking about their past, that it's driven the person to think and feel like a failure! They feel unworthy to have a close intimate relationship with God, which greatly affects their spiritual strength, faith, and relationship with Him. No wonder Satan tries to build such strongholds in our minds!

Name 3 things in the past that you made a bad decision on?

How do you feel that has affected you today?

So how does Satan build these strongholds?

He starts by reminding us of our past failures and sins. He brings up things that we ought not to be dwelling upon, and tries to make us agree with him on how badly we failed. We then have the choice to listen and agree with him, or listen to God's Word (which is telling us that those sins have been washed away). If we take the devil's bait and begin to mediate on our failures, it will begin to pull us down spiritually and strongholds will develop. We will begin to see ourselves as failures because we've taken the bait and chose to meditate on a lie that the devil has fed us!

It is also not uncommon to find a person who picks up a demonic spirit through sin (such as fornication), and that demon uses it's newly gained rights (or ability) in the person's mind to quickly build strongholds. Since the demon is able to influence the person from the inside now, it can get the job done much quicker. This is not an uncommon scenario! Not only does the demonic spirit(s) need to be driven out, but the stronghold also needs to be torn down before the person will experience a complete breakthrough.

Strongholds can and do play a big part of how we feel

If we think we are a failure, we will feel like failures. If you think you're hopeless, you will feel hopeless. If you know you are forgiven, you'll feel clean inside. If you constantly think of your past failures, you will see yourself as associated with them. If you constantly think of how you have been separated from your past when the Blood of Jesus has washed it away, you will feel bright and clean inside. Changing the way you think can make a big difference in the way you feel!

How do we tear down strongholds?

Strongholds are build upon deception and lies that we've accepted into our minds. So how do you counter a lie? How do you counter deception? With the truth. Where do we find the truth? In the Word of God. As we can see in Ephesians, this weapon is known as the sword of the Spirit:

Ephesians 6:17, "...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

In 2 Corinthians, we are told that our spiritual weaponry is designed to tear down strongholds:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

This is a great verse that gives us a good idea of how we are to go about tearing down strongholds in our minds. First, since the sword of the Spirit is the offensive piece of our weaponry, it is a great tool for tearing down strongholds. You need to go on the offensive to tear down a stronghold, and the Word of God is the weapon you cannot afford not to use.

So when the devil tries to tell us, "You really messed up, haven't you?"

You need to counter it with, "1 John 3:5 tells me that the reason Jesus went to the cross was to take away that sin! Hebrews 8:12 tells me that even God has chosen to forget my sin!"

Boy does Satan hate that! It reminds him of the days when he tried tempting Jesus:

Satan said to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." (Matthew 4:3)

But Jesus replied with, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

What did Satan do? After Jesus did that a few times, he had no choice but to hit the road... his efforts were useless against Jesus! Jesus knew the relevant scriptures to quote, and took away Satan's ability to influence Him!

Let's go back to 2 Corinthians again and see what else it has to say:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

As we can see, we are told to cast down imaginations. What are imaginations? They are things that we imagine... the devil usually plants them in our minds when he asks us a question that starts out with "What if..." Don't waste your time trying to reason things with the devil. Just throw it out and leave him hanging! Get your mind on God's Word and off of what the devil is trying to tell you.

What else are we told in this verse? We are to cast down every thought that comes into our minds that opposes the knowledge of God. What is the knowledge of God? Since God associates Himself with His Word (John 1:1), if anything comes into our minds that is contrary to God's Word, throw it out! Do not waste your time thinking about it or trying to reason with it. If Satan is trying to tell you that God is not wanting to forgive you, then don't listen to it. Why? Because His Word says otherwise:

Isaiah 30:18, "Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you." (NASB)

Not only does He want to forgive your sins, so that your relationship with Him can be restored, He longs (which means He deeply desires) to do so! One of the last things Satan wants us to know is God's forgiving and loving nature towards us even after we have messed up!

As you can see, strongholds are built on lies and deception. How do you counter such things? With truth! Where do you find truth? In the Word of God! Stop thinking about what Satan has been feeding you, and begin to meditate on God's Word. Take verses in the Bible that run contrary to what the devil's been feeding you, and repeat them to yourself over and over out loud. Think about them often, and meditate on them. The devil got his stronghold built by causing you to meditate on his lies and deception, so if you want to tear down that stronghold, you need to begin meditating on the exact opposite, which is God's Word.

Listening to and reasoning with the things the devil puts in your mind is exactly what he wants you to do. It feed his strongholds when you allow your mind to meditate on Satan's word (opposite of God's Word). Cut him off at the source and say NO to the garbage he's been feeding you, and at the same time turn to God's Word. Begin to feed, meditate upon, think about often and dwell upon on the truth. It will stop Satan dead in his tracks!

It is also possible to have strongholds in place because demonic spirits have attached themselves to you at some point or another, and need to be driven out. If you work hard at tearing down strongholds by applying the truths in God's Word and this teaching, and yet you seem to hit a wall, it may be because a demonic spirit needs to be driven out. It is very possible (and not uncommon) to experience quite a bit of freedom through applying the principals in this teaching even if there is a demonic spirit present, but you will only go so far and feel like you're hitting a wall. That is a sign of a demon at work that needs to be driven out. It can be awfully hard to battle when they are working on you from the inside out. Resisting them from the outside is easy, but resisting them when they are on the inside can be extremely hard. If you seem to have reached an immovable mountain, you might want to consider the possibility of needing to have an unclean spirit driven out.

Things women want men to know

Here are some things women want men to know:

 1. Women need reassurance that they are loved. Men often think that their love should be assumed, that they “closed the deal” when they committed to a relationship. But, to women, it’s not that simple. Most women have a fundamental insecurity about their mates love. They want to know that their man loves them – today! Men, you will be the talk of your woman’s friend’s conversation if you make it a top priority to reassure your mate that you love them…and not just when things are going well, but especially during times of conflict.

2. Women can’t just turn off thoughts that concern them. Think of a computer desktop, with windows open. To close the windows, one just clicks the close box and the window disappears. When it comes to thoughts and emotions, men just click the “close” box and move on (most of the time). Women, on the other hand, may attempt to click the “close” box, but the window won’t close. Their thoughts and concerns about bothersome past and present issues are not easily dismissed. What’s a man to do? Telling your lady, “Just don’t think about it anymore” doesn’t work. Men need to be good listeners and help their lady process their concerns and if possible to help them identify ways to resolve their concerns.

3. Most women value emotional security more than financial security.

Everyone knows women are concerned about the need for financial security in their
life. What many men don’t realize is that most women value emotional security more than financial security. In fact, I found that a woman will endure financial insecurity in order to find emotional security with their mate. Women crave the emotional security that their man presence and connectedness creates. In practical terms, women want their men around them more and will likely be willing to downsize their lifestyle to make it happen.

4. Women want men to hear and validate their feelings, not just the problem at

hand. Most men know that their ladies don’t want them to “fix” their problems. They
want their man to listen. So, why is it that men can listen to their women talk, and still be accused of not listening? It’s because of the difference in the way men and women handle emotions. Men want to discard the clutter of emotions and focus on the problem. But, for women, how they feel about the problem is the real problem. When men listen with an ear to hear, validate and empathize with their ladies emotions about a problem, women feel that they have been heard.

5. Women need reassurance that they’re beautiful and that they rock their
men's world! God has wired women with an emotional need to know that their
men still find them beautiful. In our culture that promotes scantily clad women in all
forms of media, women subconsciously compare themselves to these images and often
find themselves not measuring up. So, when a women asks her man, “Do these pants
make me look fat?” she’s not really asking about the fit of the pants. She’s wondering if
her companion still finds her attractive. Men should make an intentional
effort to regularly remind their women that they find them beautiful!