Maria
April 28, 2003
DO 2656 6/90
—Report Time" with Mama & Techi!—On "Bringing Every Thought into Captivity!"—2Cor.10:5 Maria #135
1. Did you have any more trials today? I guess if you didn't have trials you wouldn't be normal! Most everybody has trials every day, at least some little trial. The Lord wants to keep us growing & going & to make us strong, so He usually allows us to have some trials & battles to fight.—Then we can be thankful when we get the victory!
2. (Techi: The Lord did help me to get some victories. And I realised how it's not the Lord's fault that I think bad thoughts. I know it's the Devil's doing when I first get hit with them, but it's not anybody's fault but mine if I keep thinking about them or don't really resist & rebuke them. Or sometimes it's like "I fear a fear & it comes upon me."—Job 3:25. I start fearing, "Oh, I'm going to think about those trials & those thoughts any minute now‚" then I think about it! So it's really my fault. So I've been trying to not think about it & just block it all out of my mind, & then I don't think about it so much at all.
3. (If I feel it coming on & then I rebuke it, then I start to think about it afterwards. I wondered if I should just ignore it, because a couple of times when I just ignored it, then I didn't think about it. But I guess maybe I should do both—rebuke it first & then ignore it. But it's really hard to keep blocking it out of my mind, & it makes me sort of tense & stiff all day.—Maybe not all day, but whenever I think about it. So finally I think, "This is just too hard," & then I'd go ahead & allow myself to start thinking about it because it was just so hard not to. But I guess you can't really let yourself do that.)
4. Well, Honey, I know that it's a real battle for you, but you're right, you can't surrender or give up. "Be not weary nor faint in your mind!"—Heb.12:3; Gal.6:9. If you keep fighting & just refuse to give up, the Devil will grow weary, & he'll give up!
THE STRAIN OF BATTLE!
5. At least you've been learning to block it out. But you were so conscious of blocking it out all the time that it put you under strain. It sounds like what happens when you're fighting a battle, fighting a war! When you're in the midst of battle‚ it's like you're always on the attack. Your Enemy, the Devil, is going about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, & you don't know when you turn next if he's going to be right there ready to try to gobble you up, so you're tense!
6. When you're in a battle, you can't just sit down or lie down or go to sleep. In a battle you're alert & you're really on guard & you're continually watching & looking, so you're under a strain. A battle is a nervous & physical strain. When you're fighting against something or in any kind of war or fight or battle, it's a strain. And if you let down your guard, the Enemy can come in & get his jabs in real quick before you even realise it.
7. So it's true, it is hard work, & it does put you under a lot of strain & stress, that's what a battle is! (Techi: It just doesn't seem to stop unless I forget about it.) So it does stop when you forget about it? (Techi: If I occupy myself with something else, like when I was gardening‚ it does.) Well, that's good, whatever bears good fruit. (Techi: But maybe that could be like leaning on the arm of the flesh. It's just that when I rebuke it‚ then I start thinking about it. But that's not really the Lord's fault.)
8. Honey, do whatever bears good fruit‚ whatever has a good result. If you're gardening or if you're thinking about something else, then you don't have to worry about it. The Lord gives you a little reprieve & a little break when your mind's on other things. (Techi: Then when I think, "Oh, I haven't thought about that for awhile," then I start thinking about it again!) When you do that, then you just need to rebuke it & start singing songs about the Lord or quoting Scriptures. Or if you're doing something else & just naturally happen to forget about it, thank the Lord! That's a good time to rest from the battle. That's your period of rest in between that the Lord gives you so you're not always having to fight fight fight all day long! That would get too exhausting after a while, wouldn't it?
9. (Techi: The Lord did help me to really block it out of my mind, but a couple of times I just sort of gave up.) You really tried, you really fought! TTL! (Techi: But it's weird‚ because I find myself thinking these bizarre things. My mind just starts wandering & starts imagining weird things that I wouldn't normally think of.) You just have to stop it then & give no place to it, right?
THE DEVIL'S DEVICES EXPOSED!
10. (Techi: I was reading "Who Is Jesus?" today & it's so sweet about how God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us. But then suddenly I'd be hit with the thought, "Oh, I hate Jesus!" And then I'd consciously realise how ridiculous that thought had been! The Word I was reading made it sound even more ridiculous, because it was showing how much God loved us & all that.) It was showing how stupid & ridiculous it was of the Devil to come in with those things while you're reading! (Techi: But when I was reading, because it was talking all about Jesus, that made me think about it more. It's sort of like the problem I'm having with prayer; praying against the bad thoughts reminds me of them, which causes me to think about them. It seems like the Devil wants me to stop praying & reading altogether.) Right! That's exactly what he's trying to do!
11. He's been exposed now, & the things he tries to do are ineffective, they're not working. Even though they may be bothersome, they bother you, they're not having any effect because he's been exposed. You know those kinds of thoughts are crazy & ridiculous & silly. Even though it's a bother to you & it's hindering & distracting you, he's not able to get you to believe those things because you know the truth.
12. (Techi: It also makes me daydream, because when I'm blocking it out, I wind up blocking out what I'm reading too. But the Lord has helped me not to daydream so much when people are talking or when we're praying.) TTL! Amen, Honey, I know! You're making progress! That's why the Devil's fighting you so much.
GET MAD AT THE DEVIL & HIS DIRTY DEVICES!
13. So just keep going, & the more you fight, the more progress you'll make! The Devil's mad‚ but just keep going. It's good to have the Devil mad at you!—I'd rather have the Devil mad at me than happy with me, wouldn't you? (Techi: Yes!) So that's a good sign when the Devil's mad at you.
14. We should be just as mad at him & just as angry with him for what he's trying to do, & what he has done to so many people in the World. We should be really mad at him & really fight back at him & do everything we can to defeat him, because we know that the Lord will defeat him. So we should give the Lord all the cooperation we can to defeat the Devil's attacks on us!
15. (Techi: I just thought of the verse, "Where iniquity doth abound‚ grace doth much more abound."—Rom.5:20.) That's very fitting. The more the Devil tries to conquer us with his evil devices & tries to show his evil power, God's Power—grace—is even greater, & is going to do away with the Devil's darkness! His Light & Power are going to zap the Devil's darkness! That was a very good verse the Lord gave you!
16. (Techi: The worst part was‚ as I was reading that Letter, "What Is Jesus?" I started getting critical thoughts about the Lord. I started out thinking about how Jesus was perfect, yet He could still feel all our infirmities. But then the Devil would start saying, "Oh yeah‚ well, He couldn't really, because He didn't know what it was like to have battles," & then I would continue thinking critical thoughts. And then I felt really bad. Because I have had a problem with criticising, I worried that it wasn't so much the Devil any more, it was me.)
17. You must remember that the Devil is a liar.—Jesus did have battles! Remember how Jesus was tempted by the Devil, but didn't yield to it? (Mat.4:1-10.) You can't overcome a temptation without a battle! It was a battle not to yield to the temptation. We have to fight the Devil's temptations, & that's a battle, right? When you're tempted by the Devil, it means you're going to have a battle not to give in.
TURNING EVERY THOUGHT INTO A PRAYER!
18. Remember what I told you last night about turning every thought into a prayer? (Techi: Yes, I've been trying to do that.) When you get a critical thought or a doubt, just turn it around & pray something full of faith & positive. For example, if you get hit with a doubt about Jesus not being able to feel your infirmities, just rebuke the Devil & pray‚ "Thank You Jesus for all You suffered & endured for me! I believe Your Word, Lord‚ that You know my frame, You pity Your children, & You are touched with the feeling of my infirmities, because Your Word says so!"—Psa.103:13‚14; Heb.4:15.
19. Or if you get hit with a negative or critical thought about someone else, like, "Uncle Gabe eats too much!" how would you turn that into a prayer? (Techi: "Lord help him not to eat too much," or "Help me not to criticise him.") Yes.
20. You could pray, "Thank You Jesus for Uncle Gabe. Even though he may eat a lot, he's a good brother & he really knows the Word & he really is helpful & he has a wonderful ministry. Or maybe, Lord, he needs that much food. Maybe it's just me thinking he eats too much. So Lord, please help me to have more love for him. And if he is eating too much‚ help him to cut down; and if he isn't, give me the grace & love not to criticise. Thank You, Lord, for how good he is in so many things & all the good he does."—Something good & positive about the person, asking the Lord to help him & thanking the Lord for making him such a blessing.
21. Or if you think, "Oh boy, Uncle Gabe was so unfair! He scolded me when I wasn't even the one who made the mistake!", how would you change that? (Techi: "Help me to take this correction, Lord, because it's probably for all the other times that I was bad & I didn't get caught! And if the other person really does need the correction, please help them to get it in Your time.") That's good!
22. There are lots of ways you can turn your critical thoughts into prayers. And in that case of unjustified correction, I like your idea of asking the Lord to help you to take it, & saying, "Well‚ Lord, maybe I didn't need it this time, but it probably makes up a little bit for all the other times I did need it, & didn't get it.
23. "Or maybe You're testing me to see if I can take it even though it isn't my fault, to see if I can take this test & not get all uptight & upset. I need to realise that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord. Maybe You're just testing my patience & my faith, to see if I'll accept it & not be mean or nasty about it, even when I'm wrongly accused. I've falsely accused people sometimes, too‚ & I wouldn't want them to get all upset at me." There are lots of good lessons we can get & good ways we can turn our thoughts into prayers. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?
24. (Techi: There was another thing I thought of that's real weird. It happened today when we were watching the Family History Video. Sometimes when we watch those, I get critical about it, because they're a lot different than we are now, & sometimes they seem a little funny.) You mean the Family in the early days? (Techi: Yes, because they were real revolutionary, & even some of the others laughed when we watched parts of it, because it's funny. But they weren't getting critical. It's just that some of the people on the Video seemed a little weird to me.) Do you mean because they dressed funny or they yelled too loud? (Techi: They just talk sort of funny! But I thought‚ well, I shouldn't be criticising, I should really be thankful for them because they started the Family, & I should be as revolutionary as they were, & not be such an old bottle.)
25. Well, I think we've learned a lot of things & gained more wisdom since then in some of the ways we do things. But maybe for that time, in order to win those people‚ they had to do things that way. If they hadn't been so whole-hearted & so uninhibited & so free & so ready to witness to everybody & yell the Truth from the housetops, we wouldn't have had a Revolution, & they wouldn't have won so many people to the Lord. You can look at it like that.
26. (Techi: If I turn every thought into a prayer, I'd do a lot of praying! I'd be praying all day.) Well, it says, "Pray without ceasing."—1Th.5:17. (Techi: I've been trying to do that since you told me.) Me too, I've been trying to do that too, & it works a lot of the time. Sometimes I forget‚ but later I'll think‚ "Oh, I should pray about that!"
27. How would you like to add this point about turning every thought into a prayer to the article on prayer you've been working on for the Kidz Mag? (See Kidz Mag #69 DO) I think that would be a real good one for the kids, wouldn't it? (Techi: Yes.) That would help them to know specifically what to pray—to use whatever thoughts they think. Maybe you can read the "Prayer Jewels" Letter (GN 436, ML#2624) & ask the Lord for some similar good examples for the Kidz.
28. For example, what do you think about the day when you first wake up? What would your first thought probably be? (Techi: Well, I would thank the Lord for it.) But even before that‚ what might your first thought be when you look out at the beautiful place the Lord's given us? Don't you think, "Oh, what a beautiful place!" Wouldn't that be your first thought? (Techi: I don't want to sound self-righteous, but I normally do try to thank the Lord, as my first thought.) Good girl!
29. I think my first reaction is usually, "Oh, what a gorgeous place," & then I say‚ "Oh, thank You Lord for giving us such a beautiful spot!" (Techi: I guess that is my first reaction too. When you look out the window, you usually think, "It's so beautiful!" before you thank the Lord for it.) Yes, I think most people would have that thought first, & then they'd say‚ "Oh, thank You Lord!"
30. So you can take just a few thoughts like that that you would have, & show the other children how to turn them into prayers! Would you like to add that to your letter? I think it would really be good, it would be like a fun exercise to do. You could tell them, "Look, this is something really fun. You could try to see how many thoughts you have during the day that you can turn into a prayer." I think that's pretty much what I'm saying in the "Prayer Jewels" Letter, but some of them don't read the GN‚ so you can tell them about that & use some examples that they would relate to & think about.
31. (Techi: A critical thought that I have sometimes is thinking the others are being mean to the pets. So I guess I could say, "Lord help me not to think they're being mean, because they're probably not. And Lord, thank You that they do discipline them, otherwise we'd have spoiled pets. So please help me learn to discipline them more too, because I know that I never do.") Right‚ that's good. Great! You've got the idea! Anything more to discuss?
32. (Techi: While we were watching the Family History Video with Grandpa, Faithy was witnessing & some people were yelling & shouting & ridiculing, & Grandpa said, "Well, there were a lot of scoffers, atheists, Communists & antagonists that bothered them." So then later David was teasing me & I said to him, "Antagonist, Communist, atheist!" But then I thought, "Oooh, he's not an atheist or a Communist." And then all of a sudden the thought came into my head, "He hates Jesus too!" Then I realised‚ "Oh my, that's getting really weird!")
33. And then you just rebuked it, right? (Techi: Yes.) That's right, you just have to rebuke the damn dirty Devil! (Techi: It's become a habit to rebuke it. But sometimes it's more like a ritual, like I'm just going through the motions, but I guess that's better than forgetting.)
34. Well, rebuking the Devil is a very good habit to have!—And if you just remember that you've got Jesus' power & the authority of God's Word on your side, then rebuking the Devil in Jesus' name won't be just a "ritual" for you, it will be your weapon against him that will blow him away every time!
PRAYER FOR TECHI!
35. Amen, You're helping her, Lord. Thank You for helping her to make it a habit to rebuke every bad thought of the Devil!—Please help her now to do it each time with all her heart.—To rebuke those bad thoughts every time & pray to resist our adversary the Enemy, who's going about like a roaring lion seeking to devour us, Lord! But he can't devour us because You are in us, & You are so much greater than he could ever think of being! He's trying to devour us, Lord, but he can't! He's saying "boo" to us, but we can just say "boo" back, & it will be a much bigger "boo" than he can ever say, & we can blow him away with Your Words of Power & Truth!
36. We can zap him with the power of the Word & the power of our prayers, because we have Your mighty power to claim! You said, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven & in Earth" (Mat.28:18), & "whatsoever we loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven; whatsoever we bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven!"—Mat.16:19. So we can bind the power of the Enemy, in Jesus' name. TYL! We can resist him in the Name of Jesus & give no place to him!
37. Thank You Lord for helping Techi to-day! Thank You for helping teach her how to rebuke & how to resist & how to fight with all her might! TYJ! Keep her doing it, Lord, & make her a big strong fighter for You in the Spirit!—In Jesus' name‚ amen!
SINGING SONGS ABOUT JESUS!
38. (Techi: When I start getting those bad thoughts, it sort of goes wild. Like I'll think that somebody hates Jesus, then it goes to you & Grandpa & everybody, it's really weird. Also another thing‚ if the Enemy gives me the thought that I hate Jesus, the next thought the Devil brings is that I love the Devil!) Aren't the Devil's thoughts horrible!—Such lies! Don't give any place to them‚ just rebuke them! Like Grandpa says, start singing a song, sing or quote the Word.
39. If you can't think of any Word songs when you're in the midst of a battle like that, maybe you can make a list of some good ones that you can start singing. You could have your little list with you all the time, so that when that happens, you can immediately just look at your little list & have the song ready to sing. (Techi: There's "When the Enemy Comes in Like a Flood" & "Neither Give Place to the Devil"—lots of songs.) Do you already have those pretty much in your head‚ so you can just pull them out real quick? (Techi: Yes.) Good! (Techi: Or I just think of another good song like "I'm in Love with Jesus" or something like that.) Grandpa says those are really beautiful, he likes the ones with the Name of Jesus in them.—"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," "His Name Is Wonderful!"
40. (Techi: When we got together the other day, we thought of all the old hymns or songs that Grandpa sings, like "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" & "Safe Were the Ninety-&-Nine in the Fold" & different ones like that.—The old ones, the hymns, & it was really fun!) It's good to have them in mind all the time. Praise the Lord‚ Honey, you're learning to really fight!
CONVERSATIONAL PRAYER!
41. (Techi: On my reaction to the "Prayer Jewels" Letter, I said that I really liked your jewel on "Conversational Prayer." [GN437, page 5.] The Lord's been helping me not to daydream so much when we pray together recently. To help me stop daydreaming during prayer, I would think of that Poster where all the people were kneeling down & Jesus is giving one the halo, & I'd think of the verse, "Let us therefore come boldly before the Throne of Grace" & I'd pray not to daydream.
42. (But when one person is praying for a long time, sometimes it's a little hard for me not to, like you said in your Letter. You try to pray with them, but I really agree with what you said, Mommy! When one person prays a big long prayer & everybody's "amening" them, it's a little hard to concentrate. I try to back up the person in prayer & really think about the prayer, but if it goes on a little long, it's a little harder. I really liked your idea of more people praying shorter prayers.) Yes, the Lord gave us that idea, & it's really good. TTL!
QUESTIONS
27) If the Enemy is attacking you with bad thoughts‚ & you feel wearied & tired with struggling & battling against them, you should:
The Strain of Battle (5-9)
28) (T or F) When waging a heavy spiritual warfare against the Enemy‚ you should always be relaxed, perfectly calm, & passively peaceful.
29) If getting occupied with some activity such as gardening, kitchen work, a handyman project, etc. gets your mind off of the trials & spiritual battles that you're going through, you should:
The Devil's Devices Exposed (10-12)
30. Please discuss why you think the Devil was especially attacking Techi when she was reading the Word or praying.
31) Does the Enemy ever attack you with bad thoughts or doubts when you're reading the Word or praying?
32) Do you think it was humbling for Techi to confess to her mother that she was attacked with thoughts like‚ "I hate Jesus" while reading a Letter about Jesus?—Do you think you would have made such an honest confession?
33) Can you see the advantages & blessings that come from confessing such battles to adults whom you know love you & will do their best to help pull you through?
34) Are you willing to confess your spiritual battles to others, & ask for their prayers & help?
35) Are there any bad thoughts or doubts that have been troubling you recently that you would like to tell us about? (Please know that you will not be condemned for anything you say, but your Shepherds will do their best to help answer your questions & pray & pull you through to victory!)
+Get Mad at the Devil (13-17)
36. Would you rather have the Devil mad at you because you're resisting & fighting him, or happy with you because you're letting him push you around & walk all over you?
37. Do you ever get mad at the Devil?—Mad enough to really get stirred up & fight back at him with all you've got in you?—If not, maybe you should ask for prayer to be more of a fighter, more of a soldier. Otherwise, if you're not really on the attack & militantly resisting & attacking the Enemy, you might wind up being a "pushover" for him!
38. Were you surprised to read that Techi would have doubts or critical thoughts about the Lord?
39. Does knowing that Grandpa & Maria's own daughter has gone through such battles encourage you that maybe you're not so "bad" after all for having the battles that you've had? Is it okay then to just entertain bad thoughts, because, after all, "Techi had them"? What did she learn do do about them?
40. Have you ever been hit with doubts or critical thoughts about the Lord? Please explain.
Turning Thoughts intoPrayers (18–34)
41) By turning every negative or critical thought into a positive prayer, can you see how that would really defeat the Devil & make him want to stop giving you such thoughts?
42) When Techi somewhat playfully called David an "antagonist‚ Communist‚ atheist!" she was suddenly hit with the thought that, "He hates Jesus, too!" Does this show you something about the danger of getting on a negative channel towards someone, even if it is not done seriously, or starts out rather playfully?
43) Mama said that rebuking the Devil is a very good habit to have!—Do you have a habit of rebuking the Enemy in the Name of Jesus, & quoting & claiming the authority of God's Word when the Enemy attacks you in your thoughts?
Prayer for Techi (35-37)
44) Who's got the bigger "boo"?—You‚ or the Enemy? (See para.35)
Singing Songs About Jesus (38-40)
45) When Techi confessed her thoughts about thinking that people hate Jesus & that she loved the Devil, Mama Maria's reaction was:
46) Does seeing Mama Maria's reactions & answers to Techi's questions & battles give you more faith to share your battles with adults who look after you?
47) Do you think that the adults are learning lessons from this "Techi Series" on how to better listen to & understand you, our JETTs & Teens?—Please explain your answer.
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