Maria
May 24, 2003
Post-it GN #4
By MariaMaria #614 CM/FM 3402 2/02
Fill the "emptiness" with Jesus
Don't give in
Don't give him an inch
Hobbies that cause you to miss the mark
Tear yourself away at all costs
Online distractions
Defeating the spider at the center of the web
Contentment with the "little things"
Choose to remove the distraction
Addiction to the arm of the flesh
Little seeds of comparison
The safe zone: complete trust
Hang on tenaciously
Free-time activities—ask Me
Spend more time on the things of the spirit
Finding your strength in Me
Seek the highlands of My Spirit
Be more giving and unselfish
The point: to be a happy, vibrant disciple
From crutches to wings, with the power of the keys
Be Jesus-dependent
You must be willing to let others help you
The keys loose the bonds
Dieting and keeping extremes in check
Recovering from the grip of Bacchus addiction to an eating disorder
The keys will set you free
Dear Family,
1. Following are messages received by some of your mates in WS units and on the field in answer to the question in the "Conviction versus Compromise" GN which asked, "In what ways has Bacchus influenced my habits, desires and way of life?" Because each person was asking the Lord specifically how they could recognize and be free of Bacchus’ influence, these messages go from one problem to another and cover many different aspects of life‚ and can seem a little overwhelming. But we’re publishing them all in one place with the prayer that this exposé of Bacchus and the various ways he tries to distract and hinder us will help you learn to recognize him more clearly. Lord bless and keep us all close to Him, and free of the influence of these demons! [Note: The messages which follow are all from the Lord, so in most cases we've omitted the words "Jesus speaking" for the sake of readability.]
Fill the "Emptiness" with Jesus!
2. (Jesus speaking:) What has Bacchus done? He has played upon the pleasures of the flesh‚ enlarging them in your mind so that you accord them more importance than they deserve. I want you to enjoy the pleasures of life, and I understand that many of these pleasures are physical pleasures.
3. I have nothing against the flesh or the pleasures of the flesh. I created them. Yet I created them that through them I might be glorified and appreciated.
4. Bacchus seeks to twist this and use these pleasures to lure you away from Me. He causes you to mentally separate these things of the flesh from My love and care for you. When you enjoy a fun movie or a good drink‚ I would like you to think of Me and feel My love for you through it. He causes these things to be channeled in a different way, however‚ so that when you feel like you want to "get away" from things of the Spirit or be "bad," you go to these things. He perverts it in your mind, so that it actually becomes wrong, a sin.
5. It is not a sin in itself, but it is a sin when it pulls you away from Me, or becomes more important to you than Me. Bacchus tries to make you continually want more and more, so that you are never satisfied with a little.
6. He takes away your appreciation for moderation and simplicity and makes you want to take in excess. He wants you to feel like a little of something isn't enough—you have to have more. That's how he weaves his web of addiction. He starts off with something that is fine and good in its place, but makes you want more and more of it, and makes you think you actually need it to be happy. It's to your advantage to recognize his attempts now, before you develop addictions. If you feed your flesh too much of what it wants‚ you do develop addiction.
7. You think your self–control is strong, and it is, and you are careful. But an addiction creeps up on you even if you carefully control it, because "just a little more" grows, grows, and keeps growing. That is the sad truth. That is how Bacchus has found his way into too many lives.
8. You have seen and heard of the sad results, and you would never willingly become addicted to any "substance"—but no one wills themselves to become an addict. It's a gradual process‚ where little by little you want more, then more, then more, and then you get to a point where you can't stop.
9. Bacchus also plays a part in eating disorders, along with others of his kind. These evil spirits cause people to become hooked on a lifestyle of not eating. Whether they cause excess intake or excess lack of intake, their goal is the same—to destroy, to kill.
10. These demons are strong and they are powerful, but they are no match for the power of My Spirit within you. I have exposed them; their ugliness is now plain to you and to all, and their influence is already lessened by this exposure. Through the power of prayer, through the power of the keys, through the power of yieldedness, I will root out every hold they have had on your heart and life. You will be free, swept clean.
11. Remember‚ though, that you must fill up this "emptiness" that they will leave behind. You can't just leave your heart, mind, or body empty. You have to fill it up instead with that which is truth, light, and purity.
12. You have to take in more of Me and of My input to refresh your life, or else you will feel the lack of these things you have held within you. Thus you will desire to be filled with something "new," with something "exciting," and the natural force of the carnal mind will lead you where you would not choose to go. Therefore remember, just as important—if not more so—than what you kick out of your life and time is what you replace it with.
Don't Give In!
13. Bacchus has been trying as hard as he can to pull you away from Me. He is trying to separate us, come between our love‚ and tear down the progress you've made in your relationship and communion with Me. He tells you that I don't love you and that it's no use to hear from Me because of what happened in that [personal] relationship that was special to you. Therefore he tells you that you cannot derive happiness from Me alone‚ but that you must search elsewhere for your happiness.
14. Bacchus has not yet achieved the goal of making you addicted to something that is not of Me, but he is trying to make you look elsewhere for your joy. He will try as hard as he can to make you desire something other than My love and what I have to offer you. He's trying as hard as he can to take hold of your life. And if you don't raise a standard, little by little he will gain control in your life. Little by little his hold on you will become stronger and he will succeed in making you desire that which is not of Me, and cause you to have addictions which you cannot control.
Don't Give Him an Inch
15. Bacchus uses fun things‚ innocent things at times‚ to get you hooked and wasting your time. This is his evil, sinister method, for he tries to ensnare and entrap you by telling you that a little here and a little there is not so bad.
16. But then when you fall for the first compromise‚ it's hard to pull out of it and it becomes a fixation or habit that you have to keep up. So beware of Bacchus and his ways. Watch out for him and don't give him an inch, or he'll take a mile!
Hobbies That Cause You to Miss the Mark
17. It is Bacchus who fuels your interest in the things of this world, whatever those things may be. In your case‚ it is your hobby of flying [with a flight simulation program], and getting into the whole world of flight and flight simulation, which has become more like an addiction. It has taken you over, captured your imagination and fascination, and pulled your mind away from hungering and thirsting after My truth and the fascinating realities and revelations of My Spirit.
18. Oh, you still hear them‚ but do you really pay attention? Do they really interest you? Or have they paled in comparison to your newfound fascination with this knowledge of the world? It did not start like this, but Bacchus will use whatever he can to divert your attention from the things that are truly important.
19. It is innocent enough on its own, but when it begins to absorb your interest and especially your time more than the things of My Spirit and the everyday realities of the spiritual warfare against this world that I have called you to be engaged in, then you have become a casualty of that warfare.
20. But now I give you power, through the power of the keys‚ to overcome these attacks and to stand against these influences. I give you power to deny yourself once again and take up your cross daily, to reject this world and its pleasures of sin—those sins being anything that causes you to miss the mark of My highest calling in your spiritual life and walk with Me, and in your day-to-day service for Me—that you might find again the purpose for which I have called you, to press forward as striving for the recompense of that unseen reward, to make your calling and election sure, and to overcome these devices of the Evil One.
Tear Yourself Away at All Costs!
21. Bacchus has preyed upon you via your mind by giving you a hankering and a desire for the knowledge of man and his great accomplishments. Even beyond the influence of Pan, who seeks to implant the desire for more knowledge, Bacchus has worked to create an addiction to this knowledge of man and worship of intellectuality. Yes, it's shocking when you look at it this way‚ but it's the truth.
22. You are addicted to the heady input you get. You don't seek to minimize this in your life—but you must. You must be aware of how this takes a hold on you and pushes you down under its grasp. It's almost as if you're trying to fight for Me and make progress in your life, but you constantly slip away for a drug that deteriorates your fighting ability. It hinders you and comes directly from the one that you're trying to fight.
23. You battle and wonder why you are weary. You feel groggy and are not able to parry with the Enemy and his blows because of this drug that sedates you and pushes you down. You don't see the connection‚ and so you continue to return for more fixes.
24. My love, you cannot continue like this! It just won't work. You must tear yourself away at all costs. It is difficult for you because it's all so accessible. But I will tell you truthfully what will happen to you if you don't stop: Your life for Me will not survive. You will become totally dead and lifeless—a complete nothing, without joy or a reason to live.
25. Your sedation will become so that you will eventually be unable to fight the Enemy at all, and he will overcome you. He will drag you back to his pit, yet another of his prey. You will be going about his business instead of Mine. Is that what you want? Is that what you want to become? I know you don't.
26. So wake up and see this for what it is. Remove this from your life. It hinders you greatly. I need you as one of Mine. Will you forsake this for Me?
27. (Mama:) Many of our folks in WS have to use the Internet in their work for research and information, not to mention updating and maintaining all our web sites, but it's also a temptation to get tripped off, and it's something that the Lord brings up repeatedly in these messages. It's so important to pray before you go online, even if it's for work purposes, as there is so much information out there—and such a great percentage of it is unclean and ungodly and a negative influence. It's an important tool that we can't do without if we're going to accomplish the job in the easiest, fastest, and most efficient manner‚ but it's also one of Bacchus's great lairs in which he will try to ensnare you, as the Lord brings out in the following two messages.
Online Distractions
28. Bacchus causes you to get your eyes on the things of this world, and your attention and focus away from the things of the Spirit and from doing My will.
29. You can see where time spent online easily falls under this category. Since you work at your computer‚ this is where most of your distractions come from, and what Bacchus uses to sap not only your time, but your energy and spiritual reserves. Taking in this worldly input—no matter of what sort or nature it is, how seemingly innocent, or even if merely technical—still affects you and fills your mind with the thoughts and principles of this world.
30. This, working together with the influence of Pan keeping you from getting the Word and the spiritual input you would need to counteract this, has weakened you spiritually, and weakened your conviction to put a stop to these things. You don't even see a need to put a stop to them, because you've become blinded to how they're affecting you.
31. And so these two demons carry on, silently and stealthily sapping your strength and curbing your usefulness, and in essence defeating you by keeping you from becoming all that I need you to be, accomplishing all that I need you to accomplish, and reaching all those I need you to reach through your witness and your work.
Defeating the Spider
At the Center of the Web
32. I know Bacchus, and I hate him. I hate him for the evil that he does to My brides, which I take very personally. When he gets his tentacles of addiction around My chosen children, My brides, he gives them things which slowly but surely replace Me in their lives. For this reason I hate him severely, and when My day comes, I will destroy him with all other works of the Enemy. I will beat him down with great wrath and furious anger!
33. But until that day, you must fight against him. For you face choices and must make decisions every day‚ whether to accept him and his addictions and counterfeits, or to obey and accept Me, your Husband.
34. It deeply hurts Me when I lose you, even a part of you, to this demon. It's a slap in My face when you choose a worldly habit, addiction‚ or desire over Me and the things that I have offered you. It's as though I have given you great treasures and spent My time and money to buy precious things for you, but you instead run off with another to enjoy their trinkets. You spurn and scorn the things that I have worked so hard to bring to you.
35. All the ungodly influences that you have such trouble overcoming are the trinkets of Bacchus. Those are the traps and nets he spreads before your feet, hoping to pull you off of My path. And in some of these he has succeeded. His greatest success in your life has been the Internet. Cunningly disguised, he is the spider at the center of "the web." It is he who spins the traps to make it all look so enticing‚ and he has trapped you.
36. The Internet is an area of your life that you seemingly cannot control. Even when I chide, preach, and cajole, you still disobey. You feel a compulsion pulling you toward certain things and places. You've made very tough habits out of your online use, and it's getting harder and harder to break them.
37. It's because, like a spider, Bacchus doesn't like to give up his prey once he has you ensnared. Truly, if you were alone in this fight, you would never escape from his grasp, because he is stronger than you.
38. Remember that, if you're ever trying to break a habit in your own strength: He is an arch-demon and you are but a puny human. Without the powers that I have given you, he will beat you every time. But greater am I in you than Pan or Bacchus or any other puny demons! I will beat them down every time, and you can beat them down with the power of the keys and the new weapons.
39. The new weapons are strong and they are powerful‚ and when you have used these against Bacchus, he has had to relinquish control in your life. But when you have let your guard back down, he has come back to claim territory again. But now I will tell you how you can have a final victory against this one:
40. (Question:) Lord, it does say Bacchus will kneel and cower at the mention of Your Name, much like Dad once said that Your Name would fell all the demons of Hell‚ and Satan himself. Can You please explain more about how these other points fit in to this?
41. (Jesus speaking:) All the forces of evil have to kneel and cower at My Name, for I defeated them forever on the cross. But in fighting and defeating these specific devils on a long–term basis, you often need more than My Name, for you need to be strengthened in order to prevent further attacks and the weakening of your defenses. You must be militant and go on the offensive.
42. So I have given some tips to make you more effective in your fight against them—not just to get rid of them, but to strengthen you and prevent the door being left open for them to return. In fighting Pan, when you strengthen yourself in My Word, you prevent him being able to enter easily. In fighting Bacchus, when you draw closer to Me, the things of the world do not hold as much importance or appeal, so you are also strengthened.
43. Full victory goes far beyond defeating them once—which can be done by simply saying My Name and claiming the power I have given you. If you want to go beyond that, use those tips and you will find great success. These guidelines are their nemesis, for not only do you defeat them once, but you are strengthened so that you are no longer easy prey in the future. (End of message from Jesus)
44. So when tempted by Bacchus or when you feel his tentacles reaching for you, that is the time to call on Me as your Husband—not just your Lord, King or Protector, but specifically as your Husband. This shows that you are Mine and that you derive your pleasures from My hand, not the counterfeits of Bacchus.
45. Bacchus is a pretty easy one to spot, because his attacks are more obvious and less subtle than the other demons. This is typified in his shape as well. He appears fat‚ yet strong. This is symbolic of his attacks. He does not use subtle means to enter in, because he knows and trusts in his strength. He need not sneak in secretly as Pan might, but he strides up boldly and grabs you. He trusts in his mighty arms and great bulk to hold you in his grasp.
46. But even though he is strong, he is nothing compared to My angels, and even less when compared to Me! When you ask Me to save you from his grasp, I get to release a little bit of the pent-up anger I have toward him as I beat him down, cast him away from you‚ and kick him back into the darkness to sulk and nurse his wounds and plan his next attack.
47. One last thing about fighting this enemy is that he is a coward. To those who put up no fight against him, he gets very bold and very pushy. But once you start to fight him in the power of the keys and resist him repeatedly in obedience to what I've shown you, his attacks become less frequent, his onslaughts less difficult‚ and he starts contemplating looking for easier targets. This doesn't happen right away, but after several consecutive defeats. Those in the world have a much greater struggle once they are in his grasp, for they don't know how to rebuke him by name, and they don't have the power of the keys and all the spiritual weaponry at their command. But they too can be set free by calling on Me and repeatedly resisting his attacks and his grip.
48. So it is with habits and addictions: If you keep at it, soon their power lessens. Everyone knows that—that's how you break habits. And it is so because of the lazy, cowardly nature of their master. Bacchus is a coward, so defeat him several good times in a row, and he'll start thinking twice about coming around.
49. He is strong‚ so never attempt to fight him without calling on Me as your Husband to save you, and calling on the keys of the Kingdom. But once you have those powers on your side, nothing the prince of addiction has in his arsenal will move you or shake you or reclaim you to his side!
Contentment with the "Little Things"
50. It's hard for you to be content with the little things and the little pleasures. You get addicted to almost anything very easily. Fortunately for your sake, you haven't come in contact with anything extremely harmful to become addicted to. But you do have this weakness of becoming somewhat addicted to things very easily, or feeling dependent on any particular thing at times in your life. So rebuke Bacchus and ask Me to deliver you from the need to be addicted to one thing or another.
51. Ask Me to help you enjoy and appreciate the small things and the small blessings in every area of your life. I will help you fight Bacchus as you learn thankfulness and find the gift of contentment that I have for you. Just keep your will on My side.
Choose to Remove the Distraction
52. Bacchus has sought to entangle you in his tentacles through computer games. So what you do now is up to you, My love. If you want to preempt any attack he might make in the future, you could choose to remove this distraction from your life completely.
53. There are plenty of other things that you could do that are more worthwhile and that engender more unity and love. You could do things with others, fellowshipping, and loving them instead. Or you could spend time with Me, really swimming deeply in My Word.
54. I will not tell you that you must forsake computer games completely, but I think that's probably what you'll choose to do, since I know you want to do your very best for Me and stay clean and unpolluted from the world, worldly addictions, or possible worldly addictions.
Addiction to the Arm of the Flesh
55. Bacchus seeks to overthrow you through addiction to the arm of the flesh and carnal works. It's the addiction to drive yourself, to get that rush that comes from pushing yourself hard in work and life, from getting a lot accomplished, from doing things in your own strength.
56. So many people struggle with hearing from Me and letting go and letting God because Bacchus seeks to give them a physical thrill and sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. He magnifies the natural sense of satisfaction for those that he is trying to overthrow, to separate them from Me, to cause them to lean to their own arm of the flesh, and to lose dependence and faith in Me.
57. You have been faithful to hear from Me, to bring things to Me, so his power has been kept at bay and thwarted. However, you must realize that he seeks this area of your life, to keep you pushing in the flesh and for physical accomplishment, and because that is your natural tendency, you must fight to keep your guard high in this area. You must ask Me for My help and praise Me for helping you to accomplish your work‚ in order to keep him from entering your life in this way.
Little Seeds of Comparison
58. Bacchus is always ready to lend his "help," to give you some of his desires and a little of his way of life. It looks good‚ all sugarcoated, but beneath all this is a deadly poison that will kill you.
59. He has gotten you to be comfortable with things, and given you the desire for more things that you think you "need." He comes in very slyly, offering a little here and a little there, sowing his seeds, while unbeknownst to you, you are watering them. It's like "Alice in the Magic Garden."
60. Everything is fine until you start listening to his little doubts and comparing with others: "Oh, look what they have!" "You're not cool 'cause you don't have such and such!" And he begins sowing his little seeds, his little inroads, so he can start bringing in the bigger things to cloud your vision.
61. It's like he's building a bridge straight into your mind. It starts off all so innocently with his little kite flying around to get your mind off of what's really happening. He starts by flying his kite over to you so you can fly it a bit, and while you're distracted with this little kite, he's bringing in the bigger cables, and before you know it, he's constructed a whole bridge! By the time you see the bridge it's too late. You can't just go and tell him, "Oh‚ the kite was fun‚ but I don't like your bridge here!" He'll just laugh and mock you and keep offering you his things, his little dainties. [See GT 2, page 1210, #38; also "Recognizing and Resisting Pan," ML #3401:99-100.]
62. That's why I'm giving you this time of more shepherding and correction, so you can get closer to Me and have a chance to start anew and leave the old behind—all the old habits, mindsets, and things of the past—and turn over a new leaf in your life. You have to put that all in the past and turn over a clean new page on which I will write the things I want.
The Safe Zone: Complete Trust
63. Bacchus has influenced your mind‚ making you feel and think that when there's something that you crave, you'll not be happy or feel complete unless you get it. But when you learn that I can override any thoughts, feelings, personal wishes‚ human cravings, and even natural needs when I need to, then this will be a good step in your learning to rise above.
64. Progress is when you completely trust that I will give you what you need. When there's something I'm not giving you or that you intensely crave but which can't be yours‚ but still you trust that I know what you need and you're willing to go on without the fulfillment of that desire—this is a step to freedom.
65. You've got to form the mental habit of putting everything into the "trust" box, not holding so tightly onto things, but continuing to learn to just flow with what I bring—or what I take away, or don't allow, or what doesn't work out. As long as you form the habit in your mind that you're not only willing to give up the bigger things that you want to hold on to, but also the smaller day-to-day things, and not let anything get that kind of hold on you, making you feel you've just "got to have it or else‚" then you're in the safe zone.
Hang On Tenaciously!
66. Bacchus has influenced your life when you sought to fill your life, alleviate your boredom, or satisfy your desire for stimulation with the things of the world instead of the things of My choosing. When you felt empty but turned to something other than the Word, usually out of simple laziness‚ you can be sure Bacchus had a hand in it.
67. Use the power of the keys to defeat his influence in your life‚ for he enters in at weak moments, when you're tired and weary of fighting. He lures you to fritter away your hours on useless entertainments that leave you emptier than when you began. Realize that whenever the Enemy is attacking you, his primary goal is to get between you and My Word‚ between you and Me. Being aware of this, you can tenaciously hold on to My Word and to Me, knowing that if he is so desperate to separate us, then I must be the most powerful thing in your life, and My Word the key to overcoming and to defeating the Enemy every time.
Free-Time Activities—Ask Me!
68. You need to pray and ask Me for My approval before beginning any free–time activity, to make sure that it's not a waste of time or taking away from your connection with Me, Word time, and prayer vigil. Then you'll be all right, and I will keep you from any harmful worldly influences.
Spend More Time on the Things of the Spirit!
69. You need to learn to draw more of your inspiration from the things of the Spirit! There are incredible treasures in My Word that will increase your vision and invigorate your life! Getting fed spiritually is not always fun and games, and can actually be hard work sometimes. I have made you in such a way that you have to put effort into leaning on the pleasures of the Spirit, and this is part of your training.
70. The best way to make the things of the Spirit more predominant in your life is just to do it. At first you may not feel the same level of adrenaline rush that you get from games, and you may not feel the same level of fun and laughter that you get from relaxing with friends, and you may not feel the same level of escape and mental stimulation that you feel from reading and studying worldly knowledge. But as you step out by faith and put the things of the Spirit more in the forefront, they will grow on you and you will begin to feel the happiness and peace that comes from a strong spiritual life.
71. Yes, the things of the Spirit do sometimes bring feelings of happiness and excitement, but you can't rely on your feelings to help you decide whether or not to read the Word or have time with Me. Some people are able to almost automatically draw inspiration from the Spirit, but I have made you in such a way that you have to take quite a bit by faith and work harder. But don't worry, the more you put into the Spirit‚ the more inspiration and even physical happiness you will begin to draw from your time with Me.
72. But even then‚ the area in which this evil and disgusting spirit has influenced you the most is by making you feel that your physical happiness is more important than your need to spend time with Me. You are, in a way, addicted to temporary enjoyment through entertainment, sex‚ mental stimulation, food, drink, and time with your friends. And while it might help you temporarily to cut out all of these forms of entertainment, for you that would be the easy way out.
73. Instead, I want you to just spend more time on the things of the Spirit, so that these other forms of entertainment and inspiration seem shallow and secondary to you. Let the light in, and the darkness and emptiness that Bacchus would try to inflict on you by causing you to lean on the pleasures of the flesh will simply disappear.
74. But you must realize that letting the light in does not happen automatically. Sometimes you have to work pretty hard at getting the door open so the light can shine into your heart and life. Then you may have to take it by faith that the end result will be more eternal happiness and fulfillment, and also much-needed spiritual strength.
Finding Your Strength in Me!
75. Bacchus has tried to influence you in a number of ways, to get you addicted to forms of entertainment and enjoyment. His main purpose in this is to cause you to depend on these joys and highs when you're feeling low, rather than depending on Me and finding your strength and victory in Me.
76. He's gotten into your life very subtly. When you're feeling down or discouraged or just having a really rough day, he'll try to convince you that you need something physical, some form of entertainment, some form of fun and games. He makes you focus on the physical and the addictions of the flesh rather than on the Spirit—Me.
77. It's not that entertainment is wrong; it has its place and it's very needed in the great scheme of things. But when you think of that as your primary happiness, it's wrong. If you think of that as what you need to do when you're a little discouraged or depressed, that's wrong. If it's the first thing that comes to mind when you want to pull out of the pit of discouragement or get the victory over something that's bothering you, that's wrong. That's an addiction to the things of the flesh, and you're leaning more on that than you are on Me and on My help from Heaven.
Seek the Highlands of My Spirit!
78. My son, the tentacles of addiction have been placed around you‚ seeking to entrap you and to snare your heart and mind. You ask how?—In your free time and in your times of relaxation, you seek to veg out and to just relax.
79. When you feel that hunger in spirit and you try to fill it with the pleasures of the flesh, be it relaxation through movies, games, sex, or any number of things to the neglect of your spiritual life, then this is an addiction.
80. When you play mindless games just to get away from thinking or from the things that are on your heart, this does not solve the problem, but in many cases makes things worse. You procrastinate and put off what you really need to do, and opt for something that helps you to relax and to not worry about your problems, only to be faced with them again later.
81. Take a look at the many battles that you face, or the areas that you need to work on‚ and ask yourself what progress you have made. Are you devoting as much time or more to working on these things and to calling on Me for My help, taking time in My Word and listening to My answers, as you do to relaxing? If every time a soldier was faced with a battle, he ran to find something enjoyable to do or something that distracted him from the battle at hand‚ how long do you think that soldier would last?
82. You must put in the time to fight the battles, to hear My Words‚ to find your enjoyment and pleasure in doing My will and in reading My Words. This is where true relaxation will come from, and this is where you will find the surcease that you seek from the battles that you face. Ignoring them will not make them go away but will only make them grow.
83. I'm not saying that you can't relax and watch movies, but there's a time and a place for everything, and your first reaction to battles or trials shouldn't be to run to some form of "non–thinking" entertainment of the world. Your first reaction should be to come to Me, to receive My answers and solutions and counsel, and then at times I will tell you that it helps to do something to take your mind off of things. There is definitely a time and place for relaxation, and getting away from whatever is troubling you can help to put things back into perspective. But you have the habit of running away from your battles rather than sorting them out with Me, and that's not right. If you don't receive My solutions, you're not fixing the problem—you're just putting it off, and often weakening your spirit in the meantime.
84. If you seek to find happiness and enjoyment from what the System has to offer, you will only find the same hopelessness and emptiness that those in the System face. They only find relief from it once they are totally exhausted and literally collapse from the weight of it all, only to wake up to it the next morning and have to face it all over again.
85. I have given you the answers to all life's problems. I have given you the victory. Now you must take hold of the power that I have given you and loose your mind and heart from the addiction of seeking the easy road and just sliding down the path of an easy life.
86. Lift the standard in your life and choose the high road instead of the low one. Do the things that will make you stronger, not weaker! You have to face the challenges and hit them head-on, not sidestep them, hoping they'll go away.
87. Climb that mountain, ford that river, and reach for the high calling of being My called-out, sold–out, do-or–die disciple! This is the calling that I have placed before you—not the easy life in the lowlands of relaxation, and the mindlessness of an easy life where you never have to make a decision, and where your day is decided by your chains to a System life. Break free from those thoughts and desires and seek the highlands of My Spirit!
Be More Giving and Unselfish
88. Bacchus is not only the god of addiction, but also that of greed, gluttony, and selfishness. You may not have many compelling addictions, but you do tend to look out for yourself much more than for others. You are much more aware of your own needs and that of your immediate family than those of your brother and sister next door.
89. You need to keep this in check, for it is this selfishness that eats away at one of the fundamentals of My Family—and that is living together and having all things common. So I would that you swing more to the other direction of giving more and being more unselfish with either your time or your possessions, and in that way defeat the influence of Bacchus in your life.
The Point: To Be a Happy, Vibrant Disciple!
90. On the fast day, I was as a king who grants large requests to all petitioners on a special day of celebration. I gave you victory, and it's up to you to stand on it, claim it, and believe it.
91. I'm referring to a lot of your victories‚ but specifically this problem of ungodly Internet use. It has plagued you for many years, and it may be hard to believe that I can relieve you of that problem overnight, but I did it. I have made you free! If you can believe it and claim it, you will be fully delivered. I have a point here, though, and it's very important that you understand it clearly.
92. Just because you have been delivered does not, I repeat, does not mean that you won't ever be tempted again‚ that you won't ever feel the lusts and desires for your old habits. You will feel these temptations. So don't be surprised or get discouraged or overwhelmed if your old habits and lusts come knocking on your door once again. Don't fret or fade away or cast away your confidence. You will feel the desires well up again, but you must not give in. If your faith fail not, you can slam the door, and tell Bacchus to be gone!
93. But you must believe. You must know that he will use every trick in the book to make you think that you're not delivered, that the circumstances must not have been right‚ that you've made mistakes and are no longer worthy of My protection or deliverance, and that you're bound to fall. These thoughts, temptations‚ and doubts are the words of Bacchus.
94. He will come to your door to once again peddle his wares and addictions. But this time, he is on the outside. You and I have kicked him out, and though he can knock and knock and ring your doorbell like an annoying salesman, he does not have any entrance into your heart that you do not allow. So expect his attempts, but have the faith in Me to resist.
95. No weak, half-hearted attempts at resisting him will do‚ though. You will have to get desperate at the first sign of your old habits returning. When you feel the desire to go online and do what I have asked you to forsake, you need to get extremely desperate with Me.
96. Call on the keys, pray‚ get help, confess, get support, do whatever you have to do, but do not give in! If you give in, all will be lost. You will not be without hope, but you will have lost the progress made, and it will be very difficult to get back to the same level again.
97. Remember that you fasted and prayed; the whole Family prayed; the whole Home here prayed; you got united prayer—and all these things are powerful weapons. They really gave you a boost in the Spirit, and you made progress by leaps and bounds. So if you backslide, you're going to need an equal or even greater boost of power to start moving forward again, and it will be harder to do so. That's why it's of dire importance that you meet any attempt, however small, with an overwhelming force of the new weapons.
98. If the Enemy comes at you with a baseball bat, meet him with a machine gun! If he comes with a sword or fiery dart, show up with a tank! If he comes with a gun‚ drop a firebomb on his head! Blast him, crush him, defy him, resist him‚ burn him, and give him no place! I'm not trying to encourage overreacting; I'm just saying that if you have these powerful weapons available to you, it makes sense to use them.
99. Don't try to slip by with just a little prayer. Get all the help available to you! Use every weapon in My arsenal to make sure that you win! The Enemy doesn't play fair, and you don't have to either—use whatever tactics are necessary to defeat him! I've already given you every advantage and stacked the deck in your favor, so take that advantage and run with it.
100. It's plain as day in My Word: "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." That doesn't sound like a fair fight to Me, and it isn't! I am greater, and you are greater if you have Me in you and the power of Heaven and the keys at your side. So there's no reason or way that the Enemy can win unless you surrender!
101. Now, along with all that I've told you to do to keep the Enemy out and his demons at bay, there is also a lot you need to do to replace the holes left by the old compromises and addictions. We can't leave you empty‚ swept and garnished, because nature abhors a vacuum and something is bound to fill that empty place. If it isn't Me, it's gonna be the Devil. He that is not for Me is against Me. So you can't just concentrate only on holding on to the ground gained, but you must make more progress to replace the old habits.
102. You need to press forward in the good, spiritual input to replace the System stuff. You need to be faithful with Word time daily. Continuing with prophecy is another important step that should occur daily. There is always tons to ask Me about, and it's only through asking that you can take your spiritual temperature and find out where you're strong and where you're getting weak.
103. One thing that really breaks his chains is having Me more in your life as your Husband and Lover. You need to be faithful to love Me intimately every day in some form or another. I am pleased with the time that you have tried to work into your schedule for this, but you need to make sure you get it in regularly and that you continue to progress in learning to love Me in new and deeper ways. It's something you should bring before Me regularly. Come to Me and check in on our love times and ask if I want anything new or different or if I have any new ideas to implement.
104. The same goes for your prayer vigil times. They need to be done daily and with check-ins every now and then to ask Me how they're going and if I need you to make any changes in your procedures.
105. Another great way to break bad habits is to concentrate on forming new ones. To form a greater habit of asking Me everything would go a long way in replacing some of the old bad habits that you're trying to break. Instead of doing the things you don't want to do, such as compulsively using the Internet, wouldn't it be nicer to compulsively ask Me everything?
106. To be compulsively hearing from Me would do you so much good! Although it doesn't directly affect your older bad habits, just the fact that you're working hard to make new ones gives you strength against the old bad ones, and shows Me that you're willing to make the effort. Then I feel more like making the effort for you and doing what you cannot do by delivering you from the bad ones.
107. One last thing you can do is to more fully immerse yourself in work. I know that the focus has been a lot on the spiritual lately, but that doesn't mean that the work is any less important. There is no reason why you can't marry the two and work on making physical and spiritual progress at the same time.
108. Ask Me about progress to make in your physical work. Ask me if I want you to work harder, or longer, or devote time to learning new things‚ or for whatever I have to say. There are work-related changes I want you to make to replace some of the time that was spent in bad habits before.
109. Then there is the obedience side of things, the daily putting into practice all the tips I've given, all the changes I've asked you to make and to be working hard on each and every day. There truly can be no standing still. Every day should be a little tough, a little bit of a struggle, a little bit of you stirring yourself up and not getting comfortable.
110. Don't ever just lope through a day doing as you please. Every day you should be measuring your actions, asking yourself and Me if you're living as a disciple would live, if you're saying what a disciple would say, if you're spending your free time as a disciple should, and if you're working like a disciple should be working.
111. To facilitate this obedience to My Words, you need to be very familiar with My instructions to you. That means taking time to reread My counsel, and taking time to pull out quotes, make to-do lists‚ and get prophecies putting skin on those quotes and counsel.
112. Don't approach these changes with a feeling of drudgery and like it's crushing your fun. Remember that if you're in My will‚ I give you plenty of fun and opportunities to really enjoy yourself. Within the tunnel of My will there is plenty to satisfy you, to make you happy, and you don't need to feel bad about having it.
113. It's like the Garden of Eden. There are many fruit trees that I am happy for you to eat from and enjoy, but you have to be obedient to Me and not eat of the ones which I forbid. Be thankful and count your blessings. If you're full of praise to Me and enjoying all the trees you can have to the full‚ you'll miss the forbidden trees less and in time forget them altogether.
114. So the point isn't to be a miserable monk. The point is to be a happy‚ vibrant disciple who does what I say, and also has a lot of fun doing it. When you're on My channel, when you're in line with My will for you, almost everything seems fun. You can have such joy in living and such a bounce in your step.
115. It's when you're pulling against the reins and fighting My hand in your life that things seem dreary and boring and restrictive. If you accept the boundaries as being there for your own good and you touch not the unclean thing, then I will receive you and make you extremely happy in the process.
From Crutches to Wings,
With the Power of the Keys!
116. "Where is my crutch?" you ask. You never even saw it as a crutch until now that it's gone. I asked you to forsake it, and you did. Thank you for forsaking it by faith. But now that it's gone, you wonder how you will go on. It seems like such a big thing and so difficult to survive without.
117. My darling love‚ reach out to Me and I will give you butterfly wings! Leave the material things of this world behind and fly. Rise above these earthly addictions. They seem comfortable and so easy, but you must see that it is Bacchus who has ensnared you with his tentacles. The leash of this addiction was thin at first‚ and seemed light and inconsequential. But it grew to a heavy chain, and I seek to release you from it.
118. Now that I have opened your eyes and you have forsaken this crutch, you must keep your eyes on the victory in sight. I will carry you and help you to rise above. Call on the keys to deliver you. Call on the keys, and you will grow wings to fly above the things that are holding you back from full commitment, and that have caused you to compromise. Reach out and believe in My promises‚ and there will be no limit to the power that My keys will deliver right to your doorstep!
Be Jesus-Dependent!
119. Bacchus's goal is to get you dependent on other things and on people, rather than on Me. Sometimes you get that burnt-out feeling and think you just have to get away and do something fun. This isn't necessarily wrong or bad, but it shouldn't be your first reaction in finding what the solution to the problem is.
120. I love to bless and give to you. I like to treat you and please you, because you please Me, but the danger is when your happiness revolves around and is contingent on these blessings rather than on Me. The danger lies in putting these things before Me, deriving more pleasure from them than from Me, and giving them more priority than they deserve. A false balance is an abomination unto Me, but a just balance is My delight.
121. I should always come first. If you find that you're allowing something or someone too much space or priority in your heart‚ mind or life, you'd better watch out. That's a fifth column in your heart. It's a hole in the dike through which the Enemy can get in and sidetrack and defeat you. Your happiness should come from Me; it shouldn't be contingent on anything else—not a person, place or thing.
122. You have the tendency to allow surrounding circumstances to affect and at times determine your happiness. This is sad. It's sad not only because it hurts and saddens Me when I don't have first place, but it's also sad for you because you'll never find true, lasting happiness in anything else but Me. Only I can truly satisfy you.
123. You'll be met with disappointment and frustration time and again if you allow your happiness and well-being to be dependent on things or people, because all of those other things will fail at some time or another. If you're double-hearted and double-minded, you'll live in a constant state of indecision and you'll be unstable in all your ways. But if your heart and life are fixed firmly on Me, then you'll be able to stand strong; come what may‚ you'll not falter.
124. I want you to lean wholly on Me and let Me hold you up. If you are to stand strong and firm through the storms of life and not be tossed about by every wind, I must be your foundation, your anchor. Your confidence must be placed in Me and Me alone. I alone can offer you the assurance that I will always be faithful to you and will never fail you.
125. My love and care for you is unending and eternal. It will never change; it will never fail. Put your confidence in Me. Give Me your all and I will give My all to you. I will keep you as the apple of Mine eye‚ for you are as a pearl of great price unto Me. I love you.
You Must Be Willing
To Let Others Help You
126. (Mama:) There are times when even our desire to do the right thing and our crying out to the Lord to help us are not enough in themselves. There are times when part of the spiritual healing process or the road to victory is admitting that you need the help of others‚ requesting safeguards‚ and then being willing to accept them.
127. (Jesus speaking:) I know your heart desires to be in the right spot. You love the Family and My work, and you want nothing more than to be sold out and committed. You want the victory. But sometimes the fight is long and hard, and victory does not come quickly even to those who want it most.
128. It is time for you to see the full picture. You are in need of help‚ of a support group‚ of great intervention in your life. This is what I am asking of you at this time. You must be willing to seek Me desperately, to lay aside all else to give Me full sway in your life, and to give Me the time that I need to work in your life and do the miracle that you need. This is what you have wanted, and I am answering your prayer.
129. But in order to receive the answer, you must be willing to let others help you, get involved in your life‚ and help you in these areas where you are not able to help yourself. Unless you are willing to do this, you will not make the progress you need to make.
The Keys Loose the Bonds!
130. (Mama:) In the following message, I think you'll find the description of how the keys become a weapon to be very interesting. It was given some time before the Feast revelation "Keys Turned to Swords" was released.
131. (Jesus speaking: ) The opulence of the world today is blasphemous to Me, for it sings the praises of man and self rather than giving glory to Me. It is an insult to the greatest degree, for it rejects the simplicity of My Spirit and instead shrouds the spirit of man with decadence, selfish ways, vices, bad habits, and addictions to things that are not of Me.
132. The prevalence and gross increase of the power of Bacchus is written in the world at large on every corner‚ on the airwaves‚ on the TV, in the stores. There is hardly a place to be found in this world that escapes the tentacles of this evil, sly, and dominant demon of Satan. You can almost feel his spirit wherever you go. The suckers on his tentacles have stuck themselves on many spirits and lives, and yet so few realize that they are ensnarled and trapped by them.
133. It is like the picture of a fisherman on the rocks who has caught an octopus: If he is not learned or knowledgeable about catching an octopus, he will most likely carelessly attempt to pull it up as he would a fish. However, the octopus, knowing that he is caught, will sometimes try to attach himself to rocks and boulders with his suckers, because once he has securely attached his suckers to the rocks, it is nearly impossible to pull him off. It will then require the fisherman much more work than if he had been knowledgeable about the octopus and cautiously kept it at a distance from the rocks while he reeled it in.
134. Bacchus‚ with his tentacles of addiction, works much the same way as the octopus. He slaps his suckers here and there, knowing that once he has had the chance to get a sucker or several suckers on the spirit and life of a person, the removal of that grip is very difficult. And sadly‚ many deem it impossible and thus do not put forth the effort to fight the tenacious grip of the evils of addictions, habits, desires or vices that will result in spiritual imprisonment.
135. When you call on the power of the keys, Bacchus's grasp on My children is instantly released; his tentacles and suckers hold no more power whatsoever. But like all attacks against the Evil One and his minions, it must begin with a choice and decision on your part that you will resist and reject the ties of addiction and bondage that hold you back from coming to know the freedom of My Spirit—a liberty that is unhindered by selfish addictions, or by the so-called unchangeable habits of your nature.
136. There is no such thing as an unchangeable habit of your nature, for with the spirit and power of the keys the tentacles of these habits are loosened. They lose their grasp. The keys bring freedom and liberty to your spirit.
137. The grip of addiction on your life was that of selfishness and self-centeredness. The tentacles wrapped around you and held you rigidly in place‚ manipulating your actions‚ your thoughts, and the words of your mouth. You were tangled in these tentacles and hindered by these suckers to the point that your spirit was tainted. How terribly sad it was to see this! I found it necessary to intervene.
138. The change that came about in your life is witness to the power of the keys. You called on them, you activated their power‚ you asked that they be the knife to cut the tentacles of addiction that held you in place. As you continued to call on the keys for this change in your life, I was able to perform My work in your life to the full, to loose you from the bonds of addiction, of self–glorification, of selfishness, of self-centeredness. With the power of the keys these tentacles were severed, and the remaining portions of the tentacles shriveled and fell off. The keys loosed the bonds of wickedness and they set you, then so oppressed, free.
139. (Vision:) I see a girl who has multiple octopus-like tentacles tangled around her. The suckers of those tentacles are tightly gripping her flesh. There are so many of them that sometimes you can't help but wonder if they are not actually a part of her. Sadly, where there are not suckers and tentacles, there are the ugly markings where a sucker once was—that red and purplish, bruised look.
140. Suddenly she utters a plea for help. She is calling on the power of the keys to release her from the grip of these many tentacles of addiction. As she does so, an amazing sword-like weapon comes and begins to slice away at the tentacles. It's hard to describe exactly what this weapon is like.
141. Because it is glowing and radiant‚ I would think of it as a sword‚ but the glow around it is in the shape of a very large, iridescent, golden key. I suppose this is depicting the power of the keys becoming the weapon used to cut away at the addictions and wiles of the Enemy.
142. In the next picture I see, as this key weapon cuts away at the tentacles, the part that is attached to something in the distance (which I have the feeling is Bacchus himself) retracts and vanishes, while the other part that was attached to the girl shrivels up and falls away, vanishing. This happens with each of the tentacles until none remain.
143. The girl is finally free, yet her body remains marked with ugly sucker marks. However, once the key weapon has finished slicing at the tentacles‚ it's as though an invisible hand moves this giant radiant key over her body from head to toe. It never touches her, but the glow emanating from it makes the sucker marks vanish, till her skin is once again free of the sucker marks. Better yet‚ her whole being shines with the same glow and radiance as the key.
144. The key is then placed in her hands and a wave of light, power, fire, and absolute vibrancy washes over her.
145. (Jesus continues:) This is the type of transformation that the keys bring to your life, and this is the power with which they cut asunder the tentacles of addiction and then heal and make whole that which was marred. To begin with, you may not even know how to use the keys, but by simply calling on them, they are put into action by your faith. And as your faith in them grows, as you watch the transformation that takes place as you avail yourself of their power‚ that is when they are placed completely in your hands and you witness their light and power to the full. You are free and released from the grip of Bacchus.
146. (Vision continues:) There's been a sort of cloud behind her throughout this vision. She doesn't know what is behind there, and I'm getting the feeling that it is like the unseen veil of the spirit on both sides—the evil and the good.
147. After the initial removal of the tentacles, they didn't seem to be showing up as much. But then they start slithering out once again. From the evil side of this spiritual veil, tentacles that are similar to the ones that were removed penetrate the cloud-like veil.
148. They try to once again get a grasp on her. It seems that their attempts at touching her or even of wrapping themselves around her are rather frequent and persistent. But every time one slithers in and begins to wrap itself around her‚ or even so much as touches her, she simply touches it with the key and it shrivels and retracts back into the cloud.
149. As she continues to use the key on the tentacles, their attempts to stick to her slowly become fewer. Though it seemed that she was standing there alone holding this key, which symbolized the specific key to counter addictions and keep them at bay, on the good side of this spiritual cloud a voice was instructing and warning her.
150. Whenever a tentacle showed itself from the other side, the voice would caution her and tell her exactly how to counter it. Sometimes it would tell her to strike it with the key. Other times it would tell her to stretch forth her hand with the key before the tentacle even came near and rebuke it with the power of the key. At other times the voice would tell her to hold the key to her breast tightly. When she did that‚ it was like a wave of power would shoot through her body, and the tentacles would not be able to attach themselves to her, and any which already had would pop off. (End of vision.)
151. (Jesus continues:) The fight will continue, for those tentacles will seek to attach themselves to you again, but you have the power of the keys now to resist them before they even come near. And better yet, I have specific instruction for you as to how you can prevent them from touching you‚ or loose them if they have been able to wrap themselves around you in any way.
152. All this power is found through the keys, and through listening to and following My specific words of instruction and guidance to you, through heeding My voice of caution and acting on what I tell you to do. In order to hear My instructions and cautions, you must be listening for them. As you do, the power becomes alive in your life, and the tentacles of Bacchus grow weaker and weaker.
Dieting and Keeping Extremes in Check
153. (Mama:) One of the manifestations of Bacchus's influence is in extreme dieting and eating disorders. Both Pan and Bacchus play a role in creating false illusions in the minds of those who are suffering from these conditions. More extensive counsel and personal lessons on this topic are coming soon in a series of GNs especially about anorexia and eating disorders, exposing the way the Enemy is trying to destroy some of our young people through this disease. But in the meantime, here are excerpts of messages that deal with this aspect of Bacchus's influence.
154. I urge those of you who are struggling with eating disorders to seek the Lord for His counsel on how you can be delivered. Ask Him to expose the devices of the Enemy in your life! The Enemy is out to kill you, or at the very least make you so miserable and wrapped up in yourself that you're no good to the Lord or His service!
155. We love you and need each and every one of you, and can't afford to lose even one of you to this horrible device of the Evil One! Please, folks! It's not a game! Recognize the Enemy for who he is, and start fighting!
156. (Jesus speaking: ) The desire to run back to your crutch of dieting to make you feel better about yourself is one great way in which Bacchus works in your life. Pan gets it started by making you feel depressed‚ and then Bacchus calls you. He pulls you with his tentacles back into the muck and mire of dieting and the vicious cycle that it is. You have been cutting his tentacles, fighting and praying, and you must continue to do this.
157. But the true victory lies in overcoming the hold that Pan has on you, and then you will be able to stay away from Bacchus completely. Bacchus has strong power over you in the area of dieting, but only when you open the door to Pan, for Pan comes in first in your life. Then when you open the door to Pan, you start feeling the tentacles of Bacchus weaving their way around you. If you don't fight them, you're caught again. The longer he holds on, the stronger and thicker his tentacles grow‚ until you're overpowered again.
158. You've come this far by faith—don't let him in! Keep Pan at bay through prayer and the laying on of hands, and then you will find that full victory will come to you because of your faith and willingness to ask, seek, knock, and receive My healing power for you.
159. It is your natural inclination to take anything to an extreme, to hold on to the thing that you want and do it and do it and do it. This is also something that Bacchus uses in your life. It starts out as something that is part of your nature, which, when turned to good use, is a great tool in My hand, for you have spirit‚ fervor, and drive to do what you're told or what you know I want you to do. You do it with your whole heart. But at the same time, when not turned to good use but when turned to self-destruction, it is a great hindrance in your life, and makes your walk with Me, your physical health, and your life a misery.
160. So you must always pray over each new decision that you make, to be sure that it is in line with My will, and that you will not take something too far, for extremes are your weakness. You do not know how to keep something in check. You saw this clearly in your anorexia: Once you decided to diet to an extreme, it took only a few short months and you were nearly dead.
161. You must be prayerful that you do not allow Bacchus to play upon this area of your life—of putting your full will and energy and time into any given thing—which I would like to use as a strength, but which he would use to destroy you. So keep your heart stayed on Me and check all of your actions, thoughts, and deeds by Me to make sure that you're not taking anything too far to any extreme, and I will help you and keep your actions in check by speaking to you or making it impossible for you to be extreme in the wrong direction.
Recovering from the Grip of
Bacchus Addiction to an Eating Disorder
162. So far you have held on to some Huddersfield in your heart. You have not yielded fully, and thus you have not been able to grab onto and receive the full victory I had waiting for you. All My promises are not without conditions. Just as you want the full power of the keys to avail yourself of My full resources from the spirit world and to receive My full angelic force to help aid you in this battle, you must first make the step towards yielding and receiving. That is the condition of the power.
163. You have been plagued by these two impostors [Pan and Bacchus]. These two demons, though they come in sheep's clothing, have been ravenous beasts, both on your spirit and your body. Your mind has been viciously attacked and filled with these two, and you let them in freely. You did not notice them at first, and therefore did not fight to get help and cleansing right away.
164. Your mind was clouded by the ways of the flesh and you entertained them, for they were deceiving. They didn't seem so bad to you; at the time your convictions were weak.
165. And because you were weak in My Word, they took advantage and have done so for a long time now. Other little things allowed [this problem] to grow much bigger too, other influences or others' views. Others' ways have also added to this. But you failed to weigh them up right away and compare them with My Word‚ discerning right from wrong. You fed on each thought‚ each idea.
166. You drank in each doubt, and they eventually became a part of you. And so there is no question as to why it is now a much more difficult fight in the spirit. All these spirits you have let in now feel they have the right to be in you and a part of you, distorting your vision, confusing your mind.
167. Yes, even now at times you will feel like you want them to stay because it feels good to you. The Evil One works deceitfully and very cunningly; that is why you must be so on guard and aware of his tricks and evil plans. You have become so confused and don't even know what to believe anymore.
168. You can't see clearly what My standards in healthful living and keeping a healthful balanced diet are anymore, for you have been seeing as they see, how the world sees—things so distorted and contrary to how I have created and made life to be, and your bodies to be—a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Me, your reasonable service. That is why you encounter periods when you don't want to eat for fear you will gain weight. Then one moment later you can be stuffing yourself and feeling totally out of control.
169. You're not your own, for these beasts have taken over parts of your life that have been off guard and full of pride‚ full of self, self-consciousness, self-mindedness, self–effort and selfishness.
170. You have to take what is My will by faith and by the faith and instruction and counsel of others for now. This is your complete healing and your complete surrender. Will you now yield and just let go? This is the total yielding that I have been talking about.
171. You must now fight to see as I see, and be willing to admit you need to gain weight and regain your strength by taking extra time to stop and rest, and also by receiving help from others. You have not been able to make it alone, because you have been holding on to trying to do it yourself.
172. You now need to humble yourself fully and keep your heart and mind cleared from the Enemy's lies and distortions and take in what others tell you. Don't even try to figure it out or reason it out, but take it by faith to be the truth and My sure word of instruction to you. This will be your complete healing.
173. My dear, follow these simple steps to recovery if you want the full healing and cleansing I am speaking to you of:
Feed from My Words whenever you feel a negative thought enter your mind.
Don't just quote a little Scripture, but fight it with all you've got. You don't want them sent to the end of the property, but you want them sent to the bottom of the ocean.
Go call on your support group to pray with you often, to help fight with you.
Each thought that comes, you must expose it and be honest about it, so that there is no room for it to come back. This will destroy it right then and there.
Plenty of thoughts will come, for the Enemy will be vicious and persistent, but it will be something different each time. This is why it's so important that you trust My Words when I say that it's a lying vanity. You have been unable to tell right from wrong because you have been confused, but I will speak to you on this.
Don't start questioning it or figuring it out, but send it far away immediately.
This is the victory—if you can begin to see and realize when it's a lie and it's the Enemy coming in.
If it causes you to be unhappy and miserable, thinking about yourself‚ then you know it's wrong and not of Me. If it feeds your pride‚ if it keeps you from yielding to the help and counsel and instruction of others, it is not of Me.
Read and soak yourself in My Words. Don't ever feel condemned in doing this, for this will be your lifesaver. And whether you feel like it or not, whether you see the time for it or not‚ whether you understand it or not, you must do it.
Take times off for intercessory prayer—prayer for others and prayer when you cry out to Me with all your heart.
Spend sweet times in the bed of love with Me. I want to hear your heartcry, your deepest feelings, and desires. I do see them, but I want you to express them to Me in words—even the simplest words that you feel most comfortable with. For I see your sincerity‚ even though you feel you lack all the vocabulary you may need. Expressing it in words will use your mind, your heart, and your mouth, so the Enemy will have no room whatsoever.
Making time to relax with others, too, will keep your mind occupied and away from thinking of yourself. Though you may be tempted to see this as a waste of time, I say that it's definitely worth it. It will show that you believe and trust in Me, in My power to take care of all the rest.
Of course you must confirm each plan with Me first, as you wouldn't want it to be just an escape route or a distraction from My highest and best plan for you. But if you are faithful to yield to this, then I will bless you with happy times and happy occasions with others, spirit-filled experiences.
Your schedule may be quite messed up. Your highly organized ideals and plans will need to go. A patient in the hospital has no plan of their own. You will be told to go and rest and take some time off, when maybe you want to be working at your desk. You may want and fight to keep your mind busy at your computer, but I may ask you to forsake it for a little time. This, My dear, is yielding and doing the humble thing‚ that which I ask of you, for I know it will do you good.
174. If you are faithful to willingly let go of what you think may be better, I will grant you your heart's desire in making happen what is the very best. I give the very best to those who leave the choices with Me, remember?
The Keys Will Set You Free!
175. (Mama:) Lastly, here's some beautiful counsel from the Lord on overcoming. Sometimes it's a long fight. Even after the Lord grants us deliverance‚ the Enemy still tries to come back in, and bad habits and mindsets are hard to break out of. But calling on the power of the keys of the Kingdom and not letting go of our wonderful Husband and His promises will guarantee victory! So keep hanging on!
176. (Jesus speaking:) Rebuke the Enemy when he comes in like a flood with all his lies and temptations to despair. Claim My power against Pan and Bacchus and all their wiles. Root them out by asking for prayer from your loved ones. Seek the reward that comes from that obedience—a total victory! You now have a greater and stronger weapon to fight these demons, as you can call them out by name, and through the power of the keys you have power to cast them out.
177. They will try to come back time and time again, but you will never need to fear them again as you keep fighting, as you keep slamming the door of your heart in their faces, as you keep up the standard of My Word by claiming My promises for you and letting that banner fly high above your camp. My Words will cut them to the heart. And even though they'll try all the harder to get in for a time, as you keep fighting‚ as you keep asking for prayer, as you keep wielding the weapon of My Word and calling on the powerful key angels to help you, then you will find that the strength of these evil ones who seek to torment you will dissipate and you will have true freedom.
178. It takes relentless fighting for a time, but the reward is well worth it! Call on them! Ask for help! Plead with Me to deliver you. Don't ever sin in ceasing to ask for prayer and to call out for help, and then you will always receive it. Ask, seek, and knock, and the power of Heaven will be unleashed on your behalf, and you will rise above. You will see that there truly are no impossibilities to Me.
179. You'll understand that all power is given unto you for your obedience to call on the power of the keys, and nothing shall by any means harm you! I love you and have promised you full and lasting victory‚ so reach up and take it. It's yours for the asking! I love you.
Love, Jesus
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