—A testimony of deliverance from jealousy

Excerpt from "Mama's Message of Understanding and Encouragement for Feast 2006"

By Maria FD/MM/FM 3571a 10/05

Feast 2006 devotional

1. If you've been fighting intense battles of some kind for a long time‚ and they've been very debilitating and draining and discouraging to you, and it seems like you've just tried everything and nothing seems to help, and you just don't see how you can go on anymore, I think the following testimony will be an encouragement to you.

2. This was a testimony that I pulled from the Feast talk, because the talk during the Feast was very long, and I was trying to have pity on you and cut the talk down a bit. So I took several parts of the talk out so I could share them with you after the Feast so you wouldn't have to sit through an even longer talk during the Feast.

3. This is a testimony of deliverance from jealousy, and this was one of the tests and trials that I was going to mention along with the others that I enumerated, and I was going to try to comfort the people who were going through jealousy by giving them this testimony of deliverance from jealousy.

4. But I want to broaden this out a bit and say that even if you don't have a problem with jealousy‚ try to apply this testimony to your own life in other ways, in your other battles, seeing that even if you've tried everything, and even if nothing seems to be working, if you'll just hold on, if you'll just stay true to Jesus, if you'll just keep trying to fight‚ eventually the Lord will do the miracle. If you call on the keys, that's His promise. He's going to deliver you no matter what, no matter what it looks like.

5. I don't know if you're familiar with that key promise, it's a favorite of mine, and it says, "The keys of praise are not smothered nor defeated by any earthly circumstances‚ but will win every battle you call them to."

6. You know, not so long ago I was trying to remember this and trying to memorize it, and actually I had memorized it early on, and then I'd forgotten it, and I was going back to it to try to review it and get it back again. I'm sure this is a predicament a lot of you have. We're all human, you know!

7. So I decided, well, I'm going to try to get a little melody for it so that I can remember it better, and this was a little difficult for me. But I got one that suits me, anyway. I'll try to sing it to you here. But this doesn't have to be our official Family melody for this key promise. I'm hoping that our musicians are going to be able to come up with some good ones. I commissioned them not so long ago to try to get some melodies to some of our key promises, because I think it's a tremendous way to memorize things—just have a very short little catchy tune, and not only the children, but we adults can memorize them much, much better than we would in any other way.

8. So I'll try to sing you my little song. And by the way, I changed a few little words here and there to fit the tune, I hope you don't mind. The Lord said it really doesn't matter‚ just so it's basically the same. If there's some reason why you want to change a word here or there—it makes it easier for you, and it means the same—then that's just fine with the Lord. He just wants you to memorize it and use it, and He'll be happy no matter how you say it.

(Mama sings:)

9. So that's my little song. It's a little hard to sing. It's a little bit like a tongue twister. But anyway, it works for me.

10. So no matter what it looks like, no matter how long it takes, just keep holding on, and don't give up, and don't throw in the towel and say that you're defeated, and you can't make it, the Devil's won. Well‚ the Devil hasn't won as long as you keep going, and as long as you keep trusting Jesus and believing that He's going to bring you through eventually.

11. Anyway, this was a beautiful testimony‚ and that's why I wanted to share it with you here. The power of the keys of the Kingdom are far greater than any demon can possibly throw at you. [There was a glitch in the recording here, but the key promise Mama quotes here says, "The power of the keys of the Kingdom is far greater than anything that green-eyed demon can possibly throw at you."] No matter how great the battles, through Jesus you do have the power to overcome, and you will if you keep fighting, and if you keep giving, and if you keep yielding. So, on to our little testimony.

12. One of our very dear women wrote me some time ago with a testimony of deliverance from jealousy. The Lord laid it on my heart to share it with you. This dear woman had tried everything and she had fought for months. It all started out when another woman came to the Home and her husband started paying attention to this woman. And the wife wrote:

13. Then I got this incredible pain. It was ridiculous, but it was so real, and the only thing I can compare this pain to was when our oldest son went to be with the Lord. It was just unbearable, and I really didn't know what to do. All I could do was to call on the keys.

14. I'd just go into our room and call on the keys. Nothing seemed to ease the pain. So I started pushing my husband away from me, because I didn't want it to hurt so much. He couldn't understand why I was being mean to him. I knew I had to get the victory, but I couldn't. I tried to read your "Golden Victories" Letter and Misty's testimony. But I came to the conclusion that I didn't have that much love or grace, although I really wanted it.

15. My husband started to get real discouraged‚ as I was being so mean to him. I really asked the Lord to forgive me and give me another chance. So I again asked him for prayer and I explained to him this unbearable pain I was experiencing.

16. Then it happened: After we had prayed‚ I literally saw my husband morphing into Jesus. It was like Jesus whispered, "Look! It's Me! I've been here all the time!" It was like in the movie "Ghost" where Whoopi Goldberg morphed into this guy who had died in order to hug the girl. Or like when Mary Magdalene saw the gardener, and it was Jesus. I could actually see Him.

17. It was very different than anything I'd ever seen or experienced. It was like my husband had nothing to do with it; he wasn't even aware of what was going on. It was like the Lord was using my husband's body to show Himself visibly to me. I've been in the Family for many years and many times seen the Lord's Spirit in others, but this was completely different.

18. Up till now the Loving Jesus revelation was all by faith. I had to say the words by faith. In Matthew 25 the Lord talks about if we do something unto one of the least of these His brethren, we have done it unto Him. I've always just taken these things by faith. I always thought that one day in Heaven we'll see it all, but I never expected to see anything here on Earth. But now it was as if the Lord was giving me this gift of Himself.

19. I don't know how to describe it. We all have it, in a sense. It's like everybody that we can hug and love and touch is all Him. I always loved verses like, "Lo‚ I am with you always" and "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And we know He is always around. But now He literally took on my husband's body, and with it, everything for me changed as I watched Him there. It was like He was rewarding me for all the sacrifices I had made, all the pain I had had. I felt like the reward was way too big. I didn't deserve such a big gift, but it was there. And at the same time I knew that He is like that for all of us.

20. It's just that He opened my eyes‚ like Mary saw Him after He was resurrected. It was like the spirit and the flesh were merged. I don't know how else to put it. My whole life and relationship with my husband was renewed. We've had a beautiful relationship for over 25 years, and I hadn't known that it could be better. But still the Lord managed to enhance it so many times more. Everything changed for me. Here I was totally renewed, being on a honeymoon with my Lord. My husband and I would lie in bed, and now all the "To Jesus With Love" tapes were a reality. Not any more "just by faith," but right there!

21. I had never been the initiator in our sex life, but here I found myself with more passion and love and strength than I had at 20. Before, I had never totally understood men and their desire to always want to have sex. So, with many of the Letters where Grandpa always talks about sex, I always thought, "Oh, that's Grandpa!" But now I found myself feeling and thinking the same way.

22. I felt now that I wanted to share my husband and give him, as I had the total confidence that our giving only made our relationship many times stronger. All my fears totally disappeared. I knew that nothing could separate us except for the Lord Himself. It's like you can never lose the Lord when you share Him. Everything just multiplies. It's so incredible!

23. It was like I had gone through Gethsemane, crucifixion, Hell, and resurrection. I'd been at times through the first three steps, but it seemed that it had never been bad enough to come out to the last one. I'd been through many battles, like everyone else, and many victories. But now I can see what would happen if I or any one of us have to go through a very big pain‚ or sacrifice, or even be martyred.

24. For others what I experienced might have been easy–breezy and, "What's the big deal?" And I don't know why it was so incredibly painful for me either, as at other times it was not that big a deal. But He was there in such a special way when there was no other way out for me, which has given me a whole new outlook on things.

25. Anyway, things went back to normal. My husband was my husband again. And sometime after that we were at a fellowship and I went through tremendous jealousy battles again. Not that bad, though, and I kept praying and calling on the keys and asking the Lord to do the miracle again that He had done before. But nothing happened, and I had to humble myself and confess what I was going through and ask for prayer, and the Lord gave me the victory quietly. I guess He knows exactly how much we can take and what we need, and also what others need. Because sometimes it's good for others to hear our confessions and to see that we have problems also.

26. The Lord told me later, "Yes, there are times when I do miraculous things for My children; especially now in these times I want to show you more and more. Be not amazed‚ for I do love you each so much and I'm so very close to each of you. Be faithful to stay close to Me no matter what happens. And‚ yes, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

27. Isn't that beautiful? Thank You, Jesus! I praise You, dear Lover of all loves, that You never fail to bring us through any situation or circumstance, no matter how trying or difficult, and no matter how long it lasts.

28. And Family, did you notice that our dear mate had called on the keys, and had read the GNs and probably studied them thoroughly, and had desperately desired to change, but nothing was happening? She could very well have given up and decided that God didn't hear her and she was too bad for Him and that He wasn't going to answer her. She could have decided not to fight that jealousy anymore and to just give in to it.

29. I'm sure that the Enemy was telling her, "Things will never change, and besides, to fight for victories is much too difficult and things would be easier if you just didn't try anymore. After all, you shouldn't be expected to share and give and yield. He's your husband, isn't he?—So why should you have to go through all this to share him with someone else? It's just not fair!"

30. But you saw what she did—she just socked that Old Boy back! She told him he was out of line, and he was a liar, and she wasn't going to do it his way; she was going to do it God's way. And then, she asked for prayer again.

31. You see, that's the key! If at first you don't succeed, you just have to keep on trying until you do! Like Winston Churchill said, "Never, never, never give up!" Never, never‚ never give in to the Enemy! No matter how bad things seem, no matter how defeated you feel, no matter how impossible the situation looks, no matter if it seems to you like God is never going to answer your prayers and things aren't ever going to change‚ keep trying! Keep praying, keep listening to Jesus, keep reading the Word, which will give you faith. And then, in that moment when you least expect it and when you're barely managing to hold on, but not seeing any results, the Lord will come through with a miracle!

32. You may not even know what triggered the miracle at that moment‚ or why it didn't come before, or why it was coming right now and not later. Why did it come at the point that it did? You may not know why, but it will come and you'll be so thrilled to see what your Husband has done for you!

33. You may not have any kind of "visitation" like our dear sister did, or any unusual manifestation in the physical, but it will be just as supernatural, because it will be the change you needed, and you will know that it was nothing of yourself, but only the miraculous power of Jesus and His keys.

34. Maybe your experience will be more like the "quiet" victory that she talked about. And yes, just as was her experience, you may also experience future trials. However‚ once you've gotten a wonderful, solid victory, then you never have to wonder or worry whether you can get one again. If God has done something that big in your life, then of course He can do it again, and again, and again, if it's necessary. You just have to hang on and not give up.

35. Did you notice that that was a recurring theme in my talk to you during the Feast? I didn't realize it at the time I was recording the Feast talk, but later, when I went over my talk again, I realized that the encouragement that I had given you for each battle or struggle was conditional. Do you remember what those conditions were? I don't think I specifically said that they were conditions, but that was the idea.

36. In nearly all cases, the assurance that you were going to come through victorious without even the smell of smoke‚ and were going to be stronger and more able to face the future‚ was contingent upon whether you kept holding on, whether you kept trying, whether you kept going and didn't give up.

37. These are the conditions for being a winner: You must continue to have faith, you must continue to feed your faith with the Word, you must continue to persevere, and you have to continue to praise and not forget to do it, as this is a powerful weapon against the attacks of the Enemy.

38. The verse that I want to leave with you now is one that the Lord specifically gave me for you: "He that endureth to the end shall be saved." And as our Husband told one of our folks the other day who was really going through it, "Just cling." That's some of the best advice that I can give you. Call on the keys of endurance and "Just cling!"

39. I love you, and Peter and I will never be disappointed in you no matter how many times you fail, no matter how many times you fall, if you'll just get up and try again. If you want to send us an encouraging message, all you have to say is, "Mama, I'm getting up!"—and we'll know what you're talking about, and we'll be really praying for you, and we'll be so proud of you for it.

40. Here's a good key promise:

41. "Nothing and no one is beyond the reach of the keys, no matter how far or how low they have fallen, if you'll just get up and keep on going!"

42. I added that last part: "If you'll just get up and keep on going." Oh‚ here's another good one:

43. "The key of perseverance will help you to keep going when you feel like quitting."

44. So don't forget to call on that key as well!

45. "When you're having problems‚ sing, shout‚ praise Me, and claim the keys of rising above. The Devil will have to flee because you're resisting him with the power of praise and actively fighting against him with a force that he can't beat!"

46. "Use the powerful, dynamic approach of praise and calling on the keys, which the Devil hates and cannot resist, and you will see mighty miracles!"

47. When I get started on these key promises, I can hardly stop, because there are so many wonderful ones‚ and each one of them is powerful and mighty, and each one of them is there for your use. There are keys for every situation, so don't forget to call on them.

48. "The demon-defeating keys of praise never fail, but will fight for you and win the battle!"

49. "When you release the power of the keys of praise, they will help you overcome in spite of everything."

50. What a promise!

51. "In the deepest despair, in the darkest night, in the depths of defeat‚ there is rescue. Call on the power of the keys of the Kingdom, call My Name, call for My mercy, call for My help, then wait on Me and I will strengthen your heart. You will rise up and walk on. You will get up and keep going!"

52. I added this last line. It says the same thing, but this is what we've been talking about, and I want you to remember to "get up and keep going!"

53. "The keys create within your spirit a deep reservoir of willpower, determination, and strength that will empower you to forge ahead to victory no matter how tough the fight or how long the battle."

54. "When you are lost, I will give you sight. When you are in despair, I will give you hope. When you're on the verge of collapse, I will raise you up. When hopelessness surrounds you, I will restore your vision. When all seems lost, I will bring victory—all through the power of the keys of the Kingdom!"

55. Hallelujah! Well, I've got my key booklet here and I could keep going on and on and on, these are so good! And every one you read and every one you claim strengthens your spirit more and more. So keep them close to your heart. Even if you can't memorize them all—you should be memorizing some—but even if you can't memorize them all, just read them over and over, and claim them, and that will be the victory for you. You'll have the victory as long as you hold on to those keys, and you can know that the Lord is going to fulfill every promise.

56. Oh, and here's one more! It's just so hard to stop!

57. "Claim the keys of change for any area of your life that you want to make progress in. When the Enemy attacks you and tells you you're not getting the victory in a particular area, all you have to do is tell him, 'You liar, that's not true, for I have claimed the keys!'"

58. So, with that key promise, I'm going to stop. But you can just keep going on and on and on. We've got thousands of key promises, and if you need any more specific to your situation‚ and you don't think there's one that really fits it, you can just ask Jesus and He'll create one for you, and it will be just as good as any of these others. Of course‚ all of them together are very, very powerful, and all of them are for you specifically, and you can claim them as your own. But the Lord is very willing and happy to give you more if you'd like, and maybe for you that will make it even more personal because you get it through your own channel. So go ahead and ask Him. He's very happy to do it, and the more key promises you have, and the more key promises you claim, the better.

59. Okay, that's it, bye-bye for now.