Bible study – Hope for Complete Healing

Ten Ways to Overcome a Critical Spirit

Where does a Critical Spirit come from? We all tend to see how others can do better or be better, so we feel the need to tell them. This is not bad if it is done in love and received as being loving. Being criticized often feels like being judged. The problem is, we don’t like to be told what is wrong with what we did. When we feel criticized, we feel rejected, and we don’t want to be with the person who criticizes us. Has this ever happened to you? How did it make you feel? How is your relationship with the person who criticized you?

Why Are People Critical?

I was a very critical person for many years. The Lord showed me that I had low self-esteem, so I would criticize others to make myself look better. I had a judgmental stronghold that was built by a critical mother, and I felt like I could never be good enough. The critical spirit is fueled by anger. So the first way to overcome a critical spirit is to work through all the bad memories of when someone criticized you and you felt rejected. First, ask God to show you the earliest memory or strongest memory of when you felt judged or criticized (Psalm 139:23-24). Don’t relive the experience and don’t talk about it. Immediately forgive the person for what they said to you and ask God to release and heal the resentment, rejection, and anger you felt and still feel. Then ask God to remove the spirit attachment to that memory. Next, ask God to show you the next painful memory of criticism, then forgive, release, and remove the attached spirit. To learn more about how and why healing your memories changes your life, read my online book at hopeforcompletehealing.com.

How Do I Change My Heart From Critical to Caring?

The remaining nine ways to overcome a critical spirit are adapted from Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook by June Hunt.

Humble your heart to see your sin and your immense need for God’s mercy. Next, see others’ significance in God’s eyes, and when you criticize them, you hurt God. Pray and ask God to help you show the same grace to others that He shows you (James 4:11 and 2:13)
Put on and practice showing compassion for others (Col. 3:12). Look closely at the life of Christ to learn His compassionate way of confronting the truth. Pray that you will be controlled by Christ’s love for others (1Cor. 16:14 and 1John 4:7) .
Draw out the heartfelt needs of others (Prov. 20:5). Pray that God will give you a discerning spirit as you seek to draw others out and encourage them with what they are doing right.
Offer acceptance to others (Rom. 15:7). Realize that everyone has an innate fear of rejection and a deep yearning for acceptance. Pray and ask God to be a channel through which He extends His grace and values others.
See the God-given worth in others (Luke 12:6-7). Ask God to help you treat every person, especially the one most problematic to you, as someone with God-given worth. And pray that the Lord will not allow you to despise anyone whom He created and loves. If you despise someone, ask God to show you why, forgive them if they have hurt or disappointed you, then ask God to give you mercy toward that person.
Praise the positives in others (Phil. 4:8). Ask God to help you see the positive and right things people are doing, and be thankful. Also, ask Him to help you see others as He sees them and value them as He values them.
Refuse to wound others with words (Col. 3:16 and Eph. 4:29). Prayerfully consider the possibility that what you are criticizing in someone may be something God wants to deal with you about. Before speaking words of criticism, ask a wise friend to evaluate the content and tone of your words. Realize that after critical words are spoken, you can never take them back. If you need to share how someone has hurt you, ask God for the right words as His instrument for good, and pray that the other person will receive what you have to say.
See the unmet needs of others (Phil. 4:19). Instead of judging the inappropriate actions of others, seek to understand the need behind each action. If someone is critical of you, realize that their words reveal that they have unmet inner needs (for love, significance, or security). Realize that people don’t always mean what they say, nor understand their own deepest needs.
Rely on God’s Word and God’s Spirit for wisdom (Heb. 4:12). Memorize James 3:13-18 about what the wisdom from above is and is not. Pray that God’s Spirit will teach you spiritual truths and lead you to speak these truths in love (1Cor. 2:13).

Conclusion:

A criticism begins as a thought, which is in your control. Ask God if it is necessary for you to address the issue; if so, ask God how you should address the issue in love. For example, our church was practicing for the Christmas program. The choir director got mean with the children’s program director. I witnessed it and knew it needed to be addressed because the other person is easily offended. I prayed about how to address the critical words spoken by the choir director and asked God to direct my words. I called her, and when I described what I witnessed, she immediately saw her sin and repented. She called the children’s program director and apologized. The next Sunday morning, she apologized to the whole church. Since that time, I have noticed that she is more careful with her words. But the damage is done.

Jesus explains in His first sermon how we are to act as His followers. Matthew 7:12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus also said in Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38) This is the great and first commandment. 39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40) On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” Let everything you do be done in love. Before you can love others well, you need to fix your love issues. See my page on resolving love issues.

Love From a Pure Heart

How to Respond to Criticism

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright-protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

The Best Way to Manage Stress

Would you agree that fear and powerlessness cause the greatest stress? For something to be stressful, it has to trigger an emotional response from the amygdala, the emotional part of your brain. When your amygdala is activated, it raises your cortisol levels, which is your stress hormone, and you have a physical reaction: either fight, flee, or freeze. The longer you remain in this stress reaction, the more adverse physical symptoms you will have. There are many articles about the effects of Cortisol and how to reduce stress, which I linked below. In this post, I want to share my experience on the best way to manage stress.

How to Overcome Stress – https://hopeforcompletehealing.com/2025/02/02/how-to-overcome-stress/

20 Ways to Relieve Stress – https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-relieve-stress

Trauma and Cortisol: Their Impact on Mental Health – https://integratingpulse.com/articles/trauma-and-cortisol-mental-health-implications/

Managing Stress With Prayer

Friday nights, I go to the County Jail to lead a Bible Study with a co-teacher, Sandy. An inmate, who never went to church or read the Bible, asked if overcoming her addiction was as simple as praying. I said, “Yes.” So I put together a Bible study on prayer —why and how it works. During the next Bible study, a stressful situation happened to one of the inmates. But before I tell you about it, I need to share some of my Bible study so you understand how I helped the woman overcome the overwhelming stress.

I knew something was wrong because she turned red, was breathing faster, and looked terrified. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, “The CO (Correction Officer) was carrying reds.” I asked her what “reds” meant. She said you are put in a red uniform when you are in lockdown, and everything is taken from you. She felt she was going to be put in reds because of a verbal altercation she had with another member of the Bible Study, who then refused to come. The fear that the red uniform was for her sent her into a panic. I was on the spot to prove that prayer works.

How Prayer Works: Outline.

What is prayer? – It is our power connection (find an electric outlet). It’s useless unless you plug into it, but it is available when you need it. Prayer is useless until you plug into God, but you must be connected to Him through believing. (1Cor. 2:5, Rom. 1:6, 1Cor. 1:18).

What is faith? – It is our connection to God as we trust Him. Faith is our power cord that connects our spirit to God, the Almighty Spirit. He is our power source that we access through faith (Heb. 11:1 & verse 6, Gal. 5:5).

What is submission? – To yield to the authority, control, and power of another, also called surrendering. Submission turns on the power and allows God’s power to work in your life. If you are prideful and want to stay in control, then your prayer does not turn the power on. Submitting to God’s will allows His power to flow in your life and make changes.

What is sin? – It is disobedience to God, and it separates us from God, so our prayers are not effective until we repent and submit to God’s will. Sin causes power outages that need to be fixed so power can flow again. Sin separates you from God (Is. 5 9:1-2 and Ps. 66:18). Repair the break through confessing and repenting (1John 1:9, Acts 3:19, 8:22).

To learn more about prayer, please see my page called “Posts about Prayer.”

Why Prayer Works: Outline

I then explained to the girls the four realities of the Spirit world to understand why prayer works. Read my post called “Four Realities of the Spirit World” for complete details.

Reality one: We are spiritual beings in a physical body living in a spirit world within a physical world. (Jm. 2:26, Lk 23:46, Acts 7:59).

Reality two: God is an eternal Spirit being, which means He has always existed. He is also an all-powerful Spirit-being that is present everywhere. (Rev. 1:8, 1Cor. 2:11, John 4:24, 2Cor 3:17).

God’s desire from the beginning of time is to be in a loving fellowship with mankind. Fellowship also means companionship, and some call it a relationship. (1Cor. 1:9, 1John 1:3, and Isaiah 41:10-13 tell us that God holds our hand through our spiritual being.

Reality three: The devil and demons are evil spirits who are fallen angels. These evil spirits want to keep us from being in fellowship with God. And they will deceive and tempt us to please our sinful, fleshly desires and live independently of God. (1Peter 5:8-9, Matt. 4:1-11). James 4:7-8; “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8) Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Reality four: God the Holy Spirit replaces our sin-corrupted spirits and gives us a new life, and we become born again spiritually (see 1Peter 1:3 & 1 Cor 6:17). We get this new life when we believe with our heart and confess out loud that Jesus Christ is God the Son, who died to pay the debt for sin, forgives our sins, and frees us from sin’s control (see John 1:29; 1John 4:15; 1Peter 1:18-19; Colossians 1:14; & Galatians 5:1).

Conclusion:

Because God is our power source, and prayer is how we access His power, this makes prayer the best way to manage our stress and also become free from addictions and habitual sin. So, when Amanda had the stress reaction, I had her practice praying and giving her fearful thoughts to God and to bring in His peace and joy, and if she were put into reds and locked down, that God had a purpose for it. Rather than letting Satan steal your peace and joy, take the fearful thoughts captive, command them to be gone, and then focus on praising God. She immediately calmed down. I told her that it is okay to be upset when something bad happens, but dwelling on it will give fear power over your emotions and behavior. Praying causes you to focus on God’s power to help you. Where you allow your mind to focus will be the direction you go. Do you want to live in fear and anxiety or in peace and joy? Prayer is the best way to manage stress.

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Ten Ways to Live in Peace to Maintain Mental Health

Are there people who make you miserable? Do you have a hard time living in peace with family members, co-workers, or even church members? Are you triggered when someone challenges you or disrespects you?

Peace is a hallmark of someone who does not let people and situations affect them emotionally. How can someone do that? I admire those who stay calm and can be rational with those who are angry and dysfunctional. I have always reacted negatively to those who were mean to me, which is human nature. I often become anxious when situations are outside my control. In this post, you will learn the ten ways to stay above chaotic people and situations that affect your mental health.

I grew up in a very angry home, where fights were the norm every day. I never had peace or joy in my life, even when I lived alone, because my mental health was affected by the chaos of my past. Then I married an abusive man, who antagonized me with constant threats and put-downs. The fights were horrendous because my old tapes replayed in my mind. I desperately wanted to feel valued and loved. Have you ever noticed that where there is love in the home, there is also peace and joy? Where there is respect, there is peace and cooperation.

First, Deal With Your Own Peace Issues.

You can’t live in peace with others if your mind and heart are filled with conflicting emotions from past trauma and painful memories. When I worked through my peace issues, I became emotionally stable. I am a completely different person today, and as I continue to work through peace issues, I can now separate myself from the emotions of another person and not let them bother me. For example, a woman who is contentious came up to me on several occasions and spoke in an unkind way. I was able to smile and listen to her and not react out of my past insecurity tapes. That is when I knew I had victory and could live in peace with anyone. The other way you know you are living in peace is if you don’t repeat the matter and gossip. Not being triggered by other people’s weaknesses is the victory we are to strive for.

Peace is as big an issue as love is to God. Matthew 5:9 states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Peacemakers are not people pleasers, but they make peace with those who are controversial. And Hebrews 12:14 states, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Striving means to work hard for. People who make an effort to live in peace with those around them are also holy. Holiness is having a pure heart and living in perfect, harmonious union with God and people. Holiness is a huge topic that I will not cover in this post. Please read my posts about why and how to purify your heart and soul. WHY HEAL YOUR HEART AND PURIFY YOUR SOUL? and Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul.

Second, Give the Circumstances to God and be Thankful.

It is hard to have peace when the world around you is falling apart, or your health is falling apart, or your family is falling apart. God wants you to cast your cares and anxieties on Him because He cares for you (1Peter 5:7). The devil is looking for a chance to steal your peace and joy, through chaos. Overcome the devil by keeping your faith and eyes on Jesus (1Peter 5:8-9). In John 16:33, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Being thankful is another way to keep peace in your heart despite your circumstances (Phil. 4:6-7 and 1Thes. 5:16-18). For example, you get a flat tire and you are late for an appointment. Before you get upset, thank God for his protection and for giving you a sound mind to know what to do. Ask God to help you and keep your mind on God’s perfect will being accomplished in the situation. It is amazing how being thankful helps you maintain a sound mind.

How to Respond to Those in Opposition.

I came across Second Timothy 2:22-26, which offers insight into how to live in peace with difficult people. In today’s politically divided world, we have ample opportunity to practice living in peace. Romans 12:18 states, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

22) So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. When we were young, we would take everything personally. If someone didn’t do what we wanted, we would get angry. If they snubbed us, we would get angry, and so on. Now we are to put away our youthful passions and childish thinking and love others (1Cor. 13:4-11). We must now pursue (strive for) righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

23) Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. We are all familiar with foolish, ignorant controversies, so I won’t describe them here. If you know an issue is controversial, do not become emotionally engaged with it. As I said earlier, when you are at peace in your own mind, then you will be at peace with others. No one ever wins a quarrel, which is why Satan baits us to quarrel with each other. The definition of quarrel is a cause of dispute, complaint, or hostile feeling (dictionary.com 2025). Quarreling destroys relationships.

24-26) And the Lord’s servant must

A. not be quarrelsome

B. (be) kind to everyone,

C. able to teach,

D. patiently enduring evil (trouble, Rom 12:12),

E. correcting his (or her) opponents with gentleness.

God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Conclusion

The ten ways to live in peace are:

Deal with your peace issues to eliminate the triggers that cause emotional upset from other people’s rude unkindness.
Pray and give all your troubles and concerns to God.
Be thankful in every circumstance, even those that are stressful.
Strive for and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.
Do not quarrel.
Show kindness.
Teach the truth.
Be patient.
Gently correct those in opposition.
Set your mind on the things of God and purify your heart.

1Thessalonians 5:23 states, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

EXCHANGE OPPRESSIVE LIES FOR FREEDOM

Do you have thoughts that come to your mind, which remind you of a painful memory, either something you did or said, or something someone else did or said to you? Embarrassing or painful memories recreate oppressive feelings of shame or guilt. You may have been humiliated or neglected, which causes you to feel and believe the lie that you are rejected and unworthy. Whether you realize it or not, painful memories affect who you really are and your destiny. They create unhealthy beliefs about yourself, others, and God that also shape your identity.

The girls in my County Jail Bible Study all have horrible trauma memories that shaped how they see themselves, the world, and God. One girl could not love herself and felt unworthy of being loved. When I asked her about her family, she recalled being left at her grandmother’s house while her parents and other siblings went on vacations or to parks. These actions by her parents reinforced that she was not wanted, and she was not worthy to be loved, but she had very good memories of her grandmother’s love. The painful memories oppressed her greatly and affected how she saw herself and others.

Another girl’s father made her do drugs at ten years old and sell them for him. One can only imagine the other trauma events in her life. Now her father has her daughter while she is in jail, and she says he is still doing drugs. She is very oppressed, knowing what her father did to her, and is now doing to her daughter. She desperately wants to be free from the oppression of being addicted to drugs and the oppression of the painful memories that torment her soul. The other girl’s trauma is too hard to write about, but it has changed her identity, which has changed her destiny. All the girls suffer from the oppression of depression. Jesus came to set them free. There is hope, and I will share it in this post.

Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” – Luke 4:18

In my previous post, I outlined the six ways to achieve victory. To become free from the oppression of painful thoughts, you first must put off pride, submit to God, claim His promises, and then resist the devil’s lies by specifically putting them out of your mind. James 4:6-8 says, “But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

To be free from the oppressive curses the devil, yourself, or others put on you, you must now put off these lies/wrong beliefs and replace them with the truth of God’s word. You can only do this if you are right with God through believing in the death, resurrection, and deity of Jesus Christ and receiving His forgiveness for your sins. If you have not done this, please do it now so you can experience freedom and victory.

Your words have the power to create new thoughts and new responses. As you read the following curses, recall the memory of when that curse was put on you. Read my online book to heal the oppressive trauma memories that control your thoughts and emotions to be totally free. If you feel you have any of these curses, pray to put them off and then put on the right belief and truth, in Jesus’ name.

“I am a victim.”
Instead, say, “I am victorious in Christ Jesus.” Put on the truth: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:37-39.

“I am worthless.”
Instead, say, “I am worthy because I can live a righteous life through Jesus, and He loves and accepts me.” Put on the truth: So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹²Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. –Romans 6:11-14.

“I am permanently damaged.”
Instead, say, “Jesus is restoring me, and I am renewing my mind.” Put on the truth: … the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. –1Peter 5:10. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. –2Corinthians 4:16. To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. –Ephesians 4:22-24.

“I am guilty and can’t forgive myself.”
Instead, say, “I am forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness.” Put on the truth: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. –1John 1:9.

“I am a rebel and want to disobey.”
Instead, say, “I am victorious over my desire to rebel because I am renewed.” Put on the truth: But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. –1Cor. 15:57-58.

“I am tempted and can’t overcome.”
Instead, say, “I submit my mind to God and do what is good and right, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13).” Put on the truth: For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he [Jesus] is able to help those who are being tempted. – Hebrews 2:18. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? –Romans 8:34-35. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. –1Corinthians 10:13.

“I am an alcoholic.”
Instead, say, “I am set free from the control alcohol has over me.” Put on the truth: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. –Galatians 5:1. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. –John 8:36.

“I am an addict.”
Instead, say, “I live for Christ Jesus by faith, not for anything else.” Put on the truth: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. –Galatians 2:20.

“I am a liar.”
Instead, say, “I have put on my new self and put away the bad habit of lying.” Put on the truth: Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. – Colossians 3:9-10.

“I am an angry person.”
Instead, say, “I can live in peace with those who disappoint me.” Put on the truth: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. – Hebrews 12:14. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. – Ephesians 4:26-27. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. – James 1:19-20.

“I am a failure.”
Instead, say, “I am not a failure because Jesus is my helper, and He helps me overcome my obstacles.” Put on the truth: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.— 1Peter 5:6-7. And “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33.

“I am afraid and anxious.”
Instead, say, “I know that God is with me and will help me and strengthen me.” Put on the truth: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew. 6:33.

“I am alone and unwanted.”
Instead, say, “I thank the Lord that I can trust his promise to never leave me.” Put on the truth: It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8.

“I am bad and unlovable.”
Instead, say, “I am righteous and loved by God.” Put on the truth: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. –John 15:9. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. –Ephesians 3:17-19. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. –2Corinthians 5:21.

“I am hopeless.”
Instead, say, “My hope is in God and I trust that He keeps His promises.” Put on the truth: For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? –1John 5:4-5. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. – Romans 8:24-25.

“I am stupid.”
Instead, say, “I have the mind of Christ, and I can make wise decisions.” Put on the truth: For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. –1 Corinthians 2:16. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. –Proverbs 2:6.

“I should not have been born. I am better off dead.”
Instead, say, “God gives my life purpose.” Put on the truth: Psalm 139:14-18 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. ¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Conclusion

You will need to heal the memory that created the curse you believe about yourself to remove the foothold for Satan to oppress you. You may have to put off the curse several times and put on the right belief and truth to permanently erase the oppressive curse and be completely free of it. Satan does not give in easily, so continue to submit your mind to God and resist the devil by applying God’s truth to your heart. God’s word promises that the devil will flee from you. You can hurry him along by commanding him to leave you alone in Jesus’ name. Sometimes we give the devil the right to oppress us because of our sin and painful memories, so those need to be removed to experience freedom from the devil’s oppressive lies. Remember to put on the armor of God every day by reading Ephesians 6:10-18.

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My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

SIX STEPS TO GO FROM VICTIMIZED TO VICTORIOUS

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow children to be hurt by wicked people? Have you ever asked those questions or wondered in your heart? I just finished reading the story about Job, who was unfairly targeted. David, Daniel, and Jesus Christ are also examples of how the devil influenced individuals to harm them. They all had to go through the bad situation, yet in the end, God blessed them for being faithful to Him.

What about the Christians killed by terrorists or a gunman? Why didn’t God protect or rescue them? These are the questions we need to grapple with, because many people do not come to faith in Jesus Christ or leave the faith due to a tragic issue that can’t be explained. Everyone has been a victim in one form or another. Satan wants everyone to doubt that God is good and that He can’t be trusted. Satan tries to warp your perception of God and make you angry at Him, just like he did with Job. Job 2:3 explains, “And the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.’”

Satan is our accuser, too. Read Ephesians 6:10-18. The Apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 6:11-12, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Not everything can be blamed on Satan; often, our sinful desires lead us into disastrous situations that cause us pain and suffering. But know that Satan also entices us based on our sinful desires. Ephesians 2:1-3 states, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

How Job Was Victorious Over the Evil Events.

Satan first got permission from God to afflict Job to make him falter in his faith (Job 1:10-12). God granted Satan his request to test Job’s faith. After Satan caused fire to destroy his crops, a windstorm to kill his children, and raiders to steal his wealth, Job still blessed the name of the Lord. Job 1:22 states, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.” Job kept a positive view after losing all his children and wealth, then Satan asked God’s permission to cause physical suffering. This was when Job got depressed and laments the day he was born and hopes for the day he dies (Job 3). His wife encouraged him to curse God, and he said to his wife, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:10). Job got depressed and laments the day he was born and hopes for the day he dies (Job 3). His three friends said he had sinned, which was why God allowed all these calamities; yet Job could not recall any time he had sinned. He questions God. Job 13:23 states, “How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.”

Job found comfort in God’s word. Job 23:10-12 states, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. 11) My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. 12) I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.” Job valued God’s words more than food. Do you desire to know God’s words and to know His promises more than you desire food? Will God find you to be pure like gold after your faith is tested? Will you commit to holding fast to God and keeping His ways during your trials?

In Job 42:4-10, Job repents of his sin for questioning God and challenging Him to answer him. Then God rebuked Job’s three friends, who had unjustly accused him of sinning and of not speaking the truth about God. Job then prayed for his three friends and forgave them so God would not deal with them according to their folly. After Job prayed for them, God restored Job’s losses and gave him twice as much as he had before.

Six steps to go from Victim to Victory

Give up your pride to be humble (James 4:6 & 10; Ps. 147:6; Prov. 11:2; and 1Peter 5:5). Humility is thinking less about yourself (not selfish or self-seeking). A prideful person does not consider what is good to God, others, or themselves. Often, when we are victimized, we become prideful; either we choose not to love to avoid being hurt again, or we have low self-esteem and desire people’s approval and do things that perpetuate our pain.
Submit yourself to God (James 4:7a). Trust that God is sovereign and all-knowing. Additionally, submission is an act of obeying God’s commands. My parents and my first husband were church-going Christians, but because they did not submit to God and obey His commands, I was a victim of their unloving, abusive behavior. When I submitted to God’s command to forgive those who hurt me and resist the devil’s enticement to hold a grudge and be bitter, I became victorious over the control of those who hurt me.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7b). Resist through prayer, praise, and holding fast to God’s truth. Most of all, obey God’s command to love Him and others, and Satan will flee. I had to resist the self-serving desire to close my heart to loving others as God loves them.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8a). Draw near with love and through prayer, trusting that He loves you. When you’re faced with a difficult problem, call out to God for help.

1Peter 5:6-9 states, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ⁸Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

Repent of your sins (James 4:8b & 1John 1:9). Sin separates you from God, and He will not hear your prayers (Is. 59:2). Review 1Corinthians 13:4-7 and Colossians 3:5-15 to see if you love others as God commands and are resisting the devil’s temptations to sin against others because of the hurtful things done to you. To overcome the trauma of the painful memories of those who sinned against you, work through my website book. When the painful memories are healed, then Satan can’t torment you through them or use them to entice you to sin.
Purify your heart so you don’t have a double mind (James 4:8, Matt. 5:8, & 1Peter 1:22). Matthew 5:8 states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” “Put off” the sins and critical, wrong beliefs about yourself, God, and others, forgive them, then “put on” how God sees you and the truth about God, yourself, and others. Being abused or victimized creates soul wounds that need to be healed to have a pure heart. Read Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul. My web-book will also help you to purify your heart and soul. Our lack of understanding of who God is creates thoughts of doubt and insecurity. We think God does not care about us, and we see ourselves as being unworthy. As children, we may have been victimized by someone who was in authority over us or who should have protected and loved us but didn’t.

Conclusion

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow children to be hurt by wicked people? Unfortunately, Satan is the ruler of this world (1John 5:19 & 2Timothy 2:26). He is determined to destroy as many people as he can and to prevent them from being followers of God. God allows him to test our faith so that we can have a pure devotion to God, as Job did. God warns the church of Smyrna in Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” We all must suffer while on this earth, but I encourage you to hold fast to your faith and devotion to God and resist Satan’s attempt to cause you to doubt God. You may feel shame from being victimized; if you do, then read Eliminate Depression with Self-love and God’s Love.

I am praying for you and ask God to bless you despite the trials you may be facing or will face. Remember, to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. –James 1:2-4.

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Continual Worship Begins Every Day.

When I read the post below, it encouraged and challenged me to adopt a practice of worshiping God alone every day. I am challenged, and I challenge you to evaluate the things you worship in your life that do not return peace, joy, or righteousness. The Bible says we are to seek after God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). And set our minds on the things above where Christ is seated in the heavenly places (Col. 3:1-3).

When we seek God, we will prosper.

2Chronicals 26:5 states, “He [King Uzziah] set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.” Note the condition for prospering—as long as he sought the Lord. Do you want to prosper? Are you willing to seek God and worship Him all day, every day? When we don’t seek God, the Scriptures say we will do evil, which none of us want to do evil and be under God’s wrath. 2Chronicals 12:14 states, “And he [King Rehoboam] did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.” Set your heart today to seek God and prosper in all you do.

God does not forsake those who seek Him.

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. –Psalm 9:10

Do you know Jesus Christ’s (our Lord’s) name? Psalm 91:14 explains, “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.” When you know the Lord’s name, you will trust Him and hold fast to him in love and worship Him. He will not forsake you, and He will rescue and protect you. He is worthy of our praise and worship.

Please read the below post, and be encouraged to start or continue a new resolution to draw near to God for the rest of your life.

BOWING/KNEELING IN PRAYER:-

Freedom from All Forms of Poverty—Post 6

Have you ever considered the access we have to God’s riches and blessings? Poverty is not only being poor materially, but it also means being deficient spiritually, emotionally, or physically. How would you describe your emotional or spiritual condition? A Bible verse that encourages me is Psalms 50:10, which states, “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” This verse reminds me that God owns everything. He is very rich. All I need to do is ask because He is my loving Father and He promises in James 1:17; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Do you have a testimony of how you trusted God to meet your needs, and that He was faithful to you?

God promises to provide for our material needs.

When I was a single mother with no money, I would claim the promise in Philippians 4:19; “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When God says, “I will”, that is a promise we can trust. Then He said, “supply every need of yours” Every means just that, material, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs. “According to his riches in glory” our Father in Heaven owns everything, and “in glory” references Heaven (Col. 3:4 and 1Tim 3:16). Heaven is made of gold, its foundation is made of gems, and each gate is made of one pearl (Rev. 21:18-21). We can’t access God’s riches in heaven except “in Christ Jesus.” Do you have Christ Jesus in your heart?

It never occurred to me to get financial assistance from the government. I automatically went to God first, and He provided for all my needs and kept me and my children safe from all harm. Instead of despairing about my situation, I trusted God. So often we forget that our heavenly Father is very rich. He said in Malachi 3:10; “to tithe…put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” As a single mother, I tithed every source of income, and yes, God blessed me immensely. I share this story in the post called Trust God to Keep His Promises.

God’s provision is not the prosperity gospel. God does not spoil us with our self-centered, vain wants. So, don’t put a picture of a beautiful car or house on your mirror and claim it, then expect God to provide it. No, God provides for our needs. But our priorities need to be in alignment with God’s priorities. Matthew 6:31-33 states, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God knows what you need. The condition is to look up and seek God’s blessings of righteousness, joy, and peace. Romans 14:17 states, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” How are you seeking God’s righteousness, peace, and joy?

God provides for our future needs. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt after being slaves for 400 years, God caused the Egyptians to favor the Israelites so they would not leave empty-handed. God told them to ask for silver and gold jewelry and clothing from the Egyptian women, and they were given all that they asked for (Exodus 3:21-22).

Personally, God provided for a future need I did not know I would need. God said I was to go to graduate school. I was not thrilled because I was working full time, so when would I have time to study? I did not know what subject I should study, and it had been 30 years since I graduated from college. I obeyed and learned later that God wanted me to learn how to write. I received a post-baccalaureate certificate in Distance Education, and it was writing intensive. When I finished, I was laid off from my job. Then God called me to write a book during my layoff. I began with one long book that I broke into the two books, which are described at the end of this post. It was five years from the time I started writing to publishing the first book. God provided for every need. Ephesians 2:10 states, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Let God lead you as He prepares you for the good work He has planned for you. It may not make sense and you may not want to obey, but trust God and obey.

God promises to provide for our spiritual needs.

Spiritual needs cover many areas, so I will provide an overview here. Ephesians 1:3 tells us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” We are already blessed because of Christ in us; and through Him, we have access to every spiritual blessing of heaven. It is hard to wrap my mind around this truth. What spiritual blessings have you received?

So many of us live in spiritual poverty because we don’t seek what is already ours. Would you rather have temporary worldly pleasure that leaves you hurt and unhappy, or do you want heavenly blessings that give you joy and peace? Proverbs 10:22 states, “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” “Every spiritual blessing” is countless, here are a few: strength (Phil. 4:13), peace, joy, hope (Rom. 15:13), grace (Eph. 2:7), salvation, forgiveness, power, love, and self-control (2 Tim. 1:7), and so on. To receive spiritual blessings, you need to seek God and draw near to Him. If you are not receiving spiritual blessings, please read Freedom in Our Spirit – Part 3.

God promises to meet our physical and emotional needs.

The very first thought that comes to my mind is how sin causes physical and emotional poverty. Psalm 38:3 states, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of your [God’s] indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.” Proverbs 3:7-8 states, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. ⁸It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Before God can meet our physical and emotional needs, we must first repent of our sins, especially of pride. For example, I was a very anxious person. The sin of anxiety affected my digestion and made me emotionally depressed. I explain how I became free in Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE. Also, read How to be Free from Sin’s Control – Post 4.

I also discovered how our emotional health affects our physical health. If you have poor emotional health through painful experiences and resentments, it will cause poor physical health. I explain why and how our emotions affect our physical bodies in 4–Transforming Heart Issues Heals You Physically.

Conclusion

Our Heavenly Father is very rich, and He wants to supply all our needs. What would happen if you went to another person instead of your parents and asked them for the things you need? They may help you, but would they provide for your every need? No. Someone, who is not your family, doesn’t have a love relationship with you. Your heavenly Father loves you and He wants you to love Him and ask Him for His help. I am not against getting assistance from our government, but they can’t provide your every need like God can. You have limited yourself to what the government thinks you should get. God will meet your needs according to His riches. Hebrews 11:6 states, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Faith unlocks God’s riches, but the condition is to draw near to Him and believe He exists, seek Him, then He will reward you.

I pray that God will bless you richly in the coming year.

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book is Unlocking God’s Promises, which explains 18 categories of promises that are relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Freedom from Negative Influence—Post 5

Do you realize how much negative influence is in your life? Negative influence has a different connotation for each of us. From a Christian perspective, a negative influence can be a spoken word or picture that entices you to do evil and sin in thought, word, or deed. You may work or live with someone or be friends with someone who is a negative influence. What are your options?

While watching TV or a Movie, are you aware of the negative influence of what you are watching? Words and images have power over your mind, and the greater the emotion, the deeper they imprint your memories, which continue to influence you negatively. For example, I watched a movie about girls being abducted and sold as sex slaves. Those negative images were imprinted as memories that were so clear that they caused me to be fearful. Likewise, immoral and traumatic scenes will affect you for years. How are you freed from these negative images and their influence on your mind and spirit?

The ultimate negative influence on your mind and spirit.

Satan does not want us to be free in our thoughts or spirit. He wants to keep us in bondage to our sinful flesh. Rate how aware from 1 (least) to 10 (most) you are of Satan’s negative influence in your life. Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, we have the authority over the devil. Jesus said in Luke 10:18-19, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions [demons], and over all the power of the enemy [Satan], and nothing shall hurt you.” The only time the enemy hurts us is when we allow him to. From this time forward, stop all sources of negative influence in your life so you can live free in your thoughts and spirit. King David made this vow in Psalms 101:3a; “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.”

Becoming free from the negative influence of trauma memories.

How to become free from the negative images in your memories controlling your thoughts and spirit. Our negative memories will make us a negative influence on the people around us. Jesus gave us the authority to take every negative, evil thought and evil spirit captive in Jesus’ name and command them to be gone. I did this with the crippling fear of being abducted from the images of that movie. I commanded the wrong thoughts and negative influences of that movie and all demonic spirit attachments to those images to be gone in Jesus’ name. Then, I transformed the unhealthy belief with the truth that God holds my hand, is with me as a shield, and will protect me from all evil. To learn more, please read my transformation story on my website, hopeforcompletehealing.com.

Beware of False Teachers Who Want to Steal Your Freedom

The devil wants to keep us in bondage to sin and resentment, so beware of people who do not follow the path of love and holiness. Galatians 2:4 states, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus so that they might bring us into slavery.” Not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is truly born again and renewed. Many Christians are a negative influence through gossip, being judgmental, legalism, and complaining. John 13:35 explains what an authentic Christian is, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.” An authentic Christian will show love (kindness, patience, humility, goodness, and so on) and will not enslave you in sinful behavior.

Fake “Christian” leaders continue to allow demonic spirits to control their lives. In 2 Peter 2:19, it says, “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” Corruption is having a moral perversion or decadence. Pornography is a moral decadence that leads to sexual bondage. For example, do you remember how Jimmy Swagart would preach against sexual sin and cry like a baby? I knew he struggled with sexual sin. Then he was caught with a prostitute twice, that I know of. This corruption in his life destroyed his ministry. Too many pastors and priests have sexually molested children. This is a corruption that leads people into a bondage of resentment and pain.

The Apostle Paul teaches Timothy what to do with people in your family or church who are a negative influence. In 2 Timothy 2:24-26 he states, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” This is a hard passage to comprehend because no one wants to think they are being held captive by the devil to do his will. Another phrase I don’t like is “patiently enduring evil,” no one wants to endure evil. Evil is a sinful, harmful action that causes pain.

For example, I was held captive by the devil to do his will because of the resentment in my heart toward those who did evil to me. Resentment is the feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act, remark, person, etc., regarded as causing injury or insult. (Dictionary.com, 2023). As I forgave those who hurt me, which is ongoing because we are exposed to hurtful people, I became free from the devil’s control. In the meantime, I acted out in anger at anyone who triggered those unforgiven resentments, and I became hurtful. My husband and children had to endure the evil I was subjecting them to. Our teenagers subject us to evil words and actions that we need to patiently endure and lovingly discipline. As a servant of the Lord, we need to be kind and gently speak the truth to hurtful people or messy Christians. It is easy to quarrel when we feel hurt or offended. Romans 14:1 explains, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” 2Timothy 2:14 states, “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.”

Conclusion

Negative influences can come from many sources, from what you watch on TV or the internet or social media to what you read, and the people around you. Negative influence can come from the church as well. Are you a negative influence in people’s lives because of your negative experiences? We can easily control the negative influence that we watch or read, but we can’t always control the negative influence from the people we live and work with. Many times, you have no control over the negative people in your life. To be free from the influence of negative people is to kindly and gently set boundaries and speak truth into their lives. If setting boundaries does not work then you may have to patiently endure it, hold your boundaries, and pray for them. Remember, you are the light of Jesus to the world around you. Philippians 2:14-15 tells us, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Let the love of Jesus show to the difficult, negative people in your life.

If you have any other ideas, please leave a comment, I would love to know them.

FREEDOM POSTS

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All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

Check out my latest book Breaking Mental Strongholds, which you can order on Amazon. To learn more about it, read my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How to be Free from Sin’s Control – Post 4

Do you think you know the permanent solution to the most common problem we all have? When I ask inmates about sin and forgiveness, most do not know what sin or forgiveness is. I explain sin as anything we think, say, or do that breaks God’s heart (Good News Club definition). Some think God is disappointed with them when they sin. He is not disappointed. His heart is broken because He created us to be one with Him, but our sin separates us from Him. We sin when we disobey God’s royal law to love Him and others. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” And Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If no one is good and we all sin, then how can we be liberated (Luke 4:18)?

Even though I was a Christian for many years, went to church, and read my Bible, I continued to be controlled by the sin of anger, worry, and a need to control. I read many self-help books, sought counseling, memorized scripture, rebuked demons, and went to the altar all the time. If you read my book on my website, you learn how God healed my painful memories, so my past no longer controlled my soul, which is my will, emotions, and thoughts that influence sinful actions. I briefly summarized how to free in your thoughts in Post 2. In the last post, I explained how to free your spirit and the role of your spirit to the Spirit of God. I realized lasting liberation from habitual sin is submitting my spirit to God’s control and keeping my mind on His truths.

How do we submit our spirits to God?

Remind yourself every day about the truth in Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Our lives are hidden with Christ in heaven, so our minds should be focused on what Jesus thinks. For example, when I become irritated with my husband, I have made it a habit of being thankful and thinking of things that are praiseworthy (Phil. 4:6-8). If I did not set my mind on this truth, then my negative thoughts would control my emotions, which would lead to unkind words and an avoidable fight. Another truth I set my mind on is serving others as Jesus did, not expecting to be served (Matt. 20:28). And, Galatians 5:13 states, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“

I also remind myself of 2 Corinthians 5:10; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” The Apostle Paul said that we should “make it our aim to please him [God] (2Cor 5:9b).” If we are pleasing God by doing His will, loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving others, then sin will not control our soul (mind, will, and emotions). When we do sin, since none is good, we must confess our sins daily. In 1 John 1:9 it explains, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Verse 24 of Romans 3 gives us hope, “And [we] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment for our sins, which would be like you taking your children’s punishment for their wrongdoing. When we are justified, it means our sin is removed and God redeemed (restored, saved) us and made us new (2 Cor. 5:17).

Who helps us and gives us hope?

Because of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we are forgiven and reconciled back to God (2 Cor. 5:20). Remember, sin separates us from God. Colossians 1:21-22 states, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him [God].” We need to see ourselves as holy and blameless, free from our sinful nature, and one with Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:6-7 states, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin.” As I work with inmates, they struggle with this verse, and they don’t see themselves as free so they remain in bondage to old patterns of behavior. I understand that painful memories control our thoughts and emotions, which is why I wrote the book on this website. Trauma needs to be healed but when they are healed you must look in the mirror and say, I am no longer controlled by (whatever), I live my life through Christ and His strength (Phil. 4:13).

And Galatians 2:20 states, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Every day, tell yourself that Christ lives in and through you and Christ is perfect. Tell your mind, will, and emotions that you are controlled by Christ’s love (2Cor. 5:14).

It is hard to crucify (put to death) our fleshly desires, but giving in to our flesh will lead to death. Setting our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace (Rom. 8:6). So, do you want death or life, misery or peace? When you submit to God and obey Him, you will experience liberation from the control of sin in your life.

What is the source of our sinful nature?

So much can be said about the source of our sinful nature. One source is recorded in James 1:14-15, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” Temptation is not a sin. When you are tempted, take the thought captive and command it to be gone, and then replace it with God’s truth (2Cor. 10:3-5).

When I am tempted to sin and say something unkind and snide, it comes out of my self-centered pride because I had unmet expectations or desires (Ps. 59:12). Another source is being directly tempted by the devil just as he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, then Jesus in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:26; “And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” The only way to become free from the devil’s captivity is to submit to God. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Conclusion

Sin breaks God’s heart because He loves us and wants us to obey Him because we love Him. Just as a parent loves their children and wants their children to obey them because they love the parent. So, out of love, Christ reconciled us to God through His blood on the cross so that we can be friends with Him and have our sins forgiven and made holy and blameless.

When we submit our lives to Jesus Christ and desire to please God through obedience, we will be free from the penalty of death brought by sin. Submitting our lives to God is setting our minds on the things that please God. So, read your Bible every day and do what it says. If you are not excited about these truths, please ask God to examine your heart to show you why. So many people don’t see their sin because they don’t read their Bibles, or they justify their actions because of their pride.

Which sin camp are you in?

Are you excited to be free from sin’s control?
Don’t know what sin is? Read Galatians 5:16-25.
Justify your actions as righteous and don’t acknowledge your sin? Read Jeremiah 17:9-10.

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Freedom in Our Spirit – Part 3

How can we experience peace and joy when our world is falling apart? How does our spirit help us love someone who mistreats us? It is so easy to focus on our problems and how people are mistreating us. So, how does our spirit show the evidence that we are free from worry and resentment? In Part 2, we learned how our thoughts from painful memories prevent us from purely loving others. In Part 1, we discovered how Jesus Christ came in the flesh to set us free from the two kinds of bondages revealed in the introduction post.

How Does Our Spirit, Soul, and Body Interact?

We are spirit beings constrained by our physical bodies and controlled by our souls. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This verse verifies we have three parts that God sanctifies (set apart as holy). No one is sure what the soul is exactly, but the consensus is that it is a combination of the mind, emotions, and will. Some say it is our conscience. Our sinful desires are generated from our souls when our minds and will are set on worldly desires. And worldly desires keep us in bondage to the evils of the world. To learn more read: Four Realities of the Spirit World.

Difference between the Flesh and Spirit?

Take a moment and analyze the focus of your mind, will, and emotions (our soul). Romans 8:5-8 describes the differences and consequences of where we set our minds. Romans 8:5 states, “For those who live according to the flesh [self-centered, carnal, sensual] set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” Our bodies are made of flesh, and we naturally seek to please our flesh and sexual desires. We set our minds on the Spirit by seeking to please God (Col. 3:1-3). Romans 8:6-8 asserts, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death [spiritual, relational], but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Have you noticed that people who seek to please their flesh are self-centered and do not love God or others? God wants us to love Him and love others, which we learned is all the law (Rom. 13:8,10; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8).

Role of Our Spirit

So, what is the role of our spirits? Since God is an almighty Spirit, and we are made in the image of God, therefore, He put His spirit in us (John 4:24; Rom. 8:11; Gen. 1:26). Genesis 6:3 states, Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” And Proverbs 20:27 states, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.” When our bodies die, our spirits will either go to heaven or hell, depending on whether we turned our spirits for or against God (Job 15:13).

We experience freedom when our spirit is one with God. 1 Corinthians 6:17 states, “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” And “where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17). We become one spirit with God when we believe and confess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord of our lives. That He died to take our punishment for our sins, was buried and on the third day was raised up (Rom. 10:9-10; Col. 2:14). Romans 8:9 states, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”

Conclusion

Freedom not doing whatever your heart desires to please your flesh. We have freedom when we have peace and joy amid hardship and difficult people. Freedom is expressed through our spirits when we set our minds on the love of God. What do you set your mind on? Do you think about the troubles going on in the world or in your life? Do you think about all the injustices in your life? Do you think about watching the next ball game? What do you set your mind on? We live in the world, but we are not to be of the world (John 17:16). 1 John 2:15 states, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

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