Destiny – Hope for Complete Healing

Abolish New Year’s Resolutions

Every year we resolve to change our eating style, exercise more, lose weight, get in shape, declutter the house, etc. and every year we last maybe a month or two at the most. There will be advise on how to be intentional and set goals and anything in between. There is nothing wrong with New Year’s resolutions except we don’t have the strength nor the will to see them through. I found I need God’s help to accomplish my goals.

Instead of resolutions, I can’t resolve to keep, I pick a Bible passage with a spiritual principle I want my life to reflect. Then I pray for that principle in to my life each day or at least once a week. My co-worker chooses a word to focus on like, “endure” or “revive,” etc. Dayle’s blog, called One Word, explains this well.

This past year, I picked 2 Corinthians 5:14a,15b, which states, “For the love of Christ controls us, … those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” I chose this passage because I struggle with loving people enough to sacrifice my desires and give preference to their desires. So, I prayed I will be controlled by the love of Christ and not to live for myself but for Jesus. So, throughout the year, I prayed to be controlled by the love of Jesus. Then, I imagined being controlled by His love and what Jesus would do. Christ’s love reached out to the lost, and He had compassion for people.

So, how did I do this past year with this prayer? I could have done better. When I prayed this scripture into my life, God led me to repent of my pride and of self-centered living so His love could control me. Then, God led me to repent of self-control issues so His love can control my reactions. You can read my transformation testimonies throughout this year in the following posts.

Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without

The Core Negative Heart Issue

Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE (anxiety disorder is gone, YEA!)

Relationship and World Changing Kindness

A POWERFUL MOOD CHANGER

Self-control and Maturity

The Link Between Disappointment, Resentment, and Self-control

I will continue to practice being controlled by the love of Christ and the previous year’s verses to rejoice always, pray continually, and be thankful in everything (1Theselonians 5:16-18). In the coming year, I want to pray for God to help me memorize scripture. So, I will focus on praying Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart, so that I might not sin against You.” Knowing God’s Word is vital to fight against the unseen evil forces of the world. I will hopefully write about the many battles we fight each day and the scriptures we can use to be victorious. Plus, as I memorize scripture, I am developing right thinking which then creates healthy beliefs and behavior. According to Joshua 1:8, when I meditate on Scripture then I will be prosperous and I will have good success. Joshua 1:8 states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

There is hope for complete healing and transforming negative heart issues. May God bless you richly in the coming year as you abide with Him and meditate on His Word.

Know Your Purpose?

My son asked me what his purpose was. Have you figured out the purpose for your existence? I wondered what my purpose was for many years, but then I saw my purpose every day in how I treated other people. Websters dictionary defines purpose as to aim, intend, or resolve to do something good or something toward achieving a goal. But, did you ever think your purpose is to intentionally show love, be kind, be patient and gentle when annoyed, spread joy, ease a burden for someone, live in peace with others, be faithful to your family and employer, be trustworthy and not lie, and lastly to be self-controlled and not indulge your unhealthy feelings or desires. The following verses are well known to many concerning God’s purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare (peace) and not for evil (calamity or harm), to give you a future and a hope.” (ESV) Welfare is the state of being or doing well; condition of health, happiness, and prosperity; well-being. God wants to give you a future and a hope. This verse was a prophesy Jeremiah told the Israelites who were taken as captives into Babylon. If you are experiencing calamity or harm in your life and not welfare, please read EVIL—What is it and what is the remedy?

Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Are you willing to hope in the good purpose God has for you though you may have to go through hard times?

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.” You may not understand what the good works are you are to do, but stay in prayer and submitted to God to continue to work in your life to fulfill your purpose. To understand more, read Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE

Being patient when God’s purpose for you is difficult. God wonderfully uses people to fulfill His plan to change history. The purpose of God for each of us will have significance, no matter how insignificant we may think it is. Working in the nursery at church has a significant impact for the kingdom of God as you show God’s love to the little ones. I hope the following summaries will help you see that God’s purposes are different for each person. Note how hardships prepared each person for their purpose. We only need to obey, be faithful, and trust Him even when we don’t see the whole picture or results.

Adam’s and Eve’s purpose was to rule all the created creatures, birds, fish, and all the earth. They were to be fruitful and multiply and to obey God. So, when they disobeyed, then sin and its consequences entered the world which still affects us today. See Genesis, Chapters 1-4. Your purpose is the same. We should all do our part in caring for the earth God created.

Noah’s purpose was to build an ark which took over100 years to build. He obeyed God even though he did not understand what a flood or rain was. Everyone ridiculed him the entire time he was building the ark , but he steadfastly obeyed God’s purpose for his life. See Genesis, chapters 5-11. You may have to go through ridicule when those around you do not understand why God wants you to undertake a huge task. Don’t waver, just obey. For example, God asked me to write this study. I am not a writer and I did not know what to write, but I obeyed, though I didn’t understand why He asked me. He knows something I don’t know.

Abraham’s purpose was to be the father of the Jewish nation, yet he had no children until he was 100 years old, when he had Isaac. God told Abraham to leave his family and go to a foreign land and settle there. He obeyed God and remained faithful, and God blessed him wherever he went. Because of his faith, he was known as the friend of God. See Genesis, chapters 12-23. You may not understand why God asked you to do something, just believe and obey, because He wants to bless you.

Joseph’s purpose was to be the ruler of Egypt and save his family (the beginning of the Jewish nation) from starvation. Before he could fulfill God’s purpose, he became a slave in Egypt and unjustly put in prison for three years. After that, he was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and God inspired Pharaoh to make Joseph second in command of Egypt. Joseph did not know what his purpose was until he saw his brothers many years later, but he remained faithful to God. See Genesis, chapters 37-47. Going through hardships is not fun but keep your eyes on Jesus and you will see later how your hardships were used to fulfill your purpose. To learn more read Example of Suffering Well and God’s Response: Part 2 of Suffering Well

Moses’s purpose was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, where they were being oppressed and made slaves. God arranged for Moses to grow up in Pharaoh’s house until he fled into the wilderness when he killed an Egyptian for hurting a fellow Hebrew. After spending 40 years herding sheep in the wilderness and at 80 years old, God spoke to Moses from a burning bush to tell him to go back to Egypt and lead the people out. Moses obeyed but asked God for help because he did not speak well, so God arranged for his brother Aaron to meet him. See Exodus, chapters 1-4. As God had to humble Moses, you may need to be humbled before God can use you for His purpose.

David was anointed king around 15 years old. He knew his purpose, but it was another 15 years until he became King. Much of the 15 years he waited, he spent wandering the wilderness and living in caves while fleeing from King Saul, who was trying to kill him. But David remained faithful to God and is known for having a heart after God. See 1Samuel, chapters 19-22. He also wrote many of the Psalms, which reflected his feelings during the 15-year waiting period. God may have you waiting. Trust He has a purpose for the waiting period which may be full of trials and difficulties. Keep trusting God.

Daniel’s purpose was to be a ruler in Babylon then Persia and to pray for Israel. He was taken as a captive to Babylon at 16 years old and indoctrinated into the Babylonian culture. Daniel remained faithful to God and continued to trust Him. God put into his heart the desire to pray three times a day for Israel, and he was faithful to this purpose even knowing he would be thrown into the lion’s den. But God sent an angel to shut the hungry lion’s mouths. See Daniel, chapters 1-6. Though you may not face being thrown to the lions, keep your eyes on Jesus through prayer and do not despair, no matter what situation you find yourself in.

Esther was a Babylonian Jewish captive whose purpose was to save the Jewish nation from annihilation. The Persian King wanted another Queen after beheading the previous queen. So, there was a beauty contest, and Esther won. She was queen for many years before she became aware of the plan to kill the Jewish captives. It took courage for her to approach the King to save herself and her people. At that moment she fulfilled God’s purpose for her life.

There are many other Old Testament examples. Here are two New Testament examples:

Jesus’s purpose was to redeem us from our sinful nature and eternal death, by offering Himself as a perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty and debt for our sin. He was 33 years old when he fulfilled his purpose. John 12:27 states, “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose, I came to this hour.” Ephesians 1:7-9 states, “In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace, 8) which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight, 9) He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” God’s main purpose for mankind is to be in a right relationship with Him through believing and receiving the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal life in Heaven.

Saul, who was killing and imprisoning Christians, became Paul, whose purpose was to spread Christianity to the Gentiles. God struck him down and blinded him for three days, then he received the call of God on his life. For the next three years he lived in the wilderness, being taught by God. When Paul obeyed and remained faithful, God could use him for His purpose. He spent most of his ministry in prison because of a wrongful accusation, where he wrote most of the New Testament, which was God’s purpose for him. Acts 26:16 explains Paul’s conversion. “Get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I [Jesus] have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;” In Acts 20:27, Paul wrote, “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” According to this verse, the Bible defines our purpose; therefore, we must study the God’s Word to know His purpose for us.

In the examples above, they all had to go through some suffering and wilderness experiences to prepare them for their purpose. Remember, hardships strengthen your faith and increases your perseverance. Some people may never know their purpose because their purpose was fulfilled as they lived out their lives. And, some people will only know their purpose at the moment God calls, and they obey.

I always struggled to know my purpose. God showed me in the Bible that my purpose was to live my life for Him and do what He has given me to do at that moment. I want to encourage every parent to embrace the purpose to raise God-fearing children who know and obey God’s Word. Do not swerve from that significant purpose. The devil will try to distract you through worldly activities and idolatry

Reflections and Application:

What does it look like to surrender to God’s sovereignty and purpose?

How do you know what the good purpose is for your life?

Related Posts:

Being Thankful During Hardships

Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE

Psalm 91 Posts

If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight 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. Please leave your name so I know you are a real person making the request.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Relationship and World Changing Kindness

What ever happened to kindness? Most of my hurts and painful memories come from unkindness, beginning with my childhood to the present. I would venture to guess that everyone has painful memories from unkind people. These painful memories affect our thinking and beliefs, and they prevent us from being kind. We know being patient is hard, but have you considered your struggle to be kind?

For instance, I was not being kind to my husband, though he was being patient with me. Later, he said, if I treated my friends like I treat him, I would have no friends. OUCH! The next day, my husband asked if I was mad at him. I said, “I don’t think so.” So, I went to God and asked Him to show me why I was disrespecting my husband. The next day, as I was memorizing Ephesians 2:1-7, I read verse seven, “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” God quickened my mind when I read “grace in kindness.” And He revealed I was angry at my husband for what I perceived as his unkindness towards me. I had repressed my offense and was being unkind in return.

I began to think deeply about grace and kindness. What does kindness look like in action? God brought me back to the phrase, “grace in kindness.” Grace is getting what we don’t deserve and is demonstrated by God’s kindness towards us. Grace involves forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7,8 states, “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” I asked God to give me insight whether I was holding a grudge? I know when we hold onto an offense, we can’t show grace to the person who offended us. Do you agree?

If God is willing to forgive our sins, then we can forgive the sins of others (see Matthew 6:12). Please note, God’s grace is immeasurable which He lavishes on us richly. This is hard to comprehend. How much better the world will be if we each lavished grace and forgiveness on those who don’t deserve it? If we can comprehend the immeasurable grace God has for us, how grateful we will be. Trying to wrap my mind around this kind of grace has made me realize how ungrateful I am.

For example, in Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells a parable of a man who was beaten and robbed, then left naked on the road. Three men came upon the naked man, the two religious leaders walk by and the third man, a Samaritan, who is despised by the Jews, showed mercy and compassion and help the man. Jesus asked, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Luke 10:36). The good Samaritan was not selfish with his time and money. He went out of his way to take the man to an Inn, and then paid for the man’s stay and care. It is hard to be kind and show mercy to those who are not kind to us, but that is the love God wants us to show to the world. Remember, love is patient and kind… (1 Corinthians 13:4a).

1 John 3:17-18 also says, ^“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. Love focuses on the needs of others. But if our thoughts are only about meeting our own needs and expectations, then we will not be patient or kind, and we will not love others well. To love well and show kindness we must transform our self-centered thoughts and beliefs to reflect God’s immeasurable grace.

Yes, I was not kind to my husband because I became offended when my demands were not met. My thoughts of being offended created a false belief my husband did not love me, and I can’t depend on him. My false beliefs caused me to feel disrespected and disrespectful. My unkindness to my husband was the result of my wrong thoughts and false beliefs. To learn more read #1 Destroyer of All Relationships and the Solution.

The wrong thinking that my husband should serve me was transformed by a blog I read by healingmission, The Christian Healing Mission Daily Blog. The author encouraged her readers to serve as Jesus served. This truth is found in Matthew 20:28, which states, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” I was convicted of my sinful desire to be treated like a Queen and to be served. I expected my husband to be my servant, for which he was not a willing participant. Satan wants us to live self-centered and selfish lives to keep us in bondage to misery. Jesus wants us to follow His example and serve others in love.

I took out my “Hope for Complete Healing” booklet and looked up “Kindness Issues.” Using the list of offenses in the “Kindness Issues” worksheet, I prayed and asked God to show me why I was offended. He showed me I felt rejected when my husband didn’t do what I expected him to do. And, I was offended by how rough he spoke to me. I then went through the “Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul.

Next, I prayed and bound to my heart and mind the positive attributes of kindness and the transformation truths found on the worksheet. God then showed me I had painful memories of my mother speaking roughly to me, which triggered my response to my husband’s roughness. I went through the five steps of healing again to transform that painful memory.

I remind myself, I can only ask God to change my heart and correct my thoughts. And, I cannot expect God to change my husband because he has a will to choose how he behaves. Read the following post to know what is and is not our Authority in Prayer, Four Reasons Why We Have Authority in Prayer.

If you find you identify with my struggle to love well, then please go to God and receive healing and His immeasurable grace and forgiveness. Begin reading my short booklet today for guidance. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

There is hope for complete healing as we receive God’s grace and forgiveness, then show grace in kindness.

If you want a paper copy of the booklet on my website, contact me by email. I can mail a copy of my booklet for a small donation to cover the cost of printing and mailing.

Related Posts:

Love From a Pure Heart

WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE

The Core Negative Heart Issue

POSTS Related to Relationships

POSTS on Thoughts

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Victorious Thinking to Live a Successful Life

The girls in my county jail Bible study struggle to live successful lives. Most of their problems and troubles result from their wrong thoughts. The progression of thoughts to results is as follows. What we think affects our emotions. Our emotions control our behavior. And, our behavior directs the events of our lives.

For example, destructive thoughts come from thinking of things that offend you, which causes you to be angry, fearful, or sad. When you are fearful, angry, or sad, you will act out these emotions in aggressive or passive-aggressive ways. Passive-aggressive behavior varies but can be silence, avoidance, harming yourself by cutting, using drugs, turning to alcohol, etc. When you act on your negative emotions, then there will be strife in yourself and with others. Strife destroys relationships in partnerships, jobs, churches, etc., which will negatively affect your life and the lives of your family. Review my post on the one thing that destroys relationships.

To be healthy emotionally; think positive and thankful thoughts. When you think positive thoughts, then you will act or behave with kindness and grace. Showing gratitude and grace will strengthen your relationships. Showing grace is saying a kind word or forgiving someone when they may not deserve it. See my post on A POWERFUL MOOD CHANGER; Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without.

The first step to victorious, successful living is to be spiritually healed. Spiritual healing begins by confessing we are sinners in need of a savior. Then believing Jesus Christ is God the Son, who died and rose again, forgives our sins, and frees us from sins control (See Jn 1:29; 1 Jn 4:15; 1 Pet 1:18-19; Col 1:14; & Gal 5:1). When we confess this with our mouth and believe it with our heart, then God the Holy Spirit and His love, life, and light enter our hearts (See Gal 4:6 & 1 Cor 6:17). If you have not made this confession, then do it now to experience spiritual healing (See Rom 10:9-13 & Eph 2:1-10). Next, practice the following actions to live a victorious and successful life.

1) Live through Christ Jesus: See 1 John 4:9-12, 17; 2 Cor 13:4; Gal 2:20. Live through Christ by doing the following actions.

Keep your mind on Him and transform your thinking: See Col 3:1-4; Is 26:3; James 1:21; Rom 12:2; Phil 4:8
Seek His help when you struggle with temptations and wrong thinking: See Heb 2:17-18; 4:15-16; 1 Cor 10:13
Abide (stay; dwell) with Him, and His words abide in you: See Jn 15:1-8; 1 John 2:24; Jam 1:21-25; 4:6-8; Matt 7:24-26
Forgive as He forgave (key to successful relationships): See Matt 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Col 3:13; Mark 11:25
Be humble as He is: See Phil. 2:3-11; Matthew 11:29; 1 Peter 5:5
Love as He Loved: See John 15:9-14; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; 16:14

2) Rely on the Holy Spirit as your Helper: See John 14:26 and John 15:26. To renew us See Titus 3:3-7 & 1 Cor 6:11. To put off your old life and put on a new life: See Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:5-15; 2 Cor 5:17

3) Die to sin and be free from its control, then do what is right by setting your mind on the things of the Spirit: See 1 Peter 2:24; Rom 6:10-14; 8:4-11; 1 John 1:7; 3:5-8, 14; Col 3:5-17, Eph 4:17-32; 5:8; 1 John 1:9; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:11; James 1:21; Gal 5:22-25. Deny your fleshly desires (sin/evil) and avoid the consequences: See James 1:13-15; Gal 5:16-21; 6:7-8; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Rom 8:7-8, 13-14; Mark 7:20-23; Rev 21:8

4) Pray continually: See Phil 4:6-7; Rom 12:12; 1 Thes 5:17–Turn every wrong, sinful thought into a prayer of repentance and renewal immediately. The longer you think wrong thoughts the further down the wrong path you will go (1 John 1:9; 3:21-24).

5) Submit to God and stand firm against the enemy of your mind and faith: See James 4:7,8; Gal 5:1; Eph 6:10-17; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Heb 11:1, 6; 12:1-3; 1 John 5:4-5

6) Persevere through trials; trusting God is at work, and put your hope in Him: See John 16:33; 1 Peter 1:6-9; 4:12-14, 19; Matt 6:33-34; 8:28; James 1:2-4, 12; 5:11; Heb 10:36-39; 12:5-7; Rom 5:2-4; 8:18; Lam 3:21-25; Is 30:18; Ps 62:5-8; 147:11; Luke 6:22; 2 Cor 4:17-18; 12:10

7) Do the will of God, found in the Word of God: See James 1:21-25; 1 Peter 4:2; Matt 3:35; Rom 12:2; 1 Thes 4:3; 5:12-18; 1 Pet 2:15; 1 John 2:17; 5:14-15

8) Each day, put on the armor of God:

Believe the truth of God’s Word (your spiritual belt). See John 8:32; 14:6; and 17:17.
Be righteous through Christ (your spiritual breastplate). See Romans 8:7-10; 10:3; Philippians 1:11; and 3:9.
Spread peace and share the Gospel message (your spiritual shoes). See Mark 8:35; Acts 10:36; Romans 1:16; and 5:1.
By faith, trust God to deliver you from all your troubles (your spiritual shield). See Psalm 91.
Know your salvation is sure and renew your mind (your spiritual helmet). See Acts 4:12; Ephesians 4:17-24; Philippians 2:12; 1Thesolonians 5:9; and Hebrews 5:9.
Study and memorize God’s Word and rely on the Holy Spirit to lead you (your spiritual sword). See John 14:26; Hebrews 4:12.

There is hope for complete healing only in Jesus Christ and living a victorious life through Him.

If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Be Blessed or Be Cursed

How can we be a blessing to someone or be a curse to someone? Do our words encourage or discourage? Do you want to be blessed by God or be cursed by God?

Being blessed is being encouraged and made joyful with good things. We are blessed when someone is kind to us or is patient and gives us grace when we screw up. The Bible says we are blessed when we remain in the presence of God (see John 15). We are also blessed when we trust and obey God. We will be blessed even in our trials and distresses, because He is with us. The word blessed occurs 306 times in the English Standard Version (ESV).

To be cursed is to be made miserable and destitute because of our own sin or the sin of other people. So, what is sin? The short answer, sin is disobedience to the truth and commands in the Bible (i.e., love others, be kind, patient, etc.). We are also cursed when we do not trust and obey God and when we turn our hearts away from Him. The word cursed occurs 74 times in the ESV. Our words are the most common way we curse God and each other. Read my post called: WORDS HAVE POWER—Part I: Overcoming The Destruction of Offensive Words

Meditate on and journal your answers for the following Scripture:

Jeremiah 17:5-8 states, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6) He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.’ 7) ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. 8) He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.‘”

?? How are we cursed when we trust in man and find strength in our flesh (verse 5)?

?? What happens when we turn our hearts away from the LORD (verse 6)? Does your life feel like this?

?? What happens when we trust the LORD (verse 8)? In what areas of your life can you trust God more?

Deuteronomy 28 also defines how we will be blessed or cursed if we choose to obey or not.

All these BLESSINGS will come upon you and accompany you
If you OBEY the LORD your God:

1. Your children will be blessed.
2. Your land and livestock will be productive (e.g., your life work will be successful.)
3. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed (e.g., you’ll have plenty to eat.)
4. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
5. Your enemies will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
6. The LORD will send a blessing on your barns (wealth) and on everything you put your hand to.
7. The LORD will establish you as his holy people…
8. The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity…
9. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.
10. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail IF you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God… you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Also, read the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and Luke chapter 6 to learn more on how to be blessed.

However, IF you do NOT obey the LORD your God…
ALL these CURSES will come upon you and overtake you.

1. Wherever you go, you will be cursed.
2. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed (e.g., you will not have enough to eat.)
3. Your children will be cursed.
4. Your land and livestock will be cursed (e.g., your life work will fail.)
5. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
6. The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. (2 Chronicles 12:14 states, “He did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.”)
7. The LORD will plague you with diseases… with a wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew…
8. The LORD will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder…
9. The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies…
10. The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.
11. The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind.
12. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do…

There are 17 more curses listed in this passage. Would you not agree that it is better to obey God than disobey? To know more about what evil is, please read the following post: EVIL—What is it and what is the remedy?

?? How do the verses in Jeremiah compare with these verses in Deuteronomy?

?? Are you experiencing any of the above curses? If you are, then seek God to show you the sin of disobedience that is blocking God’s blessings.

?? What changes do you need to make to be blessed?

To learn how you can live a blessed life read: Living a Victorious Life

Another type of curse that causes misery are word curses put on us by family members, teachers, and those who hate us. We also put word curses on ourselves. I became free from many curses, and I encourage you to read my short book on my website to know what word curses are and how you can become free too. Many times, we bring curses on ourselves when we do not trust and obey God. If you struggle to trust God, you may have false beliefs that prevent you from trusting God. I encourage you to read my short book to be free from these unhealthy beliefs. Go to Hopeforcompletehealing.com

?? Do you want to be blessed or cursed?

?? What do you need to do to be blessed?

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Sick and Tired? Change Your Destiny! Be Free From the Infirmity Stronghold

Changing your destiny is as simple as changing your thinking. For example, were you ever told that your illness is all in your head? Many illnesses can be healed by changing our thinking. Let me explain. When someone suffers from illnesses, they are said to be infirm. Infirmity is defined as weakness and frailness in our minds and bodies. Have you heard of infirmaries, also called hospitals and medical facilities for those who are sick. When infirmity is chronic, then it is most likely a stronghold that we develop when we are told we are weak and prone to sicknesses and then we believe this, and it becomes a reality, our destiny.

Some people have the subconscious wrong belief that being sick gets them the attention they so desperately want, which was the case with several people I knew. One person recognized it after reading my book called Hope for Complete Healing. The infirmity stronghold also protects the wrong thinking that you have weak genes; therefore, you may say, “I am going to get cancer because my grandmother had cancer,” or “I am going to get diabetes because my uncle has it,” or whatever. For example, my family’s generational history is plagued with mental illnesses, cancer, obesity, and joint problems. Should I then believe that I too will have these same problems? 2Timothy 1:7 states, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power, love, and self-control [sound mind].” We have the spirit of power, which is a truth we need to apply to the unhealthy beliefs that leave us powerless to control our destiny.

The following explanation of mental strongholds is a reminder for those who are just learning about them. Many examples are on my website. Mental strongholds are the mental fortresses that would look like castle walls if they had a physical form. Bad memories build strongholds to protect us. But in fact, they keep us from experiencing life and love. Mental strongholds are usually built to protect an unhealthy belief or beliefs generated by bad experiences that we have often forgotten about but are in our subconscious and still control us. Visit my website for more details about the many unhealthy beliefs we can have. Authority seats are like thrones within fortified castles. A ruler builds a fortress to protect his or her interests and authority to rule. Our mental strongholds need to be torn down so they can stop controlling our reactions and decisions.

I have discovered that the stronghold of infirmity protects the authority seat of oppression, which holds disease curses and oppressive spirits of sicknesses, weaknesses, illnesses, and distresses of all kinds. Oppression is a feeling of being weighed down or being physically or mentally distressed. When Jesus healed people, He often commanded the spirit that was oppressing the person to be gone, and then they were healed. Acts 10:38 states, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Also, see Matthew. 4:24; 8:16; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22; Mark 1:32; Luke 4:18; and John 10:21.

Often a person feels they have no responsibility for what happens to them because they feel they have no control. The unhealthy beliefs could be: “I am incapable of taking care of myself.” “It does not matter what I do or eat; I will have this illness because of my genetics.” “Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis all run in my family, and I have no control.” As I explained previously, our unhealthy beliefs control our decisions and behaviors and, ultimately, our destiny. If you believe you have no control over what happens to you, you will not think you can be responsible and trust God. I know this firsthand because it was my life for many years. Then I changed my unhealthy beliefs with the truth that I can alter my physical and mental health with God’s help.

God led me to read the book called God’s Way to Ultimate Health by Dr. George Malkmus. I could not put the book down until I read it to the end. In the book, I read a testimony about a woman who overcame severe depression when she followed the book’s diet principles. I immediately changed my diet and was healed within six months of many illnesses, including depression and endometriosis.

In my research on endometriosis, I learned the growth hormones injected into animals so they grow faster were causing the endometrial tissue to grow everywhere in my body. This condition afflicts hundreds of thousands of women. When I eliminated commercial meats and ate organic meats, I had no more problems. Herein lies the crisis of faith; when I prayed and asked God to heal me, I wasn’t healed. Often our illness is a result of our poor judgment of what we put into our bodies. God gives us the responsibility to eliminate the source of our sickness so we can be healed. Do you see how you can take responsibility for stopping the cause of your oppressive illnesses?

I still suffered from degenerative joint disease (DJD) inherited from my mother’s gene pool. I refused to give in to the unhealthy belief that I have to suffer from DJD. My mother was crippled by the disease and had five back surgeries. My mother’s sister had about every joint replaced or reconstructed because of the disease. I determined that I did not want that for my life, even though I had all the symptoms. I knew a healthy body resulted from what I ate, drank, and amount of exercise. I asked God to help me overcome the degenerative joint disease issue. God led me to the book Live Right (4) Your Type by Peter J. D’Adamo, ND. In that book, I learned how “lectins” in certain foods cause weakness and degeneration. Lectins are a specialized protein in foods that can cause inflammation and cell damage and initiate a cascade of immune and autoimmune events leading to cell death.

He recommends that people with certain blood types should avoid certain foods. All blood types need to avoid wheat, corn, and pork because of the lectin reaction in everyone’s body from these foods. When I avoid all products containing these three items, I have no problems with my back or joints. When I eat anything with these ingredients, I have a lot of pain and suffering until my body repairs the damaged cells. I recommend this book if you have an on-going physical issue you would like resolved.

In his book The Strategy Of Satan, Warren Weirsbe believes that a Christian who is careless about his or her health or safety plays into the hands of the destroyer. Satan deceives us with the unseen lie that what we are doing will not harm our bodies so that he can weaken and disable us and even kill us. I believe the reason Satan attacks our bodies is that our body is the temple of God. 1Corinthians 3:16–17 states, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17) If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (Also read 2Corinthians 6:19–20.)

What changes will you resolve to make to better take care of the temple of God?

When God created humans, He put them in a garden and said, “Every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it, they will be yours for food” (Gen. 1:29, NAS). Then after the flood in Gen. 9:3 (NAS) God added to this diet and said, “Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life [blood].”

Satan may have put the lie into your mind that you don’t like vegetables, so you think, “I don’t like vegetables,” which then becomes a reality and you won’t eat the very food God created as good for man. Replace this unhealthy belief with the truth that you like vegetables because they are good for your body so you can be strong and healthy.

The closer we eat to the way God instructed, and the closer the food looks to the way God created it, the healthier we will be. You may think that the overly processed food you are eating will not harm you, that is an unhealthy belief. Do not believe it. I understand that natural degeneration and suffering comes with aging because we live in a decaying world, and our bodies are decaying. But we can delay premature decay and mitigate many inevitable diseases if we take care of our bodies by sticking to God’s eating plan.

I currently struggle with fibromyalgia, and I know that one day I will resolve this painful condition as well. I do know that fibromyalgia is a physical reaction related to stress because when I pray about a stressful situation, my pain subsides. A researcher told me that many who have been abused as children have the highest incidents of fibromyalgia diagnoses. Read more about my life story here. As I heal past physiological stress related to painful memories, my fibromyalgia has improved. I came up with the following progression from thoughts to destiny, which is similar to other progressions.

Watch What You Think.
What you think creates feelings;
Feelings generate beliefs (true or false);
Beliefs influence behaviors (good or evil);
Behaviors lead to habits (helpful or harmful);
Habits produce character (moral or wicked);
Your character determines your destiny (prosperous or destructive).
Change your destiny by changing your thinking.
Change your thinking with the truth and transforming painful memories

Example of a wrong thought: I think I have no control over my bad health. So, I feel sad and depressed. My depression leads me to believe there is no hope. Because I have no hope, I continue to eat a sugar-filled diet, which I know this behavior is bad for my health. I become addicted to sugar. Because of my addiction to sugar, I become apathetic. Apathy destroys my destiny for better health.

Example of a right thought: I think I can overcome my bad health. So, I feel happy and optimistic. I believe there is hope. Because I have hope, I make the right lifestyle changes to improve my health. I get into regular exercise and healthy eating habits. My good habits increase my optimism, and I see change.

If you see infirmity and oppression ruling your life, then go through the chapters on my website to understand the neuroscience factors of painful memories and how to change your brain’s reactions. Renew your thinking with the following truth statements.

TRUTH STATEMENTS

• God wants to give me health and healing. (Jer. 33:6)

• As I heal my negative heart issues, then my soul will prosper, and all will be well with me, and I will be in good health (3 John 1:2).

• When I fear the Lord and turn from evil, I will experience healing in my body and refreshment in my bones (Prov. 3:7,8; Psalms 38:3; Mal. 4:2).

• By my faith in Jesus’ power to heal, I will be healed (Luke 7:7-10; Matt. 5:34; Matt. 8:13; Matt. 15:28).

• God wants to deliver me from evil spirit attachments and heal all my infirmities (Luke 8:2; Matt. 17:18; Matt. 8:16).

• By the wounds of Jesus, I have been healed (1 Peter. 2:24).

The above statements are passages from my book called Unseen Battles of Your Mind, which is in the editing stage; and therefore, is not to be recopied without my permission.