My New Adventure WIth God

A few years ago I felt the Lord tell me I was going to have my own business one day. My first thought was that it would have something to do with the counseling degree I was pursuing at the time, although I was not sure how that would look or work out. I recently completed my BS in Psychology and will be going for my MA in Pastoral Counseling in January. So I am still on track to accomplishing my goals.
However, the other day a friend invited me to a meeting introducing a new business she was starting. I was intrigued and felt that I might do some research on her business. Another friend who went with me to the meeting was also intrigued and decided to do some research on her own. The owner of the business turned out to be someone I have known for years and trust. He was at the meeting and after hearing his story, I was even more intrigued. I ask the Lord to show me if this was for me and I went home and went back to "life as usual". Over the next week I continued to get confirmations that I was suppose to be involved in this business. So after a week I gave in and told the Lord if He would provide the start up money, I would start the business. This seemed impossible because for the second time in 7 years, my main source of income, the child support I receive from my ex-husband was two weeks late and every bill was already late. You see for many years now I have lived on very little income and watched the Lord provide everything we need and we have lacked for nothing. So even though this time it looked impossible I knew it was just another way for God to show up and prove to us that nothing is impossible if it is His will. I learned a long time ago if I keep myself positioned to follow where ever God is leading He will provide what I need to get there. Anyway, over the next few days, not only did I get my child support and was able to pay my bills, but I also got the money to start the business and someone anonymously gave me another $500.
Needless to say, I started the business and I know because God was so instrumental in making it happen that it will be a huge success.
God is so good!
If you want to see my web site you can check it out at www.livingfree.cruisetocash.com

Boundaries

For a while I have felt the Lord prompting me to do an article on boundaries. I have been reluctant to do this as I wasn’t sure I had a full grasp of boundaries myself. After one of my pastors taught on good lines and bad lines I knew God was saying again to write. So I will attempt to pen those things the Lord has taught me and in the process hope to learn more for myself.

Boundaries have always been a fuzzy thing for me. In some areas I know I have set up good boundaries for myself, like choosing at an early age not to drink or smoke because of the pattern of addictions I saw in my family. In other areas though, it has not been as easy. The way I discipline my children can be difficult and always being consistent can be hard, but I am trying.

Boundaries are an important part of everyday life; they can be as simple as following a daily schedule or keeping a watch on how we speak to others; or as complex as knowing who are the “safe” or “not safe” individuals in our lives or choosing to begin or end a relationship. Knowing where to “draw the line” for ourselves and others in communication and relationships is an important part of coming into the purpose God intended for us. Each one of us is born with a purpose and a destiny to fulfill and the decisions and choices we make determine how quickly we see the realization of that purpose.

I feel this article is timely as it seems as if God is calling all of us to a higher standard of living. He seems to be asking us to lay aside the way we have always done things and seek Him for a better way.

In my desire for setting up good boundaries I can see Father God pointing to the reasons inside of me that keep me in places of frustration, anger, temptation, and anxiety. I want those things that keep tripping me up to be replaced by God.

Setting up boundaries can be difficult at times because it can involve trusting others. Being accountable to others to help us see ourselves as we really are can be scary. However, if we take the step and allow those God has placed in our lives to speak direction and discernment to us, we will gain freedom to walk into our destiny. Knowing ourselves and loving ourselves enough to set boundaries which regulate our behavior creates open doors to healthy boundaries in all our relationships.

Understanding that communication is a big part of this and desiring not only to be heard and understood but also to hear and understand as well, is an important aspect to consider when dealing with boundaries. Sometimes this can be difficult as personalities clash and resentment and hurt are allowed to remain.

Boundaries can sometimes appear to be restrictions or rules to follow, but in reality a boundary that is set up is a path to freedom.

In order to understand boundaries the best place to look is the Word of God. It is full of instruction and revelation on how to not only recognize boundaries but also to help us gain understanding on where we are in need of boundaries in our own lives.

The book of Ephesians is a great place to start to get a feel for what boundaries look like. Reading Ephesians can help you determine where you have already placed boundaries in your life and where you might need them.

In Proverbs 19 verse 20, we find a call to have an inner self boundary of being teachable in order to gain wisdom. Verse 8 of that same chapter show us that gaining wisdom brings satisfaction in life; and being understanding with others will bring prosperity and good things. Also in verse 23, by reverently and worshipfully fearing the Lord we gain life and keep evil away from our lives. Each one of these boundaries can bring freedom in certain areas of our lives if we will allow them to work in us. In reality the boundaries we set up for ourselves become safety nets that will catch us and keep us from getting hurt.

There is a continual growing process going on in our lives which encompasses four steps: knowing ourselves; embracing and accepting ourselves; manifesting ourselves; and supporting and validating ourselves. It is important that we take each one of these steps and incorporate them into the process of setting up boundaries for ourselves.

When we do not let these four things cycle through our lives, we often make wrong choices and can sabotage our destiny. Sabotage is rarely done on purpose – we may accidentally or unwillingly get in the way of the fulfillment of our destiny. This is very normal. Fears, insecurities, and doubt tend to surface as we move forward. Then it is easy to get caught up in other’s opinions and stop listening to and trusting what God is saying to us.

Offense is a huge barrier that keeps us from the freedom having boundaries can bring. Every one has been hurt by someone, but it is not the hurt that affects our lives, it is what we do with the hurt. When we are in the midst of an offense we make decisions and pronouncements that set the course of our lives and bring into play the law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7-9, tell us that what we sow, we reap. Just like a farmer sows seeds of corn in the spring, he expects corn to come up in the summer. The same is true of our lives if we sow unforgiveness and judgement, we will reap unforgiveness and judgement; but if we sow forgiveness and blessing, we will reap forgiveness and blessing. Setting up an inner boundary that keeps us away from offense and gives us the freedom to forgive and release others from our judgement is one of the best boundaries we can have.

The Bible talks about the effects of unforgiveness on our lives in Matthew 18: 34-35, when it reveals that out of ignorance and bitterness if we refuse to forgive others we subject ourselves to all manner of torment. Also in Matthew 7:1, it says not to judge, criticize, or condemn others so we are, not judged, criticized or condemned. Unforgiveness often begins with a belief in a lie about the person who offended us. It is important to try and understand the person’s heart and motivations or level of control; they may in fact be victims of hurt and offense themselves. By setting up an inner boundary to first gain God’s perspective of the person who offended us, we will find that forgiveness can be a natural outcome of God’s love for the person flowing through us. We can choose to forgive and remove judgement over those individuals who have offended us and free ourselves not only from the pain, poverty, and torment, but also from the judgements we have spoken over others.

When setting up boundaries within relationships our best example to follow is Jesus. The Gospels show how Jesus dealt with individuals in His own life with love, honor, and respect; but also it shows that He was a man who lived within the safety of boundaries.

In order to walk in freedom in life, it is important to understand the things that keep you from that freedom. The four doors are a good place to start. This tool represents the places or doors in our lives where life and unwanted circumstances have complete access to come in and wreak havoc on us. Most individuals do not even realize they live with doors open all the time. There are many ways for the doors to be open, either by us or by others. The four most common doors that are found to be open include: Sexual Sin and Soul Ties, Hatred and Unforgiveness, Fear, and Occult and False Religion. Some of the ways the doors are opened include: generational issues, ungodly beliefs and sins, spirit/soul wounding, and trauma.

An example of this would be if at some point in your life something traumatic happened, like abuse or death of someone important to you. Another way a door could be opened is if you willingly engaged in some form of sin or were involved in an occult or false religion. Also, if you see a pattern occurring in your life, that you may have also seen in your mother and grandmother etc… this is generational and has come down through your mother’s line.

Sometimes these doors are very evident and you know exactly what they are, other times you may not have any idea what they are or even that they are open. If the doors are not clearly evident, but you feel you are not walking in a full measure of freedom, it is best to ask Jesus to show you if there are some doors open and what they look like. As we see in Daniel 2:22, “He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him”; He will show you if there is something that needs to be taken care of (Amplified Bible). Once you know which door is open, you can do what is required to close it. This is easy and only requires: forgiving; renouncing; removing judgment; coming out of agreement with the ungodly spirits that were allowed to come in when the door was opened; sending those spirits to where Jesus would have them to go; and asking Jesus to come and fill you with His Spirit of love, rest, and peace.

The first door is Sexual Sin and Soul Ties. This is referring to sex outside of marriage which, in turn, is one way a soul tie is created. When we have sex outside of marriage we end up making a covenant with that individual, giving them a part of us and taking a part of them on us. If we give away many parts of ourselves, we can go through life not whole. Also, if your partner has been with multiple partners, they in turn are carrying parts from many other people and transfer those parts to you. So you end up carrying other peoples’ insecurities and fears around with you for the rest of your life. Paul talks about soul ties in I Corinthians 6: 15-20, when he talks about sexual immorality (Amplified). He says that when one joins himself to another they become one flesh, just as when one joins himself to the Lord, he becomes one spirit with Him. He goes further to state that as the Lord’s we are not our own, but we are bought with a price, so we must glorify God with our bodies as well as our spirits.

By asking God to forgive you and breaking the soul ties with those individuals, you can not only close doors to the enemy, but you can restore yourself to wholeness. Then you are able to recognize who you were created to be and begin walking that out in freedom. This is done very easily through a prayer of repentance for violating another and taking back what the other person took from you and giving back to them everything you took from them, releasing them and blessing them.

The second door is Hatred and Unforgiveness. This is a big issue and most people do not even realize it is there. Jesus states that we should have mercy on others just as God has had mercy on us (Amplified, Matt. 18:32-35). He also says that God can’t forgive us if we don’t forgive others (Amplified, Matt. 6:15). Forgiving those who have hurt you is a big step in closing any doors that are open. In the spiritual realm, forgiveness is a powerful weapon. It can break strongholds that have been hindrances for years. Once forgiveness is spoken the enemy no longer has power in that relationship. The problem is most people do not even realize they are carrying around hatred and unforgiveness. Unforgiveness can be a deceitful thing with layers that seem to pile on top of one another. One can be hurt multiple times by the same offender and never realize how deep the offense can penetrate. It is important to pray forgiveness prayers that relate to the issues and relationships where the offenses came in. This is done by the leading of the Holy Spirit, as He can help you to state the forgiveness prayers in such a way as feels right to you, and brings release. Also, it is important to release the person from any judgment you may have held in your heart against them.

The next door is Fear. Fear is a stronghold in most individuals and comes in as a result of a traumatic childhood experience that caused them to make an agreement with fear in order to be safe or protected. It can also be passed down through your generations or come in through wounding or ungodly beliefs. Most people live with fear so long, it just becomes a part of who they are and they do not even realize it is there or that it is having an affect on their lives. 1 John tells us that “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (Amplified 1John 4:18). The stronghold of fear is most evident in an individual’s speech as it becomes a part of their language and they do not recognize it. As you begin to really listen to people, you will be surprised at how many people you encounter who are carrying a spirit of fear around and do not even realize it. Fear is usually a result of trauma or sin, but in most cases it is generational. Breaking generational lines of fear often becomes important in the healing process. Asking the Holy Spirit to reveal where the door was opened to fear and following His leading you can break the generational lines of fear. Replacing fear with faith and trust in Father God can bring freedom and revelation.

The last door we will look at is Occult and False Religion. This can be a door that is opened because of generational ties, wounding, or ungodly beliefs and sin. If there are any masons, elks, etc… in your family line this must be taken care of because the enemy has full access to your lives through these doors passed down through your family line. Also, if you have ever been involved in occultism or other false religions, the agreements you made at that time need to be broken so the doors can be closed. By praying a simple prayer of coming out of agreement or renouncing your involvement or your family’s involvement in the occult or false religion, you can close the door. Closing these doors will not only impact your life but will have a great impact on the lives of your family members.

Closing doors that have been open by us or by others in our lives breaks the strongholds we struggle with every day. So, once these are taken care of, we will immediately see changes taking place in the way we look at life, the way we react in life, and the way we interact with others.

Job 34:21-22 states, “For God’s eyes are upon the ways of man, and He sees all his steps, there is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves”(Amplified Bible); this shows us that God sees what is in our hearts and knows everything about us. It is His desire that nothing keep us from intimacy with Him. Jesus is willing to free us from those things that keep us in bondage and come and fill us with Himself.