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Post by Gr8tful on Jun 8, 2015 16:08:12 GMT
I thought along w/our personal testimonies we could also share things that God has done for us. Such as, something He showed you, something He did for you, someone He led you to......those 'only God could' moments in life. For instance:
I never really enjoyed driving all that much. So whenever I got behind the wheel I ALWAYS prayed before I turned the car on for His protection as well as His presence. I was coming home from work one day and all was fine but the minute I drove up in my driveway a SUPER LOUD scrapping metal on metal grinding noise happened! I hurried to get the car turned off to see what had happened. I had no idea!! When my husband got home he checked and said the rotors and brakes were shot!! Just like that, out of the blue!
Thankfully I worked at a place that did tires, brakes and car repair so the next morning the mechanic came to my house to pick up my car and take it to the shop to fix it. As well as get me to work. Well, the first part of the morning the guys were teasing me about what had happened, asking, what did you think the grinding was? It had to be making noise for days before they all went out. I guess the fact that ALL 4 went out at the same time was not typical!!! I said it wasn't making any noise 'til I stopped in my driveway! Of course they teased about that becuz I guess they always make noise before it goes that far. Finally I said, "hey guys, if that's the case, then how come none of you heard it then? I pull up every morning and leave every afternoon and you never heard them, did you? That's when they realized no they hadn't!! There was NO indication that they were going out.
I thank the Lord for keeping me safe! All 4 of the brakes, rotors went out at the same time and I had NO brakes! I would have been in big trouble had I been on the road when that happened!! I praised God that this happened as I pulled up at my house, safe in my driveway!! Can you imagine what might have happened?! God is GOOD!
SO that's just one incident of what God has done for me to share. I know we all have plenty more to tell. So please feel free to share yours and give God the Glory for what He has done!
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Post by Leeza on Jun 9, 2015 17:01:16 GMT
What a great idea, Gr8tful, to start a thread to give the Lord glory for what He has done for us. I loved your testimony. The Lord has done that for me, too, warning me to go to a mechanic when I heard the grinding of the brakes. I was told that if I drove the car any further, I wouldn't have been able to stop the car. God is good!!
I have to give the Lord praise and glory for getting me through that surgery where I had a bowel blockage where I almost died. I had a tube suctioning out the bile that had collected in my stomach, and i had explosive diahrrea. I had a blood infection that the medical staff couldn't control. My white count went through the roof, and my electrolytes were out of whack. I had 3 medical specialists who told me that if I were to have the surgery with the cancer that I had in my liver and my stomach, I had little chance to survive. And if I did survive, either I would have a colostomy for the rest of my life, or else the infection would ooze out of the stitches.
Well, I felt the Lord telling me to have the surgery. They had to get rid of the blood infection, and to stabilize my electrolytes before they could operate. It look a couple of weeks of IV's and antibiotics, but they did it. Many, many people were praying for me, including the assistant pastor of the church who came to the hospital to anoint me with oil before the surgery. Not only did I survive the surgery, but the threat of the infection oozing out of my stitches and my needing a colostomy did not happen.
So my being alive after all of that was a miracle and the grace of God. So I give Him all the glory, and the strength of the prayers of the saints for me. God is good.
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Post by Gr8tful on Jun 9, 2015 17:13:05 GMT
Thanks for sharing that Leeza! That was such a God thing re: you surviving and being able to go back home!!! He is so faithful! May He show you each and every day what it is you are to do as it is called 'today'!! Actually as well as to the rest of us! If you have more pls post them. These types of testimonies are so encouraging and uplifting to those who read them! Sometimes we NEED to hear a story like it when we're going thru a trial and see no end in sight. These 'God things' are reminders He is in control and our answer is coming.
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Post by shiloh on Jun 11, 2015 12:26:13 GMT
That is really neat, you guys. I'm going to have to think of how to summarize mine with all the ways He's blessed me, etc., because I just KNOW it'll turn out like an Encyclopedia. Then, everyone would be going, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
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Post by elizabeth on Jun 13, 2015 3:54:56 GMT
Well, the Lord delivered me from cigarettes almost 2 years ago - I smoked about 30 cigarettes per day. I prayed for deliverance, and without using patches, or inhalers, I just quit smoking on July 2, 2013. I didn't have any cravings, and could be around smokers without a problem. It was a miracle. I thank God every day for this deliverance.
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Post by Leeza on Jun 13, 2015 17:47:23 GMT
That's so cool, Liz. Actually, I envy you, not going through withdrawals or cravings afterwards. The Lord delivered me from cigarettes back in 2008, but I had withdrawals so bad that I felt that I had barbed wire going through my veins. About the cravings, I still have them until this day. Of course, you were smarter than me. When you asked the Lord to deliver you from smoking, you also thought to include to ask the Lord not to have any withdrawals or cravings afterwards. I didn't have the sense to do that, and so He didn't include those two things in my deliverance. It says in James 4:2 that "you have not because you ask not", right? I learned the hard way that is true, huh? Dumb, dumb, dumb. Oh well. Too late now.
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Post by elizabeth on Jun 13, 2015 22:13:36 GMT
Leeza, it's not too late to ask the Lord to take away the cravings. It's never too late to ask for prayer. The Lord has done so much in my life, as I know He has in your life as well Leeza. That was just the easiest to write out.
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Post by Gr8tful on Jun 13, 2015 22:36:05 GMT
That is so awesome and encouraging Liz! I really needed to hear that! I pray for the same thing for me, I am still smoking. JUst not as much. And Leeza, Liz is so right, it's never too late but not only that praise God you don't smoke! That's huge!
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Post by Leeza on Jun 13, 2015 23:31:22 GMT
Liz, Gr8tful is right. That is an awesome testimony. I was too busy whining about the fact that I still have cravings that I forgot to say that. I think that your deliverance will minister to a lot of people and encourage them that if the Lord did it for you, He will do it for them, including you, Gr8tful! I do thank God that He delivered me. I started smoking in my early teens on and off (mostly on) until I was in my fifties. That really was a wonderful deliverance. Okay, ladies, I will ask the Lord to take away my cravings. You're right, it's never too late.
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Post by Gr8tful on Jun 14, 2015 1:07:32 GMT
Leeza you are so silly sometimes! Like an innocent kid!
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Post by Leeza on Jun 14, 2015 4:06:41 GMT
Leeza you are so silly sometimes! Like an innocent kid! Oh, you noticed that, huh? Okay, Shiloh, waiting for your praise reports. I like to hear them. They are encouraging.
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Post by shiloh on Jul 6, 2015 15:46:54 GMT
I posted some of mine under the testimonies section before. There is so much to list but let me just say that the Lord drew me to Him and showed me the truth. He has answered many prayers and revealed Himself to me. He has never abandoned me when I have always cried out to Him and has very lovingly and gently corrected me. It has always turned out for the best even in the worst of times. He taught me how to trust in Him alone. He's never taken me out to the woodshed and beat me as I deserved.
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Post by Leeza on Jul 6, 2015 17:09:13 GMT
Yes, God is merciful, isn't He? I deserved to be taken to the woodshed quite a few times myself.
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Post by benariel on Jul 9, 2015 15:47:51 GMT
I was born again in the mid 1980s and turned to Jesus as my saviour. I repented of my sins which involved drunkenness, fornication, some drugs, and the occult. Most of the occult (4 years ) was on the dark side of blatant Satanism and witchcraft. I believe ALL occult is dark, but what I am saying I didn't go for any of that new age wishy washy light being stuff. Therefore I was unfamiliar with it.
Satan knew he couldn't get to me with blatant witchcraft and devil worship, so he sent angels of light: Alien beings. Not the grays who I always believed to be the 3 unclean spirits like frogs in Revelation 16,
These were humanoid, tall, light beings. In many aspects, angelic. They even preached Jesus Christ! And they sounded so convincing...I would say 95% or more of their teaching was scripturally sound!
I was deceived.
I will give you that small percent of things that should have warned me of this deception.
That Jesus went to their planet as a woman but didn't have to die for sin there because the alien beings had not had a 'fall' when Satan came to their planet. These alien beings told me they lived 1000 years, so they were mortal beings. What I didn't catch was that the wages of SIN is DEATH..so why did these aliens die after 1000 years if they had no sin. Oh yes, they told me they transcended to the 7th plane of God and were glorified, so they were translated. Still, a new age teaching they wrapped in Bible verse!
These aliens also had 3 fingers and a thumb.. and what appeared to be callus skin flaps like scales on their knuckles. That should have tipped me off too.
The alien delusion is convincing the world to fight against Jesus when he returns..He will return from heaven, in the skies with clouds, and with the armies of heaven following him, according to the gospels and Revelation..(Matthew 24 and Revelation 19) The demonic aliens will teach that Christs coming is a hostile alien invasion and that is why and how they gather the kings of the earth to battle against the LORD! After all Christ will come in judgment and everything from the rapture to Gods fire from heaven will be blamed on alien abductions and advanced alien weapons! The demon aliens will pretend to be the saviors and gather humanity to fight, just like movies such as independence day and many others show humans gathering as one to fight off bad aliens...It's all part of Satans master plan, using demonic aliens (the spirits like frogs and angels of light type aliens) to get humans to fight the Lord and his armies who the humans are convinced are hostile aliens. You can see how easily this can be because Jesus does come to judge and will be easily perceived as 'hostile' to the unsaved people of the earth. This is exactly how the alien agenda has planned it.
I have had to repent of over 15 years of this alien delusion and false beliefs that I fell for. I always maintained my faith in Christ, but the problem was that Satan kept throwing false Jesus's and 'Other Jesus's" at me, using subtle Gnostic themes, and convincing me the good aliens (angels of light) were actually angels of God (But they only live 1000 years as mortals, then translate like Enoch, and all that..which is not what the Bible says about angels).
I have repented, but wanted to let you know the seriousness of all this. I have seen it from the inside, not just reading a book. I have been there and God forgive me my sins!
Please pray for me, and anyone I may have affected by the false teachings I fell for and promoted as truth.. I pray the LORD Jesus open the eyes of anyone deceived by aliens and false Christs.
I am humbled and embarrassed that I fell for these false teachings of the aliens. I had been a strong Christian for many years, and lived in the holiness of the LORD as he calls us to. I know some circumstances leading to my acceptance of false beliefs was overworking 60 - 70 hours a week, seeing so much discord in churches, allowing bitterness to creep in and later neglecting the things of God, occasional drinking, and an interest in alternative teachings that seemed to fill in the empty places left by my neglect of the LORD..
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God"
(Romans 12:2)
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:16)
"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Your initial love for Jesus, your enthusiasm and zeal for desiring Gods ways above all else) Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.." (Revelation 2:4 - 5)
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Post by Gr8tful on Jul 9, 2015 19:06:24 GMT
Thank you for sharing benariel. I don't know about what all your talking about and truthfully I don't think I want to know. Did you learn all this from a religion, in a book or some other way? You are correct, we must always test the spirits and pray for discernment lest we become deceived. The enemy will use anything, anyone, anyway to do just that, deceive! And yes, ufo stuff would fit pretty good and will probably be used when the time comes for explaining away some things. Just keep your eyes on Jesus and follow Him and do not go to the right or the left! Hard to do tho!
It's good you came to see the truth and repented! How long since you were freed from it?
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Post by benariel on Jul 9, 2015 19:38:10 GMT
Thank you for sharing benariel. I don't know about what all your talking about and truthfully I don't think I want to know. Did you learn all this from a religion, in a book or some other way? You are correct, we must always test the spirits and pray for discernment lest we become deceived. The enemy will use anything, anyone, anyway to do just that, deceive! And yes, ufo stuff would fit pretty good and will probably be used when the time comes for explaining away some things. Just keep your eyes on Jesus and follow Him and do not go to the right or the left! Hard to do tho! It's good you came to see the truth and repented! How long since you were freed from it? I spent 15 years involved with UFO and alien stuff, deeply. Had numerous experiences. I learned most of what I talked about from entities themselves who manifest to me in 1999 and 2003 to teach me things. They were cult teachings I was deceived by them because they spoke of Christ as savior..we can test the spirits like 1 John 4 says, but also we have to be aware there are false Christs and false prophets who come in Christs name but mislead people. How many religious cults proclaim Jesus is the Lord but they are contrary to the Word of God on key points? I had been distancing myself from alien involvement since about 2013 but not entirely. I completely broke ranks with all of it this year. Now my only involvement will be to speak the truth about it as I posted here. In a way I can use the knowledge I learned while in it to show that it isn't just reading a book but from experience, and point out where it is contrary to scripture.
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Post by shiloh on Jul 9, 2015 20:55:02 GMT
We all know that Satan can appear as an angel of light. I've had experiences, but never even dabbled in the occult. These were visible and appeared as teenagers in modern clothing. I had to embark on some very heavy duty spiritual warfare to be rid of them. My husband has seen them too, but thankfully, we are rid of them now. It wasn't only us, so please don't think I'm crazy. Neighbors have had similar experiences and they can also take on the appearance of someone familiar to you. I believe they are regional or something. I had one that appeared as a female with blonde hair and it did a Jacob Marley thing on my front door where I have this thing I made with flowers in it on the inside of the door. I was looking in the fridge and heard this banging on the inside of the door, after I had cast them all out the first time. So, I peeked around the corner, thinking, "What is that banging?" It lifted up the arrangement thing which is in a half metal bucket on wooden slats. I go in there and it was like it was trying to hide from me and only her/its face was sticking out through the flowers. I went in there and said, "We are covered in the blood of Jesus (in a bold tone) and said, we KNOW what our destiny is and I believe you know yours is very different." It started nodding its head and the skin started melting off its face and turned all ugly and skeletal. This one was persistent but I cast it out again. It finally went out the door and my flowers went back down. The next morning, I said to my husband, "Can I tell you something without you thinking I'm a nut case?" and right away he said, "You saw them, didn't you?!" See, I used to think he was a little crazy when he'd tell me about that stuff. I no longer do. Our son swears to this day he saw something in the basement one time. I don't have anything in my house that would attract or invite them, not even any strange books. There have been other experiences too.
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Post by morningstar on Jul 9, 2015 22:07:09 GMT
Benarial, I believe this has to be one of the most difficult things to get out of, because Satan doesn't easily let go, and that any occultiic involvement and paraphernalia has to be renounced in the name of Jesus. I praise the Lord that you are no longer deceived and have come to know the truth. Your experiences will be used by the Lord as a witness tool for those who are still being deceived and that will be a blessing. I will be praying for you, that the Lord will give you Wisdom through His Word that you may bring others out of this darkness and into HIS LIGHT especially now that were so close to His Coming, I feel God is going to use you Mightily . God Bless you for your testimony.
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Post by elizabeth on Jul 9, 2015 22:17:17 GMT
Benariel, I am thankful you are no longer backslidden. Please just look towards the Lord and do your best to put your old experiences behind you. I wouldn't even write or talk about them. Focus on Christ, his teachings through the letters of Paul - that is how you will grow. God bless you Benariel.
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Post by Leeza on Jul 10, 2015 5:14:43 GMT
Thank you for sharing your testimony, Benariel. It must have been a horrific time in your life. So sorry that you went through that. Praise God that is behind you, and now you are pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ( Philippians 3:14.)
Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord and saturate yourself with His Word so you will never fall into deception again. God bless you.
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Post by benariel on Jul 10, 2015 13:18:10 GMT
Benarial, I believe this has to be one of the most difficult things to get out of, because Satan doesn't easily let go, and that any occultiic involvement and paraphernalia has to be renounced in the name of Jesus. I praise the Lord that you are no longer deceived and have come to know the truth. Your experiences will be used by the Lord as a witness tool for those who are still being deceived and that will be a blessing. I will be praying for you, that the Lord will give you Wisdom through His Word that you may bring others out of this darkness and into HIS LIGHT especially now that were so close to His Coming, I feel God is going to use you Mightily . God Bless you for your testimony. Very true. I experienced this in the 80s when first saved. I was strong in the Lord, went to Bible college, active in ministries, prayed for hours on end. I see the attack. First cares of the world...working 60 - 70 hour weeks. Then when I was weak in faith the angel of light deceptions. downhill though thinking you are still strong. God will call you out as He is faithful, even when we may not be.
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Post by shiloh on Jul 10, 2015 13:41:32 GMT
I believe the enemy harasses us even if we haven't even dabbled in the occult or when people have turned their backs on it. He's afraid. I don't believe he bothers with those he knows he already has. Perhaps that's because he knows many can be great warriors for the Kingdom of God......but "He who is in me is stronger than he who is in the world." Have you ever read anything by Smith Wigglesworth? He was a great warrior for the Kingdom of God. I have a website where you can read books for free on there. One book I read awhile back was where Satan himself was standing at the foot of his bed. Smith woke up because he heard this rustling of the sheets. He was so unfazed about it at that point that he lit a candle, looked at the foot of his bed and saw him. He said, "Oh, it's you." Blew out his candle and went back to sleep. By the way, the website is called Jacob's Well.
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Post by benariel on Jul 10, 2015 15:00:48 GMT
I believe the enemy harasses us even if we haven't even dabbled in the occult or when people have turned their backs on it. He's afraid. I don't believe he bothers with those he knows he already has. Perhaps that's because he knows many can be great warriors for the Kingdom of God......but "He who is in me is stronger than he who is in the world." Have you ever read anything by Smith Wigglesworth? He was a great warrior for the Kingdom of God. I have a website where you can read books for free on there. One book I read awhile back was where Satan himself was standing at the foot of his bed. Smith woke up because he heard this rustling of the sheets. He was so unfazed about it at that point that he lit a candle, looked at the foot of his bed and saw him. He said, "Oh, it's you." Blew out his candle and went back to sleep. By the way, the website is called Jacob's Well. Yes, I have read Smith W. Some of him anyways, along with Spurgeon and a lot of the sermons of Jonathan Edwards. Yes Satan goes after anyone. The thing with occult involvement is people have opened more doors in the spirit realm than usual. Example is an atheist or doubtful of the existence of spirits will automatically reject manifestations as some psychological issue or a trick of the mind. They are still beset by other sins of the flesh, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But the former occultist has been open to spiritual things of all kind and readily believes having experienced them firsthand, giving satan more opportunity to sent deceiving spirits after them. Discernment is key and constant reliance on the guiding hand of God.
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Post by benariel on Jul 11, 2015 16:14:12 GMT
I do thank God that He delivered me. I started smoking in my early teens on and off (mostly on) until I was in my fifties. That really was a wonderful deliverance. Okay, ladies, I will ask the Lord to take away my cravings. You're right, it's never too late. Same here, started in teens and on and off..I think more off than on but even one is bad. When I got saved at age 23 i did ask for the cravings to be taken..the addiction, which is a physical thing due to the chemicals..I must say i had a few twinges but within 48 hours I was completely delivered. being a Christian 30 years I have seen hills and valleys which included getting stressed out over something and picking up a cig.. and sometimes it led into smoking, though never did I go to the pack + a day I did before I was saved. Another deliverance was 1993 and I was praying for the LORD to take away smoking as well as the addiction (I had been smoking strait about 6 months, maybe 15 - 20 a day and not lights)... I prayed this before church in private and went to church. this guy comes up to me while I am kneeling at the altar before the service, in prayer, and he taps me on the shoulder. He tells me he feels the LORD just sent him to me to pray about my smoking! Ok! that is definitely God working and literally sending someone in response to my prayers and he listened to God too. So we pray together. About 3 hours after church some guy I know offers me a cig..hands it to me... (I don't think he was aware that satan was influencing him, he was not a Christian) I told him I quit..No withdrawals that time. And I didn't pick one up either, until much later down the road when i did and then the whole cycle all over again... LOL but not LOL, LOL So yes, definitely pray that God take the addiction and desire part away too otherwise you are left on your own with those awful feelings craving for lungs to be filled with poison... I have quit on my own too and the first 3 days are terrible and even some days after it comes until a week or more has passed and time seems to stand still...such is the way of addiction which I am sure Satan has a hand in all that feelings/cravings part
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Post by Leeza on Jul 11, 2015 16:40:15 GMT
I can relate to everything you're saying about the addiction cycle, Benariel. I tried countless times to quit on my own, but always went back to it. One day I just got real with the Lord and said words to this effect: "I love to smoke. My flesh doesn't want to quit because I look forward to it and enjoy it so much. But I know it's a bad testimony as a Christian and I feel bad about that, so for that reason I want to quit. The best I can do is to say that I am willing to be made willing to quit. I can't do it on my own."
Well, it's almost like the Lord said to me, "That's what I was waiting to hear. Get out of the way and let Me work." A month later, I was in the hospital for 4 days with three infected cysts that had to be removed. I was on IV antibiotics so I wouldn't get a blood infection. I was stuck in bed, not able to get up and go outside to smoke. I had horrible cravings so badly that I couldn't sleep. I felt like I had barbed wire going through my veins.
Well, let me tell you how stupid I was. When I was finally released from the hospital, the first thing I did was to put a cigarette in my mouth. As I was about to light it up, I felt the Lord speaking to me loud and clear like He was right in the room with me. He said, "Don't you dare put those toxins back into your body after I just cleansed you out!" Startled, I put the cigarette down. Then He said, "I want you to break up the cigarettes you have, throw them in the trash, and never smoke another one again." I did as the Lord said, and never smoked again. That had a profound effect on me. There have only been a few times in my life where I could hear the Lord speaking to me very clearly, and that was one of them. Every other time has been loving and compassionate. But this was the only time where I felt like He slapped me on the wrist so to speak, lol!
That was back in 2008. But every once in a while, especially if I see someone smoking, I still have the urge to smoke. But after that experience, I know I never will again.
So that's my testimony.
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Post by Gr8tful on Jul 11, 2015 16:58:23 GMT
Wow leeza that's awesome!! Same with Benariels having the guy come to pray with him, WOW! I just love it! The Lord is faithful! I am waiting for mine!
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Post by benariel on Jul 15, 2015 23:24:31 GMT
Wow leeza that's awesome!! Same with Benariels having the guy come to pray with him, WOW! I just love it! The Lord is faithful! I am waiting for mine! I am going to shift gears here... What has the Lord done for you? yes, deliverance as i posted before here... But this is a testimony to the awesome power of God by faving true faith..not name it and claim it prosperity doctrine 'faith' which i believe to be a false teaching.. anyways.. In 2000 I was homeless..moved west with $80 and stayed with friends which soon became 3 cents literally and evicted because i wasn't allowed to stay with people in housing..they even got eviucted for the kindness of their heart... I was in a tent in the woods for weeks. I had always had a dream on owning my own land and house, no mortgage..If you carry a mortgage you don't actually own the house and it is barely better than paying rent for an apartment you do not own..anyways, i refused to go that route... I prayed and prayed by faith and for guidance...I went to a temp agency and started working..remained homeless to save money...moved way up north to Alaska..worked more..lived in tents and campers and boats, very cheaply...Worked 16 hour days and saved. In 2005 I purchased property for cash and began to build my house..God had opened doors along the way..many obstacles overcome...too many to tell.. All I know is in summer 2000 i was broke and homeless and in summer 2005 I owned 7 acres of land and in spring of 2006 I had a small 300 square foot house..by summer 2009 that house was about 1000 square feet.. It wasn't just 5 years of hard work, it was other things and open doors and always praying and believing by faith to realize a dream...My Mom died at age 79 with a mortgage. I had no mortgage before I was 50..not thanks to any of my efforts but by answered prayers and believing by faith... How is this by faith and not works? In the 80s and 90s i was pressured to work hard and build credit so i could eventually get a mortgage on a home and realize my dream..But my real dream was a home with no banks and no mortgage..everyone then said impossible..well I said with God all things are possible. I lost those jobs and my excellent credit line was destroyed by bankruptcy in the 90s... I tried the worlds way and I think God smashed it... showed me how to go from absolutely nothing to realizing my dream of having land and a house with no obligations to banks.... To God be all the glory... And you seriously wouldn't believe the opposition from family and friends who said I was crazy and was not doing things the normal way...I was persecuted, but God saw it through...
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Post by Gr8tful on Jul 16, 2015 19:27:34 GMT
That's a really great testimony Benariel! God is so faithful when we are obedient! Thank you for sharing that!
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Post by benariels on Sept 4, 2016 1:14:49 GMT
I can relate to everything you're saying about the addiction cycle, Benariel. I tried countless times to quit on my own, but always went back to it. One day I just got real with the Lord and said words to this effect: "I love to smoke. My flesh doesn't want to quit because I look forward to it and enjoy it so much. But I know it's a bad testimony as a Christian and I feel bad about that, so for that reason I want to quit. The best I can do is to say that I am willing to be made willing to quit. I can't do it on my own." Well, it's almost like the Lord said to me, "That's what I was waiting to hear. Get out of the way and let Me work." A month later, I was in the hospital for 4 days with three infected cysts that had to be removed. I was on IV antibiotics so I wouldn't get a blood infection. I was stuck in bed, not able to get up and go outside to smoke. I had horrible cravings so badly that I couldn't sleep. I felt like I had barbed wire going through my veins. Well, let me tell you how stupid I was. When I was finally released from the hospital, the first thing I did was to put a cigarette in my mouth. As I was about to light it up, I felt the Lord speaking to me loud and clear like He was right in the room with me. He said, "Don't you dare put those toxins back into your body after I just cleansed you out!" Startled, I put the cigarette down. Then He said, "I want you to break up the cigarettes you have, throw them in the trash, and never smoke another one again." I did as the Lord said, and never smoked again. That had a profound effect on me. There have only been a few times in my life where I could hear the Lord speaking to me very clearly, and that was one of them. Every other time has been loving and compassionate. But this was the only time where I felt like He slapped me on the wrist so to speak, lol! That was back in 2008. But every once in a while, especially if I see someone smoking, I still have the urge to smoke. But after that experience, I know I never will again. So that's my testimony. Leeza ascended to the King, very appropriate I suppose...considering everything.
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Post by shiloh on Sept 5, 2016 23:22:57 GMT
The whole heart-felt account is a wonderful testimony, benariel. While the world says it's impossible, the Lord proves it IS. "Nothing is impossible with God." Just imagine what your real home will look like in Heaven. The Lord knows each and every one of us and only He knows what it'll look and be like.
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