​The other day a close friend of mine, told me “You never worry about anything”
This totally took me off guard because this is not at all the way I see myself. I see myself as a person who battles every day the thoughts that come through my mind.

I remember back in the late 80’s when I refused to leave my house or answer the phone for weeks on end. (and, it wasn't even Covid) It was during that time that the following scriptures became real to me. It was at that time, after a period of self-pity and anxiety, I had to pick myself up for the sake of my family and hold on to all that I knew was true, and that was God’s word. 

I’ve learned in this life, man will fail you, your family will fail you, your finances will fail you, your friends will fail you, but God will NEVER fail you. 

It was then God became real to me and showed Himself to me in His word that I found these scriptures (along with others) that helped me pull myself up from the pit I was laying in and move forward in life. I hope you enjoy them!

2Cor 10:3-5 NKJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

So many times we forget that it takes an intentional effort to take captive the negative thoughts that come through our minds and then intentionally replacing those thoughts with positive scripture. 

2Cor 10:3 says ” For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.”

I believe the mind is where the devil likes to play his games with us. Dropping negative thoughts in our minds, that unless we take captive we begin to feed on. Thus, allowing it to grow into something that God never intended us to think. Then we act out what we think, which usually turns out to be a negative experience. So when we fight this battle of the mind- we must fight it spiritually with the word of God.

In vs 4 where it says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,” The Word of God is a sword of the spirit in our spiritual armor. But how many times have we gone to battle without our sword. Would the famous Spartans ever do that NO!   No warrior ever leaves his sword behind when he goes to battle, but yet there are days that we as Christ Followers will go all day or even weeks, without picking up His word.

That is why, you will find all around my house little strips of paper with scriptures printed on them, So everywhere I look I see a promise of God. So when those negative thoughts pass through my mind they can be replaced with “the truth”.

Verse 5 says “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” when I hear that verse I see in my mind’s eye, someone literally taking their hand and pulling the negative thought out of their mind. Then throwing it as far away as they can throw it!

We see in that verse, Casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. That phrase that says “exalts itself against the knowledge of God”. So to know what exalts itself against the knowledge of God we need to know what the knowledge of God is right? 

Well, I know that God says “Every good and perfect gift comes from above, I know that God says the steps of a righteous person are order of God.” So what I have to know is when a thought comes through my head before I dwell on it, it must line up with what God's word says or it must be cast out!

It is like my daddy used to tell me  “You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from making a nest in your hair”. 

So perhaps the outside persona that people see of me, is simply that, I choose what is nesting in my hair (I .e. head, thought life) and I choose LIFE! I choose to focus on the promises God has given me, instead of the faults and disappointments that this life has to offer.

The question is, what is nesting in your hair??

Alesa Lewis Miller has lived behind the parsonage walls for over 50 years. She and her husband now serves as US Maps Missionaries with the Assemblies of God for Oklahoma and Kansas. To find out more about the Miller’s new adventure go to www.millers4usmissions.com  Or read more stories about her life at  www.behindtheparsonagewalls.com

I've been reading the book of  Joshua with a friend this month. If I am being honest, the only thing I remember about Joshua is that he fought the battle of Jericho and that's because I sang that song in choir many MANY years ago.
It has been absolutely fascinating learning about how important his role was in the Israelites' lives.
​
He led them to the Promised Land after Moses died. In fact, I  find the Message version kind of hysterical. God had things to do, and people to see. In Joshua 1:2, He said "Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross the Jordan River, you and all the people." He did not have any time to waste.

Today, I was reading chapters 5 and 6 and I did not even make it past the first five verses before Holy Spirit stopped me. In chapter 6, verse 2 it says "I've already given Jericho to you, along with its king and its crack troops." Then instructions are given to claim what was ALREADY his!

What has God already given to you that you have not yet claimed and grabbed ahold of?

 I know we've never met before, but I'm going to get real with you. Jericho was a land that was already promised and given to Joshua. There are things in this life that our God has already given you. It's up to you to take it, receive it, fight for it...whatever. 

Each person has something different. For me? God has given me a life of freedom without depression and anxiety. I have struggled for many years with depression and anxiety. Over the last ten years, I have had seasons of freedom and man, did it taste good!

I find myself frustrated at times because I just feel like I can never be consistent. I have done everything that I can to fight and win my life back. I can do great for about two weeks and then it's like I just give up. It's so annoying and being the "perfectionist" I am, I am VERY hard on myself, which only fuels the depression so much more.

​ In chapter 5 of Joshua before God told him that he ALREADY had Jericho, it talked about how the people he was leading were relying on their "own provisions" rather than the manna from God. The manna had stopped because the people tried to do it on their own.

Have you been trying to get what is already yours, on your own? We can't do it that way. We must have the mindset that it is OURS because GOD already gave it to us. We can't do anything on our own and we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. We must walk around whatever area we are trying to claim, boldly proclaiming that we know WHO it comes from. We know who has already gone before us! We have to believe it before it can be grabbed.

In Joshua's case, he and his men had to march DAILY around this area. On the seventh day, they had to march SEVEN times. Over and over again they proclaimed the land that God had given them.

Over the next seven days, I am taking a journey. I am circling this area of my life and taking the freedom that is already mine. I encourage you to do that as well. Christ came to give us a life of freedom. He wants us to walk in that. Believe me, I know it is easier said than done.

I am going to do a follow-up post on my personal blog. If you'd like to know how my week goes, I'd love for you to follow me a  www.iamzoe.org There you can find out a little more about me and we can be friends!

Thank you so much to Vickie for the opportunity to share some of my heart on her site. What an honor it is to know you.
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Friends, what is it that you need to do battle over? What do you already have? Take it back. Don't let Satan steal anything for a minute longer.
 
Be blessed. Hiliary

At the worst, I found myself groveling through a large black garbage bag looking for pills spilled out on the hot Augusta grass. “I can’t believe I’m doing this” I screamed to myself. “I am so totally out of control and I can’t believe it’s come to this”
My Husband lay in a psych hospital barking orders to me to salvage the medication I’d thrown in the trash. He was ordering me to save the very pills that he’d taken to try to end his life. He wanted those pills no matter what.
For 37 years I’d been married to this man who always looked out for our family’s welfare but now had turned in to a crazy, flat affect, dead-faced man who was barking orders to me to dig through trash and all because of saving a few dollars.

People say, “When you encounter severe trials, you will see what stuff you are really made of.” Well… I don’t think I was doing very well. Our family encountered the biggest trial of our lives, a suicide attempt by the patriarchal head and I had fallen apart.

Then I heard the lyrics to Casting Crowns hit song “I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY, I DON’T CARE IF THEY REMEMBER ME, ONLY JESUS”. That’s it!  I don’t have to have it all together when tough times hit. It really is about Jesus and His is the only name that matters. We crumble to dust and it’s OK. Did I live the truth to the ones I love? Yes. But, whose name will last forever?  HIS! 

Long story short: we are better now. The healing process for mental health issues is lengthy but inside uninhibited worship with other believers and the promises, proclamation, and declarations of Jesus Christ my Savior, WE ARE HEALED!  

​Karen Deaver

google image VEVO Casting Crown

I woke up on Feb. 6th of this year, having signs of a stroke.

As I got up and started down the hall my leg gave way and I almost fell. I didn't talk for an hour or so, doing laundry.

Then I began to worship and pray and I notice I had some trouble forming words. Then before Charles, my husband left, I went to him and told him my difficulty of speaking. He didn't make anything about it. He left to do some work about 15 min. away and I went back to work.

Sometime later, I called a friend. She asked me if I was alright. I told her I was ok. We talked a little more and she said; I think you should call the Dr. and call Charles. She said; let's just pray that the stroke would stop and reverse.

I called the Dr. and he said to go to the hospital right away. I called my friend and she said to
leave now. The hospital was 35 mins. away. I called Charles and He came as fast as he
could. It was about 25 mins.

My speech had gotten worse. When we got to the hospital I could hardly remember things. My speech was bad. I had trouble remembering my birthday and so on. I was asked many questions. I told the Drs. what I had prayed with my friend. That afternoon about 2:30 the stroke stopped. It didn't get any worse.

About 4:00 p.m. The damage started to reverse. Drs. said I would have a bigger stroke in 24 hours. They wanted to keep me overnight. So I stayed. By bedtime, I had no symptoms. The next morning there was no signs of a stroke, and at 2:00p.m. in the afternoon they let me go home with a lot of instructions.

   The Lord gave me victory. There have been no problems since. everything is back to normal.
 
October 24, 2017, Charles and I went to Topeka to a Drs. Appointment, It was a good report.  So we headed home. We stopped to get something to eat and as we pulled in, a car broadsided us from the back door and wheel. It hit us hard. I had the seat belt on but was slammed against the front door. Charles was not hurt. At first, I thought I had not been hurt.

Two days later I was in Topeka and my arm began to hurt. Then it was swelling. I went to have it checked out. They told me to go to the hospital at once, since I take a blood thinner and
my arm was hemorrhaging.

They asked a lot of questions. After several hours they put me in a hospital room. I asked God to heal me. He said that He would but it would take a while.
 
My arm was turning purple. They watched it for a while. In two days, they tried to send me home. I said no. I had far too much pain and my arm was still turning purple. That third night I woke with terrible pain. They brought me a bag of ice. The next day I had to leave.

I could not move my arm, the pain was great, and it hung down my side. I had to move it with the left hand. My husband had to dress me and do some of the housework. I asked Doctors for pain pills to help. I was uneasy in taking what they gave me. So after a few weeks, I stopped.

After months of pain and much prayers thanking God for healing my arm, nothing had changed.

I told Doctors that I was having severe, nerve, muscle and vain pain. The Doctor sent me to Topeka to have the nerves tested. I felt nothing. The Radial nerve was damaged. This is where the nerves branch out in all directions from a common center. They said it would take a year to one and a half years to heal if it ever healed. Already  6 to 8 months had passed. No change.

I prayed that night. God, I know you are going to heal my arm. One night my arm had hurt most of the night, I got up and shouted to the enemy, he was not going to win.

God said He would heal my arm. I believe it.

I asked for therapy. Dr. said that with the pain I had, they would not order it. God began to heal my arm little by little in the night. Soon my arm muscle was not hurting very much. Then my vessels were healing also, but my hand hurt a lot. Finally, in the last three weeks, the hand is healing also. I had not driven a car for a year. Now I can drive some this week.

Praise the Lord!

So I began in Jesus name to move my arm. Hurt? Yes, But I did it August, September, and October. God has done a healing that Doctors could not do. Only my thumb hurts once in a while.  it will soon also, be healed and made whole.
​
Rev. Shirley Wiley