Thursday, January 16, 2014

DON'T LOOK BACK

Hello to my sisters in Christ Jesus.  I pray that you are blessed and highly favored of our Lord, Jesus Christ and that you will prosper as you follow after Christ.
 
This is one of those messages that the Holy Spirit tells me to write even though I am reluctant.  But when that happens, I know that the message will be a blessing of hope for someone else.  As you know, when I first started this ministry, I promised to be honest and upfront.  It's all about the Lord and you.
 
(Genesis 19:23-26), The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.  Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
 
The Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sinful nature and the fact that those in the city had no reverence or fear of the Lord.  And the reason why Lots wife was turned into a pillar of salt was because she did what the Lord told her not to do (look back).
 
A lot of times we find ourselves in between letting go and holding on.  Sometimes we might let go of something that we should have held on to.  And other times we find ourselves holding on to what we should let go.  Being in a abusive relationship can sometimes cause us to look back.  Why do we look back when we know the danger that lies ahead?  Maybe we look back because our desire to keep that person in our lives is stronger than our desire to make ourselves happy and safe.  Maybe we look back because we have been with that person so long and we refuse to believe that they will never change.  Maybe we look back because we refuse to believe that the person is not trying to hold on to us.  Sometimes when we decide to leave a toxic relationship whether it is (emotional, mental or physical abuse) we move just enough to keep that person in our lives.  It's emotionally and mentally draining we that person that we are supposed to trust cheats on us.  And we accept that persons lie because if we accept the truth, we have to do something about it.  As long as that person keeps lying to you, you can keep lying to yourself. We can imagine how great it would be to keep that person and have a healthy relationship but our imagination cannot conceive the fact that we can be in a healthy relationship with someone else. 
 
Why do we stay in abusive relationships?  When did we get to that point where we lost ourselves in a toxic relationship?  When did it all go wrong?  When did we start to see ourselves as meaningless creatures.  The answers to those questions are different for each one of us that decide to stay.  As a little girl watching a Disney movie, we believed that we could marry our Prince Charming.  We believe that we are Princess's and that someday our Prince Charming will come along.  What happened to that Princess?  Where is our Prince Charming?
 
We are daughters of the Most High God and there is nothing good that He will withhold from us.  I can imagine God looking down on me in the corner of my bedroom screaming because of a toxic relationship.  I am the first to admit that I don't know when I all of sudden thought of myself as a punching bag to someone.  Or even mentally abused.  There is not much of a difference between physical abuse and mental abuse.  Mental abuse can cause all kinds of health problems that you don't foresee.  Emotional and mental abuse cause just as much tears as a woman that is being hit everyday. 
 
There was a blessing waiting for Lot and his wife, but the moment she turned around she lost her life.  She could not conceive of a life without living in Sodom and Gomorrah.  There is a blessing waiting for you.  And you have to believe that there is a Prince Charming waiting for you.  It's God! God will be your Prince Charming until He prepares a husband for you.
 
Because I kept looking back, I remained in an abusive relationship for over 10 years.  And because I kept looking back, I was on marijuana and cocaine for a number of years.  You see, I was at a point where I could not conceive of living a life free from abuse and drugs.  Once I stopped looking back I could start living and looking ahead.  As long as I kept looking back, God's hands were tied, but He kept me safe.  If someone is reading this message and you have decided to leave your abusive relationship or stay off drugs, DON'T LOOK BACK!  You can do this!
 
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your love and compassion on me.  Father I asked that you touch those that are in abusive relationships, whether it is physical, emotional, mental or even drugs, letting them know that you love them, no matter what.  Remind them Father that you will never leave or forsake them.  Remind them Father that they are a child of the Most High God and your desire for them is a healthy life.  A life that will glorify you, Lord.  I pray Father for the safety of those that may be in an unhealthy relationship.  I ask you Father to place a hedge of protection around them, that no weapon formed against them shall prosper. I speak life over them right now in the name of Jesus, Amen!