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Want to help: Power vs Strength

Discussion in 'Other Discussions' started by Gina B, Jul 30, 2012.

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  1. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    I am going to write something on the concept of power vs strength for all my kids. Both of my husband's children went through some abuse and trauma when they were younger and have a very hard time with some negative thoughts and behaviors that DH and I have been working on intensely in the hopes that they will have a better chance at healing and becoming productive, decent adults.

    Recently, I spoke with an adult who healed from the same disorder they have and plan to speak with others, even as I'm in the process of speaking to other adults who are raising children with the same issue.

    The question I'd like to input on from both adults and hopefully from children you may have, whether they are mentally healthy or have gone through abuse/trauma in the past, is the definition of power vs strength.

    Is there an example in your life of a time when you used power (in a negative way) vs a time you used strength (in a positive way) and reaped better results from being a strong person vs a powerful one? How much true respect do you have for someone who shows moral and mental strength vs someone who simply holds a lot of power but lacks strength? Was there a point in your life where you realized that you needed to stop trying to be powerful and needed to work on becoming strong instead?

    BTW, my point isn't going to be that power is wrong, just that strength is better and if one DOES become powerful, it takes strength to control that power and use it with wisdom while remaining uncorrupted by it, leading into the only power we have should come from G-d and simply be His power passing through us instead of us trying to control that power on our own.
     
    #1 Gina B, Jul 30, 2012
  2. Ceegen

    Ceegen New Member

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    My son was bullied, and I explained to him how that relates to his faith in Jesus. How to be the strong Christian in faith to God to turn the other cheek and do no violence to anyone. Maybe your problem isn't bullying, and every situation is different, but the same book explains it all for us very clearly as you mentioned in your last paragraph, (which I snipped out for brevity) - We are "strong" and "powerful" in the Word of God who was made flesh in the man we know as Jesus the Christ.

    Now, another experience I would like to share with you is that of demonic opression. It may or may not help you, but maybe someone else will read this and realize that their problems aren't physical ones, but spiritual ones.

    When I was in the military, I lived on base. We moved into this two-story townhouse with high hopes, but... When we first moved into this place, my wife and I both had uneasy feelings about it. My son also had problems and showed signs of oppression, after we moved into this place. (Things like being angry for no reason, even to the point of hitting his own mother!)

    I later came to the realization that something spiritual was going on in that house, and when I made this realization the demonic entity that was oppressing us became even more strong in its attempt to divide my family. I didn't think for a moment that this was really spiritual in nature, because I didn't want to believe it was real! But God opened my eyes, just enough to wake up to the threat within my house.

    So, one day when I came home late from work, something happened to both my wife and son. They were both scared and down stairs, reading from the bible. After my wife explained what was going on, I got angry. Knowing what this entity truly is, made me all the more "on fire", and so right then and there I said a short prayer. From that moment, it was like I wasn't me, as if something moved within me to take over and guide me along.

    So I walked upstairs, deliberately, feeling the power around me in the air and from within. I got to the end of the hallway, and knew it was there. I said out loud, without thinking, "I know who and what you are, and what you represent. I don't want you in my life any more. You are a coward, attacking my son and wife while I am not home. I am the man of this house, and I am telling you, that if you harm my son any more or cause him to harm himself... I will banish you myself, in the name and power of Jesus who is Christ, to the abyss where the other fallen angels are in chains of darkness. If you don't want to go there, then leave my son ALONE!"

    And ya know what? It worked. My son from that very instant, didn't have problems. But notice that I didn't say anything about leaving me or my wife alone? Well, it gets better.

    One night, very early in the morning actually, my wife and I were laying in bed. She was asleep, and I was having troubble getting to sleep. It was nearly 2 AM! I was so angry that I couldn't get to sleep, as if something was bothering me. At some point while I was nearly drifting off to sleep, I heard my wife mumbling in her sleep. I couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but when i shook her and asked her what was wrong, something entirely different was speaking through her.

    It gave me the chills. Yes I was afraid, I was startled by the "icy" voice that carried through my wife's words: "You're scared and there is nothing you can do. You're weak and pathetic...."

    Well, I just about froze up completely. But I remembered that day I spoke to this "thing" before in the hallway, and said within myself; Jesus I need your help right now. I don't know what to say. Please give me the strength to say the words you want me to speak.

    Right at that moment, my mouth started to move, and I said very calmly, "I am weak. By myself I am indeed weak. But I have Jesus to protect me, and you have no power over that. If you keep doing this, we are going to have problems, so don't ever invade my body or my wife's body ever again."

    And it was like the room, in the middle of the night, became clear. There wasn't a sense of darkness there any more, and there were shadows in the room, but I wasn't afraid as I first was. My wife sighed in her sleep and turned over, and started snoring. What a beautiful sound her snoring was, lol! I went right to sleep after that, too, despite the chainsaw noises my wife was making.

    In the days and months that followed, the entity still tried attacking my wife. She was scared and wouldn't sleep in our room upstairs while I was away on training missions and stuff. But it didn't attack her physically, or take over her body, from that point on.

    My point in all this is, and many Christians refuse to believe that demonic entities exist, is that maybe your problems in this regard are of a spiritual origin? The abuse/trauma that you speak of, is a physical manifestation of what is going on in the spiritual realm, whether or not it is coming from another person or a fully spritual entity! Just keep strong in the Word of God, and identify where the root of these problems are comming from, and stamp it out with the authority and power that you DO HAVE as a Christian! The power of Jesus is with you, dear lady, don't forget that!

    I'll pray for ya, that's all I can do. God bless.
     
    #2 Ceegen, Jul 30, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 30, 2012
  3. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Ceegan, I do not doubt that evil spirits often play a role in these types of issues, though I don't often discuss it openly as many Christians, though they profess such exist, seem to become highly critical, doubtful, and think of these as "extremist" views when it comes right down to it.

    I've shared with a couple close people in my private life that while we can pray for them, it is each individual's responsibility to accept or reject faith. I do feel as if this rejection is possible even in a child, not limited to adults, so do believe this to be a high possibility.

    While I've prayed for them, especially the violent one as that is especially threatening to us (though the person he wanted to kill most has since passed) my prayers have been focused on acceptance of Christ...which really isn't something I can expect a yes on, now is it? It's between that person and Christ.

    I never thought to pray specifically for any possible demonic forces to be removed. Believe it or not, it just never occurred to me. The only time I've prayed in that vein has been when I've been in a service at a church or meeting and felt like something was blocking the path to the congregation being open, you know how it sometimes feels like there's a spirit of oppression going on sometimes when you walk into a group of people getting ready to study or worship? That's what I'm talking about.

    I think it's high time I sought out the scriptures on this, because right now I feel uncertain about my authority to request it on this level, so until I do, it wouldn't do much good to pray with a low level of faith.

    Your input is valued and appreciated.
     
    #3 Gina B, Jul 30, 2012
  4. Ceegen

    Ceegen New Member

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    Job 40:7 - "Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me."

    That's God speaking to Job, saying, "stand up like a MAN..."

    Now, i can see from your avatar/picture, that you're probably a woman. Nothing wrong with that, but because God was talking to Job in that instance doesn't mean that it doesn't apply to you, too.

    Stand up like a woman, trusting and knowing that God is with you. He is a living God, not some distant and cold god that leaves us. All ya gotta do, is ask. He will strengthen you, and you can stand against the evil with the assurance that God is with you.

    Psalm 94 tells us:
    "15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
    16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
    17 Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence."

    Don't be silent! Know what the evil is, and where it comes from, and you will see it for what it is. Tell the evil that is oppressing you to get out!
     
    #4 Ceegen, Jul 30, 2012
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