YOU CAN PUT THE PAST BEHIND YOU but YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE.
By Joyce Meyer
In Exodus 8, Moses demanded that Pharaoh let his people go, but Pharaoh refused. So God sent plagues, one after another. One of the plagues was frogs. Frogs were everywhere: in the rivers, in people's houses, in their beds, even frogs in the dough people used to make bread.
And when Pharaoh finally said, "I get it," and agreed to release the Israelites, Moses asked, "When would you like to be rid of the frogs? Pharoah answered, "Tomorrow." Now, why would anyone want to spend one more night with frogs?!
ARE THERE "FROGS" IN YOUR LIFE?
Like the plague of frogs making the Egyptians miserable, there can be things in our lives-self-pity, anger, bitterness, depression-that we carry around with us everywhere we go, making us miserable.
Maybe as a child you weren't given love and attention, or you experienced a lot of verbal abuse or physical abuse. Or like me, you were sexually abused by your dad, a relative or a neighbor. If that's the case, I have good news for you: Jesus can heal you everywhere you hurt! And through a personal relationship with Him, you have the privilege of speaking the name of Jesus and believing in the power of God to completely heal you and make you just as if it never happened to you. But there are things you must do in order for the Holy Spirit to complete the work He began in you when you accepted Christ as your Savior.
THE POWER OF CONFESSION
One of the first things we need to do is admit when we need help. Don't be afraid to go to God and say, "I want to live in truth. Open my eyes where I'm deceived and teach me truth." We can be real with God. Like David, in Psalm 109:22, we can confess, I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded," and He will hear our cry.
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (James 5:16)
Sometimes it's good to talk to somebody and get things out in the open. I was in my twenties before I told anyone what had happened to me. Why? I was afraid of what people would think of me. I was afraid my mom and dad would find out if I told somebody. Satan wants us living in fear, to ruin our lives and make us afraid someone will find out. But secrets buried alive never die-they just keep eating at us. It may be hard to tell someone what you are going through, but God loves you and He wants to heal and restore your life. He will help you when you come to Him honestly, humble yourself before Him and tell Him, "I love You, Lord, and I appreciate my salvation, but I'm mess! I need Your help."
DON'T PLAY THE BLAME GAME
Very often when we're hurting, we blame someone else instead of taking responsibility for our happiness. Unhappy people want to make other people unhappy. Satan wants for someone to hurt us, then for us to be angry and bitter, spend our lives feeling sorry for ourselves and then turn around and hurt someone else so they can do the same thing to someone else. And it can go on like that from generation to generation.
But I want to encourage you not to blame someone else for your problems. Maybe what happened to you is not your fault, but it doesn't have to be an excuse to stay unhealthy. It was a life-changing revelation for me when I found out I had such a mess in my soul because of things that happened in my past. When I left home at 18, I thought I was leaving my problems behind me. But the truth is, I had a lot of wounds in my soul that went with me, and until I faced them and receive God's healing, I was going to be a mess.
I was so wonderful to discover there was a promise in the Bible to cover every single one of my hurts. And this is true for you, too. It will take time and diligence, study and prayer to walk out this healing that's yours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but you can do all things you need to do with the Holy Spirit's help (see Philippians 4:13)
DON'T PUT IT OFF
"Tomorrow" is one of the most dangerous words in our English language. You don't have to wait until tomorrow to forgive the people who hurt you, or to stop saying it's too hard, it's too much, it's not fair... Instead, you can decide: This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad!
It's so important to understand that the most important moment in your life is RIGHT NOW. It's the only one you know for sure you have. You can't undo what people did to you or the mistakes from your past, but you can make a decision today that you won't spend one more day with the frogs. Press in to your relationship with God and get beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for heaviness.
TURN YOUR MESS INTO YOUR MESSAGE
Isaiah 61:1 and 3 says Jesus came to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eye of those who are bound... to give them... beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit...
If you feel like your life is a fragmented mess, let Jesus gather up the pieces. Hand over your ashes. Your pain will become somebody else's gain, your mess will become your message and what you have walked through will become somebody else's miracle.
God wants to give you beauty. But first you must surrender your ashes. Ask Him to help you. He did it for me, and I know He will do it for you. Don't spend one more night with the frogs!
By Joyce Meyer
In Exodus 8, Moses demanded that Pharaoh let his people go, but Pharaoh refused. So God sent plagues, one after another. One of the plagues was frogs. Frogs were everywhere: in the rivers, in people's houses, in their beds, even frogs in the dough people used to make bread.
And when Pharaoh finally said, "I get it," and agreed to release the Israelites, Moses asked, "When would you like to be rid of the frogs? Pharoah answered, "Tomorrow." Now, why would anyone want to spend one more night with frogs?!
ARE THERE "FROGS" IN YOUR LIFE?
Like the plague of frogs making the Egyptians miserable, there can be things in our lives-self-pity, anger, bitterness, depression-that we carry around with us everywhere we go, making us miserable.
Maybe as a child you weren't given love and attention, or you experienced a lot of verbal abuse or physical abuse. Or like me, you were sexually abused by your dad, a relative or a neighbor. If that's the case, I have good news for you: Jesus can heal you everywhere you hurt! And through a personal relationship with Him, you have the privilege of speaking the name of Jesus and believing in the power of God to completely heal you and make you just as if it never happened to you. But there are things you must do in order for the Holy Spirit to complete the work He began in you when you accepted Christ as your Savior.
THE POWER OF CONFESSION
One of the first things we need to do is admit when we need help. Don't be afraid to go to God and say, "I want to live in truth. Open my eyes where I'm deceived and teach me truth." We can be real with God. Like David, in Psalm 109:22, we can confess, I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded," and He will hear our cry.
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (James 5:16)
Sometimes it's good to talk to somebody and get things out in the open. I was in my twenties before I told anyone what had happened to me. Why? I was afraid of what people would think of me. I was afraid my mom and dad would find out if I told somebody. Satan wants us living in fear, to ruin our lives and make us afraid someone will find out. But secrets buried alive never die-they just keep eating at us. It may be hard to tell someone what you are going through, but God loves you and He wants to heal and restore your life. He will help you when you come to Him honestly, humble yourself before Him and tell Him, "I love You, Lord, and I appreciate my salvation, but I'm mess! I need Your help."
DON'T PLAY THE BLAME GAME
Very often when we're hurting, we blame someone else instead of taking responsibility for our happiness. Unhappy people want to make other people unhappy. Satan wants for someone to hurt us, then for us to be angry and bitter, spend our lives feeling sorry for ourselves and then turn around and hurt someone else so they can do the same thing to someone else. And it can go on like that from generation to generation.
But I want to encourage you not to blame someone else for your problems. Maybe what happened to you is not your fault, but it doesn't have to be an excuse to stay unhealthy. It was a life-changing revelation for me when I found out I had such a mess in my soul because of things that happened in my past. When I left home at 18, I thought I was leaving my problems behind me. But the truth is, I had a lot of wounds in my soul that went with me, and until I faced them and receive God's healing, I was going to be a mess.
I was so wonderful to discover there was a promise in the Bible to cover every single one of my hurts. And this is true for you, too. It will take time and diligence, study and prayer to walk out this healing that's yours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but you can do all things you need to do with the Holy Spirit's help (see Philippians 4:13)
DON'T PUT IT OFF
"Tomorrow" is one of the most dangerous words in our English language. You don't have to wait until tomorrow to forgive the people who hurt you, or to stop saying it's too hard, it's too much, it's not fair... Instead, you can decide: This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad!
It's so important to understand that the most important moment in your life is RIGHT NOW. It's the only one you know for sure you have. You can't undo what people did to you or the mistakes from your past, but you can make a decision today that you won't spend one more day with the frogs. Press in to your relationship with God and get beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise for heaviness.
TURN YOUR MESS INTO YOUR MESSAGE
Isaiah 61:1 and 3 says Jesus came to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eye of those who are bound... to give them... beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit...
If you feel like your life is a fragmented mess, let Jesus gather up the pieces. Hand over your ashes. Your pain will become somebody else's gain, your mess will become your message and what you have walked through will become somebody else's miracle.
God wants to give you beauty. But first you must surrender your ashes. Ask Him to help you. He did it for me, and I know He will do it for you. Don't spend one more night with the frogs!
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