“THE WINTER OF OUR MALCONTENT” - “Faithing Our Fears”

 

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By Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit

For many weeks now, just as I was about to fall into a good deep sleep, I have heard in my spirit the words, “The Winter of our Malcontent”. Trying to reconcile those words in my own thinking, I would then say to myself, “You mean the winter of our discontent don’t you?" (I was thinking about the fact that Shakespeare wrote this and put into print in Richard III,1594.)

Again and again the same event would take place until I was made aware of what the Lord would have me write and share with those - who may have ears to hear. For you see, the subject can be one that many FEAR.

Malcontent; definition

Disappointed, disenchanted, disillusioned, frustrated, unfulfilled; disquieted, disturbed, perturbed, upset; dejected, depressed, despairing, despondent

THE WRINGING OF HANDS AND HEART

For some, it is easier to simply live in a shell of denial or self concocted false spiritual bliss than to look soberly and head on at the turmoil and drama that the world is rapidly spinning and bobbing in.

It will not easily or wishfully go away, and at this time we are and will be, facing severe repercussions for wicked choices made by governments, banking systems and yes religious institutions.

All three can do good things, but many currently have chosen the ways of corruption, selfish ambition, deceptive story telling and above all, the giving away of their heart and minds to the god of this world. A god who traps its victims with promises of greater power, influence, and an adoring mass of lesser gifted humans who are expected to give homage without asking questions.

These pressures and practices can tear at the soul of the discerning hearts who see more than the handwriting on the wall.  They know, regardless of a solid stance of Faith in Gods providence and care - that something is very very wrong and, it is escalating.

THE FEAR AND HOLLOW ACHE WITHIN YOUR HEART 

Many are panicking and poring over every website and news bulletin to see if there are falsities that they can catch and prove in the wrong, or truths that they can exploit. Neither of these will help.

And, the fear mongers believe that we all must be totally obsessed and baptized in fear by pouring it out to their audiences.

They will feed the panic and give power to the spirit of terror that is looming large and with insidious precision.

Where do apparent Bible believers get reliable information to nourish their fears? From you and me. We do it to each other all the time.

Why do we deliver information to our brother or sister that will feed his or her fears?

THE FIRST CAUSE OF FEAR IS THE FEAR OF LOSING PLAYTHINGS AND SAFETY.

We believe that "my God shall supply all your needs," but our old nature cannot believe that, especially when we hear news from worldly sources telling us someone is trying to take our toys and life resources away from us. When we give place to fear, and feast on it, feed it, and pass it on to other people, we are boldly denying that Christ will be our supplier.

If you have a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind that has no hope, no light, and you have the Church headed straight into a train wreck instead of looking at the light at the end of the tunnel, you are WICKED.

If all you do is sit around and talk with wide-eyed terror about the New World Order, the crash of the banks, the collapse of the dollar, and the concentration camps and micro chips getting ready for us you’re not only feeding fear, you also are a promoter and preacher of it.

Harsh words? No. 

Honest words intended to get you to shake off morbid living and to decide to truly serve the LIVING GOD or serve - Fear.

WHAT FEAR IS

Fear is a harsh and wicked taskmaster.

Fear will not let you sleep well at night.

Fear brings condemnation and shame.

Fear causes hoarding and secret self-protections.

Fear will make you betray others to hide and protect your way of living and your opinions.

Fear will join with accusation and destroy safe relationships, by isolating you.

Fear is a liar and gathers clusters of other tormenting spirits to join with it.

Fear creates excitement for those who use it as a tool to gain attention or - control.

 

JESUS HAS TAKEN CARE OF HIS BRIDE FOR OVER 2000 YEARS

He is still doing so, and will never ever stop!

Know this! The light of Christ that shines in very dark times is the ONLY light that is available. I say this because this light is on "until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." The light of prophecy is the light at the end of the tunnel of human history, and that light is a person:

“ I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you, these things in the churches.I AM the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Revelation 22:16

So, the darker it is, the more blessed that light is.

The stars shine at night, not during the daylight.

Light a candle in a room that has many lamps on, and no one will notice, but strike the smallest match you can find in a totally blacked out room, and EVERY EYE WILL BE ON THAT LIGHT!

 

WHY ARE OUR EYES, AND MOUTH FIXATED WITH HOW EXCEEDINGLY DARK IT IS?

1 Thessalonians 5 says

“You are all the children of light, And the children of the day.

We are not of the night, Nor of darkness.”

 

WHAT TO DO NOW

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Tell me, what good is it to obsess or prepare to survive the coming crash or doom if you end up living a stressed and tormented life over it?

You’re afraid because you don’t think God can handle your situation.

You’re afraid you are going to die, you are afraid you’re going to get sick, you’re afraid your kids are going to get hurt, you’re afraid the roof is going to fall in, you’re afraid the demons are going to get you!

Whatever it is, it comes from two things.

Number one: 

You have a guilty conscience.

 

Number two: 

You have weak faith in God.

 

You can deal with both of those. 

Have a guilty conscience?  

Confess your sin and get it all cleaned out.

Weak faith? 

Get your Bible open and read what God says about Himself and learn to trust Him.... And pray.

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit, which God has given us, Is not a spirit of cowardice.

But one of power and of love and of sound judgment.

 

FAITH OBEYS GOD IN SPITE OF CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONSEQUENCES

Fear can creep into the hearts of the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the most educated and the least educated, the powerful and the powerless.

What can one do to be freed of fear?

Faith is not afraid of what others may say or do.

An Elijah complex can rob you of power and joy, so beware! Elijah went from victory to defeat because he started walking by sight and not by faith. He believed the wicked queen Jezebel's words but not God’s word, and he forgot how God had cared for him for three and a half years. Fear replaced faith, and he ran for his life. We need to obey the words

 

Do not be afraid; only believe (Mark 5:36).

Faith and fear are opposites, and yet, strange to say, they are often found dwelling within the same person; but where one is forceful the other is undeveloped. The constant attitude of the Christian must and needs to be,

“Behold, God is my salvation, 

I will trust and not be afraid; 

For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, 

And He has become my salvation.

Isaiah 12:2

 

WHAT OUGHT TO BE, AND WHAT ACTUALLY IS

ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. 

Psalm 56:3

However, when the grace of faith is in practice, its verbal communication will be:

One thing that must be addressed as well is the situation where there are believers who are currently in trauma, loss, or who are persevering through very difficult and possibly harrowing situations. Very often those who have a shallow development of the fruit of Mercy and attributes of discernment are often found to spout out well rehearsed “shotgun lines” of scripture at those who are in the throws of battle and sorrow.

THIS IS NOT OK! It shows a great lack of genuine Christian Character and even worse, a lack of the nature of Christ. The following verse will clear up any religious sputtering about this, and hopefully bring a nice bit of conviction to the legalistic and hardhearted.

So those of us who have a strong [faith] must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose [faith] is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves.

Romans 15:1

Jesus Stood up in the Storm and spoke PEACE.

He did not scold and hammer away at the frighten men in the boat with him. He did not shame them with a tone of superiority or condescending blather when he said,  “Why do you struggle with trusting Me (faith) to take care of you?”  He used moments of doubt and fearfulness all throughout the bible as teaching moments, to disciple His beloved children. We too - Can learn from this. It will be much needed in the days ahead.

LET’S PRAY TOGETHER AND BE FREE FROM FEAR

Dear Jesus Christ,

I know that all power and authority on Heaven and Earth belongs to You alone. I come to You today, asking for supernatural divine deliverance from fear.

I am facing numerous issues that are scaring me, sometimes tormenting me! 

I ask you right now Jesus, in faith and with all of my existence, please, please deliver me from all fear. I gave You my soul when I became a Christian.

So right now, I choose to symbolically, hand literally hand you my problems, my fears. 

I pray, Jesus take these fears, and strengthen me against them! Protect me from every lie of the enemy that has come my way trying to deceive me.

You have told me:

"Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - John 14:27.

Right now, I give it all to You Jesus. Please deal with these fears for me. 

In the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God almighty, I renounce satan and all of his lies that are trying to make me afraid!

I pray that you Lord would bind every enemy and spirit of fear attempting to operate in my life and rebuke it! Protect me from it!

Lord Jesus, please also help me recognize if there is something that I am doing to allow fear to manipulate me. Please let me know if there is something wrong that needs to change. Please let me know if there is something in my environment or home, that is causing my mind to have fearful reactions.

Help us, O Heavenly Father, to dwell not on our fears, but on who you are. We can conqueror our fears only by focusing on you. Then no matter what is the cause of our fears, they will dissipate like the morning fog.

This we ask in the name of Him who overcame all of His fears by fixing his eyes on You and You alone. Amen

Thank You! Amen!

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“WEAPONIZED WORDS” - When The World Grows Harsh, What Does God Say?

By Mary Lindow

This message just "might" hit close to home.  : )

I have been thinking a lot this week about arrogance and those “finger pointing” individuals who enjoy belittling others and simply “love” to be plain old “snarky”.  Just look at the headlines of newspapers, Internet news and gossip columns! With the stroke of a key or two, words written imply things that can break hearts, ruin trust, hope, National Security and relationships.

THERE IS SUCH A HARSH “STING TO THE HEART” 

WHEN THE CRUEL WORDS OF SOMEONE ELSE INTENTIONALLY 

DOES A “VERBAL SLAP DOWN” OR SHAMES YOU.

Usually it occurs when THEY believe that THEY are absolutely right or have "superior" knowledge, and that others are the "lesser" and are the "wrong- big- dummies".

This mean and sour arrogance, which uses power to belittle or harm others, is something that crushes and cripples hearts and dreams. It’s a secret and deep seething storm inside of the soul of those who feel they have “rights” and superior thinking that justifies “weaponizing words”. 

Yes... weaponizing! 

 Words can deliver pinpoint missiles of pain, threats, ridicule, humiliation, subtle undertones of condescension but can also deliver payloads of healing, warmth, gratitude, encouragement, and above all, Hope.

As a believer, our faith should not be arrogant —nor should a person of faith belittle others! We should never use our faith or intelligence to pretend that we are superior or more informed than others! NO! NEVER! 

Belittling is a form of bullying!  It’s when someone makes you feel as though you are little, minuscule, not good enough.

Proverbs 11:17 says, “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.”

 Arrogance is the opposite of humility, and humility is supposed to be a Christian virtue.  Jesus Christ who, in coming into the world and living and dying alongside of us, lived out what humility is.

You will never reach the place of honor or full use by the Heavenly Father, (and can actually be disqualified from many opportunities) until your insecurities and need to needle, belittle, compete with, or shame others is addressed, repented of and buried! And, when mentioning, “reaching a place of honor”, I’m referring to this as honor before the face and rule of God.           

If your goals in life are to have men honor you first...

…You will be one who certainly tramples others with your words.

Those who have the sickness of pride in their hearts, speak of others’ weakness and sins with contempt, irritation, frustration, or judgment. Pride is crouching inside of your meanness and belittling of the struggles of others.

It’s cowering in your jokes about the 'craziness’ of your spouse, the mocking of that, ‘too sensitive friend’. It may even be lurking in the prayers we throw upward for our friends that are — subtly or not — often tinted with the color of exasperated irritation.

 Listen to Proverbs 15:4 from The Message translation.

 "Kind words heal and help; 

Cutting words wound and maim."

Sometimes, we use sarcasm to voice harsh, or cutting words we otherwise would not say, often intentionally hurting others. Once the pain is inflicted however, we retreat, saying, "Oh, I was just kidding”.  But the sting of those words hurts so much that those we have injured, withdraw. 

Our words don't feel like jokes at all.

 Jesus' words should be a warning to those of us who are tempted to use sarcasm as a weapon:

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment 

for every careless word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36).

SARCASTIC REMARKS USUALLY SEEM LIKE “NO BIG DEAL” 

TO THE PERSON WHO MAKES THEM. 

BUT TO THE RECIPIENT, THOSE WORDS MAKE LASTING IMPRESSIONS

THAT SCAR TO THE VERY CORE OF THE HEART.

Many times, sarcasm shames a person, causing them to feel belittled and unworthy. When shame takes root in the heart, it can cause disastrous behavior, because the person now feels worthless and seeks desperately to find anything that will make them feel otherwise.

Shaming others is a serious offense with serious consequences. 

Jesus said, "Your very words will be used as evidence against you, 

and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty."

 (Matthew 12:37)

Are your words kind and constructive? 

Do they desire to seek peace and unity, or are they driven by your fleshy desire to sting, aggravate, retaliate, tease, belittle, control, alienate, shame and manipulate through sarcasm? YES ... alllll of those HURT PEOPLE!

The enemy is camping out at the gate of your every relationship. Children, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parents, co-laborers and more. He is lurking around every corner, seeking to find that one open crevice where he can enter. If he has been entering in and camping out in your home or relationships through the use of sarcasm, it’s time to boot this verbal enemy out and lock the gate behind him.

Die to your need to be snarky and always the one with a chirpy sarcastic comeback! Allow Christ to show you His ways that love, peace and compassion can be the source of every word that proceeds from your mouth.

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, '

God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ 

Humble yourself then! Bow low under God’s mighty hand, 

that he may use you to the fullest at the proper time.  

-1 Peter 5:56

Prayer of Brokenness and Confession

(I Highly recommend praying this out loud.)

 Holy and All seeing Father God,

I confess now to You, that I do not always love my neighbor.

I confess that I have despised others, even to the point of hatred.

 I confess that I have been hurt by others.

I confess that forgiveness and reconciliation at times are just impossible for us. 

I realize that I have spoken words that have broken people or have humiliated them and although asking for forgiveness, they have distanced themselves from me, and rightly so because they don’t want to take any more of my unkind words,

Father I ask you to heal them from the things that I have said that caused broken and crushed spirits. 

 Restore them; bring them Friends that will treat them kindly.

I know that nothing is impossible in You.

So, I come to You, seeking healing and wholeness for myself.

Heal whatever is inside of me that needs to speak poorly of others, or to speak down to others.

 Show me the parts of me that are insecure or needy. 

Help me, whenever possible, to live in peace with others, to seek reconciliation and healing and forgiveness.

For Your Son Jesus came and lived among us, and was betrayed and denied, abused and put to death.

Yet, He rose again, and came with the message of peace to those who had denied Him and abandoned Him. 

Oh Father!  May I walk in His ways and model His kindness in my speech and actions.

 I pray this in Jesus’ loving name.

Amen.

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"DEALING WITH SLANDER - BETRAYAL AND CHARACTER ASSASSINATION "

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By Mary Lindow

David had his Absalom,
Paul had his Demas, who abandoned him, and Alexander the coppersmith,
who "had done him much harm."
Jesus had Iscariot.


We know all about Judas,
so the story holds no drama for us.
We forget that Jesus chose Judas after praying all night.
They spent every day together for three years, talking, eating together, and laughing. Jesus sent him out in ministry. Judas shared in the miracle of feeding 5,000 people; his hands took the small, round barley loaves from Jesus and tore off hunks of bread for hungry people.

What makes each case of betrayal so painful is that someone who knows your heart—who knows your longings and character—turns from that and chooses to believe you are really dangerous.

The mind freezes as it tries to grasp how a friend, someone who knew you deeply, intimately,
could turn on you and attack you.

The singer songwriter Michael Card vividly captures the agony in one song:


"Only a friend can betray a friend,
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
to ever cause so much pain."


Betrayal, I've noticed, calls good evil.
It twists a person's true spiritual endowments into something negative, a saintly deficiency or psychological problem. Betrayal causes leaders to not want to trust, to not want to be involved in anything called church, to not be vulnerable, to not open their spirits in worship to God.


Don't give up!
You may be tempted to flee, to turn your back on your call. You are walking where great people have walked before. They are remembered as great because they did not allow the betrayal to stop them. Instead they learned how to turn their pain into greater usefulness for the Lord.

What does it mean to slander?
To make a false and malicious statement that damages somebody’s reputation.
To set somebody or something up in opposition to somebody or something else.

But another definition of slander is to take about someone with the intent to hurt them. To whisper and hiss subtle, condescending, suggestive thoughts that someone is ”missing the real deal.”

II Timothy tells us that in the last days there will be slanderers and false accusers spreading innuendoes and criticism and reporting things unjustly about others.


Scorpions carry poison in their tails;
Snakes carry it in their cheeks,
And slanderers carry it in their tongues.

Character assassination is an intentional attempt to influence the portrayal or reputation of a particular person, whether living or a historical personage, in such a way as to cause others to develop an extremely negative, unethical or unappealing perception of him or her. By its nature, it involves deliberate exaggeration or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person. For living individuals, this can cause the target to be rejected by his or her community, family, or members of his or her living or work environment. Such acts are typically very difficult to reverse or rectify, therefore the process is correctly likened to a literal assassination of a human life. The damage sustained can be life-long and more, or for historical personages, last for many centuries after their death.

In practice, character assassination usually consists of the spreading of rumors and deliberate misinformation on topics relating to one's morals, integrity, and reputation.

If the devil has any servants that he values the most, are they slanderers or gossips?
I believe they are!


Charles Spurgeon said,

"A lie will go around the world
while truth is still putting
on its boots."

Think about that!

In Psalm 15 David speaks such a powerful lesson about THE PERSON who can truly ascend to a place of Walking with God in a holy high place.

Psalm 15: 1-5

A psalm of David.

 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong, and casts no slur on his fellowman,

Who despises a vile man, but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.


If you will notice…this type of person cannot be shaken.
That does not mean that he or she will not be sorely tested, or at times falsely accused or slandered. It meant that these things would not shake them from the knowledge that they walk with God in His Holy Presence SAFELY and confidently even though pressures and pain attack them!


The Lord is a protector…
…and a refuge from slander and accusations!

How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.
Psalm 31:19-20


I encourage you to spend much much time in worship
and in hiding the word of God in your heart. These two weapons act like shields to the soul when attacks and false accusations are unleashed towards you. There will always be those who gain power and prestige for a season through the use of slander or subtle suggestions that imply that you have some how “gone off the rails” and have become a lesser saint!


The Lord strongly addressed this in the following verses:

“Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I put to silence;

Whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
him will I not endure.” 
Psalm 101:5


"Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life.
I am the LORD."
Leviticus 19:16


Servant of God! 

DO NOT let fear grip you and paralyze the Lord’s voice calling to you to serve Him freely!

No man or woman has the authority to tell you to not speak in the Name of Jesus if you are moving from a pure heart and a pure motive!

Of Course…you may thoroughly be discussed behind your back and dissected as to why you speak out or flow in the way the Lord might well call you to do!

But remember to be certain it is the Lord that asked you to speak out ...
...And then you are able to simply;

“Keep a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

1 Peter 3:16


Remember this, obedient child of God:

When we are slandered, we answer kindly.

"Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth ,the refuse of the world."
1 Corinthians 4:13

Love lived out and expressed honestly in the hearts that have felt the sting of slander and yet choose to forgive, do a greater work in the name of Jesus and for His Kingdom, than a thousand voices that may shout against injustice or religious forms and practices.

Remember…Jesus Himself endured insults rejection and ridicule.

And yet…
…He finished the course.

So will you!

Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that
complete source and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You
Copyright © 2013 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com