Even though I have another topic for today’s SOF ppost, which I will post later, when I saw this message in Judy Rousseau’s email message this morning from one of her “marriage partners”, I knew it was something that needed to be shared here. In recent weeks, it’s been heart breaking to see how Satan is working in our midst to deceive and defeat women standing in very difficult circumstances for the restoration of their marriages. Ladies (and gentlemen), Satan does NOT send a wolf in wolf’s clothing! No Way! You can be absolutely certain that wolf will be all dressed up in the finest array of one of God’s dearest little lambs! BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, HE (OR SHE) IS A WOLFE JUST THE SAME! And he (or she) was sent from the pits of hell to deceive you and lead you away from the path of marriage restoration on which the Lord called you to stand! There’s NO WAY to overstate the importance of AVOIDING the temptation so often put before Christian women standing for their marriages, which means avoiding ALL contact with men in similar circumstances or ANY man who pays you any special attention, married, single, divorced, separated or widowed. In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth way more than a ton of cure! Even though I’m not sharing the name of the author of the following message, I thank her from the bottom of my heart for sharing what’s in her heart and I pray that it will open the eyes of anyone Satan is trying to deceive with such temptations. You can be sure, once you’ve allowed yourself to be so tempted, you will do exactly what 2 Timothy 4:3 predicts, because it warns For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. In the name of Jesus, God bless and protect everyone standing for marriage restoration from ALL such deception sent by the devil! AMEN!

“Hi! Hope that you are well – I can read that you have been extremely busy. What a blessing to have your family so close by!
I wanted to share something that I “realized” yesterday…about opposite sex relationships under the guise of “ministering.” I attend bible study at a church nearby. When I first started attending, I had two people introduced to me that were praying for their marriages. One of them was a guy around my age. I was incredibly rude (i type this red faced!) and although I prayed for his marriage and tried to point him in the direction of some excellent resources, I refused to meet him (even in a group!). I know my own weaknesses (at least this one) too well to have fallen for that trap…I mean, he isn’t unattractive.
What saddens me is that he was not so “lucky”. We have mutual friends who have shared that he is no longer seeking restoration and has become involved with someone in our church. I know a LOT of standers really wonder “what the big deal is”…I’m here to testify that THAT is the big deal. Are you even curious when widows/widowers marry one another? That people who have experienced a traumatic experience together “end up” together? I PRAISE GOD for the wisdom HE has given me to see my own weaknesses here. And there are PLENTY.
Many of you probably don’t struggle here…you are blessed. But for those of you who do – who’ve lost weight, are more attractive than you’ve ever been (PRAISE BE TO GOD!) and have unwanted attention, which makes you feel attractive and a ton of other things – TRUST ME – you are BEAUTIFUL and you don’t need any one else to validate that for you… I have watched the enemy try and trip me (heck, smack me over the head!) here more times than I would like. I felt lonely, ugly, unwanted, rejected and here were people who were “acting like” they “loved me”. Can anyone out there relate? This has got to be for SOMEONE out there…because I feel pretty foolish even sharing this with you. I can hear the teeth clicking and “You’re so vain” playing in the background –
and LORD knows, I wish it were vanity…that would be an easier break. But it isn’t. It’s (real) rejection. It’s (real) pain. It’s (false) acceptance. It’s (false) appreciation. It’s (false) validation. And I fell for it once…very early on in my stand…and 2 days later my husband called to tell me he wanted a divorce. Cause and effect? I don’t know. But I know that what I did was wrong, out of the LORD’s plan for me.
I could have fallen for that guy I mentioned earlier, too – I knew I could have. Even worse? At one point last night, I wished I had. I mean, he was moving on, looked like he was happy, accepted, loved…but the LORD is sooo good and HE reminded me that that wasn’t what HIS plan was for me. And I know that HIS plans for me are GOOD! I’m not judging the guy – hey, I know that the LORD doesn’t speak restoration to everyone. And I know that the LORD loves this guy…and that he will work it all out for good… I’m mentioning this because someone out there is struggling with this and I am here to tell you IT ISN’T WORTH IT. No matter how you work it out in your head – it isn’t GOD’s plan for you. Get your cup filled by your creator, your LOVING GOD…and stop begging for what HE wants to give you, from other people and places.
And to K_____…what about this divorce whether it goes through or not, will change who you are? You are GOD’s child, the apple of HIS eye, HIS beloved. God is in control – if your divorce goes through (and I pray it doesn’t), remember that the LORD knew what would come on the day he spoke restoration to you. He knew every valley and mountaintop, and yet, HE still spoke restoration to you. I’m reading a book – “Bondage Breakers” (which I fought, btw) and the author made an analogy that has really stayed with me…Imagine a road, lined with townhouses and skyscrapers. You are at one end, and CHRIST is at the other. As you walk down the street, you hear “voices” – trying to distract you from your goal (CHRIST). Those voices, be they circumstances, spirits, what have you, they are trying to slow your progress, impede it, destroy your ability to make it to the end, in CHRIST. Divorce, rotten circumstances, whatever – those are the screamers out the windows as you walk towards CHRIST. Don’t let them impede you one step. (the book, btw, is AWESOME!!!)
And for what it is worth – I haven’t spoken to my husband in over a year – the last time I saw him, he told me he wanted to restore, we had a BLESSED weekend, and then *poof*. GOD taught me that contact with him wasn’t a barometer for the LORD’s working.
Whew – Judy, that was LONG. Feel free to edit or not even post it. Whatever the LORD leads. I have tried to write this a few times and felt too silly to hit “send”…today I stepped out. In HIS LOVE, M______
Thank you, M______, for your honest and straightforward message about the dangers of double-mindedness. Over the years there have been many partners who have been standing with one leg and at the same time dangling their other leg over the fence to keep themselves active in the world of dating, just in case the Lord doesn’t answer their prayers in the way and timing they desire. A timely and well written message, M______. Thank you once again.”

John 10:10-17
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.

Since Jesus tells us that He IS working to gather our husbands into the flock, let’s not make the work more difficult or delay it by allowing the wolves sent by the devil to scatter us!

Ordering any of the following “Bondage Breaker” products from the links provided below will help support FAM Ministries, and they’re always very highly recommended by anyone who reads them:

Bondage
Breaker Revised, Book and Study Guide – 2 volumes
By Neil Anderson

You feel defenseless. The devil seems to have control of your thoughts and actions, causing you to sin again and again. But there’s a solution! Dr. Anderson gives you a proven strategy for breaking free from Satan’s stronghold and the bondage of habitual sin. Claim victory today! Set includes one softcover copy of the book and one copy of the workbook.

The
Bondage Breaker, Revised
By Neil Anderson

You feel defenseless. The devil seems to have control of your thoughts and actions, causing you to sin again and again. But there’s a solution! Dr. Anderson gives you a proven strategy for breaking free from Satan’s stronghold and the bondage of habitual sin. Claim victory today! This updated and expanded edition includes more encouraging success stories and suggestions. 252 pages, softcover from Harvest.

The
Bondage Breaker Study Guide, Revised
By Neil Anderson

Thousands of people have discovered the liberating truth of The Bondage Breaker. Now you can grasp more fully how God sets us free in this complete guide to victory over Satan and his forces of darkness. Perfect for personal study, or quarterly classes, this study can be used with The Bondage Breaker book or on it’s own.

The
Bondage Breaker – Audiobook on Cassette
By Neil Anderson

You’re trapped. You don’t know how you ended up in such a mess–locked in habits you can’t seem to break or caught in sin. You are not alone. The Bible warns that all Christians will struggle against Satan and his spiritual forces of darkness. This audiobook reveals the whys and hows of spiritual warfare, exposes Satan’s battle for your mind, and details the powerful truth that will break even the most stubborn habits or private sins. You can live without chains! Learn the truth of who you are in Christ and what it means to be a child of God. Knowing your spiritual identity and position in Christ is the essential truth that will set you free. Abridged. Read by the author. 2 cassettes.

Posted Thursday, September 21st, 2006 at 12:06 pm in Seeds Of Faith.