Recovery For Abused Women

“Empowering the abused woman to recover with God's truth"

It’s not about us but it’s about God! God does not look on our outward appearance but He looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Because that’s where the true motives for what we do comes from. Matthew 15:18 says:

But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible.)

Bottom line: What’s in a man will come out; eventually – no matter how long it takes.

It’s not about our cars, houses, clothes, money, etc. but it’s about God. It’s not even about what we go through. God loves us so much, He wants the best for us but we first must give Him our hearts completely; that’s what life is about, giving God our hearts – putting Him first. God has made the provisions for us to handle whatever we will face in life. He said to cast all our cares and burdens upon Him (1 Peter 5:7; Ps 55:22) because He cares for us; He will sustain us.

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible – 1 Peter 5:7).

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail)” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible – Psalm 55:22).

Jesus said in Matthew 11:29-30:

28-30Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly” (www.biblegateway.com – The Message Bible).

WOW! WOW! God is so good; I can feel the love flowing from Jesus through those verses of Scripture. Jesus wants us to walk in the abundant life He has already given us; no good thing will God withhold from us if we walk upright before Him. But our hearts must be changed before we can walk upright.

The first step is to accept Christ as our Savior; we are become righteous because of Him dying on the cross for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us this:

“For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

We are righteousness in God’s sight through Christ; not on our own merit. But we must walk out (live in) our new life of righteousness. And that will only happen when our hearts get changed (converted).

We must realize this when we are witnessing to people; especially our own love ones – whether they live in our household or not. We must stop getting angry at them when they do not listen to us; stop trying to convince them of what we are saying – we can’t – only God can touch their hearts. He can reach in there and turn their hearts so they will go in the right direction. All we have to do is love them; tell them and show them that we love them during this process (of God turning their heart).

Remember, God does not look on the outward appearance of man but at his heart (1 Samuel 16:7) – He is after our hearts. Yes, God does not want us to sin but He is after our hearts because once He captures our heart, we will turn from our sins. God has already made provisions for our sin through the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. Remember, we are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)?

We can’t see in a man’s heart, but we can love them by not looking on their outward appearance; by looking pass their sins and showing them the love God has put in our hearts. There is no power on earth stronger than love; “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8); this is how we will be able to love people in spite of their sin.

We can’t love others though until we give God our hearts so He can change us. We first must take the beam out of our own eye before we can take the speck out of our brother and sister eye; this happens after our hearts has been changed. Jesus says it like this in Matthew 7:4-5:

4Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?

5You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

We pray for change in others sometimes more than we pray for change in ourselves. We pray, “Oh God, change them;” or we might say, “If they will change, I will change.” NO! We must change first and show love to others regardless of where they are because “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). Therefore, our hearts must be clean so God’s love can flow from us to others.

We must ask God, NOW, to get that junk out of our hearts; beginning with unforgiveness. Unforgiveness is the entry point (opens the door) for the principality of bitterness to gain a foothold in our hearts. The principality of bitterness consists of: unforgiveness, resentment, retaliation, anger/wrath, hatred, violence, and murder (to learn more about this principality, go to my web site: http://recovery4abusedwoman.org/Mar_28th-Apr_3rd.html and study the lecture on “The Principality of Bitterness.”

Once we have dealt with unforgiveness and its cohorts, along with any other thing that may defile us, we need to pray the prayer David prayed in Psalm 51:1-2, 7, and 10. Because whether you know it or not, carrying unforgiveness (along with all the cohorts associated with it) and walking around offended, is sin.

David’s prayer from Psalm 51:1-2, 7, and 10 which I suggest you pray now if you find yourself in this teaching; it is the part that needs to be prayed to ask for God’s forgiveness – so He can purge your heart and make you clean. God’s forgiveness is not automatic! 1 John 1:9 let us know that:

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action] (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

Therefore if we don’t confess our sins, we will not be forgiven. Also concerning forgiving others, Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15:

14For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

Once we forgive others, and ourselves (this is just as important as forgiving others), God will come into our hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and clean our hearts and renew a right spirit within us – His Spirit.

The old nature (old man) is dead and done away with once we invite Jesus into our life – once we accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Once Christ comes into our hearts, He frees us from all bondages to slavery of the old nature. Yes, we will still have our free will but let’s not use our free will to sin occasionally. Paul tells us this in Galatians 5:1, 13:

1IN [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off].

13For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

So, now since that’s cleared up, let’s pray the prayer of David so God can purge us – Psalm 51:1-2, 7, and 10:

1HAVE MERCY upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!

7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me” (www.biblegateway.com – Amplified Bible).

Once you pray this prayer, you will be set free from unforgiveness and any other thing you ask for forgiveness on; your heart can now carry the love of God. Praise the Lord! You will now make everything about God and be able to love your neighbor as yourself which is one of the two commandments Jesus gave in Matthew 22:37-40:

37 Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.

39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"(www.biblegateway.com – New International Version).

Once your heart is cleaned, with the love of God flowing from it, first for God (verse 37 of Matthew 22), then other people (verse 39 of Matthew 22), you will have no problem seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

Today is the time to get ourselves in order; we must seek Him today, while He may be found because the time is well spent. Jesus is coming soon! Whether you believe it or not – the choice is yours!

In His Service,

Dr. Hooks

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