SOUL SICKNESS-SPIRITUAL HEALING

A. What are the SYMPTOMS of soul-sickness?
1. One symptom is coldness, deadness, hardness, a lack of life and feeling in the soul, so different from the zeal and activity that it once experienced. What a prevailing complaint, among the people of God, is their deadness, coldness, hardness, lack of feeling in the things of God! And this attended with a sense of complete inability to raise themselves out of this dead unfeeling state! They seem as if they had been struck with palsy--a withering, paralyzing stroke, which prevents them from lifting up their hands in prayer, from looking unto Jesus, from walking and talking with him as in times past.
2. Carnality and worldly mindedness is another symptom of the soul's being sick. It is a strange thing, but so it is, that when the soul is sick in the things of God, then is the time for the carnal mind, so to speak, to be in health. The more weak and enfeebled that the new nature is, the more active and vigorous is the old; and the more weak and enfeebled the old man is, the more active and vigorous is the new. It is a symptom, then, of soul-sickness, when the carnal heart is grasping after the things of time and sense. When covetousness and pride, worldly mindedness, levity, frivolity, and thoughtlessness take such strong possession of a man's heart that he seems to have scarcely any desire whatever after the things of God, he may indeed be said to be sick.
3. Another symptom is prayerlessness. When the Lord begins a work of grace on the soul, he usually communicates a spirit of grace and of supplication. How prayerful a new-born soul is! What desires are then felt! What longings after manifested mercy! What hungerings and thirstings after righteousness! What power is felt in the heart to pour out its needs before the mercy-seat! Then the soul is healthy. But when prayer becomes a burden, and the heart is utterly unable to raise itself up from earth to heaven; when all spiritual desires seem to languish and fade away; when no hungerings and thirstings, no ardent desires, no pantings after the sweet manifestations of mercy are felt within, then indeed it is a symptom that sickness is spreading over the soul.
4. To find the Word of God without savor, sweetness, or power is another symptom of the soul being sickly. When, instead of taking down the Bible, and reading it with sweetness and pleasure, we let the dust gather on it, and allow the spider to spin its web over the cover, O, that is a sad symptom of the soul being in a sickly state! So when, in coming to chapel, the body is rather dragged there as a custom than from any real longing that the Lord would bless the Word with power to the soul, that is a symptom of the soul's being in a sickly state. When, instead of crying to the Lord that he would bless the Word, there is nothing within but sleepiness and indifference, so that we can sit asleep under the Word, and have no more care whether it comes into our heart with power, or whether it passes us by altogether, that is indeed a symptom of a sickly state of soul.
5. When we feel no affection to the people of God; when we do not desire their company; when we would rather go out of their way than meet them; when our hearts are not knit to them in the bonds of tenderness and love; when we spy out their faults, instead of covering their infirmities with a mantle of love; that is another symptom of a sickly state of soul. When backbiting and slander prevail, and we feel a devilish pleasure in feasting on the infirmities and failings of God's dear children, O, that is a sad sign of the soul having backslidden from God, and being in a sickly state.
6. When we can substitute the letter for the power, and the form for the spirit, being satisfied with a name to live, that is another symptom of the soul being in a sickly state.
7. When we can be satisfied whether we have the Lord's presence or not; when we can go for days, and weeks, and months, without craving one smile, one intimation, one word, one whisper, one token of love; when we can be as easy in the Lord's absence as if he had never made his presence known; this is another symptom of the soul being in a sickly state.
8. When the ordinances of God's house are despised, and we see no beauty or sweetness in them; when we are glad to shun them; and get away from them, and even dislike the company of God's people because we see them spiritual and heavenly-minded; that is another symptom of the soul being in a sickly state.
9. When, instead of loving the more spiritual part of God's family, and those most who have most of God's fear in their heart, we rather cleave to mere professors, and to those who have not a clear and gracious experience, that is another symptom of the soul being in a sickly state.
10. When earthly things are pursued and heavenly things neglected; when the world rises in the estimation, and Jesus and his blood and righteousness sink; when we can be comfortable with carnal people and take an interest in all the carnality of children and relations, and really feel more happy with them than with the broken, contrite people of God; when we can talk more about the business, the shop, the farm, and the railway than the real teachings of God in the soul; that is another symptom of the soul being in a sickly state.
Are there no such sickly ones here, no such diseased souls who feel certain in their minds they are not what they used to be? Now, if you are in the state I have been describing, you are in a sickly, diseased state; and you know it, too, if you are a child of God. Your conscience bears witness to it, and you sometimes cry out, "I long for the years gone by when God took care of me, when he lighted the way before me and I walked safely through the darkness." (Job 29:2,3). "I would rather," say you, "be in trouble than in this dead, lukewarm state. I read of the Laodicean church, of which the Lord said, 'So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth' (Rev.3:16).
Am I a Laodicean, a deceived character, an empty professor? I, who have been slaying and backbiting at professors? What! Am I come to the same spot, as careless, as dead, and as stupid as they? O! What is the matter with my soul? Put forth your hand, and work in me, Lord. Let me rather go through a thousand hells than be deceived at last. Let me have stripe upon stripe, rod upon rod, affliction upon affliction, though my coward heart shrinks from them, rather than be at ease in Zion."
These are a few of the symptoms of the soul's being in a sickly state.


B. But what are the CAUSES of the soul's being in a sickly state?
1. One cause is things in providence going well. Temporal prosperity and ease in worldly circumstances are one grand source of the soul being in a sickly state. When things are against us in providence, when the body is afflicted, when worldly circumstances are straitened, and the mind is troubled and exercised about it, the soul then is often in its most flourishing state. It resembles the two buckets of a well. When the bucket of temporal prosperity is sinking, then the bucket of spiritual prosperity is rising; and when the bucket of temporal prosperity is rising then, too often, the bucket of spiritual prosperity is sinking. Therefore, we need not wish to have health and strength or great success in temporal things, or the world to smile upon us, and to have everything that our carnal heart could wish. What does the Scripture say of such characters? "Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart could wish" (Psalm.73:7).
2. Another cause is the Lord's withholding his rod. It is strange to say, but most true, that we cannot do without stripes. The Lord is obliged, so to speak, to drive us on by blow upon blow, stripe upon stripe, and stroke upon stroke; for, without these continual goads, we would not move a single step, but, like the sluggish donkey, would rather turn aside to the hedges and ditches to consume the thistles, than trudge along the rough and narrow way. Therefore the Lord is obliged to give us blows and stripes to make us move forward in the path that leads to glory. Now, when the Lord withholds his stripes and does not rebuke as sharply with internal or external troubles, then the world, and the things of time and sense catch our eye and attract our wandering heart, and we crave something to feed our lusts with.
3.The withholding of the dew and rain from heaven makes the soul become barren before God. The soul can no more do without the dew and rain--the sacred operations and divine teachings of God the Spirit upon the heart and conscience, than the natural soil can do without the dew and rain of heaven. We get parched, dried up, barren, withered, and unfruitful, when the dew and rain of the blessed Spirit do not descend into the heart.
4. No, more, sickness generates sickness. It is the same with health; health begets health. When part of our body is diseased, it affects the whole. So, as a person gets sickly in his soul, he gradually becomes worse and worse, unless that sickness be relieved. Thus, if the Lord spares his rod, and withholds his dew and rain, soul-sickness spreads and increases like the leprosy of old. And if the Lord did not, at last, put forth his hand, this sickness would terminate altogether in the death of the soul. In all sickness, whether natural or spiritual, there is a tendency to mortality and death. And if the Lord did not, in mercy, put forth his hand, and, by renewing the work, bring health into the soul, it would go on languishing and pining away.
C. But now let us take a short glimpse at the CURE. We have looked at the symptoms, and we have seen some of the causes; now let us glance at the cure. The Lord cures us in two ways, though, after all, we may say, it is but one way. Yet, as far as our feelings are concerned, it is in two ways: afflictions and the other is by his consolations. One is by the secret woundings and cuttings of the Spirit, and the other by the secret balm which he drops into the bleeding wound.
AFFLICTIONS. The first thing we must experience, if we have got sickly in the way I have described, is to have the wound cut into, before it can be effectually healed. We must have the affliction before the smile, and the rod before the kiss. The Lord has various ways of bringing this about.
1. Sometimes he sends sharp convictions into a man's conscience, and thus awakes him out of sleep. He has been sleeping on the top of a mast, unmindful of the rolling billows beneath; and, but for God's preservation, one roll of the ship would have hurled him headlong into the sea. But the Lord brings sharp convictions into his conscience, wakes him up, and makes him wonder what he has been about. He is now astonished and ashamed at his folly; how he could so have backslidden from God; how he could have gone on so long with so little prayerfulness and so little spirituality; how everything holy and heavenly had become a burden, and yet, all the time, professing to be a child of God.
2. The Lord sometimes lays sickness on a man that he may show him his great transgressions. He thus dealt with Hezekiah; and Elihu speaks of it as a usual mode of the Lord's dealing: "He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out" (Job 33:19- 21). The Lord afflicts the body with disease, and brings before the eyes judgment and eternity, that he may awake him out of sleep, and show him how awfully he has backslidden from him.
3. Sometimes by cutting dispensations in providence, by taking away a child, cutting off a husband or wife, bringing down to poverty and distress in circumstances, the Lord cures sickness of soul--the black blood of prosperity let out by the sharp lancet of adversity.
4. Sometimes the Lord drives away soul-sickness by sending a whole troop of fears into his heart, whether he is a hypocrite or not; sometimes by bringing cutting convictions under the preached Word, or through conversation with God's people; sometimes in reading, by bringing a sentence with convicting power into his heart to show him how little he is like a Christian. Sometimes he cures sickness by a frown on his countenance; so that when the poor soul would get near to the Lord he withdraws himself and veils his face. Darkness covers the face of God, and nothing but darkness is felt in the soul.
Now, by these and various other modes, the backslider in heart is filled with his own ways. The rod of affliction drives out sickness from the soul; as the wise man declares: "Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being." (Prov.20:30). But after these bitter purges have had a wholesome effect, in due time the Lord will manifest himself and restore to him the joy of his salvation, and will overrule this very sickness for his spiritual good. There is no throwing stones at people then. No; not at the greatest backslider. Humility and self-loathing prevail in the soul, and he walks softly before the Lord all his days upon earth.
II. But I pass on, with God's blessing, to consider what are the symptoms and, what are the causes of SPIRITUAL HEALTH. "Even as your soul prospers." The greatest blessing that God can bestow upon a man is to give him soul-prosperity. We cannot always believe this. We want to prosper in our bodies, in our families, in our circumstances, in that which feeds and gratifies its lusts. To obtain this we would, in our carnal mind, sacrifice all soul-prosperity. So base is our heart, so depraved is our fallen nature, that we would sacrifice the greatest spiritual benefits for a little ease and fleshly indulgence. But the Lord will not let his people rest there. He will, of his own free mercy and grace, cause their souls, in due time, to prosper.
Now when the Lord, by afflicting us, cures us, and thus revives us out of a state of sickness, he strengthens that principle of health which he at first communicated; and, as he strengthens that principle of health, the soul manifestively prospers and is healthy in the things of God. But, just in proportion as the soul prospers and is in health, the old man becomes weakened, the health of the one being mutually the disease of the other; nature decaying as grace prospers, and grace decaying as nature prospers.
1. One symptom of health is to feel the heart alive to the things of God. There is a being very cold, dead, and stupid, with the heart as hard as adamant; and there is such a thing as the soul feeling alive in the things of God. When we experience the power of eternal things, and feel them to be our element, our food and drink, the desire of our heart and the joy of our soul, then the soul prospers; and as the soul prospers, every grace and every fruit of the Spirit prospers with it. It is just the same in soul-sickness. As one grace declines, all the other graces of the Spirit decline too; as faith grows weak, hope and love grow cold; but, as faith prospers, all the fruits and all the graces of the Spirit flourish and prosper with it.
It is spiritually as naturally. If one limb of the body decays, the others decay with it; and when one member of the flesh is strong, the other members are strong with it. Now, when a soul is in a state of prosperity, the things of God are our element, and that which we feel most interest in. This is the thermometer of the soul. If the world, the things of time and sense, the cares and anxieties of this present life, most engage our minds, then it shows that the soul is sickly. But if the things of God, the precious realities in the Word of Truth, are the things that we chiefly think of, take most interest in, and give the most attention to, that is a sign and symptom of prosperity in the soul. When this is the case, every member of the new man, every grace and fruit of the spirit, is active and lively too.
But how weak faith is when the soul is sickly. It is like the hand of a sickly man; it can grasp nothing; but when the soul is in prosperity and in health, faith is strong; it can take hold of the promises in God's Word, can embrace the things of eternity, feel them to be solemn realities, deal with the Word of God as a divine revelation, and feed upon it as sweet to the soul.
2. So with prayerfulness. When the soul is healthy and vigorous, then prayer flourishes in the heart; it is no longer a burden to bend the knee, but prayer then flows forth freely. There is a spring in the heart, gushing out in living water; there is a thirsting, breathing, longing, and panting after the Lord; and these flow out of the heart; not of custom, not of necessity; but they flow freely like a fountain; gushing because they must gush; freely flowing forth out of the heart into the bosom of God.
3. Again, when the soul is alive to God, the reality of the truth of God is powerfully felt. We see the world to be a passing shadow, a dream of the night that affords no pleasure, that yields no gratification, that cannot fill up the aching void of the soul. But the Lord of life and glory, his blood, his righteousness, his grace, his truth, his love, are powerfully felt. They occupy and fill up this void in the soul, and everything connected with Jesus is sweet and precious. The savor of his good name is like ointment poured forth, and all that he is, and has, is blessed and sweet to the heart.
4. Again, in seasons of soul-prosperity we feel a sweet union with the people of God; especially with the more heavenly-minded, the deeply taught. The more powerfully exercised, the nearer they are to us. Our heart flows out towards and feels a sweet union with them, a knitting together in the bonds of affection and love. We then hate the form of an empty profession, and feel no more in union with such than with the profane of the world. We then can cover the infirmities of God's children. There is then no picking out their faults and frailties; no rejoicing in their slips, falls, and backslidings; but rather tenderness, sympathy, and affection.
5. Again, when the soul is in prosperity we can bear affliction without murmuring or rebellion. Patience then has its perfect work; sweet submission to the will of God prevails; we can kiss the rod and him who appointed it, and bless God for the very affliction.
6. Humility, sweet humility in precious exercise, is another symptom of the soul being in prosperity. A humble heart, melted down to feel itself less than the least, the vilest of the vile, and the very chief of sinners.
7. Another symptom of soul-prosperity is spirituality of mind and heavenliness of affection. A heart going out after the Lord, trusting in him, looking to him, communing with him, enjoying his presence, walking in the light of his countenance, tasting his favor, seeing his glory, and being enamored of his beauty. When a man feels this, his soul is in health; he is under the teachings of God the Spirit; he is like a watered garden; the scents flow out as the south wind blows, and the Word of God becomes to him like honey and the honeycomb.
8. When the man can look back, and see how the Lord has led him in providence; how he has appeared for him in time of need, and opened up doors which before were shut; when he can see the hand of God leading him, step by step, in the path he has traveled for years, and can bless the Lord for every crook, and cross, then his soul is in prosperity.
9. When, too, the man can see that the Lord has led him by a right way; when he has a clear view of the work of God in his soul, seeing the beginning clear, the carrying on clear, and looking in faith to the accomplishing of it; when he has bright marks and evidences of God's Spirit in his heart, then his soul is prospering.
10. When the man has the witness of the Spirit that he is child of God, a pouring out of his heart into his ear as a listening father, and a sympathizing parent, then his soul is prosperous and in health. When as he walks he talks with God, enjoys sweet communion with him, prizes one smile from the Lord more than a thousand worlds; when he can delight himself in the Almighty; loves the Lord and the Lord only, and cleaves to him with purpose of heart, then his soul is in prosperity.
11. When the man's eye is single to God's glory, and his conscience tender in God's fear; when he hates the garment spotted with the flesh; comes out of the world; walks in the Spirit; and lives, speaks, and acts to the glory of God in all things, then his soul is in prosperity.
12. When his temper is subdued, his pride laid low, his corruptions weakened, and his heart is a quiet place where the King of Zion reigns, so as to enjoy pardon, peace, salvation, love, and blood shed abroad therein, then his soul is prosperous, and is in health.
O what a difference when the soul is sickly and when it is in health! Of all wretched feelings to a child of God, a feeling of soul-sickness is the worst; and of all blessed feelings to a child of God, a feeling of spiritual health is one of the best. Especially if a man has ever enjoyed in his soul the presence and testimony of God, walked with the Lord, had his heart in some measure watered by the blessed Spirit, then he feels the sickness more. It is then the desire of his soul that the Lord would, by any means, make it to prosper. He counts spiritual prosperity to be the greatest blessing God can give, and temporal prosperity without spiritual prosperity little else but a curse.
Now the Lord brings about this state of spiritual prosperity sometimes by his rod and sometimes by his smile. We need both. We need the bitter medicine to purge out the filthiness, and we need the presence of God in the heart to make the soul prosper in his ways. All afflictions will not do; all smiles will not do. If the Lord were to give nothing but smiles, we would be like children indulged with sweets. If we had not sharp afflictions and cutting convictions, we would argue thus: "What does it matter whether I sin or not? My backslidings do not provoke the Lord. It is all one how I live, speak, or act. The Lord smiles all the same." Thus, if the Lord were to only to indulge us with his favors, it would feed our pride and sinfulness.
Therefore the Lord, to correct this cursed recklessness, fills the backslider with his own ways, teaches him to loathe himself by laying his rod sharper upon him, and makes him groan and sigh over his baseness, before he applies the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all sin, and restores to him the joys of salvation.
The apostle John, therefore, could not wish a greater blessing for his beloved Gaius than that "his soul might prosper and be in health." What would it profit Gaius that the farm flourished, that the business was going on successfully, that money was coming in like water, if the Lord frowned, and his soul was sickly. But if the Lord was prospering Gaius's soul, watering it and making him fruitful, would he not, when he came to be stretched on the deathbed, bless the Lord for his dealings with him, however painful they might have been at the time; mercifully withholding those things which only feed the flesh, and giving him those which made his soul prosper?


"Dear Jesus, I am in need of healing. Please touch my heart, my mind, and my body and bring me complete healing. I wish to know you more and to follow you with all my heart, mind, and strength. Please forgive me for my sins and bring healing to my life.AMEN.

BLESSINGS AND CURSES

Primary reason for curses:
(a) Not hearing God's voice
(b) Not doing what He says There are seven blessings and seven curses referred to in the law in Scripture.
Seven blessings: (Deuteronomy 28)
(1) Exaltation
(2) Reproductiveness
(3) Health
(4) Prosperity, success
(5) Victory
(6) That we are the head and not the tail
(7) That we will be above and not beneath
There are seven curses referred to in the same chapter:
(1) Humiliation
(2) Barrenness
(3) Sickness of every kind
(4) Poverty, failure
(5) Defeat
(6) We will be the tail and not the head
(7) We will be below and not above

Indications of Curses:
(1) Mental, emotional breakdown
(2) Repeated sickness, especially hereditary sickness -doctors can't find the cause
(3) Feminine problems -barrenness, miscarriage, menstruation problems
(4) Breakdown of marriage -family alienation
(5) Financial insufficiency, poverty. Sometimes poverty for a short period is just a test but if we are always in poverty it could be a curse.
(6) Accident prone
(7) History of unnatural deaths
A curse can be something like an evil thing moving up from the past. It is like a deep shadow.
Note:
Proverbs 26:
2. A curse is:
"Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight."
Therefore, a curse requires a cause to alight.
REASONS FOR CURSES:
(1) Having false gods (Exodus 20: 3& 4, Deuteronomy 27: 15)
(2) Disrespect for parents (Deuteronomy 27: 16)
(3) Treachery against a neighbour (Deuteronomy 27: 17)
(4) Injustice to the weak (Deuteronomy 27: 18& 19)
(5) Illicit sex (Deuteronomy 27: 20-23)
(Effect of wrong sexual relationships, particularly those outside of marriage or with members of one's family)
(6) Perjury (Deuteronomy 27: 25)
(7) Stealing (Zechariah 5: 1-4)
(8) Stinginess towards God (Malachi 3: 9)
(9) Perverting gospel (Galatians 1: 8& 9)
(10) Depending on the flesh (Jeremiah 17: 5)
(11) Anti-Semitism (Genesis 12: 3, Genesis 28: 3& 14)
SOURCE OF CURSES:
1. God Himself God blesses and curses (Exodus 20: 3&5) Breaking the first two commandments:
(a) To have no other Gods
(b) Idolatry
Our God is a jealous God
2. All occult practices Making occultism your God, eg a fortune teller. It is the power behind the fortune teller that matters. In four generations we can have upwards of 30 ancestors.
3. Men who speak on behalf of God
(a) Joshua 6: 26, ie Joshua said, "Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds the city Jericho, he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates." This was fulfilled in 1 Kings 16: 34 nearly 500 years later when Hiel of Bethel built Jericho, he laid its foundation with Abriam, his first born, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates according to the Word of the Lord which he had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun. Thus curses are self-perpetuating.
(b) 2 Samuel 1: 21 Statement by David: "Oh mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew, nor let there be rain upon you, Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is cast away there!" These were the fields of Gilboa upon which Saul and Jonathan had died and David was cursing them. Nearly 3, 000 years later this same curse was upon this land and the Jewish people had great difficulty a few years ago in trying to get trees to grow on it.
(c) 2 Kings 5 (Naaman) verse 27, cursed his servant with leprosy forever.

4. God's servants can do this today eg Jesus cursed the fig tree and said, "You can do this also."
5. Persons with relational authority eg husband over wife, parents over children. Words spoken have supernatural powers. The blessing of the father is important.
(a) Genesis 31 -Jacob and Rachel: Rachel had stolen her father's gods. Jacob did not know this and he said to her father, Laban: "`With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you. ' For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them." (Genesis 31: 32) ie, he was in effect saying that she should die, although, of course, he did not know she had stolen them and that she would feign sickness to avoid being discovered. She later died in childbirth.
(b) Examples where husband curses his wife or parents curse their children, eg a husband says to his wife, "You cannot cook", or the following statements are made in respect of other people including children:
"You are no good"
"You are useless"
"You are a failure"
"You will never be any good"
"You are hopeless"
"You will never achieve anything"
"You are ugly"
"You are a bad person"
"You are always a liar"
"It's in the family and you are sure to get it" etc etc.
6. Self-imposed curses which become like inner vows. Examples:
"I'll never be any good"
"I'll never forgive myself"
"God doesn't love me"
"I'll never speak to ..... again"
"I hate myself"
"No-one loves me"
"I want to die, I'm better off dead"
Examples from Scripture:
(a) Genesis 27: 13 Rebekah said: "Let your curse be on me" and in verse 46 she said: "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; ... what good will my life be to me?" She brought a curse on herself.
(b) Matthew 27: 24& 25, the Jews said, "Let His blood be on us and our descendants".
(c) Peter denied the Lord three times

7. Curses brought on by unscriptural covenants:
Exodus 23: 32: "You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods." We are to make no covenant with those who are not committed as Christians. Freemasonry is an example of that with self-imposed curses, eg the 32nd degree
2 Corinthians 6: 14-17: "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
8. Curses put on by the servants of Satan eg witch doctors, medicine men, tohungas etc. Example: Numbers 22: 4& 6. Note this was a request by Moab to Balam to pronounce curses on Israel. It was a matter of their gods versus the true God. When people fought one another in the old days, they regarded it as a fight between their gods and the other gods, eg David and Goliath.
1 Samuel 17: 43: " So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods."
Other reasons for curses:
1. Objects in homes (Deuteronomy 7: 26) We are to have no abominable thing our home. This can cause children to be disturbed.
2. Soul ties These are soul ties which are contrary to God's purposes. Eg, in adultery, fornication (especially past sexual relationships). Ungodly soul ties can bring spiritual sickness. 1 Corinthians 6: 18: "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body."
Examples of wrongful sex are as follows:
Pre-marital sex Perverted sex
Trial marriages Homosexuality
Lesbianism Pornography and fantasy
Bestiality Transvestism
Sexual abuse

Consequences:
(a) Establishment of soul ties and bondings in the flesh other than with God's intended partner.
(b) Guilt and condemnation.
(c) Demonisation
(d) Emotional disturbance
What is sexual abuse?
Uninvited caressing
Uninvited handling of the sexual areas
Anal handling
Masturbation in front of a person
Forced oral sex
Forced mutual masturbation
Forced intercourse and rape
Bestiality
Ritualistic sex
Incest
All of these cause fear, confusion, deception.
Long term problems:
(a) Confusion of one's identity, sexuality, physical position and emotional situation.
(b) Causes regression and repression of memories. Causes fantasy.
(c) Breaking of trust.
(d) Causes rebellion including (i) self rejection (ii) fear of rejection and (iii) anger.
(e) Causes guilt and fear.
(f) Causes inability to respond to love.
(g) Causes desire to die.
(h) Causes physical illness.
(i) Causes damage to the spirit.
Also domination by one person over another, eg where a father dominates or sexually abuses his daughter.
HOW TO BE RELEASED FROM THE CURSE:
1. We must recognise that there is a curse.
2. We must repent from all sin.
3. We must renounce in the name of Jesus Christ.
4. We must resist, eg James 4: 7: "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
5. Use the Word of God. The Word of God is powerful and such Scriptures as the following can be used:
Psalm 118: 17: "I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD." We must realise that where there is a negative there should also be a positive. We recall that Peter denied the Lord three times but three times Jesus asked him, "Do you love me?" Peter had to revoke his earlier statement three times. Where curses have arisen from the servants of Satan, we must recognise Luke 10: 19: "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
SUMMARY
1. Confess our faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Commit ourselves to be obedient to God and to hear and do what He says.
3. Confess any known sins on our own part or of our ancestors.
4. Forgive others.
5. Renounce the occult on our own part or on the part of our ancestors.
6. Renounce all contact with heathen objects.
CONTINUING WITH THE LORD
1. Pray the Holy Spirit will fill every area of the person's life.
2. Give as much love and encouragement as is necessary and the person can receive.
3. Assure the person that where deliverance has taken place, they need not fear the enemy if they walk properly with God.
4. Encourage the person:
(a) To be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit.
(b) Read the Word of God daily.
(c) Wear the armour of God at all times.
(d) Be on their guard against the enemy's counter attacks.
(e) Be in good fellowship with other Christians.
(f) Walk continuously in forgiveness.
(g) Praise God in all circumstances.
(h) Keep the right company.
5. (a) Encourage people to be fully rehabilitated in their emotional responses
(b) To present themselves properly, eg in dress.
(c) To continue to re-learn right relationships with others.
(d) Avoid long-term dependency on others.
6. (a) Acknowledge the truth of Ephesians 1: 6, ie we are accepted in the beloved.
(b) Break free from any feeling of being cursed or being an abuse victim.
7. Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, ie in the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and temperance.
SUGGESTED PROCEDURE FOLLOWING SEMINAR ON DELIVERANCE AND CURSES
1. THE BLOOD SCRIPTURES
Ask everybody to stand and say the following Scriptures: Psalm 107: 2:
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy."
Ephesians 1: 7: "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS I AM REDEEMED OUT OF THE HAND OF THE DEVIL. THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS ALL MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
1 John 1: 7:
"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S SON, IS CLEANSING ME NOW AND CONTINUALLY FROM ALL SIN.
Romans 5: 9: "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS I AM JUSTIFIED, MADE RIGHTEOUS, JUST AS THOUGH I HAD NEVER SINNED.
Hebrews 13: 12: "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate."
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS I AM SANCTIFIED, MADE HOLY, SET APART TO GOD.
1 Corinthians 6: 19& 20: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's"
MY BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. I AM REDEEMED, CLEANSED, SANCTIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS. THEREFORE THE DEVIL HAS NO MORE PLACE IN ME AND NO MORE POWER OVER ME. THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS I OVERCOME SATAN BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF MY TESTIMONY.
(Revelation 12: 11)
2. OCCULT
(a). Go through the occult check list and get people to tick anything that they have been in relating to the occult.
(b) Ask those who have been in the occult to stand and ask others to stand with them in order to pray for them.
(c) Then say the following prayer in regard to the occult:
"Lord Jesus Christ, I confess you are the only Son of God, that You died on the Cross for my sins and rose again. In Your name I now renounce all contact with the occult and in particular I renounce the following involvements in the occult .................... I receive Your forgiveness. Thank You Heavenly Father for delivering me in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ."
(d) The counsellors (ie those standing with the candidates for deliverance) should command the demons to go.
3. SOULISH TIES
(a) Ask those to come forward who know that they still have soulish ties, that is sense there is still some tie between them and some other person with whom they have had a previous relationship. This includes cases where women feel under the domination of their mother or men feel under the domination of their mother.
(b) Get people to stand with them to pray for them.
(c) Pray the general prayer for deliverance from soul ties:
"Dear Heavenly Father, as I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ in the authority that is in that name, I break every soul tie affecting my body, soul or spirit, which has existed between myself and ................... (name the individual). In the name of Jesus Christ, I specifically speak to every demonic power that has taken advantage of that link and I tell it that it has no rights here and it must leave now without going into any other member of my family. Thank you Lord Jesus that through Your shed blood and through Your wonderful name, I am able to be absolutely free. Thank you Lord."
(d) Get the people who need deliverance to cut the soulish ties around the people. Show them how to do this with a motion across the front of the body and across the head.
(e) The counsellors should command the demons to go.
4. INNER VOWS
(a) Ask those who know that they have made inner vows for which they need release to come forward and ask others to stand with them to pray for them again.
(b) Say the prayer and get the people to renounce those inner vows and as they do expect deliverance. "In the name of Jesus Christ, I specifically renounce all vows which I have made, knowing or unknowingly, against myself. I specifically renounce.....( name those vows which you have made and which you know to be wrong). I ask you to totally cleanse me and set me free from the results of those vows and I thank you for doing it."
(c) The counsellors should command the demons to go.


5. PRONOUNCEMENT AND CURSES
(a) Ask those who feel that they have had pronouncements or curses placed upon them to stand and get somebody to stand with them to pray for them.
(b) They should then say the following prayer: "Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the authority of that name I specifically renounce all curses that have been placed upon my life through the words of those who have abused and damaged me. I forgive them and I ask You Lord to release me from their consequences. Thank You Father, in Jesus' name."
(c) The counsellors should command the demons to go.

6. FINAL PRAYER:

"Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ. I thank You Lord for Your love for me. I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Saviour and that He died and rose again from the dead.
I believe that through the blood of Jesus Christ I have been redeemed from the hand of the devil. I believe that through the blood of Jesus Christ all my sins have been forgiven.
I believe that through the blood of Jesus Christ I have been sanctified, made holy to God. I believe that through the blood of Jesus Christ I have been justified just as if I had never sinned.
I now confess all my sins. I confess that in my own strength I have been unable to defeat the attacks of the enemy. I specifically renounce the following sexual sin .......... I confess I have been wrong. I renounce all pleasure connected with these sins. I now turn from my sin. I ask You, Father, to forgive me all that is past and give me discernment when the temptation arises and the strength to resist it. I ask You to heal my memories and to heal the hurts and forgive me in Jesus name.
I also specifically renounce any other sins such as rejection, unforgiveness. I especially forgive the following persons .................
I specifically honour my parents and I forgive them. I renounce my own sins and the sins of my ancestors in the name of Jesus Christ. I especially renounce all idolatry, witchcraft and everything of the occult and all the hidden things of darkness. I especially renounce all idolatry, witchcraft and everything of the occult and all hidden things of darkness. I believe that at the Cross of Jesus Christ I was delivered from every curse of the law. I call upon You, Lord Jesus, to set me free from every demonic power that has affected me.
Lord, I now renounce Satan and all his works. I hate his demons. I count them my enemies in the name of Jesus. I loose myself from every dark spirit, from every evil influence, from every satanic bondage, from any spirit in me that is not the Spirit of God. I command all such spirits to leave me now in the name of Jesus.
I call upon You, Lord Jesus, to set me free from every demonic power that has affected me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Risen Saviour, I command every demonic power that has lived within me or oppressed me to leave me now in the name of Jesus Christ. I declare that I am a child of the Living God and that Satan has no right to inhabit any part of me or to oppress me. I thank You Lord Jesus and I give You the glory. Amen."

REMEMBER.....
To be delivered:
(1) Confess the spirit in the name of Jesus.
(2) Renounce the spirit in the name of Jesus.
(3) Reconcile, and Forgive others.
(4) Call on the name of the Lord Jesus.
(5) attend mass if possible daily/receive the holy communion-body and blood of Jesus
(6) go to confession
(7) pray the rosary/pray at all times
(8) never be separated again with Jesus
(9) go to the blessed sacrament spend time at least 1 hour daily
(10)find time daily to read, study, share, live the words of God in the Holy
Scripture
*********************

JOHN 12: 20-33
Bro. Bong Lozano


“Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world keep it for everlasting life” most people loves the world than God. It is materialistic world versus God. Man loves the world that’s the meaning of “who love life will destroy it” destroy your worldly desires and being materialistic man will save his life not the life here on earth but life eternal. Selflessness is the opposite of selfishness. GOD who is selfless and in contrary Evil is selfishness.
In Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up riches for your selves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for your selves in heaven, where moths and rust can not destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are” All things in this world has its ending and everything are just temporary. What is important is we are preparing our life here on earth for the next life. This is the introduction of what and where we will be after this life. Jesus is reminding us not to be more focused on this world but let us be concerned of the life after death. The riches Jesus would like us to inherit is LIFE ETERNAL. Life with the Father and His children in heaven our eternal home.
“Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me and wherever I am, there shall my servant be also. If anyone serves me the Father will honor Him” In following Jesus is a SERVICE to God and His people. It is not an easy way to follow Him nor it is a promise of bed of roses but rather a way to Calvary. We call it Discipleship. In following Jesus in service, the person will be glorified by the Father.
Jesus also experienced FEAR and afraid of what will happen to Him but He give way to the will of the Father. “Father, not my will but your will be done” Luke 22: 42 the words of Jesus when He prayed to the Father before His arrest.
DEATH has no power over Jesus. He will be glorified and resurrected after His Death. On the third day after He was buried He appeared to His apostles with His resurrected body. We will all Rise like Jesus. All followers who obey God through the teachings of Jesus the Christ will be brought to life when He comes again in the final judgment. The voice of the Father was heard speaking to His Son Jesus in Prayer. This tells us that God really exist and He speaks to us and answers us in prayer. “The ruler of this world is







Satan He will be thrown into the lake of fire on the last days, he causes death. And in the contrary Jesus gives life because He Himself is Life. Satan succeeded to nail Jesus on the cross and died. What he didn’t know is that Jesus death is the beginning of his damnation
and all his followers the evil ones. And through the cross we the followers of Jesus are saved. To wind up everything, Let us not be afraid of DEATH because it is the
beginning of new life the glorified life with God. What we have to do while we still live here on earth is that OBEY the commandments and Follow Jesus because He conquered Death He is ALIVE forever and as followers we will also experienced EVERLASTING LIFE as what Jesus promised in John 14:1-3, “ Do not be worried and upset, Jesus told them. Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will comeback and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am”. He is already back to the Father to prepare our dwelling place with God in His mansion. Let us not be worried continue believing in God and in Jesus never ever give up for we do not know when He will be back to bring us to His Fathers house. What we know as disciples of Jesus is He is there with His Father waiting for us to occupy the room He prepared for those who obeyed Him. Jesus is the only way the truth and the life, John 14:6, therefore we are assured of salvation in loving and following Jesus and obeying His commands.
See you in our Fathers House…

PRAYER FLOCK ASSEMBLY AND PATHWAY

Flock Prayer Assembly and Pathways are scheduled on February 20,2010 at OMI Divine Mercy Demazenod Hall, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao at 7:30am to 4:00 pm. All are invited to join us just bring your own baon and 15 pesos for the registration.Let us have fellowship with Jesus and His Words and to be with our Brothers and Sisters.Hoping to see you there. GOD BLESS US. NAMASTE!

MY PRAYER
(A Teachers Prayer)
Bong Lozano

Almighty and Ever loving God, The One and Only powerful God. who made heaven and earth, The source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, Great Teacher and Model. I acknowledge you, I Praise and Glorify your Holy and Powerful Name. You are worthy to be Adored. Your name be magnified.

My yesterday is done, it may be dark and cloudy or it may be as shining as the sun, whatever it is, I am still Me. My today awaits it may be as colorful as the rainbow or cloudy as the storm, whatever it may be I offer it to you and our tomorrow is coming, I do not know what lies ahead, but you alone knows, what my future be, I have so many great and wonderful plans for my self and family for our tomorrow, I lay it down to you for I know you have much better and much greater plans for me. I lift it up to you and, Let your Will be Done, I pray.

Bear in me your wisdom, because I know your wisdom can not be measured and weighed by human understanding. I humbly submit to you, Oh Lord.

I can not understand why you chose me to be a teacher, A special kind of missionary of values in shaping young peoples lives. I accept it, Lord, imperfect I maybe, Here I am Lord, send me. You made me imperfect Lord, so that I will come to you and call on you, to become perfect.

Human as I am, weak and sinful, Lord, Make me an instrument of your wisdom and knowledge. Make me an instrument of your Love and peace to my fellow teacher missionaries and my students who are hunger and thirsty for knowledge. Lord, where there is hatred around, let me sow love. When there is injury, help me to forgive and be forgiven. When I feel doubt and troubled, strengthen my faith. When I am despaired give me hope. When I can not see, when I am blind to the truth, be my light to be the light of others. When I feel sad, be my joy so that I will find happiness in where I am now and what I am doing as a teacher-missionary.

Help me, dear Lord, to be a molder, a model and a witness of your Love to my students and co missionary teachers in spite of my imperfections, let me spread your fragrance as teachers, counselors, second parents and most of all to be a friend whom I meet every day. May I take this task, as a mission in life. Flood my soul with your Love, because only Love can make me serve the least fortunate and, the most unloved children.

Shine thru me and in me so that in every soul I will encounter from today onwards, may see, feel, and experience your presence in me, your teacher and see no longer me, but you Oh Lord in me.

Lord, help me do something good for others in my daily life, especially the least fortunate so that at the end of each day I can say I am proud to be a teacher. And at the end of this life I can say, Lord I obeyed you and have done my part, Thank you for the great gift of life as a teacher…let me die in your arms Lord, not as a teacher but your obedient child. AMEN.

The Greatest Symbol of Love

The greatest symbol of Love is not the heart
But the Cross
Why???
The heart of a man stops beating,
But The Man on the cross
Never stops LOVING....YOU...

PRAYER REQUESTS

Every body is enjoined to pray for:
Bro. Ramon Villanueva's son DODOT for healing and fast recovery from bone tumor
Sis. Arlene Gamata Lago of NDU for healing from Cancer of the breast
PLEASE PRAY AS ONE FLOCK EVERY 4:00 A.M DAILY AND 3:00 P.M and PRAY ALL THE TIME....
In Jesus Name ....AMEN!!!!

SPIRITUAL RENEWAL SEMINAR BATCH 2

The Catholic Holy Scripture Group Flock Officers are now preparing for the conduct of the SPIRITUAL RENEWAL SEMINAR BATCH 2 on APRIL 9-11, 2010 at the Divine Mercy Retreat House, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. The Search and Evaluation Committee is now on the tract to evaluate the active non full pledge members of the flock. Only those who are qualified and who passed the process can join the SRS.
We are asking Prayers and all fridays Fasting of all the members of the flock for the victorious conduct of the said activity.
PLEASE PRAY PRAY PRAY PRAY.....
Thank you so much. God Bless.

Jesus and Satan

Jesus and Satan competed on the Computer
They started typing
They did reports, emails, attachments, and down loads
But before the time was up Power Interruption occurred
Satan cursed
Jesus sighed
When electricity was back
Satan lost everything, he had done
But Jesus started printing all His files
Satan shouted, " You cheated"
Jesus just smiled
cause He did what Satan did'nt know
HE SAVES!!!!!
ha ha ha ha....PRAISE BE THE NAME OF JESUS FOREVER!!!!!

ठनक यू नोट:

To: Josephine Mandix of Copenhagen ,Denmark, thank you so much for the Financial help you extended to the CHSG last February 10, 2010 for the Mission of spreading the Goodnews of Salvation....our Prayers to you and your family... GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.
CHSG Members

विक्तोरिऔस् गोस्पेल काम्पुस टूर २००९-२०१०

God is good to all of us for the victorious conduct of the Gospel Campus Tour in Notre Dame of Sarmiento, Notre Dame of Pigcawayan, Notre Dame of Libungan and Notre Dame of Midsayap College...Jesus made a difference to the students who heard the Good News of Salvation...The words of Jesus in the Holy Scripture....Thank you so much to all our mission partners to all school administrators and staff who welcomed us during the First Gospel Campus Tour of the CHSG...We really appreciate your kindness and warm welcome...Our Prayers for you....For the untiring support of the active members of the CHSG-GCT team of NDVNHS,NDU,and Young Professionals and the elders May God BLess you always for helping us bring back more souls to God through the mission of Spreading the Goodnews from the Holy scripture...PRAISE BE THE NAME OF JESUS FOREVER....ALELLUIA!!!!!TO GOD BE THE GLORY...AMEN!!!!