Author: charmikabrown

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A Prayer for Peace

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To the person restless due to unanswered questions and a heavy heart, may God grant you rest and peace, right now! I pray that He releases the answers to the questions you seek; even if it’s the response you may not have been expecting.

May your spirit be open to hear and receive what the Holy Spirit has to say to your church; and for every unanswered question, may you always be reminded of His response in Romans 8:28 that ALL THINGS work together for the good of them who love Him; it may not feel good but, it’s for a purpose. His plans and thoughts towards you are always good

May God lift every burden you’re feeling and remind you that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light; that when you’re weak His strength is made perfect. Lean on Him who is able to keep you from falling. I pray that His spirit of peace, that surpasses all understanding, blankets you, from this day forward…from head to toe. You will not become stuck in this current place but, you shall have the strength you need to persevere forward. Your weeping shall produce an abundance of good fruit in your life.

In Jesus’s name I pray, AMEN

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Affirmation 2

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I refuse to be a hypocrite and preach and teach faith and not operate in it in every area of my life.

Lord, I believe that you will help my unbelief and help me to grow and become stronger where I was once weak. I can do all things through you who gives me strength and that includes standing boldly and firm in the presence of giants; against oppositions; because greater are you who is within me than he who is within the world. No matter what the circumstances looks like around me, yet will I trust you!

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Affirmation 1

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I’m NOT responsible for what people hear and/or interpret. I’m responsible for what I say

I’m no longer apologizing for anybody’s misinterpretations and assumptions. Once I’ve told you the truth, what you do with it after that is between you and The Father

I will humbly, boldly, confidently and UNAPOLOGETICALLY walk in my calling and purpose

No longer shall I remain comfortable in the shadow when God is calling me out of darkness and into His marvelous light

I refuse to further hide my light under a basket just so others can shine brighter; there’s room for us all to shine

Poems

Still I Rise

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BY MAYA ANGELOU

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise

Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise” from And Still I Rise: A Book of Poems.  Copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou.  Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

Blog Post

According to YOUR Words, So Be It

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I flipped open my Bible and was going to read what I opened it up to. The highlighted verses naturally stuck out to me (Joshua 1:1-7) but the Lord said read “Rahab Hides the Spies” (Chpt.2). Not sure why but, I obeyed anyway. It didn’t become clear why until I got towards the end: vs 21″Then she said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.”

There was a verbal agreement made between Rahab (a prostitute) and the spies she hid (men Joshua sent to inspect the land they were about to enter). They agreed to provide protection for her & her family for her protecting them from danger.

There was a request and then an agreement. The enemy has a request for us & everything & everybody we love but, he can only have what WE agree to give him. How? By the words we speak repeatedly and our habitual behaviors. We agree to his requests when we live by his ways instead of God’s. Satan, “The god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) will deceive us by telling us he’ll give us power and control, and he does but, what he doesn’t mentions is that it comes with a price for your life and your soul. You offered yourself as a sacrifice for worldly possessions.
Likewise, when we make our request known to the Lord (Philp. 4:6) He will grant our petition (1Sam.1:8-17). We’ve already been bought with a price (1 Cor.6:20) and the ransom was God’s only begotten son, Jesus (1 Peter 1:18-19 [NLT] 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” GOD CANNOT LIE & HE CANNOT GO AGAINST HIS WORD (Numbers 23:19).

Joshua 21:45 “Not one of the Lord’s good promises to Isreal failed; everyone was fulfilled”

A verbal agreement is a legal, binding contract not only in a court of law but, in the spiritual realm. When we make a request, God judges our intent and our motive before He releases it to us (James 4:3; John 15:7) because He cares about us. He doesn’t force us to follow Him or keep his commandments but, our choices come with consequences. He doesn’t hide any fine prints from us; he tells us exactly what to expect when we choose salvation but, he promises to be with us through every pleasant and unpleasant situation in our life and promises to give us eternal life, a crown, new garments, and HEAVEN; a place flowing with milk and honey, where the streets are paved with gold. Paradise! We have a choice to agree or disagree with the promises of God or the deceitful promises of Satan. Legally, based on what we agree to, we are bound to but, there’s liberty in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:20 TPT [The Passion Translation] “For when you were bound as servants to sin, you lived your lives free from any obligation to righteousness.”

2 Cor. 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [freedom]”

Blog Post

How Bad Do You Want It?

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14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

Message: A vision without works behind it, is only a dream.

There are many things that we desire to attain in life, regardless of our economic status and/or background but, the differences between “the haves” and the “have nots” are our work ethics. How long and hard are we willing to work, what are we willing to sacrifice, and how long we’re willing to suffer and fight to attain our goals and dreams reveals “how bad” we want it. Some of us have a stronger drive towards exercising and becoming more fit and healthier, some of us work harder than others towards reaching certain financial and academic goals, and a few may push themselves to give above average in every area of their life because they’re perfectionists. No matter what our reasons are, when we have a certain vision for our lives, we will push ourselves [our body] to make that dream and that desire a reality.

With that being said, we know that it would be impossible to expect to reach said goal(s) without hard work, sacrifice, determination and motivation. So many want to reach higher levels, “climb the ladder” but, aren’t willing to put in the work or make the necessary adjustments and sacrifices in their life to reach that level of success they say they desire. Our words must align with our actions and sometimes that requires making some sacrifices. [We’re going to get into, soon, how all of this applies to The Kingdom of Heaven]

What are the sacrifices?

Rest. Many of us love to sleep. If you ask some people, they’ll tell you they’ll sacrifice food & other things of pleasure and comfort, just to get more sleep. Our body depends on rest to thrive and not just to survive. [Quoted] “Rest is vital for better mental health, increased concentration and memory, a healthier immune system, reduced stress, improved mood and even a better metabolism…Rest is any behavior aimed at increasing physical or mental well-being. Sleep, on the other hand, is a body-mind state in which individuals experience sensory detachment from our surroundings. Sleep is an essential function of the body and impacts every system from our cognitive function to immune health. Quality sleep can help us reset, recover and recharge. It’s absolutely vital to brain function, memory, concentration, immune health and metabolism. Unlike rest, sleep is something your body cannot function without. In fact, if you are sleep deprived, your body will force you to sleep, no matter what you’re in the middle of. ” I know culture is always talking about “grinding and hustling” but, that IS NOT what the bible tells us because the Lord knows that is not in our body’s best interest.

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Psalm 127:2 ESV “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”

Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”


Time. Depending on how bad we want something and how determined and motivated we are to get it, we will sacrifice our leisure time and time away from the people we love, who love us back. Our tunnel vision only allows us to see the road ahead more so than what’s around us. However, time is very valuable, and we must use our time wisely because once it’s gone, we can never get it back. Who and what we sacrifice our time for, is gravely important.

Ephesians 5:15-16 ESV “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil”

Matthew 6:33 ESV “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 ESV “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;”

Comfort. In order to reach certain levels, we have to know that it’s going to come with some level of discomfort. We may have to go through painful transitions, spiritually and emotionally, that includes but not limited to; leaving familiar places and faces, we may have to get rid of [things], habits and patterns that we love but aren’t beneficial to us and our purpose. For example, if you desire to become healthier, you can’t do whatever you want to your body just because you can. You have to be disciplined enough to set parameters/boundaries in your life.

1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. [KJV] All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23 TPT (The Passion Translation) You say, “Under grace there are no rules and we’re free to do anything we please.” Not exactly. Because not everything promotes growth in others. Your slogan, “We’re allowed to do anything we choose,” may be true—but not everything causes the spiritual advancement of others.

The Final Words

Think about all that’s required to become successful in the world and within our personal lives; now apply all of that to The Kingdom of Heaven. It profits us nothing to gain the success of the world and then lose our soul [refer to Mark 8:36]. In the same manner, work ethics are required if Heaven is our goal [refer to John 14:12]. The greatest sacrifice we have to make to God is, OURSELVES [refer to Romans 12:1-2] We can’t get access to the Kingdom half doing the work required to get there. You want the palace but are you making the sacrifices to get there? The Lord is gracious and merciful but there are no free passes. We can’t expect to reach a specific destination and not follow the routes and directions to arrive there. God knows what we’re capable of doing. If we can sacrifice rest to earn more money and worldly things then we can sacrifice rest to wake up early and pray (Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.; 1 Thess. 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”), if we can diet and train our mind and body to exercise, then we can train our mind to fast and separate ourselves from the things of the world [because there’s a GREATER goal and a destination in our view] (Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [refer also to 1Cor.10:13; Heb. 2:18; Heb.12:1; James 4:7;]) and if we’re willing to fight, “hustle” and be uncomfortable while accomplishing all of our earthly goals, why do so many of us expect everything to be easy and handed to us when it pertains to reaching Heaven and heavenly goals? Nobody told us that this journey would be easy. We have to fight many oppositions, jump many hurdles and cry many tears in order to reach the Kingdom but, 1st question, are you up for the challenge? Pain comes with progress and purpose. We CAN NOT birth without some form of pain. If we’re passionate enough about what we want and/or who we want, then the answer will be “YES!”, without a second thought. Likewise, nothing (including excuses) would be able to separate us from God and getting closer to Him when we yearn for His presence; his touch [refer to Romans 8:38-39] Now the 2nd question becomes, how bad do you want it/Him?

Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”

1 Peter 3:17  “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

1 Peter 4:1 “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Blog Post

STRONGHOLDS// You Don’t Have to Be Bound…BE FREE!

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I was having one of those inner conversations with the Lord concerning “strongholds and warfare spirits” and within the conversation He replied, “Every attack doesn’t come from Satan. Some people invite warfare spirits to themselves. In the same manner, everything isn’t a stronghold.” So I began to inquire of Him more on what a stronghold is. Strongholds are barriers or forts that we put around our mind and heart that hinders The Truth of God & everything He is, from accessing through because of the legal authority that we’ve given Leviathan, the spirit of pride. A short definition of a stronghold is, self-sabotaging behavior.

Pride and Leviathan. Leviathan is also known as The King of Pride. You’ll find out more about this dragon-like spirit in Job 41:22-33. This spirit of pride is unyielding and unbending. It refuses to submit to The Will of God and His covenants.

2 Corinthians 10:5-6 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Pride is deshtructive and destroys everything in it’s path. Our prideful behavior doesn’t just affect our life but, it also affect the lives of the people around us. The elements of pride are stubbornness, hardness of heart, and defiance [rebellion] against The Word of God.

Proverbs 29:1 “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. (ESV)

Psalm 81:11-12 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own counsel” (ESV)

Romans 2:5 “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

1Sam15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination [witchcraft], and presumption is as iniquity and Idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king”

You Can Be Free. You Don’t Have to Be Bound. How to break free from strongholds? Through prayer and fasting (Matt.17:17-21) (John 8:32-36; 1 John 1:9; Isaiah 43:1). Speak freedom over your life, over that issue , and act upon it! Even the all powerful word of God is ineffective in our life if we don’t believe it and activate its power. Speak the word, as Jesus done, with authority! Intercede in prayer, fast and intentionally separate yourself from the impure things that you have an appetite and craving for. Become consecrated and holy Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. (NIV) There can not be a consecration without a sacrifice. The unclean things that holds us, we give authority and permission to do so when we continue to hold on to them instead of giving it completely to God. Allow Him to do what He wants to do with you and in you.

Jesus sacrificed for us, which gives us grace. We prove His grace is sufficient [enough] through our life in him. 2Cor. 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (NIV). Freedom awaits you. It’s as close as in your mouth! You’re more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37) and you shall not be defeated!

Side note: Don’t abuse the grace of God; Heb.10:26-31; Romans 8:7; Romans 6:1-2; Heb.2:1-3; Jude 1:3-4

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Purposely Broken

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This blog is inspired by a message I heard from Pastor Mike Todd, enentitled “Fratured Faith”, information I learned in my sociology class, and my very own personal experience.

There are some fractures in our lives (deaths even) that were caused by our family members (not limited to our biological family). Our family are our first exposure to society. In sociology, as well as criminology, we’ve learned that an individual’s behavior is influenced by factors outside of his or her control and is affected by his or her upbringing, peers, education, etc. It’s within our family structure where we first learn about relationships/friendships. A lot of us trusted people within our family that ended up betraying us, lying on us and verbally abusing us. Some of is are broken not necessarily by what was said to us but, by what wasn’t said. Allow me to encourage you on today that YOU CAN be healed and made whole. Your circumstance(s) was out of your control but, God is in control. Give every fragment of your life to God; every fractured and broken piece, He can and he will restore [Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted, and bind up their wounds]. He is Jehovah Rapha and there’s nothing too hard for Him. You were created effortlessly. His thoughts and plans towards you are good .[Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”] Your brokenness and your placement was intentional. Remember Joseph who was placed in a pit by his brothers? The plan was to kill him but, God had a ram in the bush! Reuben, the only one of Joseph’s brothers, declared that he shall live and not die! I or someone else, may be your Reuben today. They attempted murder on your life but, God says you shall live! They threw dirt on your name, left you for dead and tried to bury you alive but, just as Jesus spoke unto Lazerus, I encourage you to come forth! You may be fractured but, your purpose still lives because you live! Don’t allow your vision to be distorted by your fractures. I had to force myself , broken and all, to push through the pain. Just as a woman in labor. Don’t allow the pain to hinder you from pushing. The contractions are harder the closer you get to birthing what’s in you. I too had to fulfill my assignment and allow him to heal me, and He did. You may have to one day face the people that literally tried to kill and destroy you but, once God restores you, you’re going to look brand new and unrecognizable. Live my sisters and brothers and be healed and made whole.

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DISTRACTIONS: Fix Your Focus

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Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw [a]that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (NKJV)

In life, it’s inevitable that we’re going to go through trials and tribulations (storms) of many kind…

[1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”-NKJV]

[James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience]

When we read and think about the physical storm Peter, and the other disciples, were in, we have to also remember who was there with them. As it was brought to my remembrance that: the very same storm they were in when Jesus calmed the sea was the very same storm that was taking place when Peter decided to take a leap of faith and walk on water. He heard the voice of Jesus comand him to “come” and he felt that it was safe to step outside of “the boat” and literally walk on water.(metaphorically, the boat could represent our comfort zones) With as great of faith as that, Peter trusted The Lord BUT, he began to get distracted by the conditions of the storm. He took his eyes and attention off of Jesus and fear began to grip Peter, causing him to sink.

How many times have we received a word from the Lord to launch out into the deep and out of shallow places but, allowed fear to grip us; hindering us from making further steps into where we were commanded to go? How many times have we allowed fear to take the place of faith in our lives because of what we’re hearing, seeing and feeling within the storm; causing us to take our attention off of The Problem Solver and onto the problem? Have we forgotten His Word(s) because we’re blinded mentally and spiritually by fear, doubt, anxiety, depression, oppression and everything else that hinders us from staying afloat and focused? (refer to Hebrews 12:1). Have we forgotten about what God has done and what He’s capable of doing?

God has already spoken The Word on several occasions to TRUST HIM and yet many of us allow things we experience and see, in the midst of a storm, to blind and distract us from His Truth. He told us these things will be so that we can prepare. His Word says that we’re being pruned and molded. So these things we’re experiencing in life, particularly during this pandemic, aren’t only DISTRACTIONS to keep us from clearly discerning and hearing God but, they’re illusions as well. What some of us think is happening isn’t happening. Many of our discernment has been tampered with by The Accuser (the one who deceives). He has come as a false witness/prophet to the ones who were once strong in the faith & are now gradually beginning to doubt and question God saying, “Lord, if this is really you, then…”. THE LORD has never changed on us but, many times we get into situations and all of a sudden we’re questioning if God is actually there in the midst of it to deliver us out.

We don’t have to panic or lose our focus in any storm IF we trust God and stand firmly on His Word and His promises. No matter how strong the winds may blow: [no matter what you see/hear in the media, no matter how much pain you may feel right now, physically and/or emotionally, no matter how many times you’ve heard what “they” had to say, no matter what your relationship status looks like right now] or how hard the rain may fall, STAY FOCUSED!! STAY AFLOAT!! We can think we’re so strong in our faith walk until we’re hit with a test or challenge that reveals just how strong we truly are. Many of us, as believers, are being exposed during this 2020/2021 pandemic. So many has put their faith and confidence in what man has said instead of us putting our weight & confidence on what God has already said, long before any world crisis began.

FEAR was the very thing that distracted Peter from walking all the way to Jesus. Yes, he stepped out on faith but, he didn’t remain confident. God remains faithful even when we don’t. Yes, He’ll come through and deliver us but, He expects us to never waiver in our faith because without it, it’s impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6; also refer to Romans 5:1-5).

[2Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”]

This message is also a reminder for me to go the distance in my faith walk and never waiver. We can talk the talk but, are we totally walking the walk…all the way? Are we practicing what we’re preaching when it comes to FAITH IN GOD? You don’t have to answer out loud but, many of us are already being exposed either way. NOW is the time to redirect your attention and spiritual eyes BACK towards God and walk confidently with Him. He knew we would face obstacles and He has already provided a way for us to escape and conquer them, when we’re faced with them. Don’t allow any emotions, that you may currently be feeling, separate you (or continue to keep a wedge/distance) away from God and all He has to offer. Yes, He’s always ready to deliver us if and/or when we fall but, we don’t have to if we put less faith in people, places and things and more faith in The Almighty God, who is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24).

Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulations, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.]

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Spiritual Detoxification

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First, let’s define what it means to detox, the benefits detoxification has on our body and how/why it’s just as crucial to our physical health as it is our spiritual health.

Detoxification, through regimen or treatment, is purification of intoxicating or addictive substances from our body.

Simply put, to detox is to become clean and pure of waste and toxins that could destroy and kill us from the inside out. There are several different ways to detox and cleanse our body of these toxins. What we eat and intake could cause our body to become full of impurities and/or backed up with waste so, eating better & healthier is a great place to start in the detoxication process. I’ve learned that purification on the inside also causes our skin to become healthier as well. So the cleansing within manifests outwardly; including in the way we further live our lives; becoming more confident and consciously aware about what we’re putting in our bodies.

Now, how does all of this relate to me spiritually, you might ask? In our day to day, we spiritually eat (intake) certain things that are poisonous or toxic to our spiritual being. Words we regularly allow to enter our gateways are sometimes detrimental to our spiritual growth/health; we wear the environment(s) we’re regularly in and gradually become a product of that environment. If the environments are filled with impurities, our soul feeds on that; just as it would a positive, clean environment. What are spiritually impure? Let’s refer to The Word of God:

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. (NIV)

Galatians 5: 19 The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual immorality, impurity and wild living, 20 worshiping false gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, 21 having envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not be in God’s kingdom. (ICB)

These that are listed, according to God, are impure. They may feel good to us physically. Some of us may even indulge heavily in a number of these and get a great bit of pleasure in fulfilling these but, spiritually they lead to our eternal death. If you believe in Heaven and Hell & God and Satan, then you already know that if scripture says impurities aren’t welcome in God’s kingdom, it’s welcomed in Satan’s. Simple. There comes a time in our life that if we want better, we have to choose to do and become better. Not just better in our eyes (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25) but, in the eyes of God if we want access in His Kingdom. The First thing we must do is go through the purification process by confessing ALL our sins to God (1 John 1:9)…REPENTANCE!

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each of you know how to [d]possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

[Also refer to 2 Corinthians 7:1 and Proverbs 51:7-10]

Then, once we become cleansed and pure, we must STAY pure! We become spiritually backed up with waste when we hold on to bitterness and hate, when we become unforgiven and confrontational, easily offended by The Truth, envious and vengeful. We also become filled with toxins by returning back to toxic situations and/or relationships and environments. The easy part maybe to confess and believe we’re free (FAITH) but, the sanctification process is THE WORK we must put in in order to continue living a life that’s God-pleasing. In order to maintain toxin free, we have to stay away from toxins. Simple as that. The same discipline we have for our physical body to detox and refrain from impurities, we need that same discipline for our spiritual body. We can’t do that though without God coaching and teaching us. Self control is a fruit of the spirit that we grow by doing our part, morally and spiritually. Aren’t fruits a healthy part of our physical body as well?

THINK ABOUT IT: Everything we do here on Earth is parallel to the spirit realm. Life on Earth (our physical body) however is temporary but, our spiritual body is eternal. Take care of it.