Avez-vous été libéré?

Avez-vous été libéré?

Avez-vous été libéré?

Par Toni Weisz/Disciplines spirituelles

Références bibliques: John 8:31-32, 34-36, Romains 6: 12-14, and James 5:16

John 8:31-32, 34-36
So Jesus said unto the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.

Romains 6:12-14
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will not have dominion over you, since you are not under the law but under grace.

Are you still struggling with a distorted view of yourself, Dieu, ou d'autres? When did that start for you?

It takes years and perhaps decades of hard work to undo the damage that was done to us as children, teens, and young adults.

How can we be set free to live the abundant life Jesus came to give us?

I’d like to share four keys that can help you be set free.

1.) I believe we need to confess sin daily.

Some questions to take to heart:

  • What are my motives?
  • Why am I so easily offended?
  • Why am I being taken advantage of by others?
  • Why can’t I say no?
  • Why am I fearful or anxious when I have to speak to a certain person?

When we have been mistreated, abused, or neglected or have an abortion in our past, we develop deep wounds which distort our thinking and emotional development. It’s only God who can help us heal in those areas and grow to our full potential.

I heard this statement, but I do not know who coined it:

"If you want to be forgiven, confess your sins to God. If you want to change, confess your sins to another person so they can help you be accountable."

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins one to another and pray one to another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

2.) I feel a personal quiet time with the Lord is essential.

It’s hard for some of us to trust anyone, even God. Slowly, as you spend time with God, in His word, He will reveal His heart towards you. You will begin to see how much He does love you and how He cares about every part of your life. He never tires to hear about what’s going on in your life. He never slumbers. He is always available any time, day or night. That gives me great comfort knowing God is always there for me because so many people have let me down over the years. But God is always faithful.

3.) Sharing your story in a safe environment (such as our conference call) is therapeutic and condusive to healing.

It’s important for our healing that we can share our stories with others in a safe and loving environment without judgment. Once we do that, our secrets no longer have power over us.

Is there some part of your story you have not shared with others?

Now would be a good time to do that. If you cannot speak on the conference appel, then write it down and email it to me à: arwsg4u2@gmail.com.

By sharing our stories with each other, we can pray and encourage each other on our healing journey. You are not alone; that is a lie from the devil.

4.) We must be willing to do the hard work.

I am constantly reading books to help me heal and facilitate a healing group where women feel loved and safe. Our learning, healing and equipping is an ongoing process that will continue until the day we see Jesus. God is still healing me when I allow Him and the Holy Spirit to speak truth into my life. I have to be consciously listening to Him. Speak to God all day long. He is listening and waiting for you to call out to Him.

If you do these four things, it will help you to be set free in every area of your life.

Are you willing to allow Jesus to take you by the hand and lead you on this healing journey?

I pray this has been helpful for you. S'il vous plaît tendre la main. We are waiting to hear from you. Please go to our contact page to get our email and phone number.

Tu es aimé,
Toni

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Le combat spirituel dans les études bibliques post-avortement

Le combat spirituel dans les études bibliques post-avortement

Spiritual Warfare in the Post Abortion Bible Studies
Par Toni Weisz/Guerre Spirituelle (Blogs de Toni)
Psaume 91:1-12

Why is spiritual warfare so intense when women decide to step out to be healed from a past abortion?

I have been in the post-abortion ministry since 2006, when I went through my first post-abortion recovery Bible study. Malheureusement, no one prepared me for what was going to be one of the most tragic and saddest times of my life. Satan came in and ripped my family to shreds. My husband and children stopped speaking to each other; my husband and I had a huge conflict; my son’s roommate stopped paying rent and stole from him; my daughter broke up with her boyfriend because of a porn addiction. All of this started two-and-a-half weeks into my first post-abortion recovery Bible study. I was in shock, and I was numb. Much of that time is still a blur to me.

To give you a better idea of how this all started, allow me to set the scene for you.

It was January 22, 2006, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. I was sitting in my Sunday school class learning about the book of Jeremiah. More specifically, we were discussing how God called Jeremiah to be a prophet from the womb. Our teacher asked each of us, “What has God called you to do?"

For years I had asked God to reveal my calling to me. Up until that day, I thought it was just to be a godly wife and mother. But the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “I want you to help other women feel forgiven for their past abortions.”

Immediately, I raised my hand and told our group what God had just shared with me. I then shared with my Pastor after the service what God had said. I was so excited but had no idea what this would mean or how this would change my life forever.

Alors, I told my husband, “God wants me to help other women heal from their past abortions.” His reaction was, “No, that’s not good for you; that will be too hard. You should be in children’s ministry. You will be happier there.”

To respect my husband, I did nothing. I just waited. During the third week of waiting, my Pastor preached on obedience. The Holy Spirit moved in me so strongly that I couldn’t let it go. I went to my husband again and said, “John, you don’t understand. God is calling me to this, and I have to obey.” Thus began my healing journey.

Over the years, I have learned so much from the things that have happened to me on this journey. It has shaped the way I think, speak, and treat others. Malheureusement, I was not treated with kindness during the early parts of my journey.

Instead, I received harsh, condemning feedback and was told it was my fault my marriage was not going well and that I was in sin. These painful words led me to accept unacceptable treatment from my husband. My facilitators and mentors did not have experience in any kind of recovery work or co-dependency issues. They did not recognize I was being bullied and emotionally abused.

I thank God for the equipping He has given me. He has given me patience, gentleness, and love toward women who have lost a child to abortion. I know from experience that many factors go into the decision to have an abortion. We don’t grow up as young girls thinking, “I want to abort my baby.” No. It’s not a natural thing for a woman to do.

I decided to write this blog post about the spiritual warfare surrounding post-abortion recovery because many of us will be involved in these healing Bible studies in some capacity. Whether you are a prayer partner, co-facilitator, or a participant, each of us will experience some kind of spiritual warfare.

Know this: the enemy does not want Christian women healed from a past abortion. He wants to keep us in bondage and chains, locked away in a dungeon to be tormented. This frightening truth inspired the name of our eBook, “Leading Them into His Light.” Long before the eBook, God gave me a vision of a dungeon and women sitting in darkness and in chains. Jesus held my hand as I went into the dungeons to grab the women out so they could be rescued from the enemy. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s love for us.

Our eBook is available on our website for a donation of any amount. In it, nous partageons 17 women’s abortion stories (including my own) and how God turned our ashes into something beautiful for our good and His glory.

Right now, the enemy is trying to trip you up. I am experiencing it in my own home, and you might be also. The enemy will use those closest to you to take you down and discourage you. But do not waiver. God is greater and stronger than the enemy. Stay close to Him and He will protect you.

About six months ago I started reading Psalm 91 every day. I suggest you meditate upon it too. It will strengthen you for the inevitable battle ahead.

 

Des questions & Réflexions finales:

  1. What spiritual warfare have you experienced as a result of stepping out and wanting to be healed from a past abortion?

    2. What do you do to protect yourself from the enemy’s fiery darts?

    I am looking forward to an exciting year in which more women will be healed from the trauma of abortion. With the healing power of Jesus, we can reach even more women and stop this cycle of death in their families.

Tu es aimé,
Toni

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Le fils prodigue

Le fils prodigue

 

Le fils prodigue
By Toni Weisz/Abuse Recovery

Luc 15:11-24, Jérémie 31:3b-c, Luc 15:10, II Corinthians 5:21un, Éphésiens 2:1b, Luc 15:10, Révélation 7:9, Romains 8:15b-c, Révélation 19:9, et les romains 8:35

Luc 15:11-24

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal (wasteful) living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

Some have called this, “The Running Father,” instead of, “The Prodigal Son,” because it’s the actions of the father in these scriptures that give a glimpse into the very heart of God, our heavenly Father, towards us, His children. I can imagine the father looking to the horizon every day for a glimpse of his son returning home. And every day, losing hope that he would return. Then one day, he spots his son and is filled with compassion for him. He girds up his loins (takes his robe from back to front between his legs and tucks it into his belt) and runs to his son. During Biblical times, a man of his stature in the community would not do such a thing in public, but he didn’t care what others thought. I read that the son could have been banned from the town or humiliated publicly, because he dishonored his father and their town with his sinful actions. This was another possible reason why the father ran to his son; he wanted to protect him from the humiliation and judgement of others.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the prodigal son. Didn’t we run away from the homes that God had given us in part due to the dysfunction, and/or we wanted to explore the world and live our lives our own ways? Tout en, our heavenly Father is watching and looking for us to return home to Him. How it must have broken His heart to see the destructive, ungodly choices we made. And yet, He loves us with an everlasting love; He yearns for us to come home to Him (Jérémie 31:3b-c). The angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luc 15:10).

God sent His Son to die for us so we could be set free from the judgment we deserved because of all our sins. I love the correlation between the prodigal son’s father and our heavenly Father. Jesus became sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21un) and was naked, beaten, and crucified, and He died for us. He was humiliated and tortured for me and you. When I think of what Jesus did on the cross for me, I am overwhelmed with gratitude because I know I didn’t deserve it, but I humbly receive this precious gift of salvation that cost God the most precious thing He had, His Son.

Lastly, we too were once dead in our trespasses and sins against God, (Éphésiens 2:1b) but when we confessed our sins, like the prodigal son, we were welcomed into the family of God. There was a celebration in heaven the day you received Christ as your Savior (Luc 15:10). God has clothed you in a beautiful white robe (Révélation 7:9), put a ring on your finger, and adopted you into His Holy Family (Romains 8:15b-c). One day, we will all be together for the great feast in heaven, the marriage supper of the Lamb (Révélation 19:9). Hallelujah! Merci, Jésus!

Merci, Father, for the gift of adoption into your family. I am no longer an orphan, a stranger, or an outcast; I am yours forever.

Note: To you precious ones who did not have good earthly fathers, it is hard to think of God as a good heavenly Father. Please know that God’s heart broke when he saw the abuse and neglect you suffered at the hands of your earthly fathers. God is not like your earthly fathers; He is kind, gentle, pure, holy, and faithful. He loves you with an everlasting love. Nothing can separate you from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romains 8:35).

Des questions:

What was your relationship like with your earthly father?

Do you see God as a good and kind Father? Sinon, please explain.

Please reach out if you need to talk or you need prayer.

Tu es aimé,

Toni

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Avortement: Notre seule option

Avortement: Notre seule option

Avortement: Notre seule option

Par Toni Weisz/Guerre Spirituelle

Scripture References: Genèse 3:15 et Genèse 1:27

Genèse 3:15« Et je mettrai inimitié entre toi et la femme, et entre ta semence et sa semence; Il t'écrasera la tête, et tu lui écraseras le talon.

Genèse 1:27"Alors Dieu créa l'homme à son image; à l'image de Dieu, il l'a créé; mâle et femelle, il les a créés.

Il faut du courage pour être guéri d'un avortement passé. Revenir en arrière pour regarder les péchés qui ont contribué à notre décision d'avorter est difficile.

Did I seek God? Non.

Did I ask a Christian friend? Non, I didn’t have any.

Did I ask my parents for help? je n'ai pas. Et vous?

Depuis le temps qu'on est petites filles, le plan de l'ennemi est de nous isoler. De cette façon, il nous a exactement là où il nous veut quand nous sommes confrontés à des décisions qui changent la vie: seul.

Dans le livre de la Genèse, nous apprenons que le but de Satan était de détruire la semence de la femme qui allait donner naissance au Messie. La réponse de Dieu à Satan dans le jardin décrit la lutte qui s'ensuivrait à cause de ce but: "Je mettrai l'inimitié (hostilité) entre toi et la femme, et entre ta semence et sa semence; Il t'écrasera la tête, and you shall bruise His heel." (Genèse 3:15).

Depuis ce moment précis, chaque enfant dans l'utérus est devenu une cible que Satan doit détruire. Satan hait les humains parce que nous sommes créés à l'image de Dieu (ref. Genèse 1:27). Il va encore plus loin dans cette haine en convainquant les femmes que l'avortement est une bonne chose. Comme c'est sinistre? C'est mauvais et contre nature pour une femme, une mère, tuer son bébé. Those of us who’ve had an abortion have done just that.

Comment avons-nous laissé cela arriver?

Voici quelques questions que nous pouvons nous poser pour découvrir la raison(s) derrière nos avortements. J'ai inclus mes propres réponses.

Des questions:

  1. Quelles ont été les circonstances qui ont conduit à votre avortement(s)?

Toni: J'étais à l'université, vivant une vie impie remplie de drogue, de l'alcool, et le sexe. Je fuyais ma douleur passée. Je voulais juste m'évader de ma vie, et ce style de vie pécheur m'a soulagé pendant un moment. Alors, quand je me suis retrouvée enceinte, J'avais peur que mon enfant soit gravement déformé par toutes les drogues et l'alcool. Je craignais aussi la réaction de mes parents.

  1. Quand tu as appris que tu étais enceinte, à qui as-tu dit?

Toni: J'ai dit à une de mes colocataires qui s'est aussi fait avorter; elle a dit que ce n'était pas grave. Elle venait d'en avoir un récemment. J'ai dit à l'une des sœurs de mon copain; elle m'a même dit où prendre rendez-vous.

  1. As-tu dit à tes parents? Si oui, quelle a été leur réaction?

Toni: Non, J'avais trop peur de leur réaction, et je ne voulais pas leur faire de mal. J'aurais aimé avoir le courage de leur dire. I made a mistake and needed help, but I did not have the courage to do that.

  1. Avez-vous parlé avec le père du bébé? A-t-il eu son mot à dire?

Toni: Il a juste supposé que j'aurais un avortement. Il ne savait pas quel était son rôle. On n'en a vraiment pas parlé. The father of that baby is my husband, and we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary this year.

  1. Votre décision d'avortement vous apporte-t-elle toujours une profonde douleur et des regrets?

Toni: Je pleure encore la perte de mon fils, Joseph. Mais par la grâce de Dieu, Il m'a guéri de mon avortement passé. Et j'attends avec impatience le jour où je verrai mon fils face à face. Merci, Dieu, pour ce cadeau.

Les membres de My Ashes to Beauty sont là pour vous accompagner et vous aider. Ce ministère vous offre espoir et guérison à travers une relation avec Jésus, la Parole de Dieu, le Saint-Esprit, et une communauté sûre pour partager votre cœur et vos larmes de votre avortement passé.

Dieu veut que ses filles soient guéries et en bonne santé pour vivre la vie abondante qu'il est venu leur donner. S'il vous plaît tendre la main si vous avez besoin d'aide supplémentaire et de guérison. Envoyez-moi un email à: arwsg4u2@gmail.com.

Tu es aimé,

Toni

 

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Bondage familier

Bondage familier

I would rather go back to what is familiar, even if it is bondage…

Exodus 16:1-4a and John 3:16,

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of Egypt. And the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into the wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you….”

When the trials of the children of Israel were too hard for them to bear, they wanted to go back to what was familiar: bondage in Egypt. They wanted to be in control; they felt safe knowing what to expect.

How many of us can relate to wanting to go back to the dysfunctional relationships or sins of our past because there is comfort in knowing what to expect? Change is hard because it’s unfamiliar, and there is no safety or comfort in it. But God doesn’t want us to stay in our dysfunction. He wants us healed. He came to set us free from our bondage to sin. He wants us to trust Him completely with every area of our lives.

God provided the children of Israel with bread that literally dropped out of the sky. He called it Manna, “Bread from Heaven.” If God did that for them, don’t you think He can help you too? I think the answer is Yes!!!

What is the spiritual factor to consider when I want to be in control, instead of God being in control?

I am saying to God, “I don’t trust You. I don’t believe You are good. I don’t believe You care about me.”

Alors, what is the sin I am committing when I don’t trust God? The sin of unbelief.

Definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 et 11:6: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Laisse-moi te demander, what are you still trying to control and refuse to release into God’s hands?

I learned at a very young age to take control of every area of my life; that, unfortunately, was not a good thing. A 12-year-old is not mature enough to take on such a responsibility. I controlled my voice but I did not use it. I controlled how I performed in school, sports, and in anything I set my mind to do by practicing until I could do something perfectly. When I was older, I controlled my weight by taking speed and diet pills and exercising excessively. I controlled what others perceived about me by wearing a mask to hide my true feelings and identity. It wasn’t until I felt safe to let God in that I was able to relinquish control to Him. By spending time in His Word, I began to understand the heart of God and discovered how much He loves us and wants us to be set free from our pasts, so we can live the abundant lives He came to give us. It’s by relinquishing control to God that we are set free. There is beauty in surrender.

Why are you not trusting God to help you in this area? What are you afraid of?

Relinquishing control was not a comfortable thing for me because I didn’t trust others not to hurt me. I became very self-sufficient and proficient in all I did. I had a huge wall around my heart that no one was going to penetrate, not even God. I grew up with a distorted view of God. I thought He was angry with me and would punish me if I was out of line, which is what I heard and saw as a child. Church was dark; people there spoke in another language, and the atmosphere was not warm and welcoming. So I associated these attributes with God. I felt He was dark, harsh, and unloving, which could not be further from the truth. I was fearful about trusting God because I was afraid of being hurt again. I didn’t know God’s heart toward me. When I got saved in 1994 and came across this verse from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life,” I started believing that God does love me. And once I received His love into my heart and believed that He died for me on the cross, I started trusting Him more with my heart. But it was a long process. I am so grateful today for His love. That truth changed my life forever.

I had everything under control, so I thought, until my life and health started spiraling out of control. I couldn’t afford stuff anymore and my health was failing, my marriage was on the brink of divorce, and I didn’t know what to do. I was plagued with suicidal thoughts because I just couldn’t deal with my depression and self-loathing anymore, due to the sins from my past. This was not a life; it was a prison. I was just surviving because I needed someone to take my pain away, someone I could trust to love and accept me for who I was. Did such a person exist?

Très Cher,

I want you to know that there is such a person who loves and accepts you for who you are. His name is Jesus, and He is the only one who will love you right where you are. He will never hurt you or force you to do something against your will. He is kind, affectueux, dependable, faithful, merciful, and forgiving. Jesus is your Savior and friend. Why not relinquish control of your life to God? Franchement, what do you have to lose at this point?

Tu es aimé,

Toni

 

What is the spiritual factor to consider when I want to be in control instead of God being in control?

I am saying to God, “I don’t trust You (Dieu). I don’t believe You (He) are good. I don’t believe You care about me.” So, what is the sin I am committing when I don’t trust God? The sin of unbelief.

Definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 et 11:6: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

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