Friday, September 17, 2010

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Deliverance

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!

Today's word: deliverance

Have you ever experienced the Lord's "deliverance"?
If you feel like sharing, what did He deliver you (or someone you know) from?

"The LORD says, 'I will give you back what you lost...and you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you." (Joel 2:25-26)

Let me know what you think!!

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave youFor God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7)



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

12 comments:

  1. Hi Sharon,

    God delivered me from a failed marriage. I am most thankful to the Lord and the love of my wife.

    Blessings and peace.

    MTJ

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  2. Well, he delivered me from the big Kahuna, sin and death and a darkness apart from him. I don't say that to be giving the "preachy" answer. I mean it and am amazed that he would save me.

    If you only knew what a mess He decided to save.

    As for other other deliverance, He delivered me from a career worship and materialism that I used to have. I really, really suffered with it, and He literally just took that away. I am honestly content with much less than I ever dreamed I would be. I don't have that drive to keep up with the Jones. (Joneses? How DO you spell that?)

    I don't have the need to be super teacher anymore either. It was a stronghold for me because I had to be THE best, no matter what it did to my health or home. He literally sucked that right out of me.

    No, I only teach for the extra income when I can. I do give it my best because that is the good and appropriate thing to do. I do not seek the Super Teacher cape anymore, though. It gets heavy if you know what I mean.

    If He would open another (occupational) door for me, I would gladly walk through it. I actually pray that he does. A quarter of a century ago, I would never have thought that. I figured that I would die with a piece of chalk in my hand.

    Anyway, those are two areas of incredible deliverance. Now, if he would poney up with some other issues...

    Praying earnestly.

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  3. Have you ever experienced the Lord's"deliverance"?
    If you feel like sharing, what did He deliver you (or someone you know) from?

    Yes! Yes! My Personal Testimony is available on my blog for the whole world to read. ~Ron

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  4. I equate salvation with deliverance, so he definitely delivered me from what I deserved (hell) to getting to spend eternity with him :)

    doesn't get any better than that!

    betty

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  5. Absolutely. God delivered me from unbelief after two decades of faithlessness. It was not an overnight conversion, but it was a come to faith indeed.

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  6. MTJ - Oh praise God! I am blessed that God worked powerfully in your marriage. Keep on loving that wife of yours!!

    Debbie - Yes, I too am VERY grateful for deliverance from the Big Kahuna (truly). How very honest of you to also share your personal story. Oh, the great sinkholes of money and perfectionism. I can SO identify. I consider myself a "recovering shopaholic" - learning how to be content with what I have is a lesson God is still teaching me. (BTW, I think it's Joneses' - no wait, Joneseses - no wait, Jones'es's - forget it, the Jones Family!!) As for the perfectionism thing - oh dear. BIG TIME problem for me. I try to excuse it by saying I'm conscientious, or responsible, or meticulous, or diligent - any other adjective except PERFECTIONIST - because that would ALSO mean I'd have to own up to being a CONTROL person. The bad thing is that perfectionism makes me one of two things - fearful to even try something or super-critical of myself if I don't do something "just right" - both places work for "the enemy," to thwart God's work in my life. GRRR... FYI - I'm proud of your "chalk victory!"

    Ron - I reread your testimony. Awesome! I have a friend whose husband was delivered from alcoholism, too. I am thrilled for God's deliverance - He had work for you to do, my friend - because you bless so many with your words!

    Betty - YES YES YES!! The Bible equates our lives before salvation as slavery. To be delivered from slavery into the glorious freedom of salvation, and an eternity in the Presence of God and His eternal grace - AMEN! We are blessed!

    Michelle - I have someone VERY CLOSE to me who is not (yet!) a believer. I continue to pray that God will open His eyes to the wonders of His salvation. Your story gives me hope - thank you.

    For me, God delivered me from an unhealthy relationship, and a lifestyle that did not reflect my TRUE values in Him. He has restored so many things in my life since then, and healed so many hurts. Praise Him - for His kindness and mercy - and His mighty deliverances!

    BLESS YOU ALL!

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  7. I like your blog acronymn. As for deliverance, I am daily protected from my own stupidities and frequently protected from those who would harm me. Therefore, I remain blissfully happy (as opposed to blissfully ignorant -- was that at one time, too).

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  8. Elizabeth - Thank you for your comments. (Glad you like the BLOG acronym!) I loved how honest you were - "daily protected from my own stupidities" - isn't that the truth! God manages to guard me from myself at times - thank goodness. I wonder how often He protects us from those who would harm us - how often He literally keeps us safe, even though we don't know about it. His eye watches over us - I join you in gratefulness for that. Bliss, indeed...

    GOD BLESS!

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  9. Firstly, I really loved Debbie's answer/comment. I know of what she speaks of, regarding the super-teacher cape etc... my sister was exactly the same, then she met the Lord and her testimony is very similiar.

    He is a God of deliverance and I often thank Him for saving me from 'me'. I could make a list a mile long for what He has delivered me from and continues to deliver me from. But for now, I am grateful that He delivers me from my own destructive, carnal fleshly ways.

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  10. Amanda,
    How very interesting about your sister's story being so like Debbie's. It just goes to show - we all have our "stuff" - and many of us deal with the same "stuff!"

    Yes, I too am grateful for God's deliverance from "me." We have a powerful enemy, and he knows the ways of the flesh, and he is an expert at finding the "chink in the armor" and then shooting his arrows right at our most vulnerable spots. Thank goodness we do not fight alone - and that our Deliverer is strong!

    GOD BLESS!

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  11. Hi Sharon,

    Thank you so much for visiting and following my blog! I am now a follower of yours.

    First and foremost the Lord delivered my soul from death when he saved me 14 years ago. He's delivered me from anger and continues to deliver me from unforgiveness, fear and worry. Halleluja! Praise Him!

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  12. Judith - WELCOME!! So glad to join with you on this journey we call life!

    I, for one, am so glad that God saved you! What a miracle salvation is!!

    You have hit on some of the biggest things God needs to deliver us from - anger, unforgiveness, fear, and worry. Praise Him as He continues to deliver us from the everyday temptations and sins that are part of this fallen world. I join in your HALLELUJAH! He is faithful - and He FREES US!!

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)