Works of the Flesh

This entire horrific set up was painfully discerning.  Granted, only after she had consensually opened the ‘door’ through sexual sin did this evil force show intent of lien.  Demonic forces had entered in to set up house, building foundational walls for its strongholds.  There was nothing she could physically do about it.  First natural, then spiritual.  What appears on the surface subsists in duality—always.  It was a spiritual matter that needed to be dealt with as such.  But she hadn’t been to church in so long.  Or prayed.  Or read her Bible.  She had no weapons and her spirit was on life support.  Even so, she continued to dispute, refusing her fate (that is, his fate for her).

 In the end, Satan still needed for her to agree as to the terms.  Again, faith comes into play and is subjugated by our agreement with the devil.  The Bible states in Matthew 18:19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything…it will be done.”  Now please understand that Satan has always taken scripture out of context.  Especially when people don’t know the truth.  He is aware that God’s Word is not “void.”  Notwithstanding, it can profit in anything it is applied to (evil acts included).  That is why the Bible also talks about “life and death are in the power of the tongue.”   Satan knows these scriptures and how to misapply them.  But do we know scripture, and are we fit to wield them effectively?  

Because she couldn’t see the truth for the lies, after three years, lies became increasingly more believable to her.  Even though the thought of it made her nauseous and she never saw herself yielding, she finally considered that maybe she was.  Saying the word or thinking it was the most painfully difficult acknowledgment ever—Lesbian.

b

Examining further.  We should get a sense of what lead up to this young woman’s acquiescence, but what of the aftermath? What did a typical day consist of? How did she manage this mantra of inflamed emotions? 

Well, life was hellish for her.  It was as noisome and migrainous as pelts of light flickering directly into the eyes, nonstop!  She still had to get up and go to work.  She still had to go grocery shopping.  Still dutifully paid bills.  Still cooked and cleaned her apartment.  Washed loads of laundry as needed.  She had no choice but to begrudgingly go about her routine of living although she would rather not go out at all.  And if it was not a necessity to do any errands, she avoided all contact with people.  Especially women.  She experienced overstated paranoia whenever in their presence.  She feared being induced. Unrealistically figuring that if she could avoid contact with the other half of the general population that this action would hasten an escape from the set up mapped out against her.  Acting as CHIEF STEWARD IN CHARGE OF REJECTION, rejecting herself before anyone else could. 

In the meantime, that self-same boyfriend alluded to earlier did not have a clue as to the questionings going on inside of her.  After dating awhile, she tried severally to set him free from wasting his time with the likes of her.  She had developed a reclusive heart toward him or anyone else regarding this latest secrecy. 

Blindsided, and in deep depression, humiliation roamed about in ghostlike fashion.  It did not register in her mind to seek any help or answers.  In this society, with all of its prejudices, no help or answers would be forthcoming any time soon.  She had rather bear it in silence; thinking, the curtains would eventually fall on this awful, cinematic scene.  Howbeit, that eventuality never came about.  The enemy of her soul did not grow the least weary with devouring her up like a dog gnawing away at a decrepit chew toy.  She must come to terms with the fact that there would be no letting up.  The trampling that she endured for three vigorous years had entered its fourth.

During this time, fears had magnified, with each social networking attempt ending in apparent failure.  Everywhere, in every venue, ostracized.  Unabashed lips, whispering rumors, did not cease.  Scornful looks in the eyes of every person she made contact with (including family and acquaintances).  Satan’s mass manipulation of people, counting on their prejudices and ill acceptance of all others, would aid in cornering a quailed submission to his will. 

The simplest of tasks set off panic within.  She was anxious, for nothing.  She had always been an introvert in the first place but now her ability to function in society had become extremely altered.  Proclivities to hideaway increased as daily life went from worse to unbearable, assuming people concluded the worst about her.  Unable to see anything else except what was revealed to their prejudiced mindset. 

Her value as a person was exceptionally diminished.  And no matter what her obvious talent, skill-set at work, spiritual gifts, loyalty within the family—she received a virtual stoning by all.   Relentless treatment (mistreatment) like this caused an escalation of withdrawal from the world.  Despondency, consequently, exiled this captive soul from society, at large.  Banished to live (exist) alone, on a virtual island.

 ~What? ~

Mentally tormented, this poor woman cried out from the depths of her soul.  Every day. Cowering spiritually.  Feeble.  Putting up no resistance.  Literally crouched in the corner of her sofa, wishing it would be quiet within (and without).  If just for a little while. These horrid days perpetuated  some of her very weakest points of resistance—No one can be more vulnerable than a person crouched in a fetal position! On a couch!   This was a typical day under Satan’s watch, though she was yet unyielding in her heart to simply accept this scenario for her life. 

This was that point of conclusion in which she acquiesced for the first time in her heart that she must be a “dyke” just like he said.  This is when that nauseous feeling stirred in the pit of her soul.  Coerced to cry UNCLE.    Strong-armed, wrestled. Did not want to, but did.  As a result, Satan wins this round.  No time to stop now.

b

  He is feeling victoriously pumped about this turn of events.  He does not want to waste a moment getting her to act out these lies that have been conceived.  Remember, it takes two to conceive, to agree. Conception had occurred in the mind and heart.  Now there would need to be a birth of his ideas (his lies).  There was not a moment to lose, he gathered.  The fact that she had believed his lie empowered him more. Thinking in grandeur fashion, Satan is talking to himself, talking about himself,

“She did it!”

“I did it!” 

“She agreed with me!”

“Praise…uhhh…me!” 

Emboldened to go forth in his efforts.  Satan recognizes her infantile, fragile state as the perfect opportunity to materialize his designs meant to disgrace her life.  Both mind and soul were like putty in his hands.  This was the ideal condition in which to magnify his purposes. 

And let’s not forget faith.  Her faith had played a major role in getting her here to this point.   And guess what follows faith?  That’s right, works (actions) follow faith.  You will find written in James 2:20, “But do you know, O foolish man, that Faith without works is dead?”  Satan knows this to be the next viable step on the agenda. To be impregnated with untruth meant nothing.  She must give birth!

b

Surely, an unchecked vice propelled the situation to such a reckless degree, till it actually made things that much easier for Satan to devise his plans.  The fallow ground of her heart held many stony code-markers, “little foxes that destroy the vines.” Little by little, adding a little leaven, consisting of a vainly strong will towards God.  A stubborn rebelliousness crept up, displaying itself without warrant.  Such wayward ignorance would soon be viciously tested and chastened, because of a prayer once deferred.  In response, a wrong attitude, strong and willful, becomes fully charged.  

     ~Surely marriage was God’s will~

After all, marriage was an institution established by God, and therefore marriage could only be held in high regard as something noble and virtuous.  So why should He then tell her to,

 “Wait.” 

“You’re not ready for marriage, not yet.” 

“I have something else for you to do, yes?”

“If you perfect your relationship with Me, first, you’ll be able to handle a relationship with any man.”

What did He mean by, Me, first?   Put Him First?  He was right though.  God sensed how she desperately wanted to be saved.  In her mind, a husband (knight in shining armor) contrived the perfect someone to come rescue, protect, and love her without conditions.  The perfect answer to all of her woes in life. 

Oh, how naïve. Not understanding that these girlish trifles were not the best reasons for wanting marriage.  All that she understood, clearly, was that living in that house where she grew up was not a home, sweet home.  In her opinion, that Elephant Ear plant along with the flowers in the garden were about the only living things to really enjoy living.  Flourishing, as a matter of fact.  So after praying a simple prayer to only ask for this one, noble thing, expectations for answers in her favor were high.

Asked and then asked again.  Asked Him three times between the ages of seventeen and twenty.  Each appeal solicited with more impatience.  Each year less apt to wait.  And with every answer, all she heard (interpreted) was a piercing, persistent echo of,

“NO!” 

  A wrong attitude sprang, which led on the road to a wrong way.  And a wrong way is a hard way to travel.  God’s explanation mattered not at the time. 

By the age of twenty years old is when she had left the church.  And why?  To find her Mister so that she could become Missus.  She even recalls telling God that she would be right back.  Her eyes were set upon it and she would not be denied. 

Lust of the eyes.  Lust of the flesh.  Pride of life.  Just like in the original Garden scenario.  Here inlays that immeasurable damage that little foxes or a little leaven can cause when unbridled, unhinged, or untamed.  Believe it or not, our experiences are all parallel to the one in the Garden.  Certainly, everyone has or will have a Garden of Eden experience themselves.  This was indeed hers.  And it was hardness in the heart that had played a big, despairing role. 

b

Just as Eve must have felt it, she felt it too. Deceived [Dis’Eve].  This is what the devil does.  He proudly disses all humans, trying to convince us that somehow God’s provision of everything is lacking and insufficient, preventing our full joy.  Enters is a void which leaves a lingering feeling, as if God is unwilling to fill or fulfill that empty space by giving His everything (and more) to His creation. All, equals the same as not enough. 

To covet things other than what we have already is the culprit (want replaces need).  Desire that is not immediately granted by God’s hand turns into an obsession.  A fixation of wills. 

And just like the day Eve’s lust gave way to a passion fruit, is the same day when Eve had left the sanctity of behaving like His child.  She entered another phase of consciousness.  She was no longer a child in the sense of awareness.   For a child is generally unaware of what is good or evil.  They do not mind not knowing. Neither do they care, nor are concerned with their nakedness.  It is always the character of children to remain forever as dependents upon the Parent (In this case, God).  It is simply not in a child’s interest to seek autonomy.  For what purpose does it serve?  To fend for yourself?  A child has the practical wherewithal to consider whether this is logical or not—independence from God.

This act of becoming aware, like God, sends you well on your way towards death with immediacy.  For a child to become grown means he or she is simply growing towards their death.  It is an inevitable fact that when lust of the flesh activates, insatiable tastes for the forbidden is the result it produces. The pride we have in life gives the impression of entitlement, seeking to know more than or as much as God.  This is also proven.  And the awe and lust of our eyes produces hard-to-ignore enticements, creating consumption, as if it is a right.  We, humans, are  conduits in this natural progression towards death.  Sin cannot (independent of us) live on forever.

The fact that she had been a fairly good girl who only wanted noble things for herself—you know, a good, hardworking, faithful husband with happy, healthy, adorable kids and a nice, cozy home—was no reason to flip the bird at God.  “In malice, be babes.”  Be like children when it comes to all things that influence us to be self-guided and self-ish, in other words. 

In the meantime, a grave decision had been made by this young lady who had once upon a time willingly accepted Jesus Christ (Yeshua) as her Lord and Savior at age thirteen.  In those days of true innocence, she had always been the one who read her Bible inside out, upside down.  Been the one who readily accepted its authenticity from all of the testimonies written by past saints.  The one who prayed each and every day at the same hour, not letting anyone or anything deter her from what she called keeping her appointment with God.  She had been the one who had experienced this wonder-filled whirlwind love affair with her Father that only a childlike purity could express or receive. 

Even with all of this loyalty, her spirituality only amounted to that of a “babe” in Christ, in God’s view.  He, who is well aware of our frame and knows of our unusual sensitivity and easy offence to not having our way, is not surprised by our behavior.  He knows a babe is used to being pampered, coddled, and overfed, having no qualms about spitting up the excess milk.  He knows how we simply cry for more when it suits us.  How we do not expect denial of our most impatient requests.  Most importantly, God knows Satan cannot do this alone.  He needs our help.

Tired of pleading, in full tantrum mode, is when this young woman had accused God of not knowing how the world works today or how it functioned, explaining that He was outdated, ancient, and out of touch.  Even said how most of His Word was extinct.  And portions of His Word no longer even applied to this modern age—Anyway! 

As you know “God is not mocked.”  Whatever is sown will be reaped.  Erroneous, ignorant, and willful gestures.  This tone would result in countless torment and sorrow.  These rebel rants would soon produce a just harvest. 

No doubt, Satan rather enjoys these types of calamitous exchanges from the sidelines.  This fallout between Father and child.  As always, when opportunity knocks, devilment will be right there to answer the call with fiery arrows.

Yes, An answer of no is not an option to a babe, even with an explanation.  This type of reasoning, temperament, debate, contention, defiance as presented in her inquiries was appalling.  How could she berate God to His face so royally?  As she looks back and recalls it, she is amazed that she had ‘gotten away’ with this.  And although immaturity proved to be a detriment in the now, it was the exact defiance she would need against her real enemy down the line.  These experiences are part of the process.  God will get all the glory in the end.  That is what counts.