Your Words Can Set You Free

 Jesus demonstrated not only God's power, but also God's consistent commitment to healing.

Curses are conveyed through words. They must be cancelled through words. 
God wants to set you free with HIS words of blessing, but the devil wants to take you captive again with HIS words. 

You often do not hear the devil's words directly from demons, but from other people. There are people who attack you repeatedly with harsh words. It is good if you can avoid such people. 

But you hear the devil's words very often in your own thoughts. You must defend yourself by not agreeing with these thoughts.
 
The worst thing is when you repeat these witchcraft spells aloud with your own voice. Then you curse yourself.

What is the antidote and how does it work?

You can redefine yourself with truth. 

Have you sinned? Then ask God for forgiveness and he will forgive you. But that is only the beginning. Then you must forgive yourself. Please forgive yourself!

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn 1:8–9 NRSV

Are you unsure whether you truly belong to God?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

Do you believe in Jesus? He died for you. Have you given your life to Jesus? Then you are a beloved child of God. 

But it is possible that the message of Jesus is only a religious truth for you, but not a personal reality, not something you experience in your everyday life.

If you are in this religious no-man's-land, you can take these words of Jesus to heart.

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. Rev 3:20 NRSV

Jesus does not want to offer you mere religious beliefs. A life based solely on doctrines is only religion.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NRSV

If you have truly found Jesus in your life, you can redefine yourself.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:1 NRSV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! 2 Cor 5:17 CSB

Have you made peace with God? Then you can claim God's blessings in the Bible. You are no longer inferior, no longer a failure, no longer condemned. 

You can think words of blessing about yourself and speak them aloud, and you must. Bless yourself again and again, again and again, especially in bitter hours. 

Push with your thoughts and words against the current of your previous life.

Don't say, ‘My life is like this and will never change.’ NO. I am getting out of this mess!!! And my escape to freedom is already well underway!!

Witch Set Free from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and wanted by God because He saw you and loved you before the creation of the world. 

No matter whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not, God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupt, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps even in your life.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

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. Jer 29:11 NIV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she had been dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a toddler, she was tormented by demons. She couldn't sleep without terrible nightmares. 

At the age of twelve, she became possessed by demons who drove her to live as a prostitute on the streets. Gradually, she learned to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became a notorious witch, and Christians prayed for her.

She herself became cruel, but was also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even to his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She did not know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she saw a vision from God, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffering and dying on the cross, taking the punishment for her sins upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and freed by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch, she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher, she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

Delivered from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and willed by God because he saw and loved you even before the creation of the world.

Regardless of whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not. God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupted, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps in your life as well.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she was dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a small child, she was tormented by demons. She could not sleep without terrible nightmares.

At the age of twelve, she was possessed by demons that drove her to live on the streets as a prostitute. Gradually, she learnt to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became known as a witch and Christians prayed for her.

She herself was cruel, but also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even with his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She didn't know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she experienced a revelation, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffer and die on the cross, taking the punishment for her sin upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and set free by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

Escape from Prostitution

 A woman from a poor country flies to Germany, where she expects to earn money for her family in a decent job.
 
Then she is shocked. She is a prisoner, drugged, raped again and again, enslaved as a prostitute.

The ancient Greeks wrote tragic dramas in which we see that there are such hopeless situations in life where no happy ending seems possible.
 
But this woman was saved by a miracle.

God spoke to a German preacher and told him to visit a brothel. There he found this enslaved woman. With God's help, she was saved and freed. God answered her desperate prayers.

How many prostitutes are crying out to God for deliverance?

I know wonderful Christian women in Germany who visit brothels to help the women. In one year, they helped four women to escape from forced prostitution.

There are situations where people have no hope even in this life, but Jesus can totally transform such lives and turn hopeless destinies around completely.

I can also say that from my own experience.

In my own family, I have seen how my mother and grandmother found peace with God through Jesus on their deathbeds.

I once knew a little boy who was totally deaf and was completely healed through prayer within a few weeks.

I have seen so many miracles.

• Maybe someone has betrayed you.

• Maybe you have been betrayed in your family life or in the church.

• Maybe you've heard the false teaching that you can't expect miracles these days.

If we want to receive God's miraculous help, we must dare to hope again.
 
From this hope, miracle-working faith can arise in your heart, the faith that we can only receive from God as a gift.

God can transform dark situations with his light.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jn 8:12 NIV

It is possible to be imprisoned, but not by iron bars, but by darkness through which you cannot see to find the only open door.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NIV

Spiritual Abuse. The Way Out.

There are Christians who are seriously ill or under threat. They pray. They quote God's promises from the Bible. And yet they cannot get rid of the illness, or they remain desperate and often panic.

I understand this from my own experience. I am now 75 years old, but as a young man I was a newly converted Christian. I saw a therapist every week and then I became a believing Christian.

My first church was extreme and fanatical.
I experienced the presence of God and His sweet love, but you learnt in church that you should fast repeatedly and be afraid of God's judgement.

The pastors were like little gods, like prophets sitting on a judgement seat. You had to obey, obey, obey.

I was no longer allowed to speak to the therapist every week, but to the pastor.

I couldn't stand the stress.

One day I snapped, I angrily told the pastor I didn’t want to be a Christian. The pastor excommunicated me. He ordered me not to attend any other church. I was supposedly damned until I might repent one day.

That was spiritual abuse. I was devastated.

My parents came to my rescue. I spent a whole year in a psychiatric hospital.

Then I realised that hundreds of other Christians had been excommunicated from that sect. The scales fell from my eyes. I was free to be a normal Christian, no longer condemned.

But the way back to normal life was not so easy.

I had to learn to believe in the God of love and grace. I had to learn to trust God for my healing.

 I had to learn to think for myself instead of remaining a dependent disciple always seeking advice from a pastor.

Maybe you are a Christian, but you are a victim of brainwashing and abuse. If you have experienced this, you are traumatised, and perhaps often physically ill.

Please don't give up. I have learnt to use God's promises in the Bible as a shield and umbrella, and also as a weapon.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Jn 10:10 NRSV

I read in the Bible that there is a devil. He also infiltrates pious churches. You must learn to resist the devil by believing in God's goodness and kindness.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:1 NRSV 

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Co 5:17 NRSV

I have learnt to overcome abuse and trauma. Now, by God's grace, I can help others find their way out.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Cor 1:3–4 NIV

You too can walk this path. God has wonderful plans for your life.

Blessings Break Curses

 Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch woman who loved Jesus. During the Nazi occupation of Holland, her family provided a refuge for Jews.

Her family was betrayed and she and her sister were deported by the Nazis. She was in Ravensbrück concentration camp in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. A very hard fate.

She began to encourage the other prisoners with her biblical faith. She held fast to St Paul's admonition to be thankful for everything.

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Th 5:18 NASB95

What, really? For the disgusting food? For the cold?

She began to speak aloud an unthinkable thanksgiving. ‘Thank you for the bedbugs.’

But after saying this nonsensical prayer, she had a revelation.

Because of the bedbugs, they were not bothered by the cruel guards in their unsavoury dormitory. The guards wanted to avoid these disgusting vermin at all costs.

She also had to pass another tough test.

She had to overcome her hatred. Jesus taught that we must love and bless our enemies.
Her beloved sister became seriously ill and died in the concentration camp.

Then Corrie was allowed to leave the concentration camp. That was a miracle. Someone in an office in Germany had made a mistake, and she was released from the concentration camp early because of it. That was a miracle from God.

But she had suffered terribly and lost her family.

After the war, Corrie became a travelling preacher.
God also sent her to minister in Germany, which was also a hard test for her.

After a sermon in Germany, a guard from the concentration camp approached her and asked for forgiveness.

Corrie was frozen with shock. Traumatised.

But she forced herself to shake hands.

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Lk 6:28 NIV

Corrie was a victim of the Nazis, but she refused to take upon herself the identity of a victim.

Are you perhaps a target for cruel attacks in your family or at work?

God forbid, but it may also be happening in your church. In the Bible, the Pharisees were not nice people, but not all Pharisees are Jews. Unfortunately, there are also Christian Pharisees.

You can get used to expecting bullying. You can be despised and then start to disrespect yourself.

That's a false identity. You are not that person, no matter how many times you have failed.
God is your creator and he made you good.

It could be that your family were Nazi criminals, or persecuted Jews. I met a wonderful preacher who had been a gangster and a pimp. I know a lovely Christian woman who was a prostitute.

No matter where you come from, God has made you good. God has a good plan for your life, and He wants to fulfil His plan.

But you must recognise yourself as God's good creation.

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Lk 6:28 NIV

You know, those who are used to being despised and cursed often learn to despise and curse themselves.

You must learn to bless your tormentors, but also to bless yourself.
Start saying blessings over yourself.

“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Num 6:24–26 NIV

Gratitude Releases the Power of God

 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. Mt 8:28 NIV

In Mark and Luke, we read the same story, but only one demonised man is mentioned. Some might claim that this is proof that you can find errors in the Bible, but that is not the case.

Speaking of only one person in a situation does not mean that there were no others.

Why do Mark and Luke only focus on one of the possessed men?

Because this man played a dramatic role in Jesus' mission after his deliverance.

Jesus commanded the demons to leave both men.

The demons threw themselves from the men into a herd of pigs. The pigs were forced by the demons to throw themselves into the sea, where they drowned.

The pagan population were outraged and asked Jesus to leave their neighbourhood.

One of these men wanted to stay with Jesus, because after his deliverance he believed in Jesus, but Jesus sent him on a mission instead.

But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.”

So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mk 5:19–20 NLT

His mission was not in vain, for when Jesus later returned to the area, he was received very favourably.

Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.

A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue.

Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!”
Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. Mk 7:31–36 NLT

One of the two possessed men in the account in Matthew's gospel responded with extreme gratitude and devotion, but we know nothing more about the other man.

Many receive miraculous healing and deliverance from Jesus even today. Perhaps you too. How do you respond to God's love and grace?