Cultures Snare Part 3: Conditioned To Be Critical

Why are we women our own worst enemies? We are quick to speak ill of ourselves – I’m too big, too fat, too skinny, my hair’s not right, I’ve got more wrinkles – just to name a few. We are quick to criticise ourselves and speak foolish statements that unfortunately we model to our daughters, nieces and those who listen to us. As we get older the very thing we dread – we sound and look like our mothers – comes upon us! Whether we like it or not we have been conditioned to act this way. In the bigger picture, culture and societies expectations have influenced us. It is subtle and insidiously creeps in over time. As we become numb and succumb to this way of being, we accept this way until it is a part of the fabric of our being. Is it right? Absolutely not! Whether we like it or not the enemy has done a number on us by beguiling us with these lies, which we then believe, until it is intricately woven into the fabric of our being. The tragedy is, these ways are then modelled to the next generation of women putting a yoke on them too. If this isn’t bad enough, we do it to one another as well.

All five-fold ministers will say their biggest opposition comes from other women. So why are we so quick to pull one another down, rather than build each other up? Why do we judge a fellow sister in Christ with critical eyes? We judge external appearances, - what she looks like, what she’s wearing, her weight or lack of, her ageing process to name a few.

The reality is culture has influenced us and much of that has come through the media. We are constantly barraged with what is called ‘the ideal woman’ – what she should look like, how her hair should look and what the ideal figure is – to name a few. We look up to these ‘ideal women’ as some demi-god that we should aspire to be like. The tragedy is these outside pressures have hoodwinked us all to some degree. It is like an unwritten rule that we must all somehow attain.
We won’t be able to and nor should we feel that we should.

We all know we shouldn’t be like this and it is a constant battle to fight against these negative thoughts and foolish spoken words. However, we must look at the issue of how critical we are of ourselves and of others. There is a critical spirit that has pushed us to unfairly judge another. We must be aware of. It is nasty, vengeful, and at its deepest root is hatred. Jealousy is its sister and together they operate to make us, as women, pull one another down. We must be aware of how it operates in our lives and understand the cultural impact it has had. It is modeled from our past by our mothers, flowing down affecting the lives of the younger women we influence and input into.

1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant"

Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

James 3:14-15 "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."

It is a sin issue. Being critical influences all of us.  It is also a cultural issue.
Different cultures have various extremes of this critical spirit depending on what their society expects of them. It is actually immature and shows a shallowness of character.

We all know of the ‘tall poppy syndrome’. Another example is the ‘crab in a bucket’. If you get a group of crabs in a bucket as soon as one starts to try and climb out the other crabs will pull it down.
We women are no different, though a lot cleverer at it. When we see someone look like they are getting ahead, we try and pull them back and keep them the same. We hide the resentment in our hearts until an opportune time when it will manifest and hurt and defile.

There is the higher way – to quickly acknowledge, repent of and release all unforgiveness quickly so these issues do not fester. We must be on guard during this hour when the enemy is particularly vicious so we don’t become a pawn in his game to betray by pulling one another down, instead of building up.
This is what it is to be a mature, woman of God. Maturity is not about age but rather how we conduct ourselves having the character to be true examples of God’s woman in this hour.

Be on guard against being critical – it is not becoming of a woman of God.
Walk the higher way – of truth, honesty and intimacy with the Lord.

Glenice Mills
4th May 2014

When Problems Arise.

Jesus wants us to operate from (even war from) a place of PEACE.
Ephesians 2:14 For He HIMSELF is our PEACE.
Colossians 1:20 ….. Having made PEACE through the blood of His cross.
Psalm 34:14 Seek PEACE and pursue it.
Psalm 119:165 Great PEACE have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect PEACE whose mind is STAYED on You.
Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.
PEACE is a powerful weapon to use against the enemy!
If we lose our peace we need to run into Him, and deal with whatever caused us to lose our peace, till we get it back again.
Everything NEGATIVE comes from the enemy. Everything POSITIVE comes from God.
If you think negatively it will attract the negative to you. Satan is a legalist and this gives him a landing strip.
If you THINK positively, in line with God’s Word, it attracts the blessing of God to you.
Every attitude, behaviour or action starts with A THOUGHT!!!!

Thoughts come from 3 sources – God, Satan or you.
If you lose your PEACE and something heavy or negative is hanging around. Stop and think “Where is this thought or feeling coming from?”
If it is not from God - RENOUNCE, REBUKE and REFUTE it. COMMAND it off your heart or mind anywhere it has lodged, strip it of any power or right to access you, and then call in the opposite.

As soon as you feel anxious, worried, fearful, insecure, stressed, confused, frustrated, angry, disappointed, hurt, isolated etc
Realize that these will give the enemy access.
Use the authority that God has given you and COMMAND these things off your life in the name of Jesus and the power of the finished work of the cross. Strip them of any legal right to be there.  Evict them in Jesus name.

ASK, BELIEVE and RECEIVE the opposite. E.g. If anxious, worried, stressed, frustrated, angry - receive God’s peace; If fearful - receive the gift of faith and God’s perfect love that casts out fear. If insecure – receive God’s safety and security. If confused - receive clarity of mind and God’s wisdom, If disappointed or hurt – receive God’s love and comfort. If isolated – receive His love and the power of His presence.

Your body belongs to God. He bought you with His precious blood. You belong to him now.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s
Anything negative doesn’t have a right to be on God’s property, because it will give the enemy access. Your body is God’s property and you are the caretaker of it!
You are only responsible for your behaviour, your actions, your attitudes, your choices, your words, and your walk with God.

Every day submit your emotions to God and ask Him to protect you from hurt, so as long as you are in right standing with God that is all that matters.

If any-one judges you, abuses you (even verbally), rejects you, or tries to control you – they are the one with the problem. They are meant to walk in love, acceptance and respect towards you. (They have not been appointed as policeman or judge and jury over you!)
So if you are judged, criticized or rejected – we need to check with God. “Lord, is there something You need to show me? Am I being too harsh, intolerant, expecting too much? Etc.
If, as long as we know we are OK with God, it is not our problem - it is theirs. Learn not to take it on. Come in the opposite spirit.

If hurt does get in (and it will sometimes), run into God ASAP and deal with it. Choose to forgive the person. Ask God to take the hurt. Claim His blood to wash and cleanse it, to free and release you and receive His love, comfort and understanding and the slate is clean.  You are back on track!
If some-one abuses you, even verbally or tries to control you. Don’t put up with it. God hates abuse and control. He doesn’t want His children abused or controlled. We need to learn to respect the true spirit person, but not put up with ungodly behaviour, abuse or control. We need to learn to hate the things that God hates, and love the things that God loves.

As soon as some-one starts to verbally abused or control you, it is important to use words as a boundary. Words like – “with respect I don’t deserve that”; or “I am sorry, that’s not acceptable,”  “I don’t receive that”; “You won’t speak to me like that. If and when you can speak civilly or peacefully, then I will be prepared to listen”; …..; or “do you realize that makes me feel….; or “I’d prefer not to go there or discuss that”; or “I’m sorry I don’t see it that way”; “have you considered….?”
Some people only feel safe if they can control others or the situation around them, but control is an Anti-Christ spirit, so respect the person, but don’t pander to/ or bow to a spirit. Just keep your cool and refuse to buy into an argument with them.

If problems arise in a relationship, see it as an issue or problem attached to them and try to come to agreement or a satisfactory solution, by asking questions like - “What do you think we should do?” “Is there any reason you feel it needs to be done that way?” “Would you be prepared to …?” “How do you think this should be done?” Ask for God’s wisdom and work things through with His help.

Pastor Margaret Ochsner

Keys To Walking In The Spirit - Pray Daily

Embrace life. Embrace enjoyment of life. Embrace Him, who is life itself and all that He has for you that day.

Put on the armour of God. Ephesians 6:11-18.
Romans 13:14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.  Galatians 3: 27 ….have put on Christ. (I picture putting on the Lord Jesus Christ as I put on the armour of God.) He is our truth, our peace, our shield , our faith, our righteousness, our salvation and the Living word of God. When we put Him on in all that He is, when the fiery darts come from the enemy, He will deflect them.

Submit your mind to Christ – conscious, subconscious, unconscious mind, your imagination, every facet of your thinking to come in line with him. Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23;
 1 Corinthians 2:16. Ask God to alert you if you get off track.

Submit your will to Him. Ask Him to help you be obedient to what He wants that day. (To love Him is to obey Him. We are not our own. We are bought by the precious blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
Give Him permission to alert you if you get off track.

Submit your emotions to Him. Ask Him to birth His heart in you. To help you, love with His love, operate in His compassion and strength.

Ask Him to shield you from hurt, so as long as you are in right standing with Him nothing else matters.

Submit your tongue to Him.  Ask Him to purify and sanctify your tongue. Ask for His words of encouragement and life to be on our tongue, His words in our mouths. Give Him permission to zip your tongue until your mind is in gear with Him.

Free others to be where they are at. We are all in different places on our journey of life and God loves and accepts us where we are at. Ask Him to help us love and accept them also.

Come and get a fresh download of anointing for what you need and more to give out of for that day. ASK, BELIEVE and RECEIVE by FAITH God’s love, peace, wisdom, strength and grace to fill you and more to give out of to others. Receive whatever else you may need e.g. acceptance, affirmation, validation, His power, authority, provision, protection, guidance etc. (Everything that is Christ’s is yours ) Romans 8:17

Pastor Margaret Ochsner

Poem by Bonita Mills

I will pour my life out like an offering

Nothing much has moved me lately,
And yet I have been moved by so much lately,
Nothing is the same as it ever was before,
And yet I find myself revisiting so much of where I have already been,
Only to find some form of consolidation,
Between the past and present moments,
Only to find that the past locked the door on its way out a long time ago,

I am new, I am new, I am new

Change is changing so rapidly all the time,
That it has become ordinary to experience it,
No fuel left I cried.
No fuel, or so it seemed,
And yet as it seemed, was both false and true all at the same time,
Because it is not I, but Christ.

I will pour my life out like an offering.

"The Urgency Of The Hour" by Glenice Mills

March 26th 2014

God is placing a demand on us all at this time to take our rightful position as His five fold women. The word demand is a forceful, weighty command from the throne of heaven. It is not some lightweight throw away word, but has a power behind it, Holy Spirit power from on high.

I know the prophet is always about the urgency of the hour but I need to emphasize at this time, that it is truly about the urgency of the hour!

Unfortunately, many of us have been caught up in the cares of this world and have become sidetracked by issues such as family, and work/ life struggles. This is not a criticism, but actually a ‘wake up call’, a call to come back on track. We all need to, (and this includes me), seriously consider what we are called to, and whether we are walking the path that the Lord has for us at this time. I need to personalize it now by asking some questions of you.

Have you done, and are you doing ALL the Lord is requiring of you at this time?

Have you let other things come and distract, and divert you from what you know deep in you
r heart you are truly meant to be doing right now?

Let us not get caught up in the snares and tactics of the enemy. His ruse is to take us off course because he knows that if we become sidetracked we will be ineffective. We need to know that one of the biggest tools of the enemy is distraction and though many of our doings appear to be well meaning, they are not always what we are truly meant to be doing. There has been a season of grace for this, but that grace is lifting off now. Again the Lord is emphasizing the urgency of the hour. Can I encourage you right now to stop, ask the Lord if you are positioned where you are meant to be, and ask Him what needs to be put in place so you are most effective.

We also need to examine what areas we hide behind. Sometimes it is easier for us as women to hide behind our family demands rather than come into the Lord’s plans for our lives. There are obvious times when family must come first, however, for example, if we are older in years the question we need to ask ourselves is ‘are we hiding behind the demands of our children/grandchildren because there is no responsibility there to come into our true destiny?
At its root is fear and we need to look at where this spirit has rule over our lives.

Are you caught in procrastination right now? Do you know that there is something you are meant to do in God but you keep putting it off. You hope it will go away and that somehow the Lord has conveniently forgotten what He is requiring of you. It is in fact rebellion.

The Lord’s question to you is: If you know you are meant to be doing something toward your call right now and for what ever reason you have chosen to go your way rather than the Lord’s, have you considered that maybe someone is missing out on what you uniquely carry in God?

If we truly knew the urgency of the hour would we not be more responsible for what the Lord is requiring of us right now?

We know we are called as five fold women therefore we are more accountable and more responsible for the God given gifts He has given us. He knows the plans for our lives. We dare not waste time, for indeed the time is short.

The truth is we do not know how long we have on this earth, and I am sure like me you want to fulfill ALL the Lord has for your life. The time for procrastination, hiding, fear and busyness is over. The Lord is giving opportunity right now for right choices to be made to move into your God given destiny.

Indeed the hour is urgent!

New Zealand Cry of My Heart by Apostle Sharmaine Dobson

 We are  living in strange, troubled times, times that should have us on high alert, times that make us rent our spiritual clothes and cry to the Lord for restoration, healing and deliverance.
Since the Kahui boys died in 2006, at least 95,200 children have been abused, according to Child Youth and Family.

Of those children, 761 were either admitted to or seen by doctors at Starship hospital and deemed to have non-accidental injuries resulting from physical abuse.

In 2013 alone, 166 children have been placed on the "abused" list by Starship staff, already beating last year's total of 157.

CYF's child abuse figures are also trending upwards. Notifications of suspected abuse or concerns about children have more than doubled in five years, to 150,747 alerts in 2013; substantiated reports are up 36 per cent to 22,087 cases.
Did you know that 1 in 3 women experience psychological or physical abuse from their partners in their lifetime.

On average 14 women, six men and 10 children are killed by a member of their family every year in NZ.

Police are called to around 200 domestic violence situations a day – that’s one every seven minutes on average.
 Police estimate only 18% of domestic violence incidents are reported.
At least 74,785 children and young people aged under 17 were present at domestic violence situations attended by police.
 84% of those arrested for domestic violence are men; 16% are women.

Murders, happen and there is a report that says NZ New Zealand has the highest rate of RAPE in the world
Only 9 percent  of rapes [and sexual crimes] are reported [registered by the police] in New Zealand according to government figures. Of the reported cases, only 13 percent end in a conviction.
91 percent of the rapes either go unreported, or the victims are intimidated by the police to drop complaints

So by now you must be feeling pretty depressed ?
But heres the thing… We as the church seemed to have become comfortable, complacent and established in a routine. Someone has said that Ruts are just open ended graves. But for most of us Ruts define the way we live.

We as the female clergy need to raise our voices, we can no longer keep quiet while injustice of such magnitude continues!

Pray for us in New Zealand as we pray for YOU!

Blessings

Apostle Sharmaine Dobson