I am fully aware that God can literally fill a person's spirit, mind, emotions, and body with His Presence and in so doing take away all anxiety, panic, depression in a heartbeat because He has replaced them by His power with His love, peace, and acceptance. I have experienced this myself. However, this was not lasting meaning that the experience wore off and I was back to my old ways of thinking again. If I could have these types of experiences on an ongoing basis then perhaps my perspective and thinking would change for good, but that has not been my experience no matter how much I desired it to be.
It is my opinion that the Holy Spirit also works through more subtle means as well by using our own natural thinking processes and reason. At times it seems that the natural means through human reasoning and logic and the spiritual means through direct intervention by God as I spoke of in the previous paragraph are viewed as two distinct and seperate things, that one is earthly and not of faith in God and the other is of God. I don't see it that way. I believe God uses both as a means to teach, guide, and instruct. In Colossians 3:17 Paul says, "And whatever you do--no matter what it is--in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person giving praise to God the Father through Him." Obviously there are times when we don't have "experiences" with God or "revelations" from God when we still walk in faith and use our own reasoning to solve problems. This is still as much of "faith" as having been in God's Presence experientially through a personal experience.
Romans 12:2 states, "And be not conformed to the world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.....".
Colossians 3:1-12 instructs to seek the things above, to put to death earthly things, and to put on the new man.
Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethern, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Phillipians 2;12, 13 states, ".....work out your own salvation in fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
In all of this there is a part that is God's responsibility and there is a part which is our responsiblity as I see it. The change that takes place is God's part and we need the illuimination of the Holy Spirit to know what needs to be changed. But, He is instructing us to use our will to change how we think. He is instructing us to make a willful choice to change how we think and what we think. Therefore, when we ask God to change our thought patterns without any work or struggle on our part, I believe we are asking Him to do something for which He has already said WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.
The StressCenter.com program provides instruction of how to go about changing thought patterns and changing. It can be used as a tool by God to accomplish what the above scriptures instruct us to do. So, after you've prayed and prayed for God to "change" you and nothing has happened because you have not exercised your own God given responsiblity, consider what I have said. He's waiting on you to do your part.
Jesus said, ask, seek, knock. The asking comes in prayer. I believe the seeking and knocking can be viewed as our searching for answers to our challenge in practical ways after prayer time is over. This is as much a part of faith as the prayer time.
My View of "Faith" and how the Stress Center Program fits into it
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Here's my point. There are times when God does things in a miraculous way through direct divine internvention, such as healing someone of a physical disease or a mental/emotional disorder. But, there are also times when He expects us to DO something to help ourselves in a situation after we pray for help. Both types of help from God can require faith.
If we are physically sick, we pray for healing, but then we go to the Doctor and oftentimes we are healed through medicine rather than through Divine intervention. Nevertheless, for the Christian, it is viewed as done in faith. God uses what man has created to heal you.
Likewise, if you are emotionally ill, you can pray for healing, but oftentimes it is our thinking which needs to change and God has clearly laid it out in scripture that it is our responsiblity to use our will to begin thinking about new things and stop thinking about other things. In other words, changing our thinking is an act of our will, this is OUR RESPONSIBILITY. This is not something that he ordinarliy does for us but something he expects us to do in order to GROW emotionally and spirtually. This can be just as much as a result of faith as direct Divine intervention.
So, we can claim victory throgh prayer for our healing and recovery from emotional illness that expresses our faith, yes. And sometimes, God may use direct intervention to heal or help us with this. But, oftentimes He chooses to use practical, logical steps in achieving that victory which oftentimes requires work on our part as well through us exercising our WILL. I think the scripture I presented in my previous post makes it clear that changing our thoughts is an act of the will achieved through faith, work, and discipline on our part.
So, if you have prayed and prayed for healing, are waiting on Him to do it for you, but nothing has changed, He may be saying that instead of direct intervention He wants you to exercise your faith by GROWING emotionally through work and discipline by using a tool such as the StressCenter.com program.
I prayed, God change me, change me, and wanted Him to do this without me suffering, sweating, or exerting any effort. What I discovered is that His answer was that He was waiting on me to Grow emotionally through work and discipline. He wasn't going to do for me that which was my responsiblity.
I think, for whatever reason, that Christians sometimes view a program like the StressCenter.com as "ungodly". But at the same time have no problem going to college and learning all types of humanly created knowledge and skills and put that knowledge and skill to work in the work force to earn a living and it is all viewed as "faith". There is a disconnect here, something inconsistent. Both are created by man. I see no difference. Both are tools to aid us.
If we are physically sick, we pray for healing, but then we go to the Doctor and oftentimes we are healed through medicine rather than through Divine intervention. Nevertheless, for the Christian, it is viewed as done in faith. God uses what man has created to heal you.
Likewise, if you are emotionally ill, you can pray for healing, but oftentimes it is our thinking which needs to change and God has clearly laid it out in scripture that it is our responsiblity to use our will to begin thinking about new things and stop thinking about other things. In other words, changing our thinking is an act of our will, this is OUR RESPONSIBILITY. This is not something that he ordinarliy does for us but something he expects us to do in order to GROW emotionally and spirtually. This can be just as much as a result of faith as direct Divine intervention.
So, we can claim victory throgh prayer for our healing and recovery from emotional illness that expresses our faith, yes. And sometimes, God may use direct intervention to heal or help us with this. But, oftentimes He chooses to use practical, logical steps in achieving that victory which oftentimes requires work on our part as well through us exercising our WILL. I think the scripture I presented in my previous post makes it clear that changing our thoughts is an act of the will achieved through faith, work, and discipline on our part.
So, if you have prayed and prayed for healing, are waiting on Him to do it for you, but nothing has changed, He may be saying that instead of direct intervention He wants you to exercise your faith by GROWING emotionally through work and discipline by using a tool such as the StressCenter.com program.
I prayed, God change me, change me, and wanted Him to do this without me suffering, sweating, or exerting any effort. What I discovered is that His answer was that He was waiting on me to Grow emotionally through work and discipline. He wasn't going to do for me that which was my responsiblity.
I think, for whatever reason, that Christians sometimes view a program like the StressCenter.com as "ungodly". But at the same time have no problem going to college and learning all types of humanly created knowledge and skills and put that knowledge and skill to work in the work force to earn a living and it is all viewed as "faith". There is a disconnect here, something inconsistent. Both are created by man. I see no difference. Both are tools to aid us.
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don,
so wonderfully spoken,I have wrestled with the same thoughts why hasn't God healed me of all my phobias,he can heal cancer,heart disease any number of illnesses, blindness.you are so right I could not see this but we are responsible for what we think and this is a thinking problem.anxiety is brought on by what we think.
I also have had the program for 4 yrs and have not gone all the way thru it I have listened to the tapes on my way to work looked at the workbook only thru 2 or 3 lessons,I am getting so upset with myself,I don't think I want to get better I have no other explaination for it.I have always made my self see the truth even if it hurt I have had this for 2 many years I have lost a lot of life My husband had heart catherization and a stent and I did't even go to the hospital which was a 100 miles away a big one for me I have got to get well i just don't want to face my fears running has been the thing I do the best,
what I thought maybe the program was taking away from God I wanted to be healed and tell people that God delivered me from all my fears the bible does say that in psalms but maybe you are right because we go to the dr God gave these people the tallent maybe we were lead here and this is an answer to prayer that is what one preacher said in the program,this is a light that I must follow thank you for this revelation
so wonderfully spoken,I have wrestled with the same thoughts why hasn't God healed me of all my phobias,he can heal cancer,heart disease any number of illnesses, blindness.you are so right I could not see this but we are responsible for what we think and this is a thinking problem.anxiety is brought on by what we think.
I also have had the program for 4 yrs and have not gone all the way thru it I have listened to the tapes on my way to work looked at the workbook only thru 2 or 3 lessons,I am getting so upset with myself,I don't think I want to get better I have no other explaination for it.I have always made my self see the truth even if it hurt I have had this for 2 many years I have lost a lot of life My husband had heart catherization and a stent and I did't even go to the hospital which was a 100 miles away a big one for me I have got to get well i just don't want to face my fears running has been the thing I do the best,
what I thought maybe the program was taking away from God I wanted to be healed and tell people that God delivered me from all my fears the bible does say that in psalms but maybe you are right because we go to the dr God gave these people the tallent maybe we were lead here and this is an answer to prayer that is what one preacher said in the program,this is a light that I must follow thank you for this revelation
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Carolyn Dickman
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He can heal, period. But normally healing comes through the use of human tools.
I personally think that God expects us to do our part. As I see it, our part is to grow emotionally by changing how we think with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
There is a principle in scripture, we reap what we sow. We have developed unhealthy thinking habits. Even if God does heal us directly, those habits are still deep ruts in our brain. They have to be destroyed or we'll get sick again. I just think there are some things which are our responsiblity and using our will to control what we think is one I believe He leaves in our control. Scripture says to take every thought captive and to guard your heart. It doesn't say God will do this for us, it is telling US to do this. By the way, after several years of prayer and asking God to intervene, one day I prayed again and the next found the Stress program advertised in my local paper. I view this as God's answer to me. I think He finally said, "this is your responsibility".
Whether He heals us directly or through some human tool, we still have something we can tell others about how God healed us.
I personally think that God expects us to do our part. As I see it, our part is to grow emotionally by changing how we think with the help and power of the Holy Spirit.
There is a principle in scripture, we reap what we sow. We have developed unhealthy thinking habits. Even if God does heal us directly, those habits are still deep ruts in our brain. They have to be destroyed or we'll get sick again. I just think there are some things which are our responsiblity and using our will to control what we think is one I believe He leaves in our control. Scripture says to take every thought captive and to guard your heart. It doesn't say God will do this for us, it is telling US to do this. By the way, after several years of prayer and asking God to intervene, one day I prayed again and the next found the Stress program advertised in my local paper. I view this as God's answer to me. I think He finally said, "this is your responsibility".
Whether He heals us directly or through some human tool, we still have something we can tell others about how God healed us.
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I would like to ask you how you would have dealt with this though?
I had the worst episode with anxiety today. I don't think it was actually anxiety though. It may have been a panic attack. I've never experienced these feelings so severe, but then I've never allowed myself to be so closed in. I had an MRI this afernoon of my lower back. I knew I was slight clostrophobic as elevators and close areas have always made me uncomfortable. To make a long story short I was inside the tunnel I'll call it for less than 6 minutes but felt like 30 when they had to pull me out. I tried very hard to prevent the feelings I felt coming. I tried the deep breathing but it got faster and faster till I began to feel I couldn't get my breath and I was being smothered to death. I felt like I was literally going to die. I barely could function to drive home and then had to stay outside for almost an hour to feel free. I couldn't even allow my husband to touch me for comfort when I got home. I just had to have lots of space. I must have this test done, but no way can I handle that! I've only been on the program a week but I can say the breathing didn't help. I even tried talking to God in my head and thinking lord help me please, but it was out of control. Any advice??
"Rocking in the Hammock of Grace"
Sharon Lynn
I had the worst episode with anxiety today. I don't think it was actually anxiety though. It may have been a panic attack. I've never experienced these feelings so severe, but then I've never allowed myself to be so closed in. I had an MRI this afernoon of my lower back. I knew I was slight clostrophobic as elevators and close areas have always made me uncomfortable. To make a long story short I was inside the tunnel I'll call it for less than 6 minutes but felt like 30 when they had to pull me out. I tried very hard to prevent the feelings I felt coming. I tried the deep breathing but it got faster and faster till I began to feel I couldn't get my breath and I was being smothered to death. I felt like I was literally going to die. I barely could function to drive home and then had to stay outside for almost an hour to feel free. I couldn't even allow my husband to touch me for comfort when I got home. I just had to have lots of space. I must have this test done, but no way can I handle that! I've only been on the program a week but I can say the breathing didn't help. I even tried talking to God in my head and thinking lord help me please, but it was out of control. Any advice??
"Rocking in the Hammock of Grace"
Sharon Lynn
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Sharon Lynn you will learn later in the program that trying to fight your feelings can make them much worse. When you were in the tunnel praying to God in your head you may have been at the same time having very negative thoughts (like oh God I can't do this). As far as the breathing goes it will help you to relax if you let it. You have to really focus on the breathing and counting and make sure you keep it at slow pace. You will get better at this with practice. My advice to you is to keep going with the program and use the relaxation cd to learn the breathing techniques. I really believe that it will help you. I have been agoraphobic for almost seven years. I got this program in January and I can tell a huge difference in myself. Just hang in there it will get better.