Migraines Can Kiss My Grits.

I have suffered from migraine headaches since I was in middle school (around 5th grade). I don’t seem to have typical “oh, just turn of the lights and I’ll be okay in a few minutes” episodes. Mine are more symptomatic of a stroke – numbness in my fingertips, tongue feels swollen, side of my face gets numb, short term memory loss to top it all of (can’t remember my name, address, or form a sentence), excruciating pain and lots of nausea. I had a really good one while on a business trip in Park City, Utah. The Canyons Resort had just opened and I “lost my lunch” in one of their elevators. Was rushed to the ER, shot up with some Demerol and grabbed a the red-eye back to Cincy. Good times...

So there’s the setup. You can probably imagine after hearing that the spiritual root of migraines is Accusation (specifically, guilt over conflict), this session quickly became personal (in a good way). What I began to realize was that I could trace my many migraine episodes to unresolved conflict – either with myself or someone else. Very eager to walk out of this one. This weekend I was fortunate enough to have some conflict that wasn’t resolved quickly. Wouldn’t you know it, I began to get some numbness in my fingertips. Are you kidding me!!?? Took a couple of Advil and began looking over the cliff I was about to jump off. The conversation went something like this “you sucker, you’re about to drag your whole family (including newborn) into St. Luke’s ER...what an awesome dad, husband, and father you are.” Then it hit me...meditate on what the Lord says about me. So I went to my accusation notes and starting reading scripture over myself - Romans 8:31-35, Job 10:15, and finally the memory verse:

But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— Colossians 1:22

Over and over and over and over and over and over....I kept reading this and repeating - Lord, I am not accused. I reject you, Accusation. You have no authority here. I break you off and bind you up in the name of Jesus. I am reconciled by Christ’s physical body through death and am presented holy in his sight, without blemish and I am FREE of accusation.

And what started as a migraine...was washed away.

What did I learn? Aside from how much God loves me and how he loves to keep his promises and that I can take him at this word - as I was driving to work today, James 4:7-8 kept popping up for me.

...So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

I am not accused.

- from David Russell

Accusation Small Groups

Stories to tell?

Please?

National Strongholds

Last week, on the way home from the accusation lecture, David Russell said, "you killed me with that stuff about diabetes coming from accusation and a lack of a strong male. Did you know that black Americans are nearly twice as likely to have diabetes as white Americans? And I think we all know about the chronic absence of strong males in black families in this country..."

I'd never put those two together, exactly, but I did know that black Americans are 2-3 times more likely to have sickle cell anemia, and they're also out of whack with hypertension, asthma, and coronary heart disease. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? Also, let's go ahead and ask why the irresponsible male, the overworked, embittered woman, and the screwed-up family unit is so common in black America that sitcoms are built around these stereotypes.

Let's expand that: why is obesity so common among Hawaiians and Samoans (and Americans)? Why does the world think of slavic nations as depressed and grim? Why are Germans thought of as unfeeling automatons? Why are asian fathers so regularly severe with their children? Why do first generation Americans feel such pressure to perform? Why is AIDS higher in poor countries? (P.S.- don't waste your breath telling me it's "lack of education".) Why is poverty racial in many areas of the world? Why is rebellion seen as an American (and Australian) characteristic? Etc. etc. etc. etc.

To me, it's simple: there are national and racial and even generational strongholds. So, when America was BIRTHED out of rebellion against our British authority, doesn't it make sense that rebellion and independence would be transmitted in our national DNA? If blacks in America lived and died with a slave mentality that said "we're worthless" for generations, would freeing them from that slave system instantly dissolve that spirit of rejection and accusation? Of course not. It must be repented of and broken off. If America put INTO LAW at its outset that all religions are equal, don't you think that spirit might show up on down the line if it's not dealt with? I do.

All I'm saying is, we can historically identify the spiritual roots of our country and race. Why don't we repent of that stuff too?

The Devil is a Paper Lion

POINT: the devil's power is real, but is teeny-tiny compared to the Spirit Who lives in us. As such, his tactics are lies and deception. If we don't recognize his bluff, we'll be backed into a corner with fear and intimidation. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" is in there somewhere.

STORY: I'm studying occult right now for our next class (gonna be a good 'un). I was lying in the bed this morning somewhere between sleep and waking when I just KNEW that some little beastie had hopped up on the bed beside me (I was lying on my stomach and my head was turned away from where this thing was). [Aside: I'm not crazy.] I also KNEW that he was holding a sheet of thin plastic material, like the bags they put over your dry cleaning. [Aside: this KNOWING is something that happens both in prophecy and in dreams. Like "that guy looks like Marlon Brando, but I just KNOW that it's my buddy Dave!". Aside 2: I'm not crazy.] Before I really had time to process what I was 'seeing' in my spirit (if you're cool with that terminology), I heard this thing wheeze a little snort then put this plastic bag over my head, tightening it around my neck. Obviously, this thing had an intention of suffocating me. [Still not crazy!]

I laid there for a moment, thinking to myself, "Really? THIS is the tactic, here?" then, very easily (with one hand), I tore an opening in the 'plastic sheet' (I don't remember if I physically made that move or if it was just done in a spiritual state), then turned my head around to where the little dude had been (That was physical; he wasn't physically there). I felt a little put out by the run-in, very annoyed. I said something like "you spirit of suffocation and death and torment, get out of my bedroom and my house in the name of Jesus. I command you off my property. Don't you ever come near my or my family again. I speak peace and life and health over this room and house. We breathe EASY in Jesus." Then I laid back down.

BELIEFS:
1) I really don't think I'm nuts. I told this story to my wife and she didn't blink. We believe the enemy wants to kill us but he has NO POWER if we don't give it to him. This story didn't surprise my wife or worry her, because she's cool like that.
2) Giving in to fear IS an option. You can go there if you want to. Not me, boy. Saying NO to fear is also an option.
3) Fighting the enemy can be as simple as tearing a hole in a plastic bag and declaring Jesus' goodness. I decided long ago that if the enemy ever showed himself on my property, I wasn't going to just say Jesusy things at him and hope he goes away, I was going to go AFTER him. David killed a lion with his bare hands, and I'm like David. I trample on snakes and kill lions, just like my big brother Jesus does. The devil is no match for the Spirit of God in us.

A Labels Story

This is more of an occult story but we talked about labels Wednesday so it fits if I force it.

You guys all know that we can let ourselves be labeled by something other than our spiritual identity (that is, as sons). God is VERY serious about protecting this territory:

One day, I was sitting on the john when I looked down at the boxer shorts I was wearing. (Now, you should know this about me: I think that what's printed on underwear is totally irrelevant, so I use that canvas as a place to have some fun. The stranger the print, the more I'm into it. I say, zany me up on the undershorts. Solid color? Stripes? WHAT? What a waste. Why not mix it up?) Anyhow, the boxers I was wearing had a sort of cartoon representation of a sexy nurse and the word LOVESICK repeated throughout. It's just kind of silly and pointless, right?

Um, right.

'Thing is, God spoke to me that day, on the throne, about those boxers.

"You lovesick?"

"Um, what? Sir?"

"Are you lovesick?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, Are you lovesick? Are you starved for love? Are you looking for some trampy vixen to come take care of you?"

"No, I'm not. I'm pretty satisfied with the love you give me."

"Then what are the shorts about?"

"Oh these? They're just a little kidding around. Purely novelty. I wouldn't worry about them."

"I'm concerned with lies around your life. Seems to me that this is not only a lie, it's a lie about the greatest stronghold you've had in your life- unloving. That's a big deal to me. You think this is a small billboard for this message, but it's not the billboard that concerns me- it's the message. I consider this underwear impure."

Now, aside from the fact that the 'impure' comment could've been directed at my hygiene--and I can appreciate the humor there--I'd heard enough. I changed my shorts and stopped off at my closet on the way to the trash can. I also found a pair of boxers that said "Heartbreaker" with exploding Valentine's Day hearts on them.

"You a heartbreaker, then? Do you break people's hearts? Is that you?"

"No, sir, it's not. I'm not a heartbreaker. I'm a peacemaker. I mend broken hearts, like Daddy does."

"Right."

So I had two fewer pairs of boxer shorts at the end of that day. I did put on other boxers--so I wasn't freeballing--but I did feel mighty free.

Accusation Lecture Bits

How did you guys react to the Accusation lecture? If you have questions or comments, please speak up!

A couple of extra bits for you:

1) Adam asked for the passages that I read over you guys during the worship time. They are:
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.


Joel 2:13 Don't tear your clothing in your grief; instead, tear your hearts." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. He is not easily angered. He is filled with kindness and is eager not to punish you.


Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins.


Isaiah 54: 17 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD.
Psalm 31:20
 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
James 1:5 
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Psalm 25 (that was the shame and rescue psalm)

2) David Russell said it struck him when I mentioned diabetes (and that it commonly has a specific root of rejection by a prominent male), that this disease is rampant among the black community (which, interestingly, has absent fathers to epidemic proportions). If we look at specific races, we can see there are diseases which attack them uniquely, based on the spiritual roots of that culture/people group. The same is true of nations: specific diseases attack specific nations, and you can look at statistics and know how to pray for different parts of the world. Why is cancer so prevalent in the United States? Why are we the most obese nation on earth? Why is HIV (which is rooted in rejection) so rampant in Africa? Etc.

3) I wanted to share with everybody a great website I was turned onto by Sara Argenta that has helped me as I prepared for the accusation lecture and I plan on continuing to refer to it. It talks about all sorts of deliverance-type issues, and does a nice job of breaking the whole thing up into bite-sized articles. The anti-self bondages. Guilt and shame from sexual sin. Is God upset with me? Like I said, I really this guy and, for those of you who're interested in further study, it's a great resource. I've added it to the recommends on the right, but it's called Greatbiblestudy.com (a pretty bold url, but I'm gonna let it slide).

First small group meetings!

You guys met with your small groups and talked through bitterness! So... how'd it go?

I'm depending on you guys to tell me stories of what's happening! Let's hear them dudes!