The Bible condemns drunkenness and alcohol abuse but makes no specific reference to drug abuse, eating disorders, workaholics, or most other addictions that concern us today. In many societies, thousands of individuals are addicted to alcohol, drugs, television, compulsive spending, sexual immorality, smoking, overeating and a host of other behaviors. An addiction is anything or a behavior that is habitual, repetitious and difficult or impossible to control. Usually the addiction brings short-term pleasure, but there may be long-term consequences in terms of one's health and welfare. Addictions tend to be progressive conditions that slowly exert more and more power and control over the individual. As people move from infancy toward maturity, they travel through developmental periods in which people have somewhat similar characteristics. Each individual advances through various stages in life-all distinctly different-to maturity. The infant stage differs greatly from the junior high, but both contribute to the total development in the life span of the individual. For the Christian there are two aspects of personality developments. One relates to the natural human personality and the other is the Christian personality. Personality, in the natural human sense, is a term describing the total of what people are physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually. It includes every aspect and area of life. From birth personality is influenced and molded by many forces, heredity and environment being the major forces. Within the environment, mainly family, school, church, peer group and society influence a person. Subsequent, physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual structure is built upon the foundation of early childhood. Growth and development are not synonymous terms. Growth means to increase in size, function and complexity up to maturity. Development implies change over time in structu

I am Redeemed

By Phyllis E. Jones Coleman

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Phyllis E. Jones Coleman, PhD.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-8748-4

Contents

Dedication............................................................viiPreface...............................................................xiIntroduction..........................................................xxvChapter 1 The Beginning...............................................1The Scriptures And The Addict.........................................1The Father Heart Of God...............................................5Chapter 2 Preparing Our Self For Spiritual Change.....................11Find The Treasure In You..............................................15Sad Childhood Experience..............................................17The Missing Pieces....................................................23Waiting On God........................................................28Renewing Of the Mind..................................................30Chapter 3 Developing the Mind of Christ...............................37Developing The Roots Of Christian Characters..........................38Adventures In Prayer..................................................40Experiencing God through Prayer.......................................42The Process To Spiritual Growth.......................................43Passion And Purity....................................................45Character Qualities...................................................45Chapter 4 Being Rooted and Established in God.........................51The Work Of The Cross.................................................52I Have Grown In Christ................................................55Untwisting Twisted Relationships......................................58Chapter 5 Restoring Broken Relationships..............................61God's Call To Marriage................................................61Dating Before Married.................................................63The Family God Made Us To Be..........................................65Christian Stewardship.................................................67Pursuit To Holiness...................................................67I've Been Redeemed....................................................74Bibliography..........................................................77Bible Citations.......................................................79

Chapter One

The Beginning

"As a rule, at the Teen Challenge Ladies Home, you aren't allowed visitors for the first three months. For me this did not happen until much later; my spiritual deliverance from certain demons was brutal and lengthy. The requirement of successful completion of each phase and written documentation of each level, section is mandatory. This is the beginning of God's process for MY REDEMPTION!

The Scriptures And The Addict

"Accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can stop drug addiction. The things I did I hated and it made a big effect on my life. But the sins I did, dwelled in me. I didn't understand. I learned to first go to the heart and address it with scripture. I found out what sinning was. Anyone who deals with Christ is a new creature. Eventually, God will take away the pain. And all things will past away. And upon my salvation, He will forgive me. And most of all through new birth of the praise of the Lord, I finally learned! You do not sin because you are an addict. You are an addict because of sinning!

By my accepting Christ in my life, I discovered I wasn't sinning because I was an addict; I was an addict because I was sinning. I didn't understand. My eyes were opening pertaining to the scripture, the Word of Christ. There I found out what sinning is. I am truly astonished. I have learned to first go to the heart and address it with scripture. My heart has been enlightened.

I thought it was the environment; but it is all over. By escaping your personality, you inherit emotional hang-ups. With the rejections and personal hang-ups, I became a sinner. I began to put the blame on someone else, some times my parents (challenged parental responsibilities), and sometimes my siblings. My self-confidence was in drugs and alcohol. The reality was I was not a sinner because of the addiction; I was an addict because of the sin. Personally, I had to relax myself, trust in God, give Him more praises and believe in Jesus."

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me" Romans 7:15&17 (NIV).

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6 (NIV).

Sin has always fooled people by misusing the law. When Eve encountered the serpent in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), the serpent fooled her by taking her focus off the freedom God had given her and putting it on the one restriction He had made. Ever since then, we have all been rebels. Sin looks good to us precisely because God has said it is bad. Instead of paying attention to his warnings, we use them as a "to do" list. When we feel rebellious, we need to back off and look at the law from a wider perspective-in light of God's grace and mercy. If we focus on His great love for us, we will understand why He asks us to restrict our behavior. He only restricts us from things that ultimately will harm us.

We must never underestimate the power of sin. Satan is a crafty tempter and we have a great ability to make excuses. Instead of trying to overcome sin with human will power, we must take hold of the tremendous power of Christ that is available to us. This is God's provision for victory over sin; He sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and give us power. And when we fall, He lovingly reaches out to us and helps us up.

"The devil made me do it;" it sounds like a lame excuse, but it may be true. Without Christ's help, sin is stronger than we are, and sometimes we are unable to defend ourselves against its attacks. That is why we should never stand up to sin all alone. Jesus Christ, who has conquered sin once and for all, promises to fight by our side. If we look to him for help, we will not have to give in to sin.

It is false that anyone who is good and innocent will never suffer. The Bible gives us teachings and examples of what we should do as well as what we should not do. The Bible teaches that everyone has a natural tendency to sin. Those who follow God, however, can decide to resist sin.

The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts. God brings understanding with truth. He is the one who actually preserves the truth in us. The sinner that became the drug addict went astray. The root of the problem was that the sinner needed the Lord Jesus; didn't have the strength to do well for in the flesh dwells no good thing.

Many that are delivered from drug addiction and alcoholism struggle with patterns; some perish with in the sin. The habit becomes an addiction caused by a private pattern caused by a habitual sin. Many that give their life to Christ often return to their sinful ways. Why do some go back? The addict must know that upon salvation we receive forgiveness. The Law of Principles: 1st Adam (old nature)-bondage & last Adam (new creature)-deliverance; the addict no longer has to be bound by drugs any longer.

Deliverance wasn't from the drugs for the drug addict. Deliverance was from sins to acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior. No need to call out demons but deal with God first. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being;" the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:45 (NIV). All that are by faith united to Christ are by his resurrection given assurance. As through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal, because all had from him the same sinful nature, so, through the resurrection of Christ, shall all who are made to partake of the Spirit, and the spiritual nature, revive, and live forever.

The Father Heart Of God

"Everyone has emotional wounds and pain that can only be healed by God. The way we can be healed is to ask God for forgiveness. You should believe and trust in Him. We should let go of our pride and just give ourselves to God. Our God is a forgiving God. He will do anything but fail. We should always be patient and to continue to have faith in Him. God uses family problems and emotional wounds to show He is able to heal. Through different processes, ones are healed. He expressed healing by using my family problems and emotional wounds, causing them to surface.

God's healing power, love and compassion enabled me to overcome some very painful experiences. We must let go of pride, believe, trust and submit ourselves unto Him. We should always be patient and continue to have faith in Him. God is good. His character is Creator, Provider, Friend, Counselor, Corrector, Redeemer, Comforter, Defender Deliverer and/or Redeemer. God is forgiving, kind and loving as a Father. He can do anything but fail. God can do anything as long as you surrender. You get to know Him personally by believing He sacrificed His Son Jesus Christ who came to forgive us from our sins.

My life has been enriched by God's unchanging heart. His 24 hours daily affection is pursued with compassion when I hurt. God's presence is always there. God's unconditional love is acceptable. He is love and He loves us just the way we are. You must always pray; we should learn how to communicate with Him to know how God is. Ask to be forgiven and forgive others."

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions" Psalm 51:1 (NIV).

Many people never experience a real relationship with their natural father. With some, it is because the father does not live in their home. Many others have fathers who live in their home but, for one reason or another, either cannot or will not show affection for their children. As a result, many people never feel a father's love.

God is not to be judged by our human experiences of a father. The natural father was a man who failed in many ways; he had weaknesses as well as strengths. Many children have suffered rejection at the hands of their human fathers, because they were men who could not be trusted. They were unjust or unconcerned about their children. God never abuses His children. He is near to all who call on Him. He is never distant. God comforts, strengthens and heals His children. The Great I AM That I AM is not to be compared with any other father.

The world is plagued with pain. Many have been pushed to the trenches of society's rejection. I have discovered no level of society is immune from pain of broken relationships, anger, resentment, rejection and a negative childhood; all of which can hold back understanding of God as a Father. God's authority is His goodness. We lacked this authority by not trusting. But God is the only one we can trust and He never fails. Mankind's value of things is priceless to God's tangible forgiveness, mercy and love.

God' plan of redemption is enforced by a process of sanctification when you are hurting of emotions, rescued from sin and selfishness. It brings healing for both guilt and the self-centeredness. Those in mourning are given the "oil of gladness" (Isaiah 61:3).

When the heart is wounded with results ending in inferiority, independence, pride, fear of man, disobedience, manipulation, withdrawal, impatience, distrust, disloyalty, ingratitude and unhealthy idealism better known as the "Saul syndrome," mending is costly. There is a great price to pay if you want to experience God's inner healing and to know the Father's love; you must choose the fear of the Lord.

The following must be considered in order for God to heal your emotions: you must first be honest; confess your sins; repent; ask for forgiveness; admit the need to receive God's grace. You must trust in the Lord; build a heart to heart relationship with God-disassociation leads to further pain and emotional injury. You must confess your negative emotion-some Christians do not show emotions.

God created us to live a balanced life of expression and enjoyment of our emotions with freedom to deal honestly and constructively. Every problem of disunity can be solved with greater humility or forgiveness. Forgive those who hurt you. Receive forgiveness always confess to God your sins. Receive the Father's love. Spend time in His presence. Think godly thoughts whenever you think of negative thoughts; think God's way. Endure the beginning, struggle gain the friendship with God. God is a Healer. God is Loving and Compassionate. God's heart is unchanging.

We should never put our focus for healing on people as the source of healing in our lives. If you want an individual to heal you, you will be disappointed. Disappointment positions you for hurt along with discouragement, bitterness, anger unbelief and fear. Effects of disappointment can linger for months or years, hindering our relationship with our Father God; the reaction determines a moral and a spiritual choice, which can influence one's life forever.

Many people, in the world, haven't any understanding of a God who is a loving Father. God knows the pain of a broken heart. By denying His existence, men and women deny the ultimate meaning to life itself and therefore deny the basis of saying it is wrong for people to suffer.

We know our hearts; we must examine our response to evil and suffering. Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. Most of us suffer, to some extent from low self-image with emotional wounds; the temptation is great to become a self-centered person.

When we have sinned greatly, after all the waiting the Father does, He still forgives us. He has an unconditional acceptance giving us the freedom to choose; this freedom can be violated if we do not give other people the same freedom God give us. God is a God of patience and waits to meet our every need; He awaits us to be gracious.

The need for balance, emphasis on spiritual fathering, can be carried to the extreme. Mankind often reduces God to their level. Biblical authority is never taken; it is offered. It does not reside in a position or a right. Absolute obedience is given only to God; submission is given to man. Submission involves an attitude of openness to receive from someone else. God is the only one worthy of total allegiance.

Chapter Two

Preparing Our Self For Spiritual Change

"When I gave my life to Christ, I was tired of living a sinful life and knew of no other help. No flesh could heal my body (I discovered in a year ago that I was sick); so, I yielded to Christ to do the work in me. I'm becoming more stable in the Lord. I am able to think better and smile more. I'm also getting my salvation back-when the person becomes saved.

Change is painful. I choose not to be like some people who would rather die than change. I must accept the change. I never knew how badly I'd sinned until the process for my redemption began, the upward climb. At times, I feel like a yo-yo Christian; sometimes up and sometimes down without consistency. Stability comes with change. When I decided to let the Lord change me for my marriage, work and ministry, I began to be stable, established in life.

As long as I am active with prayer, the Holy Spirit remains. I feel safe and protected in the arms of Jesus. I am at ease with knowing where I am going (eternity). The Lord is delivering me day by day; I am experiencing the cleansing from emotional wounds such as, attitude, resentment and anger that had opened the door to the devil.

What has brought me out of this entirely? A friend called God! God is sovereign, now I'm somebody. Hurt as a child, God put safety around me. As long as Jesus is my friend, I don't need anyone else. I can talk to Him anytime. I cry to him anytime. I thank him all the time. No matter what, I trust in God with all of my heart and believe He will make a way. There is nothing that I cannot do because Jesus gives me the strength.

However, I must forgive everybody who I thought hurt me in the past. I am choosing to be different than many I watch-they don't pray nor read scriptures. They stay at home on Sundays and not go to church. Their day is spent watching television allowing the TV to bring the world into their homes. They are yet to be saved from the wrath of God.

Everyone has different motives; some are searching for God as a friend but don't know how to grasp him. I must be understanding and listen to them. I must be ready to minister what the Lord has done in my life, to help everyone-different nationalities and backgrounds.

Looking to God in search for answers to emptiness is a part of the process for my redemption; this will definitely help bring me out of the fiery furnace. Giving of myself to Christ provides me with many other chances as long as I live. Christians backslide because they want their own way for the rules, according to which all ought to walk and act, the commandments given by God through Jesus Christ.

The Book of Revelations mentions the seal on the forehead: "And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man" Revelation 9:3-5 (NIV); versus the presence of the Holy Spirit (oil) anointing: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" Psalm 23:5 (NIV). I must desire to have Jesus as my Savior. Sometimes people can be saved by a testimony. Giving my life to Christ has made a big difference. The Holy Spirit is now helping me to control my motives and emotions. The Holy Spirit is guiding me in the correct manner to walk. The Holy Spirit is causing me not to sin; I have a conscience of the right way. As long as I have Jesus Christ as my Savior, I am able to live right. I will be prosperous and successful; He will open the doors for me. As long as I have God in my life, I will be all right. God is real; He's good and worthy to be praised."

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV).

Sanctification is the renewal of the soul under the influences of the Holy Spirit with attention to appointed duties, constituting the will of God in respecting them. In aspiring after this renewal of the soul unto holiness, strict restraint must be placed upon the appetites and senses of the body and the thoughts and inclinations of the will which leads to wrong usage of them. The Lord calls none into His family to live unholy lives; ones are taught and given the ability to walk before Him in holiness.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from I am Redeemedby Phyllis E. Jones Coleman Copyright © 2012 by Phyllis E. Jones Coleman, PhD.. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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