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Hi Andrea. I have been searching the internet to see if I could find a book written in a Christian perspective: My husband has dealt with addictions for years. Whether it has been smoking, drugs, or even the “simple” things of life such as golf. He recently checked himself into a Christian facility for 15 months to allow the Lord to break his addictive behavior. I am SO thankful for that! He hid all his addictions throughout our dating and marriage(7 1/2 years), so I have dealt with the obvious trust issues and all the emtional manipulation that happens as a result of me questioning anything that didn’t seem right. My husband and I also lost our twin sons when I was 8 monhs pregnant due to a very rare circumstance. The Lord has truly healed my deep pain in all of that…TRULY! so I am thankful that while I am working through this part of my life I am not dealing with that. I just wanted to give you some of our background. What am I asking? I am looking, as I said at the beginning, a great Christian book or even workbook(I would love that) that I could work through for spouses of those with addictions/addictive behaviors. While my husband is doing his part in all of this, I need to do my own! I am obviously doing other things to deal with all of this such as counseling with my pastor on a regular basis and have a VERY supportive family as well as friends. The Lord has been very good to me. Can you suggest some books/workbooks for me?
Hi Andrea.
Pat is a real person I know. She attends another church which was recently divided, twice. She works at a holistic/natural type store. She’s very studious, does evangelism at a local prison. She was delivered from drug addiction and commited to the Lord’s work. I’d say that as far as I know she’s a pretty commited christian.
As far as the store, no my church doesn’t have a store. We are in the process of building an addition to the church, which some people didn’t agree with. I know that there are problems that though, the church seems to be growing on the other hand people also keep leaving, and in the past 4 years that i’ve attended this church some ugly things, such as adultey etc.,have happened, but at this time I’m not sure what it is. I’m not involved in any ministry in the church presently. I did run a women’s group two years ago,which seemed to go well at first but then one by one they dropped off so, i stopped and i haven’t picked it up again. I do feel left out somehow and It’s probably my own making. As far as the spider, I’ve dealt with a lot of depression and oppression and still battle with fears and insecurities but I’ve come a long way in the past few years.
I’m a mental health counselor with a calling to work with women, so I know that all of the things that i’ve gone through and still deal with are, (1), the enemy attacking me and two, God is also at work getting me ready for the work. But sometimes is like 2 step forward and 3 backwards. I hope this help. I appreciate any input.this dream shook me up quite a bit. thank you
sara
Hi, Sara.
Does Pat remind you of Jesus at all? Or perhaps someone in your Church? I’m not sure why, but my instincts keep saying she represents the Lord (and often a bell will go off inside you if I’m right, so you’ll probably know it if she is) It make sense if you’re not currently active in ministry in any of the ways we usually think of, considering your emotion in the dream of feeling left out, like you’ve failed and left the work to others. And when you first enter the store, it’s as a customer, shopping with your daughter, right? It’s Pat that puts you to work, raking up that muck (a prophetic task if you ask me.) The dream could well be a message from the Lord, giving you a new task as Pat did in the dream, perhaps to pray over the issues the dream seems to be revealing about the church, which is evidently being compared to a second hand store. Doesn’t exactly strike me as flattering imagery. He may well be explaining the heart of the church’s problem right there. The growth pattern, including people leaving, is indicative of a consumer mentality.
Pay especial attention to what’s being preached from the pulpit. Are the pastors preaching the full gospel, or a cheap, comfortable message that fits folk’s lifestyle and makes them look good? Church growth (numbers wise) can be terribly deceptive and lead a pastor to think the church is doing well, when in fact it’s dying spiritually. Growing in numbers is a bad thing if the growth comes at the expense of community and unity, and especially if it results from dishing out what the people want to hear rather than the whole truth.
This would explain why there was no light in the dressing room, which in the natural is where customers of a clothing store try on garments before committing to them, and would probably be indicative of the church’s outreach to, ah, seekers. If so, no wonder Pat was trying to get some light in there!
Keep praying, the Lord will take care of that nasty old spider paralyzing you, and He will help you find that rake, too
God bless you, though, sister. I’ve been through some of the same. The imagery reminds me quite a bit of my own church. Only in my dream, I was looking at a house with a Realtor (we were not emotionally fully committed to the church yet) and it had a good roof, which assured me it wasn’t manufactured housing (ie, fake, phony, like our previous church),but it was trashed inside. The Realtor wasn’t concerned about that and said she’d show me the real problem with the house. She took me down to the basement and pointed out a corroded foundation, and told me it was limestone. A little research on actual houses told me ground water (ie,the world) was seeping in and eating away the foundation.
Dear Andrea,
My Grandfather died over 2 years ago. I keep having dreams that he is trying to speak to me. In my dreams I sense that it is evilness behind his voice, and not my Grandfather. I keep saying over and over again in these dreams, “In the name of the Father and The Son and The Holey Ghost leave me now, In the name of Jesus Leave me now”. These dreams are very disturbing to me. What so you think is going on?
Alesa
Grandparents are often pointers to the past, which, with the evilness you sense, could be indicating a generational curse, sins that are passed down from generation to generation, spiritual sicknesses that run in families like cancer, diabetes, or heart disease does. When we sin, it effects not just us, but everyone around us, and especially children, who suffer for their parents’ sin, and in turn usually inflict more suffering on their own children, and on to the third and forth generation as the bible says. If it is a generational curse, other images in the dream will point to exactly which one you’re dealing with.
Pray and fast (remember, the word says that’s all that will cast out some kinds of demons), definitely, but if this is the case, it could be an issue with “practical” steps you can take to address the issue.
I am not an expert on generational curses. I can tell you we have free will. We suffer for the sins of our forefathers, but it is only by our own free choice that we follow in them.
Dear Andrea,
Every one at school is talking about Bloody Mary and they believe in her. I don’t cause I’m Christian. Who is she, is she real? Please respond ASAP!
Yes and no.
As Wikipedia points out, “Bloody Mary” is a epithet for Queen Mary 1 of England, and earned it for her persecution of protestants.
The ghost, however, is just an urban legend. I would not, however, advise taking part in the popular sleepover game (I remember my sister and a friend trying it when we were kids). Because demons are real, and these kind of games attract them.
With any kind of ritual, of this nature, or from different religions, or superstition or curse, these things have no power in themselves, but , especially if you believe in them, it can bring demonic influences into your life. As a Christian, you don’t have to be afraid of such things. As Paul said, if God is for us, who can be against us? But it’s wise to leave the rituals alone. At the very least, it’s not wise to test the Lord in this way, and we need to consider others’ consciences. At the worst, it opens participants up to demonic possession/oppression, or grants the devil a foothold.
Dear Andrea,
For the past 5 years, I have been tormented, harrassed, mocked, and violated by evil spirits. I’m a born again christian who believes in the word of God, and is on a spiritual journey to know my Saviour Jesus Christ more intimately and passionately. I have prayed earnestly, nd have cried many tears from the evil that has bombarded my mind from every angle. I have been thru accusation, temptation, and condemnation. I continue to pray to my Lord for strenth to endure this battle, but my spirit grows weary, and physically I’m exhausted because of sleep deprivation. My question for you Andrea, how do I get rid of once and for all these demons? I have prayed ” IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I command you to go! I have had some christians come over my home, and had laying on of hands, I have read Victory Over Darkness from Neil Anderson, Battlefield of the Mind from Joyce Meyers, and Bondage Breakers from Beth Moore, I have tried everything, and it continues to happen. I feel disouraged, and loosing hope! I want to be a normal human being who sleeps without being awoke every other hour by the devil. Any suggestions?
Kari
Andrea I’m concerned about the number of dreams i have about being naked in public. I’ve read different interpretations about nakedness; what do you believe it means. The settings of my dreams are always outside, countryside and usually my family of origin is involved somehow. I appreciate any input
Thanks
Unless you’re “naked and unashamed,” public nudity in a dream is usually a fear of exposure. In scripture, when the prophets spoke of public nudity, it was a threat to unmask sin. It can also have a more general meaning of letting your guard down and allowing people to see you for who you really are.
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