4"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
7If you remain in me and my words in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (New International Version John 15:4-5,7-8)."
Recently, I did some research on the number self-help books in America. I found that there are millions of self help books on the market, right now. Just take a look at Amazon search under 'self-help' and you get 216,280 titles, alone.
Psychology today provides:
"Although self-help books have in time, offered an easy target to skeptics, their optimistic and down-to-earth tone and emphasis on personal empowerment have had an immense appeal, because they offer advice, inspiration and motivation in such a wide variety of the challenges that face people, not simply in the United States, but around the world. Few are openly religious, but most have a strong spiritual element.
Another article in Psychology Today points out that there are now more self-help books in print in the United States than cookbooks. While cautioning that some of these books oversimplify complex problems and make unrealistic promises on how easily readers will find solutions to serious challenges, the Psychology Today article acknowledges that many of these books can help people gain the skills and motivation to produce positive changes" (Psychology Today).
Isn't it interesting how man will spend his time and attention on the thoughts and opinions of what is written another man, rather than the Word of God?
I can remember back to when I first got married and at the time I was experiencing severe panic attacks. I didn't know what was wrong with me, and I thought I was losing my mind. I went to my doctor and he told me I was having panic/anxiety attacks. Now of course, I thought he was crazy and didn't know what he was talking about. Besides, he was a geriatircs physician. How, he ended up being my physcian, at the time still beeseeches me.
Now mind you, all of the time I was praying and fasting. However, Satan had convinced me that I was going crazy. He lied to me over and over, again. During those times I wasn't a mature Christian, nor did I know how to fight Satan with the Word of God. So for several years, I suffered with severe anxiety.
Over the years the anxiety completely immobilized me. To people around me, I seemed normal. But, it was a constant battle everyday, not to run down the streets butt-naked, like a crazed woman. Or having weird thoughts that one day while driving I was going to completely lose my mind and run into a brick wall.
Oh.......yes....baby, Satan had a sister going. I can remember one evening being home alone. My ex-husband had taken the boys out for the day, so I just lied around on the couch. At this point and time, I was afraid to leave the house. I just knew as soon as I walked outside it was going to be the day, when the neighbors would see me go 50/150. Besides, whenever I went outside, I felt as if I was in a dream world, and things around me appeared unrealistic (keep in mind, I was still praying and fasting).
On this particular day, while lying on the couch. A infomerical came on and their were these two women, talking about severe anxiety and agrophobia. They named every symptom that I'd experienced. From the thoughts of going crazy, right down to the paranoia. I listened to these women that day, and thought: "their talking about me!." So, I sat straight up on the couch and listened attentively to what they had to say.
However, by the end of the infomerical. I had determined, although these women shared my symptoms in great detail, my situation was totally different from theirs because I was really going crazy, that's it and that's all!
Anyway, one day I ended up at Kaiser for a physical and while waiting on my turn to be called, I walked into the library and began to browse. And there it was! The self-help book: Free from all Fears, written by Ann Faison and her co-author (can't remember the other lady name). They were the same ladies I'd seen on the informerical.
So of course, I checked the book out and took it home. I read the book religiously and I tried to apply all of it's principles, in order to cope with the anxiety. Now, the book did make some really good points, in terms of helping me to understand the cause and effects of severe anxiety.
However, after years of believing Satan lies, there was nothing the book could do to help me. You see, you need more than just a book to help you change your thought process. The book couldn't change who I thought I was on the inside. As far as I was concerned, I was just going to snap and end up in a mental institution.
For years I suffered with the anxiety. Then one day, I was listening to a tape by Dr. Bill Winston, and he was speaking on anxiety, worry and fear. As, I began to listen, Dr. Winston revealed that we are a product of our environment. We learned from people around us, and the things we see.
As a little girl, I was taught that diseases are inherited from your geneaology. For example, I was taught whatever disease had been diagnosed in the family if the older sibling was stricken by it, then the youngest child would be, too.
So, when my oldest brother turned seventeen, he was diagnosed with grand mal seizures. I don't know if any of you, have ever seen a seizure, but at eleven years old, to see my brother lying on the floor writhing, scared the heck out of me.
He would lie on the floor helpless, with his eyes rolling back in his head as his body shook uncontrollably.
During these times, my mother and stepfather, didn't know how to explain what was going on with him, nor did they talk about it. By now, Satan had put in mind, that when I grew up to be his age, I too will have seizures. He lied to me, and wanted me to believe my brother's illness was the start of becoming insane.
Therefore as a little girl, I internalize my brother's condition, because he was the oldest. I didn't understand (until years later) my brother had experienced several different things which caused his seizures. First, our biological father was abusive towards my brother(s). Second, by the time he turned twenty-two years old, he was a heavy drinker and quick-tempered. Lastly, he fought a lot and obtained several blows to head (inspite of the blows received from my biological father).
All these things combined brought on the eplipsey. However, at the time I wasn't aware of this. It wasn't until almost twenty five years later that I begin to understand what I'd been experiencing. You see, I didn't find the answers to my problems in a self-help book. But, I did find them in God's Word.
I began to see, during those years of struggle, Satan was lying to me. He really had me believe that my brother was crazy and I was too. Ann Fasion, Ophrah, Tyra or anybody else for that matter, couldn't change my mind. I knew I was going crazy and that was all.
However, I thank God for great ministers like Dr. Bill Winston, Pastor Joseph Prince, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Bishop Noel Jones. Ministers who are rightly dividing the Word of God, so I may see who I am in Christ, Jesus. It was through His Word that I began to meditate and read what God had to say about my mind. For His Word says:
7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The more I meditated in His Word, the stronger I became. For far too long, I allowed Satan to put me in such a dark place, I didn't believe anyone could help me. I tried little things on my own to get rid of the anxiety. For example, I changed my eating habits. I didn't drink coffee, tea, soda, chocolate or syrup. Because these were things, I was told would reduce my anxiety levels. Now maybe, changing my eating habits were a good thing. But my mind had been programmed to the lies I heard from Satan everday. So, the sudden change in my diet didn't relieve the anxiety, either.
Over the years, the anxiety wand itself into severe depression, weight loss and fatigue. Everyone around knew I wasn't my normal self, but rarely said anything about it. I had become frail and weak. My skin colored had turned for golden brown to pale white.
It was through the Word of God and the help of His spirit, which let me withstand the wiles of satan. When we depend on ourselves or man made aide, we take God out of the equation, and we never succeed in life. Oh yes, satan can offer you momentary granduer, but God's blessings are forever. It is only through Him that we can be the best we can be.
In the book of 2 Chronicles, King Amaziah was slain after he began worshipping some of the idols he took from the Edomites after God gave him vicotory over them. His son, Uzziah became king of Judah and reign as King for fifty-two years. His reign was the most properous, except that of Jehosaphat, since the time of Solomon.
Uzziah was a vigorous and able ruler, and his fame spread aboard, even unto Egypt. This was because part of his reign was under the influence of Zechariah, and he was faithful to God and did what was right in the sight of the lord. Zechariah was eleven of twelve minor prophets. He describe himself as "the son of Berechiah."
As long as Uzziah was under the influence of God's prophet he was compelled to do what was right in the sight of the Lord. However, Zechariah died and Uzziah became high minded and was lifted up to destruction, and he entered into the priest office, entering the sanctuary and proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Now we know, the temple of God was a sacred place and that only priests could enter into the sanctuary. Azariah, the high priest saw the boldness of such a daring act on the part of Uzziah, whereby he and eighty other priests (all brave me) challenged him:
18They confronted King Uzziahand said, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendansof Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this (2 Chronicles 26:18)!"
You see, Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God, which as long as Uzziah sought guidance from the Lord, he was given good success. However, after the passing of Zechariah, Uzziah no longer feared God. So, he became powerful and proud which led to his downfall. He never once realize all the good things he had received were from God through the Word of the Prophet as long as he obeyed Him.
He became so proud that he believed he no longer needed the services of the priests or the prophet to stand before God. He could stand before God himself, and offer incense. "Ohhhhh.........but how soon does a haughty spirit that stands before God and declares himself righteous offend God? Let's see what happen to Zechariah in verses 17-21:
19Uzziah who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord's Temple, leprosy * suddenly broke out on his forehead.
20When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him.
21So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
Uzziah knew the Levites (priesthood) was appointed for service by God. They were called out to perform the priestly duties in the sanctuary (Numbers 3:9-10):
9Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They have been given from among all the people of Israel to serve as their assistants.
10Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes to near the sanctuary must be put to death.
The demise of Uzziah should be a lesson to all Christians, while being mindful that we are nothing without God. When we try things on our own and choose not to seek His will, we will falter everytime. Jesus said (John 15:1-3):
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears on fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he pruness so that it will e even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
So tell me, what things are you still trying to do on your own? Don't you think it's about time for you to allow God to step in and work the matter out for you?
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