There are numerous biblical accounts of women
who were afflicted, used, enslaved, hurt, rebuked, mistreated and raped. I’ve
read these accounts and thought to myself, “Why Lord? I do not understand.” I
have family members and friends who were either raped, molested by trusted
adults, abused sexually, physically assaulted by boyfriends, verbally abused,
neglected and rejected by husbands. I’ve
listened, cried, loved and prayed for those closest to me. The hurt is real, so painful there are no
words to describe or are spoken. Just
tears, just anguish, just pain from a broken heart and spirit.
“I will
never leave you nor forsake you.” I wonder if the woman raped from dusk till
dawn had ever heard that verse. I wonder if the little girl given to men for
their depraved pleasure has heard of the Living God’s promise. Has the
molested, beaten and neglected know that Jesus Christ loves them and will never
leave them? You may ask where is God? Where does the healing begin? Why is this
happening to me?
My sweet
sister in Christ, whose heart is so tender, so broken, I understand the very
mention of memories, a look, touch, smell can send a quick flinch or chill, and
the healing for unanswered questions or forgiveness seems unattainable or out
of reach. But, there is hope in Jesus
Christ. I pray you do not believe for
one second the selfish, depraved and sinful mind of man is the portrait of
God. I pray you do not believe the evil
in the world is an exact replica of God.
That is a lie. If one’s pain can bring ten, hundreds, thousands or even
millions to a life of healing, a relationship with Christ and Heaven’s door
open for them, then what the enemy uses for harm, God uses for good.
A friend of
mine whose husband packed the family up and moved to a different state
manipulated her in moving, joined a cult and was determined to give her two
toddler daughters to this ungodly group.
Isolating her from her family and friends, leaving her alone in an
apartment for months, God allowed her escape.
While her husband was in the shower, my friend grabbed only the diaper
bag and her two daughters, keys in hand, drove to a women’s shelter for
safety. What the enemy uses for harm,
God uses for good.
A family
member of mine was raped by a trusted teacher.
This same sweet girl was molested by a friend’s father and brother. She was physically assaulted by a boyfriend,
neglected and manipulated by her 1st husband. The same innocent girl has been plagued with
health problems from a small age to the point of having her head drilled into
three times! Through all these things, her love for Christ never wavered,
never doubted Jesus loved her and through the surgeries, spinal taps and pain,
she would picture His feet on the cross.
Christ has gotten her through so many tragedies, giving her a beautiful
son, a gentle husband and loving friends.
What the enemy tried to destroy, God used for good.
A friend of
mine was physically abused, but more so mentally abused by her Christian
husband. The marriage ended, but the
pain and hurt is still there. Trusting God for a godly, Christian man is still
painful, but she presses forward.
Believing and hoping in something she can not see, but has the faith God
will provide. What the enemy has
attempted to destroy, God is using for good.
Another
Christian woman, suffering from mental disorders has been neglected, unloved
and rejected by the church, her husband and family. Determined God will change her husband’s
heart from loveless to loving, she continues to pray, fast and believe in her
marriage. She does not give up and
continues believing in the power of the resurrected Lord. What the enemy is trying to destroy, God is
changing for good.
A family
member of mine was addicted to drugs.
Living with addicted dealers and accompanying them for selling their
substances, she was almost given sexually for payment of a ball of cocaine. She tells me her dealer boyfriend looked at
her a long time once the request was made at a random truck stop bathroom. Helpless, alone with two men who were looking
at her, one with intend to sexually abuse, the other looking and deciding her
fate for money. God intervened, stepped
in and dissipated the horror that probably would have left her completely
broken in a dirty, filthy truck stop bathroom. She was sexually abused by her
boyfriends and has suffered the consequences hence forth. She laid her head in my lap one night and
cried. I am still praying for her
salvation, and I believe what the enemy has tried to destroy, God will use for
good.
The woman
raped to death in the book of Judges 19
is an example of the same rape existing today in sex trafficking and brothels
around the world. Where in the mind does
one man think he can take another and use them for his sick pleasure, taking
the innocent from a small child, manipulating them into sexual abuse and
beating them into submission and fear?
The enemy has tried to destroy the heart and spirit of a woman since the
Garden of Eden. Eve, innocent and
manipulated, Satan will stop at nothing to destroy what God’s deems as
beautiful. Why has the devil set out on
a destructive rampage to kill, destroy and shame women since the beginning? Why
would he hate us so much?
Woman was
the final creation of God. I once heard
John and Stacey Elderidge explain it as woman was created not as an
afterthought, but as a final crowning of God’s masterpiece. I believe she is beautiful, giving life to
God’s children and able to give man such pleasure. She is warm, soft, enticing and has a heart
to love. Satan was considered the most
beautiful angel, but when God made woman, He trumped this prideful angel with a
soft curves, a gentle spirit, a miraculous life giving womb and the desire of
her husband. Satan does not hold a
candle to a woman of God; her beauty has surpassed his and the devil will hold
at nothing to destroy this innocent and beauty God created and formed in the
womb.
To hold the
memories, to hate, to let your life succumb to bitterness, and cursing God
allows the enemy to stick the final dagger in for his victory and succession in
your life and family’s. But there is One
who understands your pain. One who
suffered the hurt of rejection, abuse, beating and suffocation for all
mankind. He was rejected by His people;
He was bruised for our transgressions, whipped for all to see (Isaiah 53). He suffered as no other person has ever
suffered. Christ came down, in the form
of a man, and suffered to understand our pain, hurt, tears and shame. He knows how you feel.
Jesus suffered the cat of nine tails
ripping apart His flesh, but uttered no word. He was beaten and mocked for
another’s pleasure. He was rejected,
cursed, and hung an excruciating death on the cross, not for man’s pleasure,
but to save man’s soul. He understands
physical pain. Christ understands your
rejection, abandonment, and asked the same question, “My God, why have you
forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus
experienced something no one else has ever, total separation from God. Christ, selflessly, suffered. The Living God, where no other religion can
claim, came down to this sinful earth, and walked to understand how you
feel. Suffered to understand the human
heart, pain and hurt Satan attempts to destroy us with. Yes, Jesus of Nazareth knows how you feel.
During a very challenging time in my walk with the Lord, where I felt no
one understood what I was going through, God spoke to my spirit. I do not hear an audible voice, but when I pray,
am seeking God or reading His Word, and a thought comes to my mind bringing
healing, aligned with His Word and bringing glory to Christ, I give Him the glory
to God for that thought hence, God spoke to my spirit. The thought was this, “Your heart and spirit
are wounded. I can mend the wound, but there will be a scar. At times, it will
be tender to the touch, but will one day be completely healed.” These scars on
my heart are my testimony.
I am so thankful for the words of Christ on
the cross, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Forgive them. The very ones who ripped him apart, the ones
who mocked, spit and cursed him. The
very ones who nailed him to a cross where also laid on the cross but in a very different
way. Christ died so we are saved through
His sacrificial offering, His precious, sinless blood and resurrected for our
salvation. I lay the ones who have hurt
me at the cross; I pray the ones who have rejected me God’s forgiveness and
those who have mocked and laughed at me blessing them from the cross. I can do all things through Christ who gives
me strength, including forgiveness (Philippians
4:13). My scars are there, but the
healing through God’s power is nothing short of joy. I am no longer bitter, angry or
resentful. My girlfriends are pressing
forward, believing in and holding on the God’s Word of redemption that it will
never return void (Isaiah 55:11).
Has someone killed or darkened your dreams? He
can restore them. Has someone taken your innocence? Christ makes all things
clean. Has someone physically tormented
you? Take His yoke for He is light, easy and not hard harsh, sharp and pressing
(Matthew 11:28-30). Forgive them.
Through forgiveness and letting God heal those wounds whether
physically, mentally, spiritually or psychologically, doesn’t remove the
memories, but will cover those scars with the blood of His Son. How does the
healing begin?
Praying, reading God’s Word, serving and
gleaning from other godly women will allow God to being laying a foundation of
a healing process like no other. Step by
step, the wounds will begin to heal.
Prayer by prayer, the burden will be lifted. Give Him your pain, tell him you are hurt and
be as Mary of Bethany anointing Christ with a beautiful prayer, asking for
healing. Bring your pain to the cross
and lay it down! When you do this, God
may bring memories so deep rooted you heart is surprised they surfaced. The memories may still be fresh in your mind
or your spirit still tender, only the gentle hand of Christ could ever touch
something so broken.
The Lord will begin a courtship with
you. Christ will woo you so lovingly, so
gently, so beautifully it can honestly bring you to tears. There were memories, emotions, situations
that have happened to me I wish to forget.
Drunken stupors, fuzzy morning memories of men, rejection from those who
are suppose to love you and rejection from the church are challenging to let
go. My friends and family would tell you
it was hard to forget the one who molested, hard to forgive the violent hands,
hard to let go of the rape still fresh in the mind from someone else’s selfish
lack of control and difficult to forgive being the brunt of another’s sick,
ungodly pleasure. But, they did.
God needs you and your precious story of
redemption. When you are able to know
Christ and His healing hands, His love for you and the plan for your life, to
suppress this truth is uncontainable.
This mystery the Apostle Paul writes about in his letters to the
churches, explains God’s love and no matter the pain, you will find yourself
able to forgive, to abound more in love and become a prisoner of Christ. There will always be another woman, another
daughter, another wife, another young girl suffering, just as you did. These women need your voice. They need to hear how God saves, how Christ
gives them beauty for ashes, turns evil into good. There will always be another abuse, another
rape, another used, another manipulated and another woman rejected. Will you be the arms that accept them? Will
you be the courageous one who tells her story?
Will you be the bold one who takes a stand for those who have no voice
or no one to stand with? I pray you cast all fear, anxiety, and anger aside,
pick up your cross and carry it. Your
testimony of Christ will heal another woman’s life. I pray you be a blessing to
those in need.
For my precious sister who needs
Christ’s healing, for restoration, and revival of your spirit to boldly
proclaim your testimony, boasting in Christ Jesus, open your heart to the
Living God and pray. Give your heart to
him in closing those wounds, leaving a scar, a testimony in planting a harvest
for His Kingdom.
Pray and CONFESS the
Word of God:
Father,
I come to
you in Jesus name and give my heart to you.
I am hurt and broken. I feel no
one understands; I feel isolated and alone.
I feel I am in a dark pit of anger and bitterness (Psalm 40). I want out! I
know you make all things clean (John
15:3). I know you give beauty for
ashes, to bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives,
release form darkness, the oil of gladness instead of mourning (Isaiah 61:1-3). I know you can turn what the enemy has tried
to destroy and use it for good (Genesis
50:20) I believe my testimony, the
test that I have walked and suffered through, will glorify you. I pray for the peace that surpasses understanding
(Philippians 4:7). I pray I can diminish and you increase with
the portion you have given me to enhance your kingdom (John 27-30). I pray I know
you and the power of your resurrection.
I know many have doubted including John the Baptist when locked and
thrown in prison for fulfilling your plan, asking “Are you the Messiah?” (Luke 7:20). If I have been a Christian and this tragedy
has happened to me, I pray I never curse you and fall into the trap of walking
away from my faith (Job 2:9-10)
I pray I am
filled with the fruits of the spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). I pray I
am diligent in studying your word, memorizing scripture for when the enemy
comes to steal kill and destroy, I use the Word of God, get behind me Satan,
for you are concerned with the things of this world and I am concerned with the
things from above (John 10:10, Matthew
16:23) Help me to bless those who have hurt me. Forgive those who used me, and love those who
have rejected me (Ephesians 4:19, 5:1). Forgive them Lord for they do not know what
they are doing (Luke 23:34). As it is written, I believe I have all
spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Ephesians
1:3), and I believe I am an adopted daughter of Christ (Ephesians 1:5-6). A princess of the Most High, clean and
restored, loved and revered as a woman of God.
I pray I am
unashamed of the Gospel and plant this seed for you (Ephesians 6:19). I pray I
can help bring healing to those who have suffered as I have suffered. May I be a blessing in the church, using my
gifts and talents for your glory (Ephesians
3:20-21). I pray you increase my
faith and I abound more and more in love.
I pray to be a prisoner of Christ and ambassador in chains for you (Ephesians 6:20). I know whether I am abasing
or abounding, you have given me all strength for all situations (Philippians 4:11-13).
Thank you
for dying on the cross. Thank you for
knowing exactly how I feel, my hurt, my shame, my pain and my suffering. Thank you for giving me an example to follow. Thank you for your precious love that has
carried me through painful memories, fearful dreams or nightmares, heal my
heart, renew my mind in Christ Jesus (Romans
12:2). I am a new creature in Christ;
the old had passed away including my past.
I press on toward the goal and prize awaiting me (Philippians 3:13-14). I will
continue to prepare my heart and mind for action (1 Peter 1:13). I pray to
encourage others along through my own healing process. If I backslide, push me
forward. If I fall down again in
sadness, why me and painful memories, life me up to stand firm with the Gospel
of peace (Ephesians 6:15), preparing
my mind daily with the Armor of the Lord.
Thank you
for turning evil into good and I am confident the plan and purpose you have for
me will be completed in the end (Philippians
1:6). I believe my life has purpose,
a plan set for me, not for evil, but good (Jeremiah
1:5). I believe this is my season, a
time I can never get back, help me to use this time wisely, growing daily in
the Lord with spiritual meat, lacking no good thing (James 1:4). If I am faced
with my past, if I am faced with the very ones who painful hurt me, help me to
love them as you love them. Show me this
mystery, filled with the Holy Spirit to love them as Christ loved the church (Colossians 1:27).
Praise be
to God the Father of Jesus Christ.
Praise be to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Thank you for your Word and the women in the
bible I can learn from. In the name of
Jesus of Nazareth I pray, Amen.
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