Being thrown in prison

[Nelson Boils]

Rev 2:10" Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

May you please share your story of how our Lord got you out of prison?Anyone?

Thanks

[indianabob]

Hello Rolihlahla,

Question does this verse apply to us today or was it directed unto the believers of the seven Jewish congregations in Asia only?
It seems like it is addressed to practicing Jews (Israelites) who understand prophesy from being taught it in the synagogue.
See Rev 1:1-6

I-Bob

[Nelson Boils]

Hi,

Yes I think it does apply to us aswell.We get thrown into a spiritual prison too where we don't see a way out but have to believe we will get out.

[Dennis Vogel]

Hello Rolihlahla,

Question does this verse apply to us today or was it directed unto the believers of the seven Jewish congregations in Asia only?
It seems like it is addressed to practicing Jews (Israelites) who understand prophesy from being taught it in the synagogue.
See Rev 1:1-6

I-Bob

If you are one of the elect your hardship is here or is coming. Here Paul is talking to the Corinth Church of God who were mostly gentiles. There are more examples in other NT books.

1Co 12:2  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

2Co 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

2Co 1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 

2Co 1:7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 

2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 

[indianabob]

Thanks Dennis,
Very helpful.
bob

[Wanda]

The absolute worst time was after being called out of the church. I believed I had been in the one true church therefore I had nowhere to go. Before that,  I felt like I was in a spiritual wasteland, but now I was more lost than I could have ever imagined. I was shut off from everyone who had been such a sygificant part of my life, especially God, or so I thought. It felt as though I'd been locked away in prison.  I searched online for months looking for anything that remotely spoke of the truth of God. Time and time again I came up short and was becoming more hopeless as time passed. I talked to God but not in earnest, as I eventually did.

By this point  I was begging him to show me his truth. I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in front of my lap top talking to God with tears of anquesh, begging him to lead me in the right direction.  Shortly I pulled myself together,  opened my laptop, thought of just the right search terms to type into the search bar, bible truths. The search page came up, and every option was for bible-truths.com. all the way down the page. I've tried that same search  term after, and never came up with those same results again.  I clicked on one of those options, landed on the home page, and in utter amazement read Ray's teachings  for hours. In a very short period of time I knew this was God's truth and just like that, I was free from my spirtual prison.  I've no doubt this was  a test of my faith, as most things we suffer are.

[indianabob]

Friend Wanda,
Thanks for sharing your spiritual journey.
Bob

The absolute worst time was after being called out of the church. I believed I had been in the one true church therefore I had nowhere to go. Before that,  I felt like I was in a spiritual wasteland, but now I was more lost than I could have ever imagined. I was shut off from everyone who had been such a sygificant part of my life, especially God, or so I thought. It felt as though I'd been locked away in prison.  I searched online for months looking for anything that remotely spoke of the truth of God. Time and time again I came up short and was becoming more hopeless as time passed. I talked to God but not in earnest, as I eventually did.

By this point  I was begging him to show me his truth. I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in front of my lap top talking to God with tears of anquesh, begging him to lead me in the right direction.  Shortly I pulled myself together,  opened my laptop, thought of just the right search terms to type into the search bar, bible truths. The search page came up, and every option was for bible-truths.com. all the way down the page. I've tried that same search  term after, and never came up with those same results again.  I clicked on one of those options, landed on the home page, and in utter amazement read Ray's teachings  for hours. In a very short period of time I knew this was God's truth and just like that, I was free from my spirtual prison.  I've no doubt this was  a test of my faith, as most things we suffer are.

[Rocco]

Small paragraph from one of Ray's teachings. Might bless you as it does me.

It's when you don't see a way out of the spiritual prison that Christ has put you in. It's got a door with bars and windows with bars and there is no way out, you have got to pay the price (This is in my next installment, by the way, part D). There is no way out, you got to pay the utter most for it. You say, 'I don't even know what it is.' God knows! Christ puts you in prison sometimes. You have to live by faith, you have no choice but to live by faith. Either that or give up on God, and throw it all away and say 'I'm through with this living Godly stuff.'

You got to live by faith and hopefully that's what we're doing.

[Dennis Vogel]

You got to live by faith and hopefully that's what we're doing.

But we cannot conger up our own faith - it is the gift of God

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

[Wanda]

From a very young age I never doubted in God's existance but I never had the kind of faith it takes to rely on him, until the power and truth of his word made it possible.

James 2

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

[Nelson Boils]

Hi Wand'

Thanks for sharing how the Lord got you out of prison.

[waterfall77]

Hi Rolihlahla,

I was in a spiritual prison for 6 years, the last 4 years were the worst. I didn't know what was going on. Two years in it I was listening to an audio of Ray and he said somthing about being in a spiritual prison. Right then I knew that was what was happening to me. God let me know I just had to endure. I didn't know when it was going to end I thought it could be a couple more years or 20 years. Just this past year I have felt a release. I can see what God has been doing and I've experienced  changes being made in my life. I've never been in this place with Jesus before and its amazing. I know there is more hard times ahead because were constantly growing in Jesus.

[Prune Soleiado]

I'd say my body of flesh is still in prison. I fight every day. I win a lot of victories thanks to God's will and keep on fighting so that the old man stays, if possible, locked in prison.
I enjoy my freedom in Christ everyday but i know prison is not far if I take other paths than the path Jesus draws for me. I work hard to watch out, to not fall asleep. It is a real fight.

We all know that it is only our carnality that finds itself imprisoned. Our body of flesh which dwells into carnal thoughts and desires, fighting constantly against the Spirit of God. Lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, pride of life as Ray often reminds us.

God's children are definitely not in prison, never, they're free, always, the cross has made it once and for all. But the flesh...still howling, and crying, and lamentating, and needing, and wanting worldly things...locked up into its own cell of self-righteousness, self-esteem, self-whatever and never doing anything « to will and to act in order to fulfill His [GOD's] good purpose » (Philippians 2:13) but rather turning itself to humans (terrestrial, demonic) methods and doctrines and deeds.

Flesh never realizes that it's in prison. It knows nothing about joy and peace and what could be freedom. It knows only about sadness, darkness is ignorance.
When we realize we're in prison, then that's exactly when the new guy in us, God's child, wakes finally up, desperatly trying to get himself out of this miserable body of flesh, saying "hey wait! This is not a godly life we're in! i want to live the life of Jesus!". It is a real fight.
« For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other » (Galatians 5:17)

Prison becomes a reality only when the light of Jesus comes to enlighten everything around us and shows us that all the time we were in the dark, we discover the black surrounding walls of this prison we were in, how ugly and cold it is, how uncomfortable, how sad. It takes time. Like when you have to get use to the sudden light surrounding just to be able to see, to adjust your vision of life, to accept it. We've been in the dark for so long, so we wink a little, glance a little, cry a little, but tears are good, they are part of the process, the eye is washing itself from all the dust and beams it's filled. It's not sadness of the flesh, it's cleansing.

Imprisonment seems too long of a time. It hurts, it burns the cornea, and as long as tears keep on flowing we can't see much in the blurring, but little by little our vision adjusts itself.
One day our eyes will be wide opened according to God's promise. One day we'll get out fully of this prison of flesh. God is spirit. God is love and...patience.  And I thank God for that.

Now let's keep on running away from this prison, till we win the race altogheter, Crown of life for the winners.Timothy 6:11 :
« But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses »

Joy and Peace of Christ be with you all.

[Nelson Boils]

Hi Rolihlahla,

I was in a spiritual prison for 6 years, the last 4 years were the worst. I didn't know what was going on. Two years in it I was listening to an audio of Ray and he said somthing about being in a spiritual prison. Right then I knew that was what was happening to me. God let me know I just had to endure. I didn't know when it was going to end I thought it could be a couple more years or 20 years. Just this past year I have felt a release. I can see what God has been doing and I've experienced  changes being made in my life. I've never been in this place with Jesus before and its amazing. I know there is more hard times ahead because were constantly growing in Jesus.

That is how I feel now: don't know what is going on.
I'm learning to be content and accept the situation as it currently is now.

[waterfall77]

Rolihlahla,

There were a couple of things that when I was doing them I felt better mentally and physically during those 6 years. Eating a whole foods diet, light exercise, and make sure your not deficient in any vitamin. I was low in vitamin D because of that I felt pain and I was depressed. I also had very low Iron that caused a lot of hair loss, pain, drowsiness and depression. That just made my situation worse. When I got those vitimans at the level they needed to be I felt better. It didnt take away the situation but I was coping better. This may not apply to you, but I just wanted to share the things that made a big differance in my situation.

[Musterseed]

From the LOF, pt.15.  This gives me great comfort in knowing that.

God presently is working - operating all that exists and that includes the will of all mankind.
1 Co.12:6 ,,,God which (operates ) all in all.

Prob.16:1
The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

No one can make one statement out of his mouth unless it was first preordained ,
foreknown, and approved of by God.

I can now look at people in a different light, especially my own children and grandchildren as they
themselves are in prison which puts me in prison . It strips me of the fabled power I believed I had
and control over their lives. It shuts me up and teaches me to rely solely on God.

John 5:19 & 15:5
The son of man can do nothing of Himself.
,,,,without me ( Jesus) ye ( all of you) can do nothing.

All is of God- God does not allow anything to happen . God is the ultimate cause
of all things that happen.

Isa. 45:6-7
That they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none beside me
I am the Lord and there is none else. I form the light and create darkness : I make peace (good)
and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

John  8:28
Then said Jesus unto them ," when ye have lifted up the son of man, then shall ye know that I am He
and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.
John 12:49
For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me. He gave me commandment what I should say , and what I should speak.

Not only did the Father do the speaking through His son , but He also performed all of the works as
well.

John 14:10
Believe you not that I am in the Father ,and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you
I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwells in me. He does the works.
John 14:24
He that loves ME not ,keeps not MY sayings; and the word which ye hear is NOT MINE, but the Fathers
which sent me.

Quote from Ray.

Jesus Christ was very content to have His Father live in Him, and do good works and deeds
in Him. But the very thought that God will and does do the same in us is absolutely repulsive
to most Christians.
" Why we would be little more than robots " they retort.Jesus didn't feel like a robot, I don't feel  like
a robot and none of my likeminded , believing friends feel like robots.

Amen to all that brothers and sisters. Keep the unity of the Spirit and may Gods grace and mercy ,
peace and love sustain us and drop us to our knees in total submission to Our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.

In Christ, Pamela💕

[Dennis Vogel]

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

I understand that but what I don't like is when your children or grandchildren have to endure evil.

Any parent of grandparent of a small child would endure their suffering for them if we could. I'm trying, but it doesn't seem fair.

[Wanda]

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

I understand that but what I don't like is when your children or grandchildren have to endure evil.

Any parent of grandparent of a small child would endure their suffering for them if we could. I'm trying, but it doesn't seem fair.

I have three young grandaughters myself. They aren't suffering at this time, in fact they have lived quiet charmed lives,  but I often think how things could change at any moment. I honestly don't know how I would deal if they were to suffer evil. I can only hope if things were to change, I would rely on God for the strenghth and understanding to hold firm in my faith.  I really don't even like to think about it.

[friendofJC]

It is not good for us only to experience good.  We would have little appreciation for God's goodness without the contrast of evil.  We are to possess the qualities of our spiritual parents and we must learn some evils from experience.  Its the difference between theories and the way the world actually works.  You can learn some evil from a book but with experience you really understand.  God will do away with evil when it no longer serves its needed purpose.  If there was a way to make this all seem fair, God would do it!  I think the way he does things is for the greatest possible good.  So I encourage everyone to be in Christ if possible.  This is a once in eternity chance to be put in charge of some evil and save all of humanity into the Royal family!