"He heals the brokenhearted, he binds up their wounds."
(Psalm 147:3)
Dear ones,
I've been thinking for a long time about whether it's necessary to hit a few cornerstones as I move forward in what I'm writing. And yes, it is.
First, a few words about the basic direction of my faith:
I believe that God is much bigger than we make Him.
By that I don't mean that God is more tolerant, more open-minded, or striving for a world-unifying religion; no: the God I recognize in creation, who is extolled in the Psalms, and whose beauty and perfection made David dance naked in the street and prophets go into raptures is simply a completely different God than the despotic, petty God I often find in the minds of fellow believers. I believe in God's omnipotence, in His beauty and in His love. I believe that He is a blessing, healing, saving and caring God and Father, who does not hold anything back, who does not limit anything, who gladly gives - if you only ask and ask and seek Him.
God is neither emotionless nor hostile to life. He is life itself, the truth, the way. He is the source of all that is beautiful, alive and joyful, the giver of all good gifts.
I believe that we claim little of this, and that we even believe that this image of God is false it. I believe that we live in a deep fear of going astray if we claim the fullness of God. But I also believe that because of this we are always running on reserve, giving Satan more room than he deserves, and allowing ourselves to be robbed of the joy in God "which is to be our strength."
I am clearly committed to the ordinances of God, I do not believe that we can just "do what we want"- but I am deeply convinced that every rule, every order, every principle of God leads to liveliness, to freedom and to blessing. The laws and orders of God are good, are perfect. I look at God and ask him: why do you forbid this? What is the protection behind it? I do not look to God expecting condemnation, accusation, and a rigid set of laws.
I deeply believe in the Holy Spirit, the new birth and the new covenant.
But I also believe that when we walk with God, we always experience correction, in a loving way, once we live in reconciliation with Him. I believe that we are not spared tribulation and desert times, but that they always fulfill the purpose of growing toward him, of recognizing in him the source of all being. I experience forgiveness through Jesus, repentance and kneeling before him as liberating, not humiliating. And I accept the forgiveness granted (and granted again and again) with gratitude and love, because it convicts me and reveals to me his truth. Repentance for me means a return to safe harbor, not restriction. Repentance for me means liberation from inner entanglements and darkness.
When I use terms like "inner healing" on my site, I am not talking about esoteric healing methods. I am talking about going to the source of all life with the firm assumption that God is a)real, b) all-surveying, and c) deeply good and loving. When I ask the Holy Spirit to touch the heart in hardened areas, I am asking for Ezekiel 36.26 to come alive, for the heart to come alive and turn to God, for hurts to be healed and views to be corrected through the gifts of wisdom and knowledge that God makes available to anyone who earnestly asks.
I believe that God answers our prayers,
because He says so Himself in Jeremiah 33:3, and I also believe that His thoughts are different from our thoughts: I believe that instead of our limited view, his occurs, which is much broader, much wider and much more complex than our own. I believe that God personally speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit is our "teacher" and He will not be able to be silent. Moreover, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that many have been driven away to "mute idols"-a contrast to the living, interactive, and real experience of God.
However, I also believe that God does not primarily prophesy the future, that He does not change His word, that He does not contradict Himself. When Jesus warns of the danger of wealth, he does not suddenly lay luxury and mansions at our feet. Jesus stands for inner wealth, and yes, for material but adequate provision. He didn't conjure up a five star menu at the feeding of the five thousand, but called for sharing, and he increased what was there- a principle he maintains- he builds on what is already there.
I further believe that we were created as a soul, not that we have a soul. I believe that there is an inner man and an outer man, but I believe that the inner man is expressed through the outer man in words, deeds, condition, charisma and overall effect. Accordingly, I believe in psychosomatics- but not in aura concepts, energy bodies and meridians. I believe that the cause of diseases is reflected much more (proverbially) literally than we assume. Thus, lasting healing can only be a holistic one.
When I speak of contemplation (inner focusing), I am speaking of inner gathering, as monks do in their hourly prayers. It is about alignment and surrender to God, surrender of life in all areas, and submitting to His guidance. I am not talking about Far Eastern contemplation toward a High Self or toward self-realization.
The goal of any restoration and alignment with God is to come into His will and serve Him rather than the world. The goal of any restoration is to surrender our heart to Jesus as an undivided heart.
When I speak of dissolving beliefs and stigmatization, I am speaking of areas where we have doubted God's goodness and protection, where we have not accepted His love, where we have rooted bitterness or unforgiveness toward ourselves and others within ourselves, or unconsciously adhere to beliefs that are not of Him (humanism). Forgiveness can often only take place when we understand "where God has been", when we understand that God has often wanted to provide help that was not provided by others ( guilt), that suffering is not willed by Him but a result of this fallen world (sin, experiences of violence, trauma), that we lack all capacity for love and genuine charity in word AND deed, and that we can only be set free when we see that this is not God's plan for us. I encourage accordingly to ask God why; to address anger at Him, doubt about Him and fear in prayer with Him- and to expect His answer. Guideline here are the Psalms where we can see this sincere struggle for truth by the Psalmists.
I clearly distance myself from some currents that have gained a foothold in the charismatic scene:
Resolving generational curses/pre-natal trauma/reincarnation:
There is no such thing. God Himself decrees in Ezekiel that everyone shall be judged according to his own guilt or good fruit, and Jesus bore the punishment. Christians are not trapped under generational curses, nor are they magical curses, but a curse from God, linked to the 1st commandment- and the option to choose between curse and blessing.
Demon possession in Christians:
As long as a Christian does not knowingly open up to New Age and occult practices such as Reiki, chakra work, energy work, tarot, divination, manipulation, trance, channeling (opening up to impressions and direction), immersion, transcendental states, out of body experiences etc, i.e. turning to magic, a Christian with confessional baptism is freed from all magical entanglements. This will not, in doubt, exclude demonic attacks and the "sensing" of dark spirits, but they do not occupy.
Manifest impressions/revelations to third parties of repressed abuse, family feuds, traumas and sin, etc., will not be a problem:
God will show you yourself your sin, your hurt first in such cases. Never to a third party, why would he do that? He may confirm things through a fellow Christian or therapist, but never will he bypass you in the recognition. This creates dependence. This gift is not from God, and must be firmly rejected. Such impressions are lies and highly dangerous.
Self-salvation/permanent therapy for self acknowledgment:
I reject both.
True liberation can only be given by Jesus Christ alone. We can add nothing to his work of redemption, and he "overlooked nothing" either.
Our old hurts and convictions are shadows in which we have not yet recognized His redemption and love, and reckon with punishment, condemnation and hardship. Nevertheless, we are told what is good. We can also, as Christians, take wrong paths, follow false spirits, and allow ourselves to be pulled out of Jesus' grace once again. But the way back to Jesus is always possible - and goes through the cross, kneeling, asking again for his forgiveness and grace. Condemnation, however, the gambling away of his love, is only possible by consciously turning away from him, blaspheming the Holy Spirit, rejecting the grace and love that he is in favor of power, abuse and rebellion - in other words: the conscious devotion and worship of Satan, other idols and religions and the rejection of the Christian faith in its entirety. This does not include crises of faith, the struggle for faith.
I unconditionally confess the omnipotence of God. The victory is won on the cross of Golgotha, and even if Jesus must reign until the last bastions have fallen, so the spiritual war continues, the issue here is the assertion of His authority and the pronouncement of the finished war- and not a diminution of His final and set triumph.
The power of words- own authority- Word/Faith:
Words have the invasive power to break chains only when spoken by Jesus through us, accordingly in the Holy Spirit. Authority means surrender. Declaring and insisting on our supposed authority, Satan answers with, "Who Jesus Christ is, I know- but who are you?" Acting in the Spirit means inwardly stepping back ourselves and being a vessel. Accordingly, I do not believe in man-made declarations and consider restrictions in prayer (this is exactly what must be prayed) to be a hindrance to blessing. God cannot be channeled, used, limited and does not subordinate himself to our will. We ask - he gives. We step back, invite, open our hearts - he has his way in us. We give him full authority and act so empowered because we give space to the Holy Spirit. He glorifies himself-as he wills.
Channeling:
God loves us first. When God wants to tell us something, He does.
We can ask and pay attention to how he answers, but we cannot ask him to say anything. Channeling is widely used and is the number one source of interference in perceiving God's guidance and voice. It is consciously opening oneself to a supposed outside presence of God. The conscious opening, however, takes place towards the spiritual world, it is the permission that foreign powers take possession of us and pass on messages through us. The "Christ" channeled in this way is not Jesus. He is a nasty shapeshifter who smells of roses and jasmine, plays with legends of saints, and is also perceived as an inner image as the Western soft-fleshed icon Christ - hold, lovely, contourless. Often it appears in combination with the color dark red and white. Establishing contact in trance and meditation by opening to altered states of mind is extremely dangerous and an unparalleled gateway.
When God speaks, your own thoughts change, your attention, you recognize allegories, connections, you feel what is at it and you gain clarity. And...he does not stammer. He never contradicts the Jesus you meet in the Bible. Never. You don't have to open yourself up to it. You need faith, expectation, willingness to be led. But for heaven's sake, keep your sealing in the Holy Spirit intact. There is no need to artificially create a flat rate.
To summarize:
I believe in a radiantly beautiful, omnipotent, gracious, saving, loving, and responsive God. I believe that in Him alone, and in Him alone, is the source of all life. I believe that Jesus Christ was and is and will be God's Son for eternity, and I kneel in overwhelmed joy, adoration and gratitude for His sacrifice, victory and heart, Spirit and life.
I am more than ready, when he comes again, to submit to his reign of love and to rule through him in righteousness. I don't want to be Jesus- and I don't want to lead anyone down that wrong path. I clearly profess Jesus' sonship with God also on earth.
I want to lead people into the realization of how great and glorious our God really is, because therein lies the freedom to which Christ has set us free. The best is yet to come. He is coming.
Maranata.
Sibylle/Daughter of Zion.