Tags
authority, blogging, controlling spirits, darkness, discerning the spirits, disobedience, entering his rest, experience, following Jesus, God's guidance, Jesus Christ, joy, life, light of life, obedience, overcoming the world, peace, reasoning, self-control, suffering, the devil, the flaming darts of the evil one, thought life, walking by the spirit
None of us would expect a baby to test-drive a car, nor would anyone assume that children, on the whole, go to university, give guest lectures, and teach students lessons they really need to hear (exceptions confirm the rule). As much as this world admires geniuses, in spiritual life there is no shortcut to heaven. We have to go through every more or less painful lesson our Lord puts us through. However, we may know that every lesson learned and accepted makes us see more of Him in our lives.
No more theory here. Instead, I want to go on with sharing my recent spiritual experiences with you. If you read some of my latest blog articles, you might remember that God has begun to set me free from many ‘legalistic’ things. Whether inflexible internal obligations, i.e., measuring up to the expectations from neighbors, friends, or even loved ones were concerned or if He changed my thought-life, for me it has been a sort of rollercoaster as this process has developed so quickly. Actually, I have not been used to observing the Lord to set me free on a daily basis at such an accelerated speed before!
Gradually, I got a bit concerned. Following His lead on a moment-to-moment basis gave me peace and enabled me to taste His life in a more abundant way than before. Having entered His rest for real (!), sometimes I could hardly believe it myself! 🙄 In fact, I started to wonder where the ‘giants’, the Amalekites, Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites etc., that is, the enemies of the heavenly Israel were hiding. Reading the Book of Joshua, I saw that there were a lot of fights ahead of him. He was only successful as He closely listened to what God had commanded him. Therefore, Joshua had to ignore false advice from those who reacted according to their flesh, fearing the ‘giants’ they had seen in the land they should have taken by force. And giants CAN look terrifying… to an ant, don’t you think? 🙄
It was last Saturday when the first enemy started to attack me. Having enjoyed God’s peace and life for a pretty long period already, I felt an extreme dizziness in the afternoon and had to go and rest in bed before cooking dinner. My blood pressure was low, and my body felt like not really belonging to me anymore. I prayed and soon I fell half asleep. As my blood sugar got lower and lower also, I asked God to help me cook a quick dinner. And He did. But then something happened of which I did not know how to deal with it at first. If I had been ‘honest’ in my view, I would have reacted as I always did and had revealed it to everyone concerned. It was not a big thing, yet please, bear with me, I do not want to expose anyone here, so I will have to conceal it somehow. And that was exactly what Jesus told me to do. I asked Him whether to talk about it or not and He wanted me to keep it as a secret between Him and me. So far, so good…
However, Susanne decided to ignore His subtle voice and rather revealed ‘the truth’ by trying to be ‘honest’ in her own view. Dear brothers and sisters, I cannot tell you how extremely painful the attacks from the enemy felt as the devil immediately started to fire off his flaming darts on me. ☹ I went through many attacks from different sides (mainly through people) during about one and a half days that it felt like weeks to me. Thus I got all weak and shattered, starting to doubt the wonderful work God had begun in my life. Somehow it was clear to me that Satan was the author of these doubts. He was my accuser all the time, telling me what a nothingness I was, how unloving my behavior toward those controlling people around me had been. As I result, I finally reasoned that I had to fall down from heaven, so to say, crashing down onto the bottom due to my own faults. Well, as for revealing the ‘secret’ I should have shared with God only, I apologized where needed, in particular to our Lord whose guidance I had ignored, and then I waited on Him to save me from this miserable pit and to restore me to His Life.
What else could I have done? The suffering was so painful that I hope I have learned the lesson by now, knowing that even our Lord who was perfect “learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Heb 5:8 ESV) With God’s help I now try to be more cautious than before to not give room to the flesh. Indeed, the more light we have been given by God, the more obedience He can demand from us as we read,
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required …” (Lk 12:48 ESV)
Now I want to share with you how Jesus eventually set me free from those attacks as you might have seen something about this process in your email inbox, perhaps. On Sunday in the evening I checked out my own blog and somehow got into a strange comment thread of an old article of mine. As I read a few comments, I suddenly felt such a pain in my heart, remembering that this pain was caused by the same flaming darts of the evil one I had felt years back then as well. As I looked at the date… something posted in 2015… I pondered, ‘Well, at that time God had not taught me to resist evil spirits in commenters yet, so maybe, I should not change anything.’
However, I was so eager to get back to being led by the Spirit alone. Therefore I asked God what to do. This evening I was still a weak mess, sitting there in front of my computer, being attacked and accused by Satan almost continually. Jesus said, “Delete them.” Sometimes I did such things before, removing comments that had caused division as commenters, though not aware of it, had been driven by the wrong spirits. So I deleted two comments by this person and one of mine. Wow, I started to feel better at once! 😊 But then I kept browsing the comments section there and saw that this person had responded further below once again, though not to me. ‘Hmm… I cannot delete their comments also’, I thought. It did not seem to make much sense to allow one little comment from this person as they had shared their testimony of sorts further above. Not logical, right? So, Susanne went back to the trash folder of WordPress and moderated the former deleted comments again. If you have a follow-up on comments of my blog, you will have got a notification in your inbox about it. Please, pardon the inconvenience!
Dear reader, I can tell you after re-approving those comments I felt as bad as I did before again!! ☹ I had NOT followed His leading as closely as needed in this case, instead, I followed my own reasoning. Sigh. So I went back to asking the Lord what He wanted me to do. ”Delete ALL of them.” That was a clear command, indeed! As soon as I had obeyed, it was as if I had been catapulted from hell to heaven in a split second!! 😊 I found the peace, life, and joy with which I had become acquainted before this trial had interrupted God’s rest. It was as if His resurrection power had put me back into the place where He wanted me to be. I am still amazed at how swiftly that all happened. It was as if all darkness had been whisked off of me as if it had never existed! My mental power was back. All things God had taught me before had come alive again. Furthermore, this sense of authority and self-control, including the control of my own thought life, had returned as well. Although this specific lesson was a painful one, I am grateful for another revelation of how different the realms of Spirit and flesh turn out to be.
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom 8:6 ESV)
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Rom 8:12-14 ESV)

All images © Susanne Schuberth 2021
Susanne, every time I read your testimony and I see your sensitivity to the leading of the Lord it makes me wonder about my own relationship with Him and or lack of sensitivity regarding my own walk. So I often read your blogs very prayerfully and ask the Lord to shine his light on my own darkness. I know there’s lots of room for improvement when it comes to following the leading of the Spirit.
Thank you again for your honesty and sensitivity to the Lord which you share with us.
Michael 😇🙏😇
LikeLiked by 3 people
Michael, you are welcome as to all I can share regarding my experiences with the Lord.
Actually, during the trial I described I got attacked by the devil who accused me through someone else how insensitive I would be, esp. as to catering for the needs of another person. What could I have said against this? 🙄 The devil is a fault finder and so I agreed with him, trusting that my righteousness comes from Christ, not from my own person. It seems to me there is always room for improvement as long as we have not fully been conformed into the image of Christ yet.
Your sister Susanne
😇🙏😇
LikeLiked by 3 people
Dear Susanne,
I am sorry to hear of the spiritual attacks you suffered. 😦 I hope you will experience more breakthroughs in your spiritual life as you move forward. Yes, Christian life can look like a rollercoaster, where we win some battles and we (apparently or actually) lose others. But the great winner of the war is Jesus, and as long as He continues to increase, we’re on the right track. And even when we derail sometimes, He’s faithful to bring us back when we seek Him. So please don’t beat yourself up, sister.
The following passage came to mind, from 1 Cor. 4:
Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Our revelation will be partial here and we will make some serious mistakes along the way, which hopefully will happen less and less if we continue seeking God. So yes, by all means let’s accept God’s judgments and wisdom and correction when it comes, but it’s also wise to avoid looking at ourselves for too long, especially if it brings discouragement and hopelessness. I am now constantly reminded to continuously look at Christ, author and perfecter of our faith. He’s the ultimate overcomer, and we overcome in union with Him. He is faithful!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you for your comforting words, dear Carina. 🤗💖
Actually, I do not think I beat myself up as I confessed my fault, knowing the Lord would forgive me sooner or later. I believe that the greater the amount of light we have been given, the deeper pain when we see we ignored His voice. Is this love? 🙄 I don’t know. But I don’t want to hurt God intentionally as He has been so gracious to me, especially lately.
Your quote from 1 Corinthians, chapter 4 makes sense to me, my sister. 👍🏼 I was just reminded of another Scripture. The apostle Peter wrote,
“17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Pt 4:17-19 ESV)
LikeLiked by 2 people
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Rev 12:10-11, ESV2011)
Satan is constantly accusing us before our Father! He never lets up, but from where comes our help? The Holy Spirit is also standing before the Father making intercession for us.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Rom 8:26-27, ESV2011)
Greater is He who is in us than the prince of this world. Yes, there is always room for improvement, but that work falls on the Lord as we seek first His kingdom and HIS righteousnesss. The flesh profits nothing.
Thank you dear Father for bringing us into the fullness of Christ by power of the Spirit working within us. Amen
Your brother in the Son forever,
Michael 😇🙏😇
LikeLiked by 4 people
Wow, that was also very comforting to read, Michael! Particularly your quote from the Book of Revelation spoke to me. 😇👌🏼
Yes, it is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us. 🕊️🙏🏼👍🏼 As painful as this trial was, I am thankful I learned something here. I never doubted God’s love or that He would forgive me. I even felt it was the accuser alone who made a mess out of my mind and my emotional life. However, the worst thing for me this time was that I grieved Jesus by my (seemingly) slight disobedience. Sigh. 😔
Thank you for weighing in once again, my dear brother. 👍🏼
Your sister in the Son forever,
Susanne 😇🙏🏼😇
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dearest Susanne —
I know of no one more sincere in their efforts to follow the leading of the Spirit than you.
Michael is absolutely right when he says that Satan is constantly accusing us before the Father. The adversary uses every possible weapon to attack and cripple us…including an overly sensitive conscience resulting from a legalistic upbringing.
Those of us raised in a legalistic setting tend to be harsh critics of our actions (applying a standard more stringent than God’s own). We often second-guess our judgment. We may carry lingering regrets long after an event — regrets the adversary can still use to tie us into emotional knots years later.
Like you, I tend to agonize about deleting comments, even those which are clearly hateful or unhinged. I worry that I may miss an opportunity to witness, even when it is obvious a particular reader has no interest in real dialog.
Thankfully, God is aware of our true intentions. He seeks to relieve us of the burden of legalistic tendencies (though not, I think, to punish us for them). Again, it is the adversary who uses such tendencies — particularly the feelings of guilt and worthlessness they generate — to distance us from God.
You are a shining example to me and others of a mature Christian, Susanne. I am sure you will qualify as the “good and faithful servant” referred to at Matt. 25: 23.
With love,
A. ❤ ❤ ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dearest Anna,
Thank you for your encouraging words. ❤
You are right as to your observations regarding a legalistic upbringing, an overly sensitive conscience, and the consequences thereof! ⭐
I think the more readers we have, the more caution is needed regarding comments or emails. It is so easy to mistake a nice and flattering response with true and loving honesty, having sprung from Christ’s humble Spirit. I see it so often how the angel of light tries to sneak into our blogs with phoney compliments in order to catch us unawares. At first he enters our mind, then we cannot get rid of thinking about their words, and finally the rollercoaster of (negative) emotions follows. This is torment, isn’t it?
No, God does not punish us, whatever our personal tendencies might be. Jesus loves us and wants to set us free.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
With love,
Susanne ❤ ❤ ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne, you wrote “…sometimes Christians offer a lot of truth and thus we think they can be trusted. It is the little lies…” This is true.
It is two truths, actually: First, we can’t trust anything people, particularly Christians, say without the Spirit’s confirmation because (second) it is the little lies which are the most deceptive. It is God’s spirit which leads us into all truth, and no other. (John 16:13)
Joh 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
Each of us is given the light we need, but it is like a flashlight: it shows us only as much as is necessary to do the job at hand. We go astray if we take the part we have been shown and expand it beyond that purpose.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Blessings!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree wholeheartedly, Louise! ⭐
What you quoted from John, ch. 2 also matches with Michael’s description about Andrew Strom’s take on revival and esp. miracles (!). I saw that on his website, too, and felt repelled. He is charismatic so far and that let my alarms bells ring right at the outset.
It is so true that we should never go beyond the light He has given us. This going-beyond is always a fleshly thing. Charity IS wonderful, however, may we never mistake soulish tolerance or empathy for divine love when we see someone suffer while he, at the same time, tries to pull us away from Christ. Big danger for us women with a motherly heart, I believe. ❤
Blessings!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, Susanne, so true. Satan can even draw us away with soulish love and empathy in order to deceive. Not long ago I let my guard down to a Christian woman that was crippled only to have her come at me with a religious spirit of judgment. Maybe this is why Jesus seemed to be non-empathetic in so many cases. He knew the difference between the Father’s love and its other forms often showing people who came to Him for healing what we call, “tough love.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, we both had similar experiences like the one you just described, Michael, esp. on our blogs in the past. ‘Tough love’, that nails it! We should never show this kind of ‘tough love’ on our own but always only by following His Spirit without showing any partiality toward anyone. Humanly impossible, but with God everything is possible… May HE help us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Louise, I feel that your comment was filled with hard earned insight. You wrote, “It is two truths, actually: First, we can’t trust anything people, particularly Christians, say without the Spirit’s confirmation because (second) it is the little lies which are the most deceptive.”
Solomon wrote, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” (Song 2:15, KJ2000) How true, those sly little foxes spoil the Lord’s vineyard, those little lies that are slipped into a message that is primarily scriptural. Someone said that Satan only uses one percent lies in a message that is filled with truth in order to deceive. The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was a classic example of this. YES, we truly must rely on the Spirit of Truth to show us where the little foxes are hiding.
As for 1 Corinthians ch. 13. I started out seeing and reveling in Christs love of which it speaks. I then became infatuated with the spiritual gifts spoken of there as I heard many Pentecostal sermons preached and sought sought the gifts above all else. But after many years I finally grew into the later verses of the chapter as if it is a time line in Christian maturity. I now see that the greatest gift of all is Christ’s love. Where I once spoke in tongues, it ceased. Where I once prophesied it passed away. Where I once sought scriptural knowledge, that too faded. But the Love of God working in us, THAT and the need for it never ends. The greatest of all these is Love.
Thanks so much for sharing your heart and insights with us, Louise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
FOR YOUR INTEREST
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well done dear sister.👍😇🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
⭐️Like
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pingback: Conformed into the Likeness of the Image of God’s Son | Entering the Promised Land