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Victory Over
Comparing, Part 1
By
Maria Maria #558
12/00
Contents
Break out
of the vortex
Each vessel has its weak
spots
Your special
calling
Move at your own
pace
Mama's comparing
battles
Comparing in
teamworking
Godly comparing can be
good
My unsung
heroes
Defining comparing and
jealousy
Smiling for the joys of
others
Comparing and
familiarity
Encouraging a
comparer
A good enough
reason?
Comparing your children to
others
You chose it
Dear
Family,
1. I love you! I hope that
the first GN in this Keys to Victory series on comparing was a blessing
to you. In this GN--and the final part of the series, which will follow
later--you'll find a meaty collection of prophecies, most given originally
for individuals who battle or have battled comparing. Many of these were given
for people on our staff, and in some cases I've also included their prayers or
questions. I'm not including a lot of commentary, as in most cases I believe
these messages stand on their own and will speak straight to the hearts of
those of you who need them and are hungry for the Lord's answers to your
battles with the big “C.” I'm praying for you, that you'll each find the special
place of contentment that the Lord has for
you.
Love, Mama
Break Out of
the Vortex!
2.(Jesus
speaking:) I can relieve your fears and dry your tears if you accept My love
and My encouragement. All the stress and worry can be calmed if you take My
Spirit upon you and trust. I will deliver you from your fears and sadness, from
your thoughts that pull you down and make you sad. I will take care of all of
your needs and more, if you let Me. All those worries and thoughts that torment
you, every bit of the negative can be transformed by My power. You don't have to
live with the attacks of the Enemy, and you don't have to fight his attacks on
your own. I'm here to fight for you, and you have My power at your side. All you
have to do is call on Me.
3.I
know the battle is strong. I know the Enemy is fighting hard and you're torn and
barely hanging on. You feel you can't make it one more step, one more day,
that you can't handle any more and you're not good enough, not strong enough,
and just a big failure. The battle is very intense and the Enemy is throwing all
his might into this fight. That's why it's so hard, My love. You have to realize
that the Enemy hates you, and he tries extra hard to destroy all the good
that you do.
4.He's fighting
to destroy the progress that you've madeand is trying to pull you down
with negative thoughts and comparing thoughts. He knows those are weak
areas, so he really works on them to make them even worse. It's like being
caught in a vortex. You're in the middle, getting thrashed around by the strong
current, and there's no way out. You can't fight your way out--you're not strong
enough--but you can reach up to Me and I will lift you out and deliver you from
being pulled down.
5.You have
to let Me encourage you.You have to truly believe how important you
are--not only to Me personally, but to My work. When I tell you that you
have a very important ministry, you have to receive it and believe it. It might
just seem like a little job to you and not very important, especially if you
look around and see what you think are more important jobs being held by others,
but what you give is of great
importance.
6.I don't see you
as a failure in any area.I see you as a success, and I want to continue
to use you even more. You're very important to Me, just as important as
anyone else, and your work and ministry is important in My Kingdom, just as
important as anyone else's. I don't look at you and think, “Oh, she's not very
needed or important; she doesn't have a very important job, so I guess I don't
need her.” No, I look at you and I think, “She's a key person. She's a pillar
because she's faithful with My work, so I know I can count on her. I moved her
into that position and she's dependable, she takes it seriously and is desperate
and prayerful. She has a broken heart for the lost and really cares about My
sheep. She loves and gives and is willing to sacrifice. She gives her all. She
yields and is willing to learn and keep going. I really need her and I want to
keep using her mightily.”
7.So, Honey, when you start feeling down and discouraged about yourself, just
reach up for My encouragement. I have lots of love and encouragement
for you, and it's not just words, but it's real. When I tell you
that you and your work are important, you have to believe it; then you'll be
able to receive My encouragement. But if you brush it off and don't listen and
think that's not the answer, then you won't be able to receive My help and
you'll continue battling on your own. You have to believe Me when I tell you
that I want to continue to use you mightily, that you're loved, important, and
needed. Reach up for My hand of encouragement and let Me lift you up into My
arms.
8.The Enemy will try to
keep you from reaching up to Me. He'll try to keep you imprisoned in the
vortex. But you don't have to fight and struggle to get out--let Me rescue you.
Simply rest and trust and believe, and I will calm the troubled seas. (End of
message from Jesus.)
Each Vessel Has Its Weak
Spots
9.(Jesus
speaking:) You compare yourself a lot, thinking you're not all you should
be, that you're not good enough for your Lord and for the service I've called
you to do. You feel that if only you had improvement in this area or that
area, you'd be a polished enough vessel to serve Me in the way you think would
be best and most pleasing in My eyes. But, My love, what you don't see are that
the holes in your vessel and the less polished areas are what I look tenderly
upon, and what prove your need for Me. These little notches and holes in your
vase are places where I can put My fingers and get a tighter grasp on you, so
that when I pour forth through you, you don't slip out of My fingers and fall to
the ground because of being so slick and shiny with your own
goodness.
10.Oh, sweet love,
let Me reach My fingers in and hold tightly to you. Stay within My grasp.
You look at your vessel as compared to others, and you see others have a longer
neck, a wider brim, or a sturdier base, but yours seems rather funky. But,
Honey, I made you! My hands formed you, and I created you thus. And I'm still
creating you, changing you, strengthening you, adding new parts and pieces
to your vessel, and molding you to My perfect
design.
11.So when you're
tempted to compare with another, to look at another as being more talented, more
capable or appealing to others, and you feel so weak and powerless to attain
to these qualities you wish you had--look to Me, My love, and let Me wrap My
arms around you and hold you and bear you up and show you things from My
perspective. I'll show you that each vessel has weak spots, each is in need of
Me, and your weaknesses and lacks are just something that have caused you to
look to Me. Your weak spots are nothing to be ashamed of before My eyes. In your
humility I will lift you up.
12.The meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the
abundance of peace. My peace will I give unto you--peace to realize that you
don't have to work hard at attaining things that are not meant for you to do;
that you don't have to work at trying to polish yourself, to make yourself
better and more useful for Me. Lie back in My arms and let Me mold you and
create you to be just the vessel I need you to be. Don't try to work something
up; only leave yourself utterly in My hands, within My grasp. I will keep you
close to Me, and you'll find that you're just what I need. (End of
message from Jesus.)
Your Special
Calling
13.
(Jesus speaking:) The gifts and calling of God are without
repentance. There are many members of My Church, but they make up one body,
and upon each member I bestow a unique set of gifts--gifts of government, gifts
of healing, gifts of prophecy, gifts of teaching, gifts of helps, gifts of
administration, gifts of writing. I ask each one to use the gifts that I've
given them to the full. Art thou called to be a servant? Seek not to be loosed.
Everyone serves in a certain capacity. Some serve in the kitchen, some serve in
the office, some serve in the yard, some serve in the area of training children.
And just as I came not to be ministered unto but to serve, shepherds and leaders
also are called to serve their flocks.
14.Many seek to be loosed from the gifts and callings that I give
them. Some that I've given the gift of helps or of administration look in
envy at others who they think have more glorious ministries, and are jealous of
them. This causes them to be discontent. This is a ploy of the Enemy to belittle
the gifts and talents that I've given you. I desire for My children to seek to
improve in their growth and relationship with Me, but I don't want them to be
discontent with the way that I've made them, for I've made them a certain way
that they might fulfill My plan and My will. Some I am calling to be
bellwethers, and they realize what a job and responsibility it is, so they fight
against it. Some I'm calling to be little people, but because they think it's
more important to have a more glorious ministry, they're discontent with
the ministry I'm calling them to do.
15.Discontentment is one of the Enemy's devices to get you to not
thank Me and praise Me for the gifts and talents I've given you. It's one of
his tricks to keep you from accepting the way that I've made you. I've made each
of you an individual with a unique set of gifts and talents, that you might
supplement the other members of the body, so that if all work together in a
united way, much more can be accomplished than through one individual, or even
two or three.
16.Although
each ministry and responsibility within My Church is just as important, it's
important that each yields to the ministry that I'm calling them to. I
don't judge by which ministry you have; I judge by your faithfulness in the
ministry I've given you, your obedience to the calling I've called you to, and
your acceptance of the gifts and talents I've bestowed upon you for the
sake of My work in winning souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. For this is My
goal--to reach the world with My love and My message, and that I might be
glorified.
17.I give each
individual limited gifts and talents so he or she might work together with other
individuals, so that no one person gets the credit and the glory, but that
it goes to Me. Learn to recognize the gifts and talents that I've given you.
Learn to accept the way that I've made you. Learn to use these gifts for the
benefit and furtherance of My Kingdom.
18. Even though comparing often leads to being negative and discouraged about
one's self, it has many roots in pride. It feels it deserves more. It
desires to do or look or be better or more appreciated in some way. It longs for
recognition. It wants to be best, and bemoans that it isn't. As Lucifer and
the fallen angels fell because of pride, desire for exaltation, and wanting to
take the glory, even so the Enemy tries to deceive people by working on the
natural human tendencies of wanting the credit, wanting the glory, wanting to
look good in the eyes of others.
19.But learn, as My faithful messenger John the Baptist proclaimed,
that you must decrease, so that I may increase. Although John the Baptist
had a glorious ministry of proclaiming and preparing My way, he had to yield to
the ministry that I called him to--to be My messenger--and this was not easy for
him. It was a sacrifice for him, but he was faithful to My calling and faithful
to fulfill the role I called him to play. As a result, he has gone down in
history as a man of faith and obedience.
20.So recognize your gifts and abide in your calling, for if you
receive the joy, happiness, and contentment of fulfilling My will for your life,
you'll shine brightly and glorify Me as an instrument in My hands. Yield to My
calling, and receive the peace and contentment that I have for you. Even though
it may require sacrificing what you want to be, or even what you think I want
you to be, you'll see that I know best, and you'll find happiness in the
fulfillment of performing My will. You'll stand tall, you'll glow, and you'll be
fulfilled. (End of message from Jesus.)
Move At Your Own
Pace
21.(Jesus
speaking:) While it may seem to you that the balances tip unfairly one
direction or another in your life or in the life of another, in My eyes all is
fair and just. I give each person what they need. It may not always be what
you want or come in the way that you want, but it's what you need. Whether
seeming to be a blessing or a burden, each experience is a gift from My hand,
and each happening is part of the plan on the map I've laid out for your
life.
22.You have to move
from place to place in order to reach your final destination, and so does every
other person. At times your lives seem to intersect, and you feel that
you're traveling on the same path, so the conditions should be the same for both
of you. But in fact there are times when I have each person make a slight turn
or detour, or I alter their path somewhat so that you're not going at the same
pace or completely in the same
direction.
23.Everyone is
moving forward toward the goal. The goal is for all to draw closer to Me and
to become stronger in My Spirit, but I use different things in different lives
to achieve that goal. Your makeup is unique, different than any other person's,
and the things that I need to do to remake you, to help you learn all that I
need you to learn, are different from the things I do in any other person's
life. So the only way to be happy and content is to truly let go of comparing.
Do not analyze, observe or study the lives of others to see how their
personalities compare with yours, how their relationships compare with yours, or
how their jobs compare with yours.
24.It's good to understand, to have insight, to learn from what
others learn; it's not good to measure your experiences, your battles or
your blessings against theirs. For one, there is so much that you don't know,
that you don't see or understand; and second, you don't know My plan or the
purpose I have in each thing. What seems to you to be a blessing that you're
missing out on may be part of a burden that another person bears. (End of
message from Jesus.)
25.(Jesus speaking:) Don't get into a competitive or comparing spirit,
thinking that others are doing more, and therefore you need to push
harder. The method I've put within your nature, of moving along steadily and
surely, plodding away faithfully and consistently rather than racing forward
spurred by bursts of energy, is the way I would have you work and
be.
26.You do what you
can--no less, and no more--and use the gifts I've given you to fulfill the
ministries I've given you. Don't worry that you're not doing enough or that
you'd be more useful if you just had this or that talent or attribute. If you're
being prayerful, which you are; if your plans and methods are confirmed by Me,
which they are; if you're putting Me first, which you are; if you're following
instructions from your overseers, which you are--then you're doing what I would
have you to do, and you don't need to fret about whether it's enough or worry
about how others perceive you.
27.Fill the role I've given you well, and find contentment in the
thought that I've arranged it especially for you. Let yourself be happy in
what you're happy in. You worry too much and you expect too much from yourself
sometimes. Each worker, with their particular gifts and style, makes up a part
of the whole. The vision is not for everyone to be the same or for all to
imitate the work habits, style, or speed of others. The vision is for everyone
to follow Me at the pace and in the direction I lead them. Only then will all
run smoothly and all needs be filled. Remember that and bear it in mind when the
Enemy tempts you to compare your talents or how much you get done with
others. Just don't. Block it out. I'm thankful for you as you are, and so are
your loved ones and shepherds, so you be thankful as well, okay? (End of
message from Jesus.)
Mama's Comparing
Battles
28.(Mama:)
As you know, I've had some comparing battles. I've often said that I've
battled wishing the Lord had made me more this way or that way. Here's something
that the Lord gave me once when I was having battles about not being more
eloquent and a better public speaker, comparing my talents in this area to
Peter's.
29.(Jesus
speaking:) I am He Who distributes the gifts, and I give to each and
every person the gifts that he needs for what I've chosen him to
do.
30.To those who are
called to sing I give a musical gift, and they're to use this to win souls
through music. Those who have the gift of writing have been given this gift
so they might write to win souls. Those who are good with children have been
given this gift so they may raise the prophets. Those who are able to draw have
been given this gift so they may win souls for Me with their drawing. I know
each of My children and I've allotted to each person his or her particular
gifts, and I make no mistakes. Don't think you do not have a gift. All have
gifts in varying numbers and degrees, and I did not make a mistake when I
allotted you your gifts.
31.You have to find your gift and be content with it, and use what I've given
you to win souls. I fashioned you before you were born and I knew what gifts
I would give to you. If you were created to be eloquent, know that I would have
given you this gift. You are eloquent enough for what you need to be and do, but
because you compare, you get discouraged, thinking that you're not as
eloquent as you would like to be. But you're fashioned perfectly for what I've
designed you for. You're not a Billy Graham; you have a different ministry
and a different calling.
32.It doesn't matter how eloquent you are. You could be the most brilliant
orator of all time, but if you didn't have the Spirit, it would be nothing. But
if you're anointed with My power, then the few words that you speak will be
powerful and anointed and they will have spirit and life. It's not how eloquent
you are; it's My Spirit that makes the
difference.
33.I've given you
other gifts, very special gifts. I've given you My anointing and mantle and
a special sense to know where My Spirit is leading. You can sense it and feel it
in your heart. You have a special intuition and very keen spiritual ears to hear
the whispers of My voice deep in your heart. I've given you a special sense to
be able to feel the hearts of others, a special feeling of empathy and sympathy.
I've given you a shepherd's heart, which is a great gift. It's not the day of
grand evangelism; it's the day of loving shepherds. To be able to know My sheep
and what they need and what they're feeling is a special gift. It takes special
love, and I have given you this love. Love is a
gift.
34.There are many
gifts--the gift of eloquence, the gift of art, the gift of music, the gift of
writing--but the gift of love, from My Own heart to yours, is the greatest and
most precious. Your special connection with Me is a great gift. I'm giving
you the gift of being able to touch each of My sheep personally in spirit, to be
able to know and understand the grassroots. The things that you say are
eloquent enough and are anointed of Me.
35.You already have so many important gifts to keep you busy. If
you also had the gift of eloquence, it would crowd out some of the most
important gifts of listening and communing with Me, sensing My direction,
sensing My Spirit, sensing what the children need, and your discernment and your
gift of love. (End of message from Jesus.)
Comparing in
Teamworking
36.(Jesus
speaking:) There's bound to be some comparing when you work and live and
operate closely together. It's partly an occupational hazard. But when any
member of a teamwork begins to look too much at what the other is doing and
compare themselves unfavorably, the Enemy can use it against them to weaken
them. What could be their strength as a teamwork--working unitedly, each
abiding in their calling, being thankful for their special gifts and talents and
seeing My hand and how I'm using them to do My will--could turn into
discouragement and a loss of faith.
37.The Enemy loves to find any opening of negative comparing to cause
questions, doubts, and little resentments about the way I've created you,
even little resentments about others and how I choose to use them. His
attacks through negative comparing slowly chip away at your foundation of faith
until you find it difficult to believe My promises to you, that I've anointed
you for your calling, that I've gifted you and chosen you and am well pleased
with your service and love for Me.
38.The Enemy can also use this negative channel and comparing to
cause you to find fault with and criticize others, to draw back and try to
do things on your own, because he has you convinced that you need to prove
yourself on your own, that others don't respect you and value your counsel.
These are lies of the Enemy and the fruit of negative comparing. He attacks with
inner battles of frustration, fear of failure, loneliness, and discouragement.
He attacks your channel with Me, and once he's found an inroad through negative
comparing and has weakened you through listening to his lies and misconceptions,
he tries to weaken your connection with Me so that you begin to wonder about My
love for you, My wisdom, My plans, and how I choose to do
things.
39.He attacks your
spirit and tries to weaken you to the point that you'll put down your weapons of
war and even forsake your crown of service--the responsibility that I've
given you, along with the gifts and anointing to do it. He wants to cause you to
doubt My love, My Word, and My wisdom. It's his goal to pull you down, to
destroy your faith in Me and My Word through this slow weakening of your
spirit.
40.If he can get you
to believe that others are more loved by Me, are given more responsibility,
are more trusted, are better, more gifted, or more spiritual--if he can get you
to believe these lies, it will slowly eat away at your faith to come to Me for
My perspective and My answers. You'll then give up on yourself and figure that
you're not even worthy of My time or able to be used by Me. His goal is to stop
you from being open and receptive to the things that I want to show you, and if
he can cause you to feel negative about yourself or others, he knows that you
won't have the faith to come to Me and truly believe the things that I
say.
41.I've anointed you in
a special way for the things I want you to do. I love you for who you are,
for the way I've created you. I'm pleased with your faithfulness and love for
Me. I see the many sacrifices you continually make to serve Me and please Me.
You're a vessel of honor, of quality, and one that I've chosen to perform My
will. I've given you a teamwork of members who are like-minded, who are also
gifted by Me, who I've also chosen for their particular place of service. Each
person is given a crown to wear, and one person is not better than another, but
all must work together in order to accomplish the task of shepherding,
leading, and guiding My Family.
42.You must fight this attack of the Enemy on your spirit and give no
place to him. You must see its seriousness--that it's not just a little
negative thinking or comparing, but that the Enemy's goal is to weaken your
spirit to the point that he can render you ineffective by causing you to doubt
your place of service, and to doubt Me. Fight the Enemy's lies! Take a strong
stand against every single negative thought and comparison and replace it with
the truth--that I've gifted you in the way that I want you to be gifted, and
that I'm using you to accomplish My
will.
43.Seek the help and
prayers of your teammates. Be open and honest with them so that they
can support you in prayer and fight for you. They need you and I need you to
carry on in your important work. You must fight for positive thoughts, for a
positive outlook on every situation. Commit yourself to seeking Me and My
perspective on things whenever you find yourself battling with the Enemy's lies.
Ask Me to replace the Enemy's perspective with the truth--and then accept it,
believe it, and act upon it.
44.I will help you and deliver you from this attack of the Enemy. I'll give
you the anointing needed to fight this battle, but you must use the new weapons,
receive My Words of truth, and fight! These are days of intense battle for many
of My children, because the forces of evil have been unleashed upon the world.
The Enemy has been given more leeway and he is no longer confined to his former
boundaries, and because of this you'll see his greater attacks on your spirit. I
must allow it to be so for now, as it's part of the process of ushering in the
era of action and of greater works.
45.The victory will be won if you fight on. There is much ahead
of you, My precious one, much that I have for you to do, so don't give up the
fight now and don't faint in your mind. Come to Me, trust Me, and let Me
strengthen you and give you the anointing you need for this battle. I will bring
you through as even finer gold, more precious than before--more trusting, more
believing, an even better vessel in My hand, if you hold fast to your faith and
fight. (End of message from Jesus.)
Godly Comparing Can Be
Good
46.(Jesus speaking:) Some
competition, a little bit of comparing or that feeling of Godly jealousy, can be
good and useful. I can use it to enhance your relationship with Me and to
motivate you to draw closer to Me and become more intimate with
Me.
47.If one teamworker sees
that another is progressing in their walk with Me and their relationship with
Me, and is drawing closer to the spirit world, receiving answers from the
spirit, and is being directed and guided by Me, and they have that feeling that
they should likewise be more in tune with Me or closer to Me, this is good.
Those feelings or twinges of competitiveness or Godly jealousy are not bad, but
something that I can use to keep you following hard after Me. I like
that.
48.It's a natural
tendency that I've put in the heart of man to want to do good, to want to
please, to excel, to achieve, and to win victories. Those of the world
strive to excel in their own right, to promote themselves, to appear better than
their neighbors, to get the credit and applause for themselves. They want to do
good for themselves so that they can feel better about themselves, or feel that
they're better than the next guy.
49.It's not good to strive merely out of pride or to gain honor,
but if you have a little bit of that feeling of comparing or competitiveness
and it motivates you to please Me, to do that which is right in My sight, to
obey Me, to follow My will, to put My Words into practice, and it draws you
closer to Me and to your brethren, then this is
good.
50.Each person has
their own talents and gifts, which I will use to the fullest. I will use you
to help and support each other. I will use that little bit of Godly jealousy or
competitiveness to enhance My work and to enhance your ability to work well
together, to make progress, and win victories in My
work.
51.So as long as it
stays on a healthy, Godly level and doesn't get out of hand or reach the
pointwhere people feel hurt or upset or offended or discouraged or
actually get too jealous or too competitive, then I can use a little bit of
Godly comparing! I can use it to win victories in your personal lives and in
your teamwork together. But if it seems to get a little out of line at some
time, then you need to pray for My help to keep it in line and under subjection
to My Spirit. (End of message from Jesus.)
My Unsung
Heroes
52. (Jesus
speaking:) I know, My precious one, that you often feel so
incapable. You wonder how anyone could love you or need you, or how you
could be used to supply the needs of another, because you feel like you fumble
around and you make so many mistakes. You feel that you're not smart enough or
quick enough or gifted enough. But I'm here today to tell you that you don't see
it as you should. You don't see it as I do, nor do you see it as those
who love you see it. There are so many qualities about you that I love and that
I need, and these qualities are gifts from My hand--blessings in disguise. You
haven't yet learned to easily recognize these gifts and blessings, but with
time you will.
53.I will help
you to feel more complete in Me, to see your place and your calling more clearly
so that you can make your calling and election sure and find peace in your heart
and mind. I've made you a servant of all, but don't despise this place. Was
I not also a servant of all? Did I not come seeking to serve rather than to be
served? Did I not live to bring others joy, health, and happiness? I made Myself
of no reputation. I was a humble man who walked amongst the poor. I gave bread
to the needy. I reached out a healing hand to those in pain. I helped to carry
the load of those who were downtrodden.
54.My life and ministry was that of a servant, for I had come to seek
and save others. In many ways I was what you would call an unsung hero--one
who did not receive the praise and recognition that was his due. Only those who
knew Me well and could see and sense things in the spirit knew the truth of what
was going on. So it is today that many of My children who lead what look like
rather quiet, uneventful, less-than-spectacular lives, who have ministries that
are not in the limelight, are also unsung heroes. They may receive little
acclaim or recognition on Earth, but are known as true heroes in My Heavenly
realm. On Earth, however, only those who see and sense and understand the ways
of the spirit can see the greatness and the tremendous value of these, My
precious unsung heroes.
55.For I judge not by the glory of man or by the greatness of the works of his
hands, but I judge the heart, and what means the most to Me is
love--unselfishness, giving, caring for others, humility. I do not compare
one with another, but I take each of My precious brides as an individual and I
reward you and honor you and bless you. Not in comparison with someone
else--their gifts or their apparent fruitfulness--but I judge each one by their
faithfulness, loyalty, dedication, desperation, yieldedness, and by how much of
themselves and their heart and their own ways and wishes they've given to
Me.
56.You are one of My
unsung heroes, but you just don't realize it. You see yourself as so small,
almost insignificant. You feel that you could hardly make a change in the lives
of those around you, much less in the world and in the bigger picture. But I
reassure you, I promise you, I give you My Word that your place in My Kingdom,
in My Endtime work, is one of great value and
importance.
57.I have My hand
on you and I'm lovingly shaping you as soft, sweet-smelling clay into the vessel
that I long for you to be. But if My hands are to have full sway, then you
must resist the Enemy's lies and the temptation that you often feel to be
discouraged, to think negatively about yourself, to compare yourself with
others, and to feel that you come up short. For when you do these things,
it causes you to sink into the depths of despair, and then you lose your
Halloween wheel; you lose your power to resist the
Enemy.
58.When you find
yourself complaining, thinking negatively about yourself, or feeling that
you're worthless and you have nothing to offer, you must recognize that these
are lies of the Enemy. You've grown accustomed to these negative thought
patterns, so you're comfortable with them and you feel that that's just the way
you are. But you must learn to see these as decoys, detours, and distractions of
the Enemy. He seeks to put roadblocks in your path to delay you, slow you down,
and even stop you, if it were possible, from becoming the person that I've
destined you to be.
59. I know it's
easy to become impatient, to feel that you haven't yet found your place or your
calling, and it makes you feel unfulfilled, unchallenged, and dissatisfied,
especially when you look around at others who seem much more suited for what
they're doing. It looks like they're really going places and doing something
that counts, really making a difference. You feel that what you do by comparison
is so minimal that anybody could do it. But that's not true! “Anybody” could not
do it, because I've chosen you to do so. This is your special place, your
special work, your special ministry for the time being, and without you there
would be a loss, a void, and things would not be the same. (End of
message from Jesus.)
Text
box:
Q:
60. How does this fit
in with the fact that none of us are indispensable? Even though the Lord has
chosen us for a particular place and ministry, if necessary He can also raise up
someone to take our place who may end up doing a better
job.
Jesus:
61. It is
true that each person is designed for the job I have chosen them to
do, and that without them there would be a loss and things would not be the
same. And it is also true that no one is
indispensable.
62. These are not
contradictory statements; they are simply true in different
circumstances, like My counsel to answer not a fool
according to his folly in one situation, but to answer him in such a way
in another situation. Both are true; only the situation
varies.
63.I design and
prepare you for the job I have for you, nurturing you with great care until you
are ready for both the responsibility and the anointing. If you were to give
all that up, it would be a loss to My work and a loss for
you.
64.However, I cannot
permit My work to fail, so just as I prepared you for your job, I will prepare
another for the job, because My plan will not be defeated. Also, in My
Kingdom the anointing comes with the job or responsibility, so one who departs a
job often loses that anointing and it is taken up by the one who comes to
replace them. The latter may have less experience and may need to grow into a
knowledge of how to use or apply the anointing, but it is theirs
nonetheless.
65. Thus do My methods
work, and thus can I say that all are necessary and important while none are
indispensable. (End of message from Jesus.)
End of text
box
Defining Comparing and
Jealousy
66.(Jesus
speaking:) I want to take the time to talk to you about a couple of things
that hinder you from living up to your full potential--comparing and jealousy.
In your case, they're one and the same. Jealousy is a strong term, and I
know that you don't think that you're jealous of others, just that you
compare with them and look down on yourself. So I'll explain more about what
jealousy is, besides how you understand the
word.
67. Did you know that one of
the ways that jealousy is manifested is by a fear of being replaced by
others? That should help you understand that you're battling jealousy.
Jealousy is being apprehensive of losing your position or others'
affection. Jealousy is what causes you to be unhappy or resentful that others
accomplish more than you, and to wonder why I don't make it easier for you.
Jealousy makes you envious of the success of others in their work, in their
personal life, in their relations with others, and even in their relationship
with Me.
68.Jealousy makes
you inclined to suspect others' motives, and then in fear, push far away
from those who have talents in the areas I've asked you to work in, because you
worry that they will eventually replace you. You should instead allow yourself
to rejoice for the work's sake when they're being productive; don't fear that
your encouragement will spark an even greater enthusiasm in them to be better
and thus surpass you.
69.Your
jealousy has crept up on you because of your apprehensions, which come from
your lack of faith and from your vigilant guarding of your position, which is
also a lack of faith that I will keep you in the center of My
will.
70.Ministries are Mine
alone to give and take, and I need you to do what you're doing at this time.
So don't worry, My love. You struggle so hard to keep up with all that I've
asked you to do and you take too much on yourself, even to the hurt of your
times with Me. In doing this you forget that I want to do it, not you; you're
just My channel, My hands, a means for Me to accomplish My
will.
71.Don't worry that I'm
going to leave you in the cold. I will not allow someone to replace you in
your work for Me if it's not in My best interests and yours as well. I will not
cast you out of My service just because someone else is “better” than you. I
have the big picture in mind, and I know who needs to do what. There's so much
work to be done that there will always be work for you--as long as you're
willing to take it on.
72.My
love, there is no need to compare, no need for jealousy. I see how you look
at others who seem to be so much more accomplished than you, others with
shining, glorious ministries who seem so organized, have such good suggestions,
ideas, and talents, and you wonder how you'll ever be able to keep up with them
or please Me. But you don't have to. I don't ask you to. I don't want you to. I
want you to be who I made you to be and to accomplish what I ask you to
do.
73.Doing what needs to be
done from day to day and being a holy hole is the most useful ministry you could
possibly have, and one of the best abilities is availability. I don't look
for natural abilities, though I can use those who have them and who are willing,
but I look for the heart that loves Me and wants Me and is willing to do
anything I want them to do because of their love for Me. In you I have found
such a person, so rejoice!
74.Fight to overcome your feelings of lowliness and of comparing, for I don't
see things the way you do. I see through the eyes of love, and I've been
blessed to hold your heart that you have placed in My hands. I don't just look
at your accomplishments; I look at your love, your incentives, and motivations.
I look at your desire to please Me. I look at the quality time that you devote
to others. I look at how you've increased the talents that I've given you.
Faithfulness, love and obedience were all I asked of you, and you gave Me that
with a zeal that pleased Me. You did the best that you could and the most that
you could with what I gave you, and because of that I will now entrust you with
more and I will help you do it.
75.Please don't look at others and think that I would love you more
if you were as “important” as them, or that you would be more favored being
the only one who can do what you do, or if people only knew all the
behind-the-scenes work that you do daily. Continue doing what you see needs to
be done. You're all My workers doing My work, and each aspect is vital. In My
eyes your work is just as important as anyone else's, because if you didn't do
your job, there would be a hole in My work. (End of message from
Jesus.)
Smiling for the Joys of
Others
76.(Dad
speaking:) There's a temptation to feel that the Lord doesn't love you very
much, or that somehow you're not doing well, or you're not as good in His
eyes, when He blesses someone else with something or allows something good to
happen to them which hasn't happened to you. The Enemy can use comparing and get
you to think that you're not receiving the same blessing because you're not good
enough, not really very loved after all, not doing a good enough job, and all
those terrible lies. But the truth is that you are loved. It's just that
the other person needed to feel that particular touch of the Lord's love, or
needed that blessing more than you did at the
time.
77.The Lord doesn't
pass people by and forget to bless them and give them the things they appreciate
and that make them happy. If you're faithfully serving Him, He'll bless you
and reward you and cause you to have the things that make you happy too.
He loves you very much and has blessed you with many good things, and has
allowed you to have many wonderful experiences. But you can't have all your
blessings at the same time. He has to spread them out and give them to you when
He knows it's best and when you'll really appreciate
them.
78.You have no way of
knowing what another person may be going through, the battles that they might be
fighting, and the attacks of the Enemy. So when you see someone else receive
a blessing from the Lord, don't look at it as if they're more loved or
appreciated and you're just being left out. That's what the Enemy would like you
to think, because then he knows it can lead to you feeling resentful, to losing
the joy of the Lord, and looking on the negative side instead of the positive
side of all the wonderful things the Lord does for
you.
79.The Lord rewards and
blesses people according to their need, their faithfulness and their obedience,
and He doesn't forget anyone. So if you see someone being blessed, just know
it's their time and He has a reason for blessing them with that particular
thing, and not you. But it doesn't mean that He doesn't think you're as
wonderful and deserving of His blessings. It's just that He has to treat each
person differently according to their needs and what He knows is
best.
80.It can be a test,
but the best way to pass it is to resist the urge to compare and worry and feel
bad because you're not receiving that particular blessing. Trust the Lord
that He knows what He's doing, He knows how you're feeling, and if you pass the
test cheerfully and keep trusting Him, your turn for a blessing will come
around. He loves you and doesn't want to do anything to hurt you. Have faith and
trust that He loves you just as much. Trust in His wisdom and timing as to when
He blesses you for your faithfulness and obedience. And remember, when your turn
comes around to receive a blessing, someone else might be going through the same
test, so be loving and prayerful and encourage them that their turn will come.
(End of message from Dad.)
81.(Dad speaking:) It's pretty tough to see someone get to do
something you would just love to do, and I'm sorry about that. It's human
nature to compare, but it rarely does much good. Usually it just leads to
discontentment and sorrow. You have to try real hard to see things in the spirit
as the Lord sees them, and know that He only gives things in the measure He
knows is best--the good and the seemingly bad. The Lord operates on the
principle “unto each according to his need,” as the Bible explains. But it's
very, very difficult for humans to see all the background as to why the Lord
allows certain things and then doesn't allow
others.
82.The Lord works in
every single individual life just as He sees is best. This is a very deep
question--that of why the Lord allows some things and doesn't allow other
things.
83.You have to take
it by faith, because there are so many details as to why He does a particular
thing in someone's life that you don't understand, and it would take too
long to explain all the background every time. And sometimes even if you had all
the time in the world, you wouldn't quite grasp or understand, just because your
life and theirs are very different. So the Lord usually just asks you to take it
by faith and to ask Him specifically about your own situation. You may not come
away from your time with Him fully understanding every detail, but He will tell
you what you need to know that will give you enough understanding and faith to
not let these things get you down. (End of message from
Dad.)
Comparing and
Familiarity
84.(From a
WS staff member:) The other day I was praying and the Lord brought to light
something I hadn't understood. There have been times when I've found myself
not receiving what others are saying, whether personally or in meetings. I was
bothered seeing others shine, and I was rejecting their words for no reason. I
asked the Lord about this reaction I've had at times, and He
said:
85.(Jesus
speaking:) The rejection you feel inside you at times like this is the
result of building bad habits. You've fed your heart with selfishness by
letting comparing into your life. This causes you to be cold toward others and
even reject the simplest words they share. By comparing with others, you take
their words as rivalry and open the door to sensitivity, which can't take seeing
them shine for Me. This spirit always looks for the wrong in others instead of
the good that comes from Me in each of
you.
86.This is another
weapon the Enemy is using nowadays in order to divide and conquer--letting
in comparing thoughts, and therefore negative thinking that tears others down
and doesn't let them shine. I want you to be warm and to welcome others into
your heart. As soon as you do this you'll see the difference in people's
attitudes toward you, but this needs humility in order to
work.
87.It's not a natural
thing for human beings to freely give, for it's their nature to be selfish.
But if you come to Me in yieldedness, I can make all things work in love and
harmony. It will become easier for you to give and to receive from others.
(End of message from Jesus.)
Encouraging a
Comparer
88.(Mama:)
Here's some counsel from the Lord given to the parents of a young woman who
faced intense comparing battles. The same principles of encouragement and
lifting up the good are worth putting into practice with any of your loved ones
who struggle with this weakness. Love and encouragement can do wonders! Of
course, it's up to the person to accept that encouragement if it's to do any
good, but often the more they hear something good about themselves, the more
likely they are to believe it. So do your part to abolish comparing by freely
showing appreciation and giving sincere
compliments.
89.(Dad
speaking:) Tell her she's beautiful! Help her believe in herself,
because there are a lot of voices trying to pull her down. Be strong voices on
the other side that she can hold on to until she learns to reject and rebuke
those evil voices.
90.Encourage her to let the light in. Tell her to hold on to the good
things, the positive things, and to throw all that other stuff overboard. Tell
her she's got a light to shine. She's got lots inside to pour out; she can be a
little light to shine on others. I know she doesn't feel like it, she doesn't
even want to do it, but that'll be a real key for her. If she started thinking
about how she could inspire others, she'd be a beautiful inspiration. But a lot
of that has got to come from her, I know, and you have been right in not pushing
her.
91.Take her in your arms
and tell her she's beautiful, and then pretty soon she'll believe it. Tell
her she's useful to the Lord, and she will be. You might have to speak faith for
her so she can get the idea, and then flow along with it. But don't give up!
She'll be all right.
92.A lot
of her trials are the same as for a lot of other young people. They think
they're the ugliest things that God ever made and wish they could just
disappear, become a speck on the windowpane or a fly in the corner of the
ceiling; they wish they weren't even there! There has to come a time when
they learn to forget all of that and simply ride with it--ride with the
enjoyment of life, the happy things, the good things, the positive things; to
let go and enjoy themselves and the Lord, and let His happiness flow through'm;
to just let go of all that damn doubtful despairing disillusionment of the
Devil.
93.So don't worry, but
you might have to fight for her. People like that need lots of
encouragement, and then they'll blossom! Tell them about their good qualities
enough, and eventually they'll believe it. She'll believe it when you encourage
her. Sometimes she's just waiting to hear some reassurance; she's fishing a
little bit. That's what they do. But that's okay; just give her the answer that
she needs and she'll come around. She'll pull through. (End of message
from Dad.)
A Good Enough
Reason?
94.(Question:) In “Prophecies on Leadership” it seems that most
prophecies that touch on comparingmajor on the fact that You don't
compare us to each other, so why should we? There are, of course, very good
points in those messages that definitely help. Unfortunately, however, I think
some of us, like me, are not so pure in our motives or so spiritually minded.
Okay, it helps to know that You don't compare us to others and that we don't
have to worry if we're not as good at this or that, or not as smart or beautiful
or whatever, because it won't make You love us less. That's comforting. But, on
the other hand, that knowledge alone doesn't exactly take away the
problem.
95.What if our
reason for comparing has nothing to do with worrying about whether we're
pleasing You or not, or worrying that we're going to get less of a
reward? What if we're just comparing amongst ourselves because we wish we
were different, or would like to be better at this or that, or more beautiful,
or whatever, just for our own sake and personal happiness? I know that sounds
terrible, because the whole purpose for everything we do should be to please
You, Jesus. But the fact is that there are plenty of other reasons for comparing
trials besides worrying about whether we're good enough for You. I know I'm
not, and I know You love me anyway; yet why do I still compare so
much?
96.In my case, it's not
necessarily concern for what others will think, either. Half the time I
couldn't care less what my peers think of me. It's just that I believe I would
be happier and have a better life if I were different--and would probably,
because of that, be able to serve You better because I wouldn't be so
discouraged and battling all the time. I feel I need a better argument
against comparing than that “the Lord doesn't compare, so you shouldn't either.”
Somehow that just doesn't cut it for
me.
97.(Jesus
speaking:) If you were perfect in spirit before Me, then the only thing that
would truly matter to you would be that you were pleasing Me. The knowledge
that I don't compare you with others and that I love you no matter what would
then relieve all battles of envy and comparison. Yet I know your frame, I
understand that you're dust, and I have compassion upon your carnal thoughts and
questions. I too was in a frame like yours, and I know the feelings and battles
that come upon you.
98.I
understand the desire of the flesh to want to be better, stronger, more
beautiful, more gifted. It's part of human nature to compare, to be
competitive, and for many it's also a deeply ingrained habit. I realize that
simply reassuring you of My love and concern for you will not rid you of this
habit once and for all, especially if it's very deeply entrenched in you.
Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that the more you believe in and
accept My love for you, and the more you learn to value Me and My love and the
things of My Spirit above all, the less you'll find reason to
compare.
99.The relatively
trivial things of life--your looks, your body, your skills and abilities--will
fade into the background as the things of true importance take on greater
meaning for you. Nor will you compare even as far as spiritual gifts such as
prophecy, wisdom, discernment, insight, etc., for you'll realize that what
matters most to Me, to others, and even to you, is love--your love for Me, My
love for you, your love for others, and their love for
you!
100.Besides that,
though, there are many other valid arguments I can provide that are good reasons
not to compare--not least of which is for the sake of your own happiness and
peace of mind. Those who learn to be content and who accept what they're given
don't struggle as much inwardly as those who have not yet found that place of
yieldedness and acceptance. Those who constantly compare, examine, observe and
analyze everything in search of some hidden meaning often come to very unhappy
conclusions and lead very unhappy
lives.
101.The vice of
comparing is like a virus that comes and wraps itself around your thought
patternsand weaves itself into so many facets of your life that it seems
to be almost one with you. It's almost not possible for those who are caught
in its grip to realize that life can be lived any other way; you find it
difficult to believe that you can truly be free from it. You see others who
don't seem to compare, and you're filled with envy and yet more comparison,
because you either don't understand how they've managed to not think that way,
or you think that the reason they don't compare is because they're so superior
to you and many others that they have no need
to.
102.The truth is that the
comparing bug is present to some extent within everyone's nature, yet you have a
choice as to how much you allow it to prosper. You can either shut it out,
block it out, and “think happy thoughts” instead, or you can feed the little
bug, give it a happy home, and let it thrive, grow, and multiply. Really,
though, the one it hurts the most is you. It also hurts others around you,
because no matter how much they love you or care about you, no one likes to be
around someone who is constantly making negative comments, putting themselves
down, criticizing themselves, or criticizing
others.
103.Comparing will,
in due time, drive friends and loved ones away from you, because they'll
either become exasperated with trying to help you and encourage you
when you refuse to be helped, or because they feel the bad vibes of you always
comparing with them and envying what they
have.
104.Often those who
compare feel unlovable and unlovely. Yet by this constant comparison you
only increase the vicious cycle by making yourself less lovable and lovely
through constantly putting yourself down. You've seen how over the past couple
of years you've grown in this area, to where you say and think less negatively
of yourself, and how, by the same token, people seem to like you more, and you
feel more confident in their love and assured that they do indeed care about
you.
105.In your case, you
had gotten encouragement and love before to some degree, but
through the closeness and intimacy of a personal relationship, as well as
establishing very deep friendships through difficult times, you came to realize
the deep love and concern that others have for you, as well as to understand the
way they see you. This helped you realize that you're not so terrible after all,
and that you have something to give. Yet you also had to make a decision around
this same time to try to stop comparing, and to accept the love you were
shown.
106.You could have
hardened yourself to it and refused to accept it, and in so doing, also refused
to accept the love and friendship that were being offered to you. But you
made the right choice; you decided to fight and move forward down the humble
road, and your life has gotten the better for it. You still have remnants of the
comparing mindset, but little by little, as you learn to love Me more deeply and
trust Me more fully, in time more and more of these very thin but strong
tentacles that have woven themselves throughout the fabric of your makeup
are being loosened and removed, until at last you'll find yourself free of their
grasp.
107.You wonder why
you're not free yet and why I didn't free you completely, and why many
others who also struggle with comparing battles don't find total deliverance
once and for all. Well, I give the victory when you come before Me and
desperately seek My help through united prayer and taking a stand against the
Enemy. Yet in order to fully rid yourself of a habit or thought pattern, I
require your cooperation, your fight, and your
resistance.
108.By nature
you're a bit stubborn; you don't let go of things easily, and it's been
difficult for you to be completely accepting or completely trusting in every
area of your life. You want to believe everything I say and to let go and
trust Me fully, but it's so hard for you. You're so used to your mindsets that
even though you don't like them and they cause you trials, you feel that you
wouldn't even know yourself without them, that you wouldn't be you. Well,
that's nothing to fear so terribly, is it? I can make you into something better!
Isn't that what you've always wanted?
109.Isn't that why you do so much comparing, because you want to be a
better, lovelier, more pleasant, more useful, more talented, more loved
person? Well, that's just what I'm trying to make you into! No, I'm not
going to give you a magic pill that puts you to sleep and then wake you up
looking like a movie star, with the personality of a talk show host, the IQ of
an Einstein, wisdom like Solomon's, and a gift of prophecy like Daniel's. But I
can make you into someone who is the perfect vessel of My love and
encouragement to others that I need you to be. And the part you might like best
is that I can make you into someone who's happy with what they are and what I've
given them--not proud, lifted up, or complacent, but simply
content!
110.It's a beautiful
word, isn't it? It's the word you've held out before you like a goal for as long
as you can remember now--the ultimate dream: contentment! You've basically
written it off as an impossibility until you get to Heaven, but you know, it
doesn't have to be that way. You can have it here and now, and it'll be a little
bit of heaven on earth, believe Me! It's yours for the taking. I've already
promised you the victory--you just have to fight for it. You'll benefit, I'll
benefit, and those around you will benefit. So what have you got to
lose?--Nothing but an old habit that's made you miserable for years and held you
back from fully reveling in My wonderful love--love that will wash away the
hurts, the doubts, the misgivings, the pride, and fill you instead with faith,
peace, humility, and that beautiful word--contentment! (End of message from
Jesus.)
Comparing Your Children to
Others
111. (Jesus
speaking:) Comparing yourself with someone else--comparing your
things, your work, your personality, your looks, your friends, your abilities or
talents, your strengths or weaknesses, or even your child with another child, is
not unusual. Everybody compares to some degree, but it can lead to
discouragement if you're not able to see the good and resist the negative.
Comparing yourself or your child from an analytical or critical point of view
and wishing your child was this or that can steal your happiness, your
inspiration, your yieldedness, and your peace of mind and contentment, not to
mention the effect it will have on your
child.
112.Children remember
things very clearly and are directly affected by their parents' attitudes and
how their parents feel and think about them. So if you're constantly
speaking faith and positive things about your child, either to him or to others,
and if you're thinking positive things about your child, this will have a good,
faith-building, positive effect on your child, and he'll become more like what
you think of him and expect from him. But if you are thinking or speaking
negatively about your child, either directly or indirectly to him, it will have
the effect of making him think negatively about himself and hinder his happiness
and self-esteem, his performance, and the way he sees himself. Faith begets more
faith; positive attitudes foster more positive attitudes in both yourself and
those around you. It takes faith in someone to bring out the best in
them.
113.People are
naturally attracted to positive people, to positive thinkers, and people who can
see the good and the bright side. Why? Because everybody compares and
everybody needs to hear and see the good and the best and the bright side in
order to lift their own spirits and give them faith for themselves, for others,
and for their situation. If you're positive and you think well of yourself or
your child, even if it's a forced sort of thinking that you don't naturally
feel, this positive spirit will not only do you a lot of good by creating a
positive channel for My Spirit to flow through, but it will also attract
others to you, and everyone's spirits will
benefit.
114.Your child is
different from any other child in the world, just as you're different from any
other person in the world. You're a unique parent, a unique person, and your
child is unique and created with great love and care. I've gifted your child
with his own special anointing for the role he will be called to play. I've
given him a soft and tender heart. I've given him a gift of love for Me and for
others, and this will be a key to a yielding
heart.
115.Don't compare your
child and wonder why he can't sing and perform and dance and act and get up in
front of people and be a star. Although these are gifts given to some,
they're not the most important gifts. These showy gifts are given to children
for a reason and for a future purpose to meet a certain need. But it doesn't
mean that they're better children, more important, more talented, and more
gifted than another child who is less showy, less inclined to take center stage
and be in the spotlight.
116.They're not more important, they're not better people, and they're not more
talented. They're simply talented in a certain area. And although it might
look to you like an important thing to be a performer or a star, in reality
these are not the most lasting or even the most important gifts of My
Spirit. They're important, and I use them for a reason, but the gifts of love,
of wisdom, of quiet understanding and compassion are by far the most useful
and important, because through these gifts, although less obvious and
showy, My Spirit is constantly
manifested.
117.If you, or
your child, are not the outgoing, center-stage sort of person, this does not
mean that you or he are inferior,or should feel inferior, or that he
lacks quality or is missing something in his makeup or his mental functions or
his ability to have a beautiful life and be a beautiful person--and most
importantly of all, to make a big difference and touch the life of another. It
doesn't mean that you're failing as a parent and somehow are not helping your
child become whatever you think he should be--charismatic, a leader, a talker,
an orator, a crowd pleaser. You're not failing at all, and your child is not
failing. You're simply judging him by another, looking for the showy gifts and
overlooking the wonderful, beautiful person that he
is.
118.When I look at your
child, I see him much differently than you do. When others look at your
child and interact with him, they aren't comparing him to another; they're
simply appreciating and loving him for what he is, and they see the good and
possibilities in him. They see a loving boy with a kind, sweet, loving
personality and spirit. They see a heart that is sensitive to things and people
around him, not selfish and self-centered. They see an outgoing,
peaceful, trusting personality, one who is not timid around other people.
They see the gift of faith being nurtured and growing inside. They see so very
much in this young person. They see the ability to communicate and interact well
with those around him, to get along well with people, to give and take and
respond with love and give love.
119.Your child is already a star and wins the hearts of many.
He's a beautiful star in My eyes, a real treasure, and a priceless gem that no
other can compare to. He is incomparable in My eyes and in My heart. I love him
just the way he is, just as I love you. So don't be tempted by the Enemy's trap
of comparing him to another. Don't let the Enemy steal away your joy and
inspiration, but resist the negative comparisons, accentuate the positive, and
let My positive spirit work in your life and bring forth the good fruits of more
faith, more joy, and more peace.
120.Comparing is a very detrimental thing to do, because
it's so easy to end up on the wrong channel, feeling totally discouraged and
down. It's like putting the “things I like” and “things I don't like” on the
opposite sides of a set of scales. It's a natural tendency of human nature to
see the negative more quickly, and therefore pile up more negative things and
tip the scales way off balance. Pretty soon there's so much stuff piled up on
the negative side that you can't see over it, and it's blocking your view of all
the good and positive.
121.There's plenty of good and positive, but if you have a tendency to be a
negative thinker, you need My help to see the truth. You need to tap into My
Spirit and ask Me for help to see things in the right way and to get rid of the
negative things the Enemy is trying hard to pile up in front of you. The Enemy
is very happy when you sit down to play the comparing game because he knows he
can feed you lots of false material, lies, misconceptions, wrong attitudes, and
plenty of negativity to totally discourage you, and you'll never win if you play
by his rules.
122.When you
trust, believe, and accept things from My Spirit and look at things with My
point of view, your spirit will be lifted because you'll be seeing the
truth. Once you see the truth and you hold on to it with believing faith, it
won't even matter so much to you what the Enemy tries to tell you, because
you've heard the truth from Me and you can hang on to it. Pretty soon the Enemy
will just take his pile of lies and leave. (End of message from
Jesus.)
You Chose It!
123.(Mama:) One of the folks in our Home received the
following very interesting message concerning the decisions they made about
their life even before coming to Earth. It helped this person a great deal
to gain this extra insight and understanding into why their life is the way it
is. If you have battles with comparing or feeling negatively about yourself, you
might want to ask the Lord about the choices you made before coming to Earth,
and that will probably help you better understand and be able to handle things
in your life that you find
difficult.
124.(Jesus
speaking:) Before the Earth was, I knew you. Before your mission in life
was chosen, we were together. You had a full life Here. You, like most Here in
this realm, had an awareness of the happenings on Earth and in the universe, but
they were not a part of you. They were a separate entity, a distant event, a
happening elsewhere. You wanted to become part of it, and I wanted you to as
well.
125.You were a creature
of great beauty, but you wanted to live your life on Earth plain, simple, and
lowly. You wanted to serve, you wanted to know humility, and so I granted
you this. So I formed you in the manner I did and placed you where you could
live a life of service to Me, and also a life of relative solitude so that you
would never forget what your mission and purpose
was.
126.Does it surprise you
that you had a hand in choosing your lifestyle, as well as your appearance,
personality, and ministry? Now do you understand how futile it is to
compare yourself with others, to question My dealings with you, to resent the
manner in which your life is played out? My love, this is what you wanted. This
is what you needed to become complete in spirit. This is only for a time, and
knowing that should help you to enjoy it to the full, as well as endure
cheerfully that which is unseemly.
127.You had experienced no pain, no envy, no heartbreak. You saw
and heard of these things, but had no idea what they were like. You wanted to
know. You wanted to understand. Now you do. Now an important part of your
journey to Earth has been accomplished. Of course, there is much more that
you'll do that will both benefit My Kingdom as well as enrich your own
spirit--and this too is for the purpose of your improved service to Me when you
return to this realm. Far more will be entrusted to you than was before your
time on Earth. (End of message from Jesus.)