Friday Funeral and Family Feud

[Deborah 0]

Last week, I had a dream my son and I were sitting in a hospital waiting to see somebody, and a doctor came out to the waiting room, did three tests on our hearts and said we had heart problems. The next morning, I found out my Uncle Joe had had a heart attack. He died this week; his funeral is Friday.

On top of dealing with a funeral, I also have to deal with my extended family. I have a sister who has always hated me for some reason (she's 11 years older) and likes to attack me at family funerals. With everything that's going on in my life right now, I'm not sure I can handle her. God has given me grace in the past and I know I just need to trust Him again, but I'm really hurting here and fighting a Jezebel spirit is the last thing I want to do right now...I also have a brother who refuses to talk to me or even acknowledge my presence. I have chosen to forgive my family members, I pray regularly for God to bless them and save them, but in all honesty I don't like seeing them.

Please pray for strength for me so I can be a good witness to my family.

[Dove-Solutions 0]

Deborah,

I so understand where you are coming from. I have some issues with my family also and all I can say is trust God to help you through it and bring you peace in the situation.

Father God,

I know that you are sending Deborah in to see her family Lord. I know that she is a vessel to be used of you Lord. I thank you that her family will so desire what she has and of course that something is you. Father we thank you that your perfect will is complete is this visit home for her and that the blood of Jesus is covering her in all she does. Father we give you praise honor and glory for all that you are doing, all that has been done and all that is about to be done, in Jesus name, Amen

your servant,

Connie

[lola21st 2]

I haven't been in that specific situation with relatives but I have had to interact with someone who was placed in my life for about six months. I really had to be prayed up before any interactions with her and had to remember that it was the Adversary working through them to be adverserial with me. When I remembered this and committed to God that He was going to be glorified under ANY circumstances, it was MUCH easier to take the high road and not let her snide remarks get to me nor get caught up in any drama. In the moments, I didn't understand it and experienced a lot of humbling moments as well as some humiliating ones but I stood by my desire to please God. In the end, I was more than vindicated, God took care of both her and the situation - I came to better understand the scripture "For I will contend with him who contends with you" (Isaiah 49:25). Here are some other scriptures that really ministered to me during those moments:

Isaiah 54:17
Psalm 37
Romans 8:31-39 -
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:


“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing (such as your sister and brother) ,shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 12 (especially vv14, 17-21) -

Romans 12

Living Sacrifices to God

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore


“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]


21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.


Will keep you in prayer on Friday, stay prayed up between now and then and let God walk with you through this - as long as you're in lockstep with Him, you'll be fine. God bless you!

[Deborah 0]

Good words. Thank you so much for your time and your prayers. Lola, "I will contend with him who contends with you" really ministered to me. I saw vindication come to pass at my mother's funeral 8 years ago from my sister's attacks so I know it's true. Psalm 18 got me through that time, I'm going to have to revisit that chapter too. I'm going to print out this page and reread it on the way to the funeral Friday. Thanks again.

[lola21st 2]

[mjtorrence 0]

your in my prayers

[Deborah 0]

Thank you, MJ! Keep those prayers coming, guys, I'm feeling them already!

[Deborah 0]

Okay, well the funeral is over--let me tell you what happened--on the way to the funeral I was prayed up, armed with the Word. The Holy Spirit had given me Psalm 143, specifically verse 9: "Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in you I take shelter."
Normally this would be a 3-hour drive, but we ran into massive road construction. I just felt like I should stay calm and not fret. The funeral was a Catholic funeral and I wasn't ready for all the ritual anyway. Well, we show up 45 minutes late. When we got there, my uncle's body was being wheeled out of the church. He was a veteran so he got full military honors, so we got to see the gun salute and flag folding and all that.
Both my sister and brother whom I referred to earlier were there. I FELT NO FEAR!!!!!!!! They both pretty much ignored me, it didn't bother me. I remembered what the Bible says about how if we only greet our friends, we're no different from the heathen, so when my sister walked by, I said "Hello, Karen." She was shocked; like heart attack shocked, and seemed really scared of me.
She said a quick "Hi," and scurried off and I didn't see her again.
I feel compassion in my heart for my sister. She looks really old and unhappy whereas I am getting more beautiful and more humble every year. My brother who is 4 years older than me looks more like he's 20 years older. I would have greeted him too, but he made it a point to not be around me.
So anyway, thanks for your encouragement and prayers. I would have liked to report both my siblings fell on their faces when I walked in the church and everybody got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, but there's always next time......

[Delightful soul 0]

I said "Hello, Karen." She was shocked; like heart attack shocked, and seemed really scared of me.
She said a quick "Hi," and scurried off and I didn't see her again.
I feel compassion in my heart for my sister.

Just wanted to quote the above. I feel to pray also for your families HEARTS that God would heal them all and also to come against HEART PROBLEMS in JESUS NAME.

I am glad you were victorious in this situation. Remember Jezebel likes to intimidate through anyway it can especially the silent treatment. Also I know that matters of the heart are always hard and this is how the enemy likes to attack, through family if he can.

Bless you Deborah and may the Lord continue to do the amazing work He is doing in your family!

[Proof of God 1]

Deborah wrote:

I would have liked to report both my siblings fell on their faces when I walked in the church and everybody got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, but there's always next time......

[Deborah 0]

[quote="Delightful soulJust wanted to quote the above. I feel to pray also for your families HEARTS that God would heal them all and also to come against HEART PROBLEMS in JESUS NAME.

I am glad you were victorious in this situation. Remember Jezebel likes to intimidate through anyway it can especially the silent treatment. Also I know that matters of the heart are always hard and this is how the enemy likes to attack, through family if he can.

Bless you Deborah and may the Lord continue to do the amazing work He is doing in your family! [/quote] Thank you so much for your prayers!!!! Yes and amen!!!!

[Delightful soul 0]

you're welcome.