My eyes have been opened to many things this past week in Retreat (The Dance of Healing, NC) and one of the most astounding things that came as a thunderbolt of revelation from the teachings, is that the spirits that try to oppress God’s people and the sins that so easily beset us and specifically “me” (although we’ve tried time after time to overcome them), are really “addictions”. We become addicted to a way of reacting to a situation or how we are affected by a certain circumstance and we are deceived into thinking that that is the “way we are”! Self-deception is very dangerous. I received the understanding that oppressive spirits of rejection, fear & pride are really ADDICTIONS of the soul and ONLY through study of God’s Word, prayer and Holy Spirit, we CAN KICK THE HABIT, if we truly desire that!
My ears have been opened to many things, also; opened to listen;
My heart has been opened to many things; opened to receive
I also got to observe true humility in action in doing Kingdom Work. The Lord laid out before us a smorgasbord of situations and happenings to which we had an opportunity to respond and/or react. I got to see that ones who were truly humble in the group were the ones who were considerate and concerned with the whole group, each and all. The lack of selfishness was evident and we all saw the law of liberty working among us.
There are “bundles more” to be gleaned by these studies and I can truly say,
THE DANCE GOES ON !
thedailylily.com 
I LOVE THIS AND I WILL JUST SAY, AMEN FOR ME AS WELL.
MG your comment ‘We become addicted to a way of reacting to a situation or how we are affected by a certain circumstance and we are deceived into thinking that that is the “way we are”!’ really grabbed me especially the last part of the sentence. I began to think agriculture again. Many animals change colors or adopt different behavior patterns or physical characteristics as a defense mechanism. I read that certain beetles that are normally a bright color change to dull red to resemble a lady bug when around certain birds because they know these birds will not eat lady bugs. Chameleons change colors, possums play dead, grouse pretend their wings are broken to
defend their young when predators approach. And zebras, I read, have stripes because they blend into the African grasses to similate an illusion. So what I derive from this is that my bad habit of being prideful or self-ish may have developed long ago as a defense mechanism against assaulting verbal abusive blows against my self-esteem. However instead of learning a healthy, productive way to understand and deal w/ the abuse I practiced this defense mechanism. And that ugly mechanism is not who I really am according to God’s word and power in my life. But before long it became a habit or addiction and those are heard to break. I’m with you however on desiring to kick the habit…I wouldn’t want to be that beautiful gold colored beetle that forever remains a dull red.
wow Debi…what you wrote has given me more to think about….thank you:)dj
Thanks for your responses on addictions and “kicking the habit”. Debi & DJ’s responses were very insightful. As I read them I thought about it….that defending “the way we are” is like dancing in the dark. You can’t see where you’re going and you DON’T KNOW WHO YOUR PARTNER IS!!!! HELP!!!
I was reading what you wrote about kicking these unwanted habits….and I really looked over the word kick….and I said to myself….If I kick something it only moves it just a little bit ahead of me and I end up facing it again….I understand what you have shared ….and from this Im determined to not to just kick it…but destroy it………because I want the Lord to say of us all well done…..Good dancing….dj
I love your comment. Yes lets pray that bad habits or old mind sets are destroyed. We certainly don’t want to see them ever again.
Right on, MG…..”kick the habit.” God wants us to be OVERCOMERS! He said in
His Word, that we are more than conquerors through Christ!