Need Prayer or Someone to Listen? My Door is Open

A few years ago, I decided to use my life savings to build my family a house. I prayed about the decision, and felt like Jesus was giving me the ok. However, I made a promise to the Lord that I would use all that I have for good, including my home.

Right now, there are so many people struggling in our little community. People are sick with disease and illness. People are struggling in so many ways.

I want you to know that if you are sick and want someone to lay hands on you and lift you up in prayer, I love you and my door is open.

I want you to know that if you need deliverance from the darkness that afflicts you, I love you and my door is open.

I want you to know that if you are struggling with your faith or simply need an ear to listen,I love you and my door is open.

If you are thinking of suicide and need a light of hope, I love you and my door is open.

Whether you are Baptist or Catholic or Methodist or any denomination, I love you and my door is open.

Whether you are Muslim, Buddhist, or a practicing Wiccan, I love you and my door is open.

If you are struggling with your identity and need an ear to listen, my door is open.

Gay or straight, black or white, I love you and my door is open.

I don't have much to give, but I can simply listen. My door is open.

Matthew 11:28-30 

28 “Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Romans Chp. 12 verse 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 

16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Don't Give Up

     Often, when I truly start seeking Jesus and even start talking about Jesus, a huge depression comes over me. Yesterday, I fought depression all day long. I could feel a heaviness around me. In the past, I would simply drown out the depression with noise. I would turn on the television or the radio and eventually lose my focus on Christ.

Satan wants us to be burnt out. He wants us to surround ourselves with a battery of constant noise. He wants us in a perpetual state of spiritual confusion. He wants us fearful, anxious, and depressed.

The other day I watched a deliverance video by Derek Prince. Derek Prince claims to have delivered thousands of people from demons, and helped them to walk in freedom. Derek said that at the beginning of his ministry, he would often become overwhelmed with depression. He learned to recognize that his depression was a spiritual attack. He began to rebuke the depression in the name of Jesus, and it left.

Satan wants you to quit. He wants you to give up.

Satan wants you to quit because:

He doesn't want you showing kindness and love to the boy thinking of committing suicide.
He doesn't want you talking about deliverance because people might learn that they can be free of addiction, anger, lust, and unforgiveness.
He doesn't want you walking in the fruits of the spirit.
He doesn't want you walking in peace.
He doesn't want you walking in joy.
He doesn't want you walking in kindness.
He doesn't want you walking in love.
He doesn't want you walking a life free from the bondage of sin. He wants you chained to lies, and theft, and hatred, anger, and greed He wants you chained to impure thoughts. He doesn't want you happy, and he doesn't want you whole.
He wants you believing the lies that you aren't enough. He wants you believing the lies that this walk is not important and that it simply doesn't matter one way or the other.

BuT JESUS...

Jesus wants to transform your life from the inside out. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He wants to free you from your anxiety. (Matthew 6:34)

He longs for you to walk in joy, and peace, and love, and kindness.(Galatians 5:22)He wants you to find joy in giving and in helping others (Matthew 25:40). He wants you free that which has you bound.(John 8:36) He wants your mind transformed and your heart renewed. (Romans 12:2)

The Word says that He rejoices over us with singing. Don't give up. Don't quit. Put on the full armor, and fight.(Ephesians 6:10-18) I can promise that it will all be worth it in the end. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

God still loves you.You are invited to the banquet table.

COME HOME.


If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Galatians 5:13-17

13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.

John 3:16 

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

DON'T GIVE UP

Love,

Rachelle

I Thought I Was Dying, My Testimony

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

I want to share a testimony with everyone of something that happened to me this week. I don't consider myself much of a "sharer" these days, but I do believe that this post may help someone.

I've dealt with dark spirits since I was a child. I've gone through NUMEROUS things dealing with the demonic. However, through these things, Jesus has shown me many things. He has shown me that We, as Christians, have the authority to tell them to leave. I've learned that the very name of Jesus is powerful against the darkness. I've learned about strongholds. (Things that give demons legal grounds to be in our life, (examples would be addiction, pornography, dealings with the occult, such as astrology, tarot card readings, ouija boards, any type of willful and profuse sin, unforgiveness, anger, gossip and the list goes on and on)

I'm about to get to the story, but first, here's a backstory:

When I was in my late 20's, there was a time when some very dark things started happening to me. I'm not going to go into detail with all of it, but one of the things that happened was I started getting sick. One day, I was cutting an apple, and I had an immense pain in my hand. I couldn't hold the knife. Within a weeks time, I was having immense pain all over my body. My hands, fingers, and toes would go numb. I would have sharp, stabbing pains in my body. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. Even my brain felt like it was being affected. I felt confused. I found myself in the midst of an anxiety and depresssion like I had never known. My muscles hurt. They twitched. It felt like something extremely heavy was sitting on my chest. My arms would feel like they were being gripped by a vice,and I was short of breath. I truly felt as if I was dying. I found myself in the emergency room one day. I had a CT scan, a full blood workup. They found nothing. I later found myself at the Diagnostic Center in Houston where several more tests were run. Still, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. (I was tested for thyroid issues, rhematoid arthritis, MS, Parkinson's disease, vitamin deficiencies, etc)

The climax of this happened when I was at work one day. I was taking a computer test, and I couldn't focus. I couldn't finish a simple test that I normally would have completed in about 10 minutes. I stood up from the computer, and i went BLIND for about 30 seconds. I will never forget the fear from that moment for as long as I live. That day a friend of mine met me at a neurologist's office where I was prescribed Xanax. I was referred to more doctors. Still, every test came back negative. However, I did find that the Xanax was "helping" me, and the symptoms eventually subsided. However, the next few years would be some of the darkest years in my life.

Fast forward a few years later.... I had decided to go to a church service. The pastor told me that Jesus wanted Joy for my life. A few days, later someone else told me the EXACT same thing. It was on 10/10/10 that I truly gave my heart to Christ. One day, shortly after giving my life to Jesus, I was sitting in my room. I felt an evil presence enter. Immediately, I felt sharp pains in my body; pains that were exactly like what I felt a few years prior. Other "symptoms" started to appear. At this time, Jesus had been showing me some things about deliverance. (The casting out of demons) This time around, I recognized what was going on, and I told the spirits of pain to leave in the name of Jesus, and they left. 

Fast forward about 6 years...to finally get to what happened to me this week. A few years ago, I developed a thyroid condition and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. It is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the thyroid gland.) For the most part, I truly haven't had many problems related to Hashimoto's disease, aside from some weight gain and occasional fatigue.
However, this past week, I truly thought that I was dying. It began when I started experiencing some of the worst brain fog that I have ever experienced in my life. I felt dizzy, lightheaded. I had a strange feeling, as if I was walking in a dream. It was a very strange feeling; so strange, in fact, that I started having panic attacks. At night, when I would lie down, I would feel my chest shaking. It felt like some sort of internal vibration or motor running throughout my body. I could feel nerves running throughout my body, as if they were alive. I spent a good portion of the week in tears. I was becoming extremely depressed and despondent. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't make heads or tails of anything because my thyroid levels were well within the normal range.

I don't have health insurance, which was another worry. However, in tears and feeling completely defeated, I decided to call my doctor to see about running more tests. It was then, that I remembered my experiences in my late 20's and simply decided to pray about it. "Jesus," I asked, "Please help me. Is this the product of my disease, or is something else going on? Please, just show me."

That night, I was laying in my bed. I felt something come into my room. Immediately, I felt it latch onto my body and I started shaking. I felt something that felt like a dark cloud over my head, and immediately I started feeling the "strange feeling in my head" that I had been feeling on and off all week. It was then, that I KNEW that what I had been experienced was something spiritual in nature, rather than something physical.

Don't get me wrong; I am a firm believer in science. However, I have dealt with things that many people would scoff at. I have seen the reality of Jesus, His Word, and I have seen that there is a darkness out there that longs to steal, kill,and destroy. ( John 10:10 )

It takes a lot of courage to type things like this. There are going to people who will laugh, scorn, and mock me. There will be those who think that these things are "all in my head" or the product of my imagination. But, I write on because I know that there is going to be the ONE person who knows that what I say is true.

If you are sick or suffering or having physical symptoms that you can't explain, or even ones that you can.( I wrote mine off as being a part of my Hashimotos for nearly a month)..I encourage you to simply talk to Jesus. Seek Him and ask Him if what you are going through is the result of demonic affliction. Wait for His answer. If this is something that you are dealing with, I encourage you to seek deliverance. If you need me to pray with you, I am willing. My email address is rachelle_brister@yahoo.com.

Also, for a video on how to be delivered from demons,(anger, lust, addiction, etc) please click HERE.

I truly believe that there are legitimate diseases and physical problems out there, but I also believe that there are scores of people who are suffering needlessly. The Bible is rife with stories about people who were afflicted by demons, and I truly don't think that much has changed. I think that now, we just slap a name on it and prescribe medication for something that we could be free from.

So reader, whoever you are, Jesus wants you to be free. He wants JOY for your life. Also, please know that after much intercession, and prayer, I am no longer having any of the symptoms that were keeping me down. They are ALL gone!
Love,
Rachelle

The Boy with a Demon
(Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-42; Luke 17:5-10)

14When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him. 15“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.” 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

19Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

What Freedom Looks Like

This past week, darkness has targeted my mind. I listened to lies that we were causing me to feel condemnation, doubt, and fear. I listened to the lies that had me feeling like I was a trapped in a cage.

I had to pray. I told the Lord that I was raising my white flag. He whispered to me, "Let it go." Let me fight for you, he whispered. (Exodus 14:14)

That night, plagued with the sinking feeling of depression, I began to make a list of all of the things that I would do if I was "free."

I would parasail one day.
Skydive.
I would drive along the coast of California.
I would hike in the mountains anywhere.
I would make hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
I would live, and love, and laugh without fear.

Jesus whispered to me, "You are free." He reminded me of  Galatians 3:5 "For you have been called to freedom dear brothers and sisters.. Don't use your freedom as an opportunity for sin, but use your freedom to serve one another in love."  He also reminded me of the verse, "There is no fear in love. For, perfect love casts out fear."

Imagine what it would look like to live full, fearless, lives where we truly LOVE others? Would our lives look any different?
What if I told you that this is what Jesus wantsfor us, and while it took a while for this message to sink in, I began rejoicing because I AM FREE.
YOU ARE FREE.
There is truly freedom in Christ.

Jesus Christ frees us from
1.Addictions
2. Fear
3. Bondage
4. Darkness and Sin
5. Oppression
6. Guilt
7. Etc.

Over the years, I've seen that spiritual warfare is real, but many of the battles that the fight are battles in our own minds. However, when we truly draw near to the Lord, we will see that He is truly the God of love, the God of rest, and the God of freedom. I've learned that the only way to overcome the lies, is to know the truth of His great love for us.

and that is a beautiful thing....

And the funny thing is..I may never do any of the things in my list. And that's ok. I've learned that freedom is so much more than a "place" or a "thing". It is something much deeper that happens in the spirit when Christ works in our lives.

If anyone is feeling down, worthless, caged, or "less than" feel free to message me anytime.
rachelle_brister@yahoo.com

What Jesus Has Been Doing In My Life

A few years ago, I quit my job in order to stay at home with my children. I have no regrets, but it is humbling in some ways. In the past, I NEVER had to worry about money. Now, I have to make a lot of sacrifices. A LOT. I'm fine with that. There is a trade off.
 However, there are times when I ask myself hard questions. What am I doing with my life? When I die, will I have left a mark? Will I be remembered by anyone?
Jesus reminded me that what society deems as successful, often looks nothing like what He considers successful. "What good is it, if a man gains the whole world, but yet loses his soul?" And still He whispers, "The least shall be the greatest, and the greatest shall be the least," reminding me that success, whether in the workplace or the home, is measured by how much we are willing to love and serve others.

Lately, Jesus  has been doing a work in my life. I tend to go through phases where I get distracted. I lose my purpose, my vision. There have been times when I have kept Jesus in the rear view mirror.
The result has been a lack of peace, a struggle with anxiety, and a well of love that has often run dry.

I can always tell when my heart is failing. I look at my speech. I cuss (a lot).  I struggle with anger. I rush. I get impatient. I am quick to yell. I hurt others with my words and my actions. It is on these days that I feel that I have truly failed as a human being.

But, God.

I am so thankful that God always steers me back to Him. I recently went through an experience that brought me to my knees, and now Jesus is directly in front of me where He belongs.

He is restoring my peace. I've tried to stop cursing on my own, but I ALWAYS fail, but God. When He truly changes our heart, He changes our speech as well. The anger is gone.  The impatience. He truly does make us into a new creation.

Lately, I have found immense comfort in Psalms 23.
It talks about how He makes us lie down in green grass, and he restores our soul. He brings us out of the darkness and into His Light.

Yesterday, I was talking to Jesus about Joy. He is restoring my peace, but I sometimes seem to lack joy. I felt the need to reread some of my writings when Jesus first consumed my life. There was a very real joy that came from simply loving others.

There is true joy in serving others. It is the purpose. It is why we are here - To love one another.
To help one another. There is joy in that. As I began to realize this all over again, I felt joy for the first time in a very long time.

Whoever is reading  this, Jesus can turn things around for you. He can give you beauty for ashes,
He can exchange your pain and turn it into purpose. He can restore your soul. He can make you lie down in green grass, and lead you beside the still waters.

He loves us.

 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.



Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.Proverbs 16:24

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone Colossans 4:6

Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

How to Find Joy

Lately, Jesus has been restoring me. One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Psalms 23. It talks about Jesus leading us into still water and making us lie down in green grass. It always brings me comfort.
Despite having found a new peace in my life, today I found myself in tears because I seem to lack joy.
Tonight, I was sitting in the silence (well, I have a toddler, so it wasn't too silent)Jesus reminded me of what my early walk with Him looked like. I used to leave flowers on  random cars.I sent random love letters of hope in the mail. I used to visit the elderly in nursing homes. I used to find peace, and purpose, and JOY in loving others and helping others. I once found JOY in pointing others to Christ through LOVE.

I miss that. Jesus reminded me that there is JOY is loving and serving others. Love is the purpose. The greatest gift.
Tonight, I am praying that He cultivate Joy in me and in you. I pray that you find your Joy.

HOW TO GET RICH IN MINISTRY : A SPOOF

1. Sit yourself in the Seat of Moses (position of authority), give yourself an "honorific title," and put yourself "over the flock "even though Jesus condemned those who gave themselves positions of authority and honorific titles. (Matthew 23:8-12, Luke 20:46-47, Matthew 23:2)

2. Write a book that is wrapped in Christianese but has nothing to do with the gospel  Make sure it is a book that caters to fear. Fear sells and appeals to the masses. Throw in an occassional bible verse to make is sound "authentic." 2 Timothy 4:3

3. Demand a tithe, even though tithes were food that went to the Levitical Priests of Israel, the widow, the poor, the orphan, and the traveler. Instead, make tithing all about you. Don't teach that the New Covenant model for giving is to give "what one has decided in one's heart" or "as one is able." 2 Corinthians 9:7

4. Take verses about tithing curses out of context so that you can scare believers into giving to you. (For the context of Malachi, click here) Don't tell New Covenant believers that Jesus became the curse for us (Galatians 3:13) Instead, use Malachi as a means to extort them for money. (even though tithes were food)

5. Tell the congregation that "your church" is the storehouse, even though the bible says that Jesus doesn't dwell in temples made with human hands, and the storehouse in the bible was a literal place to store food.

6. DO NOT TEACH on the priesthood of all believers. People need to think that you are more special so that you can keep getting paid for your exclusive and divine knowledge. You are a mediator, after all. Nevermind the fact that the Lord is OUR shepherd, and the Bible says that Christ is OUR ONLY mediator. Dont let the believers read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 that states that "no one part of the Body is more important than the other" and don't let them fully understand that it is the HOLY Spirit that leads us into all truth. Instead, tell them that YOU are the one who "feeds them spiritually" so that they won't comprehend that "HE ALONE GIVES OUR DAILY BREAD."

7. Boast about your special anointing and how you hear from God, even though the bible says that we are all anointed, and the Holy Spirit speaks to each of us.

8. Preach an ear tickling doctrine. After all, the bible says that people will gather around a great many teachers to hear what their tickling ears want to hear 2 Timothy 4:3 Do not take the whole council of scripture, just preach what appeals to the most people so that they will stick around and continue tithing to YOUR "ministry."

9. Sell God's blessings even though the Bible clearly says that God's blessings are not for sale and the apostles rebuked Simon the Sorcorer for trying to buy the gift of God with money (ACTS 8:20)

10. Tell everyone to "plant a seed" in your ministry, and then tell them that reap a one hundred fold harvest. Don't tell everyone that "the seed in the Bible refers to the Word of God and not money"  Don't mention that the harvest in the bible refers to human souls  and do not let them realize that we should give "expecting nothing in return."

11. Take the writings of Paul out of context so that you get more money out of the sheep. Preach about how Paul received donations and gifts. Don't tell the believers that Paul took up a collection for believers who starving because of a famine in the land. And most certainly, don't preach about Paul "working with hands as a tent maker so as NOT to be a burden on the church"2 Thessolonians 3:8

12. Use "forsake not the assembling verse in Hebrews" and make it apply to church attendance, even though that is not why the verse was written. Drill mandatory chuch attendance in people so that they will continue to pay you YOUR tithe and keep the religious system running. Do not tell the people that "chuch is not a building" and that the role of a pastor is a function and not an office. Do not tell people to "go and make disciples of others" or to preach the good news. Instead, just keep them coming to hear YOUR sermons.

13. Set yourself up as king,but call yourself a "servant." In the book of  1 Samuel, the people demanded a king. God warned against it, and told the people that a king would "take ten percent of their wealth."1 Samuel 8:13 However, they begged for a king and God gave them  Saul.
 Kings take and demand money from others so that they can live lavishly. True Shepherds follow Jesus and not religious leaders. True shepherds give to the flock, instead of hoarding wealth.

14. DO Not let the believers know that the New Covenant model for giving is sharing. (Acts 4:35, See Feeding of the 5000)  Galatians 6:2  Then, you may be held accountable for your actions, and the people may catch on that you are a false shepherd.

15. Do not let people that the church is a people, not an organization or a religion. Don't let them know that church according to the Book of Acts was a vibrant community of Believer who broke bread together and fellowshipped in homes. If the people caught wind of that, the religious system would be in jeapordy and people might start helping one another out, instead of building more buildings and paying "special" clergy

16. Tell the congregation that you are their "spiritual covering" even though the Bible clearly says that Christ is our covering. ( 1 Corinthians 11:3  ) Tell them that if they "leave YOUR covering" then something bad will happen to them, or the "wolves will get them." Make sure to keep your mouth closed as much as possible, so they won't know that YOU are the wolf!-


17. Preach the prosperity gospel. Tell everyone that God wants them to be rich. Sell God's blessings. Just don't preach out the verse where Jesus flipped the tables of the moneychangers in the bible. Drive around in the finest car and build a huge house. People will pay for what they want to hear, and you are benefactor!

18. DO not tell people that a "pastor' is not a position of authority, but it is a function, and it simply means to serve. (example, Jesus) THE LORD IS OUR SHEPHERD!