ARE YOU RESTRICTED?

[Pearl]

A few years ago I dreamt I was with the woman, who at the time was part of the leadership team at our church. In my dream she was carrying a long, stretchy, lacy garment over her arm and I asked her what it was. She told me it was an item that was meant be worn instead of tights but that she had taken it off because it was too restricting.

When I shared the dream with her she was very moved and told me that God had been showing her she need to get rid of some of the self-made restrictions in her life; things like lack of confidence and fear. We later shared it with all the ladies most of whom could relate to the truth of it.

The dream showed us that we shouldn’t let our lives be ruled by those negative feelings we may have about ourselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our relationship with God and others. We all need to be free to be ourselves.

So many Christians, women and men, seem to be restricted in some way in our walk with God. Some restrictions were put on us as we were growing up; some we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else, somebody we’re not; and yet others have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

God doesn’t want us to have these restrictions on our lives to hold us back. He wants us to be completely free to be ourselves in Christ.

After I shared the dream with the prayer group one of the other ladies, had a ‘picture’ of taking off the restricting garment and putting on a loose flowing white robe which was the garment of praise.

 

[Pearl]

@Nancy @Rita, @Heart2Soul @Angelina @Lambano @theefaith
Thought you might be interested.

 

[Rita]

I know only too well I am in a restricted garment … I want to take it off, but don’t like the body beneath it !! Lol

 

[Pearl]

I know only too well I am in a restricted garment … I want to take it off, but don’t like the body beneath it !! Lol

Spiritually speaking I'm sure you are better than you think.

 

[Rita]

Spiritually speaking I'm sure you are better than you think.

Spiritually the Lord is working on it, physically it’s a battle - the two overlap.

 

[Nancy]

Sometimes we just need a little help removing the straight-jacket.
Another good post Pearl.
xo

 

[Lambano]

I will never admit to wearing stretchy, lacy garments on a public forum.

 

[Pearl]

I will never admit to wearing stretchy, lacy garments on a public forum.

But will you admit to being restricted in some way?

 

[Lambano]

But will you admit to being restricted in some way?

[Edited for brevity]

Some of those negative feelings serve God's purpose: to restrain behavior that needs to be restrained, and to drive us to Christ.

 

[Lambano]

The following is cribbed from my notes on Key Life Ministries' "Living Free" series, which I found helpful when my spiritual life broke down almost 20 years ago. The restrictions we put on ourselves come from:

· Our own sin
· Guilt
· Failure (Especially for those of us with besetting sins)
· Our past
· Fear (The church where I first came to Christ did a bang-up job of making sure I had this one)
· Obligation
· Rules (even if those rules come from the Bible)
· The need for approval (Have I ever got this one.)
· Self Abasement
· Perfectionism
· "Religion"
· Bad teachers

I see myself in most of these.

 

[Lambano]

"The only people who ever get better are those who know that if they never get better, God will still love them."

I've used this as my profile post; it comes from the above seminar. It means trusting God's love, trusting Christ's sacrifice for our sins so completely that you're actually free to sin. Which causes some of my brothers and sisters to have conniption fits. Well, obedience derives from freedom. Not that actions don't have consequences; they do, and I don't want people to get hurt. And I'd rather not violate the love of One who loves me. Obedience also derives from trust.

Trusting in God's steadfast love allows me to be open and honest with God. I might as well; He already knows everything about me. Trust in God's forgiveness allows me to get past the guilt and the shame of failure. Trust in His love allows me to not abase myself. Trust allows me to admit that I don't need to know everything or have perfect doctrine.

This one means EVERYTHING to me.

Paul asked, "Who then shall separate us from the love of God in Christ?"

Who indeed?

 

[Pearl]

Are some restrictions necessary? One of the things they taught us in control theory class is that corrective feedback is necessary for a system's stability. Open loop systems tend to be unstable. Positive-feedback-loop systems will increase the output until it gets pegged on one of the rails; not good. Underdamped systems will oscillate between extremes. Overdamped systems take a long time to get to the desired output. I can think of plenty of analogies between this and our human condition. Luther and Calvin separately developed their "Three uses of The Law", and while they differ somewhat, the corrective feedback principle is the primary reason.

This may not be what you're talking about, but I wanted to put this out there.

I rea;lly don't understand what you are saying here @Lambano . The thread is about the restrictions in our personal lives which hold us back. Maybe it's a gender thing and men don't feel those negative feelings about themselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our spiritual lives. Those restrictions that may have been put on us as we were growing up;those we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else or somebody we’re not; and also others which have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

I thought I had explained it properly in the opening post but maybe I didn't

 

[Lambano]

I rea;lly don't understand what you are saying here @Lambano . The thread is about the restrictions in our personal lives which hold us back. Maybe it's a gender thing and men don't feel those negative feelings about themselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our spiritual lives. Those restrictions that may have been put on us as we were growing up;those we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else or somebody we’re not; and also others which have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

I thought I had explained it properly in the opening post but maybe I didn't

Oh, believe me, we men have negative feelings about ourselves.

What I wrote is tangentially related to your OP. Some of those negative feelings serve God's purpose, to restrain behavior that needs to be restrained, and to drive us to Christ. Pearl, please forgive me for the diversion. Carry on.

 

[Pearl]

Oh, believe me, we men have negative feelings about ourselves.

What I wrote is tangentially related to your OP. Some of those negative feelings serve God's purpose, to restrain behavior that needs to be restrained, and to drive us to Christ. Pearl, please forgive me for the diversion. Carry on.

Thank you for the explanation.

 

[marks]

A few years ago I dreamt I was with the woman, who at the time was part of the leadership team at our church. In my dream she was carrying a long, stretchy, lacy garment over her arm and I asked her what it was. She told me it was an item that was meant be worn instead of tights but that she had taken it off because it was too restricting.

When I shared the dream with her she was very moved and told me that God had been showing her she need to get rid of some of the self-made restrictions in her life; things like lack of confidence and fear. We later shared it with all the ladies most of whom could relate to the truth of it.

The dream showed us that we shouldn’t let our lives be ruled by those negative feelings we may have about ourselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our relationship with God and others. We all need to be free to be ourselves.

So many Christians, women and men, seem to be restricted in some way in our walk with God. Some restrictions were put on us as we were growing up; some we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else, somebody we’re not; and yet others have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

God doesn’t want us to have these restrictions on our lives to hold us back. He wants us to be completely free to be ourselves in Christ.

After I shared the dream with the prayer group one of the other ladies, had a ‘picture’ of taking off the restricting garment and putting on a loose flowing white robe which was the garment of praise.

Restrictive clothing is a good analogy!

Good word!

Much love!

 

[Pearl]

Restrictive clothing is a good analogy!

Good word!

Much love!

Thank you. Often as I sit praying I will remember things God has taught me in dream, such as my post original post in the thread. or a 'life lesson' He has shown me from nature or in some other way. I have always written these things down and kept a record of them and it's good to share because they might bless somebody else.

 

[Heart2Soul]

A few years ago I dreamt I was with the woman, who at the time was part of the leadership team at our church. In my dream she was carrying a long, stretchy, lacy garment over her arm and I asked her what it was. She told me it was an item that was meant be worn instead of tights but that she had taken it off because it was too restricting.

When I shared the dream with her she was very moved and told me that God had been showing her she need to get rid of some of the self-made restrictions in her life; things like lack of confidence and fear. We later shared it with all the ladies most of whom could relate to the truth of it.

The dream showed us that we shouldn’t let our lives be ruled by those negative feelings we may have about ourselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our relationship with God and others. We all need to be free to be ourselves.

So many Christians, women and men, seem to be restricted in some way in our walk with God. Some restrictions were put on us as we were growing up; some we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else, somebody we’re not; and yet others have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

God doesn’t want us to have these restrictions on our lives to hold us back. He wants us to be completely free to be ourselves in Christ.

After I shared the dream with the prayer group one of the other ladies, had a ‘picture’ of taking off the restricting garment and putting on a loose flowing white robe which was the garment of praise.

I am plagued by restrictions...lol...but as the Holy Spirit continues to heal and deliver me of wrong teachings, mindsets, condemnation and so forth I am finally beginning to enjoy my freedom in Jesus Christ.
These restrictions can also be called chains of bondage, oppression and captivity from the enemy.
Love your teaching here Pearl....good wisdom to meditate on.

 

[Hidden In Him]

A few years ago I dreamt I was with the woman, who at the time was part of the leadership team at our church. In my dream she was carrying a long, stretchy, lacy garment over her arm and I asked her what it was. She told me it was an item that was meant be worn instead of tights but that she had taken it off because it was too restricting.

When I shared the dream with her she was very moved and told me that God had been showing her she need to get rid of some of the self-made restrictions in her life; things like lack of confidence and fear. We later shared it with all the ladies most of whom could relate to the truth of it.

The dream showed us that we shouldn’t let our lives be ruled by those negative feelings we may have about ourselves, those negative feelings that hold us back and restrict us in our relationship with God and others. We all need to be free to be ourselves.

So many Christians, women and men, seem to be restricted in some way in our walk with God. Some restrictions were put on us as we were growing up; some we have taken on board for ourselves by trying to be like somebody else, somebody we’re not; and yet others have been placed on us by the churches we belong to.

God doesn’t want us to have these restrictions on our lives to hold us back. He wants us to be completely free to be ourselves in Christ.

After I shared the dream with the prayer group one of the other ladies, had a ‘picture’ of taking off the restricting garment and putting on a loose flowing white robe which was the garment of praise.

I like this dream. I would never have it, however, because I'm so completely unrestricted that I might have to look into finding a few, LoL.

But thanks for sharing. This is an example of why hearing the Lord through dreams can be a very helpful form of ministry, both from God to us and from us to others.

Blessings in Christ,
- H