Snatched From the Pit of Hell - Warrior Mom Wisdom - Week of December 2
Snatched From the Pit of Hell
Recently, I find myself with a new level of appreciation that I have been snatched from the pit of Hell. Some incidents from my child-hood have come to mind, and I have been re-reminded of things I have survived. I have also had dreams about people who harmed me and I have been made aware of the evil that did and does surround those people. I have been awakened in the middle of the night, glad that it was just dreaming, rather than trapped as a child living during that time period with those evil people. The dreams haven’t been scary; I have learned something in them about the power of God and how I was spared from evil. At first, I thought it was the enemy tormenting me, or trying to torment me again. I prayed against such memories, but God showed me that He was reminding me of where I came, while simultaneously giving me insight into those time-frames in my life so that I may more boldly preach of the profound rescue mission of my salvation. I have been reminded that I have truly been snatched from the pit of Hell. As I have remembered, I have been amazed at the degree of evil that surrounded me as a child. I have also been amazed that the generations of evil within my family have been long-standing, going back at least 5 generations. It would be nice if I could trace my lineage back far enough to see if there was ever any good there (by good, I mean salvation because even good intentioned people go to Hell if they don’t have Jesus), but for now, I only have record of the last 5 generations. The evil of alcoholism, drugs, violence, incest and abuse have been prominent themes.
I know that when I was 7 years old, in a comma, on life-support, I had a choice. I could go home to God, or I could stay on earth with my precious brother. While nobody told me of God, I talked to God within my comma, and while I appreciated the comfort of being there, I knew that spirits could still find me there (good or bad), and I knew that I must get back to my brother because we needed each other to survive. If went home to God, my brother may get left behind, eternally. I had to return.
My brother’s name and my name have now been written in the Lamb’s book of life. I got saved at the age of 14 and my brother got saved in his early 30’s. I thank God for our eternity, so sacrificially paid through the blood of Jesus. I am amazed at the comparison of from where we came as compared to the surpassing beauty of where we will ultimately reside: in eternity with God. God reminded me, however, that any soul that receives salvation (whether they are from a seemingly beautiful home with a white picket fence, or an obviously evil home with no fence of protection), all people are lost and bound for the pit of Hell until they receive salvation.
Over the years people have told me how amazing my testimonies are. At times, I have found myself wishing I didn’t have such testimonies. It has been embarrassing to me to actually admit things from my childhood. I wished I was just a normal kid who went to Sunday school and got saved so people would quit talking or starring at me. They have commented about my dark childhood years, my struggling early adult years, my military term, my educational experiences, the books I’ve written, the testimonies from my son’s diagnosis of Usher Syndrome, and they have said, “I don’t have powerful testimonies like that.” They somehow compare my difficult life to their seemingly pleasant lives, and they have decided that their testimony is just not as good. I realize now that my wishing I didn’t have such testimonies and them wishing they had more testimonies is just a distraction of self. God has given each of us a unique faith story, whatever it is, we are to share it, but we aren’t supposed to get sidetracked by it. If we all focus on who we are or aren’t, or from where we came and then allow ourselves to get embarrassed or disappointed - either way, we become distracted from the fact that our testimonies are to be based on Christ and what He did (not self or circumstances). As a result of this realization, I will not downplay my past anymore. I don’t have to be embarrassed and I am not to become arrogant about “how far I’ve come,’ just as you are not to become embarrassed of your past or become arrogant about of “how far you’ve come.”
If you are someone who has been caught up in this confusion as well, God wants me to tell you right now that He set forth a profound rescue mission when He sent His Son, Jesus, to save us! Regardless of who you are or where you are when you are saved, we are not to compare the quality or intensity of God’s rescue mission to earthly standards or circumstances. No! We are to compare the difference between an eternity spent in Hell (much worse than any earthly experiences anyone has suffered) to an eternity spent with God. Now that’s profound. You do have a testimony. Compare Hell to Heaven. You have a testimony of the love of Christ in your life!
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:7
Warrior Moms Unite!™
Love,
Kristina
The Warrior Mom Ministry was founded by Kristina Seymour, author of The Warrior Mom Handbook – Equipping Women through the Word, a Bible study for moms who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. Kristina has learned that moms can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about The Warrior Mom Handbook, the Warrior Mom Ministry, and to sign up for daily encouragement, visit Kristina's blog.
