Beyond the Barriers has Changed Its Name!

Hello Friends,

Just a quick update to let you know that we've decided to change the name of the web page. We've moved recently, and it's the first time in 15 years that we actually felt like our new location is actually HOME.

Once in our new home, we also felt that it was time for a name change and to settle on the right name for the ministry. Up to now, Beyond the Barriers has primarily just been our blog page, but we have been quite busy with ministry as well, and Beyond the Barriers didn't seem to adequately represent who we are or what we do in the body of Christ. We have lived expecting the miraculous for a long time and we encourage others to do the same, so it seemed natural to just let that become the name of our new ministry.

Please pray for us as we regularly minister at a local Christian rehab ministry, preach and teach the gospel and desire to reach our city for Christ. Lake Elsinore is a city that is ripe for revival and we know God has called us here. It was as if we could feel Jesus weeping over this place, and we wanted to be where His heart was moved. The Lord has given us His heart for this city - for the lost. and the outcasts. We are called to the rejected, the bound and the broken.There are so many hurting families in need of restoration - but, there are many more families that are already pouring themselves out to help build the kingdom of God in our midst. There are many, many kind-hearted, compassionate people that also carry the same burden to see this city renewed. God wants to restore His glory in the lives of these people!

Lake Elsinore has been in the news recently with all the poppy super blooms. It has attracted many tourists to see the glory of God displayed on the mountains. It's just a prophetic picture of what God is doing by His Spirit. He is getting ready to pour out His Spirit upon this land and restore the waste places in people's lives - and we get to be a part of it! This is a beautiful place to live  and the people are great. We are nestled in lush green valleys with a beautiful view of snow capped mountains and amazing yellow and orange poppies covering the mountain sides and it looks like the glory of God displayed in nature. Veins of deep purple flowers cover the backside of the mountains behind our home. I get to wake up and hear the birds chirping and horses neighing from across the fields. There is such peace. While others may focus on the unlovely aspects of this city, it truly is a lovely place if you have eyes to see the beauty around you. I am so proud to call Lake Elsinore home. God has brought us to a new field to sow our seed and we are expecting an abundant harvest.

We have a house church ministry for discipleship, teaching and training, and we're helping people find the resources they need to help end cycles of homelessness, addictions and brokenness. We want to support what other ministries are doing to help build the kingdom and be an encouragement to them. Please pray for favor in the community and that a building for teaching, training and deliverance ministry would make itself available to us. It seems like more and more broken people are coming across our path and they need more help than we have available at the moment, but we do what we can. One of our main goals is to equip people with the tools they need to get free and end cycles of generational brokenness, poverty and addictions, and help them on the path to restoration. If you would like to partner with us in the harvest by sowing a financial seed it would be greatly appreciated. Scroll down to find our donation button.


Until next time...be blessed, and expect YOUR miracle as you plant seeds in faith.

Breaking Cycles of Arrested Development

Today, more than ever before, there seems to be an increase in various disorders and learning disabilities. 1 in 5 youth has some sort of mental disorder, and mental disorders in young people continue to rise. Autism rates also continue to rise. Suicide and depression continue to rise. The question is, “Are these really medical conditions or is what we are seeing the evidence of a false diagnosis by well-meaning mental health professionals?”

There is an over-use of the word demonization in society today that tends to label people that are hated or perhaps simply not tolerated for one reason or another. I do not mean to misuse or implicate a negative stereotype towards those that may suffer and struggle with some of the issues outlined in this article. However, with that said, I do believe people of faith should recognize the reality of a spiritually rooted issue that deals with demonic oppression. These can often be causes of issues that may be overlooked or misdiagnosed. Spiritually rooted issues can only be solved by dealing with the demonic spirit(s) responsible for the condition.

I believe a great deal that cannot be explained by health professionals gets falsely labeled in order to get treatment for the patient. Without a diagnosis, individuals cannot get medications or professional services. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders helps doctors diagnose symptoms in their patients so that they can be treated and also bill their patients insurance for services, treatment, and medications. I do, however, want to stress that there are legitimate mental health issues that do warrant a variety of treatment options, including medication.

There are many demons that are responsible for certain types of behaviors that manifest as mental health issues. However, doctors are not deliverance ministers; therefore, they must find a way to treat their patients within the scope of their expertise and training. Therefore, it stands to reason that many things that are labeled mental health or psychological issues can have a root cause that is spiritual, not necessarily of physical origin - and demons don’t leave with medication. In fact, they thrive even more because medications prescribed for mental health conditions tend to weaken the mind, allowing demonic spirits to take advantage of a person’s vulnerability and weakened condition. Some of these issues are:

Oppositional Defiance Disorder

Conduct Disorders

Schizophrenia and other Delusional Disorders

Anorexia, Bulemia and Eating Disorders

Learning Disabilities, Mental Blocks and Confusion Disorders

Children that don’t want to grow up, Tantrums and Immaturity Disorders

Stunted Emotional Growth, Self-sabotage, and Irresponsibility

Social Disorders caused by fear and insecurity

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Addictive Behaviors

Self-sabotage and other Self-defeating Behaviors

Autism

Tourettes Syndrome

There are many other disorders, but those are just a few. This is not to say that chemical imbalances in the brain cannot be one of the causes - however, it takes discernment and wisdom in partnership with Holy Spirit to correctly identify the cause of an issue, and that should be anyone’s first step in obtaining an accurate diagnosis.

They all have something in common. It’s called Arrested Development. This can enter a family through generational curses, unconfessed sin (which results in a guilty conscience and a lack of peace), rebellion, stubbornness, a strong self will (a form of idolatry) and many other things. With some people, there may be a stubborn, rebellious, fighting and arguing spirit that rises up and insists on having things their way or a tantrum ensues. The individual finds it impossible to adapt to normal social situations. Others tend to withdraw and avoid contact with others because it creates fear and anxiety. They are two opposite sides of the spectrum but at the root of it is a spirit of fear. Fear of embarrassment, fear of rejection, fear of failure or fear of losing control - it could include all kinds of things. As a matter of fact, fear, anxiety, and stress are at the root of all of the issues mentioned in the list above, and FEAR is a spirit.

Many individuals with social, psychological and neurological issues also report obsessive thoughts dealing with lust, sex, death, compulsive thoughts and other things that speak of immorality and uncleanness. In years past, these things were considered evidence of a weakened neurological system due to sin in the ancestry of a family line. In today's society and culture, sin is more widely accepted as normal and other explanations are adopted to explain mental and emotional issues. Sometimes these expanations can be correct, but I think a great deal is labeled and treated with medication when it may not actually a medical problem.

Some of the characteristics of certain issues/disorders (such as Tourettes, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and others) seem to manifest not at random moments, but specifically at the most inopportune moments that bring shame, embarrassment, more fear, anxiety and social rejection towards those dealing with the problem. It is just my opinion, but I believe it suggests that those type of manifestations are calculated by something with an intelligent mind, not just a random happening. Some individuals that deal with mental and emotional issues also report hearing voices, being given orders, or an uncontrollable need to act on the feeling that rises up inside of them. This suggests they are not in control of themselves but they are more like a puppet where something else is directing their actions.

Arrested Development is not just a disorder; it can also be a grouping of demonic spirits that attack the soul of an individual. Revelation chapter 9 reveals the prince of demons from the bottomless pit (also called the abyss) that is chief over a class of demons known as destroyer spirits. Sometimes an individual opens the door to these spirits, but they can also be inherited through generational curses.

"And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key of the shaft of the bottomless pit; he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft." Rev. 9:1-2, RSV

"They have as king over them the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, in the Greek he has the name Apollyon." Rev. 9:11

There is nothing more destructive than mental and emotional torment. As is noted in Rev. 9:3, destroyer spirits have an assignment to torment people but not always kill them. These spirits resemble locusts but sting like a scorpion and inflict mental anguish.

When you look at the list of disorders, what is at the heart of all of them is a form of mental torment. When children experience fear, trauma, abuse, neglect, anxiety or some type of situation that opens the door to demonic oppression, evil spirits can attack them in their soul. Children are unaware that they are vulnerable and most have no knowledge or understanding of spiritual warfare. They depend on the adults in their life for their safety and protection, and that includes taking authority over any spirits that may have taken up residence in that child’s life. When the adults fail to take spiritual authority over evil spirits, or don’t know which ones to address, those spirits stay and begin to release torment to the child’s soul. This can result in arrested development to prevent people from growing into maturity. These spirits work to keep people stuck in emotional immaturity, and part of that is also blame shifting. The person refuses to take responsibility for their own faults and shifts the blame onto others for the problems they have created in life. It can be closely related to self-pity.

Arrested Development also manifests in areas where the person cannot hold down a job or maintain a sense of stability in their life. The person may look grown up on the outside but on the inside, they cannot deal with the issues of being an adult. Facing the real world as an adult is too stressful for them. They don’t want the responsibility and look for ways to retreat. My own father was a paranoid schizophrenic, and it was said that the pressure of having to take responsibility for a family is what triggered his emotional instability and downward path into mental illness. I'm not sure if that is accurate or not, but he certainly did retreat from any form of responsibility. He was so overcome with anxiety that he convinced himself he was an invalid. I am also aware of other individuals that struggle with these sort of issues. They have difficulty facing the demands of adulthood. This fear of taking responsibility for their own lives will cause people to either look to others to be their savior and provider or run away altogether. When you consider the issues at the heart of addicts, homelessness, mental issues, parental abandonment, and broken families, many of them are dealing with these sort of problems yet don’t know how to break the cycle, so the cycles continue to repeat into future generations. This produces generational poverty, brokenness, addictions and mental disorders that run in families.

Many times the anxiety caused by trying to live responsibly will cause them to turn to drugs, alcohol or other means of escape because familiar spirits will lead them back down that path. People will gravitate to what is familiar, even if it is unhealthy because they have no grid for what healthy looks like. It hasn’t been modeled for them! Deep down they feel insecure and lack confidence in their ability to live as a mature adult. They look to themselves rather than God and have misplaced trust issues. At the root of it, the god of self becomes magnified as the one who is enthroned in their life. When self is on the throne, God is NOT. Self-will is idolatry, and when self is at the center of our life, our ability to make wise choices is sometimes skewed. Because at the heart of the matter is that we become driven by our fears and our needs rather than led by God's Holy Spirit and guided by His wisdom. Self-sabotage is a very real thing, but it can be overcome by heeding the word of the Lord. Self-sabotage comes from an unstable mindset that is rooted in fear.

I believe that many things that have been wrongly diagnosed as psychological disorders, mental disease and disorders can be healed through prayer and guidance from Holy Spirit.

Build Your House on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

YOU ARE THE HOUSE. What are you building your life upon? Are you building your house upon your own wisdom or the wisdom of God? God's word is a guide to help us have wisdom for our life and keep us from the things that will release destructive forces in our lives. Jesus said that those that heard His word but didn't incorporate obedience to His word into their lives would be like that unstable house built upon the sand. When the storms of life come, will your house stand, or will your foundation be washed away by the floods? You can build upon instability or you can build upon the rock of Jesus Christ which will add stability to your life, because when you have His presence in your life, it gives you peace of mind. Peace, not Fear. Fear always causes instability!

You may be going through a dark night of your soul, where nothing makes sense and everything seems to be in darkness. God has sent you on a treasure hunt without you understanding it. He wants you to dig deep to discover truth: the truth about yourself and truth about Him. When you discover the truth that has bound your heart, it will set you free and your heart will belong to Jesus in a much deeper way. Ask yourself, "What is really at the core issues of my life? What fears are controlling my behaviors?" Every lie comes from the Father of Lies. God's word is truth!

Satan has had many years of whispering his lies to us, and he knows every place where our belief system is rooted in lies. See, the enemy is just waiting for us to choose the path of self-destruction and self-sabotage so that he can keep us bound to the same old cycles that end in defeat, discouragement, and disappointment. If we want to stop repeating old cycles then we need to first understand that generational curses are real. We all have parents and grandparents, and none of us know the things they have opened a door to. Often times those things result in demonic attachments that act like invisible magnets to other demonic spirits. Their assignment is to keep pulling you back into familiar territory, because when we choose what is familiar then we will keep choosing the things that result in brokenness. The only way to break the cycle is to choose to be uncomfortable because uncomfortable is the pathway to change.

God wants us to find our stability in Him. READ IS. 33:5,6

“The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of your times and the strength of salvation. The fear of the Lord is His treasure.” - Is. 33:5,6

PRAYER:

Father,

I thank you for opening my eyes to see my own blind spots. Help me understand the root issues of my life and what lies are tied into my belief system. Holy Spirit, lead me into the truth that will set me free. Help me choose the path and the plan you have for me, even if it is uncomfortable. Take my hand and walk me through the fear. Bring me out to the other side.

On behalf of my own sin, and those in my generational line, I renounce and confess the sins of idolatry and rebellion. Forgive us for adopting false gods and demonic spirits to lead our lives. I renounce and confess the sins of allowing other masters besides you to be lord over our lives.

I confess and renounce the sins of evil speaking, shedding innocent blood, slander, lying, bearing false witness against others, dissension and causing division, and pride and haughty attitudes. For us for unbelief, double-mindedness and failing to trust You to be Lord over every area of our lives. I apply the blood of Jesus over every sin in my generational line; those committed by my ancestors and those committed by myself. I ask You, O God, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and forgive our sin.

You know and discern heart and motive better than I. You know those relationships in my life that are unhealthy. Some have been established by the enemy in order to strip me of all spiritual strength. I ask You to take those relationships out of my hands and do what you know needs to be done with them.

I renounce and break all agreement with spirits of sabotage and command them to leave me now in Jesus name. I declare a disentanglement and separation from all relationships that are designed to destroy, hinder, sabotage, and undermine my identity in Christ, and those that have set themselves against the anointing, calling and purposes of God in Jesus name.

I submit to the authority of Your Holy Spirit and I  renounce the spirits of fear, insecurity and inferiority. I command them to go from me now and return to the abyss.

I resist all lying and familiar spirits and bind them to silence. I  command them to return to the abyss.

I resist and break agreement with pride, resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, self-pity, stubborness, rebellion, unbelief, regret, and the spirit of past. I command them to leave me now and return to the abyss created for them in Jesus name.

I break the power of fear that came in as a result of trauma and indoctrination into occult rituals in Jesus name. I choose to see myself as victorious, not a victim, and I command all predatory spirits that cause victimization to leave me now in Jesus name. I choose to forgive anyone that has hurt me or caused trauma to my life, and I release them to You now, Father, for You are a God of justice. I trust You to oversee justice in my life as well as in the lives of those that have caused me pain.

I repent for complaining, murmuring and criticisms that have opened the door to a spirit of death and destruction. I condemn the words I've spoken over myself and others, and I pray that the fruit of negative words would fall to the ground without bearing any evil fruit. I choose to be grateful, Lord. I thank You for all that You are doing in my life to release my restoration.

As I submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the authority of His Holy Spirit, I now command all evil princes, deputies and wardens as well as the spirit known as Arrested Developmment to leave me now and return to the abyss in Jesus name. You must leave me now and never return.

I reject and resist all destroyer spirits from the bottomless pit, and their chief prince Apollyon/Abaddon. Return to where you came and never torment me again, in Jesus name.

I declare that I will not submit myself to the spirit of fear in Jesus name. I will not think as a child or act as a child. I will make the choice to grow into spiritual and emotional maturity.

I declare the enemy's plans are ruined as of this day and no weapon formed against me shall prosper, according to Is. 54:17.

I declare I am anointed with fresh oil as it is written in Psalm 92:10.

Thank You, Father, for releasing the joy of the Lord to be my strength. Give me victory over the enemy and help me to walk in the light of Your truth. In Jesus name. Amen.