This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                      God's Anesthesia

Precious one, there are times when I must take you through seasons
of difficult or painful growth. I don't do this because I am angry
at you; I do not desire to cause you pain or discomfort. But I must
prune your character, so that you might be perfected and transformed
to the image of My Son.

There are times in your development and maturation process where I
must do a type of surgery on your spirit. I become like a surgeon
who is cutting away a cancerous growth so that it does not destroy
you. Yes, dear one, there are times when I must remove malignant
things from your spirit. Bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness and
rebellion are like cancer to you, and they will destroy you if I do
not deal with them. That is why I must operate on you, at times,
to remove them; I must cut away the things that would kill you if I
allowed them to remain.

In the natural, surgeries involve a certain level of pain and
discomfort. That is also true in the spirit, but you often make the
process much more difficult than it needs to be. When a surgeon
operates on his patient, he anesthetizes them so that they don't feel
his knife cutting into them as they lay on his operating table.

Likewise, dear one, it is My heart and My desire to anesthetize you
when I must perform My surgery on your spirit. I have given you My
peace that passes all understanding, so that difficult times and
trials do not have to overwhelm you. But in order to walk in My
peace, and you must keep your heart and your attention focused on
Me. Remind yourself daily that I am greater than any circumstance
you face.

I have also given you unconditional love that makes you fully accepted
in My Son. My love breaks the power of all condemnation over you, and 
sets you free from all of the accusations of the enemy against you. But 
the power of My great love only works in your life when you believe 
that I really do love you, and when you begin to receive My love.

In addition, I have given you a joy that is not tied to the things
that are happening around you and to you. That joy is meant to be your
strength; it is meant to sustain you. But that joy comes from Me,
it comes from lingering in My presence and trusting that My plans for 
you are good, and that they will ultimately be accomplished in your life.
If you do not spend time with Me, you will not experience My joy and it
will not sustain you in those difficult times.

Precious one, I have given you these things--peace, love and joy. They 
are to Anesthetize you when you must come under My surgery to refine 
your character. If you will receive them from Me, then the process of
My refinement does not need to be so difficult or so painful.

It is My heart and My desire to give these things to you. I want My
surgery to be as painless for you as possible, and I really do have
your good at heart. Yes, dear one, there are indeed times when you must
come under My knife and have malignant things cut away from you. Won't
you receive My peace, love and joy in those times, that the process
might be easier on you?