Spiritual reservations

Greeeting Brothers and sister, I am new to this Board and I have been blessed by your comments and encouraging words. Have any of you being a christian, been faced with this question either in your mind or from someone else: If you are saved and you say that you can do all thing through Christ that strenghten you, then why can't you lose weight without the surgery? Eating to much is a sin. Well I'm a christian and questions like that have been going through my mind even though I've decided to have the surgery. Well you know, the devil been telling me that if I truly believe that God is a healer, why are you so sick?How can you preach Jesus and you're sick all the time? I will give you my response to these questions, but I would like to know if any of you christian have ever faced something like that or am I alone. God bless you all, pooky

Great question!! I'm courious to see what everyone says

Pooky, Yes, I know that we can do all things through Christ. But while we are living on praying ground we are living in this body of flesh that is at constant battle with us. Php 3:14 says "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." The key words here are "I press TOWARD the goal". This thing is a constant work in progress. We strive to be like God because he tells us 1 Peter 1:16 to "be holy as I am holy". Yet we know that this is impossible because we fall short every day. (Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") I believe that is it nothing but God that makes this surgery available. Just like a person will reach total depravity before they submit to Jesus; we have reached total depravity with God's temple, our bodies. You said that gluttony is a sin and that is true. But like I said before we are all sinners saved by grace. Some people's sin is behind closed doors where no one can see the effects of it openly. Our sin of gluttony is visible. Does that make it any of a greater sin then the closet sinner? Of course not because God sees all sin equal. If any person will read you post and disagree your point that overeating is sin, they are fooling themselves. In Exodus 20:3 Moses was reading the 10 commandments and he said that "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." We were using food as a god. At the times that we should have turned to Him for guidance, support, hope; we instead turned to food. All I can say is that this operation has given me the ability to glorify Him. It has allowed something that I put before Him to be casted away. I praise God for Him seeing it fit for me to have this surgery which leads me to another point. If it wasn't God's will for some of His children to have this operation you can trust that it would NEVER take place. We are talking about the same God that put one foot on nothing and the other foot on nowhere and spoke everything into existence. The same God that saved Daniel from the lion's den, the same God that kept Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego safe in the fiery furnace, the same God that parted the red sea. I know without a shadow of a doubt that if God has the power to do all that, He certainly has the power to allow or deny a simple WLS. Did any of that make sense? I started getting excited there and felt like preaching!! Love, Dawn

Dawn, I have been reading this board for a few weeks now and I am so impressed with you. You are certainly a woman after God's on heart! You can preach to me anytime I just wanted to let you know you have an admirer in me.

Dawn, I whole heartedly agree with you, we all have sinned and come short and believe you me I've done more harm to this body than overeat; thank God for His amazing grace. For me, I came to the conclusion that I messed up, I didn't take care of my body years ago and because of that I am suffering the consequences. If we sow to the flesh,of the flesh we shall reap corruption. God forgave all my sins and that includes overeating. I believe that whatever hinders you from doing the will of God, get rid of it. The Bible say in Matt: 5 & 30, if your right hand offends you cut it off. Being obese offends me and keeps me from doing the perfect will of God. I've got more work to do for the Lord and I can't do it sick as I am. I do believe the surgery is a God sent and we all need to use it as a means to damage the devil work by getting on with God's work. God wants us to be in good health even as our soul prosper. I feel that God has given me a chance to be reborn physically as He has given me a chance to be reborned spiritually. With this surgery, If I got it right, I understand that you start on liquid like a newborn baby, then a little thicker food like cream soups and shakes, to me thats baby cereal. After that blended foods or baby foods, then eventually light meals as the dietician prescribed, you chew your food well and watch what you eat; take your vitamin and protein religously. If not you'll suffer for it. I tell people that God is a healer and He heals through medicines, even Luke was a physician. I'm trusting God through the physician for this healing by means of this surgery. I give all the honor and praise to God. God Bless all of you, pooky

Satan is the master of lies and will use whatever means necessary to keep you from your inheritance! Shame and guilt are powerful tools in his arsenal, but we have the armor of Christ! "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:12) The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit is described as the word of God. Know that word and use your weapons wisely against the devil. God desires health for you, physically and spiritually and longs to be in close relationship. God does not wait for us to "get healthy" to use us, but uses us despite our short-coming as a testament to His amazing healing power (the same power that raised Jesus from the dead) and to His glory. Look at some of the people God used mightily in the Bible to do His will...not an impressive bunch according to worldly standards, but God does not see as man sees, by outward appearance, but He sees the heart. I hope this gives you encouragement and Hope. I know the ending of the story of salvation and the good guys win BIG TIME!!

Denise, yes satan is, and I don't doubt God's word one bit. The devil comes to kill steal and destroy,but Jesus came that we may have life and more abundant life. God uses me when I'm weakest, even through my health problems I'm determined to do His will. I refuse to rust out,I'd rather wear out until He come for me. I still have a voice to sing and preach his word. When I'm unable to attend all of the services that I want to, I'm still worshiping Him. I do the thing that I can for the ministry at home. I once was more active in church than I am now, and the devil go mad but he didn't stop me, just slowed me down some. With are without the surgery I will continue to live for the Lord. But when I get where I can walk more,( right now it's hard for me to walk around my house,) look out! I'm coming like a hurrricane. I am so Glad for this site, talk about stirring up the gift. Preach, talk and even rebuke me at anytime. I'll take all I can and can all you give as long as it's about Jesus. God Bless, pooky

Hello Pooky and everyone else I also had the same reservations, questions, doubts whatever you wanna call it. I realized that these thoughts all came when the wheels started turning where the surgery was becoming more and more real. I then had a moment of clarity and that is this. God want us to be at our best so that we can fully worship and represent the Gospel of his word. I prayed to the lord for years about my weight and health. I wanted to be in the best shape possible. I have always availed myself to the lord to be used and I could recall one sunday when we were in church (I attend your shoutin, singing, pentacostal church), I was praising the lord and shouting and when I went to my seat, I was so out of breath that I thought they would need to call the ambulance for me. This was ridiculous, why wouldn't the lord provide this surgey as a means to get me to great health so that I can praise his name without feeling sick. The devil is out there to through out an obstacle all of the time and he recognizes the destiny that is in your path if you reach your fill potential. This surgery will enable you to do that so don't be derailed. Seek the lord......Pray everyday....Read his word...He will guide you along the way nepo

pooky, thank you for your words today! I feel like I can really relate to you. I have wandered alot if this surgery is really ok with God. It is hard for me to believe that at this point I can loose the weight I need to loose without the surgery. And yet I do not want to do anything against my God. I know that if I were smaller and healthier I would be a hurricane like you. There are so many things I want to do, and do for the Lord. But this body is in my way! I know God has bigger plans for me than just sitting around my house isolating myself. I have a list on my profile that I keep adding too that just keeps going and going. I wrote in there that it is sad that I am missing out on so much of life. I desire to be able to be much more involved in my church that my weight holds me back from, like singing and maybe doing sign language, helping with VBS and nursery and maybe even counseling or being a small group leader like I once was. I recently e-mailed my pastor an GA and let him know that as soon as I could arrange it I was planning having this surgery. He is the Godliest most dedicated person I know. His opinion and advice is very important to me. I was glad when I got his response that he was not against the surgery. He understands how obesity can really hurt and complicate life the older you get. I don't want to get any worse than I am now. It is already so hard to take care of my family. I guess all that is to say that I have come to believe that God is going to use this surgery in my life to take my focus off of myself and food and put it on HIM!! That is truly my hearts desire. This obstacle with food and this weight is such a burden. I can't wait for it to be out of my way!! It's like I feel good about other areas in my life but this one area can always bring me sooo down and I pull away from God. I am not going to give up. The enemy wants to keep me down and I refuse!! Like you said with or without this surgery I will serve God, fat or not fat i will serve God!!!! He is my one true love and I will fight to be where He wants me to be!! I know I went on and on, I guess I just wanted to share a little. God is so good to me even when I am so self sabotaging! His mercies are amazing and never ending! I will praise Him all my days!! God bless you~ Candy

Why is this not a question in any other surgery? Do we question whether cardiac bypass surgery on an individual is because that person sinned by eating the wrong foods and not exercising to get there? I'm a Christian and I just had my gall bladder out.....and chances are a high-fat diet and genetics produced the stones that caused my pain....was it a sin for me to have the gall bladder surgically removed? Did I lack faith that God would heal me? Absolutely not. On the contrary....it took my faith and His guidance to get me through my weight loss surgery and my gall bladder surgery... Satan is just using these comments to create holes in your faith.....don't let it happen. luvitsunnyv