For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance;
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In 1975, when I was born again, I owned a small business in Dallas, Texas, in American Indian Arts.
In approximately 1976, a man came into my store. I noticed him because he was wearing a tie clasp shaped in the form of handcuffs. He introduced himself to me and as deputy sheriff, and said to me, "Little lady, do you know a man named Clutter?" I replied, "No sir." He said, "Well he knows you. He is suing you for one-million-dollars." And he handed me some court documents and left the store.
I was shocked!
I probably had an inventory of 2 or 3 thousand dollars in merchandise at that time. I had no personal money. I lived in an apartment that rented for $180 per month. And I drove an old car!
It was a ridiculous situation which I had trouble seriously considering. I threw the court papers on a shelf and walked away, hardly thinking of this happening.
But in a few days I realized that if I didn't respond to these proceedings, this man might be able to get a judgment against me and take the small amount of merchandise that I did have and put me out of business.
So I hired a lawyer to represent me.
The lawyer met with me a few times and a bill came for $3000. I paid that bill. Then he did something else and another bill came and I barely had enough to pay that bill, but I did pay it.
God had worked with me to get me out of debt in a miraculous way. At the rate I was going with the lawyer, it wouldn't be long before I would have to borrow money to pay for the legal bills. I was certain this was not God's way for me! I began praying for God to help me.
One day, while reading the Bible a verse of scripture stood out to me.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the LORD.
I began thinking about this.
💥 This is a promise of God to HIS Children! I am now one of God's children. So this promise from God would apply to me!
💥 "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;"
This law suit was definitely a weapon formed against me!
As a child of God, this weapon could not prosper against me!
💥 and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (another promise from the Bible)
Here is another scripture which fits what I am about to do.
Jesus says: (to His disciples)
Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
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God had also been teaching me to live by the following scripture:
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
(I had been doing these instructions, meditating on specific scripture day and night, for several months, ever since I saw this instruction. The promise attached to doing this: "for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success!" I was sure this promise from God applied to me!)
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As I continued to think on these scriptures, I was convinced this law suit could not prosper against me.
So why am I paying all this money to a lawyer to represent me? I can just go to court and speak for myself!
I decided to dismiss my lawyer and go to court without any human representation.
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(As a new Christian at that time, I decided to make an appointment with my pastor and tell him what I was going to do.)
Enroute to the meeting with pastor, I prayed for God to give pastor wisdom.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
(another promise of God to HIS people.)
After I explained the situation and the scriptural basis for my decision, pastor said: "Joan ... I perceive that you have faith to do this this way."
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I called my lawyer immediately.
I shared the scripture in Isaiah with the lawyer. I told him either the Bible is true, or it is just an history book telling about God, and this was a good time to test the Bible to see. If it was simply a history book about God, I wanted no more to do with the Bible.
But if the Bible was true, it would have power for us who believe, and no weapon would prosper against me, just as this promise from the Bible says.
The lawyer was very shocked and said, "Joan ... you can't do this! You don't realize how evil these courts are today."
(But I was sure what God promised HE would do and could do for us.)
Gordon, my lawyer, said, "Joan ... we are willing to work with you. It will only take about $10,000 more to try your case."
"$10,000 MORE to try my case? I shouted!
"Gordon ... Stop ... don't do anything else ... no paper work ... no more phone calls!"
When he left my shop it was settled. The law firm was dismissed from my case. I would go to court without any human legal counsel.
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About 2 weeks later, Gordon came back to my shop. He said, "We have decided to try your case without any further charge to you."
What is going on, I wondered.
One week it will cost me $10,000 more and two weeks later it will be "free" no cost to me!
(I didn't hear Gordon mention God in his statement. So I didn't think God sent him with this free legal service.)
I said, "I'm just going to have to get back with you on this."
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I began praying, asking God what HE wanted me to do.
And immediately the following scripture was called to my mind:
Genesis 14
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
(I knew by this God was telling me: Don't take the free legal service.)
And I said to God: "I want to be like Abraham. I want my provision to come from YOU and not from this world."
(From that day to this present day, I have continued to live in this concept, not desiring wealth or things from this world but rather wanting only that which God would provide for me!)
It was very important to me to live this way.
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Of course I was afraid! (The court trial was scheduled 6 weeks after this.)
To help me, God would remind me of scripture and I would take those verses which God gave me and write them down and keep them before me day and night to strengthen me. I recorded them on both sides of the tape and played that tape when I went to bed at night. When I awoke in the night I could turn the tape over and play it again. I would fall asleep to the scriptures. There were about 14 verses.
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Six days before the scheduled court trial, I received a phone call from the attorney of the man who filed the law suit against me. There were several dealers of Indian arts attached to the suit, along with Better Business Bureaus of Dallas and Fort Worth. He was charging us with a conspiracy to keep him from doing business in Dallas where he rented a motel room and sold Indian jewelry at approximately 70% discount, according to him.
His lawyer said, "Since you don't have a lawyer, I'm calling to tell you that our client dropped all charges and there will be no court appearance." I asked, "Did he drop the charges against everyone?"
The lawyer said, "He cut everyone loose. We tried to get him not to file charges against you because he had no legitimate charges but he was like a madman and wouldn't listen to us."
It was over!
A week or so later, Gordon, my former lawyer came to my shop. He said, "I just wanted to tell you that we have often discussed your case at the law firm and I wanted to let you know that we believe what you said would happen, happened!"
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the LORD.
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