As a new Christian, in 1975, I owned a business in American Indian Arts.
During that time, many fake articles were brought into Dallas by itinerate merchants who rented motel rooms and sold these items at less 50-70 percent.
The Dallas Morning News asked me to write an article giving people advice concerning the purchase of Indian articles.
Shortly after the warning appeared, one of the itinerate merchants came to Dallas and saw my article and filed a law suit against me and against others claiming we were trying to keep him from doing business in Dallas.
During that time, many fake articles were brought into Dallas by itinerate merchants who rented motel rooms and sold these items at less 50-70 percent.
The Dallas Morning News asked me to write an article giving people advice concerning the purchase of Indian articles.
Shortly after the warning appeared, one of the itinerate merchants came to Dallas and saw my article and filed a law suit against me and against others claiming we were trying to keep him from doing business in Dallas.
It was difficult for me to take this seriously and I just tossed the legal papers aside ... but then I realized if I failed to respond to the courts, I could lose my business and all my merchandise.
I hired a lawyer to represent me.
God had taught me to get out of debt and to stay out of debt. (which I had done)
But when the legal fees began coming in regularly, I saw very quickly I was going to be back in debt if I continued going this way.
The Holy Spirit called to my memory the following scripture:
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.
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.
If this scripture is true, the "weapon" formed against me by that lawsuit could not prosper.
As I thought upon this scripture that was brought to my mind by the Holy Spirit, I realized God was showing me the way to go concerning this lawsuit.
I would dismiss my attorney and go to court without human legal counsel, stopping all the legal fees that were also coming against me.
When I told my plan to my pastor, he said: "Joan, I perceive that you have faith to do this this way."
My lawyer greatly objected when I told him my plan.
Lawyer said: "Joan, you can't do this! You have no idea how evil these courts can be."
My response to lawyer:
"Gordon ... I am a Christian. The Bible says no weapon formed against me will prosper since I am servant of God ... This lawsuit will not prosper ..."
I dismissed attorney and proceeded with the plan to go to court without human legal counsel. God brought to my mind several scriptures to give me courage to do this as I planned. I recorded these scripture on cassette tape and played the tape when I went to bed to get those scripture into me so I would have faith, strength and courage.
About a week after I dismissed the lawyers, Gordon came into my shop.
He had told me the lawsuit would cost me about $10,000 more to try the case. But now he told me the law firm had decided to try the case for free and there would be no more cost to me.
But what does God want me to do?
I told Gordon I would have to let him know.
I prayed: What do YOU want me to do about this?"
Immediately God, by the Holy Spirit, brought to my memory the following scripture:
Genesis 14:22-23 Abraham said to king of Sodom ... I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 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:
By this, I knew God was telling me not to take the "free" legal service.
I continued with the plan to go to court without human counsel.
God brought to my mind many scriptures which strengthened me in doing this as I thought on those scriptures.
Six days before the trial was scheduled in US District Court, the man dropped all charges against everyone.
The weapon formed against me did not prosper, just as God promised in the Bible.
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