Mental Health (ii)

Today we continue with our study on one of the alarmingly growing trends in modern society – mental instabilities and illnesses. The one thing common about mind illnesses is that they begin as a negative thought from Satan, that presents itself as if it is coming from you to get you to tolerate and consider it for longer. Satan does not announce himself, but he is in everything that does not agree with the Word, thoughts and intents of God over our lives. Let us go back to the very beginning after men fell to the trickery of the devil. We read, “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). This firstly gives an impression that Adam and Eve were used to this occurrence, they knew what God sounded like when He came to visit and they were very familiar with His coming and presence. God came in with a pleasant atmosphere, eager to see His people, but when they heard His voice coming, they hid from Him. God called out to Adam, and He responded, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself” (v.10). This is the first mention of fear in the Bible, and we see how it crept in. Satan had sent thoughts of despair that had built up a ledge that opened a door to fear, leading to Adam’s eventual shame and running from the Lord. We see it in motion – perspective, position, and the eventual practice. Church, we need to understand that thoughts work in groups, one thought calls another, calls under, and before we know it, our minds are filled with an avalanche of thoughts that all began with one. Even in the scriptures, we see them grouped, “… whatsoever things are good, pure, lovely, of good report…” (Philippians 4:8), because they work in pairs and attract one another – like for like.  This is why it is important to guard our minds and not allow negative thoughts to lodge unmonitored because before long, we will be dealing with multiplied forces that will require multiplied effort to eradicate.

Going back to Adam, the Lord responded, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” (v.11). We immediately see God go straight to the source of the fear coming out in Adam’s voice and words. This is exactly what we should do, our words are only a symptom and not the actual problem – and if we want to change our lives, we need to take time to identify the heart of the negativity and uproot it at its core. Some of us need to check ourselves after we watch specific shows, scroll through specific social media platforms, spend time in specific places, therein we can discover what the source of negativity is in our lives.

Look at the words of apostle Paul, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 6:6-7). Church, understand that your thoughts are energy channels, if you linger on a thought for long enough, you attract energy forces towards it that will give it life! That is how carnal mindedness breeds death, because that mindset will eventually give birth to physical manifestations that will derail your life. The other important thing to note is that carnality does not only refer to the sensual sins, but it refers to the totality of all thoughts and actions that go against the Word of the Lord. We also read that a mind that carries thoughts that do not align with God is an enemy to God! Can you see that, church – it is not only unbelievers that are foes to God, all men who do not believe what God has said is an enemy to Him! If you do not believe that God heals, that He delivers, that He loves, that He wishes goodness and prosperity on His people – your mind stands against God! 

It is essential that we search ourselves and interrogate our own thoughts. It is written, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). We learn that the primary battle we will fight as believers is in the mind, because these thoughts have an effect on our ability to live out the life of faith. Our thoughts direct the trajectory of our lives, and if our thoughts are compromised and infiltrated, our lives will follow in that same direction. The negative thoughts in our minds are our greatest enemy, let us look at the example of Jesus, when He too was at His worst with attacks of depression. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told His disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there” (Matthew 26:36), and He took the close three up the mountain where scripture relays that He “began to be exceedingly sorrowful and deeply distressed” (v.38). Every single negative thought came onto Jesus, from the worst of the worst – betrayal, loss, neglect, etc – and He dealt with it all, all at once. Jesus Himself could not bear it, and Jesus Himself knew He could not survive by Himself. But today there are believers who think they are powerful enough to do life alone, when even the Lord himself needed the company and prayers of the brethren to see Him through His toughest times. You never know how close your deliverance is and in whose hands it may come through – you could be one life group/prayer/worship session away from your breakthrough! Jesus prayed three times over, saying the same thing, and reinforcing His choice of the will of God over His regardless of everything going on in His mind.  We see in the number of times Jesus prayed that things do not always immediately solve themselves, and that sometimes there will be a need for endurance. After Jesus had dealt with the worry that would have otherwise crippled Him, we see Him get into action mode, showing the re-energizing that had occurred, “Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand” (v.45).

Prayer

Father, we thank You for your covering! You are our refuge and fortress! Because we have put on Your full armor, we do not fear the terror by night and the arrow by day! Your peace guards our mind and heart, and the enemy’s lies are exposed by Your light! We choose Your word over our feelings and emotions, we choose Your word over our experiences and our fears! You have the final say, now and forever more, In Jesus’ name, Amen!