| In trying to be set free from mental illness, drugs and | | | | worship music. I'm a songwriter and I wrote songs |
| alcohol, I wanted to do things my way for the | | | | and sang them ministering to the Lord and He in |
| longest and I continued to suffer. I also wanted to | | | | turned ministered to me. Some of the songs others |
| live like the devil, hang out in his camp, play with his | | | | have heard, some only the Lord to this day has |
| fire and yet have the benefits of a child of God. That | | | | heard. I pored over Bible scriptures. In fact I'm kind |
| doesn't work either. Obedience to God and His Word | | | | of jealous today of my devotion then, and often |
| are essential for deliverance. In obeying God, He | | | | have to renew those "vows" or that covenant to be |
| gave me insight that I like to call: "ancient | | | | as fervent as I was then. My point is I was falling in |
| cutting-edge stuff". His insight and revelations help to | | | | love with the Lord and wanted to hang out with Him. |
| set me free. | | | | The more time I spent with Jesus Christ, the more I |
| Back then, I thought maybe I could design my own | | | | found that fear, depression, anxiety and mania were |
| religion and get free. A dash of the Bible, (and I do | | | | ebbing. I was being filled with God's Holy Spirit. |
| mean just a dash!) a sprinkle of new age, a heaping | | | | 2 Timothy 1:7 says: "God has not given us the spirit |
| of metaphysics and a "consciousness" of Jesus. That | | | | of fear, but of power and of love, and a sound |
| certainly didn't work, I just got deeper in a spiritual | | | | mind." |
| mess and more confused. | | | | And that's exactly what happened! He filled me with |
| Prayer with fasting was too hard, because I tried to | | | | His Holy Spirit and cancelled out or cast out the spirit |
| do it in my own strength. Did you know that often | | | | of fear. Did you know that Power and Love are |
| you have to pray for a time first, and ask the Lord | | | | spirits? In this reference they are holy spirits of God. |
| to give you the strength and power to fast? At | | | | We are vessels filled with spirits. That's one reason |
| times I would have only fried chicken, mashed | | | | why God is jealous about what we bring into our |
| potatoes, gravy and cole slaw, a little coffee and | | | | vessel, our body, which is intended to be not just |
| carrot cake a half an hour later then because that | | | | your temple, but God's temple. Some spirits come in |
| was "all" I had, I proclaimed the day, a day of fasting. | | | | and others leave, some are pretty much fastened |
| I may have not eaten for a portion of that day, but | | | | and are a part of our essence and make-up. Some |
| I certainly wasn't fasting while I was feasting on that | | | | are impure or unholy and need to be cast out in |
| picnic spread! In other words in trying to take many | | | | Jesus' name. |
| shortcuts to deliverance and not heeding the voice | | | | Not long ago I was reading a famous psalm by that |
| of the Holy Spirit, my deliverance actually took longer | | | | famous psalm-writer, David. David loved the Lord so |
| than it may have. | | | | much he kept praising Him in song. That was his gift |
| I know if God says "Do not forsake the gathering of | | | | and he gave it back to God. Psalm 23 is a psalm that |
| the saints" and "Remember the Sabbath and keep it | | | | is often read at funerals, but David was alive when |
| holy". Then that's what He means. Regular | | | | he wrote it! So I tend to think it is a more important |
| attendance at a good Bible-based church, preferably | | | | psalm for those still living here on earth. |
| one that believes in deliverance is essential. | | | | In it David says, "He makes me to lie down in green |
| Interestingly enough, I was finally delivered in a park, | | | | pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He |
| after prayer and fasting and talking to a telephone | | | | restores my soul." I thought, 'Hey that sounds good |
| prayer partner, so it doesn't mean you will be | | | | to me!' I was walking in a park as I often do when I |
| delivered in a church, but you should at least want to | | | | don't want distractions and want to talk to God. It |
| get to know God in a House of God. | | | | was a park beside a river. This may sound silly, but it |
| When it came down to the final stretch, about the | | | | wasn't. It was a lovely sunny day, so I found a |
| last six months before my deliverance, I was so | | | | shade tree near the river and laid down in the grass. |
| serious about my freedom I hung out at the church | | | | As I laid there I began to weep. Finally I said, "Okay |
| like I would used to hang out at the bar. I waited for | | | | Lord restore my soul!" I had been feeling confused |
| the church doors to open, like I used to wait for the | | | | and frustrated for a day or two and do you know |
| liquor store to open. I often stayed in services all | | | | He did? |
| day, actually frightened to leave, because the voices | | | | A feeling of such warmth and wholeness and love |
| I heard in mental illness seemed to quiet down while I | | | | washed over me and God did what He did for David. |
| spent time in church. Sometimes I would fall asleep I | | | | I laid there in the grass and God restored and |
| was there so long, but at least I was there basking in | | | | refreshed my soul. Gone were the spirits of |
| that sacred space. | | | | confusion or frustration. Then Christ gave me |
| My point is if you want deliverance from mental | | | | in-depth meanings about what that all meant. |
| illness which I do believe is possible for most | | | | Sometimes our soul gets fragmented, or wounded, |
| everyone that seeks it, you have to want a | | | | torn or fractured. The essence of who and what |
| relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you try | | | | God intended us to be gets scrambled or muddled, |
| to have a relationship with someone you wanted to | | | | blocked or plucked out by the evil one and his |
| marry and never spend any time with them? No | | | | cohorts. When you ask God to restore your soul you |
| phone calls, no dates, no sharing of activities, no gift | | | | are asking Him to restore it to what He intended it |
| giving. Just telling that person, "Hey I want to marry | | | | to be when He created you. |
| you!" then run off into the wilderness and never | | | | God finds the fragmented or plucked out pieces or |
| spend any time with your intended before the | | | | He simply fashions new ones (He IS the Creator) and |
| wedding? | | | | He beautifully restores us to wholeness in Him. God is |
| When you love the Lord and are truly seeking Him, | | | | deep. Hanging out with Him and having a relationship |
| you want a relationship with Him that is meaningful. | | | | with Him has many benefits. He loves you. Spend |
| You also want to do the things that are pleasing to | | | | time with Him and ask Him to restore your mind, |
| Him and you desire to abide right in the middle of His | | | | body and soul. And He will. |
| will. Seeking deliverance, I listened to praise and | | | | |