As believers in Christ we can easily be distracted from the Spiritual truths that we have been given, through scripture and the teachings in the Bible.  It is true that we have an adversary who goes about seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8) – and a good deal of how he does devour is through deception.  We take what we hear, and say, ‘oh yes!  This makes sense to me’ and without even a blink of an eye, we follow after the lie we have been fed.  Because we are living in the last days, we are living in lies upon lies – so that the confusion level is at an extreme.   Jesus spoke simplistically in when He described the road that we are to walk in.  It is narrow and difficult.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14.

But since He spoke these words, the narrow and difficult has branched out into thousands of variations.  What once was described as a fork in the road, the narrow and difficult path and the road that leads to destruction – it now is described like a human artery, branching into a vast vain and capillary system!  Like our world, we have many selections of one kind of product, we have a vast assortment of choices that we can make – and this too has attributed to our Christian experience sighting words like  ‘What is good for you, may not be good for me’ or ‘my truth does not have to be your truth.’

There are two ways that humans live here on earth; Reject Christ’s offer of the forgiveness of sins which will yield God’s wrath and judgement (Jude 1:7) or to accept and receive Christ’s Life and His gift of the forgiveness of sin through His blood and receive eternal life – with Him (1 John 2:25, Acts 4:29).  We live this, in each of the moments we live.  Our deeds reflect which it is we live.  This is why we see those who say they are believers of Christ – living no different than the world that is condemned to die – they are living according to what they (truly) believe and it is revealed in their deeds.

As we live on earth, there is a cause and effect to every word, thought and deed we do.  It is also the ground that Satan’s Kingdom can do business where he is cunning, clever and continually watches for his inroad into a soul’s life – to corrupt, confuse and deceive – believer and non-believer alike.  We are warned throughout scripture not to be deceived – and for good reason.

Mental Illness is something where Christendom has too quickly and easily adopted the worlds definition, explanation and remedy to where it plagues equally so those within its walls.  In truth, mental illness is the product of sin.  Whether it be the result of our own undealt with sin, or because of an act of sinful violation against us – and mental illness is the ‘holding tank’ so to speak of that particular sin or sins.

As you read the book of Psalms you hear the many distresses that King David was under – and in all, he sought the Lord and we are blessed with his writings for they encompass the Spirit of God teaching, and encouraging all who would read.

Today, we live in a ‘me’ world view.  We zero in on me, my and mine – in our Christian life and this is how many land in the Kingdom of Satan and why the mental illness level is high among those in Christendom.  Satan will always have people focus on Self.  He will always make it about them.  Where the Kingdom of God is about Christ and why He calls us to give to Him our worship – we take our eyes off of ourselves and put them on Him in the posture of a worshipful life.  This is our safeguard, and the ground that Satan cannot contend.  In Timothy Paul describes our world today and take note that what he lists all stem form a SELF world view (not a Christ world view) and the absence of worshiping God:

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without  self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

I believe Paul was talking about people among the believing members of Christ.  In Titus the exhortation is similar:

To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.  They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:15-16

 

Fear is a spirit. What is the basis of mental illness?  Fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  1 Timothy 1:7

Fear can only operate in the absence of love – and it torments.   Is this not the description of mental illness?

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

A good visual of fear, is when Peter asked Jesus to walk to Him on the water.  He became distressed and fearful, when He took His eyes off of Christ and looked upon his circumstances (that would affect him) – and fear took hold of him.  Matt 14:22-33

Could the reason for the rise of mental illness among us be the preoccupation of Self?  I believe this to be true.  I believe that Jesus did not lie when He said these words:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord – Isaiah 61:1-2

Mental Illness is a thing – to put off (Romans 8:5-6, Ephes 4:21-25,  ) To not accept.  To reject as it is not compatible with Christ who is the evidence of what I say is true for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life – where we put Him on, accept and receive Him in its place.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

See Also: I Had a Question for God  Need Someone to Pray for You?  Anxiety – Our Modern Day Plague  Overcoming Fear  The Battle in our Minds  No Peace?