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T
What are demons, what are evil spirits and what are mental illnesses.... this is a minefield. But they somehow go hand in hand.
A depression, burnout or PTS are all normal reactions after stress, traumatic events and also chemical unbalance, and does not necessairely have anything to do with demons. But the devil is good to use them all to pull us further down in misery, so it is good to be aware of the devil's trickery as well as treating it medically or with therapy.
Illnesses in general are not from God, but a part of our fallen nature. It can be triggered by genetical or environmental factors.
Wether it is demons, spirits or illness... God is the great physician. And we are given authority in Jesus' name to cast out evil spirits and demons and heal. So how to deal with it? Pray, pray and humble yourself and pray some more. And deal with the problem as you are told. It might be treatment, it might be casting out demons or it my be a healing. But it is not up to us, is it?
A depression, burnout or PTS are all normal reactions after stress, traumatic events and also chemical unbalance, and does not necessairely have anything to do with demons. But the devil is good to use them all to pull us further down in misery, so it is good to be aware of the devil's trickery as well as treating it medically or with therapy.
Illnesses in general are not from God, but a part of our fallen nature. It can be triggered by genetical or environmental factors.
Wether it is demons, spirits or illness... God is the great physician. And we are given authority in Jesus' name to cast out evil spirits and demons and heal. So how to deal with it? Pray, pray and humble yourself and pray some more. And deal with the problem as you are told. It might be treatment, it might be casting out demons or it my be a healing. But it is not up to us, is it?
D
Adam and Eve were created without the sin nature. They were not stuck forever fighting that sin nature, until they sinned. Every human since then has been born with that sin nature, and was born with the consequences (punishment) given to Adam and Eve -- right down to every single woman who ever had a child had great pain delivering that child.
Something weird happened when the animals left Noah's ark. God gave them something at that time -- a fear of Man. That tells me how Noah got those animals in that boat. They weren't afraid of him then. And yet God changed them to fear Man that much later in the history of Man. He changed animals at a particular time too.
How are those two things connected in my mind? It seems to me that God did create "good" and "very good." (Read Genesis 1 again, and note those are God's two phrases for what he made. Everything was "good," except Man, whom God deemed "very good.") But later on something happened that God did. For Adam and Eve he made them corruptible, because they chose corruption when they didn't have to. And to animals, he protected them from corrupted men for their safety from henceforth. Now how did he do that?
Other than he spoke it, the Bible doesn't tell exactly what he did there. (Spoke it covers it though.) Could it not be at the DNA level? Homosexuals say they're "born that way." I can think back to my childhood and how I sinned to figure out which ways I was "born that way." I was a whiny little kid. Whiny, because whiny worked for me. I was a gossipy kid, and that kept working for me for the longest time. Even after I was saved. (So easy to gossip as Christians. We all like talking about "They vs. us." SOP, so it works.)
Could that have been the corrupted part of my DNA? I won't ever know, until I get my face-to-face with God.
And then I wonder, if homosexuality, whiny, and gossipy are pre-programmed corrupted DNA, couldn't mental illness be corrupted more so? After all. They haven't found a chromosome for homosexual, whiny, or gossipy (yet), but they have found an abnormality for schizophrenia. It can be passed down.
Does it really matter if our sin areas are physical or spiritual? We really can't divide ourselves up into those parts even if it is. Is it mental or physical? Is a cold mental or physical? And does it matter if it is one or the other?
Mental illness. Illness is a disease, so does it matter how it got here? And since we've all been corrupted, does it matter how?
I don't think those answers will be founded in my lifetime. I do know that God does a major miracle when he gives us new life, and yet he doesn't remove the corruption he placed in us from Adam's sin. We have to trust him to handle that part.
Is it any different than mental illness? I've been cured twice by God of the weirdest things. (UTI and a bee sting, when I'm traditionally very allergic to bee stings.) I don't doubt God can heal anything. BUT I also see God not healing everything. Is mental illness any different than the rest of the illnesses a person can get, other than none of us want it? Then again, is that so different? None of us want a cold either.
Just stuff I think. Can't back up half of it from the Bible.
Something weird happened when the animals left Noah's ark. God gave them something at that time -- a fear of Man. That tells me how Noah got those animals in that boat. They weren't afraid of him then. And yet God changed them to fear Man that much later in the history of Man. He changed animals at a particular time too.
How are those two things connected in my mind? It seems to me that God did create "good" and "very good." (Read Genesis 1 again, and note those are God's two phrases for what he made. Everything was "good," except Man, whom God deemed "very good.") But later on something happened that God did. For Adam and Eve he made them corruptible, because they chose corruption when they didn't have to. And to animals, he protected them from corrupted men for their safety from henceforth. Now how did he do that?
Other than he spoke it, the Bible doesn't tell exactly what he did there. (Spoke it covers it though.) Could it not be at the DNA level? Homosexuals say they're "born that way." I can think back to my childhood and how I sinned to figure out which ways I was "born that way." I was a whiny little kid. Whiny, because whiny worked for me. I was a gossipy kid, and that kept working for me for the longest time. Even after I was saved. (So easy to gossip as Christians. We all like talking about "They vs. us." SOP, so it works.)
Could that have been the corrupted part of my DNA? I won't ever know, until I get my face-to-face with God.
And then I wonder, if homosexuality, whiny, and gossipy are pre-programmed corrupted DNA, couldn't mental illness be corrupted more so? After all. They haven't found a chromosome for homosexual, whiny, or gossipy (yet), but they have found an abnormality for schizophrenia. It can be passed down.
Does it really matter if our sin areas are physical or spiritual? We really can't divide ourselves up into those parts even if it is. Is it mental or physical? Is a cold mental or physical? And does it matter if it is one or the other?
Mental illness. Illness is a disease, so does it matter how it got here? And since we've all been corrupted, does it matter how?
I don't think those answers will be founded in my lifetime. I do know that God does a major miracle when he gives us new life, and yet he doesn't remove the corruption he placed in us from Adam's sin. We have to trust him to handle that part.
Is it any different than mental illness? I've been cured twice by God of the weirdest things. (UTI and a bee sting, when I'm traditionally very allergic to bee stings.) I don't doubt God can heal anything. BUT I also see God not healing everything. Is mental illness any different than the rest of the illnesses a person can get, other than none of us want it? Then again, is that so different? None of us want a cold either.
Just stuff I think. Can't back up half of it from the Bible.
Remember in Genesis where God was grieved, He made man flesh? The spirit can overcome "the flesh"...That goes both ways! If it were easy? Then we ALL would be saved! Right? Tis a wonderful and very gracious Heavenly Father we have, that even when His "Chosen People" Israel "apostized" out of favor, to Him, He was gracious enough, to send his only begotton, in an effort to RECLAIM them, as His own! The "jews", as they had become, didn't think they were mentally ill! But, they were!
A more pertinent "mystery", would be, is "What does the "fulness" of the gentiles mean?" (not trying to derail the thread, er change the subject any, but, it all ties in) meaning, one can STILL be, what is largely considered a productive member of a "society", yet, still be "mentally ill".
Methinks, the larger effort/s would be, would be, "separating" spiritual from mental!. Remembering that there were SOME "demons", that not even "Disciples of Jesus" could "cast out".
Try praying in the "2nd person",
A more pertinent "mystery", would be, is "What does the "fulness" of the gentiles mean?" (not trying to derail the thread, er change the subject any, but, it all ties in) meaning, one can STILL be, what is largely considered a productive member of a "society", yet, still be "mentally ill".
Methinks, the larger effort/s would be, would be, "separating" spiritual from mental!. Remembering that there were SOME "demons", that not even "Disciples of Jesus" could "cast out".
Try praying in the "2nd person",
S
and if someone is not healed we do what exactly?
insist they are healed even if they are not?
Jesus healed people before He died for our sins. God healed people in the Old Testament. The brass serpent on the pole for example.
Jesus died to save us from our sins. He did not die to physcially heal us.
I believe God does heal today, but I do not see in scripture where Jesus died for physical anything. The Old Testament provides for everything.
There is so much confusion today because people misapply verses, meaning well no doubt, but the emphasis is always on spiritual healing.
Much healing would take place between the ears, if people would actually BELIEVE what the Bible says about keeping our minds on God to begin with.
Instead, people kneel at the altar and hope some special anointing will fall upon them. I don't agree with the hysteria some think is the Holy Spirit moving on a congregation.
Please understand that I am presenting a different viewpoint here, and do not take this personally.
I am open to discussion, but that does not mean agreement at all costs.
insist they are healed even if they are not?
Jesus healed people before He died for our sins. God healed people in the Old Testament. The brass serpent on the pole for example.
Jesus died to save us from our sins. He did not die to physcially heal us.
I believe God does heal today, but I do not see in scripture where Jesus died for physical anything. The Old Testament provides for everything.
There is so much confusion today because people misapply verses, meaning well no doubt, but the emphasis is always on spiritual healing.
Much healing would take place between the ears, if people would actually BELIEVE what the Bible says about keeping our minds on God to begin with.
Instead, people kneel at the altar and hope some special anointing will fall upon them. I don't agree with the hysteria some think is the Holy Spirit moving on a congregation.
Please understand that I am presenting a different viewpoint here, and do not take this personally.
I am open to discussion, but that does not mean agreement at all costs.
D
So PTSD is God's way of telling people they aren't really his people? The same with OCD? Schizophrenia? Bipolar? What is your opinion on dyslexia? Discalculia? Aphasia? Dementia? Is this God's way of telling us he really hates us?
Because, honestly? I think you just showed an unsound discision, so that places you in the same boat.
Because, honestly? I think you just showed an unsound discision, so that places you in the same boat.
S
Here are Old Testament references with regards to God healing.
Yes, it's a copy/paste, so you get a pretty picture with it. However, it's scripture, so not opinion. (other than the artists' interpretation of one event)
So, if we are going to present the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as physical healing atonement, as many do and mistakenly I believe, then what gives with the following?
Some questions need to be asked here I think
Specific Healings recorded in the Old Testament
There are twelve occurrences of individual healings and three corporate healings recorded in the Old Testament.
1. Gen 20:1-18
‘Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, for the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah.’ Gen 20:17-18
2. Num 12:1-15
God inflicted Miriam with leprosy and Moses interceded for her saying, ‘O God, please heal her!’ Though there is no record of her healing it must be assumed that the Lord exchanged this act of judgement with the lesser penalty of seven days of disgrace outside the camp. There is no further mention of her having leprosy.
3. 1 Sam 1:9-20
Hannah received healing from barreness in response to her personal prayers and Eli, the priest’s declaration.
4. 1 Kings 13:4-6
King Jeroboam pointed his hand in judgement at an unnamed prophet and it ‘shrivelled up.’ The prophet interceded for Jeroboam and his hand was restored to health.
Elijah raises a widows son from death5. 1 Kings 17:17-24
Elijah raised a widow’s son from death.
6. 2 Kings 4:8-17
Elisha granted a child to the formerly barren Shunnamite woman.
7. 2 Kings 4:18-37
The Shunamite’s son dies and Elisha raised him from the dead.
8. 2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, commander of the King of Aram’s army, was healed of leprosy after following Elisha’s counsel.
9. 2 Kings 13:21
A dead man was thrown into Elisha’s tomb and contact with Elisha’s bones raised the man to life.
10. 2 Kings 20:1-7, 2 Chron 32:24-26, Isa 38:1-8
Hezekiah contracted a terminal illness and prayed for healing. Isaiah received a word from God that he would live for a further 15 years. Hezekiah was healed after applying a poultice of figs to the offending ‘boil.’
11. Job 42:10-17
After what some scholars believe to be nine months of serious sickness and loss, the patient and trusting Job prayed for his critical friends and was personally healed.
12. Daniel 4:34, 36
Nebuchadnezzar ‘looked to heaven’ and was healed of insanity.
In addition to these incidences of individual healing there are three occurrences of corporate healing in response to prayer:
1. Numbers 16:46-50
Aaron stopped the plague which had killed 14, 700 people by offering incense and making atonement for the people.
Yes, it's a copy/paste, so you get a pretty picture with it. However, it's scripture, so not opinion. (other than the artists' interpretation of one event)
So, if we are going to present the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as physical healing atonement, as many do and mistakenly I believe, then what gives with the following?
Some questions need to be asked here I think
Specific Healings recorded in the Old Testament
There are twelve occurrences of individual healings and three corporate healings recorded in the Old Testament.
1. Gen 20:1-18
‘Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, for the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah.’ Gen 20:17-18
2. Num 12:1-15
God inflicted Miriam with leprosy and Moses interceded for her saying, ‘O God, please heal her!’ Though there is no record of her healing it must be assumed that the Lord exchanged this act of judgement with the lesser penalty of seven days of disgrace outside the camp. There is no further mention of her having leprosy.
3. 1 Sam 1:9-20
Hannah received healing from barreness in response to her personal prayers and Eli, the priest’s declaration.
4. 1 Kings 13:4-6
King Jeroboam pointed his hand in judgement at an unnamed prophet and it ‘shrivelled up.’ The prophet interceded for Jeroboam and his hand was restored to health.
Elijah raises a widows son from death
Elijah raised a widow’s son from death.
6. 2 Kings 4:8-17
Elisha granted a child to the formerly barren Shunnamite woman.
7. 2 Kings 4:18-37
The Shunamite’s son dies and Elisha raised him from the dead.
8. 2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, commander of the King of Aram’s army, was healed of leprosy after following Elisha’s counsel.
9. 2 Kings 13:21
A dead man was thrown into Elisha’s tomb and contact with Elisha’s bones raised the man to life.
10. 2 Kings 20:1-7, 2 Chron 32:24-26, Isa 38:1-8
Hezekiah contracted a terminal illness and prayed for healing. Isaiah received a word from God that he would live for a further 15 years. Hezekiah was healed after applying a poultice of figs to the offending ‘boil.’
11. Job 42:10-17
After what some scholars believe to be nine months of serious sickness and loss, the patient and trusting Job prayed for his critical friends and was personally healed.
12. Daniel 4:34, 36
Nebuchadnezzar ‘looked to heaven’ and was healed of insanity.
In addition to these incidences of individual healing there are three occurrences of corporate healing in response to prayer:
1. Numbers 16:46-50
Aaron stopped the plague which had killed 14, 700 people by offering incense and making atonement for the people.
Anybody that's ever been seriously ill knows that many physical illnesses have an effect on the mind ... i.e.... the process of waiting to learn a diagnosis, it's effect on one's sleeping habits and eating habits, physical pain etc. etc. To suggest that anything that may effect one emotionally as a "demon-possession" is beyond ignorant. Matter of fact, I'd go as far as saying that any who think and judge in this manner are those suffering from mental illness themselves ... and far removed from the peace of God they proclaim to preach.
Myself and a Pastor friend were both without work in this area and we applied for employment at an institution for the criminally insane. These were people who were found in a court of law to have mental problems that were beyond their control to the extent that they were not held accountable for the terrible crimes they had committed. When I went into that building it was like walking into a nest of demons. My Pastor friend remarked how someone there had told him, "this place is full of demons". The bible does not address mental illness apart from demonic influence. I realize that we can have a breakdown in the way the body should work and such things can affect the way we feel and therefore think. Sometimes drugs deal with that breakdown of the body so that the person feels better and can therefore think clearly. I would rather have God heal me then take the drug, however I do understand that a hurting person needs help.
D
You've proved two things here:
1. God helps those in distress and grief.
2. Never trust a transliteration of a transliteration of a transliteration.
1. God helps those in distress and grief.
2. Never trust a transliteration of a transliteration of a transliteration.
D
Two different things are called the same thing by those who don't understand medication -- dependency and addiction. They aren't the same thing. Addiction is constantly thinking about the drug because it gives you a sense of well-being (aka gets you stoned) and dependency is just that -- dependency. We had dependencies with our parents as little kids because we needed them to help us survive the world. I am dependent on a drug most people connect with "being stoned," but it is not about being stoned for me. I don't even get stoned on it. It's about being able to function semi-normally in life without so much pain I literally can't stand it. It's about getting part of my life back.
The med does not cure the pain. It masks it. And the pain is always there, but it's not up to the same levels I used to be -- the levels that made me research how to effectively kill myself. It masks the pain enough that I am pausing here while doing dishes to write this. (A pan is soaking. lol)
I'm washing dishes again! This is a beautiful thing to me, because there was a time when I could not. There was a time I was rolling on the floor in pain so much that I saw a dead roach under the sofa, I'm terrified of bugs -- alive or dead -- and yet I could do nothing but roll on the ground back and forth in pain. And now I'm all the way up to doing dishes again. AND grocery shopping. AND doing laundry, even getting some chores down around the house on good days. (Pain still causes bad days, but there are good days now too.) I even garden and write.
A medication that most people connect to "druggies" has given me part of my life back. Not perfect, but better.
And, yes, they did try Lyrica on me first. (Lyrica -- the pain med that can cause suicidal thoughts.) It didn't cause suicidal thoughts for me -- no more than before I was on it, anyway. It also didn't help the pain, so I quit it. Hubby was given it for neuropathy later on, and it did cause that in him, so he quit it. It's not like you're stuck on it if it doesn't work. and it's not like your stuck on it if it does work but gives you suicidal thoughts. Quit the med. That easy to get off the suicidal thoughts.
They make 20,000 meds for the same kinds of things because each person reacts differently. (NyQuil wires me. I really am built differently than most. lol) If a med doesn't work, don't take it any more. If it does work, keep taking it. You are in control of what you take. All your doctors are doing is trying to help you find what works best for you.
And, of course pharmaceuticals is about making money. So is a wheelchair manufacturer. Does that mean we can't trust any business that is out to make money? If that is true, we can't trust anyone because everyone makes money by making a product or service that gives benefits to someone else.
I say all this to encourage you to try again. I get it. I kept a list of the different meds they tried on me to help me, and gave up keeping the list at #24! The drug I'm on now was about 5-15 meds later. (Also helped when I figured out there is no med that will completely mask my symptoms.) They tried a lot because I needed it and all those things didn't work, or worse yet, made me worse.
Sure, I'm dependent. I got a life back and I'm not addicted, so I happily accept dependent. I also happily accept dependent on God too.
It's okay to be dependent. Better than okay if dependency gives you something better than what you've settled for in the "normal life" department. KEEP TRYING! You've got a life to live, and not trying won't get you to that life.
The med does not cure the pain. It masks it. And the pain is always there, but it's not up to the same levels I used to be -- the levels that made me research how to effectively kill myself. It masks the pain enough that I am pausing here while doing dishes to write this. (A pan is soaking. lol)
I'm washing dishes again! This is a beautiful thing to me, because there was a time when I could not. There was a time I was rolling on the floor in pain so much that I saw a dead roach under the sofa, I'm terrified of bugs -- alive or dead -- and yet I could do nothing but roll on the ground back and forth in pain. And now I'm all the way up to doing dishes again. AND grocery shopping. AND doing laundry, even getting some chores down around the house on good days. (Pain still causes bad days, but there are good days now too.) I even garden and write.
A medication that most people connect to "druggies" has given me part of my life back. Not perfect, but better.
And, yes, they did try Lyrica on me first. (Lyrica -- the pain med that can cause suicidal thoughts.) It didn't cause suicidal thoughts for me -- no more than before I was on it, anyway. It also didn't help the pain, so I quit it. Hubby was given it for neuropathy later on, and it did cause that in him, so he quit it. It's not like you're stuck on it if it doesn't work. and it's not like your stuck on it if it does work but gives you suicidal thoughts. Quit the med. That easy to get off the suicidal thoughts.
They make 20,000 meds for the same kinds of things because each person reacts differently. (NyQuil wires me. I really am built differently than most. lol) If a med doesn't work, don't take it any more. If it does work, keep taking it. You are in control of what you take. All your doctors are doing is trying to help you find what works best for you.
And, of course pharmaceuticals is about making money. So is a wheelchair manufacturer. Does that mean we can't trust any business that is out to make money? If that is true, we can't trust anyone because everyone makes money by making a product or service that gives benefits to someone else.
I say all this to encourage you to try again. I get it. I kept a list of the different meds they tried on me to help me, and gave up keeping the list at #24! The drug I'm on now was about 5-15 meds later. (Also helped when I figured out there is no med that will completely mask my symptoms.) They tried a lot because I needed it and all those things didn't work, or worse yet, made me worse.
Sure, I'm dependent. I got a life back and I'm not addicted, so I happily accept dependent. I also happily accept dependent on God too.
It's okay to be dependent. Better than okay if dependency gives you something better than what you've settled for in the "normal life" department. KEEP TRYING! You've got a life to live, and not trying won't get you to that life.
In retrospect.. yes my childhood was pretty privileged,I have a brother 5 yrs older,I guess being the youngest I always came first,we weren't rich probably middle class both parents worked everyday of their lives because they enjoy it then my parents divorced when I was 13 my brother moved in with my pop because we couldn't get along then it was like I was a only child because my brother got a job and paid everything for his self so my ma spent probably above average amount of money on me,you know had every game,bike,skateboard that I wanted I wasn't spoiled it was for living how my parents taught me,they didn't show much affection especially my pop but they made sure that we new that they loved us.
I agree with you that guilt is unhealthy this is a crucial point to my belief that living as a failure("sinner") because we as Christians are programmed to fail by the most common Christian teaching of unconditional forgiveness is very bad and effects us on more than one level,unless a person is completely brainwashed to believe that they can do absolutely nothing wrong due to unconditional forgiveness they will have guilt if only on a subconscious level.
I think that some just don't know how to phrase their belief that mental illness is caused by demons,they may be correct in that belief.
A example is incest,incest can lead to contamination of the gene pool,I read somewhere that satans goal from day 1 is to corrupt mankind because we are God's greatest creation and satan is jealous of us.
Satan can influence people to commit incest contaminating the gene pool literally causing physical and mental retardation.
Im not sure that I agree with it but I can kinda see the logic.
Ultimately satan or as I like to refer to him the dark powers is the cause of mental illness but that has nothing to do with the individual because their gene pool was contaminated before they were born.
A example is incest,incest can lead to contamination of the gene pool,I read somewhere that satans goal from day 1 is to corrupt mankind because we are God's greatest creation and satan is jealous of us.
Satan can influence people to commit incest contaminating the gene pool literally causing physical and mental retardation.
Im not sure that I agree with it but I can kinda see the logic.
Ultimately satan or as I like to refer to him the dark powers is the cause of mental illness but that has nothing to do with the individual because their gene pool was contaminated before they were born.
I have a mental illness and I have many other illnesses as well that no matter how much i have asked to be healed of I never have, however I have seen far more good come from these things than bad. I don't know when or if he ever will heal me of these things but in all honesty i don't care because he has used these things to encourage and help others and to show his power and love.
If he can use these things to an even greater extent then i pray i am never healed so he may use what the enemy meant for bad to be used to show his power and love. sometimes God cures us of sickness and heals our bodies other times he allows us to carry these burdens for his glory.
I have never had any kind experience with spiritual illness at least that I am aware of but if i ever then God will use it as he used all the other illnesses i am burdened with
If he can use these things to an even greater extent then i pray i am never healed so he may use what the enemy meant for bad to be used to show his power and love. sometimes God cures us of sickness and heals our bodies other times he allows us to carry these burdens for his glory.
I have never had any kind experience with spiritual illness at least that I am aware of but if i ever then God will use it as he used all the other illnesses i am burdened with
If you are talking about personality disorders, or Axis II mental illness, yes, how you grew up, how much you were abused, and/or "spoiled" as we used to say, has a influence on developing this kind of illness. Personality Disorders result from a maladaptive environment.
"A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work and school.
In some cases, you may not realize that you have a personality disorder because your way of thinking and behaving seems natural to you. And you may blame others for the challenges you face.
Personality disorders usually begin in the teenage years or early adulthood. There are many types of personality disorders. Some types may become less obvious throughout middle age."
Personality disorders Overview - Mayo Clinic
Axis I Disorders like Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and Depression with Psychosis are considered "clinical" disorders, although since the DSM-5 came out, this is also changing the way researchers and those who treat people with mental illnesses think about mental illness.
Schizophrenia is definitely inherited, and so is Bipolar Disorder. Many of the members of my group talk about the other members of their family, particularly parents who have the same disease. And sadly, if the parents didn't get treatment, the children may end up with more than just an expressed and inherited disease. They may also develop anxiety, depression, OCD and other conditions that have a lot to do with environment, bu could also be genetically based. .
Like the physical illness I have, I have not met anyone with a mental illness that was cured, Christian or not. This is not lack of unbelief, but rather, that mental illness is real, and not caused by demons. Thus, the easy way of casting out demons is not available to the majority of people with mental illness. The people I know take their meds, they get enough sleep, avoid stress, and have varying levels of being able to cope. Some people work full time, others part time, and the ones who are really bad cannot work at all.
And, as Christians, they are saved! If they are not Christians, then, obviously, they are not saved. I pray for each person in my group, that God will help them if they are saved, and for those who do not know Christ, that God would save them. That is my real motive behind me organizing thiis group, but in the meantime, the group cares, encourages, shares with each other. It is a remarkably close knit group. I had one rabid Buddhist, but he could not find it in his heart to forgive anyone. He did not even follow his own faith, and have compassion on others. He left the group in a huff, and when he was gone, I realized how much he was damaging the group, and members came out of the wood work to post when he wasn't there to mock them.
He was also beaten horribly by an adopted father when he was a pre-schooler and after. That is also why he did not believe in God. I had hoped for reconciliation, and prayed that way, but that is in God's hands. If ever there was a candidate for being demon possessed, it was him! But I will leave it to God to determine his end.
Anyway, sometimes we have to face the reality of what mental illnesses are. They are a condition where the brain has an illness, either from genetics or a bad environment, or both!
"A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A person with a personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to situations and people. This causes significant problems and limitations in relationships, social activities, work and school.
In some cases, you may not realize that you have a personality disorder because your way of thinking and behaving seems natural to you. And you may blame others for the challenges you face.
Personality disorders usually begin in the teenage years or early adulthood. There are many types of personality disorders. Some types may become less obvious throughout middle age."
Personality disorders Overview - Mayo Clinic
Axis I Disorders like Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and Depression with Psychosis are considered "clinical" disorders, although since the DSM-5 came out, this is also changing the way researchers and those who treat people with mental illnesses think about mental illness.
Schizophrenia is definitely inherited, and so is Bipolar Disorder. Many of the members of my group talk about the other members of their family, particularly parents who have the same disease. And sadly, if the parents didn't get treatment, the children may end up with more than just an expressed and inherited disease. They may also develop anxiety, depression, OCD and other conditions that have a lot to do with environment, bu could also be genetically based. .
Like the physical illness I have, I have not met anyone with a mental illness that was cured, Christian or not. This is not lack of unbelief, but rather, that mental illness is real, and not caused by demons. Thus, the easy way of casting out demons is not available to the majority of people with mental illness. The people I know take their meds, they get enough sleep, avoid stress, and have varying levels of being able to cope. Some people work full time, others part time, and the ones who are really bad cannot work at all.
And, as Christians, they are saved! If they are not Christians, then, obviously, they are not saved. I pray for each person in my group, that God will help them if they are saved, and for those who do not know Christ, that God would save them. That is my real motive behind me organizing thiis group, but in the meantime, the group cares, encourages, shares with each other. It is a remarkably close knit group. I had one rabid Buddhist, but he could not find it in his heart to forgive anyone. He did not even follow his own faith, and have compassion on others. He left the group in a huff, and when he was gone, I realized how much he was damaging the group, and members came out of the wood work to post when he wasn't there to mock them.
He was also beaten horribly by an adopted father when he was a pre-schooler and after. That is also why he did not believe in God. I had hoped for reconciliation, and prayed that way, but that is in God's hands. If ever there was a candidate for being demon possessed, it was him! But I will leave it to God to determine his end.
Anyway, sometimes we have to face the reality of what mental illnesses are. They are a condition where the brain has an illness, either from genetics or a bad environment, or both!
See, we all have our thoughts on the subject and the Lord will fine tune us as we are open to the Holy Spirit.
There are literally millions of opinions and millions of things that effect each one of us humans individually from cells to hormones to upbringing to environment etc.... there is NO WAY to go but TO THE LORD. Jesus said He is the WAY the Truth and the Life. Our life is found in Him alone. And that includes the parts of us that are our mental and physical health. It's all part of who we are. Having Jesus gives us all things pertaining to life and godliness.
All our answers are found in Him. I've discovered that some times the Lord will walk me through things and I am always to be learning how to see His Word in my situation.
So reading the Bible and hearing it preached is part of the whole answer and if we want to know how to go. We have to go to the Word of God many times in a day and have it effecting us all through our day. Hearing and hearing and hearing. Then I'm responsible to act on the truth He gives. As I walk in His truth I see the fruit of the truth and am amazed. The truth does set us free just like the Bible says.
Sometimes He gives me an answer so clearly and then He swoops me out of the problem so efficiently that I'm standing in awe of His love for me. Then those rivers of living water flow from my belly bringing health of mind and body. All believers have access to the rivers of living water because it comes from the Holy Spirit.
I've discovered that the joy of the Lord is (indeed) my strength. No one can give us this joy but Him and it pervades all things of earth. It's dwelling in the secret place of the Most High that allows us to abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in Him will I trust. We all have access to this secret place of the Most High.
We won't have to have all the answers to our problems or our questions because we have Him. And He will lead us into all truth as we abide. And abiding is a daily thing we are learning how to do better and better. Just like Jesus promised us we will bear fruit only when we abide on the Vine; Him. This is a promise that we can count on. We can anticipate the truth and be thankful even as we wait for it to dawn in us.
So it all ties in. Healing is real and it's promised. I believe in healing because it's in the Bible. Those here who shared that they don't believe in healing that is up to you guys. You need to be thoroughly convinced in your own minds so I'm not here to convince anyone. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. I'm happy to share the truth with anyone who reads here on CC. We share the truth in love regardless whether or not anyone agrees with us.
If you are thoroughly convinced in your own mind by the Holy Spirit you will not be moved. That is the goal.
There are literally millions of opinions and millions of things that effect each one of us humans individually from cells to hormones to upbringing to environment etc.... there is NO WAY to go but TO THE LORD. Jesus said He is the WAY the Truth and the Life. Our life is found in Him alone. And that includes the parts of us that are our mental and physical health. It's all part of who we are. Having Jesus gives us all things pertaining to life and godliness.
All our answers are found in Him. I've discovered that some times the Lord will walk me through things and I am always to be learning how to see His Word in my situation.
So reading the Bible and hearing it preached is part of the whole answer and if we want to know how to go. We have to go to the Word of God many times in a day and have it effecting us all through our day. Hearing and hearing and hearing. Then I'm responsible to act on the truth He gives. As I walk in His truth I see the fruit of the truth and am amazed. The truth does set us free just like the Bible says.
Sometimes He gives me an answer so clearly and then He swoops me out of the problem so efficiently that I'm standing in awe of His love for me. Then those rivers of living water flow from my belly bringing health of mind and body. All believers have access to the rivers of living water because it comes from the Holy Spirit.
I've discovered that the joy of the Lord is (indeed) my strength. No one can give us this joy but Him and it pervades all things of earth. It's dwelling in the secret place of the Most High that allows us to abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in Him will I trust. We all have access to this secret place of the Most High.
We won't have to have all the answers to our problems or our questions because we have Him. And He will lead us into all truth as we abide. And abiding is a daily thing we are learning how to do better and better. Just like Jesus promised us we will bear fruit only when we abide on the Vine; Him. This is a promise that we can count on. We can anticipate the truth and be thankful even as we wait for it to dawn in us.
So it all ties in. Healing is real and it's promised. I believe in healing because it's in the Bible. Those here who shared that they don't believe in healing that is up to you guys. You need to be thoroughly convinced in your own minds so I'm not here to convince anyone. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. I'm happy to share the truth with anyone who reads here on CC. We share the truth in love regardless whether or not anyone agrees with us.
If you are thoroughly convinced in your own mind by the Holy Spirit you will not be moved. That is the goal.