Christian Living

How to be Free of Mental Illness

by Honey Stone
12/30/18
For Sale
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

Mental illness is a ‘big picture’ issue. It is not as simple as taking a pill. It much more than persevering in healing prayer or even decreeing a targeted scripture over and over. There is much more to it because it is a whole lifestyle renovation.

Here are some questions to ask the mentally ill or yourself?

Is there any witchcraft in your lineage or have you dabbled yourself?
Likely the answer is yes if there is mental illness. This self-awareness and reflection can lead to repenting and officially disowning the demon or familiar spirit. Hey, we all have them and/or have had them. It all started with Adam. Jesus can give you revelation on those doors that have been opened.

It may take a group of mature believers to cast out a witchcraft spirit because it may be more powerful than others demons depending on the depth of involvement. Perhaps you just went to a tarot card reading once. You still need to repent, but that would not be as big of an overhaul as someone who was a tarot card reader for years.

Do you have intimacy with God?
Can you hear God’s voice or sense His presence? Do you believe God loves you and wants the best for you deep down in your soul? These are essential keys to balancing out the deliverance piece because you don’t just live fully from a void of demons. You live filled with the Spirit.

Considering how you fill your life with Yahweh is personal and essential. This is a piece of your life’s puzzle that needs to be in place before any stability can happen. One of my mom’s friends is a licensed counselor. She has told me about our Finnish subculture that: the Finns have a lot of stinking thinking. That’s why I need to renew my mind with God’s words. How about you?

Do You Have a Good Support Group?
I once went to a church group where the leader asked: How many real friends do you have? We shared our definition of friendship and who lives up to that definition. The leader said: If you have about three true-blue friends than you are fortunate.

I am fortunate to have a handful of reliable friends where we can speak truth into each other’s lives. Many are not so fortunate. If you don’t have real friends than perhaps you may have a ministry group you can meet with for prayer support.

Be good to yourself and find some people who don’t just have your back but also want your best. These will be people who accept you for who you are, but will challenge you to be your God-destined self. Real friends speak the truth in love.

What is Your Eating and Drinking Style?
If you are addicted to substances such as alcohol or drugs then you need to find a path to healing. This may include medication to get back the (natural) endorphins circling in your mind. But trading illegal drugs for legal drugs as your life choice is spiritual laziness. The goal is to eventually get off the drugs and it is possible. Yes, it may take some time but all good things take time. Seriously, you don’t have time? Well, good luck in your spiritual life and in life in general.

Perhaps you eat like an undisciplined toddler. Don’t be surprised at your report of diabetes and your mind is in a cloud. The candy store and caffeine machines are not meant to be your life support. The solution is to gradually minimize them.

French women are thin and eat healthy. Knit within their culture is a good way of eating with training in discipline. Oh, you don’t like that word? I get that, but training in any endeavor, be it art or athletics, requires discipline if you are going to be effective.

This is called that thing that people like to avoid ‘crucifying the flesh’ and everyone has an area where we need to do this. No shame of blame here. Just do the hard things that God is pointing to at this moment and do them with the help of Jesus please. You are not that strong my friend. Nope, and that’s okay. Jesus doesn’t expect every vice to go away in just one day.

What’s Your Healthy Stress Release Plan?
To get rid of toxins you must exorcize and exercise. You can take a sauna but you also need about 20 minutes a day of exercise to get those endorphins circulating.

You need a plan of how you will deal with stress. It could be journaling or coloring, or talking with a counselor. Your Best Friend could be your counselor. I’m talking about the Holy Spirit but also wise friends with a counseling gift.

Epheisan 3:16 says that our inner man or woman can be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is ask, receive and abide. Don’t feel bad if you can’t get it all down in a day. We have a life time to discover how to develop those muscles.

So many are ashamed of their weakness when those are the very places that God can be very powerful for us and in us. Those are places of surrender as we say, “Jesus take the wheel.”

What is Your Financial Plan?
I am going to be cautious with this one. There are all sorts of shaming and marketing techniques including subtle abuse in the body of Christ about how to spend your money. With the gift of discernment I can spot it and I feel sorry for those who can’t.

We are all called to different domains and how we invest our money is important, but it should be Spirit-led. We should be a cheerful giver and that can happen if we give in the way that God has designed us to give and not as the style that your current leader prescribes. That may be his/her style. I say this because he or she has their own conviction. You must find out your way of contributing to the Kingdom.

I recently skimmed through a book about different money-management styles using different Biblical characters as examples. It is called Seven Money Types: Discover How God Wired You to Handle Money. I found it insightful and freeing. I will share more on this in a later article.

Invest in your gifts and ministry so you can share that ministry freely. In proverbs 31:16, the valiant (brave) woman considers a field. There is wisdom involved as well as fruit.

What is Your Kingdom Purpose?
When we are young-in-the-Lord it is good and helpful to follow your pastor’s vision. He actually may have a good one. But there comes a time when God entrusts you with your own ministry. That’s called maturity. You can choose to stay a milk-drinker or move on to filet mignon. You always have a choice.

Some are so comfortable with their under-shepherd guiding them every step of the way so that they never make the transition to their True Shepherd directing them.

Yes, some are called to assist their pastor for a season or even less of them for life, but really a pastor and any of the five-folders are about helping others find their calling/purpose/gifts. Those that are only about their own vision are hirelings. Yep, go ahead and send the hate mail and unfriend me. I’m not worried.

For true healing, you must be about the Father’s Kingdom business otherwise you may end up with a lack of peace or provision. I’d rather hear, “Well done.” (Matthew 25) by my Shepherd rather than my under-shepherd. Sometimes you get both but that’s rare in the body of Christ. 

What is Your Home Life Like?
If you are living in an abusive situation then don’t expect to be free of anxiety. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 32:18 (KJV) My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. (I use KJV because it doesn’t require a copyright.)

It is God’s will that our homes are peaceful, safe, and a place of refreshing. We can choose to be responsible to create that environment. This includes creating the right atmospheres at work and church as well as home. Through prayer, we can set the spiritual tone of the places we frequent.

Again, mental health happens but not by accident. You don't stumble upon it but you can be guided to it by the Spirit toward it. So, take care of yourself.

I know there are temperaments out there that are geared toward focusing on others. That is fine but the scripture says that we are to love our neighbor as our self (Mark 12:31). If you don't love yourself then you are of no use to your neighbor.

If you don't love God then your love is from the soul and inevitably selfish. If you have an issue with God then face it. Likely, it is because you have had a bad father figure or leader who did not treat you with love and honor. You actually can get healing for that.