Epiphany...

Thursday of this week I had an epiphany.

I am currently studying Beth Moore's Esther with the girls in our small group. During my study this week, I came across a question that I thought was rather interesting. She asked, "What situation most recently tempted you toward mental torment?" I immediately began thinking of a flood of situations when my mind had been overwhelmed by incredibly negative thoughts in the past month or so. Some of them so often and so dark that I couldn't see past them. I was amazed by my response to this question. Beth Moore went on to say, "Because Satan has a limited leash where believers are concerned, his most powerful tactics are psychological. Though he can't possess our minds, he profoundly and destructively influences our thoughts."

She introduced me to a new level of warfare...the psychological kind.

I know this concept sounds so simple, but I cannot begin to describe the cloud that was lifted from my mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to "take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." This verse has a new depth of meaning for me now. I have struggled with depression for quite some time. I know that taking thoughts captive will not erase the depression, but the torment, that's a different story. As I began to make a list of the things that I had been thinking lately that I could categorize as "mental torment", the list was unbelievable. So many things on the list were things that I knew not to be true, but for whatever reason, lately I had been finding it hard to call them lies and truly believe that.

I Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." When I reviewed this verse, I began thinking about the word devour. When I looked it up, part of the definition was "to consume destructively, recklessly, or wantonly" (dictionary.com). I think there are so many times that I go throughout my day unaware of the Satan's desire to destructively, recklessly destroy me in whatever way he can. As I looked at the beginning of the verse, I see that I have to be alert enough to recognize his psychological attacks and set my mind on things above (Col 3:2).

I know this war is not over, but at least I have more weapons in my arsenal now.