Methods of deliverance

[Judy]

NO MATTER WHAT, you need to keep believing that God will have the ultimate victory in this situation!!!

[Biscuit]

I see no scripture to support "mental illness" in Jesus' time. When someone wanted to jump into a fire, it was demonic. Today, the Gadarene demoniac would be loaded up on Thorazine, Haldol, and Cogentin (or Risperdal and other newer drugs). He could then do the "Thorazine shuffle" for the rest of his life. But in Jesus' time, he was healed. Terms such as schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, etc. did not exist until the last century, although I would guess these "conditions" have been around for centuries. In Jesus' time, they were delivered or healed. Today, we drug folks up to make it bearable for them. That's the difference. I think the demonic and illness are closely related. I heard an analogy once about a hypnotist. He can hypnotize you and tell you that a coin is hot and will burn you. When he places a quarter on your skin, it will leave a round & red burn mark on your arm. There was nothing physically wrong with you to cause this mark. If Satan (or demons) can control your mind or nervous system, I would think they could cause all kinds of illness. I am reading a book called by Pastor Henry Wright called A More Excellent Way: A Teaching on the Spiritual Roots of Disease. He gives several reasons why Christians aren't healed today (such as bitterness, unforgiveness, lack of faith, lack of knowledge, continued personal sins, family sins, looking for signs & wonders, etc). He makes a point that there are as many Christians in doctor's offices today as there are non-believers. Why aren't most Christians healed today when the elders pray for them? He states that arthritis is a result of unforgiveness.

Whether the illness is demonic or mental or physical, I have to believe she can be healed. Jesus didn't walk around with a pocket full of Prozac. He healed or delivered folks of ALL diseases or conditions. He got to the root of the problem. He didn't allow the problem to stay. He didn't tell the Apostles to return each month to treat the manifestations because he couldn't find the cure.  We have been brainwashed by the medical community to believe that a pill can cure anything. We are only treating symptoms with pills (it's ironic that I am a pharmacist). :a:

Thanks Wordsower for that prayer. I am in agreement.  :il:

[OneAccord]

Good faith, Biscuit.

My question for you is what is your wife's relationship with the Lord like? It seems like you are doing the believing for her, forgive me if this sounds rude, I don't mean it that way at all.

It may be that you are standing in the gap for your wife, and your intercessory prayer is what will move God to deliver her. I just wonder how much is she crying out, has she given up or is she believing as boldly as you are?

I honor you in your steadfastness. I pray God gives you your heart's desire and your testimony goes forth in power.

[angels4u]

Hello Biscuit,

You and Linda are in my prayers.

Did you ever get a change to write the minister I told you about?

Also in Jesus days there were alot of sick peolpe, but God had not given them the knowledge to use the medication we have now. I believe medication is a gift from God.

When Eve sinned,she took the whole mankind with her===so sin was in the world and because of sin people got sick and they were sick because God allowed them to be sick for reasons we don't know.

Maybe if they had the medication we have know it would have helped people who they think were demon possesed.

There is so much in this area we don't know and I wish there  was a simple solution, if we go to the Lord with it what is there else a person could do?  

Love for both of you in Christ,Angels

[The Journey]

I see no scripture to support "mental illness" in Jesus' time. When someone wanted to jump into a fire, it was demonic. Today, the Gadarene demoniac would be loaded up on Thorazine, Haldol, and Cogentin (or Risperdal and other newer drugs). He could then do the "Thorazine shuffle" for the rest of his life. But in Jesus' time, he was healed. Terms such as schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, etc. did not exist until the last century, although I would guess these "conditions" have been around for centuries. In Jesus' time, they were delivered or healed. Today, we drug folks up to make it bearable for them. That's the difference. I think the demonic and illness are closely related. I heard an analogy once about a hypnotist. He can hypnotize you and tell you that a coin is hot and will burn you. When he places a quarter on your skin, it will leave a round & red burn mark on your arm. There was nothing physically wrong with you to cause this mark. If Satan (or demons) can control your mind or nervous system, I would think they could cause all kinds of illness. I am reading a book called by Pastor Henry Wright called A More Excellent Way: A Teaching on the Spiritual Roots of Disease. He gives several reasons why Christians aren't healed today (such as bitterness, unforgiveness, lack of faith, lack of knowledge, continued personal sins, family sins, looking for signs & wonders, etc). He makes a point that there are as many Christians in doctor's offices today as there are non-believers. Why aren't most Christians healed today when the elders pray for them? He states that arthritis is a result of unforgiveness.

Whether the illness is demonic or mental or physical, I have to believe she can be healed. Jesus didn't walk around with a pocket full of Prozac. He healed or delivered folks of ALL diseases or conditions. He got to the root of the problem. He didn't allow the problem to stay. He didn't tell the Apostles to return each month to treat the manifestations because he couldn't find the cure.

[Catsmeow]

P.S.  You note there is no basis for mental illness in the Bible.  

Wasn't Nebechanezzar out of his mind for seven years? I thought he'd lost it and then later restored to his normal mind by the Lord.

[Karen C.]

:a2: AMEN Cats!

[BibleBoy]

Thanks, OneAccord. I am actually a former atheist (thought I had God all figured out with science and logic. I did a lot of reading (in things like biblical archaeology....Exodus Revealed is a great tape if anyone hasn't seen it) and this has helped me grow in faith. I also pray to God regularly to help me grow in faith. I always thought my wife was full of faith. She is 3rd generation Church of Christ (very legalistic). But she did try to come out. I think we made a mistake when we went to a charismatic church rather than a grounded Spirit-filled church. The attempts at deliverance (without receiving deliverance) has shaken her faith. She also now believes some lies (she now believes at least part of this is mind control).

Good points, Dr. Steve. I agree there is actual mental illness, especially when there has been brain/nervous system damage (car wreck or near drowning). But I think the spiritual realm is the same today as it was 2000 years ago. I can't explain how Satan (or his minions) could cause illness.

Note at the beginning of Matthew 9 when Jesus heals the man of the palsy. Jesus says "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." The man then walked, so I assume the man's sins brought about the illness.

In Matthew 9:33, a dumb man spake when Jesus cast out an unclean spirit. Today, we would probably want to do some kind of surgery on the man and give him speech therapy.

Matthew 11:5 "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

In Matthew 9:20, a woman had an issue of blood. Was this a healing or was a spirit cast out? Scripture does not say. In Luke 13:11, a woman was bowed over with a spirit of infirmity for 18 years. In verse 16, Jesus speaks of the woman being bound by Satan and being loosed from this bond on the sabbath day.

There are other examples. I cannot explain from a medical or scientific perspective how unclean spirits could have caused these infirmities. But I have to believe what scripture says. The New Testament makes reference to Jesus and the Apostles a number of times as they went from town to town stating things like "healed ALL that were sick" (note Matthew 8:16) or "they were healed everyone" (note Acts 5:16). It never says SOME were healed. Jesus never told an Apostle to go dig up a herb (I think he used mud once to heal a blind man). In Revelation 22:15, I think the word sorcerer was translated from the Greek pharmakeia. I may be wrong, but I think that pharmacy was derived from this. Correct me if I'm wrong.  

My point is they were ALL healed. If a person is sick now, most run out and get an EEG, EKG, cat scan, MRI, colonoscopy, etc. etc. etc. prior to praying or asking the church elders to pray for them. Does this not show a lack of faith? And there seems to be something(s) today blocking these healings.

Angels, good point, go to the Lord, what else is there a person can do?  Can you PM me the ministers Email or address again please? I either didn't get it or my son may have accidentally deleted it. Thanks for your prayers and kind words.  :il:

[Biscuit]

Oops, sorry. I was under my son's password. I'm such a handsome young man....hehe. In my dreams. I did not mean to make light of deliverance (or to focus on evil spirits) in my original post. Just seems there are many views on such a valuable tool for the ministry. It's hard for me to see what is "right" at times. :t3:

[The Journey]

Biscuit,