(10/21/2020) Prayer and Mental Health?

 The image depicts David playing the harp and providing music therapy to King Saul who experienced episodes of madness caused by unclean spirits.

Today, points are shared on the use of prayer to regain emotional and mental health. The things from GOD to provide balance, hope, joy, order, and security in our lives are numberless, even so, believers do not experience change as magic and overnight success. There must be discovery, gradual growth, learning, patience, persistence, and hard work that demonstrates faith. Fasting, prayer, and other sacred practices can not be used to influence or manipulate divinity. Healing of body, mind, or spirit must be understood in accord with sacred law, divine prerogative, eternal purpose, and the sovereign will of GOD. It is written: Mark 12: 29-31, King James Version (KJV): 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. One of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” public forum on Religion & Spirituality using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information shared) posted the following:

Can you pray away a mental illness?

I've been on medication I've prayed I went to multiple therapists for years and years what am I doing wrong????

THE GOLDEN ARROW: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2^nd Timothy 1: 7, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Acknowledging And Confessing Sin (06/21/2020); Spiritual Integrity and Maturity (05/12/2020); Getting Help From Church? (02/09/2020); He Healed Them All (10/20/2019); Should Medicine Endorse Healing? (02/10/2019); Hezekiah Called For Judgment (12/09/2018); Saul Different From David? (12/04/2017)

“Anonymous”, here are some points you may find helpful that address prayer among mature Christian believers:

1. Prayer should be understood as a sacred discipline and practice to establish and maintain regular communication, exchange, and interaction with GOD who may be known as divinity, the Godhead, or the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Properly understood, those offering prayer are to resemble, reflect, and reveal the same spirit presence and process that was in Jesus Christ while he was on the earth using human form and life-process.

2. Prayer is a sacred event wherein a person gives expression to their own divine content imparted as “life essence” (breath; spirit; word) from the makeup of GOD, received as a fresh endowment of spirit substance in rebirth, or carried out in ones lifestyle and daily routine as resurrection-life from Jesus Christ.

3. Christian believers use many different displays and gestures when presenting their prayers to divinity such as females covering/males uncovering the head; making the sign of the cross; and speaking in tongues, speaking aloud, or speaking silently through thought. In addition to asking for help and material resources from GOD, confession and truth-speaking should always be primary goals during prayer.

4. Prayer is provided by divinity to address spiritual needs, and should be practiced in balance with other sacred practices (e.g., praise; unselfish service; worship). The material and social patterns identified as immaturity; behavioral, emotional, mental, and psychological illness; insanity; exaggerated pride; the operations of sin; and temporary confusion often are best regarded as expressions of the flesh rather than as defining expressions of a person’s integrity and spiritual fullness from GOD.

There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, from the music ministry of Christine Wrytzen, The Fire @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRbZKJXeIRI.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

Image downloaded 12:30 PM, October 20, 2020 @ http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7062/1323/1600/David%20plays%20the%20harp%20for%20Saul.2.jpg

THE BLACK PHOENIX

Washington, DC

(09/23/2014) Delusions and Revelation

More points are shared on delusion and genuine revelation as tools of divinity.


THE BATTLE AXE:  About Deluding Yourself? (09/22/2014)—(4.)  Commitment, conviction, faith and trust toward GOD are responses to hearing the Gospel, because the word of GOD that a hearer receives is divine substance from the full makeup of divinity.  Seeds for the various inseparable aspects of sacred being are added to the existing spirit makeup of the hearer.  Included are forbearance, forgiveness, holiness, joy, longsuffering, love, meekness, righteousness, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  While many forms of delusion are generated by exaggeration and unhealthy focus upon oneself (e.g., depression, despair, self-criticism, self-justification, self-promotion), there is no revelation from GOD to created beings and living creations that is produced by human self-awareness and self-will.  The divine process of revelation is intended as a benefit to all the living throughout the universe of GOD, and does not confuse, damage, distort, or pervert the existence of sentient beings.

(5.)  There is a prophecy in the Scriptures where GOD declares that delusion, fear and lies will be a divine tool used in judgment against idolatry, false worship, presumption, and pride (Isaiah 66:  4, KJV).  In addition, there are statements revealing divine intent, the mystery of iniquity, and events just before the coming of Jesus.  Assurances are given to the church, the Antichrist is described, and the wicked are sealed in eternal condemnation through delusion and believing lies (see 2nd Thessalonians 2:  1-15).  In other passages, delusion is described as blindness and madness, yet, is shown to be a tool for divine admonition, correction, destruction, punishment, and warning that serves to further the fulfillment of divine operations.  Consider also Deuteronomy 28:  28-29, Deuteronomy 29:  29, 2nd Kings 6:  18, Ecclesiastes 9:  3, Zechariah 12:  2-6, Luke 6:  1-11, John 9:  1-5 and 39-41, Romans 11:  24-26, Ephesians 4:  14-25 and 2nd Peter 2:  9-19, KJV.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:  as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  (Romans 1:  16-22, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Focus of Believers? (06/17/2014); Discernment (06/18/2014); Certainty by Faith or by Tradition? (06/19/2014); Night Cometh (06/11/2013); Personality? (04/27/2014); Anointed? (04/28/2014)


There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (6.)  Christian believers understand that delusions may appear as fantasies regarding wealth and power.  It is often missed and overlooked that delusions also appear as claims of innocence and purity; avarice and covetousness; desire for grandeur; fantasies of closeness and intimacy within relationships marked by separation; presumption and unrealistic notions of personal power.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.



THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC