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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Battles in the mind

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 Re: Battles in the mind - re Spitfire

Dear sister Dian,

I came here to post an apology to everyone reading this thread, because I'm tired, having written the long posts which precede. The next day I read in a different thread, words of wisdom from philologos, that a long post simply 'isn't communication'. I take this to heart and will try to be more concise, if I can.

Dian, I hear what you say. I came here today to pick up on your earlier post, where you said

Quote:
As someone who is very emotional, I used to spend weeks and months, even years in depression and despair. Then, when a crisis occurred, I would become hysterical. Now, the truth within me draws me back from the edge of that cliff.


because, while I know it is good to feel you have things 'taped' in the Lord, I would never say a person is not a Christian because they are emotional, depressed, or get hysterical. There may be room for their emotional responses to come under the influence of the Holy Spirit more, or more quickly, but, I defend the humanity of being emotional, as a valid part of being like God.

Quote:
I've said this before, but I'll repeat myself here. The red flag marker for me is always anger.


I think it is a sign of maturity, to begin to see how things link together and respond to them more quickly. This is part of being obedient to the Spirit. Also, I suspect you've been 'dying to self' long before you realised that's what to call a certain series of transactions with the Lord, though I see it leads to a new level of daily peace to be more ready to embrace it quickly.

 2005/6/22 8:49
Spitfire
Member



Joined: 2004/8/3
Posts: 633


 Re:

Hi Dorcas. I did not say someone isn't a Christian if they are having problems, I said they are not a [i]mature[/i] Christian if they are having a nervous breakdown.

Quote:
You are not a mature Christian if you are having a "nervous breakdown".


Just so you all know, I'm on vacation from this moment until Sunday. I'll be out of pocket till then. Just didn't want you to think I'd clammed up. Love ya'll. Dian.

 2005/6/22 14:48Profile









 Re:

First Dian, I hope you have had a great vacation.

I'm going back to what you wrote on p1. I accept your point was about maturity but I wonder if anyone can judge the maturity of a Christian by whether they have a nervous breakdown or not. Might it not depend what sort of pressure caused that condition and whether their relationship with the Lord is adversely affected by it or not?

Quote:
I'm just gonna be honest here and say how I really think having been someone who crashed and burned about 10 years ago. You are not a mature Christian if you are having a "nervous breakdown". You may think you are. Others may think you are, but [b]the facts are now telling the truth. This flies in the face of everything in the word of God. If we can't have stability and peace in the face of every circumstance, then what is our hope? What is our testimony to the world who is having a nervous breakdown?[/b]



I agree, it's not ideal. But, 'the facts' may be out in the open for the first time, which may be a great relief to the person who was unable to break open their situation without crumbling mentally or emotionally first. Sometimes there is a need to carry on 'performing' which removes all hope of spending the time in the Lord's presence, which would have enabled the nervous breakdown to be avoided. Then, God is not less available and it is perhaps too easy to judge (even judge [i]oneself[/i]) by an 'outward appearance' - now they are not available to do what they used to 'do'. I know you were discussing only maturity... but, a Christian can still [i][b]be[/b][/i] a Christian and grow through difficult circumstances.

'This flies in the face of everything in the word of God.' I'm really not sure about this, despite

2 Timothy 1
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 2005/6/22 19:35









 Re: Battles in the mind

2 Corinthians 11
[in] perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness,
in watchings often,
in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often,
in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without,
that which cometh upon me daily,
the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak?
who is offended, and I burn not?
30 If I must needs glory,
I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which is blessed for evermore,
knoweth that I lie not.
32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king
kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison,
desirous to apprehend me:
33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall,
and escaped his hands.

2 Corinthians 12
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory.
I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago,
(whether in the body, I cannot tell;
or whether out of the body,
I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man,
(whether in the body, or out of the body,
I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise,
and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5 Of such an one will I glory:
yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory,
I shall not be a fool;
for I will say the truth:
but [now] I forbear, lest any man should think of me
above that which he seeth me, or he heareth of me.

Next, Paul mentions his thorn in the flesh as a messenger of Satan to buffet him, which suggests that the list of difficulties above [i]is from the Lord![/i] ...I am thinking perhaps we need not set the hoops too high for ourselves, as God has His own plans for proving and improving our testimony of Him, which after all, is an affair of the heart.

Here's a question, partly in Dian's words:

[i]Should[/i] we expect to 'have peace and stability in every circumstance' or, is this unrealistic?

 2005/6/22 19:51
deltadom
Member



Joined: 2005/1/6
Posts: 2359
Hemel Hempstead

 Re:

This is one of my biggest battle areas not only with the flesh but with me!!! I think are minds are


_________________
Dominic Shiells

 2005/6/23 12:12Profile









 Re: Battles in the mind

Ways to recognise what is coming to mind is [i]not[/i] from God, include:
a persistence which is [i]not like[/i] 'a still small voice', (because the still small voice can be overruled) and, subjects/topics, mentioned in the Bible within specific context (boundaries) only. It may not be that the topic is 'unscriptural' but, what is in one's head is 'unscriptural' in relation to that topic.

 2005/6/24 7:38





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