HOW IS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH?
There have been a number of very sad negative bi-products of the Covid-19 pandemic, one that seems to have impacted every country in the world and that is the effect the virus has had on mental health upon many millions of people worldwide. It would seem it has also had a negative effect on many Christians too.
The Apostle John tells us in 1 John 4:18 NKJV “fear hath torment”, and as many people saw on our television news, the overflowing ICU wards in hospitals, people on ventilators, the 100’s of graves being dug, and the fires of funeral pyres for the 1000s who have been dying has caused much fear to grip many people’s hearts.
2 Peter 1:7 NKJV tells us For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
AMP.N.T. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
PASSION For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.
N.L.T. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
The Bible clearly teaches us that God is NOT the source of fear, I would suggest it has its roots on our depraved nature Jer.17:9 NKJV “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Plus the environment in which we were brought up in and live even today can feed fear and doubt, and insecurity.
Paul also indicates in 2 Tim. 1:7 that fear is also a spirit and therefore its source is the evil one, and/or a demonic force.
I believe our Sovereign God has permitted the pandemic for a purpose, and He wants GOOD to be the result of the pandemic, (Rom.8:28) but the evil one will want to use the pandemic to grip people’s hearts with fear and cause their minds to be tormented. (1 John 4:18).
I have written a number of times this year about the Whole Armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18) that is available to us, and this set of armour includes the Helmet of Salvation, we must take the Helmet, put it on and learn to use it, to deal with the fears we can create ourselves, and the fears that come from the evil one, James 4:7 NKJV reminds us that we must . Resist the devil and he will flee from you. We have been given many keys and tools for us to do that, The Word of God (The Sword of the Spirit) the blood of Jesus (to cleanse and protect) the authority we have to use The name of Jesus against the enemy, and the devil must withdraw. Even though the enemy was defeated on the Cross, he continually seeks to take territory that he has no right to take, so we must continually do as James instructs us and the devil has no choice but to withdraw amen.
May I encourage you to read and meditate on 2 Tim.1:7 in the various translations above, and especially what GOD HAS GIVEN TO US, which is all part of our glorious inheritance NOW.
God has given us POWER Acts 1:8 Greek Dynamis, the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit which resides in us. Not just that we c an be witnesses as expressed in Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power (dynamis) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” We have the power of the Holy Spirit within us, to help us deal with every mind attack. May we also use our prayer language and use it as a weapon of warfare against every fear.
God has given us LOVE Greek Agape, Rom.5:5 NKJV because the love (agape) of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. May we be known as the most loving people in the world, may we be so filled with God’s AGAPE LOVE, there is no room for any negative emotion.
God has given us A SOUND MIND, which you will see has been translated self control, or self discipline, every day we must continue to re-affirm, Jesus is the Lord, the Boss, the Master, the King, the Ruler, and the President of our life, unless Jesus is ruling and reigning in our life (our mind) our mind will control us, and this produces the fear and torment we have talking about and robs us of our peace and joy.
I trust these thoughts may bless and encourage you, that even as we are in the midst of a pandemic, the peace of God continually fills our heart and mind amen.
