A brother gave me permission to write about his experience so here it goes. Periodically, he’s told me of a particular struggle in his thought life <fill in the blank> that affects his walk and marriage. He said it is irritating and annoying and wasn’t sure if he had OCD or was going crazy.
Essentially, in a normal day a certain thought enters his mind. He does not want to discuss this with his wife. He has before, but takes responsibility for her decision and is also daunted himself because this thought is like a broken record. Eventually, he does.
I discovered after talking with him that open and honest dialogue along with long is the recipe to cook the results. Jesus dwells in grace, power, mercy, light, love and truth. My friend shares with his wife. And she is ever-so-understanding and gracious enabling and empower him to move forward in the introspective journey. What he came to realize was this. The enemy at various times in a believers life will “bank” so to speak on a particular lie or bluff. The lie ties back to a few things. The believers past, when they were younger possibly, a hurt or wound, an expectation put on them, and or some sort of untruth. At that point in there life, their development and understanding may have been blinded and or stunted in so much that they became stuck. Hence, an eventual stronghold.
Time goes on, the stronghold’ grip increases along with its familiarity and I would say even comfort. The believer has enmeshed this bluff into there identity and basis of worth.
In order to confront the bluff, he had to call it. The enemy will have to show his cards if he wants to win. The truth is undefeated.Understanding came for my friend and rather than focus on the bluff. He now can focus on John 10:10 which more abundant life!
He also discovered minimizing this internal dialogue had potential to empower the bluff. Sharing the dialogue and nourishing it in prayer and word eventually completely nullifies the bluff and lie.Minimizing cannot empower, but empowering will minimize and obliterate that which it is in power over.
As this process continues a cycle, growth naturally occurs. In that growth, new perspectives and realities are birthed along with new responses, insights and actions which in turn bring His blessings. This is what is said in Ephesians 1:3.
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