Your deadly enemy

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Your Deadly Enemy

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again....

– 1 Thessalonians 4:13

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Many of us, even though we're believers, have seen grief and sorrow as such a natural part of life that we haven't even questioned them. In fact, if we're honest, we'd have to admit there are times when we actually want to feel sad and sorry for ourselves.

Why would we choose to feel sorrow? Because sorrow has an emotional kick to it. It offers a surge of feeling that, in the beginning stages, is almost intoxicating.

But grief and sorrow are dangerous things. Several years ago God showed me that they're not the innocent emotions we've thought they were. The forces behind these emotions are actually spirit beings sent by the devil himself to kill, steal and destroy.

They are a part of the devastating, satanic barrage Jesus took on Himself when He died on the cross (Isaiah 53). He bore grief and sorrow, so we wouldn't have to. If they come knocking on your door, remember, they are not innocent emotions. They are deadly enemies that Jesus already carried away at Calvary.

Don't live as those who have no hope. You're a believer. You know that Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. That not only gives you hope where physical death is concerned, it gives you hope in every situation. Sorrow not!


7CTLTGkDHAoiFIXiW2iVP6RGyp1vq-IfzkutAYHqXx4OWxZ8wyqU7eC6rybRy1Wu-ZrQAhSIz7thDLAJv0KLX1WMFvnJ1CGOGn9zfMoCwSXouI-MaJKWhfgCLWtvti0zx-tI=s0-d-e1-ft

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51:11-16

© 1991 Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc. aka: Kenneth Copeland Publications All rights reserved
 
All my life I have learned to compartmentalize negative emotions and memories. This includes grief and sorrow. It took an entire lifetime, but I finally am able to appropriately express grief instead of holding it in where it festers and turns into further psychological damage. A few months ago whiile helping my mother to bed she died in my arms. I cried - for the first time in my life I allowed myself to feel what was happening and I appropriately expressed that feeling. As a result, I am recovering faster from this death than any one before it. The release of grief and sorrow did not feel sinful to me at the time - it felt normal and healthy. To think that feeling sorrow and grief is sinful and evil does not seem right to me. Wallowing in it is another matter. To feel is what makes me human. Without feelings, I am little more than this conglomeration of circuits and wires that I am using to type out this reply. If having feelings means that I am going to be regarded as inferior and imperfect, then so be it. I would far rather be thought of as inferior than to possess the emotions of a doorknob or a piece of wood.
 
I wanted to expand on what I commented about the healthy expression of grief and sorrow. I totally understand what Cturtle is saying when she warns about it becoming a sort of addiction. There are those who hold onto their grief in order to manipulate the world around them, and others hold onto it because they feel that if they were to stop grieving, it would be disrespectful to the person who has died. This type of grief is not healthy and it is also being used to coerce those around the griever to treat them in a certain way. The immediate expression of grief and sorrow is normal and healthy, while holding onto the grief for the wrong reasons is not only unhealthy, but as Cturtle pointed out, is possibly a way in which the evil one is using us to keep us in a state of perpetual negativity. This is why daily prayer and maintaining a connection with God is so important. God's guidance to help us discern good from evil and right from wrong is necessary in every area of our lives, especially in our emotional lives. I admit that for me this emotional battle is a daily one, so I am compelled to call upon God each day to help me stay upon the correct path in terms of my emotions. But, the good news is that He does help and He does guide - He is not one to leave His children to wander lost when they are calling to Him for help.

I am grateful that God has allowed me to learn to feel grief and sorrow and to process it in a healthy way. I am also grateful that He also shows me when past grief is being held onto in an unhealthy way, and helps me purge these feelings.
 
I wanted to expand on what I commented about the healthy expression of grief and sorrow. I totally understand what Cturtle is saying when she warns about it becoming a sort of addiction. There are those who hold onto their grief in order to manipulate the world around them, and others hold onto it because they feel that if they were to stop grieving, it would be disrespectful to the person who has died. This type of grief is not healthy and it is also being used to coerce those around the griever to treat them in a certain way. The immediate expression of grief and sorrow is normal and healthy, while holding onto the grief for the wrong reasons is not only unhealthy, but as Cturtle pointed out, is possibly a way in which the evil one is using us to keep us in a state of perpetual negativity. This is why daily prayer and maintaining a connection with God is so important. God's guidance to help us discern good from evil and right from wrong is necessary in every area of our lives, especially in our emotional lives. I admit that for me this emotional battle is a daily one, so I am compelled to call upon God each day to help me stay upon the correct path in terms of my emotions. But, the good news is that He does help and He does guide - He is not one to leave His children to wander lost when they are calling to Him for help.

I am grateful that God has allowed me to learn to feel grief and sorrow and to process it in a healthy way. I am also grateful that He also shows me when past grief is being held onto in an unhealthy way, and helps me purge these feelings.

As you say (beautifully), grief and sorrow are natural, normal emotions. It's hanging on to those emotions that's harmful. God teaches us to let these feelings go, to process them, and to move on with our lives. He wants us to be whole. He wants us to be happy.
 
To think that feeling sorrow and grief is sinful and evil does not seem right to me.
There is a season for grieving and then one must rise above it. People can be found grieving over something years later and that is costly and unhealthy.

To feel is what makes me human. Without feelings, I am little more than this conglomeration of circuits and wires that I am using to type out this reply. If having feelings means that I am going to be regarded as inferior and imperfect, then so be it. I would far rather be thought of as inferior than to possess the emotions of a doorknob or a piece of wood.

Feelings can be good if one recognises the root of them and checks them against the word of God.
Unchecked feelings can be very dangerous and leed one falsely and cause much problems .

We are to walk by faith and not by sight or feelings or emotions.
Unchecked feelings can cause one to hold onto offenses and most of the time the offense was not even anything that should have offended.
Feelings can get in the way of walking in love.

People constantly come up with this is how I feel about something and expect it to be right. Truth is what we feel may not even matter one bit and again if left unchecked can cause serious issues.

Blessings
FCJ
 
I wanted to expand on what I commented about the healthy expression of grief and sorrow. I totally understand what Cturtle is saying when she warns about it becoming a sort of addiction. There are those who hold onto their grief in order to manipulate the world around them, and others hold onto it because they feel that if they were to stop grieving, it would be disrespectful to the person who has died. This type of grief is not healthy and it is also being used to coerce those around the griever to treat them in a certain way. The immediate expression of grief and sorrow is normal and healthy, while holding onto the grief for the wrong reasons is not only unhealthy, but as Cturtle pointed out, is possibly a way in which the evil one is using us to keep us in a state of perpetual negativity. This is why daily prayer and maintaining a connection with God is so important. God's guidance to help us discern good from evil and right from wrong is necessary in every area of our lives, especially in our emotional lives. I admit that for me this emotional battle is a daily one, so I am compelled to call upon God each day to help me stay upon the correct path in terms of my emotions. But, the good news is that He does help and He does guide - He is not one to leave His children to wander lost when they are calling to Him for help.

I am grateful that God has allowed me to learn to feel grief and sorrow and to process it in a healthy way. I am also grateful that He also shows me when past grief is being held onto in an unhealthy way, and helps me purge these feelings.

Everything you have stated is what I believe the devotion was trying to convey. I know people who have stayed in grief for over 20 years... and not only did it ruin their marriage and relationships, caused them to be a person who was opposite of who they used to be, unhealthy behavior as well and it has caused their health to deteriorate. It really is sad, but it is an example of what you have described.

God does not desire for us to be emotionless robots or pieces of wood. For He created emotions and encouraged them all throughout the Bible, and He expresses them as well. But It's just like you and Annie, via and FCJ have said when they are allowed to become unhealthy, they become dangerous.

Good smart person you are my friend with much wisdom! Keep up the good work of allowing yourself to feel. It's very healthy for you because you know how not to take sorrow or grief to far.

God bless you abundantly
 
This is so true,
I have had some cracking pity parties.
I look back in disgust now, though without them I wouldn't be any wiser. I have a sad strongman...
We gotta know the enemy.

Thanks Gina
X

I have had some nasty pity parties as well, and all it did for me was make me a mess, and very angry, sometimes full of rage. Not healthy at all for any person... for anger or hurt unchecked allowed the enemy free reign to manifest his ways within us. It took me a long time to realize that.

And to think that it all begins with one unthankful or feel sorry for me or hurtful (even if I forgave the offense) thought that the enemy whispered in my ear and I didn't cast it down or make it obedient to the Word like 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to.

Thank you fee for such a good reminder
 
Thank you for this post. I have seen a fair share of shrinks during the course of my life as I battled with deep depression which later turned to anger, hatred and rage which resulted in me being a very difficult person to live with and also paved the way for self destructive behavior and self esteem issues. I am also someone who doesn't deal with traumatic events. I pack the emotions that go along with the events in a neat little box and I bury it. This all changed on a Christian weekend though. There came a time during the weekend which the people refer to as "dying moments" in which you "allowed" your old self to die (which included allowing all these pent up emotions and events to die as well). I did not think much of this "ritual" until I allowed myself to become quiet before God and there at that moment, kneeling and in prayer I broke and I "died". Words cannot begin to explain how I felt afterward. Those burdens lifted and the chains broken, I felt like a new man. It wasn't smooth sailing from then on though and I often find myself having "dying moments" as I journey through this life, but have found no shrink that knows me better than God Himself. The One who formed my inner most being and knows how many hairs I have on my head. I talk to Jesus about the things that I cannot bring myself to discuss with other people and He always listens and it has helped me overcome my depression and my anger and rage issues. As Egraine has stated, it is a daily process and I just want to say it is comforting and encouraging to know that we are not alone and that we do not have to face these things on our own.
 
Your Deadly Enemy

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again....

– 1 Thessalonians 4:13

7CTLTGkDHAoiFIXiW2iVP6RGyp1vq-IfzkutAYHqXx4OWxZ8wyqU7eC6rybRy1Wu-ZrQAhSIz7thDLAJv0KLX1WMFvnJ1CGOGn9zfMoCwSXouI-MaJKWhfgCLWtvti0zx-tI=s0-d-e1-ft

Many of us, even though we're believers, have seen grief and sorrow as such a natural part of life that we haven't even questioned them. In fact, if we're honest, we'd have to admit there are times when we actually want to feel sad and sorry for ourselves.

Why would we choose to feel sorrow? Because sorrow has an emotional kick to it. It offers a surge of feeling that, in the beginning stages, is almost intoxicating.

But grief and sorrow are dangerous things. Several years ago God showed me that they're not the innocent emotions we've thought they were. The forces behind these emotions are actually spirit beings sent by the devil himself to kill, steal and destroy.

They are a part of the devastating, satanic barrage Jesus took on Himself when He died on the cross (Isaiah 53). He bore grief and sorrow, so we wouldn't have to. If they come knocking on your door, remember, they are not innocent emotions. They are deadly enemies that Jesus already carried away at Calvary.

Don't live as those who have no hope. You're a believer. You know that Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. That not only gives you hope where physical death is concerned, it gives you hope in every situation. Sorrow not!


7CTLTGkDHAoiFIXiW2iVP6RGyp1vq-IfzkutAYHqXx4OWxZ8wyqU7eC6rybRy1Wu-ZrQAhSIz7thDLAJv0KLX1WMFvnJ1CGOGn9zfMoCwSXouI-MaJKWhfgCLWtvti0zx-tI=s0-d-e1-ft

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51:11-16

© 1991 Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc. aka: Kenneth Copeland Publications All rights reserved

I like what you said about how grief and sorrow, when held on to, can be devastating even to Christians. When I lost my father, I felt sorrow because he was no longer with me, but that sorrow was always overshadowed by joy knowing he was with Jesus. I have never been one to struggle with grief and sorrow. I sometimes wonder if it is a blessing or a curse. About a year and a half ago I learned I was not as strong (if you want to call it that) as I thought I was but it didn't come as grief or sorrow. It was pain. I had knee replacement surgery and during my recovery process I went into a dark place where I was totally feeling sorry for myself. Let me add, this surgery will not affect everyone this way. My surgeon could not figure out why I was having so much trouble. But for 3 months I felt like I was in a deep dark hole. I know pain is not so much emotional but it can wreck havoc on your emotions. I prayed, confessed, begged and cried with every fiber within me trying to not let Satan have victory over this trial. I was an emotional mess. Going through this, it has given me more of an insight on how grief and sorrow can devastate a person. Thank you again for your article.
 
I like what you said about how grief and sorrow, when held on to, can be devastating even to Christians. When I lost my father, I felt sorrow because he was no longer with me, but that sorrow was always overshadowed by joy knowing he was with Jesus. I have never been one to struggle with grief and sorrow. I sometimes wonder if it is a blessing or a curse. About a year and a half ago I learned I was not as strong (if you want to call it that) as I thought I was but it didn't come as grief or sorrow. It was pain. I had knee replacement surgery and during my recovery process I went into a dark place where I was totally feeling sorry for myself. Let me add, this surgery will not affect everyone this way. My surgeon could not figure out why I was having so much trouble. But for 3 months I felt like I was in a deep dark hole. I know pain is not so much emotional but it can wreck havoc on your emotions. I prayed, confessed, begged and cried with every fiber within me trying to not let Satan have victory over this trial. I was an emotional mess. Going through this, it has given me more of an insight on how grief and sorrow can devastate a person. Thank you again for your article.

Thank you for your kind words... all glory to God for the great men of God He has placed in Jim and I's life.

Thank you for sharing your testimony. When we go through things like you experienced, we can allow God to use that to minister to someone else, or open the door to minister. For many times people will listen better because they understand or feel like we understand where they are or have been.

Blessings to you :)
 
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