Mental Illness

 Where Does It Come From?

Mental Illness definition – Mental illnesses are a health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking, or behavior or a combination of these.  Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

Researchers and the medical field are still trying to understand what causes mental illness. They say there is no one cause — it can happen due to a mix of factors including genetics, how your brain works, how you grew up, your environment, your social group, your culture and life experience. Genetic factors: having a close family member with a mental illness can increase the risk. However, just because one family member has a mental illness doesn’t mean that others will.

Drug and alcohol abuse: illicit drug use can trigger a manic episode (bipolar disorder) or an episode of psychosis (a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia characterized by defective or lost contact with reality often with hallucinations or delusions). Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines can cause paranoia.

Other biological factors: some medical conditions or hormonal changes. Early life environment: negative childhood experiences such as abuse (especially bullying) or neglect can increase the risk of some mental illnesses.

Trauma and stress: in adulthood, traumatic life events or ongoing stress such as social isolation, domestic violence, relationship breakdown, financial or work problems can increase the risk of mental illness. Traumatic experiences such as living in a war zone can increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Personality factors: some traits such as perfectionism, driven to succeed, or low self-esteem can increase the risk of depression or anxiety. There are bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, Dementia, Alzheimer Disease, Parkinson to name a few.  All triggered by they way they were treated.

Unfortunately, all of the above and below are symptoms and if we are to find what causes mental illness, we must get to the root of what caused the symptoms to treat mental illness.

Fortunately, we have a resource that gives us the answers if we invest time and do the research.  The Word of God gives many clues in the Bible.  We just need to uncover the verses that explains how mental illness originates.

The verses below involve spirits at work trying to destroy us.  They are relentless and they beat us to a pulp over the course of our lifetime.  The key to understanding mental illness is to understand how these spirits bring confusion to our mind (soul).  Confusion DOES NOT allow us to have a sound mind.  Mental illness is an unsound mind.

As you look at these, take under consideration that they have one of more of the following riders: Anger, fear, unloved, self-pity, and un-forgiveness.  I call the self-pity the woe as me” sprit, “nobody cares about me, if they loved me, they would not have hurt me.”

Other elements must be considered when seeking answers to mental illness. They exacerbate mental illness.

·         Prescribed pharmaceuticals used to treat mental illness

·         Recreational and addictive drugs

·         Mind altering drugs such as LSD, Psilocybin (mushrooms), PCB, Mescaline, Methamphetamine, Coke, etc.

·         Traumas 

·         Generational curses (mental Illness).

Spirit of Ill Will - Judges 9:23 God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

Ill will definition – animosity or bitterness. Synonyms: malice, spite, grudge, malevolence, mean, spleen, the desire to see another experience pain, injury, or distress. Malice implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer. Malevolence suggests a bitter persistent hatred that is likely to be expressed in malicious conduct. Ill will implies a feeling of antipathy of limited duration. spite implies petty feelings of envy and resentment that are often expressed in small harassments. Malignity implies deep passion and relentlessness. Spleen suggests the wrathful release of latent spite or persistent malice. Grudge implies a harbored feeling of resentment or ill will that seeks satisfaction.

1.       Animosity – strong feeling of dislike or hatred; Synonyms: antagonism, antipathy, bad blood, enmity, gall, grudge, hostility, jaundice, rancor

2.       Bitterness – strong feeling of dislike or hatred; Synonyms: agonized, anguished, bemoaning, deploring, heartbroken.

Note: People with ill will are very angry and seek to make life miserable for others.  It is very hard for them to break ill will behavior. 

Vexing Spirit – Judges 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death.

Vexing definition: 1). to bring trouble, distress, or agitation to. 2). to bring physical or emotional distress. 3). to irritate or annoy by petty provocations: harass.  Synonyms:   agitate, aggravate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gripe, hack off, infuriate, irk, irritate, persecute, put out, rile, ruffle, spite.

Note: I call these type of people trouble makers and terrorists. They bring constant strife and they think they are justified in their actions.  Their mere presence brings fear.  Similar to the Ill Will spirit.

Tormenting Spirit – Judges 16:19 Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him.

Tormenting definition: 1). extreme pain or anguish of body or mind: agony. 2). a source of vexation or pain. 3). the infliction of torture. 4). to cause severe usually persistent or recurrent distress of body or mind.  Synonyms: afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, torture.

Note: Most of our torment comes from humans and includes tormenting ourselves. They will continue to torment until we set up a standard against them, Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.  Similar to the Ill Will Spirit and Vexing Spirit

Bitterness of Soul Spirit – 1 Samuel 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in.

Bitterness definition: Strong feeling of dislike or hatred; Synonyms: agonized, anguished, bemoaning, deploring, heartbroken.

Note: Bitterness leads to Unforgiveness to Resentment to Retaliation to Anger/Wrath to Hatred to Violence, and finally to Murder or murder of the tongue.  Many times, we have bitterness and hatred of self, which van be very destructive. 

Sorrowful Spirit – 1 Sam 1:15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

Sorrow definition: 1). deep distress, sadness, or regret especially for the loss of someone or something loved. 2). A resultant unhappy or unpleasant state. 2). a cause of grief or sadness. 3). a display of grief or sadness.  Synonyms:     agonize, anguish, bleed, grieve, hurt, mourn, suffer.

Note:  Extreme and prolonged sorrow is very damaging to a person’s soul.  It results in hopelessness and despair, which is depression.  Extreme depression over years leads to oppression.  Also known as a stupor, Romans 11:8 “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”

Distressing Spirit - 1 Samuel 16:14 (18:9) But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. (Saul exhibited signs of mental illness.  He was unstable in all his ways. Psalm 82:5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable. James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways).

Distressing definition: pain or suffering affection the body and mind;  Synonyms: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, exasperate, fret, gall, harass, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, unnerve.

Note: People, churches, employers, organizations, governments, and media can bring pain and suffering affecting the body and mind (soul).

Perverse Spirit – Isaiah 19:14 The Lord has mingled (mix) a perverse spirit in her midst; And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

Perverse definition:  1). turned away from what is right or good, 2). improper, incorrect.  Synonyms: bullheaded, hard-nosed, hardened, headstrong, immovable, inconvincible, inflexible, obstinate, pigheaded, stiff-necked, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding.

Note: Simply look at the world we live and you will see perversity everywhere. Especially in movies, music, and people.

Spirit of Heaviness – Isaiah To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; Psalm 119:28 That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word.

Note: Heaviness definition: difficult to bear, characterized by severe pain or suffering. Something oppressive, burdened with a heavy spirit.  Slow or dull from loss of vitality or resiliency, sluggish.  Lacking sparkle or vivacity. Lacking mirth or gaiety. Dulled (dullness of spirit) with weariness, drowsy. Oppressive, overwhelming. Laborious, difficult. Having stress.  Sadness; sorrow; dejection of mind; depression of spirits. Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop (causes depression).  That which requires great strength to move or overcome; that which creates labor and difficulty; as in heaviness. Heaviness starts with depression and can elevate to an oppressive state.

Spirit of Deep Sleep – Isaiah 29:10 For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.  The prophets could no longer discern.

Deep sleep definition:  Very similar to the spirit of stupor.  A condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended spiritual sense or sensibility Romans 11:8 “Eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear.”

Note: Slumber (lethargy and torpor) is very similar to the Deep Sleep Spirit.  Often times in ministry we come across a person who cannot keep their eyes open when reading the bible.  It is a Spirit of Slumber and we cast out this spirit enabling them to stay awake.

Spirit of Darkness – Psalm 69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually.

Darkness definition: 1). devoid or partially devoid of light: not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light. 2). arising from or showing evil traits or desires: evil. 3). dismal, gloomy. 4). lacking knowledge or culture: unenlightened.  5). relating to grim or depressing circumstances. 6). secrecy. 7). ignorance.  Synonyms: black, darkened, dim, dimmed, gloomy, lightless, murky, obscure, obscured, pitch-black, pitch-dark, somber, unlit.

Note: Similar to the spirits of deep sleep, darkness, and stupor.

Spirit of Depression – Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

Depression definition: 1). a state of feeling sad: dejection anger, anxiety, and depression. 2) a mood disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies bouts of depression suffering from clinical depression. 3). a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force a depression in trade. 4). a lowering of physical or mental vitality or of functional activity.  Synonyms: blues, dejection, desolation, despondence, dispirited, doldrums, downheartedness, dreariness, gloominess, heartsickness, inconsolable, joylessness, melancholy, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowful, unhappiness.

Note:  Everyone has experience depression (hopelessness and despair) at one level or another.  Depression is mental illness.  Yet most will deny having mental illness.

Spirit of Stupor – Romans 11:8 “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”

Stupor definition – A condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sense or sensibility. A state of extreme apathy or torpor resulting often from stress, trauma, shock. Synonyms: Languor (weakness or weariness of body or mind), lassitude (fatigue), lethargy (abnormal drowsiness), listlessness, torpor (a). state of mental and motor inactivity with partial or total insensibility b). a state of lowered physiological activity typically characterized by reduced metabolism, heart rate, respiration, and body temperature that occurs in varying degrees), slothful, snoozing, can’t keep eyes open.

Note: Long term exposure to depression results in oppression (a sense of being weighed down in body or mind, a heaviness).  This stupor can include the spiritual in not being able to hear from the Lord or discern (see). Long term oppression in some cases leads to a vegetable state of existence.

Spirit of Confusion - 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Confusion definition – a). being perplexed or disconcerted, b). disoriented with regard to one’s sense of time, place, or identity, c). being disordered or mixed up.  Synonyms: chaotic, cluttered, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disorderly, disorganized, jumbled, messy, muddled, sloppy, topsy-turvy, unkempt, untidy, upside-down, chaos, disorganized, jumbled, shambles, turmoil.

Note:  As I mentioned earlier, a lifetime of being bombarded by these spirits causes confusion.  We are not in touch will reality and we become so confused we are not able to determine right from wrong, good or bad.  Many times, one can look in their eyes and see confusion.  Witchcraft is all about control by Satan and it brings high level confusion.  Deliverance ministers will tell you that people involved in witchcraft are the most difficult to deliver out of `bondage.

Spirit of Delusion - II Thessalonians 2:11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.

Delusion definition: a). something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated, b). psychology: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.  Synonyms:  conceit, daydream, fantasy, figment (made up), hallucination, illusion, nonentity, pipe dream, unreality, false visions, fantasy.

Note: The spirit of delusion is closely associated with anger.  You have heard the term delusional used after someone explodes with anger.  Anger cannot perceive reality. After an explosion, the person cannot remember what was said or what they did.  Anger will not allow someone to use sound judgement (unsound mind).

Spirit of Fear - 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Fear definition: 1). an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. 2). Anxious. 3). reason for alarm. 4). Afraid.  Synonyms:  afraid, agonize, agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, nervousness, apprehension, concern, dismayed, fret, nervousness, stress, terror, uneasiness, worry.

Note: Fear causes depression, Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety (fear) in the heart of man causes depression.  Fear can freeze your mind and will not allow your mind to function properly.  Fear cause great damage to your physical and emotion health.  Fear is a perfect example of the mind body connection. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  One of Satan’s primary weapons he uses against the Body of Christ is FEAR!  Fear can nest in different part of the body causing headaches, high blood pressure, chest pain, back pain, IBS, cramps, constricted blood vessels, causes muscles, tendons, and ligaments to contract, paranoia, and seizures.

Unsound Mind Spirit – 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Unsound definition: not healthy or whole an unsound horse, : not mentally normal : not wholly sane, of unsound mind Synonyms: batty, bedlam, bonkers, brainsick,  crackbrained, cracked, crackpot, crazed, crazy, cuckoo, daffy, demented, deranged, fruity [slang], gaga, haywire, insane, kooky, loco, looney, lunatic, mad, maniac, mental, moonstruck, nuts, nutty, psycho, psychotic, screwy, unbalanced, unhinged, wacko, wacky.

Note: An unsound mind is a result of all that are listed in this teaching. Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  This verse is how we guard our minds from being unsound.

Spirit of Self-pity – Job 10:15 if I am wicked, woe to me; Even if I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head. I am full of disgrace; See my misery! 1 Kings 19:4 And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

Self-pity Definition: excessive, self-absorbed unhappiness over one's own troubles.  Synonyms or near Synonyms: melancholy, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despondency, dispirited, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, gloominess, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness, anguish, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness, agony, distress, pain, misery, woe, wretchedness, discouragement, disheartenment, moodiness, despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair, boredom, regret.

Note:  I call this the woe as me, nobody cares about me spirit. It is one of the least understood spirits that affects everyone.  Believers and unbelievers alike. One of the most powerful prophets in the Bible when threatened by Jezebel (1 Kings 19) went into a state of depression and wanted to die.  Self-pity set in and causing him to feel unworthy.  Self –Pity can have devastating effects in a person’s life.  Causes one to feel rejected, unloved.  Hopelessness and despair sets in.   Depression, oppression, and self-pity work together to try and destroy one’s soul. Psalm 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.

Generational Mental Illness – Exodus 34:7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity (wickedness) of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

Definition of a Generational Curse: According to Webster’s dictionary, a ‘generation’ is a ‘single step in the line of descent from an ancestor; the time between the birth of parents and the birth of their children.  A generational curse describes the cumulative effect on a person of things that their ancestors did, believed or practiced in the past, and a consequence of an ancestor’s actions, beliefs and sins being passed down.

Note: Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.  Unfortunately, we are born with the sins of our ancestors including mental illness in many cases.  When I see children or young adults with mental illness, cancer or other sicknesses and disease, I believe they have inherited these sicknesses and diseases.  Fact is, wicked stuff comes down the generational line and it must be addressed.  Only God gives us the tools to bring deliverance from generational curses.

HURTS – Also known as offenses. Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you. 

Offenses definition: Something that outrages the moral or physical senses. The act of displeasing or affronting. The state of being insulted or morally outraged. The act of attacking. A cause or occasion of sin: stumbling block. Synonyms:  resentment, mean, transgression, trespass, violation, wrongdoing.

Note: I think offenses/hurts are the number one cause of mental illness. It is important to consider how offenses can be the roots of mental illness.  Some offenses to consider: Rejection, abandonment, lack of love or compassion from others, bitterness, anger, mental and emotional abuse, spoken curses, false accusations, criticism, divorce, infidelity, lack of recognition, hurt by employer, church, or government, betrayal, cruelty, and discrimination to name a few. And fear that it will happen again by the same or different people, which leads to paranoia. Each and every offense is a trauma in its self and each trauma has a stressor tied to it.  Mental illness is the result of your hurts and bad thoughts from the offenses.

I saved the Spirit of Anger for last because it is so prevalent and very destructive to our mental health.   

Spirit of Anger – Psalm 37:8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Anger definition: strong feeling of displeasure and usually of antagonism. Synonyms: angriness, enrage, furor, fury, indignation, incense, inflame, infuriate, irate, ire, lividness, mad, outrage, rage, wrath.

Note: Anger will not allow you brain to function or remember what you said. Past rejection will trigger anger. Anger will not allow one to have a logical mind. Anger will produce accusations and criticisms. They murmur and complain.  They can be stingy because they don’t think you deserve anything from you.  They can have deep regret when anger and wrath subside.  Anger has bitterness and unforgiveness tied to it.  Their anger drives people away resulting in isolation and producing self-pity.  They can’t see how much their anger affects others. They have a tendency to be mad for extended periods of time.  They hold grudges. They slander and gossip.  They have temper tantrums. They don’t find others humor funny when clearly it is humorous, especially with spouses because they have bitterness and unforgiveness towards them. “No” is a big word in their vocabulary. They tend to take an opposite side to anything you say whether it is right or wrong.  They spew profanity. Prone to name calling.  They speak curses against people and people speak curses against them.  Their countenance shows their anger.  They stomp when they are angry.  They perceive correction as rejection resulting in anger.  Angry people many times victimize loved ones because someone else has made them angry.  People will suppress their anger, which results in the anger eating up their insides both physically and emotionally.   Angry people can be very loving, but a trigger (mood swing) can cause them to be very angry. They always bring up past records of hurts. They don’t admit anger, but are quick to blame others for their anger. They hurt the people nearest and dearest to them. Anger can be passed down through the generations as well. Anger causes great confusion. Won’t allow anyone to get in a word edgewise. Won’t admit being wrong. They are hateful.  They think they are entitled to vent their anger.  They murmur and complain. They terrorize others.  They bring fear to others.  They are abusive mentally and physically to others and even themselves.

Conclusion: As I said previously, mankind, especially the medical field, does not know where mental illness comes from.  If you are experiencing the topics and/or symptoms above, you must strongly consider they are tied to mental illness.

I have a vested interest in knowing what the root cause of mental illness and what contributes to mental illness.  I have a close family member who struggles with mental illness every minute of the day.  They are not crazy as mankind is prone to label or judge them.  This person was rejected, abandoned, and virtually unloved by their parents from the womb. They were rejected by one set of grandparents. They feel rejected, abandoned, unworthy, and feel unloved.  They have bitterness, self-bitterness, self-hatred, and are very angry.  They have guilt, shame, and self-condemnation.   They just want to be loved.

The topics discussed bring trauma to the soul (mind/emotions) and body resulting in sicknesses to the soul and the body. These sprits are organized and they work together “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” John 10:10.  Unfortunately, we let these spirits have their way because we know very little about spiritual warfare.  We are losing the battle because we do not pray and do not know how to pray effectively.

Just take a minute to think about how all these spirits working in us for years and even decades can wear a person down emotionally and physically. We have been in constant bombardment since the day we were born. The end result is confusion and an unsound mind, also known as mental illness.

I believe the Lord in His mercy shows us in His Word what causes mental illness. The bible has different verses describing mental illness such as being unstable in all their ways (James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways), having a debased mind (Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting), and a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate (debased) mind).  These verses describe the results the topics discussed in this teaching.

Of course, there are different levels of mental illness and not everyone has extreme mental illness, but we all have a level of mental illness. If you have ever been feeling down, you have experienced depression, which is mental illness. Unfortunately, we look to doctors who suggest treatment centers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and prescribe drugs that don’t bring healing.

So, how do we overcome mental illness? First, we need to determine who is the originator of mental illness.  The Bible tells us in John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” The thief is Satan and his army.  Second, imitating Jesus whose ministry included deliverance and healing.  Much of His ministry was devoted to setting the captives free. Third, relying on the Holy Spirit (Helper) to show us how to set the captives free.

Mark 16:17-18  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  When we command these unclean spirits to go in Jesus name, they must go!  There is great power and authority in Jesus name.

Jesus tells us in the Great Commission to cast out these tormenting spirits. In addition, His Word tells us to confess our sins (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness). What sins are we talking about?  The sin of allowing these spirits to torment us. He tells us to change our sinful ways (Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”).

Deliverance is not just a one-time event. We can cast out these unclean spirits, but we let them back.  In other words, we go back to our old ways.  So, we must go through regular deliverance from these evils spirts until their grip gets less and less.  We can’t do it on our own.  Doctors can’t do it.  Drugs definitely will not work.  Our only recourse is to submit to God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit to guide those who have mental illness and the teams conducting the deliverance. God promises healing, but it has to be in faith and in the name of Jesus.  It sometimes takes decades for mental illness to overwhelm people, but it won’t take decades for you to be healed in the name of Jesus.  We win the battle through spiritual warfare.  All spiritual warfare is prayer.

A second type of deliverance can be performed by the individual and it may surprise you. It is found in James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Believers in Jesus Christ are called to seek forgiveness for their sins — something that was made freely available by Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. Repentance is an essential act that is covered throughout the New Testament scriptures, with believers embracing Jesus’ sacrifice and making a concerted effort to change their ways. Forgiveness and repentance are fixtures in the New Testament. Yet, the church, the Body of Jesus Christ, ignores this important aspect of our Christine walk even though it is the first step in the doctrines of Jesus Christ,  Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine (teachings) of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. When was the last time your pastor preached on true repentance?

At its core, repentance is a routine and consistent act that includes not only an admission of wrongdoing, but also a pledge to do better. According to Merriam-Webster, the repentance definition is “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.” Since every human sin every day, Christ’s death offers forgiveness to all those who are willing to engage in repentance. The Bible makes this clear again and again.

Sin

First step is to understand how sin works in our lives. We have to acknowledge that sin is a huge issue in our lives. We are oblivious to how much we sin every day. In the world today, right has become wrong and wrong has become right.  Most of us are operating in the gray area between right and wrong and if we don’t repent, we will become slaves to sin, Romans 6:20-22 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Second step is we must identify the sin and where it originates from.  Sin most often comes from three places, the individual’s sin, sin from others and past generations sin. Sin will bring us into bondage and will compromise our relationship with our Father.  Sin brings into a gray area of not knowing right from wrong.  Sin will affect our faith and our health including mental illness. This is outlined in Hebrews 61:1-2 and it shows us the progression of Jesus’s doctrines from repentance to faith.  We need to repent so that we can have faith in God’s truth leading to laying on of hands for healing.  Sin will not allow us complete faith without getting rid of sin through repentance.

When we confess sin to God, sin is extinguished because Jesus died on the cross for our sin.  It releases us from the curses relating to our health in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.  Repent to get rid of sin the sins of others and we are healed.  It must be done consistently. 

Below is a simple prayer of repentance that will lead to healing according to God’s Word.  You can use it for yourself or you can lead someone else in this prayer. It is advisable to confess the sins of the past generations as well.  “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit,” Ezekiel 18:30-31.

Prayer: Father, in Jesus name, I come before Your thrown of grace and mercy to confess my sins to you _____. Lord, I am truly sorry for these sins and I ask you to forgive me. I choose to repent of my sins and I ask You to help me because I cannot do this by my own power.  I ask You to give me a new heart and a new spirit so that I can be free from sin.

Why do we all have some level of mental illness?  Isn’t it the result of how people have treated us allowing their actions to affect us causing mental illness? We have been taken captive with mental illness.  Very basic, but over the top profound.

Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the  poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (depression); That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”                                                                                                                    Tony Sanchez 5/20/2020