Like I said in my last post, fighting supernatural issues and enemies with natural stubbornness or any other natural means of self infliction is futility. Problems that have slipped into the heart cannot be removed by any natural, physical, or mental surgery. It simply does not work that way.
Another exercise in futility is to play ostrich, that is, when people put their head in the sand to pretend that these temptations, lies, problems, desires are nonexistent by ignoring them. When a person decides to play ostrich, he enters into a potentially deadly, spiritual game of Russian Roulette– when exactly will the gun go off.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. -James 1:14-15
“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”-Genesis 4:7
If we choose to ignore the lies or the temptations in the heart, we enter into slavery by the issues that we refuse to address. If we do not address these “issues”, they will address us and make their demands upon us.
For instance, watch the process of how Satan makes a stronghold. (Note that this is only one scenario and not his entire strategy for all situations.) Usually, the first offense will start with a wounded heart. Because of someone’s actions, our heart gets trampled on and we walk away in pain. In turn, we tend to isolate our self which becomes the perfect greenhouse to grow unforgiveness. Unforgiveness sprouts into bitterness, anger, more frustration, more gossip, fighting, rage, addictions, insecurities, suicide, and even possibly murder. Obviously, this is just an example; each individual has the decision to draw the line of how far the Enemy will reign in your life. Long story short, what started as a foothold for the enemy became a stronghold. Notice that as a person isolates his heart he begins to build fortress walls intending to protect himself. In reality, he constructs for himself a maximum security prison…Sure, no one is able to get in, but he certainly cannot get out either for he is guarded by the delusional demonic lies that tell him that he is safe there. There inside these cold walls of isolation and seclusion is the little child looking for a love to heal his wounded heart. When a heart is surrounded by walls, it may be “safe”, but only from that perspective. Although seemingly safe, without love the heart rots away, cold, numb, and lifeless – a pseudo robotic existence that is essentially heartless. What a miserable existence to abide in. Therefore, we cannot live as ostriches pretending there is no battle going on. We live in a supernatural reality that is more real than the visible realm around us. Many Christian folks get gung-ho about running to the missionfield to subdue supernatural enemies. This is a great and beautiful endeavor, but the truth is that our first mission field needs to be our hearts. Until we realize this, we will continue to walk around in heart shaped prisons that block all transits of love and lock away all our dreams. Our hunger for God must be rooted in the love that He freely gives us because in His love all our fears, failure, and the things that we think keep us from God are very simply washed away. He won’t put band aids on our broken hearts. Henri Nouwen writes, “you have to listen to the voice who calls you the beloved, because otherwise you will run around begging for affirmation, for praise, for success. And then you’re not free.”
Many times, I hear many people say that, “I guess time alone will heal my problems.” I see the wisdom in these statements, but only to a certain extent. Yes, I agree that there is a time needed to “cool off” or “heal.” BUT, I do not hail time as Savior. Like an open wound, the time spend not dealing with the problem can spread infection into other areas of your life. It is not uncommon to see someone who been hurt by an unfaithful friend be very quick to judge others as a backstabber. The issue is how we choose to heal.
Again, natural stubbornness is not a beneficial nor efficient way to heal the deep issues of the heart. In fact, I would argue from experience that using natural stubbornness to combat problems will produce more frustration, bitterness, resentment, anger, and self-condemnation (pick your own demon) than the initial problem. All this to make one point:
You cannot win. Give up. Stop trying.
I have found yet another beautiful paradox of the upside-down kingdom of God. If you want victory and healing, you must stop striving, fighting, and licking your own wounds. Jesus want to fight FOR us. He wants to open our hearts to hearing the “I love you’s” I know that His loving presence will never fail to heal me.
“The LORD will fight for you, all you need to do is be still.”-Exodus 14:14
We, literally, must get to the point where we say in our hearts, “I’m done!”, “I give up!”, “I cannot handle this!”, and then “I don’t want this pain, Jesus!” Then we stop trying. There is no methodology to resting simply because Jesus is a relational person and will tailor your relationship with Him to each one of us. For some it may be kayaking, driving, sitting in nature, sitting in a prayer closet, the variables are unending.
Resting should be done as often as possible, but Jesus’ desire for His rest and satisfaction of who He is to be something that we never leave. In this constant state of rest and peace, we can receive all of the soul purging and cleansing from the things that keep us from receiving his love. As we enter His peace, we find all the love and affirmation that we need –for in the rest we find Him. In a place of surrender (which means that I quit), His love puts all our sicknesses, desires, hurts, and frustrations on the cross to be crucified.
He will breath His true life into us when we simply stop fighting.
livingablaze 