THE MISSING PIECE ON MENTAL ILLNESS
Christine Wyrtzen
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy... My soul waits for the Lord. Psalm 130:1
If you live near, or with, anyone struggling with issues related to mental illness, you know how painful it is for them and for their caregivers. It is difficult to know how to pray for them. We can often just assume the condition is permanent and is as immovable as a chronic illness. We believe we must just accept ‘what is’ and ask God to give grace for the challenges of daily life.
Since God worked in me to build the model that is called Personalized Prayer Mapping, I am continuing to understand the parameters around life issues; issues which include mental illness.
Since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, the enemy has been on the prowl as he looks for places of devastation where he can inflict total destruction.
Any crack in this cursed world provides him entrance and opportunity. I must be astute to realize that he will prey on any kind of weakness. Diseases, disabilities, disappointments, broken dreams, losses, relationship dysfunctions, and mental illness; these are all invitations for him to exacerbate what already exists and maximize pain. He taps into an active breeding ground with a design to grow the dysfunction. Oftentimes, to debilitating levels.
How does that relate to mental illness? Mental illness IS one of the breeding grounds. It is impossible to tell how much of what we experience in others is mental illness or the enemy’s swirling activity because of the platform mental illness provided. Is it 50/50? 80/20? I contend that we won’t know until we engage in spiritual warfare on their behalf. The real percentages won’t be manifested until the enemy is crippled and we can see what is left. The sobering reality is that the one suffering from mental limitations (whether chemical or situational) won’t experience the fullest of better times if the enemy is not dealt with in spiritual realms. It is a daily battle and the warfare must also be daily to give the person we love the best possible outcome.
While I have referenced ‘others’ in talking about mental illness, I am not excluding the times I was fragile and needed help. I remember what it felt like. Given enough time in the fire, we will all visit dark times and wonder whether we will pull out of it. Prayer and support is critical. So, what does a prayer like this sound like? While Prayer Mapping encourages language that is far more customized than what follows, this is a way to begin.
Father, you made this person. You see the mind, body, and soul. You know to what extent Satan is tampering with this person’s wellbeing. Because you have given me authority to pray for their soul and apply the victory of Calvary to their specific battle today, I hold them up in prayer.Because of Your shed blood, I ask you to cripple the enemy today – both inside and outside of my loved one. Bind spiritual enemies from acting out, from speaking, and from stirring up issues. Remove their influence from the mind of my loved one so that he/she is not spiritually impaired from hearing you and making sound decisions to think wholesome and true thoughts. Give them clarity today and make them of sound mind because of Your great love and faithfulness. Because of Jesus and in His name I pray, Amen
Originally published Monday, 04 June 2018.
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