Abiding in the Prince of Peace | How to Win Your Mental War 預覽

Where does lack of peace come from? 

During my recent unrest, I asked many questions about where this was coming from and narrowed it down to four broad options. This has helped me identify the source so that I can begin to deal with it. I cannot work on something I am not aware of, cannot identify, or understand. Discovering the source of your fear and anxiety will be a great starting point to find that peace. 

1. Spiritual attack of the enemy

It does not take a long read into the Bible to discover Satan himself has a plan of destruction and chaos for your life. We should not be surprised at all when the enemy of our soul attacks our lives. We see many verses that show us his intention is death for us. If you are under spiritual attack and deceived into believing the enemy's lies, it can draw you out of that intimate, abiding fellowship with Christ and rob you of your peace. 

Be encouraged if you are under an attack of the enemy because he is a defeated foe in Christ. Christ promised us that he has given to us power, love, and soundness of mind. The enemy will send attacks and form weapons against you, but they will not prosper when you abide in the Prince of Peace. 

2. Physical, neurological, psychological

The more I study the emotional makeup of humanity, I am amazed at how our emotions are so intimately related to the physical. For instance, your brain processes physical and emotional pain through the same area. It's all connected. If you are dealing with some physical issues, it may be causing just as many or more emotional problems. And visa versa. If you are having some mental struggles, there most likely will be a physical response. I have heard Dr. Gary Oliver talk about many studies that found out that people's physical issues were not physical at all. They were emotional and mental struggles that produced a physical response. 

I believe the heart of God is that you walk in health in each part of our being. This includes Spirit, soul, and body. I also think that God gives us natural and supernatural means to accomplish this. 

I believe God uses doctors, medicine, supplements, and a whole host of other natural means to help us walk in health. We are always supportive and encourage people to walk in their knowledge and utilize the tools at your disposal. If you have a professionally trained voice in your life, like a doctor or therapist who encourages natural or medical means, I always encourage that. If it helps you, then I consider that a win and God blessed. The goal, in the end, is health. 

Our lack of peace can often be easily remedied if we discover the physical, neurological, or psychological roots and utilize the available health options. My own story was a combination of points one, two, and three. God was so gracious to help me discover this and get the help I needed. I believe the content in this book can give you a starting point to find your sources of a lack of peace.  

3. Anchoring my peace into shakable things and not Christ

It can be easy to get our eyes off the eternal Christ and anchor our hope into temporary things. When those things are removed or shaken, we can fall into an emotional tailspin, become anxious, depressed, and hopeless. 

Be careful what you allow to have a voice in your peace. Where am I getting my information from? What information am I allowing into the gateway of my soul? What lies am I believing? What truth from God's Word am I replacing those lies with? Do I have accountability outside my brain? 

People will fail you. Governments will come and go. If you quit your job tomorrow, they will replace you within a short period. Money does not produce peace.  This is a considerable point in living that out. Ask yourself, "what is my peace anchored to" and see if your answer is a shakable thing. 

4. My own sinful desires 

When we look at the verses from James, it was not Satan or God who were causing the issues, but our enticement unto sin. Part of living in a fallen world is that all of us are tempted towards sin. Sometimes we blame God or Satan, but, in the end, it was our choice to pursue the temptation and be enticed toward sin. Sin has an earthly consequence and often opens the gateway for physical and emotional issues, including stealing your peace. 

Many times, we give Satan too much credit. Sure, he comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Sure, he has some power and can cause a lot of sorrow in this world. But we already saw in the previous point that he is defeated, and as long as we abide in Christ, He will protect us from the enemy's attack. 

Other times we give God too much blame. We blame Him for things that He is not responsible for. As Children of God, we should reflect the light of Christ that is in us. Instead, we reflect the circumstances of our lives. We may question why a good God would allow particular pain or events and yet never ask why we make daily choices that invite sinful consequences and deny God's truths. Processing through the Take Away questions can be very illuminating and will take humble self-reflection. 

Take Away: 

1. Are you able to use the four examples above and find out where your peace is being disrupted? 

2. What influences that you identify are you able to make changes to not allow them to have a voice in your life that hinders your peace?

3. When you look at your life, where do you tend to anchor your peace? (ex. relationships, job, politics, social media, money?)