"When you choose to embrace a lie to bring you peace, you make a covenant with the spirit of that lie to comfort you. The devil's ministry is to steal, kill and destroy. Whenever we embrace one of these three elements that is is ministry, we invite demonic spirits to oppress us." Kris Vallotton - Spirit Wars, page 154 (paraphrased)
We've gone through a ton of deliverance stuff in 1st year. At the tail end of my school year though, I've entered a somewhat difficult season. With mission trip financial pressures and the lingering questions, "did I get what I came for?" or "what's gonna happen next?" plague my mind, I've realized how easy it is to slip back into what Bethel "lingo" describes as 'familiar spirits'.
Personally, for me, with a history of depression, depression is my comfort. Staying in bed, checking out physically & emotionally, solitude, moodiness, being quiet & withdrawn...that's my go-to. That's what I find easy to embrace to bring me peace; which is quite sick, because none of these things bring me peace, but that's just how the mind works. When I chose to embrace that lie, I make a covenant with the familiar spirit of depression to comfort me, only the devil's comfort is in reality torture. In my solitude & withdrawn-ess, the lies come quick & easy. "I'm not good enough." "I'm not pretty enough", "I'm not worth the investment", "My life is going nowhere" "I have no plan"...I could go on and on...
So, Kris in his book writes this prayer, which probably more people than just me need to repeat :-)
"Jesus, forgive me for making a covenant with the devil by inviting depression to comfort me. Thank you that you gave me the Holy Spirit, who is my comforter & my friend."
"You spirit of depression, I break my agreement with you. I no longer want you in my life. I command you to leave now in Jesus name!" (page 154)
You know what? It's gone...it's really gone!
We've gone through a ton of deliverance stuff in 1st year. At the tail end of my school year though, I've entered a somewhat difficult season. With mission trip financial pressures and the lingering questions, "did I get what I came for?" or "what's gonna happen next?" plague my mind, I've realized how easy it is to slip back into what Bethel "lingo" describes as 'familiar spirits'.
Personally, for me, with a history of depression, depression is my comfort. Staying in bed, checking out physically & emotionally, solitude, moodiness, being quiet & withdrawn...that's my go-to. That's what I find easy to embrace to bring me peace; which is quite sick, because none of these things bring me peace, but that's just how the mind works. When I chose to embrace that lie, I make a covenant with the familiar spirit of depression to comfort me, only the devil's comfort is in reality torture. In my solitude & withdrawn-ess, the lies come quick & easy. "I'm not good enough." "I'm not pretty enough", "I'm not worth the investment", "My life is going nowhere" "I have no plan"...I could go on and on...
So, Kris in his book writes this prayer, which probably more people than just me need to repeat :-)
"Jesus, forgive me for making a covenant with the devil by inviting depression to comfort me. Thank you that you gave me the Holy Spirit, who is my comforter & my friend."
"You spirit of depression, I break my agreement with you. I no longer want you in my life. I command you to leave now in Jesus name!" (page 154)
You know what? It's gone...it's really gone!
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