Mental Health – Hope for Complete Healing

Uncover the lies that are destroying your life.

What lies are you believing about yourself, other people, life, or God? A false or unhealthy belief is a lie about the true nature of reality. For example, if you believe you are not worthy of love, you believe a lie. These lies come from words spoken over us and from memories of offenses done against us. For example, I grew up in a very dysfunctional angry “Christian” home, and I developed many false beliefs about myself, other people, life, and God. I share my story and how I was transformed in more detail in the following post: My Story.

The following nine categories of false, destructive beliefs distort the way we view everything in life.

1. I am unlovable. I am insignificant. I am flawed.

2. I am hopeless. I am worthless. Life is hopeless.

3. Something bad will happen. The future will be like the past. I’m not OK.

4. Something must change right now for me to be OK.

5. People will take advantage of me. People are too sensitive.

6. I am bad. I am not good enough. I am unforgivable.

7. People are out to get me. I must be in control. It’s not fair.

8. People must think well of me for me to be OK.

9. I can’t do it. I am not capable. Others should do it for me. It’s not fair.

The Healing Codes Manual by Loyd and Johnson, p. 55

How suppressed lies cause self-destruction.

We internalize these lies at a subconscious level. And, they cause us to live in self-destructive ways. There are many self-destructive behaviors, such as cutting, alcohol and drug abuse, uncontrollable anger, self-debasing comments, anxiety, etc. The beliefs mentioned above may result in addictions to cover over the painful feelings these false beliefs generate. To learn more about addictions, read my post called Addiction Strongholds. Unhealthy beliefs also create stress in our bodies that lead to illness and disease, which is explained in detail in my book on this website.

How to uncover the lies you are believing.

Do the following to uncover your false beliefs. First, pay attention to your thoughts and reactions and write down strong emotional reactions. Second, ask God to show you the unhealthy belief(s) that is generating your wrong thinking in your reactions. Third, trace backward from negative fruit in your life, and prayerfully ask God to show you the answer to the following question, “what is the root of this fruit?”

Wrong thinking creates negative feelings, which directs unloving, destructive behavior so ask God to show you the link. Also, look for a link to a trauma memory, offense, and word curses because they also create unhealthy belief(s). Some examples of word curses are: “I will probably fail. I will most likely end up in divorce. Nobody likes me. All politicians are evil. A godly person can’t succeed in business.” Have you thought these? He will show you so you can then remove it through prayer and repentance, which I explain how on my website, 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

Reading self-help books will also reveal false, unhealthy beliefs and wrong thinking. The book called “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey was especially helpful in transforming my wrong thinking. I encourage you to read my adapted summary of the right beliefs and thoughts we should have according to Mr. Covey. Healthy Thinking and Behaving from Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Read each of the Issues Worksheets to learn about other subconscious unhealthy beliefs we can have and the truth to replace these unhealthy beliefs. LOVE Issues, JOY Issues, PEACE Issues, PATIENCE Issues, KINDNESS Issues, GOODNESS Issues, TRUST AND FAITHFULNESS Issues, MEEKNESS, HUMILITY, AND GENTLENESS Issues, and SELF-CONTROL Issues.

Read, who God is and what you can be thankful for to replace the lies you believe about God and yourself. As you read through each day, write down any thoughts of disagreement or doubt because they indicate a lie you are believing. Read my book on my website to learn how to transform these false beliefs.

If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. Please leave your name so I know you are a real person making the request.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Part 2: How to Overcome Evil with Good.

In my last post, we learned about what it means to be good. In this post, you will learn how to overcome the evil that prevents you from being and doing good. So what is evil? According to Webster, the term evil means bad; wicked; depraved (corrupt; perverted) and causing pain or trouble. Evil causes damage to every human being’s soul. People who are influenced by evil spirits are all around us, and they are bent on destruction, especially toward vulnerable children. We can overcome the evil done to us with good. Romans 12:21 states, “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”

Why are people evil?

What is the origin of evil? To understand the origin, first know we coexist within an unseen spirit world, which comprises of Almighty God, ministering angels, the lying devil (ruler of demons), and destructive demons (evil spirits). God is the all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient Spirit (see John 4:24 and 2 Cor. 3:17) who is good, loving, just, gracious, merciful, and the creator of all that we see. He called all that He created good (see Genesis 1; Nehemiah 9:6; and Isaiah 40:28). Though we don’t see God because He is a spirit, the evidence of His existence is all around us in beauty and power. To learn more read my post called, Four Realities of the Spirit World.

The devil tries to pervert all that God said is good. In John 10:10 Jesus states, “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Satan is the great enemy of man and goodness. He is called the deceiver (see Rev. 12:9-12), father of lies and a murderer (see John 8:44). He is the destroyer called Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek, which translates as “destroyer or to destroy” (see Rev. 9:11). Webster dictionary says the devil is a slanderer; the chief evil spirit, a supernatural being subordinate to, and the foe of God and the tempter of man.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood [humans], but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” These evil forces want to harm us and draw us away from the truth of God’s Word. They also want to destroy love because God is love. The spiritual forces of evil put wrong thoughts, doubts, and unhealthy beliefs into our minds (see Isaiah 55:6-7), which are lies about ourselves, others, and God. These wrong thoughts cause us to act in evil ways. And they tempt us to sin, which then separates us from God (see Isaiah 59:1-3).

So, what is sin? Sin is the breaking of a moral (right and pure) principles of the Bible, especially through a willful act of disobedience. For example, Deuteronomy 9:18, 1 Kings 16:19, and 1 Samuel 15:23 explain how sin is doing evil, and that evil is rebellion toward God. Also, 2 Chronicles 12:14 states, “And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.” Therefore, seeking the Lord God and being in right standing with Him through Jesus Christ is the only way to overcome evil, and the evil done to us. So, doing good is to obey the instructions of God (Deuteronomy 12:28) through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Painful memories of evil keep people from doing or being good?

Memories of shame for the wrong things done.
Memories of guilt for hurting others or doing wrong.
Memories of the unfair actions done against you that still make you feel angry.
Memories of people or yourself being self-centered keeps you focused on meeting your own needs instead of being helpful to others or sharing with those in need.

Painful memories keep you stuck in hurtful patterns of behavior. A man who went to jail for molesting his sons said he couldn’t help it because he was molested when he was a boy. Unfortunately, the man claimed to be a Christian, but because of his painful memories, his heart was filled with the evil done against him. Jesus said to the religious people in Matthew 12:34-35, “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35) The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” Are your speech and actions hurtful or helpful? Are your thoughts focused on good things or things you do not like? If you are honest, your answer will reveal the condition of your heart. To learn more about your thoughts visit, POSTS on Thoughts.

The book on my website helps you find your painful memories and unhealthy beliefs so you can be healed and love well. If you do not heal these painful memories, then they will control your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and behavior. Only God can heal our memories, but we have to humbly submit them to Him and allow Him to transform them. God will help you remove anger, shame, and guilt from your heart so the goodness of God can overcome the unseen evil of your heart.

How can we overcome evil and do good?

Watch what you put in your mind. The mind determines what you think, perceive, feel, and believe, which then influences your decisions and behaviors. Evil fills our hearts when we take in evil actions from secular media (TV, movies, books, magazines, internet sites, etc.), that glorify evil such as harming people, causing trouble, death, and sexual immorality. These evil images and words cause impure thoughts. that encourages evil actions. So to overcome evil thoughts from secular media, ask God to remove them and then fill your mind with good thoughts of helping and serving others or improving the lives of those around you.
Renew your mind. Renewing your mind is the process of putting off your old way of thinking that wants to please your selfish desires and putting on the new way of thinking that seeks to help and serve other people. Romans 8:5-6 states, “For those who live according to the flesh (sin nature) set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6) For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” To learn more about this process read, Forgiven and Saved? Now Renew Your Mind (Part One) and Three Steps to Renew Your Mind (Part Two)
Daily yield your mind to God’s love and goodness so the devil will not tempt you to do evil. God’s will for you is merciful, good, and perfect. When we submit to God and obey Him, the devil will flee from us (see James 4:7-8). And, when we are submitted to God and draw near to Him, then we can do good, otherwise, the devil will have his way in our lives, and we will do evil. We will either do the good work God prepared for us or the evil work the devil wants us to do. To learn how I submitted to God read: Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE

Conclusion

Only God is good, and we can only be good by the power of the Holy Spirit, which I explain in my last post Part 1: How to Achieve Genuine Goodness?. When God heals the painful memories of the evil done against you, He will fill your heart with love and goodness. Then you can do good works to help others with no alternative motive. Keep in mind that we coexist with evil spirits all around us, who also influences our minds to think evil thoughts through secular media. What you submit your mind to is the path you will walk.

If you would like to know my story and how I overcame my wounds from evil done against me, read: WHAT IS INNER LIFE TRANSFORMATION? My Story

Freedom from the Snares of Disrespect, Unworthiness, and Failure

Four Realities of the Spirit World

Hope for Lasting Peace, Love, and Victory

1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

In Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells us “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” I wonder if I am seeking first the kingdom of God and what does that look like? I found a variety of interpretations during my research that were interesting but not enlightening. I would like to know what your thoughts are.

Context of This Verse

I began by looking at the context of this verse. The context, history, and who the audience is helps us understand the meaning. After Jesus is water baptized by John the Baptist, the Spirit of God leads Him into the wilderness to fast 40 days. While in the wilderness, the devil tempted Him to sin, which He did not sin (see Hebrews 4:14-16). After the 40 days, He begins His ministry.

Matthew 4:23 and 24, describe His audience, “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel (good news) of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24) So, his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.” Seeing the big crowds following Him, he went up on a mountainside and preached His first sermon. The picture with this post is of the mountains around the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus was ministering.

The Apostle Matthew records Jesus’s first sermon in Chapters 5-7. Luke also records His first sermon. I wonder if this is the message He received from His Father while He was in the wilderness. Jesus begins His sermon with how they can be blessed (made happy). He explains how they are the salt and light of the earth as they do good works (Matt. 5:16), and He taught how He came to fulfill the Law (see Romans 8:3-4). Other topics He preached in chapter five were anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and loving your enemies. Chapter six continues with giving to the needy, how to pray, fasting, investing in heaven, not being anxious. Chapter seven continues with judging others, asking to receive, the golden rule, the fruit of false prophets, who will enter heaven, and obeying His words.

Matthew 6:25-34 is Jesus’s explanation why we should not be anxious but instead seek the kingdom of God first. In Matthew 6:25 Jesus identifies the problem, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Then, Jesus explains the solution in verses 32-34, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” 33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34) “Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” The Apostle Paul told the Philippian church in Philippians 4:6-7: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication (requests) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Based on these verses, it is safe to say that being anxious is a natural reaction of our flesh when we don’t trust God. Not trusting God is a sin because being anxious is not faith in God’s ability to help us.

Interpretation Based on Context

The key belief is our heavenly Father knows what we need, and He will give us what we need (see Philippians 4:19). So, instead of being anxious about how to get our needs met, we are to seek Him and His righteousness. Seek means to look for or inquire. And the Greek translation for the kingdom is rule or reign. So, if we seek (look for) the reign of God in our lives and seek to do what He says is right, then He promises to give us what we need. James 4:7 says to “submit to God” that is, be under God’s authority and yield by surrendering to the action, control, and power of God. Romans10:3 states, “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”

Romans 14:17 explains, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Only as you renew your mind and submit to God, will you experience righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Your sinful flesh prevents you from entering the kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:19-21 and 1Corinthians 6:9-10). So, you need to put off your sinful thoughts and put on His character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. through the Holy Spirit. Read my post on Three Steps to Renew Your Mind (Part Two).

During several tough times in my life, I submitted to God and His righteousness, and I can testify, that God does provide what we need. One difficult time was enduring a nasty divorce and custody battle for two toddlers, and I had no job or a place to live. God provided miraculously when I humbled myself and sought His help through prayer, praise, and pondering the scriptures. I do have to confess that I was going to walk away from my faith in God. I was so angry at Him for not answering my prayers to heal my abusive marriage because I did not believe in divorce, that I told God I was going to not follow Him anymore. He has only spoken to me a handful of times and this was one of those times. He said, “What is the alternative?” I thought about it, and I knew the devil would destroy me, and I probably would have committed suicide because I was so depressed. Read my amazing testimony in Trust God to Keep His Promises.

To not be anxious, you must first submit all your concerns to God as you seek Him through prayer, praise, and pondering His promises. Because I grew up in a dysfunctional home and married an abusive first-husband, I developed an anxiety disorder. I share how God set me free in the blog post called Why, What, and How to Submit to God and be FREE.

Know for Certain You Will Enter The Kingdom Of God

John 3:3-8 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

5) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So, it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The Bible uses the term “born again” two other places. 1Peter1:3-5 states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven (the kingdom of God) for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” By believing that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God (see Romans 8:11), then His Spirit dwells in us, and we are born again by His Spirit.

1Peter 1:22-25 states, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news (gospel) that was preached to you.” God’s Word is living and abiding, which means when you internalize His truths, it creates life in your soul and will abide with you and help you to purify your soul as you obey its truth.

Painful memories and our sinful desires corrupt our hearts. My short book on my website called, “Hope for Complete Healing,” was written to help you put off wrong thinking and sinful desires and put on right thinking and righteousness, so you can love with a pure heart. Begin reading: 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

Part of seeking the kingdom of God is to seek for God to keep His promises. In Ephesians 1:3, we learn that we are “blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Heavenly places are where God’s kingdom is. And, when we are saved through grace by faith in Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2:6 states that God, “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” So, to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is for our advantage and a matter of priority and position.

There is hope when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that God will provide what we need because He promised.

Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?

WHY HEAL YOUR HEART AND PURIFY YOUR SOUL?

Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul

Psalm 91 Posts

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

If you find this website helpful, you will benefit from the latest book. You can order Breaking Mental Strongholds on Amazon.

Also, check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How to Recognize and Eliminate Emotional Cancer

Emotional cancer stays hidden deep in your heart even when you think you are okay. It is infectious and spreads into other areas of your life, and it destroys your peace, joy, and righteousness (spiritual right thinking). God gave me this revelation last week when it was triggered by an email. It was hidden, and I didn’t realize I had it until it was triggered.

How did I discover I had emotional cancer?

Last week I received a layoff notice. I accept that I am getting laid off because of the hardship placed on the University from the COVID-19 pandemic, and I have a peace that God will provide for my needs and lead me to another job. In my last post, I describe how I was processing this difficult news and how I felt betrayed by the Department Head because she told us that all our jobs are secure and that everyone matters to her. So when I received an email from her, wanting to know when she could chat (her words), I became anxious, and for a lack of a better word, I felt this unsettling “grrrrr” inside my soul. I felt like the cat on my home page. Do you know that feeling?

I had forgiven her and put off my negative beliefs and turned it over to God, and I was doing good. So I thought. So, I read two of my blogs called “Being Thankful During Hard Times” and “Caution—How to Get Out of The Pit,” and they both helped me change my wrong thinking and refocus again on God’s promises. I didn’t know why I felt offended when I saw her email until I read a blog post about grief where the writer wrote about the need to tell your story and not to allow your grief to turn into resentment. As soon as I read the word “resentment,” I realized why I was still upset, it was resentment for being, well, betrayed.

What is resentment and how do we develop this emotional cancer?

The dictionary defines resentment as a feeling of indignation and showing displeasure toward a person, from a sense of being injured or offended by some act, remark, insult, etc. I felt injured by my Department Head and became offended. A person who has resentment will show anger and ill will for any real or perceived wrong or injury, which they believe is unfair. Resentments build up and grow in your heart throughout your life. These painful memories cause negative thinking and false beliefs, which continue to feed our resentment. When this emotional cancer is not exposed and healed, it leads to bitterness and hate. Job 7:11 states, “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” A bitter person only focuses on their pain and it prevents them from maturing. Have you noticed that the older a person gets, the more bitter they become? When my mother got dementia and could not remember her painful memories, she became a very pleasant, peaceful person for the first time in her life. Read, “Hope for Lasting Peace, Love, and Victory” to learn more.

How to know you have resentment.

Read the following questions. If you answer yes to any one of them, you have hidden resentment.

Do you complain about someone or something?
Do you dread being around a certain person?
When you hear a person’s name do you feel irritated with that person?
Do you feel something is unfair or someone was unfair to you?
Do you become depressed and pouty, or angry and unkind when you are disappointed?
Do you feel jealous or envious of someone because of that person’s rivalry, success, or advantages?
Do you feel hurt by something someone did or said?
Do you recognize you do not have peace, joy, and right thinking?

Why is feeling offended a sign you have the emotional cancer of resentment?

Most people do not realize they have offenses in their hearts. So be mindful of how you answer the questions in the previous section. When you experience emotional pain and displeasure from an unkind act, unfairness, mistreatment, disrespect, betrayal, unacceptance, and being ignored it creates a painful memory and an offense in your heart. Disappointment also creates a painful memory and causes us to be offended because we are not getting what we want and we feel it is unfair. Once you are offended, the seed of resentment is planted. We will always have disappointment, so resolving to maintain a forgiving and thankful attitude will prevent us from becoming offended and resentful. This is why it is essential to discipline your mind to stay on heavenly promises. Read how to develop heavenly thinking in the posts called Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded? and How to experience a heavenly life on earth.

Recall your last argument or the last time you were frustrated or disappointed. Using the definition of an offense, can you identify what you or the other person was offended about? Once you discover the cause of the offense, then you can work to solve it and heal the emotional cancer of resentment. My book called “Hope for Complete Healing” on my website identifies many causes for offense and the solution. I encourage you to read it so you can love well and have peace, joy, and right thinking. Also, read, “#1 Destroyer of All Relationships and the Solution” for a better understanding of how destructive being offended is.

How do I eliminate resentment?

I recommend the following actions. First, capture the offending thoughts by acknowledging they exist. The evidence is not feeling peace, joy, and thinking the right thoughts. Second, once you acknowledge you are offended, then ask God to show you why you are offended. Third, forgive the person or persons involved. You may have to accept the situation you are disappointed by and trust God’s promises. Fourth, ask God to remove the wrong thinking and false beliefs about the situation and then to take out the seed of resentment sown in your heart. You don’t know you have resentment until it sprouts and takes root in your heart. So as soon as you realize you are offended by a perceived unfairness that causes disappointment, then immediately ask God to remove the seed of resentment before it causes problems. If resentment is left go, it will become bitterness and hate, at which point, the emotional cancer is at stage 4. Hebrews12:15 tells us to “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” Please read the Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul for the prayer model, you can pray to eliminate offenses and resentments.

Conclusion:

You now know that emotional cancer is resentment and how it develops in your heart. I ask some questions to help you uncover the hidden resentments you may have. The key indicator you have this cancer is feeling offended. Eliminating emotional cancer is not easy but is necessary so it does not spread and affect your decisions and relationships. There is hope for healing resentment in your life, but you first need to ask God to expose it for Him to heal it. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10) I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

RELATED POSTS

Love from a Pure Heart

WHY HEAL YOUR HEART AND PURIFY YOUR SOUL?

The Link Between Disappointment, Resentment, and Self-control

Why Should I Forgive?

If you find this website helpful, you will benefit from the latest book. You can order Breaking Mental Strongholds on Amazon.

Also, check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

How We Know God Will Never Forsake Us?

You can know God will never forsake you, though you may sometimes feel God has forsaken you because of unanswered prayers and sinful behavior. Psalm 9:9-10 states,

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know Your name trust in You,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.”

We know because this promise is for those who seek Him. How do you seek God? You seek Him through continual prayer. This isn’t just on your knees praying, it is a conversation with God throughout the day wherever you may be. When you seek Him, you want to be close to Him and when you are close to Him, you won’t be afraid.

Why should we trust God?

We live in uncertain times and we have a lot to be afraid of. If we do not trust God then we will give in to fear and anxiety. Deuteronomy 31:6&8 states, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them (enemy or the unknown), for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Verse 8 states, “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” This promise comes with the command to be strong and courageous and to not fear or be dismayed. I will be honest, not being afraid or dismayed is hard to do during times of uncertainty. I know I am not afraid when my focus is on God’s words of truth and not on my circumstances. When you seek God in prayer, you turn your focus on Him for help and comfort. Therefore, God’s Word says to pray without ceasing in 1Theselonians 5:17. Read through the Psalms and mark all the verses that encourage you to trust God’s promises for protection and help and turn them into a prayer.

To be honest, I did not trust God because of the painful memories of being forsaken by my parents. I had to heal those painful memories before I could trust God. You may have similar painful experiences, so I encourage you to read my short book on my website. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

But I feel God forsook me when He did not answer my prayers.

When God does not give us what we pray for, we feel forsaken. Understand, God’s ways are higher than our ways and He knows the future. God did not answer my prayer to heal my first marriage. I felt forsaken, afraid, and despaired as I faced divorce. I don’t know why He did not answer my prayers, but I know that my first husband would not humbly submit to God, so how could God change our situation.

I was angry with God for many years and did not believe He loved me. When I felt abandoned by God, I poured my heart out to Him and told Him I wanted to walk away from my faith in Him. And God answered, “What is the alternative?” I thought about it and knew that Satan would love to destroy me. So, I stayed tight with God through prayer, praise, and pondering scripture, and I experienced many miracles, which I share in the post called, Trust God to Keep His Promises. I continued to seek God, and He was with me.

How can we not be afraid?

When you are close to God in prayer, then you are confident He is with you and will help you. Isaiah 41:10 states,

“fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you,

I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Memorize this verse, so when something bad happens, you can remind yourself of these promises, and not be afraid. Also, memorize Psalm 23, 103, and 139. Hebrews 13:6 states, “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Why do we sometimes feel God has forsaken us?

The Bible says our unconfessed sins block God from hearing our prayers. Isaiah 59:2 states, “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” You may feel forsaken by God when you sin because sin separates you from Him. Psalm 107:9-17 states,

9) For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10) Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

12) So, he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.

13) Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

14) He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.

15) Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!

16) For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17) Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;

What did you learn from this scripture passage? I learned that God is merciful, but He requires obedience. God wants to help you, but first, you must confess your sins and seek the Lord for forgiveness. 1John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Conclusion:

We know God promises to not forsake those who seek and trust Him. We know we don’t have to be afraid or dismayed during an uncertain future because God promises to go with us and help us. We know God may not answer our prayers the way we want, but we know He loves us and will be with us and be our refuge and stronghold in times of trouble. We know that sin separates us from God, but when we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us and to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). Seek God and trust Him to keep His promises.

If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the link to my post and website with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

RELATED POSTS

HOW FEAR CONTROLS YOU!

CAUTION – HOW TO GET OUT OF THE PIT

Pt. 2: Why You Can and Cannot Trust God?

County Jail Study on Psalms 103

Psalm 91 Posts

HOW FEAR CONTROLS YOU!

What should you fear? What is fear? Fear is a thought that controls your beliefs and decisions. We mostly fear the unknown. If you are afraid of germs or the virus, then you will protect yourself. If you are afraid of snakes, spiders, or mice, then you will scream and run away or try to kill them. There are many fears a person can have, and some are irrational fears. Have you seen the movie “What About Bob?” starring Bill Murry and Richard Dreyfus? This movie depicts how irrational fear controls the life of Bob, played by Bill Murry.

Irrational Fears.

Many fears are irrational thoughts that can be overwhelming but can be overcome. Most fears usually originate from a bad experience, your imagination, or from what you watch on TV (i.e. news) or in the movies, and what you read. For the life of me, I do not understand how people can watch horror shows. Fearful images remain in your memory and cause stress in your body, which leads to illnesses. Traumatic memories that trigger fears can be healed so the fear no longer controls you. To heal traumatic memories read my short book.

For example, irrational fear controls people who are preparing for the worst disasters that may never happen. Of all things, we are experiencing a pandemic and are told to stay in isolation, so everyone is buying up all the toilet paper, cleaners, hand sanitizers, etc. You should have at least 1-3 months of necessities on hand to help you get through most difficult times. I am glad I have three months of toilet paper in my what-if storage shelf because we can’t find it anywhere.

You can transform fear into peace, by replacing the fearful thoughts with reassuring thoughts of protection. Read through all the Psalms and note every passage related to protection, deliverance from troubles, and God as your refuge. Write key verses out that help you feel peaceful and review them. This exercise will greatly encourage you and strengthen your faith. Read my blog series on Psalm 91 – Psalm 91 Posts

What should you fear?

You should fear God. Not in an irrational way but because you want to stay in a right relationship with Him by not sinning. The fear of God is a combination of being in awe of His mighty power and love and His judgment, which causes you to turn away from doing evil. When you sin you do evil because evil is disobeying God and doing and saying things to harm or cause trouble for other people (Webster dictionary also see Romans 6). Proverbs 3:7 states, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.” And Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” Believe and know, God strongly supports you when your heart is completely His and you are submitted to Him. 2Chronicals 16:9 states, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

Pride keeps you in fear of the wrong things, like the fear of man instead of God. Fear of rejection causes you to do anything to not be rejected, even if it is sin. Pride keeps you from being in awe of God and submitting to His authority and turning from your sin. Proverbs 22:4 states, “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.” Is this something you would like? Read “How Pride Destroys”

What are the benefits of fearing God?

God’s angel protects you, and you will be blessed, and you will lack nothing. Psalms 34:7-9 states, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!”
God will help you and shield you from all harm. Psalm 115:11 states, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.” Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.”
You will have confidence and you will feel safe. Proverb 14:26 states, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.”
You will have wisdom and know what to do. Psalms 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.”
You will have a long life. Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”

Conclusion:

Being fearful is our natural inclination. But it is better to fear God and be under His protection and provision than to fear the things going on around you or to fear people and what they may do or think. To keep your peace and not be afraid, claim the promises in your Bible, especially the Psalms, and stay away from the things that put fear into your mind. If you have an irrational fear that is controlling your life, please seek help or read my short book on my website.

I hope this post has helped you, and I am praying for you.

How to Embrace the Challenge of Change with Grace

Bondage to Unseen Controls

Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without

What Controls Your Thoughts?

Identify and Replace False Beliefs

TRUST Leads to PEACE

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

How to Embrace the Challenge of Change with Grace

Do you look for opportunities when there is an unexpected change in your life? Or do you become depressed? I have to admit; I dislike change. With all change comes the challenge to adapt, learn and apply new skills, and look for new opportunities. But when you let your thoughts dwell on the uncertainties, what-ifs, and what you don’t like, you become depressed. When I think of life-changing situations that were challenging, I think about Joseph and Daniel.

Joseph was from a very wealthy family and was 13-16 years old when His brothers sold him to Egyptian traders to be a slave. That would make anyone depressed. Read my post called Example of Suffering Well and God’s Response: Part 2 of Suffering Well to learn how Joseph adapted with grace to the challenges of change in his life and how God blessed him.

In this post, we will look at the major life changes Daniel faced and how he kept his focus on his faith and not the things he didn’t like going on around him. When he was between the ages of 12-15, the Babylonians took him and others captive. But, because he was from a family of nobility, he was trained in the Chaldean culture and groomed to be an administrator over the other enslaved Jews. How would you react to being taken to a foreign country as a captive? Would you adapt to the change with grace?

What held Daniel together was the principles he learned from his Jewish faith. He kept his focus on pleasing God. He resolved, with the other Jewish boys, to avoid conforming to the habits of idolaters and “polluting” themselves by customs forbidden by their religion. So, Daniel implored the chief Eunuch to only feed them vegetables and water. God blessed them with better health and strength than the other captives in training who ate the King’s special food and wine. Will you resolve not to defile your body with processed foods that cause weakness? Read why in my post on being free from infirmity strongholds.

Daniel resolved to obey God and embraced the challenges of change with grace. God blessed him with great wisdom, which caused four different Kings from four empire changes to keep Daniel as their advisor and head administrator. From the time they took him captive, he stayed focused on his mission to pray three times a day for his nation. He kept his thoughts on God’s deliverance and grace. When he was set-up by jealous men and thrown into a lion’s den, he trusted God, and an angel shut the lion’s mouths. Will you trust God and keep your mind stayed on Him during the hardships and changes in your life?

Daniel lived according to the principles of God during adversity, and he succeeded. Do you have principles you have resolved to live by no matter what changes or hardships you might have to endure? Read my post on how to develop a mission statement for your life.

What principles guide your life and help you meet the challenges of change with grace?

Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?

Victorious Thinking to Live a Successful Life

Healthy Thinking and Behaving from Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Know your Purpose?

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

CAUTION – HOW TO GET OUT OF THE PIT

Have you ever fallen into the pit of despair, feeling deep sadness and hopelessness? Have you ever dug a pit of despair? Are you in one now because of the pandemic? Thoughts of despair lead to depression and illness. I remember when I found out my brilliant son was a heroin and meth addict. My heart was broken beyond despair. The emotional anguish caused me to become crippled from muscle cramps.

I am reminded of the scene in the movie, “The Princess Bride,” when Wesley is taken to the pit of despair by the albino (you can Youtube the scene). Have you ever felt stretched beyond what you could bear, and your life was being sucked out of you from the stress of loss and hardships? What were you thinking? To learn more about the power of thoughts, read What Controls Your Thoughts? and Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without

How do you dig a pit of despair?

In my last post, I explained how difficulties and hardships are inevitable throughout our lives and maybe every day. Hardships are supposed to make us stronger and increase our ability to persevere through hardships, thus, making us more patient and mature. Romans 5:3&4 states, “but we rejoice in our sufferings (tribulations, afflictions), knowing that suffering produces endurance (patience), and endurance produces (prove) character, and character produces hope.” Ironically, we are to be happy for hardships because they create hope. But instead, we think about what we don’t like and what is unfair, and we lose the hope for what we desire. So, we dig the mental pit of despair and writhe in the mud of sadness. The pit is where many people will commit suicide, so look out for those who are in despair, and give them hope. Read my post about how to have hope: HOPE: How it Motivates and Inspires BUT God’s Sovereignty….

Why do you fall into the pit of despair?

Negative thinking helps you dig the pit of despair in your mind and will keep you there. Change your thoughts from negative to positive and you will see your way out of the pit. POSTS on Thoughts
You fall in the pit because of disappointment when you think you will never get what you want.
Focusing on your loss blinds you, and you fall into the pit and remain there until you begin to claim the promises of God. 15 Promises We Can Trust God to Keep

How do you avoid the pit of despair?

You already know—change your thinking. The best way to change your thinking is to replace your false beliefs with the truth of God’s Word. Read the following Scriptures and record in your journal what mental changes you will make when going through hardships and you find yourself in the pit. Identify wrong thinking and false beliefs you may have in your particular hardship that needs to be loosed/put off from your mind. And then write out the truths in these Scripture passages to bind/put on to your heart and mind, to transform your wrong thinking and false beliefs. To learn how to replace your thoughts, read Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul.

Matthew 6:33-34 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34) Therefore, do not be anxious (worry) about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Read my post called, How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?)

1Peter 5:6-7 states, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” (Pride keeps us in the pit because we have the false beliefs we have the right to be anxious and deserve to be miserable.)

Philippians 4:6-7 states, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Isaiah 26:3 states, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.”

Romans 8:18 states, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

2Corinthians 4:17-18 states, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18) as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Trusting God’s promises help you triumph over the hopeless thinking that comes with every hardship. The demonic world uses hardships to cause you to doubt God and pridefully live independently of Him. Everyone battles a prideful, self-centered, sinful nature. Hardships expose your pride, wrong thinking, and false beliefs. To learn more about pride, read HOW PRIDE DESTROYS.

Conclusion:

The pit of despair and deep sadness is easy to fall into, so don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself in one. Your thoughts control how you feel, believe, and behave, so changing your thinking will keep and get you out of the pit. Instead of thinking negative thoughts, think on the positive truth found in God’s Word. I remained in the pit of despair and depression over my son’s addiction problem for over a year. I got out of the pit when I changed my thinking and put my son in God’s care and prayed for Him to fulfill His purpose for my son’s life. I had a positive vision of Jesus being with my son as He leads him out of the pit of addiction. When looked up to God and changed my thinking, I was no longer crippled by muscle cramping. What thoughts do you need to change? What lies do you believe that is keeping you in the pit of despair? Look up and seek God’s help.

You have hope for complete healing as you transform your thinking and painful memories. 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

How to experience a heavenly life on earth.

Are you in control of your life?

Being Thankful During Hardships

P.S.: Experiencing lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

How Patience is a Sign of Maturity

Did you pray for patience, then went through difficulties? Or, do frustrating things happen all the time, but now you realize you need more patience? So, why is patience so hard and why do difficulties increase patience? You can determine your level of patience by making a note of how you react to other drivers on the road. I was over-reactive and impatient with everyone, including myself. And driving was very stressful for me. This post explains why you can’t be patient, why you should be patient, and how you can be patient.

I learned that mature people are patient because they are not self-centered. They know that getting upset when something doesn’t go as planned does not change anything, except create stress. And mature people understand life is not fair so they accept it and choose to live in peace.

When we can’t be patient.

You can’t be patient when you believe something is unfair, especially when suffering an unjust wrong. Can you remember a time when you protested that something was unfair? When you felt this, you developed an offense to the unfair treatment or event. It could be a discipline you felt was unfair, the death of someone close to you, not getting what you asked for, etc. That offense created a painful memory you may have forgotten about. The painful memory still exists and has created unhealthy beliefs that cause you to over-react or become frustrated and irritated when an event happens that triggers unhealthy beliefs. To heal those painful memories, read my short book on my website: 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories
You can’t be patient when you are not at peace with yourself or others because you are offended. Read: Hope for Lasting Peace, Love, and Victory
You can’t be patient if you are self-centered? Pride thwarts patience because pride wants to be in control of what happens. Prideful people do not think they have to wait, be inconvenienced, or endure hardships. Read my posts on pride to learn more: The Core Negative Heart Issue and HOW PRIDE DESTROYS

Why be Patient?

Be patient to reduce stress in your life and stress in those around you. Have you been around an impatient person? Did you feel stress? For example, waiting in a long line or waiting in a traffic jam can test your patience. If you get upset and frustrated, will that help the line move faster? No, it only increases your blood pressure and the blood pressure of those waiting in the same line. Stress causes health problems in you and the surrounding people.
Be patient and hopeful and do not worry because you know God will act on your behalf and do miracles. When you get impatient because something is not happening fast enough, you become anxious, which causes physiological stress that then affects your health.
Be patient and eliminate strife. When you are not patient, you will say and do unkind things. Read: Relationship and World Changing Kindness
Be patient because love is patient (see 1Corinthians 13:4). When you are patient with other people, it shows you love them. God tells us to love others as Jesus loves them and as we would want them to love us. Ephesians 4:2 states, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” Notice, being patient means we bear with others. When you bear with others, you are self-controlled when subjected to annoyance or provocation, which requires humility and gentleness. Read my posts on self-control to learn more: Self-control and Maturity and How to be Self-controlled in What We Say
Patience is the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, patience is a sign of a mature Christian who yields to the work of the Holy Spirit through the trials and hardships of life. Thankfulness is evidence of patience. Read: Being Thankful During Hardships
Be patient because Jesus is patient. 1Timothy 1:16 states, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” So, we too are called to be patient (see Romans 12:12; 1Theselonians 5:14; James 5:7; and James 5:8 states, “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

How to be Patient.

Webster defines being patient as the bearing (enduring) of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, or irritation. Are you patient according to this definition? If not, go through the Patience Issues Worksheet and the chapter called “Finding Painful Memories” to heal the painful memories and unhealthy beliefs, so you can be mature and patient.
Acknowledge you are prideful and ask God to take it from you and then give you His humility and gentleness towards other people’s issues. Work through MEEKNESS, HUMILITY, AND GENTLENESS Issues
Do you have a hard time waiting? Hope helps you wait with patience. Romans 8:25 states, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 12:12 states, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulations, and be constant in prayer.” Doing this will help you wait with patience.
Ask God to show you the painful memories of offenses of when people were not patient with you or you were not patient. Then go through the healing described in “5 Steps to Heal the Soul.” Painful memories and unhealthy beliefs prevent the fruit of patience from manifesting in your life. As I have healed the painful memories of unfair treatments and disappointments, I have been much more patient and calmer than ever before. Since my painful memories were healed, I have stopped over-reacting and being controlled by my emotions.
Put on patience and love. Colossians 3:12&13 states, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Slowly, read this verse again. You are chosen. You are holy. You are beloved. Another sign of patience is forgiving someone when you feel offended. If this is hard for you to do read: WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE
You develop patience by going through hardships, to become strong and complete. James 1:3-5 states, “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (patience, endurance). 4) And let steadfastness (patience) have its full effect (perfect work), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Conclusion

You don’t want to pray for patience, but developing patience is necessary to be mature and complete. To become patient, you practice being patient during difficult and trying circumstances. Just like you have to practice an instrument or a sport to be good at it. Practicing is hard work and often not pleasant.

You also need to put off pride and painful memories so the fruit of the spirit of patience can grow in your life. Just like getting the rocks and weeds out of your garden allows your flowers and vegetables to grow. Last, you are to be patient because Jesus is patient with you. Having peace, being forgiving, and being kind is the evidence of being patient.

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment.

RELATED POSTS:

7 Ways to Suffer Well: (Part 1)

Example of Suffering Well and God’s Response: Part 2 of Suffering Well

Patience — Freedom from Strongholds of Injustice and Unfairness

If you find this website helpful, you will benefit from the latest book. You can order Breaking Mental Strongholds on Amazon.

Also, check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Three Steps to Renew Your Mind (Part Two)

Have you seen transformation shows on TV? Isn’t it amazing how they transform people, houses, yards, and furniture? I refinished a lot of furniture in my time, and the part I hated most was stripping off the old paint. But it was worth the effort when the project was completed. Renewing your mind is a similar process. The mind determines what you think, perceive, feel, and believe, which then influences your decisions and behaviors. So, when you renew your mind you are transforming your life.

First, gather your supplies, in the case of renewing your mind, you must make sure you have God’s forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. Read part one if you haven’t already; Forgiven and Saved? Now Renew Your Mind (Part One)

Next, find out what you are dealing with, ask God to search your heart and mind to show what sinful and wrong thoughts control your behavior (Jeremiah 17:10; Revelation 2:23; Psalm 139:23-24). Write them down so you know what to tackle first. To make this job easier, you need to remove pride first, read The Core Negative Heart Issue

The two tools you need are Scripture and prayer. The prayer tool is the binding and loosing principle. Matthew 16:19b and 18:18 states, “…whatever you bind (Greek meaning: knit, tie, fasten) on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (Greek meaning: release, destroy, put off) on earth will be loosed in heaven.” You loose wrong thoughts the same way you loose and remove rust and old paint, then you bind on truthful thoughts the same way you put on a new coat of paint. To learn more about authority in prayer read; Four Reasons for Authority in Prayer

Ephesians 4:22-24 explains the instructions, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (lusts), and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Corrupt in this passage means perverted, which deviates from what is right, natural, or true. Deceit is the act of representing as true what is false; a lie; a trick. Lust is an intense desire to gratify the senses; bodily appetite or pleasure.

Do these three exercises to renew your mind and transform your life:

Put off fleshly desires (sin nature). “For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (see Romans 8:7-8). Gal 5:19-21 states, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Colossians 3:5-7 tells us to, “Put to death (crucify); therefore, what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6) On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7) In these, you too once walked, when you were living in them.” We have divine power to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ Jesus (see 2Corinthians 10:3-5). Begin by removing one sinful, wrong thought at a time. Next, put on the corresponding characteristic of the Holy Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness/meekness, faithfulness/truthfulness, and Self-control found on my website.

Put on your new self, which is the image of God, righteous and holy. Review Ephesians 4:23-24 above. Colossians 3:10 also states, “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Jesus).” Wow! Our new self is in the likeness and image of Jesus, and we are righteous and holy (see Eph. 4:24)! Our new self does not automatically happen in one instance, but we transform one thought at a time by renewing our minds with the truth of God’s Word.

Now live according to the Spirit by setting your mind on the things of the Spirit, which is truth. Just as you live, abide, and spend time in your home, live, abide, and spend time in God’s Word. Read my post called; Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?

John 8:31-32 states, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Also, John 15:7 tells us, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” What a great promise.

Romans 8:13-14 states, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons [and daughters] of God.”

Gal 5:16 states, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Live and walk according to the Spirit by showing His fruit in your life. – Galatians 5:22-24 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” You keep your mind on the Spirit by turning every thought into a prayer, praising Him, and pondering Scripture.

You also need to renew your painful memories, explained in my book on my website. Also, on my website is a worksheet for each characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. Each worksheet lists wrong thoughts, beliefs, right thoughts, and transformational truth statements.

I hope the information in this post helps you to be victorious over sin and addictions. Renewing our inner self is a day by day process. There is hope for complete healing and victory as you submit your mind to God and His truth in His Word. I appreciate your comments because I like to learn from others.

Five Steps to Heal Your Heart and Purify Your Soul

Begin reading my book: 1–Healing Begins by Transforming Painful Memories

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).