Month: June 2014

He’s become known more for his bad behavior than his music, a male Miley Cyrus. Wild parties, strip clubs, smoking weed (and maybe more), temper tantrums, sexually alluring photos,  DUI arrests, erotic gestures on stage, arrogance, and now using the “N” word and talking about joining the KKK and killing black people. Okay, the latter comes from a video he did five years ago. He has issued the spin doctor requisite apology and supposedly has Will Smith and Usher on his side. This will probably blow over, but what’s really upsetting is this. He’s using the Bible and his supposed Christian faith to gloss it over. The Instagram post above was sent to his millions of followers, using Scripture as a grace cover for his stupidity. His mom, Pattie Mallette, claims to be a Christian and has even written a book about her and her boy, Nowhere but Up. In the book she describes constant sexual abuse as a child, starting at age three. She was date-raped at 14. She also used drugs, including LSD, shoplifted, and attempted suicide. In a mental ward she became a Christian, but fell into a sexual relationship and conceived Justin illegitimately. Bieber has been seen attending cool, seeker-friendly, hip churches in New York and Seattle in the midst of his outrageous escapades.

What is to be made of all this? First, I’m not judging the relationship with Christ he and his mother may or may not have. God alone knows. But behavior can certainly be judged, and the facts can be considered. From my perspective as an exorcist, Justin Bieber lives under an unbroken curse of illegitimacy. The churches he frequents deny such curses exist so he won’t get help there. His mother’s vulnerability to sexual abuse and suicide indicates a huge generational curse in her family bloodline. My heart goes out to both of them. They are only going to experience more and more dysfunction until someone with the knowledge of spiritual warfare steps in and takes action on their behalf.  Bieber can tweet and Instagram all the Bible verses he wants, but until he is delivered from the demons that torment his destiny, expect more erratic, bad boy behavior.

He’s become known more for his bad behavior than his music, a male Miley Cyrus. Wild parties, strip clubs, smoking weed (and maybe more), temper tantrums, sexually alluring photos,  DUI arrests, erotic gestures on stage, arrogance, and now using the “N” word and talking about joining the KKK and killing black people. Okay, the latter comes from a video he did five years ago. He has issued the spin doctor requisite apology and supposedly has Will Smith and Usher on his side. This will probably blow over, but what’s really upsetting is this. He’s using the Bible and his supposed Christian faith to gloss it over. The Instagram post above was sent to his millions of followers, using Scripture as a grace cover for his stupidity. His mom, Pattie Mallette, claims to be a Christian and has even written a book about her and her boy, Nowhere but Up. In the book she describes constant sexual abuse as a child, starting at age three. She was date-raped at 14. She also used drugs, including LSD, shoplifted, and attempted suicide. In a mental ward she became a Christian, but fell into a sexual relationship and conceived Justin illegitimately. Bieber has been seen attending cool, seeker-friendly, hip churches in New York and Seattle in the midst of his outrageous escapades.

What is to be made of all this? First, I’m not judging the relationship with Christ he and his mother may or may not have. God alone knows. But behavior can certainly be judged, and the facts can be considered. From my perspective as an exorcist, Justin Bieber lives under an unbroken curse of illegitimacy. The churches he frequents deny such curses exist so he won’t get help there. His mother’s vulnerability to sexual abuse and suicide indicates a huge generational curse in her family bloodline. My heart goes out to both of them. They are only going to experience more and more dysfunction until someone with the knowledge of spiritual warfare steps in and takes action on their behalf.  Bieber can tweet and Instagram all the Bible verses he wants, but until he is delivered from the demons that torment his destiny, expect more erratic, bad boy behavior.

He’s become known more for his bad behavior than his music, a male Miley Cyrus. Wild parties, strip clubs, smoking weed (and maybe more), temper tantrums, sexually alluring photos,  DUI arrests, erotic gestures on stage, arrogance, and now using the “N” word and talking about joining the KKK and killing black people. Okay, the latter comes from a video he did five years ago. He has issued the spin doctor requisite apology and supposedly has Will Smith and Usher on his side. This will probably blow over, but what’s really upsetting is this. He’s using the Bible and his supposed Christian faith to gloss it over. The Instagram post above was sent to his millions of followers, using Scripture as a grace cover for his stupidity. His mom, Pattie Mallette, claims to be a Christian and has even written a book about her and her boy, Nowhere but Up. In the book she describes constant sexual abuse as a child, starting at age three. She was date-raped at 14. She also used drugs, including LSD, shoplifted, and attempted suicide. In a mental ward she became a Christian, but fell into a sexual relationship and conceived Justin illegitimately. Bieber has been seen attending cool, seeker-friendly, hip churches in New York and Seattle in the midst of his outrageous escapades.

What is to be made of all this? First, I’m not judging the relationship with Christ he and his mother may or may not have. God alone knows. But behavior can certainly be judged, and the facts can be considered. From my perspective as an exorcist, Justin Bieber lives under an unbroken curse of illegitimacy. The churches he frequents deny such curses exist so he won’t get help there. His mother’s vulnerability to sexual abuse and suicide indicates a huge generational curse in her family bloodline. My heart goes out to both of them. They are only going to experience more and more dysfunction until someone with the knowledge of spiritual warfare steps in and takes action on their behalf.  Bieber can tweet and Instagram all the Bible verses he wants, but until he is delivered from the demons that torment his destiny, expect more erratic, bad boy behavior.

A recent issue of National Geographic featured an article entitled “The New Science of the Brain” exploring the latest research on brain function. Above, on the left, is the cover of that issue. On the right is an actual photo of a cross-section of a mouse brain. Each of the rectangular dots is less than 1/1,000th the thickness of a human hair! Small, very small. Ten thousand of these photomicrographs form a 3-D model no larger than a grain of salt. Now it gets really interesting. At this level of detail, human brain tissue the size of that grain of salt would contain an amount of information equal to all the written material in all the libraries of the world! (This is not my assumption but the conclusion of evolutionary scientists, published in this prestigious journal.) So, the entire human brain has the capacity of . . . . well, it’s unimaginable.

This information raises the obvious question, to any honest, inquiring mind: “Is there a God?” Could something so complex and so unbelievably magnificent have just happened? Suppose that one’s “god” is the process of evolutionary time, the passing of millions of year? Are there enough epochs, enough mutations, enough survival-of-the-fittest momentum for the human brain, let alone the mouse brain, to have gradually produced this complexity? And keep in mind, that’s just in brain, let alone considering the rest of the human body’s intricacy. No wonder the Psalmist said, in the classic King James Version, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Wonderfully, indeed, and with enormous brain power potential to know and worship God. How sad that many have used that same intellectual ability to deny the existence of any intelligent design.

Yesterday, in Part 1 of this blog, I discussed what depression is and how it affects sufferers. I also analyzed the various types of depression, how they develop, and how they are treated. (CLICK HERE to read Part 1.)  Based on my decades of counseling, I listed seven basic causes of depression. Today, I offer a prayer that encompasses these root issues of depression. This prayer is not a substitute for proper medical attention and appropriate therapy and medication. My purpose is to treat the spiritual nature of such overwhelming hopelessness and rejection. Before saying this prayer, I encourage you to hold a Bible and our Cross of Deliverance (if you have one). Anoint yourself in the center of your forehead with the sign of the cross, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Submit yourself to Christ (James 4:7) as you speak these words audibly or silently:

PRAYER TO BREAK THE SPIRITUAL BONDAGE OF DEPRESSION

In the name of Jesus, I ask the Holy Spirit to seek the spiritual root for my feelings of depression. I trust the Lord that I will be kept in perfect peace as my mind in centered on Him (Isaiah 26:3).  If there is any unresolved trauma in my past, I ask the Holy Spirit to go there now and heal that part of my emotions. I ask for physical healing in those part of my body which may be causing or contributing to my distress. If there are circumstances in my life which intensify my anxieties I trust God to intervene and resolve these difficulties. To what extent my depression has been influence by any form of past mistreatment, I forgive those who have wronged me to remove any bitterness in my heart. If there are any hidden, painful memories contributing to my condition, I ask the Holy Spirit to bring them forth so that I may submit them to God’s sanctifying grace. Every generational curse, resulting from the evil of my ancestors, which causes or increases my depression, I renounce, and I declare it broken by the blood of Christ. By Christ’s authority, and in the power of His name, I command that every tormenting spirit of despair, despondency, and worthlessness stop oppressing me, along with every thought of death, suicide, self-harm, and self-destruction. I also break every curse of negative responses to depression such as addictions to alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, as well as obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic syndrome. I claim the promise the Proverbs 13:12: “Hope deferred makes the hear sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life!”

The picture above certainly describes how depressions feels, if you’ve ever experienced it. Who hasn’t? That sunken feeling of sadness, gloom, dejection, withdrawal. And often for no definable, objective reason. In true clinical depression there is nothing to put your finger on that causes it; especially when reaction to an unfortunate life circumstance is blown out of proportion, like the loss of a relationship or even the death of a loved one. The passage of time and intervention by friends doesn’t correct it. Even reading the Bible doesn’t get the desired result. Depression is clinical when pep talks and positive thinking just don’t work and clinical intervention is needed. Medical attention. Perhaps medication. In severe cases at least temporary hospitalization.

If it’s just a matter of feeling low, depression may pass with time. But Major Depression, Chronic Depression, Bipolar Depression, even Psychotic Depression isn’t likely to go away easily without professional attention. The sense of “feeling low” and aversion to activity will intensify unless something is done. Warning: if you are experiencing depression with symptoms of fatigue, hopelessness, insomnia, even suicidal impulses, get help. It may or may not be a psychiatric disorder, but don’t wait to find out when there’s no choice but medication and some kind of institutionalization. At the very least, begin talking to a priest, pastor, counselor or trusted friend.

Here’s what I’ve discovered in decades of ministry through inner healing and deliverance. Depression can be caused by:

• A traumatic life situation that isn’t being resolved.
• Biochemical imbalances that haven’t been medically treated properly.
• A sense of helpless to change one’s circumstances which are threatening or dangerous.
• Mistreatment in the form of bullying; emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from which there seems to be no escape.
• Past trauma that is buried subconsciously in denial or Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personalities which hold the painful memory).
• Generational curses that genetically carry on the memory imprint of an ancestor who suffered.
• A demon of Depression whose inflicts the symptoms of its identity on the sufferer.

Tomorrow I’ll explain how to spiritually resolve these possible sources of depression.