Words of Life|Pastor Balan Swaminathan|HIPM

Devil causes some of the most common mental illnesses and if we are careful, we can overcome such attacks easily. He brings sicknesses on our way, if that doesn't work he throws family issues and if that doesn't work, he brings mental illnesses. Today the Devil is attacking lives and telling lies in their ears.----more----

Mental illness is caused by both physical and spiritual causes. Whatever may be the cause of your mental illness, whatever my be the clinical diagnosis, it doesn't matter how many counseling session you had, even if you are treated by the best psychiatrists in the world, the ultimate healing for mental illness comes only from God. But certainly, there is a part you need to play from your side. Here they are,----more----

God wants us to foresee the danger of "Mental Illness" coming on our way and prepare ourselves accordingly. Bible recommends us to remember certain things, do certain things and not to do certain things.

Our mind is a battlefield and most of life's battles are either won or lost in our mind. We allow enemy to intrude, trespass, encroach and take control or possession of minds in a gradual way and often without being noticed. Today our emotions are attacked constantly. Why are we not doing anything about it when we are emotionally attacked?----more---- God wants us to fight back. When the devil harasses us with his lies, God wants us to refute or fight back his lies with the truth of God's Word. Listen to the sermon to learn how to do this.

Do not sorrow - is a command to obey (Nehemiah 8:10)

There are definite things or essential things that Bible instructs or commands us to do or not to do. But there are disputable things or doubtful things or non-essential things the Word of God deals with. While dealing with such things,

1. We exercise the great freedom we have in Christ, but it is not a freedom where love is absent, its not a freedom that gives us right to sin, it is not even a freedom that gives us right to cause someone else to sin.

3. We do not do anything that doesn't help others to grow in Christ

4. We do not destroy the work of God by debating and standing firm on it

5. We do not make others stumble and walk away from faith

6. We keep it between ourselves and God, do not let others know and do not expect others to do

7. If we are convinced in our heart what we are doing is right, we don't feel guilty

8. If we have doubt whether to do it or not, better not to do it, otherwise we are sinning as it is against our conscience.

Our inner person is easily weakened by life challenges. Inner person has to be healthy to have a joyful and a peaceful life. Key life decisions can be effectively taken only by a healthy inner man. Inner man becomes healthy when we are willing to seek God and allow His transforming power to work. Inner man must be cared, protected and strengthened by the power through His Spirit. ----more----We must allow the Power that Works - power of the Gospel, power of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the power of resurrection.

Only those who have "Tough Minded Faith" can sense success in dark times, come back after defeat and face the future unafraid. One can develop tough minded faith in God by knowing the existence of God, knowing that our days are in His hands and by seeking God as when we seek Him, He delivers us from all our fears.

Life becomes a prison cell the moment we are unable to push through life's challenges and move forward. Life is capable of confining us inside our own prison cell and making the escape almost impossible.

The Feast of Trumpets or Rosh Hashanah reminds us that