Are Demons Real in the Church Age

Please read Mark 5:1-20 see also Matthew 8:28-34 and Luke 8:26-37. A Biblical world view includes understanding there are demons active in our world. The enemy is alive and active on planet earth. Satan has a well thought out plan to destroy your life. We are commanded to teach and know the "whole counsel of God." This includes understanding the work of the enemy. The story of the Gerasene demoniac clearly shows the desire of demons to distort and destroy (if possible) the image of God in man. This is seen in several ways. First, the demoniac was living among the tombs, an unclean area. A sign of being demonized is a preoccupation with death. Second, for a long time he had not lived in a house, and had worn no clothes. Demonized people tend to dress immodestly. Third, no chains (may refer to metal, wood, or leather) could hold him and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Demonized people may display super human strength. The verb tenses indicate repetitive attempts at binding and escaping. Fourth, he was constantly crying our and gashing himself with stones, though there had to have been times when he was quiet enough for people to chain him. Cutting oneself is often a sign of demonetization. Was he engaging in pagan demon worship or trying to kill himself to be rid of his torment? Fifth, and finally, he was 'driven' by the demons to solitary places. The fact that there were many demons ( a "legion" consists of some 6,000 men) in him shows that he is completely under their control. The demoniac sees Jesus from a distance, and the demons drive him to confront Jesus just as He leaves the boat and steps on shore. They know Jesus' name and identity, and, in accordance with magical practices, use it in an unsuccessful attempt to gain control over Him. The "bowing down" indicates respect for His power, but the shouting at the top of the man's voice shows their real attitude. Though knowing Him, the demons do not worship Him, clearly the bowing was a demonic act. They do not want Him to torment them by sending them to the abyss "before their time." The tormentors wish to avoid torment. In the intertestamental literature it was taught that demons had freedom, but only until the judgment day. It is ironic that they implore Him by God-they have no claim to God's name. They do not want to be sent to the abyss. The abyss is used of the place of imprisonment for evil powers, it figures in Hebrew cosmology as the 'watery deep' below the earth to which the seas are connected. Thus, though we cannot be certain the demonic drowning of the pigs in the water may indicate that they did not escape the "abyss." Jesus (continuously) commands them to come out, but they do not do it at once. Rather, they beg to be sent into the herd of pigs, and Jesus consents (sending unclean spirits into unclean animals). Apparently they desire some host to destroy., frustrated in their attempts to destroy the demoniac, they choose the pigs. Even though pigs are good at swimming, they drown (literally, "one after the other they drowned themselves'. Four important questions arise. 1. Why does Jesus ask for the name of the demons? Least likely is the possibility that He needed to know the name to control the demon. It is more possible that He wants the disciples to see that there are many demons. Alternatively, He may be using this to remind the demoniac of who he is (a person infested with demons), which will prepare him for delivery. 2. What is the significance of the name "legion"? It may not indicate a literal 6,000, but the fact that there were many is seen in their ability to destroy 2,000 pigs. To the people of Palestine, "Legion" would imply a Roman army host, and signify "vast numbers, complex organization, invincible strength, and relentless opposition". The word May have been chosen to frighten or discourage Jesus, but to no avail. That "Legion" is given as my name may indicate the rank of the demon speaking to Jesus through the man-he is the demonic "commander" of the many demons inhabiting the man. Demons have rank and power. 3. It there any significance to the demons wanting to remain in the same geographic location? In accordance with the beliefs of the pagan nations, do demons (gods) have more power in certain areas, or are they simply more 'attached' to certain places than others? We do know from the book of Daniel there are territorial spirits who operate in specific locals. 4. Why does Jesus allow them to go into the pigs? He may have wanted everyone (especially the demoniac) to see that the victim was genuinely relieved and that the true mission of demons is to destroy their host. The local populace, unable to understand and being afraid of Jesus' power, ask Him to leave the area (possibly valuing the pigs more than the person), the people of the world may not respond kindly to proof of God's power over demons. In any event, the demoniac is cured. He is sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. Some mental illness is due to demonization. Before he had been restless, naked, and crazy. Out of gratitude, he asks to accompany Jesus, but is told to return to his home and tell others his story. He obeys, becoming a powerful witness of the victory Christ has given him. We see Jesus' authority in dealing with the demons. We also see the satanic attempts to cause people to act as directly against the image of God as they can. God wants you to walk in fellowship with Him. Jesus came to "destroy the works of the devil." Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Steps to Healing

I know that spiritual warfare is behind much abuse. Only by understanding it, the enemy, and the Lord can anyone truly be set free and healed. What steps should a Christian take who has been wounded in order to find genuine healing? 1. Recognize there is a personal God who loves you (see John 3:16). His love can break through any darkness and help you feel not only loved but beloved, God's child and a member of His family, wholly accepted and given all the rights of being a family member: peace, joy, hope, and the love of His people. 2. Give your broken heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (see Like 4:17-21). This act of faith seals the relationship and brings you into intimate friendship with Jesus Himself. 3. Trust Christ for promised hope and liberty (see Luke 4:18; John 8:32, 36). Jesus will give you the hope and freedom you desire. He alone is capable. 4. Be strengthened in the inner person by God's power (see Ephesians 3:16-17). God alone can give us the strength to overcome. Time and patience are needed. Healing usually happens in a context of meaningful discipleship relationships, worship, prayer support, fellowship, teaching, and growth. It's a process that often takes time and patience. We need fellowship and the friendship of loving, accepting people. Many broken people are isolated and lonely. Loneliness is to the soul what starvation is to the body. As the testimonies in this chapter show, healing always takes place in the larger context of family, friends, and the local church. Getting involved in a God-honoring church is an essential of true healing. Don't give up on the local church. Furthermore, don't go to church to get beat up, but go to be built up. As God's truth enters the heart, the result will be spiritual wisdom that in itself will strengthen and heal that tender "inner person" that is often so vulnerable to the abuses of this world. Louise found this out in a beautiful way. Now thirty-seven, she had been in a series of failed marriages and a number of affairs until one day she found Christ after she "decided to try Him," she said. It happened when the Lord brought a precious lady into her life at work. This Christian lady began to share Jesus with her and eventually led her to Christ. "The problem I have now," Louise told me, "is I really don't know where I belong." She felt alone, perhaps because of her treatment as a child. Neither her father nor mother wanted her or her twin brother. She was unwanted, and her parents had made that clear every day of her life. I recommended a good, caring church. I even made a couple of phone calls to make the introductions of Louise. That Sunday, she later told me, it took all she had to get out of bed and actually go to church. By the grace of God, though, she made it. As she got involved, she soon found there were a number of problems in her life that had to be resolved. For one, she had not paid income tax for several years, An attorney in the church helped her get that squared away. The church also helped her with mortgage on her house that was about to foreclose, and they helped her purchase a car so she could get around. She told me the greatest thing they did for her, though, was being "there...when I desperately needed them. If one member of the body could not meet my need they would look and find another one who could. In a matter of several months of being in the church there was a realtor, a tax lawyer, a finance expert, a medical doctor and several sisters who came alongside to meet specific needs at that time in my life." I believe the greatest part of her growth and healing has taken place through her local church. I urge every reader: Do not give up on the church that Jesus Christ is building. Yes, God's people still sin; yes, and they make mistakes. But if you seek out people who are truly walking with the Lord, you will inevitably find them loving, resourceful folks who will often give you the shirt off their backs to help. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Jesus and the Occult

Satan uses all kinds of abuse to render Christians ineffective. One is direct-right out of his hand: occult involvement. Daisy grew up in a family that was heavily involved in the occult. She told me, "All throughout my childhood I was deathly afraid of my mom. she was an angry, cold, distant person who constantly (physically) abused me. It was as if she took all her rage on me. My father was the only doctor in our small town and was never home." What was most horrifying about her case was that, as a child, at times she could actually see a demonic presence. "As a toddler I distinctly remember evil beings coming through the window to harasses me. These beings would hover near my crib until I lost consciousness due to fear. Amazingly enough, God entered this arena unbidden. "Around that same time, God, in His great love, brought a godly Christian family into our neighborhood. Through their grandmother I first heard about the Lord Jesus Christ. I was too young to understand the depth of Christ's message, but I fully understood that there was Someone who loved me unconditionally." Daisy listened to these folks and found in them a source of comfort and hope. However, her situation at home did not change. "The conditions of my family and childhood worsened as I grew older. I became suicidal in my adolescence, and my mother threaded to commit me to a mental hospital. I got the message loud and clear that I was crazy. Seeking help, I began attending a nearby church. However, this church did not preach the Gospel, and it's social message did not soothe my conscience nor bring peace to my fearful heart. "Finding no hope in hollow 'religion,' I turned to drinking and sex." Daisy said, She found that the only love she knew was abuse, so when she met a charming but abusive young man (named John) she thought she was in love. In 1970, the year she turned twenty-one, she accepted John's offer of marriage. But she was not happy. "It was not long before my marriage fell apart, with my husband threatening to kill me," Daisy said. "He showed up at the hospital one day where I was being treated (for wounds he had inflicted on me) and threatened to kill my doctor. Almost immediately I filed for divorce." The strange thing in the midst of this was the constant call of God on her heart. In the midst of her horrid situation God spoke, and she says, "I was filled with a burning desire for God. I set out on as mission to seek the Jesus Christ I had heard about when I was a young child." After her release from the hospital and subsequent divorce, Daisy returned to wondering about what God would do with her. He answered swiftly: "A few months later my baby-sitter introduced me to a pastor's daughter who was holding Bible studies in her home. There I came to a fuller understanding of the work of Christ on the cross to free me from my sins and bondage to the evil one. There were many nights when I would stay up reading the gospel of John with my light on because of my terror of demonic spirits." During that time, she prayed one night for Christ to come into her life, not sure He really would. Instantly, she said, "A great peace came to my heart." Though this was a new beginning for Daisy, her journey was not at an end. She told me, "In 1986 I met a very nice man in the church I was attending. After a year and four months of dating we married. Almost immediately we had problems. We were triggering each other's woundedness. There was something that hindered our intimacy. After a very traumatic childhood and a turbulent adulthood, I had hoped that this marriage would bring the peace and joy of intimacy. However, there were things that the Lord wanted to change in me." After her second marriage dissolved she came for counseling and there God showed her the lies of Satan that she was still believing. As these truths registered in her spirit, God gave her the power to renounce those lies and believe His truth. We continued to work together, and she recently said, "I am now finding in Christ what I was looking for in marriage. Through the blood of Christ and the truth of Scripture I am being healed. The Lord has been faithful to keep His Word, 'You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities' (Psalm 31:7). He is my Yeshua, the Holy One of Israel, the Lamb of God." Daisy's case illustrates it's not a matter of drugs or human wisdom or even great compassion and love from a decent friend; no, it's the purpose and person of Christ who vanquishes the lies of the devil and takes back the ground the enemy has claimed. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Jesus Heals Wounds from Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse will create deep wounds that will require healing. As a child, Janet had been sexually molested. She spent much time as a child with her unmarried uncle who treated her "special," which was his euphemism for abuse. The painful memories of that molestation were burned into her heart. Now married for more than a dozen years, Janet found it difficult to have sexual intimacy with her husband. When she would attempt to have a physical relationship with Bob, the memories would surface and she would react. Bob interpreted those reactions as rejection. This set the stage for much pain and frustration in their marriage. Recently Bob confessed to having an affair, and Janet went into a deep depression. Bob sought counseling first, and he took responsibility for his adultery. He knew he had triggered Janet's depression, and he sought to win his wife's trust and rebuild a loving relationship with his children. During our counseling session, Bob broke and wept over the awfulness of his sin against God and Janet. Satan filled him with fear that she'd never forgive him, that he'd never find "true satisfaction sexually" from his wife, and that he would face even deeper emptiness for the rest of his life because God was against him. Bob, though, confessed these lies and as he faced them, he realized they were deceptions designed to keep him from real healing. In a sudden turn around, he shook his head and asked his wife to forgive him. He asked God to do radical amputation and cut the idols out of his heart. He prayed, "Father, I repent of the sin of adultery with (he named the woman). Please separate my body, soul, and spirit from the body, soul, and spirit of (he named the woman)." Later, as I talked with Janet, she realized that she had to forgive her uncle and release him to the Lord. His actions had made her feel dirty, trapped, and helpless; those actions also had made her uncomfortable about having sexual relations with her husband. Bob's confession and repentance had helped, but now Janet needed to forgive her uncle and purge those lies. Eventually she prayed, forgiving her uncle. Then the Lord spoke to her heart and erased the lies that had been planted there many years before. Gone were the feelings and beliefs of being dirty, guilty, worthless, and undesirable. As she submitted to God, love, joy, and peace took the place of those former feelings and beliefs. Now Janet was able to also forgive Bob from her heart for his adultery and released him to the Lord. I watched with joy as the Lord tore down the walls of bitterness that stood between them. Their hearts connected for the first time in their married lives. Bob reports today that their intimate physical relationship reflects what God intended all along and that they are learning that they can "trust in the Lord, and do good...Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:3-4). Almost daily in my counseling I hear the question asked, "Why did God let it happen?" Janet asked the Lord this question, and He gave her the answer that "I used it to bring you to Me." She told me, "It was during that awful time when I cried out to God that He saved me." God doesn't always give an answer like that, but He did give us Romans 8:28-29-the promise that He works all things for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. God the Father did not stop the crucifixion, but He gave us Easter. He is always able to bring good out of bad, if we'll only turn to Him in faith and trust Him to do it. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Help and Healing from the Great Physician

Healing from abuse requires forgiveness. Granting forgiveness is often not easy to do; it seems doubly difficult in the case of abuse. There has been an injustice; the perpetrator has inflicted hurt, even pain; and the consequences typically are long lasting. How can someone forgive? the answer: only by the supernatural grace of God. Indeed, He forgave so that we might be able to forgive as well (Ephesians 4:32). Jesus understood that the very people who crucified Him were not understanding criminals, but ignorant savages. Had they really understood whom the were nailing to the cross and seen the true motives of the leaders of the Jews, their guilt would have multiplied. But their ignorance and their own victimization at the hands of others makes their actions less malevolent. We will not always understand the reason for abuse. At times, the person's actions may have been selfish, an overuse of power at one's disposal. At other times, there may have been mitigating factors, but we must still love. And there are times when the specific reason will never be known, or the abuser was confused as to why he or she acted so wrongly. It matters little; one does not need to know the perpetrator's motive in order to forgive. Through His grace and forgiveness the Lord enables us to forgive, even as He commands us (Ephesians 4:32). When authorities-those who are in charge and whom we often respect-abuse us as children, that abuse can make us think strange things. We may think we indirectly caused the abuse-our stupidity, our disobedience, our failure made the person attack us. Satan lies to abuse victims; he tells them those very things that keep them mired in confusion and fear. It is up to counselors and those in the church to reveal the truth. As always, truth and love together can bring healing. I saw this in Harley when he visited my office. It was difficult for him to speak because he kept sobbing almost out of control. He unfolded his story one layer at a time as he told about growing up in an abusive home. It was a familiar scene: His father was an alcoholic-an abuse victim himself. Usually he would spank Harley, but at other times he would get in his face and scream. Typically he would yell cruel, cutting things: "You are a piece of garbage; you are utterly stupid." Harley said, "It was not the spankings that wounded me. It was the screaming that wounded my soul. The yelling and what he yelled were what lodged so deeply in my being." As we prayed,the Holy Spirit brought the lies to the surface, which we were able to dispel with God's truth. Step by step, Harley came to the freedom that is only found in Jesus Christ. The beautiful thing in it all was that God took Harley and put him into a loving local assembly of men who were willing to listen to him, encourage him, and help him mature in Christ. As God brought the truth about being made in God's image and being a child of God into Harley's life, he found true healing. Harley says, "I am not the same person I was a year ago. I know who I am in Jesus Christ. I am very glad to be alive and to know I have a place assigned by God in His kingdom." I have never in all my counseling years encountered a man or woman who was bitter and wounded because of biblical discipline, which includes spanking. However, I have come across many who have been wounded deeply because they were yelled at and called names; that is not discipline at all. It is verbal abuse that attacks the child's very identity. As parents we have a responsibility to treat children as they were created, "fearfully {that is respectfully} and wonderfully made" by the Creator. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Hearing God Speak Through Scriptures and the Holy Spirit

There are many afflictions, but the primary ones are from the inner brokenness, wounds, and crushed spirit that have been inflicted on many in our world. Wounds may come from childhood abuse. They often result from our own sinful acts. Wounds may also be caused by authorities overstepping boundaries. Often they are the results of us believing lies that have been placed in our hearts by the world, the flesh, or the devil. Many of my clients become upset when they realize that the enemy has attacked them. But the thing we need to remember is that the devil never kicks a dead horse. If you're feeling the kicks, you're still alive, and you can still experience healing and hope in Christ. That is the promise I always make to my clients. "If you honestly seek Christ in the midst of your terrible situation, you will be surprised at the amazing things He will do to help!" How exactly does Jesus help us and move us toward genuine healing? I believe genuine healing comes largely through Jesus communicating with us personally to reveal the truth in our hearts and expose the lies we've let control our lives. In the book Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby wrote, "If I do not know when God is speaking, I am in trouble at the heart of my Christian life." Being able to "hear God" is the primary point at which Satan attacks. He wants to dull our "faith sense" that enables us to hear God's voice and learn the truth we need to apply in any given situation. Blackaby goes on to say, "God never will lead you in opposition to His written Word." Occasionally, people come to me who believe God wants them to do things contrary to Scripture. They are supposed to unload their anger on their family as a means of "venting." Or they believe they should hurt someone physically who has hurt them. But my counsel is always "What does God's Word say?" If something we "hear" in our hearts is contrary to that, then we can be sure that is not the voice of God. As Blackaby noted, "What God speaks to me, revealing what He is about to do, that revelation is my invitation to adjust my life to God. Adjustments prepare me for obedience. I cannot stay where I am and go with God. God's greatest single task is to get His people adjusted to Himself." At that point, he made an insightful warfare statement: "The only way Satan can affect God's work through me is when I believe Satan and disbelieve God." I believe the Lord Jesus Christ speaks by the Holy Spirit using the Word, and that by the prompting of the Spirit He gives mental pictures both through the Word and by His "still small voice" that every child of God can hear within his heart if he chooses. In all such communication, God never adds to His Word, nor does He ever contradict it. This means by which He heals and opens a heart to the truth. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Wounds of Abuse

Child abuse has been found to be a more common occurrence than once thought. And it takes place in more forms than once thought. Beyond physical and sexual abuse, we now know verbal abuse can be just as damaging Daryl suffered from verbal and physical abuse more than fifty years ago, and the effect remind us of the long-term consequences. His eventual triumph over those consequences also reminds us of the spiritual victory that can result. When Daryl's older brother was sent to school, Daryl's mother sent him along, thinking he was smart and could carry on with the others in the first-grade class, even though he was only four. Anna Smithfield (not her real name) was just out of high school when she became Daryl's teacher. A two-month summer teaching course was all the formal teacher's training she had. In addition, the new teacher brought with her a childhood in an abusive home. Of course, more than fifty hears ago abusive experiences or tendencies were never mentioned or even considered in the hiring and employing of teachers or anyone else. Daryl at age four was not mentally or emotionally ready for the demands of school, even though he was exuberant and bright. It was soon obvious he could not perform as well as other first graders, but Miss Smithfield was determined to make a special case out of him. Instead of asking his parents to wait until he was older before they put him in school, she had him stay in class, determined to teach him if it was "the last thing I ever do." The challenge of teaching a four-year-old in the first grade would be tough enough for any seasoned teacher. But in Miss Smithfield's case, with abuse as her only disciplinary tool to compel children to obey, she began levying terrible consequences on Daryl when he failed to give the answers she wanted. Those consequences included lots of verbal abuse. She frequently put a dunce cap on his head and mocked him by parading him in front of the other students and calling him "stupid," "idiot," and other things. When even this didn't bring him into line, harsh spankings and other physical consequences followed. This went on for the first six years of Daryl's education in the one-room school of olden days. How did Daryl respond to this treatment? Like most children in such a situation, he did not turn his anger toward his teacher, Instead, he turned it toward himself, believing he was born stupid, would never amount to anything, and was the "worst case ever" of "intellectual inability." Fortunately, Daryl escaped that teacher a few years later when she left teaching to get married. He excelled in school from that point on, earning several degrees, including a PH.D. To his amazement, he possessed an acute business sense that made him very successful financially. He married a wonderful woman and raised happy, disciplined children who also grew into achieving adults. But successful as he was, Daryl fought an internal battle with anger that often threatened to rise to the surface of violent, curse-spewing outbursts. Purely out of self-discipline and raw determination, he never let the internal battle show outwardly except in private moments when on one was watching. Even then, his anger remained subdued and controlled, though he seethed with rage inside. This anger, though, manifested itself in another way: He developed a deeply critical spirit toward people in positions of authority. The government, teachers, policemen, and others became the objects of well-shaped barbs of hatred and revulsion. Daryl had nothing good to say about anyone who held such a position. As we worked through this history in my office and then prayed together, the Lord spoke to Daryl's heart in a way I've often seen but which always stuns me at the speed with which it can happen. God revealed to Daryl that he had walled off this tremendous anger toward his grade-school teacher, pretending that feeling never really developed, but manifesting the feeling in this solidly critical spirit. Through the years, the enemy told him, "You are angry at yourself (which he was) and at God who created you stupid, but not at your teacher." Daryl remembered Miss Smithfield, herself quite deceptive and evasive, had a pet phrase she used before she physically or mentally abused Daryl. She'd gravely say, "Daryl, this is for your own good. I am only doing this for you because I care about you. I really believe this will help you do better. This, in some ways, made her a saint in Daryl's mind. He believed that teacher so completely that the idea he was stupid, worthless, and useless stayed with him long into a successful adulthood. During our session, the Lord suddenly revealed the true source and effect of his anger. Sitting there, Daryl said, "You mean I'm not stupid? My teacher was wrong?" It was so obvious to me and everyone else that it was almost funny to see this successful, disciplined, and intelligent man saying such a thing But that is the power of Satan's lies. They imbue themselves into our mental machinery against all evidence to the contrary. I told Daryl that his belief resulted from his teacher's abuse, not because it was real or true. Satan had used the teacher to convince Daryl he was stupid; Satan had convinced Daryl that God had created him that way. For several minutes he sat there confused and amazed as he mulled over this monumental fact. In the end, though, he saw it was true. "I am not stupid. God has given me abilities. "Instantly, the confusion disappeared. All the anguish and bitterness were released in a quiet prayer of confession as he sought God and thanked Him for opening his eyes to the truth. After this confession, he immediately asked the Lord to forgive him for all the criticism he'd levied against others and for his bitterness. At that point, it was as if a dam broke in his soul. The simple prayer resulted in peace and joy flooding his heart, so that a new tenderness toward others gripped him. In only weeks, everyone in his family wondered what had happened. Gentle, kind words fell from his lips and the critical spirit disappeared. What had happened? The lie-formed through the verbal and physical punishment by a teacher-was exposed and he was free. He felt release from fifty years of bondage, not because of me as his counselor, but because God had brought light and life to him in a way he'd never experienced before. Daryl often used the word "healed" in explaining to others what had happened to him: "I've been healed. Today Daryl enjoys a deeper walk with the Lord and has a more effective ministry to the body of Christ than ever before. Real healing came into Daryl's life as the Lord revealed what was hidden; namely, a deep-rooted hostility and anger toward a teacher who abused him almost daily. Rarely does a small child ask, "What is wrong with the person in charge?" Instead, the child asks, "What is wrong with me?" Such abuse is all too common in our lie-bombarded world. A huge part of spiritual warfare is not knocking back the bastions of Satan, but helping his victims see the deceptions of the Evil One and directing them to true healing and hope in Christ. Healing is the best word for describing what happens to patients who have been lied to by the enemy. They were "sick" in the sense that they believed the lies that let them color everything they did and believed. Their conduct and behavior were "tainted" by the disease that the lies spread in their lives. For many of us, healing is the answer. What happens when you're healed from a sickness? When germs invade your body, they weaken it and then take over. If they're given freedom to proliferate, they can render a patient bedridden and eventually destroy his very life. Similarly, when lies attack our minds and we accept them, we can become dysfunctional and sinful, and eventually those lies can destroy relationships at home and work. Healing happens when an antibiotic or drugs in this case, truth-is put into the body (mind and heart), kills the germs (lies), and allows the body to heal (grow spiritually and emotionally). That's the essence of spiritual warfare. Germs have invaded our bodies, bent on killing us. But God gives us His powerful antibiotic-truth-and the lies are destroyed. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Your Choices and God's Power

Marriage has its tensions. Each partner may at times fail or wound the other. But love will forgive. Lonnie and Jane were about to learn that as they stepped into my office for counseling. "I don't want to be married anymore," Lonnie said during our first visit," Lonnie blurted out this statement, with Jane seated nearby. I had seen Jane a year earlier and was able to lead her to the Lord. She had become a growing believer and was committed to staying in the marriage. I'd known about Lonnie's feelings through his wife; now I responded to Lonnie's statement by asking the question "Why do you want a divorce?" "because she did two things that I am angry about. She told me she planned to leave me two years ago, and she said nasty things about my children." This was Lonnie's third marriage. As we talked, I felt led to show them Scriptures about repentance, confession, and forgiveness. I could see that his wife was in distress but really didn't know what to do. I also sensed that despite Lonnie's strong words earlier, he really didn't want a third marriage to go belly-up. As we talked, his wife asked for forgiveness about the things she said that had hurt him. Immediately, Lonnie granted it. Often it doesn't happen this way; many times forgiveness is a process one must meditate on, talk through, and finally reject or accept. It is a choice each person must make-a choice that comes only through the supernatural power of Christ within. "Well, I don't really want a divorce; I want help," Lonnie finally said. "I feel like a scared little boy inside. I'm afraid other will laugh at me. I don't know to receive or give love. I need help." This admission led to Lonnie and me meeting one hour per week in a counseling/discipleship (counseling is just intense discipleship) relationship. Since that day he chose to forgive Jane, we've talked about many issues in his life, and I've shown him appropriate Scriptures. Amazingly, he can now pray with his family, and the love of Christ is healing his shattered heart. I'm specifically showing Lonnie who he is in Christ, and he is maturing as a believer. He feels a new power to love, and his wife has told me he's a new man under their old roof. In this subject of choices, you can see that Lonnie made a conscious choice in this situation. He chose to forgive. He chose to be vulnerable and ask for help. As a result, the Lord is meeting his needs in ways Lonnie never believed were possible. He recently said to me, "I have learned that marriage is a holy trio with God at the center." I have seen him move from that "scared little boy" to becoming a decisive person who wants to live for the Lord and serve Him in his work, his home, and his church. In counseling people like this, I have seen that much of our misery or blessing n life comes through our choices. Wrong choices eventually lead to dire consequences. Right choices lead to God's blessing in your life, even if that blessing brings with it other problems. Lonnie chose to let God's fruit come into his life by simply following God's principles for life. It's often as hard choice, but when thought through, when one seeks God, it's possible to turn as life around in radical ways. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Power of Forgiveness

What about the circumstances of life when bad things happen to "good" people? Frequently, the Lord does things that stretch my understanding of who He is and how He works. But in Christ we gain the ultimate picture of God; not an answer man, but a man who answers when the need arises. His answers, though, are not always what we expect. He gives us the wisdom and power to deal with our troubles; He does not always tell us why the troubles happened in the first place. For good reason Sally could not understand why men had raped her many times during her early teens. But an abusive father participated and even permitted it (by his friends), and a passive wife, fearful of losing her marriage, ignored it. Even Sally's older brothers had attacked her. The anguish of Sally's vain attempts to resist, of the physical and emotional pain that followed, showed in the tears pouring down her checks as she described the horrors. Now in her forties, her life felt shattered. She wanted inner wholeness from the very depth of her being, but that wholeness seemed to elude her. What I am about to say is something that doesn't often happen until several counseling sessions have taken place. It's also something that most counselees rebel against deeply. I never offer it lightly, nor as a panacea that will supposedly cure everything. But at times, I see it as the essential ingredient for spiritual health. It's the issue of forgiveness. In many cases, the things separating a Christian from God's peace is a simple act of forgiveness, wiping the slate of an abuser or tormentor clean. That's not to give the offender an easy way out, but to lead the counselee to find true freedom and to honor God by keeping His command that we forgive others. I have never found an easy way to say it to anyone, because often the horrors some people have perpetrated on others are truly unconscionable. But that is probably why forgiveness is the only way out-because no amount of restitution, confession of sin, or "doing good to make up for the bad" can rebuild a wounded soul. As my counseling session with Sally progressed, I decided to open up the issue of forgiveness. In Sally's case, one of her abusers was her father. I knew this would make forgiveness especially difficult. But I tried to say as gently as I could, "I believe the only way you can truly find freedom and peace in the midst of this atrocity is to forgive your father first." Sally immediately screamed, "I can't forgive him, what he did was awful." After I calmed her down, we talked about this a length and her response remained the same. I wasn't sure what to do, but she knew Jesus and I did, too. I have learned in such situations that having Jesus at our right hand is the greatest source of help, hope, and healing. He is truly the "Wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. Thus, in counseling, I sometimes just try to introduce the counselee to (or remind the counselee of) this friend. With Sally, I stopped and simply prayed aloud, "Lord Jesus, please show my sister how she can forgive those who have so deeply wounded her." I have seen Jesus care for such people in a deeply tender and personal way beyond anything I could conjure up with words. In the moments that followed my prayer, the Lord spoke to Sally's heart and directed her attention to the wonderful truth that He understands us even when we don't, as He did with Paul in the story of the thorn in his flesh (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Sally told me in that instant light seemed to flood her heart, and she saw something in her mind's eye that opened her spirit to this truth. She said, "Jesus showed me His cross. I was hanging on the cross with Him and those who abused me were standing around the cross. In my spirit I heard Jesus say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Her voice broke and she said, "I knew then that because I was crucified with the Lord Jesus, I , in Him, had the ability to forgive all of those people." It was a remarkable picture I know only God can give, but I have seen it in counseling many times. Christ our friend gives us just the right piece of wisdom and strength to do what must be done. It was then that Sally, by God's grace, could forgive-every one of her abusers. She told me, "As I forgave my abusers, God's peace and joy rushed into my heart." She hadn't been able to do it on her own willpower, but as the power of the Holy Spirit and her new understanding of what Jesus did on the cross filled her mind and heart, she was set free. Jesus became Sally's Jehovah Shalom, "the Lord is peace." I have found over and over that even when we don't completely understand the reasons behind certain pain in our lives, Christ can open our minds and give us His understanding. That is often all we need. Something else happened in the counseling room that day. As Sally vividly described what the Lord was showing her, I also gained a new understanding of the Cross. I saw that because I am crucified with Christ, I have the same ability (through the power of the Holy Spirit) to forgive others as Christ does. When we forgive, we defeat Satan's grasp upon us through fear and bitterness. It's almost shameful to admit, but sometimes my counselees offer me the very counsel I need to solve a problem in my life. Prior to my session with Sally, there was one person whom I could not forgive. I had prayed, released, and scripturally done everything I know to do from a counseling standpoint. Yet there was still some bitterness in my heart toward this person. As Sally quoted Jesus, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," it was as though I suddenly understood forgiveness on a new level in my heart, I spoke the words in my soul, "I forgive, Lord," and with astonishing force the bitterness melted away and a new love for this person took its place. I have found that God burns biblical truth into my heart by trials, pressure, meditation the Word, and time. That day, the Holy Spirit used a vivid picture of the cross to do a permanent work in the depth of my being. It's amazing it works that way, but I can tell you with real fervency that it is true. Jesus can even work in a melodic an calculating counselor's heart now and then! Remember, this battle we have entered is terrible. There are casualties on every side, and sometimes it seems as if Satan is winning on every front. But the greatest source of strength, understanding, personal integrity, holiness, and victory is there, in Jesus our friend of friends. He promises to be there no matter where we are or what we're facing. That is to me, both as a counselor and as a Christian, the bedrock truth of fighting back the forces of evil in this world. Truly, without Him, we can do nothing. But with Him, nothing is impossible. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Spiritual Warfare and Sexual Abuse

A psychiatrist sent Mary to me. As we talked, I saw a despondent woman with a deep sense of failure and low self-esteem. I quickly learned she took a heavy dose of Thorazine every four hours to control an inner rage that churned inside like molten lava in a ready-to-erupt volcano. Her family was often subjected to outbursts neither she nor they understood. Her doctor sent her to me because he thought I could help her solve the root problems that drove the rage. Though I always try to be compassionate and understanding with people who hurt deeply, I also am fairly straight forward about exposing the crux of the issue. There is little point in dancing around the subject when a direct question can lay out the real problem. Thus, I chose to plunge in and ask Mary what she was angry about. Her blunt answer made me gasp. She said, "My stepfather. My mother married him when I was three years old. My mother worked nights. Shortly after their marriage, he began to molest me." As she revealed more of the history, Mary clearly showed me she had suffered greatly at the hands of this man. At such times as a counselor, one wishes he had the power of the courts and the justice system to deal with people like this stepfather. But all I had was Mary and her broken heart. I probed more and suddeny she exclaimed, tears in her eyes, "When I was a teenager, he raped me many times." Sometimes barely able to speak, so emotional was this conversastion, I finallly let her talk with ony minor interruptions and questions. That's often the best way to help such people. She concluded, "I am a believer in Chrsit, but I still want to kill my stepfather. The only thing that keeps me from blowing his head off with as shotgun is my seven-year-old daughter. If I murdered my stepfather, my daughter, who is fatherless, would go into foster care and likely suffer the same kind of abuse I have suffered." As Mary talked, I becan to get a picture of the real problem that gripped her. She was believing a lie that Satan often uses in such circumstances, a lie that usually leaves the soul bankrupt and the heart deeply wounded. She believed that her stepfather had destroyed her life. Mary reinforced that insight when she told me, "I feel dirty, trapped, worthless." Because of what her stepfather had done to her in word and in deed, he had made her feel not only that she wanted what he had done, but that she had also deserved it. But even this did not satisfy him as he repeatedly pounded into her the idea that she was worthless and useless and would never do any better in life if she didn't let him continue his assaults. He became the mouthpiece of Satan as he subjected her to more lies about her value as a person and her potential as a woman. The result was a desperate need for affirmation, which he was only too glad to give in the form of more abuse. This woman was definitely involved in spiritual warfare. The primary battle was not emotional but spiritual, for Satan was using her stepfather to give lies about her person, lies abut her great worth as God's created and loved child. Yet Mary's spiritual battle may not be obvious to readers; the enemy is subtle. He does not like to reveal himself frontally if he can come in a back door and conk you over the head without you realizing who did it. In this case, Satan had attacked Mary through many means. First, he had incited her stepfather against her. Second, he made her fear telling the truth. Third, by various lies he had enslasved Mary to her past and made her unable to let go of it and thus find freedom. As a counselor, I could not change her past or her stepfather. But I could help her take back the ground she had lost. That meant dealing with her present feelings of anger and worthlessness. Such feelings-of brokenness, of uselessness, and of being tainted and rejected by God-are probably the chief way Satan destroys Christians today. We cannot change the past, and the past so influences our present that we find real living impossible. This is the essence of spiritual warfare. It's not some hyperventilated idea of demon possession where a person's head revolves 360 degrees a la The Exorcist. Rather, it's the subtle, day-by-day feeding of lies into our minds, which we begin to believe and finally swallow wholesale, locking us off from a closer relationship with Christ. Often it makes us feel Christ has rejected us and wants nothing to do with us. As we talked, the question foremost in Mary's mind soon became apparent. She asked me through tears and a abject sense of personal rejection: "How can God love anyone as defiled as I am?" It's at such points I wish I could take such people and wrap them in the arms of Jesus and tell them, "He loves you just as you are and will always love you." Unfortunately, it doesn't work as easily as all that. Yes, Jesus loved Mary and would always love her, but often accepting and assimilating that love takes time and spiritual growth. I told Mary without hesitation, "God loves you perfectly, and no stain or dirt in your life can change that." I then turned to various Scriptures about the love of God and His power to cleanse even the worst sins-none of which she'd committed-and told her that Christ died to free her from this noose of Satan. As her heart softened in the glow of the idea that God could love one like her, I gradually turned to what I felt was the deeper issue and the one crucial to her own escape from the pit Satan had dug for her. I said, "I believe the root problem here is that you need to forgive your stepfather the same way God forgave you. I know that sounds difficult, even impossible, but God will give you the power to choose to forgive your stepfasther. If you are willing, I believe it's the key to your freedom from this anger. Mary said, "I know I am a believer in Christ and I know the Lord forgave me of all my sin when I was saved." But could she actually forgive her stepfather? It seemed incredible to simply by fiat forgive this man who had wreaked such havoc and damage in her life. But what else was there to do? Blow him away with a shotgun? That would only lead to worse problems. Hate him and revile him to his face? Again, it might satisfy for the moment, but in the long run it wouldn't solve the deeper problem. Just forget it? That was impossible. Forgiveness was the only route out of this hell. As we talked on, Mary began to visualize what the Lord was asking her to do. I watched as her face and expressions showed that a severe battle raged inside her mind. Truth and error cannot coexist, so they will fight against each other like lions in a pit. Even as I watched, I was praying that the lion of truth would win over the lion of error. I said nothing for the next twenty minutes as Mary pounded her fists into the chair. She screamed over and over again, at me, at God, at the lies the devil was hurling into her mind at that moment. "I don't want to forgive him; he destroyed my life." Again I wanted to show Mary that the arms of Christ beckoned, and to have her take refuge in Him. However, when the soul is doing hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, it's often best to simply listen and pray, as though the person were one's own precious child fighting for air. The screaming and pounding went on for a long time. Graduallly, her body covered with perspiration, Mary stopped and stared at me, vacant-eyed, but for the first time her face showed as glimmer of hope. I just whispered, "Give it all to Him, Mary." As if finally gripped in the arms of the Lord Himself, Mary chose to pray: "Father in Heaven, I choose as an act of my will to forgive my stepfather of everything..." Over the next minutes she listed unspeakasble abuses I could not repeat if I wanted to. Her lone voice in my office went on an on, as if Jesus Himself stood before her, reaching out and embracing her as each horrible deed was revealed. At the end, she said, "I release my stepfather to you from my heart. I turn him over to your wise justice. Father, please forgive me for my bitterness, anger, hate, and lack of forgiveness. Please take back the ground that Satan gained in my soul. I choose to live joyfully, despite the fact that there will still be results of his sin against me. I trust you. In Jesus' name, Amen. Tears burned in my eyes as I listened. Then tremendous relief gripped my heart. I felt that joy every Christian counselor experiences when they see someone released from the prison of anger, hatred, and Satan's steely bonds. To my astonishment, Mary looked up and exclaimed, "I feel peace, Dr. Copley, real peace, All the rage seems to be gone. It doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes the genuine sense of peace rises gradually, like the coming dawn after a long, dark night. But in this case, I sensed Mary's feelings were genuine. God had released her from her prison and given her the eagle's wings of true freedom in Christ. Over the next few weeks, with her doctor's permisson, Mary stopped taking her medication. Five years later she continues to grow and excel as a believer. Over our next few sessions, I encouraged Mary to read the Scriptures daily and to keep a journal of the thoughts the Lord had impressed upon her heart. I also suggested she list any special blessings thsat came her way along with her daily struggles. I asked her to consider becoming part of a church and getting joyfully involved. She did all of it and is a free woman today. It sometimes seems simplistic to some. To forgive her step father was all that was needed? No; actually Mary would still have moments of doubt and anger. She would still have to battle the lies that Satan tried to hurl into her mind despite her act of forgiveness and submissionto Jesus. But that simple regimen of God's Word, prayer, journaling, and faithful church involvement was a key to Mary's survival and inner healing. It's often the surest prescription to health in a severe battle with the devil. I believe Mary, like many who come to Christian counselors for help, had become a victim of Satan's lies. He had lied to Mary repeatedly about everything, from deserving the abuse to thinking about merdering her stepfather. She was trapped in those lies, not believing she could ever escape. Though she had not seen her stepfather in years, she still felt influenced and overwhelmed by him. She believed he had ruined her life. Thus the first lie the enemy used on Mary was "Because of the abuse, your life is destroyed and beyond hope." Satan knows that if he can keep us focused on our pain, we have little or no time to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth that can heal us. Mary believed that she was an inferior, worthless, and rejected person. She also believed no decent man would ever want her. That was all changed as she learned the truth-about God, His love, and His power to transform her. A second lie the great deceiver used on Mary was "You are unimportant, a mistake' you should never have been born." People who feel deep rejection and worthlessness often fall prey to this lie. Mary beliieved she somehow deserved what happened to her. Thus, she hoped only for revenge. When the Holy Spirit brought God's truth to her heart, thought, she began to understand that through Him she was not trapped. When she was a child, Satan had used the words, manipulations, and physical superiority of her stepfather. This kept her from trying to escape by going to the authorities (which were not as sensitive to these things as they are now), by telling her mother (who may not have believed her-another device of Satan), or by simply fighting back. But now as an adult, God was able to show Mary the way out. Her life was not ruined; He had a wonderful plan for her. Rather than being inferiour, she saw she was "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). Rather than seeing herself as the sick, needy one, she realized it was her stepfather, not her, who was the enslasved one. By forgiving him, she was able to release all rights of revenge to God. Truth conquered Satan's lies and she was set free. I use Mary's case as an example of how Satan binds us and grinds our hearts into the dust. He is not content merely to stop us from witnessing or living decent Christian lives. No, his malice is so great that when he finds a truly vulnerable soul, he enjoys taking his hatred of God to the limits, and thus beating that child of God into the ground until he or she is little more than pulp. But even then, God refuses to let Satan have his way. He steps in at various points, leading us to the truth that will set us free. I find that God always brings good our of bad. If we will trust Him, He will repair our lives, take back the lost ground, and make us live in His truth and freedom forever after. That will make whatever pain we have suffered a faint memory in the annals of time as we spend eternity in the loving presence of our Lord who does all things well. Spiritual warfare like this happens every day in the lives of God's people. Your situation may not involve something as severe as sexual abuse. But I submit that you probably believe some lies of the great deceiver right now that keep you experiencing the fullness of God's power and love. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

How Great Thou Art

“How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears” (II Samuel 7:22). As a teenager I attended a youth fall retreat at a Bible Camp. I remember hearing the sound of "How great Thou art." sung by a hundred voices. The message of that song remains with me today. The day is coming in glory when we will hear the same words sung by the saints of all ages. There is no doubt God is great. He is certainly great beyond human comprehension. How great is dependent on how we see Him. I have found the bigger (more Biblical) I see God the smaller my problems become. The transverse is also true, the smaller I see Him, the larger my problems loom. We can be certain that God is Sovereign over the affairs of the universe. He works all things according to "The counsel of His own will." We are not to be shocked at His workings. I remember the Vietnamese War and wondered where God was in that seeming disaster. Years later I found out that a multitude of Vietnamese people accepted Christ during that terrible war. There was a revival going on, God, through the Holy Spirit was working in the midst of it, calling the lost into His kingdom. There is no God like Him, He is the only true and living God in existence. All other gods are make believe or demonic. The enemy is always seeking worship, and he receives worship through sin and false worship. We are seeing the partial destruction of the god of materialism in America today. People tend to worship that which gives them security, purpose, pleasure and protection. Only the True and Living God can do these things. I think this is the time for God's children to start praying about their praying. God was quite serious when He said in II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We have become an exceedingly wicked people who have forgotten God. America has never been so much in need of revival. Historically revival always starts with intense prayer. Difficult times bring great opportunity for the gospel. The hearts of people tend to open when they see the destruction of their objects of worship. I remember making a hospital visit on an educated woman who had the reputation of "Eating preachers." I went there on the request of her godly sister. I walked into her hospital room and found a woman whose heart was open to the Gospel and she accepted the Lord. What happened was the cancer that was destroying her body, brought her to the place of desperation. She turned from her sin and whatever gave her security and called on the Lord. I believe the Lord has set before us a great opportunity for the gospel, Lets not waste it. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

A Juniper Tree Day

Elijah encountered the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and God soundly defeated them. When Queen Jezebel heard about the death of her prophets, she sent a note to Elijah saying "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." (I Kings 19:2.) Jezebel sent Elijah a message and in his exhausted, depressed state of being, he ran. In the desert he sat down under a juniper tree and requested of the Lord, that he might die. An angel came and "Touched him, and said to him, get up and eat." After he regained his strength, he traveled forty days and came to a cave, and lodged there. In time the Word of the Lord came to him and told him to stand on the mountain. "And the Lord caused to pass by (Elijah) a great wind that rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so." (I Kings 19:11-13.) The Lord was in the "still small voice." What should we do when we have a Juniper tree day? Sometimes we have to take care of our physical needs before we work on the spiritual. "There was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruise of water at his head. He did eat and drink, and laid him down again." (I Kings 19:6). He ate, drank and slept to regain his strength. Then he was ready to deal with the spiritual, he was ready to commune with the Lord. Then the "Still small voice" of the Lord came to him. One lesson I learned as a counselor was if you can't reason with someone you can't counsel with them. I remember one dear lady that had been subjected to all kinds of counsel. Her real problem, she had a psychotic break and needed to be hospitalized and treated for her condition. I was able to direct her to a good medical doctor who took over her physical care. After three days of treatment she was in her right mind. Several days of rest, brought her to the place of being able to reason with the Scriptures. God said in Isaiah 1:18 "Come now let us reason together..." Are you having a Juniper tree day? Eat some food, get some rest and go to the Scriptures and listen to His "Still small voice." He is still Jehovah-rophe, the God who heals. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

God's Overlay

A thought I received from a book by Henry Blackaby has intrigued me. Henry said "At times God will overlay your heart with His heart." When I was a pastor I would use an overhead projector (that should date me). In using overlays, I would at times lay down a simple map, and then overlay that map with a another overlay, the second overlay would add dimensions not seen in the first. The idea of God's heart overlaying my heart fleshes out new aspects to my Christian life and this brings hope. I have prayed many times "God break my heart with the things that break your heart." I believe every child of God wants to know the heart of God. God often allows pain to ignite purpose and destiny in our lives. That is why he said "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-5). Without motivation, many of us would never fulfill the purposes for which God created us. Oftentimes a measured assault invades our life and creates a depth of pain that all we know to do is snuggle up to God with all our being. The closer we get into God's heart the more we experience God. When we cry out to Him in absolute abandonment, and He is faithful to walk through the trial with us. I am certain you remember the poem dealing with the footsteps in the sand. The upshot was only one set of footprints meant God was carrying the writer of the poem. How many times has God carried us when we were void of strength to carry on? God and God alone is the source of life, and He is in charge of igniting purpose in our lives. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

The Healing Power of Delight

We know a beautiful landscape delights the eye and harmony delights the ear. What delights the Lord? “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.”- Psalm 149:4. The answer, His people. Various definitions of delight yield the following "A high degree of gratification of mind, a high-wrought state of pleasurable feeling; lively pleasure; extreme satisfaction; joy." The above verse indicates the Lord takes special delight in the humble, to the point that he crowns them with salvation (deliverance). I remember watching my children delight in the joy of being alive. Spotting a robin in the back yard would bring extreme delight to my daughter Lydia when she was a three year old. I would come home from work and she would jump into my arms yelling daddy, daddy, daddy. She delighted in her father. In many years of ministry to broken people, I have found that most had serious doubts about their relationship with God. Many felt He was against them, punishing them or that He was really disgusted with them on the basis of their past sins. When they allowed the truth of their being God's delight to sink in, they would began to see themselves and God in a different light. Here is a project, spend some time meditating on the above verse and let the fact that God delights in you become a reality in your heart and mind. This truth can be the start of genuine healing in a shattered life. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.

Shame On You

Nothing sucks the life out of a person like shame. Shame is like a huge accusing cloud that hangs over a person, dripping guilt, condemnation and remorse. The subject of shame is found through out the Scriptures. King David speaks of shame in most of the Psalms. As a Biblical Counselor I was stunned by the number of believers who suffered from emotionally crippling shame. One Pastor spoke with tears flowing down his face about a life time of shame that came from childhood molestation by an uncle. Together we read Isaiah 54:4 and he turned this verse into a prayer "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth..." He said in that moment the Lord took his shame away. A life time of deep suffering vanished. The stronghold of feeling dirty, defiled and worthlessness disappeared. He took God at his word and surrendered his shame, and all that happened to bring it about, to the Lord. When God created Adam in the Garden He created him perfect. Adam was holy, but his holiness was untested. When Adam fell he experienced fear, he began to shift blame to his wife and to God who created him. He ran and hid, he cover himself. He began to feel guilt and shame. He lost his relationship with God. God's answer to Adams delima was to kill a lamb and cover Adam with the lamb skin. The Lord also promised a coming Savior who would "Crush" the head of Satan. Genesis 3:15. Adams faith in the Lord secured his salvation and restored his fellowship with his heavenly Father. We to need to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. The cleansing came in salvation and continues in confession of sin. "Since we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness." I John 1:9. The song writer of old penned these words "What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus" I have observed in my life that shame makes me ashamed. Paul said "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16. This should cause us to ask several questions. Am I ashamed of the Gospel? Do I shrink away from sharing Christ with others? What am I ashamed of in my life, in my past? How am I going to make it right? Who do I need to forgive or ask forgiveness of? What's causing feelings of shame in my heart right now? Am I willing to turn these events, abuses, bad decisions, missed opportunities, acts of sin, done to me or by me, over to the Lord? Is He calling you to a new level of trust? Do you sense His presence in your life? What is He speaking to you about right now? He and He alone has the power to help you "Forget the shame of your youth..."