demons versus mental illness

[I Am Blessed 24]

Unfortunately, sometimes pills are necessary--especially since God seems to be out of the healing business.

God is still in the healing business and sometimes He heals us with pills. I don't know who said God has ceased to perform miracles, but they are wrong! I'm living proof...

God literally changed my test results and the words on a computer screen right in front of my eyes as well as the cardiologist and his nurse.

My God is an awesome God. He reigns in Heaven above!

 

[Ed Edwards]

Amen Sister I Am Blessed 16 -- you are so RIGHT ON! :thumbs:

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God is ALWAYS GOOD - always! :godisgood:

 

[tinytim]

God is still in the healing business and sometimes He heals us with pills. I don't know who said God has ceased to perform miracles, but they are wrong! I'm living proof...

God literally changed my test results and the words on a computer screen right in front of my eyes as well as the cardiologist and his nurse.

My God is an awesome God. He reigns in Heaven above!

I would love to hear this story...
If you don't care, you can post it here on this thread I started...
http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=38807

 

[amity]

Unfortunately, sometimes pills are necessary--especially since God seems to be out of the healing business.

Not so fast! I don't believe God is out of the healing business at all! Try oil and desperate faithful prayer. I have seen such healing happen.

But to me that does not mean that we are to rely on miraculous healing to the exclusion of obtaining medical treatment. If we believed that it was wrong to take adantage of medical means to prolong life, then why not abolish modern sanitation, sewage and water treatment facilities, food safety requirements, etc.? If history is any indication, the infant mortality rate would be over 50%, and the average life expectancy about 35 years.

 

[ituttut]

Unfortunately, sometimes pills are necessary--especially since God seems to be out of the healing business. However, While a lot of physical ailments are the end result of sin entering the world, they are not necessarily individually caused by a person's sin. I may be wrong, but I don't believe my physical problems are caused by sin in my life. I'm far from being perfect, but I'm not what one might call "living in sin". May 18 will be 44 years that I have walked with the Lord, and the Holy Spirit leads, guides, and directs my path and keeps me from much sin that I could and would partake of without His help.

Amen to the expense associated with illnesses Jon-Marc, and my prayers include such as you that have infirmities even to the point of curtailed activities, limiting such things as gainful employment, or perhaps even cutting into the joy of play with our children, or grand children.

Of course we all have problems caused by sin way back in the garden, so I believe you have the right attitude while we are all guilty of sin, not all our infirmities are caused for a specific sin we have committed. I thus far am in pretty good shape, and dare say I have sinned like everyone else, and probably more than most, but I have (by the miracle of God) been able to resist those sins of the "body" that will catch-up to us later.

As to miracles (I believe you may understand) being done today which could only be done by Jesus and the Apostles, is just too far out for me. I believe they are "out" for we see who were able to do such things in scripture. It is always those that have been specifically chosen to do so. We see it in the Old Testament, and in the New, and it is only who God will allow. Today we live by faith, which you are showing, not bitter I believe but loving and praising your Savior.

I believe scripture with back this up - II Corinthians 12:12, "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds". I personally can't see any beyond the Apostles being able to do miracles by the power of God, and the reason being those powers were taken from man as we see when Paul arrived in Rome. Jesus handpicked 12 Apostles (one to show Satan dwells among us), and then by the Holy Ghost one was chosen from the hands of those men to flesh out the 12. Later Christ Jesus again chose another, set apart from the others, in order to reveal to Him the gospel that would justify the Gentile. It is by the miracle of God I am saved, and it only came by the grace of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ. This was unheard of, until Christ revealed it from heaven.

I have seen a number of times, someone comes into the life of another, and we see a "miracle" happen. But not immediately and with such force of merely laying on of hands, or as with the Apostles, a handkerchief sent. My Daughter for 7 years in and out of hospital's at the age of 11, and we were told she could not last much longer. She is alive over forty years later for a Doctor was found that correctly diagnosed her problem, and did an operation. We see the physical therapists today doing miracle daily, with our brave soldiers that have lost limbs. I do believe in miracles for thus far I always wake up from my sleep. I don't know how it happens but it does, but I do know, none today can perform a miracle only reserved for a few since the beginning. We won't see such wonders, but those that will go through the "tribulation" will. I am thrilled God allowed me to live in this "grace" period.

For some reason we can't know, some in Christ suffer more than others. It has been said those that suffer love Him more for they can more closely identify with Him who suffered so for us.

 

[Jon-Marc]

Amity, I didn't say that God IS out of the miracle business--just that it SEEMS that He is. A soul lifted out of the depths of sin and placed on the Solid Rock is a miracle. The birth of a baby is a miracle. However, how often do we see someone instantly healed of blindness, deafness, lameness, brought back from the dead, lepers instantly healed, or devils (demons) cast out of people? Such miracles don't seem to be done any more. There are the "faith healers" who prey on the gullibility of people with promises of healing. Is it the lack of faith among God's people, or is that particular gift no longer given? I personally know two people who were healed of incurable illnesses, but it's been many years since I'm known that to happen.

 

[amity]

However, how often do we see someone instantly healed of blindness, deafness, lameness, brought back from the dead, lepers instantly healed, or devils (demons) cast out of people? Such miracles don't seem to be done any more.

That is what I disagree with. Such miracles happen fairly often.

 

[StraightAndNarrow]

I was severely criticized in another "Christian" Website for saying that a lot of depression is caused by a lack of trusting the Lord, and by self-pity and feeling sorry for one's self. Despite even one pastor disagreeing with me, I still believe that.

How much depression is caused by an actual medical condition that would require medication, and how much is caused simply by self-pity? Poor me, my life [is terrible*], and God hates me because He won't let me win the lottery. People get depressed because things are not going the way they want. That is NOT a medical condition; it is a SIN condition.

ALL of my depression in the past was caused by one thing--self-pity. Yes, I hurt from my neck down to my feet. I'm sexually impotent. One of my daughters told me she wants nothing more to do with me. The list goes on, but I have learned to rejoice in the Lord rather than feeling sorry for myself. Some of that I brought on myself. That is a lack of trusting God, and it's sin.

Yes, there are medical conditions that cause depression, and medication is in order. However, this nation is too quick to run to a doctor and demand pills for every ailment, ache and pain. My mother was like that. She was a hypochondriac who asked for pills for everything--including the fact that she "sighing" all the time. She didn't realize that the sighing was caused by boredom because all she did was sit and do nothing. People want pills for their depression that is more than likely caused by self-pity, or even just the fact that they don't have a life. I'm too busy enjoying my retirement and praising and glorifying God to get bored. The more we see of the Lord, the less we will see of ourselves and our troubles. As John the baptist said, 'He must increase, and I must decrease."

Pills won't make life any better if the problem is sin. I heard of a doctor who said the mental hospitals could be nearly emptied if the people could just learn to deal with their guilt. Guilt also causes depression. Been there, done that, and I won the victory through Jesus Christ and not pills or doctors.

Obviously you or no one around you has ever had clinical depression. Your mother might have been a hypochondriac. That doesn't mean she had clinical depression. Why do you say that depression is due to sin and other medical problems are not. It's been shown that faith and prayer can help heal any medical problem. So I suppose heart disease and cancer are due to sin, right?

 

[Bible Believing Bill]

Depression is not the only mental illness. For those who say depression is caused by sin and a "poor pity-me" attitude then what is the cause of Obcessive Compulsive disorder or Schizophrenia?

Bill

 

[Ed Edwards]

Good question BBB.
I doubt you will get a good answer, but you
certainly asked a good question.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Depression is not the only mental illness. For those who say depression is caused by sin and a "poor pity-me" attitude then what is the cause of Obcessive Compulsive disorder or Schizophrenia?

Bill

IMHO, they are all caused by chemical imbalances, along with a lot of other mental illnesses.

Does no one remember Jesus' answer when someone asked who sinned - the blind boy or his father??? The answer? "Neither!"

Why are we so quick to pin an illness that we can't see, and "WE" don't have, on sin?

It's different when a mental illness hits us or someone we love.

Then it's no longer caused by sin, it's chemical. :BangHead:

A broken heart, a broken arm, a broken mind. We are to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ - only God knows what causes certain things. It's not up to us to decide for Him and it is certainly not up to us to point a finger at others, as that leaves three fingers pointing back at us...

 

[Filmproducer]

IMHO, they are all caused by chemical imbalances, along with a lot of other mental illnesses.

Does no one remember Jesus' answer when someone asked who sinned - the blind boy or his father??? The answer? "Neither!"

Why are we so quick to pin an illness that we can't see, and "WE" don't have, on sin?

It's different when a mental illness hits us or someone we love.

Then it's no longer caused by sin, it's chemical. :BangHead:

A broken heart, a broken arm, a broken mind. We are to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ - only God knows what causes certain things. It's not up to us to decide for Him and it is certainly not up to us to point a finger at others, as that leaves three fingers pointing back at us...

:thumbs: Excellent post! Very well said.

 

[ituttut]

That is what I disagree with. Such miracles happen fairly often.

example/s please

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

I've seen several people that were lame, and never supposed to walk again, healed. Even the doctors' called them miracles...

 

[ituttut]

It's been shown that faith and prayer can help heal any medical problem.

Help the "pills" work?

 

[amity]

example/s please

No, I don't care to. But I have personally been involved in at least one healing, and have heard of several more.

 

[ituttut]

I've seen several people that were lame, and never supposed to walk again, healed. Even the doctors' called them miracles...

If we were in the "millennium", or the days of Pentecost or the beginning of the Christian church, this would be so. Today it is a "hit and miss" situation from our view, a coincidence; otherwise "God is after all a respecter of persons today". Who are these special people that God takes note of today that you have witnessed the miracle of one praying to God and say "I beseech you O Lord", "Heal me"? What of all the thousands that die praying "I beseech you O Lord", "heal me", and He says NO?

If you have witnessed several "recovered", then you've probably witnessed several hundred that lacked a "miracle". Any you loved, and know were saved, that the miracle didn't happen for them, and they died? What happened? Maybe they were not good enough for their prayers to be answered, and maybe they weren't saved after all.

I believe miracles happen when it is not our time to go. If it isn't, what some call a miracle will happen, and in that sense we can call it a miracle for God decided long ago if it was time or not. We can believe what Doctors say, or we can believe what His Word teaches us.

 

[ituttut]

No, I don't care to. But I have personally been involved in at least one healing, and have heard of several more.

It is God's doing, and nothing that man does. Else we are in control and God takes notice of us in His respect for us.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

If we were in the "millennium", or the days of Pentecost or the beginning of the Christian church, this would be so. Today it is a "hit and miss" situation from our view, a coincidence; otherwise "God is after all a respecter of persons today". Who are these special people that God takes note of today that you have witnessed the miracle of one praying to God and say "I beseech you O Lord", "Heal me"? What of all the thousands that die praying "I beseech you O Lord", "heal me", and He says NO?

Jesus did not heal all those who were sick when He walked the earth. Neither does He do that today.

If you have witnessed several "recovered", then you've probably witnessed several hundred that lacked a "miracle". Any you loved, and know were saved, that the miracle didn't happen for them, and they died? What happened? Maybe they were not good enough for their prayers to be answered, and maybe they weren't saved after all.

Jesus performed miracles while He walked the earth. He did not perform them for everyone.

IMO, miracles are performed for the same reason today as they were in the Bible - to bring glory to God and make unbelievers believe.

I don't know why God healed me and not someone else. Believe me, I have asked myself that question many times! All I know is that He did, and I thank Him for that daily. I DO know it was nothing that I did and I give Him all the glory.

 

[rbell]

Examples, please.

No, I don't care to. But I have personally been involved in at least one healing, and have heard of several more.

I know several times I've cast out the dead and raised the devil.



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