perspective

W e ' r e m o r e t h a n j u s t a C h u r c h . . . W e ' r e a F A M I L Y !

Pastor Carter addresses Questions on

PHYSICAL / SEXUAL ABUSE

Why can't there be a community of people who are willing to be there, to help keep sexual perpetrators where they belong, and to stand beside us when we're hurting and trying to fight our way through the hell we've been left in?

There's supposed to be a community of people there to keep these demonically deranged people where they should be and to stand beside hurting people.... it's called the Church.

I'm saddened, however, that the Church is so blinded by it's own desires that we are out of touch with reality and the hurting people we are supposed to serve and minister to. Heaven help us. For you, and others, who have not had the support structure of the Church, I offer a corporate apology. We've been about everything but our Father's business and we need to regain our focus.

But in the meantime, if you go to a church that does not actively stand up, publicly speak out, and tangibly support those in these situations, my advice to you is find a new church. There are still some of us out there that believe the truth and take our God-given responsibility as citizens of His Kingdom seriously. ...Just keep looking till you find a full-gospel New Testament Church representative of that kind of Kingdom. If you live in our area, our Church is that Church for you!

__________

What's your opinion on SI (self-injury) and how would *you* go about reaching out to someone who is doing it or is tempted to?

Self-injury or self-mutilation is found in Scripture as an identifier of demon possession. Remember the young man who often cut himself with stones and threw himself into the fire....

I don't believe this is merely an emotional problem, but rather a spiritual problem. It does, of course, affect the emotions in a negative manner that may cause one to do these things, but attention to the spiritual issues through deliverance would impact the same emotions in a positive way which would cause one to realize their worth to Christ and to others.

When the spiritual issues are dealt with and the person sees their worth and value in the mirror of Christ, they can recognize their body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, and thus treat it accordingly.

__________

What kind of spiritual issues are you speaking of? Do you mean that if a person is involved with SI that they're under demonic influence?

Yes, that's what I mean. A person involved in this may not yet be to the point of demonic "possession," but they certainly are under a demonic "oppression" (ie: under demonic influence). It is demonic influence that causes one to engage in self mutilation.

If their engagement of these kinds of activities stem from some sort of emotional pain, a feeling of unworth, or deep emotional "problems," then the very same remains true: that they are under demonic influence. When the root problem gets dealt with, then all else will change. When you deal with the spiritual issue at hand, then the physical abuse of one's self will cease.

Again, let me reiterate... attention to the spiritual issues through deliverance would impact the same emotions in a positive way which would cause one to realize their worth to Christ and to others.

My point is this: Yes, a person may engage in SI as a result of deep emotional problems, but those emotional problems are merely an outward physical manifestation of an inward spiritual problem. Deal with the spiritual issue and the physical issue will fall in line.

__________

So...how would you go about dealing w/ the spiritual issues?

Head on.

God hasn't called us to the table of discussion with the adversary. He had called us to take authority over him in the name of Jesus. In a spirit of love, compassion and gentleness (and with the persons' knowledge if possible), we should confront the devil and take dominion over him.

The devil is the strong man, mentioned in Luke 11:21, who is invading their house (their temple, or physical body). We, through Christ, are the stronger man, of Luke 11:22, who comes in and strips the enemy of his weapons and armor and sweeps the house (temple/physical body) clean.

Spiritual problems must be handled spiritually, and the way you handle the devil is to take authority over him in the Name of Jesus until that person's deliverance is manifest.

This is a complex subject as there are many different scenarios involved in the ministry of deliverance. Sometimes deliverance comes immediately, sometimes over time, sometimes only after days of preparation through prayer and fasting on the part of the one exercising the spirit. The one constant is this: THE DEVIL HAS NO OPTIONS OR INPUT IN THE MATTER. HE IS SUBJECT TO THE NAME OF JESUS and MUST obey a man or woman of God who throws him out of his dwelling place!

__________

So there's a spirit or demon that needs to be "cast off" this person?

Most assuredly. If not cast "off" of them, in the very least cast "away" from them.

__________

Is the person just exercising free will and choosing to act in this manner, and can they choose to stop this behavior?

A person who exercises their free will and chooses to cut themselves did not just pull this idea out of thin air. This idea... this thought... had its origin somewhere. No person just all of a sudden decides to cut themselves or throw themselves into situations that intentionally cause them bodily harm. Even if these acts are committed out of a desire for attention, love, acceptance, etc, the idea to injure themselves still came from somewhere. It is the carefully calculated conspiracy of demonic spirits which attempt to gain small amounts of ground until they are able to possess the whole thing. They are the source of these thoughts and desires.

The two things that need to happen for, and to, this person are these...

1) Authority needs to be taken over this spirit in the name of Christ. People under demonic influence can't, however, just make the decision to quit doing demonically-inspired acts. They need a power stronger than they currently possess (see the "strong man" illustration mentioned above) to set them free. If you are born again and filled with the Holy Ghost, you are that stronger man (or woman).

2) They need to be convinced to take captive every thought and subject it first and foremost to the spiritual filter of Christ. They will say, "well how do I take control over these thought - I don't have any control over them." Oh yes, they most certainly do! A thought to cut your arms, slit your wrists, burn yourself with a flame of some sort doesn't pass permission of Christ! If we can help them to understand that their thoughts to do these things are coming from somewhere, and they're not coming from God, then perhaps they'll consider the only alternative source from which these thoughts could be coming. We have to teach them to stand up for themselves and say no to the spirits tempting them to harm themselves.

Check this out from 2 Corinthians 10:3b-5, KJV:

"...we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but

might through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing

into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

That word "imagination" comes from the same root word in Greek as in English: "image." We get an "image" in our head and then we do one of two things with it. 1) throw it out because we find it unacceptable, or 2) think about it more. When you think about it more, the image placed in the mind becomes a task to be processed, and before you know it, that figment of the imagination becomes a completed, physical reality.

The devil places a thought in the mind (never a good one), and unless you have built up the filter of the mind of Christ against things contrary to His perfect plan for life abundantly, that thought is allowed to pass right on through the mind as acceptable information. And when the mind receives what it thinks is acceptable information, it begins to process that and develop plans to further that accepted information - ie: you'll find a way to do something with it - even if the result is negative (the same is true in other sins, for example, adultery, fornication, stealing, etc. None of those things just happen and are not acceptable to most. Those who do them have somewhere along the way allowed themselves to be open to the possibility of these things, and have ultimately carried them out. No one is an accidental sinner. We plan to sin, and blatantly choose to do these things...).

I think the Amplified Bible paints an even more vivid picture for us of that Scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:3b-5... check this out:

"...we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere

human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical weapons

of flesh and blood, but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and

destruction of strongholds, ...we refute arguments and theories and

reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true

knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive

into the obedience of Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One,..."

Wow. In a nutshell: We can teach people to take their thoughts captive and subject them to the will of God. It takes time, patience, and repetition... but their souls are well worth the extra effort!

Also, if we can help a person to understand their worth in Christ, it will help them to have a new perspective on their actions. If they understand that He loves them so much that He allowed Himself to be hurt, cut, bruised, and wounded so they wouldn't have to be, perhaps they'll stop and think twice. If they will begin to understand that the Man who gave it all for them wants to take up residence in them, and He wants them to be His temple to dwell in, perhaps they'll take a second look. If they can just begin to understand that their body is precious to Him, it can begin to become precious to them again. If they can see that their body...temple... plays an important role to God, they'll think twice before they harm it.

We can help them understand that Christ is a treasure that wants to dwell in their earthen vessel (2 Cor. 4:7), and it's up to us to present it to Him a healthy, vibrant, strong, living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) and vessel of honor (2 Tim. 2:21) to be respected and taken care of.

If they say, "well, how do I know what is a thought from God or a thought from the devil?" Give them the answer! God's litmus test of acceptable thinking is found in Philippians 4:8...

"...whatsoever things are TRUE (without lies and deception), whatsoever

things are HONEST (based on sincerity and respect for one's self and others),

whatsoever things are JUST (right and fair in God's eyes), whatsoever things

are PURE (without corruption or destruction), whatsoever things are LOVELY

(pleasing to think about), whatsoever things are OF GOOD REPORT (tell the

truth according to God's Word); if there be any VIRTUE (power of God

attached to it), and if there be any PRAISE (to the Lord), THINK ON THESE

THINGS."

Amen. I can't elaborate on that any further.

__________

I think sometimes, more than anything, someone involved in SI just needs to know they are loved, they do have self worth, and Jesus has already done everything to take care of whatever their having trouble with.

You are 110% right. We must love, teach, and minister to people the way Christ would... with all the love and compassion in the world.

Top of Page

Return to Pastor's Perspective Index

Contact FHC with your questions and Pastor Carter will answer them here.

___________________________________________________________________________________

FAMILY HARVEST CHURCH

PASTOR CHAD CARTER

P.O. Box 512

Salem, IN 47167

812-883-2523

www.ChadCarter.org

info@ChadCarter.org