Jesus and Mental Health - Does Being WITHOUT Jesus contribute to a deteriorating mental health? Let's take a look at what happens when Jesus is present.

How Believing in Jesus Enhances Mental Health
In a world filled with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, many individuals seek solace and strength in their faith. For countless people, believing in Jesus Christ provides not only spiritual fulfillment but also significant mental health benefits. Here, we explore how faith in Jesus can positively influence mental well-being.
1. Sense of Purpose and Meaning
Believing in Jesus often gives individuals a sense of purpose. Many people find that their faith provides direction in their lives, helping them understand their place in the world. This sense of purpose can lead to greater motivation and resilience, reducing feelings of aimlessness that can contribute to anxiety and depression.
2. Community and Support
The Christian faith emphasizes the importance of community. Being part of a church or faith-based group fosters connections with others who share similar beliefs. These social interactions can combat loneliness and provide a support system during tough times. Engaging with a community that values kindness, compassion, and understanding can greatly enhance one’s mental health.
3. Hope and Positivity
Faith in Jesus instills hope, even in the midst of challenges. Believers often find comfort in the promise of a better future and the belief that they are not alone in their struggles. This hopeful perspective can act as a buffer against despair, promoting a more positive outlook on life.
4. Encouragement of Forgiveness
Believing in Jesus teaches the importance of forgiveness—both of oneself and others. Holding onto grudges and past mistakes can weigh heavily on one’s mental health. By practicing forgiveness, individuals may experience a sense of relief and freedom, leading to improved emotional well-being.
5. Prayer and Meditation
Prayer is a powerful tool for managing stress and anxiety. Taking time to connect with Jesus through prayer can provide peace and clarity in difficult situations. Meditation on scripture or spiritual teachings can also promote mindfulness, helping individuals stay grounded and focused, which can reduce feelings of overwhelm.
6. Emphasis on Love and Compassion
The teachings of Jesus center around love, compassion, and understanding. Embracing these values can lead to improved relationships with others, as well as greater self-acceptance. When individuals focus on loving themselves and those around them, they cultivate a more positive and nurturing environment, fostering better mental health.
Conclusion
Incorporating faith in Jesus into one’s life can have profound effects on mental health. From fostering a sense of purpose and community to promoting forgiveness and positivity, believing in Jesus offers a holistic approach to well-being. For those navigating the challenges of life, faith can serve as a guiding light, illuminating a path toward healing and resilience. Embracing this faith can lead to a transformed mindset, one rooted in hope, love, and unwavering support.

John 19:26-27
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

• Trust: Jesus trusted his disciple, John the Beloved, to take care of his mother, and John trusted Jesus enough to take Mary and have her be part of his family from that moment on.
• It demonstrates why John was his beloved. It shows how strong bonds can be through Christ/Spiritual families. The saying goes, blood is thicker than water, there is no blood stronger than the blood of Christ. Once you truly become family with others through the blood of Christ, that bond is hard to break.
• Transformation Beginning: He said “woman” instead of mother because he was close to being “done”. He would rise again and be seated at the right hand of The Father. His role would change from a Lamb to a Lion.
• For Mary, although she needed him as her Savior as well, he would always be her perfect son.
• Through his pain, he still remembered his mother. He was still her son despite the transformation that was coming. I can only imagine the love he felt for her as a mother and the love and pain she felt for him as her son.
• Mary couldn’t help him during this ordeal, but she was still there; she was still present. What does this tell us?  As mothers, we are to be there for our children, regardless. Their pain is our pain, and their joys are ours. Commitment of a loving mother at all points.
• True Love: Just as Mother Mary never left his side, neither did John the Beloved. Did Jesus know from the beginning that this would go as it did? That his other disciples would abandon him during this time but not John? His trusted disciple among all the inner circle of trusted disciples. No matter how hard it got, John never left him.
• Emotions: Emotions are not bad; just depends on what you are feeling. Jesus felt love, anger, disappointment, anguish, but no hate, no resentment. Emotions are a powerful thing; they get us through the really hard times, but self-control is as important as well.
• Relationship: Relationships are important. We are not meant to function without one another. And even when change comes, we are still meant to be family. This is what Jesus wants for his family, his Christ Family.

"Does God exist? If He exists and truly is Almighty, why has he not been listening to my prayers? Why do I wonder if I am the confused one instead of the world? Why hasn't God shown up in my life they way I need Him to?" I could go on with all the questions people carry around with them when concerning God. Let's face it... even the most devout Christ follower has had his/her doubts about the existence of God or the existence of God the way we have learned about Him in the Bible.

God made us with emotions and free will, and boy!... we definitely use those emotions and free will. God knew we would be questioning things like this, but he made us like this anyways. Genesis 1:27 tells us that He made us in His own image. That is a pretty profound verse because God knew we would be questioning His existence but He still made us this way, regardless.

Why?

Well I am certain almost everyone is familiar with the following scripture, Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."  These all sound so wonderful but how do I sign up for this and how do I make sure I get my part?

Recently, we held intercessory prayer. It is one of my favorite things to do; to gather with other believers and pray in a corporate prayer. Meaning... praying together with other people in small groups or larger gatherings. God seems to always show up and He speaks.

I was telling one of the members what I heard God say for her. It is awesome when that person confirms what you are speaking is correct because that means I am hearing God correctly! So someone had a question that day. He asked, "How do you hear God? How do you know it is God?"

Hearing God, seeing visions from God, or feeling something (a sort of discernment) is not only used to edify others but to also edify yourself. It is in those amazing moments that you know what you know. You KNOW that God is real. He exists and He is alive and still communicating to us all. We just need to tune our ears towards him; almost like a radio dial that finds the right station.

See God will always find a way to reach us and let us know He is there. We just need to stop being our own hinderance and instead open our eyes to all the things that make no sense if it weren't for God. We are so quick to want to believe ghosts, demons, and even the devil are real, but when it comes to God, we put up our own walls. If you break those walls of doubt down and keep them from rebuilding, you will find the proof of God's existence is everywhere and all the time.

Once you open that communication to God... you will begin on a wild, amazing journey that will never leave you bored. Next time, I will discuss more on what the prophetic means and how to reach that point!

Saved by Grace... How often do we hear this term? But have we really meditated on what it means to be saved by God's Grace and Mercy?

Here is a true testimony that I am telling as a person who was part of this amazing story, but certainly was not the main character. For the sake of not putting out any real names, I will refer to this person as Henry. Henry was not a Christian man and certainly did not read nor understand The Bible.

It was several years ago, before my husband was a pastor, that I received the call that Henry was in the hospital in a medically induced coma. He apparently had various serious issues going on at the same time. He was dealing with a blood infection, high triglycerides, pneumonia, meningitis, and one other thing that I do not seem to recall. When my husband and I arrived, there was a lot of family in the ICU with him, but when we said we were going to pray for him, the family left. All that was left behind was Henry's son, his mother... and us. While I imagine others prayed for his healing, I found myself praying for God's mercy upon him. The overwhelming feeling that we were all praying in intercession for this man's life on earth to be spared.

The next day we went to visit him again in the ICU. He awoke suddenly out of his coma and asked to speak to my husband. He couldn't speak but was making hand gestures that left my husband trying to guess what Henry was saying. It was almost like playing charades. It was not until a napkin and a pen were placed in his hands, that we were all finally beginning to understand.

He wrote of a place where time did not exist, and spoke of an orange river. We were all deep in trying to decipher what he scribbled on the piece of napkin when the nurse came in and threw us all out! It was almost like a bad show that leaves you hanging at the worst moment. The next day came, and we went to visit him once more. He once again was attempting to communicate with us something. Once again we tried to have him write it; paper and pen were placed in his hands. Keep in mind, he was supposed to be in an induced coma but he would awaken to tell us of what he saw prior to us all praying for him. The next thing he wrote gave more detail about the orange river he was floating in.

He wrote... I heard people's loud screams but I decided I would not scream; I would just accept what was going to happen. I could feel the gnashing of teeth coming at me. Everything that I was, was being stripped off of me. My character, the things that made me who I was, were being torn off of me like someone stripped of his/her garments. I thought this was it when all of a sudden a huge hand came out from above with a very loud voice that said, "Not this one".  I felt myself being lifted up out of the river; and as I was being lifted out, I felt one of those creatures with gnashing teeth jump high enough to scratch my back. 

It was after a bit after a week in ICU that his body finally recovered and he was moved to a private room. Of course, all the family gathered to see him. It was there that we asked him if he recalled any of what he had written during the time he was supposed to be in a coma. He did not recall any of what he had said, but he was shown the notes he had written. What was even further strange was that the nurses were arguing amongst each other because of a scratch that appeared on Henry's back. Each nurse blamed the other nurse. In the position he was resting in the hospital bed, he would not have been able to physically reach that part of his back.

Ultimately, Henry allowed us to pray for him again during our visit to his room at the hospital. He perspired profusely and said he felt very hot during prayer. We could only believe that he was feeling Holy Spirit and divine healing in his body. He accepted Christ as his savior on that day.

I wish I could tell you that Henry lived a holy and righteous life through Christ and that he took care of the second chance God had given him, but the truth is... Henry did none of that. He returned to his old ways and seemed to have forgotten his entire experience. I have always questioned... how does anyone forget a moment like that? A moment that shows God's mercy and love in such a way, that you were literally pulled out of the enemy's hands! All I can do is share this true story with you and encourage you to never dismiss the amazing opportunities God gives you. He loves you! Don't ever forget that.

The Bible is the original "owner's manual".

Just as when a light turn on in our cars, we pop out our owner's manual to see "what it is" and "how do we fix it". So when something is wrong with us, The Bible tells us how to fix it.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ~ Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Yes, content was intended for sexual sin, but the principle applies the same; to take care of your body. Your body is a temple for Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit used to dwell in the physical temple but when Jesus came, the Spirit now dwells in the body of the believers. You are a living, breathing, walking temple! If the Israelites took such care of the temple, why would we not take care of our temple? For we are far more valuable than any bricks, stones, wood, or even gold. For we were created in God's perfect image.

What Do We Eat?
God's original diet was listed in Genesis as fruits, seeds, nuts. After sin, meat too. ~Genesis 1:29
And God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb-bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."  

Lifestyles
Where did God choose for Adam and Eve to live? Close to Him and to the garden. Now, our world is the total opposite. Long working hours, stress, and junk food. ~Genesis 2:9

Work and Exercise
What is a job without "work"? Work requires movement.  For example, they had to collect their own food, grains, kill their meat, fish, etc. ~Genesis 3:23
Air - We were meant to live in fresh air. Water - Revelation 22:1 Sunshine - Ecclesiastes 11:7
All three of these are symbols of Christ.

Temperance - means abstinence or having self-control in all that we do. ~Proverbs 25:28
Rest - Spirit and body; the physical - Exodus 20:8-11 - Resting on the Sabbath day, but we also need to rest in the spirit. Rest from what...? From guilt, from sin...  ~Matthew 11:28-29
Trust - A personal walk with Christ. Laminin protein molecule lies outside of cells inside our organs; basically the glue to our cells. When a biologist looked at this, they found the formation of this protein in the shape of a cross!

Colossians 1:17
H - home to Holy Spirit
E - eat and exercise
A - air
L - Love for God and others
T - trust
H - health of body, soul, and spirit

The Two Ds... Deliverance and Discipleship. Luke 4:18 reminds us that we are to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed...

Deliverance ministry can be controversial because of all the different methods that various individuals speak on. The biggest concern, however, is to follow through on what is needed once the deliverance is done. No one really talks about that! Except of course, The Bible does.
Unfortunately, the radical will focus on being demon slayers and will forget that the focus needs to remain on the individual who was set free. Having worked in the correctional sector with youth who were in the facility for hard felonies, I can be the first to tell you... demons do exist. Having seen from gentle to volatile deliverances, I can tell you that demons can influence people and more...


But the question remains… what happens after the deliverance? Honestly, the individual is responsible for continuing his/her relationship with Christ, but it also falls on the individual that will disciple this newcomer.  Remember the well-known scripture, Matthew 28:18-20?
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I can remember a time, before I knew Christ, an elderly man with a young boy rang my doorbell. When I opened the door, he asked me… “Do you believe you will be in heaven with Jesus Christ?”  I was taken back by the question and simply answered that I hoped I would be. He immediately told me that Christ was my Savior and then turned and left. As I think back to that time, I have to laugh. I was left so confused and the entire thing was ineffective because I literally received nothing from that ring at my door. Why? Because discipleship is needed after deliverance… and that will require sacrifice and time from the one being discipled and the one who is discipling.
The Parable of the Sower reminds us that Jesus tells the story of a Sower who scattered seeds on four different types of soil. Matthew 13:1-8.  If you look at this parable numerically, you will recognize that only one out of four of the seeds that the farmer went out to sow actually produced a crop! Those are the remnants of God.

So, what are some things you can do to disciple someone....  whether they had a deliverance or not?

1. Continue to remain in close contact with the individual. Yes, that might mean inviting that person to your home and to family/church events. Take time to meet with this individual once a week; either in-person or virtually. A conversation where the person can speak freely to you about struggles and a place you get to pray over this person. The feeling of acceptance and the feeling of being loved and valued, are an important part of discipleship. John 17
2. Show them how to handle good and bad moments biblically. Use scripture often to apply in their life. There is no how-to-book better than The Bible.
3. Take time to just relax with that person; take time to show that Christians do know how to have fun!
4. Teach them how to grow in the relationship with Christ. If the person learns how to love Christ, then the chance of backsliding lessens.
5. Overall... love on that person because he/she will disappoint you but just remember.... you disappointed someone at one point as well. Don't give up and dishearten at the first obstacle.  Do not get offended by this person, or I should say... do not get offended period! Things will happen, so guard your heart because from it comes all things (your actions, your words, and your thoughts). Proverbs 4:23

The reward of discipling someone is amazing! It your fruit, which God has called us to have. John 15:16
 Remember the fig tree?

Written by Lorena Dorantes