Belief and Identity - Experience and Perception 

Invoking the presence and grace of Jesus to convict, comfort and heal 

If ever you sense condemnation or opprobrium for what you firmly believe, or even for the nature of your job, you’ll naturally object. If another person hates what you have held to be essential or true, it could even lead to violence in self-defence.

A god of some sort

The personal identity you assume, even your apparent sanity, will have been built up in everyday life from experiences and perceptions that have seemed to make sense for you. And they will have informed what you believe. And if that belief should be seriously assaulted and undermined, your personal integrity might be threatened. A foreboding of existential death could even threaten some degree of mental breakdown.
 
It is not always understood that the process of experiences and perceptions drawing together in the mind into some overall understanding and then becoming firm belief, is mostly unconscious. It takes place in the heart and mind under the guidance of whatever spiritual influences dominate a person’s life. A god of some sort will often represent an overall system of belief, and might be called upon by name to satisfy personal longings and needs.

Nature of sin

Christians know that the only way to avoid deception, and have lasting peace in their minds and souls, is to accept the Lord Jesus as their way, their truth and their life, and to be guided by Holy Spirit (Isa 26:3, John 8:31-32, & 14:6). But most people are guided by spirits alien to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And such people are liable to feel condemned if ever they should perceive themselves to be judged in any way by Christians. Jude tells believers to show mercy to such people mixed with fear (Jude 23)!

The personal identity you assume, even your apparent sanity, will have been built up in everyday life from experiences and perceptions that have seemed to make sense for you. 

People without a relationship with Jesus inevitably invoke various spirits that cause them to sin, yet the sin is mostly not apparent to them. Sin and evil only really become apparent when confronted with the Spirit of the living God in people’s lives, (Rom 7:7). Sin is inherent in fallen human nature (Gen 3) and is described by Jesus in Mark 7:20-23, and by Paul in 1 Cor 6:9-11 and Gal 5:19-210. Everyone in this fallen world is subjected to it.

Enabling the person of Jesus

Christians, too, do battle with sin in their daily lives. Experience tells us that if we are instructed not to do something, we often develop an urge to do it (Rom 7:15) - such is fallen human nature. And self-control in human strength alone is often not strong enough to stop us from giving in to temptation. As we turn to Jesus and receive His love, and repent and receive His Spirit, we find release from the law of sin and death, so that we can overcome temptation to sin (Rom 7:6 & 8:1-2). Self-control is a fruit of Holy Spirit (Gal 5:23).
 
The sin of envy caused rejection of Jesus (Matt 27:18). Envy makes a person feel oppressed. People feel challenged, get offended, and often feel oppressed, if they are unwilling to accept that the Lord Jesus can set them free. A sense of offence and oppression can lead to political opposition. Consequently, it can be counter-productive to appear to accuse anyone of being a sinner, or to object to their system of belief, unless that person is coming to Jesus freely without rebellion. Therefore, it is necessary for Christians simply to enable the person of Jesus, and His saving grace, to be revealed, and then to leave the work to Him.

Causing offence

Laws intended to maintain civic peace in a secular, multicultural, multifaith nation have generated a politically correct culture in which it can not only be offensive but also criminal to appear to challenge differing beliefs. Such laws do not acknowledge the authority of Almighty God. They are designed to make people submit to secular or pagan oppression for the sake of a contrived notion of peace, instead of godly peace with godly justice.

It is necessary for Christians simply to enable the person of Jesus, and His saving grace, to be revealed, and then to leave the work to Him.

Logically positive woke language has developed in support of this, in the hope that everyone will be free to think what they like and to substantiate their beliefs with politically correct internet deceptions via their mobile phones – unless, of course, they are seen to be Christian or Jewish. (The devil knows Who has already defeated him, and who will continue to do so!)

Application of science

Secular culture assumes that all healing work will be undertaken strictly through the application of science. Curative measures of state medicine are applied to reductionist, scientific assessments of diseased parts. That has its place, of course. Although some nominal attention is given to spiritual issues, every spiritual path is deemed by the state to be of equal value. There is a consequent danger of perverted science being used to deceive and control populations. Already there are many sanctions against the One Spiritual Person who created us and who always desires truly to heal us. Those with eyes to see it can discern strong deceptions at work these days (2 Thes 2:9-12). It is time for the true Church to develop healing networks of its own.
 
In the case of the mind, the medical and psychological sciences of the secular welfare state apply sophisticated sorts of sedation and psychological manipulation. Yet the way the mind works, the way we think and feel and what we believe, actually affect the behaviour of the whole person, body, soul and spirit. Receiving Jesus, the only begotten Son of Almighty God, who is the way to the Father (John 14:6), and telling Father God what is on our heart, and speaking to Him from the depths of our soul, can never be woke; but it can change belief and identity.

Holy Ghost therapy

For example, it is possible to listen patiently to the narratives of LGBTQ+ people, if they are amenable to discussion, without appearing to accuse them, but at the same time including the presence of Jesus one way or another, perhaps just by silently praying. Although the enemy in them is challenged, the individual usually does not object, and Jesus might eventually bring change. If that is conversion therapy, Holy Spirit will be the One doing the therapy and the conversion!

If that is conversion therapy, Holy Spirit will be the One doing the therapy and the conversion!

The woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8) was told by Jesus, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” The very presence of Jesus, or the presence of Holy Spirit, will sooner or later convict us of our sin and heal our souls, and even our bodies, enabling us not to sin in that way anymore. The presence of Jesus (as in Matthew 18:20) will also drive out unclean demonic spirits. Messiah Jesus will do the convicting and the healing if His presence is revealed and accepted.
 
The divine power of God our Father, and of our risen Lord Jesus Christ, has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness so that we may escape the corruption that is in the world (2 Pet 1:1-8). There is no other religion that offers release into abundant life from sin which leads to death. So “let us remain on the alert and sober-minded” (1 Thes 5:6), and “as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves” (Matt 10:16).
 
Dr John Gordon is a retired Christian psychiatrist and psychotherapist.

(image - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/god-healer-tonye-oliver)