Dragons of the Mind
It appears that each one of us has 3 lives – our Social life goes on at work, school, church, etc. Our Private life is in our home. Then we have our Secret life which goes on in our head – thoughts, desires, ideas, etc. Now dragons are mythical creatures which don’t actually exist – or do they??
I believe dragons exist and live quite well in our thought or Secret life. Our brains replay & review positive AND negative events, comments, personal actions, etc. maybe hundreds of times (or more). Then bad feelings & memories can be magnified greatly becoming “Dragons” blowing smoke. (Some folks would call them worries.) These dark shadows (?) typically take the joy & peace away from people and produce depression, stress, paranoia, greatly exaggerated issues, character assassinations, heartburn, etc. Dragons GROW, then come between people, and they feed well on regrets, misunderstandings, jealousy & hate. I am sure a lot of today’s mayhem, murders, suicides, etc. are due to psychotic powers of the mind & memory running wild. I am also sure that sensitive souls have the greatest problem with “Dragons of the Mind”. Then it’s a sure thing that families & churches can be destroyed by those dragons.
Now the most logical purpose of life is to live & die happy. Bob Marley summed it up with his famous phrase, “Don’t worry, be happy.” But it’s not going to happen with “Dragons” blowing smoke on us 24-7. Christian people should pray for the power to ignore & forget undesirable & negative recordings of the memory. We have the privilege of prayer – why not use it?? (See also link 37 “What is Prayer?") God’s people should also practice the forgiveness Christ recommended in the Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:12. (See also link 35 “Freedom in Forgiveness”) Someone said that “Forgiveness is like setting a prisoner free, and finding out that prisoner is YOU.” Anon. These two actions go a long way towards killing those “Dragons of the Mind”. A lot of people think the “power” to kill “dragons” and be happy is from their "debominations" & social clubs. Bob Marley & associates thought it comes from the smoke of cannabis. Some think alcohol does the trick. I believe the power is in personal application of Apostolic principles – especially prayer & forgiveness.
God’s people should realize that we live in a raging spiritual battle, and a lot of it goes on between our ears. Thought control is essential if we want the victory in Christ. (See also “Mindset of Victory” link 103.) And thought control is a challenge for all. I have personally had better control of my “dragons” when I pray for the “power” to resist them – Every time there seems to be a problem. Scripture sheds light on this important issue:
-- Psalm 94:19 “When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul.”
-- John 1:12 KJV “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
-- Romans 8:31 KJV “If God be for us, who (or what) can be against us?” (Our “dragons” dump on us ONLY if we like it AND allow it.)
-- Philippians 4:6 “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
-- Philippians 4:8 “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
-- 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.”
I believe demons of hell have the power to influence some of our thinking. They are amused when we develop bad thought patterns, knowing we can access Holy Spirit power to block their schemes. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. I personally want to live happy & die laughing as did the old man (Dick Van Dyke) in the classic Disney flic “Mary Poppins”. Biblical principles may be the surest way. Choose Jesus, He is Alive. See also link 136 “Comfort From Above”.
Many other Titles: www.gospelnotes.org * * F. J. Stone * *
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