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"Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
(Romans 8:33-37)
In verse 35, the word translated "distress" is stenochoria, which means a narrow place or narrowness of room. Those who battle mental illness know that in times of panic, stress, worry, fear, doubt, anxiety, and depression, we feel very closed in. But there is a way out! It is the most healthy way, not through hurting ourselves or others we love; the way out is through the open door of promises in God's Word!
Notice that for each challenge, there is biblical truth to counter it. A charge brought against us is met with God justifying us. Condemnation is overpowered by Jesus having died and arose and now praying for us in heaven. Separation from Christ's love is expounded upon with a list of potential difficulties that would seek to separate and harm us, but notice that these are met with the truth of verse 37: we are more than conquerors (hypernikao) through Jesus.
God justifies you. Jesus prays for you. Jesus makes you more than a conqueror. Relish these truths. When bombarded with lies that you are a colossal failure, you are not enough, you will never measure up, etc., ad nauseum. Remember what God's Word says about you here in Romans 8, and think about your experiences with God and how He has delivered you in the past.
Declare these truths.
1. God is working, especially in the hard times.
You cannot see it now, but God is true to His Word and His promises: He will bring the change and make it right. We must trust in Him and be good with His solution and His timing. I was wrestling with the Lord in prayer for a particular difficulty I am going through right now, and I felt the Holy Spirit speak Matthew 26:39 to me when Jesus was crying out to God the Father for another way besides the cross. He asked if it were possible to let this cup pass from Him. But then He said, "Nevertheless." After the cross is resurrection and exaltation! The same will be true for you and me. After the pain comes the victory. Your victory is very near.
2. God is for you.
Romans 8 teaches us many truths, but the one I want to leave with you to resonate in your mind is this one: He is for you, not against you. He can be trusted. He has given you His Word, the Holy Bible, to be your light and guide. Read His Word. Trust Him. Believe for it. Walk in victory.
3. You are winning.
Believe God for mental health and wholeness. The truths you are learning are liberating and will continue to liberate you. Satan is losing his vice grip on your mind, and he knows it. God is bringing you through the turbulent waters and will position you safely on the other side. Your destiny is solid footing. If you have not yet, then you will realize there is something missing in your life, what is it? It is pain.
4. Keep toxic thoughts out and God's Word in your mind.
Your mind is the place for God to reign and for you to enjoy. It is not a place for toxic thoughts, harmful people, or unwanted guests. You have the power as to who you let in, and who or what you keep out. When you feel your brain and the thoughts of your mind heading toward those familiar neural pathways, the ones you have created through years of bad thinking, stop. Do not proceed. Create new pathways based on what God says.
I heard on the radio about someone who bought a house in Fairfax, VA with permanent guests in the basement. The contract said if you buy the house, you get the guests as well! They had five cash offers. Someone bought the house and paid $805,000. Here are some questions that I would have: Just who are these people that will live in my home? Will they pay anything to live there? You mean I will not have access to a part of the house, the basement, that I bought? This is crazy! It is crazy, but here is something else that is crazy: we do that with our minds. We allow harmful thoughts to enter and camp out in our home, and they do not belong. It is time for them to leave and for Jesus to come in and take up residence in your heart and mind. If you already know the Lord, then keep ushering out the door those harmful thoughts and toxic people, and invite in your heart and mind the truths from God's Word, like the ones we looked at this week from Romans 8.
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