Conquering the Tragedy of Self-Mystification

When I was fairly young and impressionable, one of my peers told me "You have the Devil in you." At first I chuckled uncomfortably at what I was hoping was a jest, but he stoically repeated himself "You have the Devil in You." When I pressed him for further explanation, he explained to me that I was not going to be a very positive influence on the world, and would more than likely not be able to do anything about it. In lieu of the fact that this person was very important to me, and I looked to them for a great deal of influence and guidance, I was devastated. Instead of shrugging off what was a sick joke, I absorbed that prognostication of a dark and hell-bound future. I received it as one would a word of encouragement, but in absolute reverse. Years passed, development continued, and I found myself reflecting in some pivotal moments of my latter childhood gravitating to the thoughts of having "the Devil in me". In my teen years I made some terribly stupid, arrogant and rash decisions and although I knew in my unsaved soul that they were the fool's path to destruction, I recalled those words once again... And somehow allowed the mistakes and missteps to fall into a file marked: "Devil In Me". I carried that brand into my young adulthood where I continued on being a sinner, making more paramount mistakes and laying milestones of idiotic behavior all whilest I wore the brand as a badge of accepted identity. I actually believed as Huckleberry Finn said "If I'm goin' to Hell, I might as well go whole hog!". I used to tell people that "I have a parking spot reserved in Hell". While I didn't join a cult, or become a Satanist, neither did I believe that God had his hand on me. And I was angry about that.

My testimony is a full-fledged book, but this instance represents one of the typical tools that the adversary uses with all of us: Self-Condemnation rooted in Self-Mystification. The enemy uses rhetoric or "mystification" through words, delivered or even thought regarding our human condition in an attempt to destroy us using our perception as the poison. The use of mystification in the literary sense is the use of language to deceive others or to disguise the conditions of our social existence. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."-(Proverbs 18:21) Did you know while God has a plan for your life, Satan also has a plan for your life? While God wants you to receive His grace, mercy and love through the saving blood of Jesus Christ, the enemy wants you to receive his condemnation, punishment and hatred through the grand deception of self-condemnation.

Jesus tells us in John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." What does Satan seek to destroy more than any other idea or posession? Our faith. Our power of belief. If he can destroy our hope, he has already sown the seed of self-destruction that will inevitably lead to our eternal demise. What is more, he has also undoubtably sown the contagion that will lead to the destruction of others on an exponential level. Don't believe me? Take a deep look at the people responsible for sowing words like the one I received as a child and I assure you that behind their intention or motive lies another person spreading the lies of the enemy through to them. It is a satanic cycle, and just as the enemy is a counterfeiter and perverter of all of God's glory and grace, he is also a counterfeiter and perverter of multiplication. It is like a disease. One word has the potential to kill or bring life. However, that word has no future, or power if we are equipped to break it.

Although my cycle of self-perpetuated destruction was driving a cliff's edge at a raging speed with almost no control, there was still the little boy clutching to grab the wheel saying "Wait!! I know there is more than that!! It can't be true!" And after a long, arduous and dangerous journey to find a glimmer of hope, I found Jesus. Moreover, He had been waiting for me to realize that He was there all the while, to break those words, to correct the wrong and destroy the enemy's hold on my life and purpose. He was waiting there to give me life... and life more abundant.
I learned that "His grace is sufficient." I broke through and God is now using that which the enemy meant for evil against him. I have even forgiven the peer whose words I perpetuated and watered. In spite of the past, I love them still and pray for their breakthrough daily.

But what can we, who know and believe do for those who struggle, oftentimes in silent invisibility, diagnosed with an "incurable disease of self-perpetuated destruction"? We can do what the Lord tells us to and build people up. Truly edify them. Let the Holy Spirit guide their growth and conditioning, while we LOVE ANOTHER. We truly do have the potent power of death and life in our words. I love Cervantes' legendary literary hero Don Quixote de la Mancha. I have been privileged to play the role on stage and learned a great deal about this very subject through that experience. In the book, Don Quixote is a "knight-errant" roaming the countryside seeking to right the wrongs of those that would cause harm and evil, and any who defile the name of his beloved "Dulcinea". Now, bearing in mind that the man is somewhat mad, and the age was not one of knights, wizards, giants or chivalry, he lived life "not as it is, but as it SHOULD be". The Lady Dulcinea was in reality a scullery maid of ill-repute who was a victim of self-mystification and condemnation. But he did not see her as, treat her as, or speak to her as such. He spoke life to her. And his words truly transformed her into "Dulcinea" healing her wounds and restoring her HOPE.

That is who we should be through the power of Christ and His blood. The way to break the mystification of the enemy is through the power of blessed, edifying positive confession. Speak LIFE. And if you find today that you have been struggling with this issue- Know that Jesus is waiting for you, to call you by your true name and His words will truly transform you into who you are meant to be, healing your wounds and restoring YOUR HOPE.