"PTSD and the Modern Day Church!"

The Modern Day Church (MDC) or the Body of Christ (BOC) as many call it is in a state of turmoil. Many leaders are scrambling for any vestige of sanity they can muster to deliver messages that are relevant and life-changing.  The numbers of people attending church weekly are drastically reduced from years past, giving or "tithing" is down, churches are going into foreclosure at an alarming rate (albeit in direct correlation to the apostasy of their wicked leadership), hundreds of cases of financial, sexual and other abuses are rampant and the nation has lost its faith in God.

The problem is that many Christians (and I must emphasize NOT ALL Christians) are resisting the call of the Holy Spirit into righteousness and service in the Kingdom of God. Not ALL Pastors are leading the sheep to slaughter; but many of them are.  The Prosperity Preachers and the Word of Faith Movement are among the worst perpetrators against God and His people! They are pure and simply modern day "cults." The MDC is experiencing what I'd like to refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or the “other” PTSD for short.  You might ask, "Where are you going with this?"  Don't touch that dial!

   Let's examine some of the symptoms of the “other” PTSD and see the similarities between this disease and the MDC:

· Loss of Interest or Pleasure: Have you been noticing your church attendance or service in the community falling off lately? Do you return home dissatisfied with the message or your "experience"? Christians are too focused on having an "experience" versus an "encounter" with God!

· Feelings of Hopelessness: Has your worship been "dry" and dusty?  Have you placed too much pressure on your Pastor to "give you a word" that consistently falls short of your desire for relief from your situation? ONLY GOD can fill that void.  God is the purveyor of HOPE.  Only He can give you hope; not your Bishop, Pastor or Apostle!

· Stress and Anxiety: Have you been experiencing abnormal levels of pressure from your daily life? Do you try to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or pornography to relieve the pain? Much of the stress we experience is "self-induced."  A close relationship with God can give you "perfect peace." Spend time with God in the "secret place" (that place He has reserved specifically and especially for you) and read His word daily and read it slowly!

· Confusion: Are you checking your Christian ID to verify your membership in the Kingdom?  Do you find yourself questioning the blatant violations of both Christians and non-Christians on matters of faith, family and community? God is not the Author of Confusion.  He is the Prince of Peace.  If you are confused, you can be assured it is not God leading you down the path of darkness.

· Guilt: Are you feeling guilty about something you have done or something you might be thinking? Are you persecuting yourself or a loved one over some transgression past or present?  Get free!  There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! God has already forgiven you for everything in order that you might set someone else free from your wrath, guilt, and shame.

· Reckless Behavior: It is very difficult to tell the difference between "believers" and "sinners" in our modern culture.  So much of what Christians do has mimicked the world system of corruption, delusion, manipulation and treachery to the point where we are rationalizing our behavior as the "new normal."  Christians have compromised Christ and abandoned Him for the vanity of” popularity, acceptance and job security (protecting my profession)!" Are you one of these pseudo-Christians “managing your symptoms” with your "meds"?

  

At the end of the day, when we truthfully hold up the mirror to the face of the BOC we have to see the "reflection" of PTSD. The images are profound but not insurmountable. They are powerful but not all-powerful.  They are present, but not omnipresent. What many Christians fail to realize is that God and His Spirit are the prevailing powers in this realm; not the Spirit of perdition.

The remedy for the MDC is pretty is simple; allow the Spirit of God to rule and reign and tear down the idols of the priesthood, the lust for money and material gain and inject the paradigm of love, grace and peace in the Person of Christ Jesus! In the world, the most effective treatment for PTSD is called "Cognitive Behavior Therapy" whereby the therapist helps the patient to understand and change their perspective on how they view their trauma or stress and the aftermath. It helps them to then infuse a “corrective” behavior technique which improves how they view themselves in relation to the world around them. Sounds a lot like how God works doesn't it?

Get connected to the Master and you will find that it is His "good pleasure" to help you to trace the problem, face the problem, erase the problem and then have the audacity to replace the problem!