Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

This past week a thoughtless word carried me back to a pain of the past. A deep wound inflicted upon me by my father was reopened. This man had no idea of that wound, there was no evil intention, it was just his speech to me reminded me of how it felt to be wounded by my father.

I thought I had dealt with that pain and have tried putting it out of my mind, but some memories run very deep. The deepest are love crushers. It crushed love then, it crushed love now. Recognizing the pain I sought counsel and prayer.

This morning as I open the Word and read here is Psalm 51:12 with a Word of direction. It is the Lord that restores my soul. Simple Words of forgiveness of the mouth, falling on deaf ears for my father is long past, do nothing to erase the memory. Maybe nothing will erase that memory for it is there to teach me the dangers of harsh words. Since those days I have found the joy of my salvation and this incident stole that from me.

My joy can and is restored because my Lord is stronger and more able than my memory.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Truth resides in my mind alongside my wound to cover it with grace.

Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

If you are not familiar with this story of the Roman Commander who believed in Jesus, go read and enjoy the opening verses of Matthew 8. This telling is based upon my observations of this scripture.

Jesus was about to go with the Roman who then suggests that Jesus can do a remote healing. The Roman said to Jesus “speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed”. For this Jesus declares that this Roman has greater faith than all of Israel.

What happens if you believe something else above truth, Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit? The first thing I would suggest is that your mind is not protected by the truth, Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Your mind then becomes subject to suggestion.

A hypnotist with tell you that his subjects are nothing more than willing participants in the power of suggestion. He suggests to them, he does not control them. They will not do anything contrary to their moral character. Yet these people believe they are chickens and act like chickens. They believe they are in another place doing other things, and they act as if they are in that place. This is all done by the power of suggestion.

If you sincerely believe a lie, the mind will reinforce your reality to support that lie. Such is the power of the mind to reinforce belief. If you believe in the power of tarot cards, palm readers, horoscopes, and witchcraft, your mind will be subject to the power of suggestion in these things. The mind will seek to reinforce your belief. It will go as far as delusion if necessary to support that belief.

Believe in Christ, the truth and the power of the Holy Spirit to protect your mind from suggestions that lead to deception.