Rebuke the Enemy
Written By: Joyce Bowling
©September 2006
All rights reserved

I had a lingering thought that tormented my mind. I couldn’t seem to shut it out no matter how hard I tried. As I would go on my way cleaning, teaching, driving, and even sleeping…the memory would reoccur. I wanted it to leave, but I wasn’t sure how to erase it from my mind. Don’t bury the past I could hear myself say, but this was a memory that I didn’t want to dwell on instead I wanted it to go away. Somewhere in the cracks and crevices it always lurked and often haunted me, but I didn’t really know why.

One summer day when all the work was done, I sat down to watch a bit of television something I rarely do. Something caught my attention and my curiosity was peaked. As I changed the channels a well-dressed man caught my eye, he was preaching about a healing the healing of our mind. Ah, this is what I will watch I quickly thought as I settled on the sofa with a relaxing cup of coffee.

I watched giving him all of my attention. I was in hope that he would shed some light on the situation at hand. How would I depart from this memory that haunted my very being? He spoke the words I had heard long before from my mother and many others. Somehow, it was different coming from him; you know how we sometimes listen to strangers more than those who are familiar or our family. This was the case that day. Learn from your mistakes was the title of his sermon. But this wasn’t the inspiration…it was the next thing that he said.

"Pray for a healing, a healing of your heart and mind! Put the heartache behind you, tell Satan he must flee, ask the Lord to heal the pain in your heart, and heal pictures in your mind. For the mind and memory is where the devil haunts you, but he will only torment the amount that you allow him. Remember that you are in control. The memory you will always carry, but the Lord will help you understand and help you bare it."