Deep Purple Mind Renewal
By Phil Scovell
A childhood memory bothered me. It didn't hurt emotionally,
well, not exactly, that is, it wasn't a traumatic experience. It
contained, on the other hand, spiritual discomfort that felt like
pain, at least that's how it felt if I were to describe it, and I
just did. Let me detail this memory so you understand what I am
trying to tell about.
We were in Danny's convertible, parked in the driveway, and
the top was up. Danny and another teenage friend from high
school, were in the backseat together, on their knees, trying to
fix something near the back window of the car. I can't remember
what they were working on any longer but with Danny's car,
something was always in need of repair.
Dan was always careful how he talked around the younger kids
but his friend wasn't so accommodating. He swore, in other words,
like a drunken sailor. He was, of course, just trying to be funny
and we all laughed at his continual stream of expletives deleted.
It made me, as a Christian, feel uncomfortable. Oh, sure, I heard
plenty of "bad language," used by other kids, and adults, but this
was to the extreme. In fact, he was using sexual terminology that
I wasn't even sure I understood. Yet, everyone was laughing, my
friend, Danny's little brother that is, and Dan himself. I didn't
want to be left out, you see, so I laughed, too. The cussing
swearing teenage boy who was helping Danny, got what he wanted,
that is, he made everybody laugh, so he received the attention he
desired and I suppose it made him feel important, too. What I
should have done is gotten out of the car. I wanted acceptance,
on the other hand, and plus, it wasn't just every day that little
8 and 9 year old boys were allowed to hang out with the big
teenage boys.
As I began saying, this memory returned many many times to my
mind over the years but I never knew why. Not until recently.
When the memory surfaced this time, I decided to find out why.
Focusing on the event, I examined every aspect of the memory.
There was not much there. I've already describe to you what was
there and as I focused on the memory, I simply could not see or
hear anything other than what I have already described. Yet, I
felt uncomfortable. Something was wrong. So I asked the Lord to
show me why this memory felt uncomfortable and what was wrong.
"How did you feel," the Holy Spirit prompted.
"Bad," I replied, "and like I was doing something wrong."
"It wasn't your fault," He replied in my thoughts, "and you
did nothing wrong. Besides, I was there and heard and saw
everything."
"Then why does something feel wrong?" I queried.
"Because something was wrong," the Holy Spirit answered.
"The teenage boy was talking in a very unholy way and it bothered
you because you are a Christian. Christians should feel
uncomfortable around such talk. Plus, words have meaning and
effect upon the one hearing the words. I'm going to fix this
memory for you."
I was curious about all this because I never once considered
anything specifically wrong in this memory. Except, of course, I
shouldn't have been there. Although the Lord didn't say so, I'm
pretty sure the Enemy was using this recollection to try and
accuse me, that is, to indicate that I, as a born again Christian,
passively complied and was a participant and was therefore guilty
because I didn't speak up. Children, in those days, were taught
not to speak up to those who were older. So, I remained silent.
I wanted to belong. There was, therefore, a measure of guilt in
this memory and thus the memory returned time and again to remind
me, "You aren't a very good testimony because you laughed and
didn't speak up for Jesus." Satan always lies and he normally
mixes up some truth in the lie as well. Ask Eve if you doubt what
I said.
Waiting to see what the Lord was going to do for me, I mean,
what could you possibly do with such a memory as this one? I
figured He would just use words, or a feeling, to tell me, as He
already had, that it wasn't my fault. Besides, he made it clear
that He had been there the whole time so what more could He do. I
soon found out.
As I watched the brief memory, the compartment of the car
filled up with an inky substance. In fact, the substance,
although not like a smoke or foggy cloud, was more like some type
of liquid, which was a deep purplish color. It filled every
square inch of the enter compartment of the vehicle. It was more
like purple jello. I was now standing on the outside of the car
by this time, and looking inside the windows at the bodily shapes
inside. Odd, though, I only viewed three persons now inside the
car. I was outside looking in. The purplish inky substance, as I
mentioned before, totally filled up the inside of the car but was
opaque enough to barely allow the discernment of three figures
inside. Blocked out were the filthy language being uttered and
the vocalized laughter, which was
silenced. "So?" someone is saying. "So, the memory had
spiritual morphed into an exact reproduction of the event but now
I was standing outside the vehicle. I could no longer hear the
words or the laughter and I was no longer involved by being inside
and feeling trapped and unable to get out. Plus, as I attempted
to view the interior, the purplish liquid type substance not only
fills the compartment but as it appears, the words are silenced
and the people inside are only mentally identified and not truly
seen. Well, the Holy spirit said he would take care of it for me
and I guess He has. Praise God. Now, whenever this memory
returns, I see what I just described and not the original event
because the memory has been renewed. I am on the outside, no
longer trapped or guilty, I no longer hear the words and feel the
laughter, I no longer feel as if I were a participant, and I see
what Jesus sees.
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness," Ephesians 4:23-24).
The Curse That Works Is The One We Believe
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