Forget CANCER, BITTERNESS is the KILLER.

Did you know that 70% to 95% of all illnesses are related to the way people think? In other words, the way you perceive a situation or a condition can either make you sick or not. So much has to do with your perception.

Neuroscientists conducted studies where doctors had to break the news to stage 4 cancer patients, and those patients who received the bad news from a very discouraging and solemn tone from the doctor sitting on the other side of the desk wearing his white doctor gown, all passed away. Whereas, when the same doctor came around, in normal clothes, and sat next to the patient to shared the news from a standpoint of friendship, with an encouraging tone, saying, “You know you have stage 4 cancer, but don’t worry, you’ll overcome this.” As many as 80% of those patients survived. Why? It had to do with the faith that people put in the doctor’s words. “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones” (Pro 14:30).

The same is true of people who are able to overcome in their mind and put behind themselves very difficult experiences such as the loss of a loved one, a serious accident, or post-war syndrome, etc. They can move on without all the physical and psychological illnesses that such traumas can leave a person with. “A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones” (Pr 14:30-32).

The illnesses are first in our thoughts and they make their way to our heart, and if we don’t overcome those thoughts from the start, we succumb to the consequent physical/psychological sicknesses.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Pro 4:23 ).

 “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy, the rottenness of the bones” (Pr 14:30).

That’s why the Bible tells us to keep all our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ; meaning that you’ve got to ONLY think what the Word of God tells you to. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think (ONLY) on these things” (Phil 4:8).

Our mind was not created to think or to focus on negative/toxic thoughts. It just cannot process those. Our own brain ends up secreting a “poison” in our body from all that toxicity.

You may have experienced it yourself when angry, or unforgiving or bitter. Your own thoughts are going all over the place, as if you have no control over them. You end up imagining all sorts of weird schemes and you end up depressed, dejected and downhearted and it can even go as far as feeling suicidal. And you’re the one causing it, because you can’t control your thoughts. But you CAN. You can actually discipline your mind and your emotions. You can nip thoughts in the bud before they develop. You can say, “No, I’m NOT going there.”  “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

I had a major battle with bitterness about 10 years ago over something that I thought others had done to me. And then I fell into the company of a few “Job counselors” that fed and fueled those toxic feelings, and it got to where, from the moment I got up in the morning till the time I went to bed, I was plagued with horrible toxic thoughts.

I had always been a very happy, jovial and inspired guy before, but now, I had become angry, and incensed at just about everything. It was like an evil spirit had gotten on me, and I couldn’t shake it. When your thoughts are so negative, it affects your whole countenance. “Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains” (Pro 13:14).

Finally, a friend who had met me a year before, told me, “You used to be so much fun to be around, always happy and inspired, but now you’re always upset, angry and constantly voicing negativity and toxicity about everything… is that WHO you want to be?”

It hit me right where it hurts and it woke me up, and I made a decision to fight back. It was a genuine uphill battle to get on top of this bitterness and anger. I rebuked that evil spirit, but I had to fight every day for about 6 months, to stave off those seven other even worse spirits that were trying to come in. Jesus warned us “Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Lk 11:26).

This spirit of bitterness had changed me, and I realized that if I was gonna get over it, I had to not only fight in prayer, but discipline my mind. And I started rebuking ALL toxic thoughts, and I FORCED myself to think positively, and I insisted on replacing evil thoughts with praise and thankfulness. I had to be obstinate and determined about it. This was not a mild battle. The battle of the mind is real. And that’s when I understood how the devil’s workshop is really in our mind. I really had to be stubborn, determined and unyielding to get over it. BUT I DID.

Most people don’t know that they can control their thoughts and their feelings. The majority of teenagers for instance, have never been taught about disciplining their thought pattern and consequently, end up being tossed all over the place in their minds, by the emotions that they are going through.

Granted adolescence is a difficult phase of life to go through, but it doesn’t have to be a roller coaster.

The same as with bitterness, anger, jealousy, and even grief, none of those things have to be so traumatic, if the person is able to switch his/her thoughts and emotions towards the solid rock of God’s Word. The Word of God tells us HOW to live life. God embedded spiritual laws into His creation that will work on our behalf if we know how to use them.

Capturing our thoughts is such an important law, but controlling our tongue is equally important. God did not want man to know good and evil, because He knew that man would not be able to process and manage evil. “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7).

You can easily see this in children. If they’ve not been educated and trained to not go towards evil, they simply become really bad. Why? No discipline, no guidelines and therefore no obedience. So if you want healthy kids, and even health in your own body, choose to believe good things. LEARN to discipline your mind. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Ro 8:5).

Consider two soldiers coming back from the war, scarred and even maimed, wounded and virtually destroyed, and yet one will fight to have his life back and the other will give up and fall into depression and won’t pull out of it? “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).

The battle is first in the mind and that’s where it needs to be fought. “We [can] destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5).

It’s the same with siblings raised around alcoholic or abusive parents. One will decide never to become that, and the other will blame his circumstances and say, “I can’t help it, I was raised around all that.” No, you can help it. We ALL can. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

I wish they taught all this in school or that parents would instill those principles and values into their children. Our mind gets under attack all the time, but only those who know to “not go there” overcome the battles. “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Rom 8:7).

There is no point in glossing over the problems.  “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy [mind] strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2Cor 10:3-5).

The pharmaceutical companies and psychologists label the symptoms and drug the kids to band-aid the real problems. And they’ve got everybody on the defensive.

It becomes “politically correct” to stick a permanent label on the kids, saying, ASPD, or ADHP, or what have you? And we drug them so we can cope with their spiritual/psychological problems. “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them” (1Jn4:1-4).

Please understand that I’m not trying to minimize the problems, but I am trying to MAXIMIZE the solutions. I’m NOT saying that bitterness causes cancer, but I am saying that toxic thinking causes illnesses and so many other evil works such as divorce, addiction, broken families, stupid decisions, etc.

There are solutions and answers and they’re in God’s Word. If you only look at the problems, you can’t have God in the picture. He does operate in the “impossible”, but you’ve got to have FAITH in His Word. There are plenty of parents who’ve helped their kids overcome major problems with their kids, by believing and fighting and never giving up. That’s Why God’s Word says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

We have a granddaughter who battled bulimia and anorexia for 2 years, and our daughter, her mother, after having battled with her for so long, finally stopped everything she was doing, and took her away for a retreat for a whole month to focus on saving her; it was a life and death battle, but they won. And our granddaughter is an overcomer today. She now has her own fitness company and is a promoter and advocate of mind discipline.

Yes, it’s a big major spiritual battle. Yes, it’s a serious uphill fight. Yes, you’ve got to change your lifestyle, your schedule and everything else to overcome it. But we can overcome. God’s Word says so. Otherwise, there’s a big price to pay. Not just in doctor’s bills but in undisciplined children that will end up causing you (and others) loads of difficulties. Parents, fight for your kids. The devil (TV, social media, movies, games) is after them…“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

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HERE are a few more verses to strengthen the case.

Romans 8:37

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Rom 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Galatians 5:17

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think [ONLY] about these things.

Psalm 27:1-5

Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Psalm 91:1-16

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, .

Romans 8:2-39

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Proverbs 29:1-27

He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing. When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Luke 4:18

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

Jn 8:44 

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:31

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. And you will know the truth and the truth will make you FREE.

2 Cor 4:4

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Romans 7:23

But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

1Pet 5:5

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1Cor 2:2

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.