Everybody has heard of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Well...most people have.

It's the story of a normal man who turned into a horrible creature at night. When his personality would change he would do terrible things. I think everybody has a hidden personality. The Bible calls it 'THE HIDDEN MAN OF THE HEART'. Psychiatrists might call it "OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND". We might consider it "THE SUPPRESSED PART OF OUR NATURE".

Someone else might call it 'Our True Feelings' or ‘Our Deep Inner Self’.

I am not an authority on things I can’t see ... and the deep inner workings of a person's mind and spirit are full of mysteries to be solved.

When I speak of such things my words can't be accurate. But, sooner or later, we must all come face-to-face with the secret and private parts of our lives in one way or another. I'm just trying to help others in the best way I can.

The Negative side of our nature is what some people call the ‘flesh’ or our carnal nature' or 'our sinful self'...or 'Our Base Nature'.

By any name, that's the part of our life that causes us the most problems. That's where most of our struggles and conflicts take place. Whether it is composed of anger, hatred, lust, lying or fear ... we all have tendencies which must be overcome.

Sooner or later we must all face the truth about the hidden things in our life. Let me help you.

Someone once described the inner struggles of life, saying, "It's like there is a white dog and a black dog on the inside of me ... and they are always fighting."

The other person said, "Which one wins?" And the answer was, "THE ONE I FEED THE MOST."

Paul the Apostle talked about this inner struggle in Romans the 7th Chapter. He said, "When I want to do good ... I do evil.''   And who, but you, can know the full torment and frustration that this inner war is causing?

Some people end up in mental institutions because of it. Others commit suicide because they are tired of the conflict. Some just give in to the old black dog and become totally wicked and vile.

And yet... there are others who tap into God's Word and Spirit and begin to draw strength from another power and another source.

The good part of their desires becomes stronger and stronger before they ever win the war. But, they feed those desires and encourage the 'white dog'. They lean toward doing right and keep leaning in that direction.

I'm here to put fuel on the fire of your "Holy Wants".   I'm here to give you HOPE THAT YOU REALLY CAN OVERCOME ... AND THAT YOU REALLY CAN BE DIFFERENT!

But, you have to do your part to say 'sic em' to the white dog. You have to encourage God to work in you. You need to lean more heavily toward what is right.

GOD IS LIGHT AND TRUTH

Most criminal activities take place at night under the cover of darkness.

The devil is an invisible criminal that uses darkness and obscurity to hide his ways and his works.  When you deny the truth about your hidden self ... you are playing into the hands of your own worst enemy. When you have to lie about your thoughts and behavior ... you are trapped. When you deny the truth ... you are stiff-arming God ... and embracing the devil.

START TALKING TO YOURSELF

You already know more about yourself than anyone else. But, now I want you to start admitting the truth about your sins and faults ... to yourself.     Oh ... you've done that sometimes. But now ... DO IT OUT LOUD!

Describe what’s wrong on the inside. Name the problem. Call it what other people would call it.

If it is adulterous thoughts, call it adultery. Don't just say you are having an 'affair'. Don't justify it because you are 'in love'. Don't give yourself excuses as to 'why you have to do what you are doing'. Just say, "I'm doing wrong. I'm violating all that is good, right, normal and Holy. I'm sinning against someone's daughter, wife or mother. Or ... I’m sinning against someone else's son, husband or father.

Families are tied together in mind, heart and spirit. If you don't have the permission and favor and blessings of the rest of the family... then you are sinning against them. Some hidden part of your nature is causing you problems.

It may even be the devil or some evil spirit trying to control you from a place of hidden advantage. But ... we are going to TAKE AWAY HIS ADVANTAGE!

Everything you say, think and do during the day is recorded and played back like a tape recording during the night. What you plant in your conscious mind must take root in your sub-conscious being. What you bring through the door today has a way of ending up in the cellar tomorrow. You have sowed and planted a lot of negative things down in the cellar... things that grow well in the dark and become stronger in secret.  But now we are going to bring light and truth into your life day-after-day. That light and truth is going to sink down into the basement and begin exposing the powers of hell which are taking advantage of your weaknesses.

The rats are feeding on the moldy bread you've been stashing in the basement. But, we are going to begin throwing poison down in the cellar and the rat population is going to start dying. They will scurry away from that which tends to destroy them. No evil spirit can thrive in the light. Truth is light. Confession of sins is truth. You are confessing their sinfulness as well as yours. They don't like that. They hate admitting the truth. So... do it all the more. Give them notice that you are going to continually bombard them with light and truth.

At first, they will not go away. They will be like rats and mice that hide during the day and come out at night. But, there are spiritual traps which can be set for them. They cannot live forever where they are not wanted.

The 2 O'clock Thief

A burglar creeps over my backyard fence at 2:00 in the morning.

As he gets closer an alarm goes off and flood lights come on from all directions.

What Is that thief going to do? You are perfectly right! He is going to run ... flee..skedaddle ... and get out of there as fast as he can.

Light is a resistance factor against thieves who love darkness. When you admit the truth about your sins ... to yourself... to God ... or to others ... you are putting the floodlights right smack-dab on the devil and any evil spirit he has working with him against you. They can't take it. You weaken them with the truth. Keep it up until they get so weak and tired that they choose to leave your life for good.

GOD FORGIVES - 70 times 7

Every time you sin or want to sin or think about sinning ... confess it as sin.

Ist John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins ... God is faithful and just to FORGIVE US OUR SINS ... AND TO CLEANSE us OF ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!

If the devil and his demons are unrighteous ... then, this scripture is a promise that we can even be delivered and cleansed of the root and source of our problem. The invisible God will deal with the invisible things. But God cannot lie. If you continually confess your sins ... you will progressively get better and become cleaner and more Holy. Even if it is the same sin every day ... keep confessing it as sin.

As you confess your sins ... admit the truth that God has to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. He promised to do that for those who confess their sins.

As you talk to yourself and admit the truth about what you HAVE BEEN  IN THE PAST... go ahead and talk to yourself and ADMIT THE TRUTH about what you are becoming and what you WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.

Something inside of you does not believe  you can ever truly change. That is an unbeliever. All unbelievers shall have their part in the Lake of Fire.

Tell that unbelief it has to go. Rebuke it. Resist it. Affirm that with God's help anybody can change.

Admit the truth that the power of the Gospel is based on God's promise that WE ARE TO BE CHANGED AND TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF THE MIND!

Admit to yourself that this is actually happening now. You are beginning to take NEW THOUGHTS into your life. Your mind is being RENEWED with new ways of thinking...both about yourself and about God's power and willingness to help you do what you've never been able to do before.

Hang onto those new thoughts. They will change you. They will go down on the inside where no one can see. They will start working In the hidden areas of your mind, soul and spirit.

OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD!

Don't always be fighting against something bad in your life.

Sometimes it is best just to turn your head toward the good and begin heading in that direction as fast as you can go.

A woman spots a man on the road ahead of her. She gets this funny feeling that he is stronger than her and has an evil desire. He wants to rape her and use her for his evil pleasure.

Instead of going after him to fight and defeat him ... she turns around and runs in the direction of safety. He follows suit. He chases her.

But, when she gets close to houses and lights and people and police and men who are stronger than him ... what does he do? That's right. He takes off and leaves her alone.

Don't try struggling with your adversary the devil all by yourself.

Head for church. If he wants you he will have to go to church.

Go talk to God and start worshipping and praising the name of the Almighty.

If the devil wants to hang around he will have to hear you praising his enemy.

As you draw near to God ... God draws near to you. The devil can't stand to be near God. He gets scared. God might actually lift His hand of power against that evil spirit. Judgment may come down on his head. He does what he does best ... he runs from God, and then you are left alone in the presence of the One who loved you and died for you. Not a bad place to be.

Turn your thoughts and prayers in a positive direction. Let good things begin to monopolize your time.

Amen.