Fantasy, an addictive Drug
17 August 2008
1. Introduction:
· 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”.
· God has designed us to be creative: (1) Sexual (2) Imagination
· Imagination is a great gift God has given us.
· Imagination is your capacity to form mental images or pictures of something that is not yet into existence.
· Imaginations have a voice – they talk to us and we can follow them.
· Vain (empty, devoid of truth) imaginations always lead us away from God.
· Imaginations are prophetic – they can give birth to realities, form a future.
· When God speaks a picture come up in our imagination.
2. Imagination and Fantasy:
· Imagination is a faculty of the spirit man/inner man – an inner screen where pictures form, of dreams, plans, things desired, and impressions by the Holy Spirit.
· Imagination can be cultivated – by meditation on the Word of God, by allowing inspired impressions given by the Holy Spirit to form, develop, and conceive. We have weapons powerful in God. We can develop/cultivate the ability to see, imagine and perceive things from God.
· Imaginations can be defiled by allowing strong visual impressions of TV, videos, computer games, vain imaginations to mark and stain it. Thoughts and imaginations = strongholds, mindsets to stop us progressing, moving on in God. , demons flooding and invading us.
· We create things from our heart.
· Definition of Fantasy: = an illusion formed in the mind – it is not real.
= Imagined event or sequence of events a person creates in their mind to fulfill some inner desire, longing.
= The realm of imagination where a person creates an unreal world in which he is the central point, powerful, in control and able to fulfill hidden desires for:
1) Recognition 2) Control/Power 3) Revenge
4) Intimacy 5) Safety
You are the centre, all about me; you are god in that world, total control, can’t be defeated. You shape how your fantasies go. Your are quite important, get recognition, revenge – think and dream how you can get back at a person.
· Day Dreaming = a dreamlike fantasy a person has while awake. During the day dream the person has reduced awareness of what is happening around them, try to escape pain. Own world where you feel safe (place of refuge), Sexual fantasies (can cause a person to go too far)
· Everyone has Fantasies! e.g. Sport success, replaying a success or conflict, money and wealth - cars etc., hero rescuing, sexual, romance, replaying conversations etc.
· Fantasies can be an attempt to heal wounds and pain – alter the perception of our world.
· Fantasies can make us feel accepted, loved, powerful, and intimate.
· Fantasies are powerful; they can change your brain chemistry and mood.
· Men and women fantasies are different. Men – power, control, woman, winning.
Woman – romantic, match men with their fantasies, unreal.
· Religious fantasies = ministering in great power of God, but their lifestyle is a different story.
· If a person is living in a fantasy world, that person can’t live in real life. Will exalt self and take/move away from destiny.
3. Modern Examples:
· 1 Timothy 4:1 - “now the spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some will depart from the faith giving head to seducing spirits”.
· Seducing = 4108 = planos = to rove like a tramp, lead into error, draw away, entice, attract away from faith - Don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.
· 2 Corinthians 11:1-3 - “I fear lest some how as the serpent deceive Eve….”
· How? By putting on imaginations into her mind contrary to the Word of God e.g. Saw the image => she looked => pondered => ate => gave to Adam.
What opened the doors to seducing the mind?
Examples:
· Books – Romance Novels
· TV – soap operas e.g. Desperate House Wives. Draw in and fellowship with the spirit involved.
· Movies – put you into a position you could never be in real life, a voyager, emotionality entangled to someone else’s personal life creating sense of intimacy and closeness. Stories are framed so that you identify with the character and enter the story to participate mentally with them. Comics – sexual themes, magic, violence, occult. Partake in sin and those ho draw into it.
· Internet – chat rooms, create illusion of intimacy => disclusive and connection. Could lead to failed marriage – bring seductive spirit into the home.
· Fantasy Games – person take the identity (not your identity) of the character – they role play, assume the identity, words, responses, actions of the imaginary character. A doorway for demons to enter, can take a demon in this superficial world.
e.g. sorcery, magic, violence, murder, dominations.
e.g. Student in Singapore – deliverance after renouncing game identity.
e.g. Narnia, Neverland, Middle Earth, Second Life.
· Pornography – behind pornography is an ancient spirit/god of whoredom, prostitution.
Watching, paying money => entering into the agreement with a prostitute and with the evil spirit that empowers it.
Sin thrives in secrecy and in darkness and brings bondage.
The spirit behind it is pulling people in. they feel better – rather this than real relationship – rejection.
Ezekiel 8:3-12 - “… do in the dark every man in the chamber of his imaginations…”
Numbers 25
· Imaginary Companions – can be harmless, normal development or lead to a familiar spirit no one sees except the child e.g. Philippines – short person.
Job 31:1,7 - “… hest my heart walk after my eyes…”
Whatever you focus on, you open your heart and life to.
Matthew 6:22 - “The lamp of the body is the eye”.
What catches the imagination will catch the heart.
4. The Impact of Unrestraint Imaginations:
· Repeated fantasy creates tracks (mental ruts) in the mind, it is easy to go to.
· Patterns of avoidance of responsibilities as a person retreats into fantasy.
· Becomes a place of false comfort – connection to familiar spirits.
· Becomes addictive like a drug that controls the life.
· Open the door to soul-ties to fantasy and seducing spirits. Opens up your life.
· Creates blocks in intimacy – person is ‘absent’ relationally.
· Increases self-centeredness and lack awareness of where others are at.
· Dulls spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
5. Rooting out Fantasy:
1) Recognize it – Psalm 51:6
· Identify the fantasy
· Who stirs up? What stirs up?
· What happens, goes on?
· How long have you been doing this?
· How addicted are you to it?
2) Repentance – Matthew 4:17
· Must abandon false comfort, soul ties, attachment/seducing spirits.
3) Remove the Fantasy from it’s roots – Judges 6:25-26
· Period of fasting, prayer to expose roots – emotions, hurts and beliefs.
· Deliverance and healing
4) Replace the Fantasy with Truth – Romans 12:2, Psalm 101:3
· Memorize scripture and imagine scripture
· Meditate scripture
· Renew your mind to become a changed person