Today I share my Evangelist brother Larry E. Wolfe’s devotional sent to his band of Big Rig Truckers to whom he ministers on Rt I-85 in South Carolina. This devo is similar to my  Feed the White Dog! devotional posted some months ago with a few interesting twists.

FROM BROTHER LARRY:

While reading an article on ‘Mental Illness’ I was surprised to learn that it was considered an asset?? The article gave an examination of world leaders in history including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Mahatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill, stating that each of these men suffered from bouts of depression to their advantage during times of conflict/war or other taxing experiences. The study also showed that in peace time their success waned.

Churchill called his depression ‘My Black Dog” which is part of the reason for the title of today’s message for I too had a number of extended fierce attacks of the Devil bringing on severe times of his D’s to the point of mental collapse/breakdown. Notice, it was the Devil and his horde of demons that were responsible. Now, that doesn’t make me a world leader but it does prove to show that the Devil has been busy attacking men regardless of their position.

Before I left the Truckstop this morning the Lord told me to write about “The Black Dog vs. The White Dog”  from an illustration a Preacher used not too many years after the Lord saved me. And, when I arrived at home, I read the above article and decided to write ‘While the iron was hot’ and the Lord gave me directions, for, ‘The Black Dog” of Churchill’s experience can also represent “The Black Dog” of the Preacher’s illustration, but in a somewhat different form.

Now, “The Black Dog” represents the Devil or dark side and ‘The White Dog” the Lord and the right or light side. So, Drivers, it all depends on which dog we feed as to who wins and controls our mind, will and emotions. Churchill’s Black Dog, while he didn’t say it was the Devil’s doing, attempting to bring him down with the Devil’s D’s: Darkness, Discouragement, Distress, Despondency, Destruction or Death it surely was the Devil’s doing. Churchill responded to  his Depression with self-will, fortitude and physical strength, battling his way out with success being the clear result.

A similar experience was repeated in kind for these other men. But for me, it took not only counseling and drug therapy, but electro-shock treatments to literally change my mind from the obsessive compulsive thought patterns in order to bring me out of the depths of the Devil’s D’s. But, this gave no real solution. How did I get into this condition? By feeding the wrong ‘dog’.The Devil’s Black Dog literally consumed my mind, will and emotions. That describes what the world calls ‘Mental Illness’, but, in reality, it is the result of a full frontal assault by man’s Adversary, the Devil himself!

So, Drivers, which ‘dog’ are you feeding? “The flesh lust against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another so that ye cannot do the things that you would” (Galatians 5:17). It is evident which ‘dog’ is winning by your walk with the Lord. Are you living a life of rejoicing regardless? (Hebrews 13:15) Are you on the hunt for souls? (Proverb 11:30) Are the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart acceptable in God’s sight? (Psalm 27:14). It all depends on which ‘dog’ rules your mind, which ‘dog’ is winning the battle for your mind.  We have a choice as to where our minds spend time. So, Let us be wise and redeem the time because the days are evil!

Chaplain L.E.Wolfe www.btmi.org I-85 Exit 35 SC ‘McPilot’ Stop in, and please pray for REVIVAL!

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