Some of the sentences the Enemy accuses each of us with have been there since we were young; others were added in the ensuing years as Satan saw opportunity to strengthen our fear and cynicism through “interpreting” those events in our lives that seem to verify our particular Message of the Arrows. His purpose is to convince us that we need to create a story to live in that is not as dangerous as the Sacred Romance. As long as we do not admit that the deep things of our heart are there — the rejection and hurt, the shame and sorrow, the anger and rage —these rooms of our heart become darkened and the Enemy sets up shop there to accuse us.

I am not just speaking metaphorically or poetically when I refer to the Enemy accusing us. Each of us, Christians included, is oppressed directly and specifically by the Enemy in the way I am describing. This attack happens in the spiritual realm, using the sentences and voices we are familiar with from the past. We feel as if we are simply speaking to ourselves in our heads. And this is the Enemy’s first deception: “I am not here. It’s just you struggling with all these things.” Many of us live our whole lives being defeated by this accusation. And indeed, deep in our hearts, the anxiety, shame, and self-contempt we often feel are like the attack of a roaring lion no matter what calmness or other personality device we learn to cover it with on the outside. We hide the lion’s roar because he has convinced us that it is just us and we would be roundly scorned if we were to admit these things to others.

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