by Laura Gallier
It’s one thing to read the latest concerning statistics regarding the rise in national suicide rates, particularly among teenagers; it’s something else entirely to sit across from a sobbing mother as she recounts the horrifying trauma of discovering her daughter had taken her own life. My heart broke for this woman as she expressed her anguished bewilderment: “My sweet girl was always such a happy, loved child—how in the world did it come to this!”
Many experts and devastated loved ones have diligently sought to understand what factors precede a person’s decision to end his or her life, and research has yielded some helpful theories. Certainly, matters of psychology and neurochemicals play essential roles in depression and suicidal tendencies. But what if there’s more to the issue than meets the eye?
The Covert Culprit
From Genesis through Revelation, the Bible describes an age-old war that rages over each and every human soul—a literal fight between forces of good and evil. It’s an ongoing spiritual conflict of truth versus lies that eludes our eyes yet manifests in the battlefield of our minds—our beliefs about God, ourselves, and the world around us.
Determined to deceive God’s beloved creation, Satan and his demonic army work in stealth, armed with an arsenal of accusatory lies designed to convince men, women, and children of their personal worthlessness and the hopelessness of their existence. Meanwhile, God’s Spirit is constantly moving throughout the earth, seeking to reveal the truthto each of us—that God alone, through Christ, can supply the limitless love, acceptance, and life purpose we so desperately crave.
Suicide: A Spiritual Battle
Think about it: no matter the variation in age, personality, or life circumstances from one person to the next, all suicide victims have one thing in common. They reach a place of utter hopelessness.
Is psychology involved? Absolutely. Is there an imbalanced neurochemical state? Almost certainly, especially given the fact that fearful, depressing thoughts trigger the brain to cut back on “feel good” chemicals and flood the body with neurotransmitters that create bodily symptoms of fear and sadness. But it’s the origin of an onslaught of self-loathing, defeated thoughts, coupled with a desire to die, that keeps experts scratching their heads.
Thankfully the Bible reveals the origin of dark, oppressive thoughts, along with the ultimate solution. To summarize . . .
- The devil and his demons are on the prowl, looking to strike and destroy us when we’re most vulnerable (1 Peter 5:8), but God wants to soothe, encourage, and revive our weary souls (Matthew 11:28).
- The devil targets our minds with deceptive lies and philosophies to confuse and tempt us (Genesis 3:1-6; 2 Corinthians 11:3), but we find freedom from confusion and temptation by knowing and believing God’s Word (John 8:32).
- Satan comes at us with crippling fears, but if we’ll receive God’s perfect love for us, every fear is eventually dispelled (1 John 4:18).
- Satan is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44), and he seeks to steal, kill, and destroy human lives, but Jesus overcame Satan to give us a meaningful, abundant life—eternal life, in fact (John 10:10).
Disarming Suicidal Thoughts
I’m so passionate about the reality of spiritual warfare that I’ve written a thrilling fiction series, the Delusion series, that inspires readers with vivid mental pictures of how demons work to oppress and deceive us while God seeks to liberate us, particularly as it pertains to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Of all the encouraging feedback I’ve received from readers, the most treasured came from an eighth-grade boy who approached me at the conclusion of an author visit I facilitated at his school. “Ms. Laura,” he said,
“I’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts, and it got so bad, I set a date and decided how I was going to do it. But someone handed me your book, and as I read it, I realized there were demons trying to trick me into killing myself so I wouldn’t live out God’s plan for my life. I changed my mind about suicide, and I thank God I’m alive.”
That young man went on to flourish in high school, as have others who’ve come to recognize the real culprit behind suicide and the solid hope found in God’s truth and love.
Book two in the Delusion series, The Deception, releases this week! Get it on Amazon and at other book retail outlets. Learn more about Laura Gallier at LauraGallier.com.
The Deception by Laura Gallier
Praise for The Delusion Series:
“I encourage you to read The Delusion. It triggers your imagination about the realities of spiritual warfare.” —Jase Robertson, Duck Dynasty
Less than a year after the horrific Masonville High shooting, Owen is determined to uncover why the Creepers have converged on his land and the school—a necessary step in his mission to drive evil forces out of his town.
A supernatural visitor tests Owen’s ability to discern between truth and lies as the community is rocked by abductions and disappearances. While the town comes together to find those who are missing, Owen must fight to discover what is real and what is part of a strategy to distract him from his true purpose.
Will Owen’s courage and conviction waver or hold firm as he to fights to free Masonville from the demonic forces threatening to tear the town apart?
