In this devotional video, M.t. Clark opens with a photo of a Hawaiian sunset, using its contrast of darkness and light as a metaphor for spiritual hope versus despair. He discusses the blurred line between demonic oppression and mental illness, noting how religious experiences are often dismissed in mental‑health settings and referencing the DSM‑5 code B62.89 for religious‑spiritual problems. Drawing on his own background as a residential counselor and psychiatric tech, Clark explains his personal journey to discovering freedom in Christ and his decision to launch a Christian life‑coaching and prayer ministry. He outlines a fee structure—a $25 copay for a 45‑minute initial consultation and $50 per subsequent session—emphasizing that the charge is meant to ensure client commitment, not profit. Clark clarifies that he is not a licensed therapist, nor an exorcist for hire, but a disciple who uses Neil Anderson’s Truth Encounter approach to guide repentance and freedom from demonic influence. He stresses the need for genuine faith and personal responsibility, offers free alternatives through his local church’s recovery ministry and a paid Freedom in Christ course, and concludes with a prayer for listeners to seek and receive freedom in Christ.
Chapters
To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning. Today's photo of the silhouette of a palm tree and the tops of trees in the ba— foreground of a distant Pacific Ocean sunset comes to us from Bob Griffin, who shared this scene on social media yesterday from his recent vacation to Kāʻialua, Kona, Hawaii. Well, it's Tuesday, and Bob's photo gives us the, that contrast of darkness and light that reflects the reality that while everything can seem dark, there is hope when we focus on the sun, as in Jesus Christ. However, the same contrast of darkness and light could also reflect those times when we feel that the darkness is in the foreground of our lives and the light of God's love and presence seem far away and distant. Just as the same photo can be viewed in two different ways, our lives can be perceived and experienced differently depending on what we focus on, what we believe in, or how we respond to life. When we are experiencing problems, all can seem lost, or we can count it all joy if we see our trials as a test of our faith that will produce patience and maturity. Easier said than done, I know. But how much more difficult could your outlook on life be if you are being accosted by voices in your head that you believe to be demonic, but you're afraid to speak about them to others because you fear that people will think you are crazy? There is a fine line between the possibility of demonic oppression and insanity. There can be a mix of both. Similarly, there can be a fine line between religious obsession and insanity, as distorted views about God and one's "calling" can manifest into some pretty bizarre behavior. In fact, the discussion of the spiritual aspects of life, belief in demons or God, are often discouraged in mental health circles because many of those who are institutionalized with mental health diagnoses have aspects of a religious or spiritual problem. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders even codifies such disorders, B62.89. Technical jargon aside, the existence of the code recognizes that religious or spiritual aspects can be a role in mental health conditions, although the atheistic worldview of psychiatrists and psychologists would undoubtedly state that quote-unquote religion was the problem rather than acknowledging the possibility of something unseen wreaking havoc with someone's mental health. This all is a sensitive subject for myself because I worked in mental health as a residential counselor for the psychiatrically disabled early in my career, and later in life as a psychiatric tech for mobile crisis, and I can testify to some of the strange religious beliefs that were on display among some of the clientele. But I also have come to discover the truth of the possibility of demonic oppression and have experienced clarity of mind from negative, condemning, tempting, and obsessive thoughts after going through the steps to freedom in Christ. So I am not ready to label someone crazy when they tell me that they are hearing voices, and I would wholly endorse the proper application of the Christian faith to address emotional, mental, and spiritual conflicts. I believe so much in our God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the power of our Christian faith to set captives free that I started my Christian life coaching/prayer ministry practice earlier this year. And yesterday I had a perspec— a prospective client, um, book an initial appointment with me to discuss what they called demon voices when pe— most people don't believe it. However, because of my limited time and because I know all too well the possibility of trolls, practical jokers, the insane, and just people who are not willing to "pay the cost for freedom"—to take personal responsibility and repent—I made the decision to institute a fee, a copay if you will, of $25 for the initial 45-minute consultation for prospective life coaching or prayer ministry clients. And after I sent the invoice, this person was upset because they were under the impression that my services were free. And they not only canceled the appointment but decided to quote-unquote shame me for asking for payment because it is something that Jesus and the apostles would never do. To which I wholly agree, but I'm not Jesus and I'm not an apostle and I'm not an exorcist for hire either. Call Bob Larson and he will be happy to help you. I'm just a Christian with a full-time secular job who does free ministry work at my local church and with a national ministry who wanted to offer his help to individuals who aren't receiving the help they need from the church or from the mental health healthcare system, who can take an active role in their own well-being and who are willing to, quote unquote, pay the cost for freedom. In comparison to doctors or therapists, my costs are very reasonable. My initial fee is essentially a copay, $25. My regular rate for life coaching or prayer ministry is $50 a session. I don't take insurance or play that game. I'm not a licensed therapist or counselor. I'm a coach and prime minister. I'm not some specially anointed shaman who casts out demons with a wave of his of my hand or through some elaborate ceremony. I don't pray over my clients to give them healing or freedom. I coach, I advise a lifestyle of faith and repentance, and pray for and with my clients, uh, to remove the ground or permissions that demonic entities use to have access to our lives. I believe in Neil Anderson's Truth Encounter approach for repentance and freedom from the demonic. This process demands a commitment on the part of the client or participant to be effective. You have to be real in your faith and your commitment to live a Christian life to be set free. The coaching and prayer ministry that I offer assists Christians in connecting with God to receive the healing and freedom that he makes possible. So if you're being harassed by unseen voices that you believe are demonic, Would you be willing to start a process that would lead you to freedom? I know I was willing to pay the cost. I went to seminary. I spent countless hours in Bible study, prayer, training, and personal sanctification and spiritual formation work, and eventually found freedom. My journey started in 2010 and took years of my life to find freedom. And while I, I won't demand that you go through everything I went through, I would ask that you pay the cost for the time that I'm going to invest in helping you when few even know how. I'm not the Good Shepherd, but I'm not a hireling either. I'm not going to cut and run when trouble arises, and I'm not, I'm not looking to get rich. I show people the way to the Good Shepherd. He's the one who sets you free, not me. But I can teach you what I've learned from him. And I can walk beside you through the darkness until he guides you to follow him into the healing and freedom you need. I'm not an exorcist for hire. I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ, a student, an apprentice of the master. And if you're willing to count the cost and pay it, I'll help you to seek him and follow him in the way you should go. Uh, I'm so dedicated that I don't know, I got upset writing this message today, and so I have no time to, you know, to share the Bible verse of the day or the anything from A according to your, uh, you know, the resource we're sharing from lately. So, um, I'm just gonna pray before running out the door to that day job that pays the bills. Um, yeah, I've taken a lot of flack for, you know, becoming a Christian life coach in terms of asking for compensation. So today's, today's a short message, uh, to address that because I have great hope to help people and I don't want to put barriers in the way. But because my time is limited, I don't want, you know, I don't want to show up for an appointment with someone who doesn't pay anything, isn't going to show up, or who isn't willing to invest something in their freedom. You know, like I said, it's comparable to a copay. I think I might have to make it a little more clear on my website. I'm not looking to get rich, I'm just making sure you're committed to you know, to your freedom. You got to pay something, you know. You're going to have to pay in terms of your faith and repentance too, but I can't— I'm not going to collect on that. The Lord will, and I'm not looking to get rich. I'm just looking to make sure you're real in your commitment to get free. I can't tell you how many times I've helped people and discipled people just to have them walk away, and that might happen to you, but I don't want to waste my time. I only have so much that I have available for this stuff at this point. And frankly, to help me with the cost for the things I do do for free, there's costs. Well, there's, there's a business cost for establishing the business, and there's the, the stuff that I do. The podcast costs, the Zoom account costs, the books and the resources I have cost. You know, and so I'm just trying to get some of that, some of that money back. Um, you know, believe me, the, the, the ledger for the business this year will be in the red. Um, but that's not a big deal. Um, I just want to help people and really, uh, you know, make them, make them pay the cost for, uh, for for my time, that's all. Um, and, uh, because I know the great value that freedom has, and I'm not looking to, you know, be your, be your coach forever or your prayer minister forever. I just want to help you to get to a point where you can walk on your own. And, uh, but how many people know how to do this thing called the Christian life, how to get set free? Not many people do. And, um, That's valuable. So you can, you can, you can, you don't have to pay, but I don't have to help you either. Not for free anyway. Although I will, I will help for free in certain contexts. If you'd like to travel to my local church on Wednesday nights, I do recovery ministry there. You get it all for free. Or if you sign up for the Freedom in Christ course, although FICM does charge a rate for that of course, but it's a one-time fee. I'd help you there too. Um, anyway, very sensitive subject, but I'm, I'm rolling with the punches. Um, anyway, uh, let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you for, um, setting us free. We're free, even though it cost us a lot. We've lost a lot following you, Lord, but that's okay. We count it worth it, and we know the great value that we have for our freedom in Christ, and we're willing to share what we know with others. Some, in some contexts, are free, and other contexts where they have to pay for the paper, pay for my time. And Lord, you led me to do this, so I thank you. Um, we pray for anyone who's listening that they'd be blessed today, that they, they'd seek after you and find the free help that you give them when they follow after you, Lord. Um, Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you. We pray all these things in your mighty name, Jesus. Amen.
