This book changed my perception of self. Regardless of whether you believe in the presence of demons, or whether they behave like they are described here, it is true that each of us deal with harmful thoughts every day. This book teaches you to see those thoughts in a new light; you start to see evil thoughts for what they really are.
This book taught me many lessons about how I think about myself and others. Here are some things that stuck out to me as I read:
- We get to choose how we think about ourselves and others. We can choose to see the worst in people, or the best in people.
- Our time is a gift from God, and not our property; when it is given and taken away, we must remember this.
- When we refuse to help someone make a decision that affects us, we believe we are being “selfless”, but really you’re putting the burden of decision on someone else.
- When we read something, stop asking “who wrote this” or “how were they influenced”? Instead, ask “is this true”?
- The devil’s goal is to pervert God’s gifts of simple pleasures (e.g. sex, food, relationships), and twist them into something evil.
- Do not become so hyper-focused on the past or the future that you forget to live in the present.