Narcissism

What is NPD, and how can you get free of the stickiness of the Narcissist?

When you have had any connection in your life with someone who carries the Narcissist Personality Disorder, then you probably need to scrub off the structures that result.

Narcissism can be thought of as a human echo of the fall of Lucifer. Scripture shows us that this very beautiful angel was created as one of the cherubim, a “guardian cherub” designed to help Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden. In Ezekiel 28, we read:

“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub.”

Ezekiel 28:12-14

This one-of-a-kind, gloriously beautiful cherub, became proud about his own beauty, and chose to sin against God:

“I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.”

Ezekiel 28:14-17

Isaiah 14 gives us more insight into the attitudes that brought about the destruction of this guardian cherub:

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Isaiah 14:12-15

Becoming focused on his own glorious splendor caused this angel to lose his perspective, and he became obsessed with the idea of becoming God. He chose rebellion against God, and thus his own destruction.

There remains still, in the fallen/dark spirits, the enemies of God, the obsession with seizing everything, having complete power over the earth & all people. Remember the third temptation of Jesus -

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

– Matthew 4:8-9

The wrong assumption by the enemy was that everything in the earth belonged to him.

There you see the heart of narcissism. Entitlement, and a perverted perspective.

In addition, dark spirits (and the people they manipulate) would rather see something destroyed rather than have it go to anyone except themselves. This leads to vindictiveness, sabotage, and constant jealousy.

 

What is the truth that slices through this lie?


The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it

-Psalm 24:1


For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. 

-Colossians 1:16

 

There are thousands of ways that scripture affirms this truth. This is the foundation from which we remain defended against narcissist strongholds.

HUMAN NARCISSISM

Human beings are constantly being tempted to allow this same attitude to infect them. The temptation to see ourselves as the center of everything is just part of being human in a fallen world.

When someone begins to “buy in” to this lie, their perspective begins to shift, and their ability to perceive truth begins to deteriorate. Arthur Burk has called this process “brain rot.”

https://theslg.com/content/brain-rot-audio

By the time there is full-blown NPD, the person sees themselves as the center of everything that exists. Like Lucifer, the Narcissist is absorbed in their own entitlement. They believe that all available resources should be diverted to them, even at the personal sacrifice of others.

Duke Health suggests a diagnostic list of symptoms for Narcissist Personality Disorder, using the acronym, “SPECIAL ME”:

SPECIAL ME 

  1. Sense of self-importance

  2. Preoccupation with power, beauty, or success 

  3. Entitled

  4. Can only be around people who are important or special

  5. Interpersonally exploitative for their own gain

  6. Arrogant

  7. Lack empathy

  8. Must be admired

  9. Envious of others or believe that others are envious of them

Envy and jealousy are both rampant in a Narcissist situation.

Envy is defined as wanting what someone else has, like attributes or possessions.

Jealousy is being fiercely protective or vigilant of one's rights or possessions.

The Narcissist is partnering with both of these spiritual strongholds.

The spiritual entities that develop a stronghold around the narcissist are busily creating spiritual structures that can be very “sticky” and tricky to remove. If you have ever had a relationship with someone who is a narcissist, it is likely that you have ended up with spiritual structures and connections that are siphoning off some of your resources. Energy, joy, financial well-being, intimacy with God, success - all are areas in which you can potentially be depleted by having residual structures that keep you at the mercy of the narcissist parasite.

Many of us are working hard to learn more about how to help people become free of narcissist leftovers. For now, a good starting place is:

1) Remove your AGREEMENT with the narcissist. Either you, yourself, or an ancestor, a family member, a leader, or someone else, brought you into agreement that your resources belong to the narcissist. Speak out loud in every area that seems relevant, and end all such agreements.

2) Ask the Holy Spirit to dissolve any structures on or in your humanity that have been linking you to the narcissist or to the enabler (could be a spouse or other person, who is also dedicated to getting the narcissist all the resources they “need”).

3) I have found it helpful to pray into Ephesians 6:10-18, and to ask the Holy Spirit to BE that Armor of God, all around our humanity. Ask Him to dissolve any false version - so, for example, ask Him to dissolve any false or alternative Helmet of Salvation, and to recreate the true version. Same with all the other parts of the Armor in that chapter.

Along the same lines, I pray into Isaiah 58:8:

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

I ask the Holy Spirit to be the rear guard, completely covering the spine, so that every vertebra is protected & inaccessible.

Feel free to explore & see what works for you!