How To Get Up When You Are Down!

Title: How to get up when you are down!

Text: Psalms 42

Intro: Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown? You know what I'm talking about,‑when nothing ever goes right. In fact, everything is out of control!

Even your dog tells you what to do!

Charlie Brown goes to kick the football while Lucy is holding it for him ...‑Charlie Brown is down on his back and says, "why do I always fall for the same‑old trick?" Lucy answers, "because you're a loser Charlie Brown!"

Comic cut out of daily paper on Sally and Charlie Brown!

Psalm 42:1 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O‑God.

Psalm 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and‑appear before God?

Psalm 42:3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say‑unto me, Where is thy God?

Psalm 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had‑gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice‑of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in‑me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his‑countenance.

Psalm 42:6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember‑thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Psalm 42:7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy‑waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Psalm 42:8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in‑the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Psalm 42:9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I‑mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalm 42:10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they‑say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Psalm 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted‑within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of‑my countenance, and my God.

PROP: GOD IS ABLE TO LIFT UP THOSE WHO ARE FEELING DOWN!

Inter: How many have ever been depressed or discouraged?

Trans: Someone might say, "but if we are Christians we shouldn't get‑depressed."

Well, lets approach depression from a Biblical perspective to see if Christians‑can get depressed!

I. CAN CHRISTIANS GET DEPRESSED?

A. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT GREAT MEN OF GOD HAVE BECOME DEPRESSED BECAUSE OF‑DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

1. Moses in Numbers 11:14-15 explains that "I am not able to carry the load of‑all these people alone, because it's too heavy for me." He then goes on to‑say, "If this is how it's going to be, then just kill me, because I don't want‑to live to see myself fall to pieces [become wretched].

2. Elijah in 1Kings 19:1-4 [FOLLOWING A GREAT SPIRITUAL VICTORY] leaves town‑and goes to a desolate place, lies down under a Juniper tree, and then states,‑"I'm not better than my fathers [HE WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE PROPHETS‑STONED BEFORE HIM /SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT EVERY "GREAT CHRISTIAN" WHO HAS FAILED‑AND SAY TO OURSELVES "HOW CAN I MAKE IT IF THEY DIDN'T]. After talking to God,‑he falls asleep.

3. Ofcourse, we could also elaborate on many other great men of the Bible who‑suffered from depression such as: David (Psa. 69:2-4), Jeremiah (Jer. 15:10),‑disciples (Luke 24:17), and Jesus (Mat. 26:38).

Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even‑unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

4. Being sick is not being sinful, it does not and cannot separate you from‑God!

John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or‑his parents, that he was born blind?

John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but‑that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

5. Martin Luther great reformer suffered from extreme depression. In fact, it‑is said that he would have to paste a scripture to his ceiling just so he could‑have the inspiration to get up in the morning.

6. The Bible is not idealistic in the presentation of its message. It tells‑us all of the gory details about man and what he goes through in his life.

TRANS: WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

II. WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

A. THE WORD DEPRESSION ORIGINALLY REFERRED TO A SUNKEN PLACE SUCH AS IN A‑ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE. TODAY, 9 TIMES OUT OF 10, IT REFERS TO A PERSON WHO IS SUNK‑IN SPIRIT.