Mental Health

Mental Health

Philippians 4:1 – 9

Preached by: JB Hall

• According to I Thessalonians 5:23 a person is made up of spirit, soul, and body. These three are inseparable components. In Genesis 2:7 we are told that “…the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…” and then it does not say man was given a soul, rather, it says “…and man became a living soul.” So then, what happens in one area affects the others.

• We live in a world today where mental and emotional problems have become epidemic. Given the integrated make up of man, it is often very difficult to determine the source of the problem, so the health experts choose to treat the symptoms rather than the cause. Mind altering drugs have become a billion dollar business.

• Knowing that man is a tri-dimensional being, we must not over-simplify the problem in trying to diagnose its source. We must be careful not to attribute all mental or emotional problems to sin or spiritual problems, as some are wont to do. We know that physiological problems can, and often do, cause mental or emotional instabilities. We dare not trivialize these possibilities, for in so doing, we may cause even greater damage to individuals.

• That being said, we also know that our attitudes, choices, and actions are often the instigating factors that trigger or sustain mental and emotional upheavals and volatility.

• According to Hebrews 4:12, only the word of God is capable of separating between these three components that make up a human being and discerning, or determining, the thoughts and intents of the human heart.

• Today we want to look at some of the intangible factors that can affect our mental and emotional health, and allow the word of God to search our lives to see if any of these are contributing to the lack of good mental and emotional health.

• In our text we find 8 factors that result in mental and emotional problems. Let’s examine each:

1. Phil. 4:1 – Unrighteous Lifestyle – Paul admonishes the brethren to stand fast in the Lord. After we have been saved and excited about God and His kingdom, we do not need to get laxed and gravitate toward the old lifestyle as some often do.

A. II Corinthians 6:17 says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” We need to remove ourselves from among the people who are affiliated with the unclean things. We also must not return to sample (touch) from time to time, those unclean things from which we have come out.

B. Ephesians 5:11 says, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Our lives and words must stand in sharp contrast to the lifestyles of those who practice the unfruitful works of darkness.

C. In other words, we must stand fast in the Lord! Ephesians 5:15 – 16 say, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

D. It is not for the child of the Living God to resort back to participating in a lifestyle, or practices, that are forbidden in scripture, or are dishonoring to his Lord Jesus.

E. Practicing unrighteousness will result in mental and emotional trauma for the child of God and will preclude the peace of God in his life that God has intended for him.

F. After David had gone in to Bathsheba and was confronted by Nathan the prophet, in Psalm 51:12 he cries out to God, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;” David had not lost his salvation but he had lost the joy that accompanied it. Instead he was gripped with guilt and a feeling of being dirty. In verse 10 he pleads, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

G. A heart and mind soiled by sin produces intense mental and emotional unrest that cannot be resolved but by the sinner’s repentance and God’s cleansing.

H. Wouldn’t it be easier and much more pleasant to just stand fast in the Lord?

2. Phil. 4:2 – Uncooperative Spirit which leads to Unresolved Conflict – In pride we often demand our way to the disregard of the concerns or interests of other people. Pride causes us to be unwilling to be open to alternative options to accomplish our goals

A. Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate.” The key to overcoming pride and arrogance is to replace it with a healthy fear of God. He is not interested in your way, but His.