SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND SAVATION FROM DEPRESSION
INTRO:
Psychiatry students were in their college class one day when their professor began a discussion to prove a point. "What we’re going to talk about today," the professor said, "are the emotional extremes that many mentally disturbed people go through… for example “What’s the opposite of joy?" he asked one student."Sadness" the student answered."The opposite of depression?" he asked a young lady."Elation," she replied.Turning to a young man from Texas he asked "the opposite of woe?""Well, now," the Texan replied "I suppose the opposite of woe, would be giddy up."
According to Psychiatrists Frank Minrith & Paul Meier, the majority of Americans suffer from a serious, clinical depression at some point in their lives.
Depression is no respecter of persons. Even stout, strong, stable men in the Bible battled depression.
Elijah was a tremendous spokesmen for God. He was Gods quarterback for Israel in some tough turbulent times.
For three and half years he had been God’s spoken. All kinds of miracles had taken place. We see in I Kings 18 how Elijah challenges Ahab the king of Israel and 450 prophet of Baal or destroyed as Elijah prays down fire on the alter on Mt. Carmel.
Jezebel, the queen of Israel a extremely wicked women was out to kill Elijah because of the powerful prophet that Elijah was
I Kings 19:1-2 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
Depression causes us to lose perspective and to over exaggerate our problems. Elijah as just seen a mighty act of God on Mt Carmel, now he hears that one women is out to get him, he is afraid and runs for his life.
I KINGS 19: 3-4 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
ELIJAH A PRIME CANIDATE FOR DEPRESSION
Physically tired
Emotionally exhausted
His life threatened
ELIJAH WAS FACING THE EMOTONAL SYMPTIONS
OF:DEPRESSION:
Fear
Resentment
Anger
Loneliness
Worry
He wanted to die
Lest we are too hard on Elijah, the Bible says, ELIJAH WAS A MAN JUST LIKE US:--James 5:17
Examples of Men of God becoming depressed.
1. King David—I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. (Psalm 38:6,8
2. Apostle Paul I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches”2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Elijah was so depressed He wanted to die. WHY DO WE GET OURSEVES INTO SUCH EMOTIONAL TURMOIL?
Sometimes because if bad circumstances
Sometimes because of faulty thinking
While there are factors that are out of our control, much depression is caused because of faulty thinking. OUR EMOTIONS ARE CAUSED BY OUR THOUGHTS
Your emotional state is how you decide to interpret life.
If you think in a negative way –you are going to feel depressed. (As a man thinks in his heart so is he)
A nurse committed suicide after she was wrongly diagnosed with a painful and progressive brain disorder,Sally Moth, 31, fell into a severe depression after she was told that the disease would cause increasing pain for the rest of her life.Seven months after the diagnosis, which was made by a specialist doctor. Miss Moth was found hanging from the loft hatch of her home , a coroner revealed that Miss Moth, who had a four-month-old son, had been mistakenly diagnosed with the degenerative disorder because medical examinations showed no indication of the illness.
You want to change the way you feel—change the way you think!
Romans 12:2 You can be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
John 8:32 You can know the truth and the truth and set you free.
I MIND GAMES THAT CAUSE MENTAL DISTRESS
FOCUSE ON FEELINGS RATHER THAN FACTS
I KINGS 19: 3-4 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.
Elijah felt like a failure because of one incident that frightened him. Since he felt like a failure –then surely he must be. This is called emotional reasoning I feel it so it must be true!
Feeling are not always true. You may feel far from God but that does not mean that you are. You may feel like you are not married…but try telling that to your wife.
I know Psychologists encouragage us to get in touch with our feelings and vent our feelings and become aware of your feelings. But the bible doesn’t not say, AND YOU SHALL KNOW YOUR FEELINGS AND YOUR FEELINGS WILL SET YOU FREE….NO NO NO.
COMPARING YOURSELF WITH OTHERS
1 KINGS 19:4 Take my life Lord, I am no better than my ancestors.
Many of us have fallen into the trap of thinking, “If I could be just like so and so, I’d be happy.” We also fall into the trap of comparing our weaknesses with other peoples strengths. We forget that those other people have other weaknesses where we may be strong
TAKING ON FALSE BLAME
I KINGS 19:10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.
Elijah was saying in effect, I have been working for 3 1/2 years for you and things have still not gotten better. He is blaming himself for Israel’s lack of growth.
We assume a responsibility that is not ours too bear. Have you ever noticed how people that do not want to assume their own responsibility will seek to blame you for their own mistakes.
EXAGGERATING THE NEGATIVES
I KINGS 19: 10 I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too.
Really there was only one person that was against him.—Jezebel.
He was not the only one serving the Lord, There were 7000 thousand that still did not bow to Baal.
When you are down—you feel everything s going to pot. People become martyrs –woe is me, no one understands.
II GODS REMEDY FOR DEPRESSION
TAKE CARE OF YOUR PHYSICAL NEEDS I KINGS 19:5-6 All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you."
Gods initial remedy for Elijah’s repression was food, drink and rest. The first step is to make sure you are physically ok. Good sleep does wonders. Making sure you see the right doctor.
Do not allow yourself to loathe in self pity and isolate yourself from others.
GIVE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS OVER TO GOD I KINGS 19:8-10 Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
God allowed Elijah to blow of some steam. He let Elijah poor out his inner feelings and vent. God was not shocked by Elijah’s pent up emotions. He communicated his frustrations to God. God already knew how he felt. God did not scold him. God was not shocked!
I see six emotions coming out of Elijah.
1.V. 3 he was afraid he was going to be killed
2.V4 He had resentment. “I am fed up with it all”
3.V10 He was anger he had worked hard for nothing.
4.V10 He was lonely and felt despair
5.V. 10 He was worried –and when you add being afraid, resentment, anger, loneliness and worry –it leads to depression.
So God let Elijah spill out all out!!!
GET A FRESH AWARENESS OF GODI KINGS 19:11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
A powerful wind came by and tore the mountains apart and shattered
the rocks –but God was not in the wind
Then came an Earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake
Then a fire came but the Lord was not in the fire
But then a gentle whisper came and when Elijah heard this, he put
his cloak over his face. He knew it was the Lord.
God put on an impressive show of his power in the wind, earthquake, and fire---But he was not speaking to Elijah through any of those. He got his attention through a still small voice.
Even today God usually speaks through a still small voice. If you struggle with Depression, take your Bible and go to a serene, quiet place, and you pray and read your Bible and allow God to speak to you. The Bible says, “Be Still and know that I am God” There is not greater anti-depressant than communion and right fellowship with God.
GET A NEW DIRECTION FOR YOUR LIFE
I KINGS 19:15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram
The quickest way to defeat depression is to quit sitting around in self Pity
Get your eyes off yourself and start looking at the needs of other people. In Matthew 16:25 Jesus said, Lose your life and you will find it: YOU CAN CH ANGE!
The men told the pastor about a man in their community who at one time was strong in the Lord and in the service of the church. They said this man had been in a state of depression for a very long time, and no one seemed to be able to help him rise above it.
The pastor agreed to meet with the man and went to the man’s home to speak with him. He asked the man if he had any idea when this depression began, and the man said that he indeed knew exactly began. He then related the account of when he was serving during World War I. He served on a submarine in the Mediterranean.
The man said that one day during while engaged in battle, there was a sudden thump against the side of the submarine and the vessel shook violently then sank to the bottom of the sea
The Pastor waited for more, but the man had stopped talking. So he asked the man to continue his story and the man said, “But there is no more to tell. Something hit the side of the submarine and it trembled violently then we sank to the bottom of the Mediterranean”.
The pastor asked the man several times to repeat his story, saying that he was anxious to hear the rest. But each time the man ended with the submarine being whacked on the side, trembling violently then sinking to the bottom of the sea.
Finally, The pastor asked, “Then I take it you are still at the bottom of the Mediterranean?” Oh, no! The man replied. I got out of the sub and made my way to the surface where I was rescued by another ship and sent to a hospital in Italy, where I recovered and was sent home.
The Paster replied, until you realize you have been rescued and quit reliving and talking about what happened, you will always be down at the bottom of the sub.
Closing
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed… Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 16-18
