Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18
Theme: Following Jesus: Caring For One Another - Galatians 6:2
Sermon # 2 - Winning the Battle of Depression
INTRO:
Good morning!
Last week we started our new sermon series called: Caring For God's People, by looking at the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35, and examining how Jesus can help us love one another and assist one another in the area of forgiveness. We looked at what forgiveness means, what it involves, and how you and I can better learn the ministry and grace of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the hallmark of the Christian Faith and as forgiven people we are called to forgive others.
This morning, I would like to draw your attention to another area in which we can also help one another as disciples of Jesus. I would like for us to look this morning at what God's Word says about helping one another in the area of Depression, sometimes called melancholy, sadness or gloominess.
One of the true joys of knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior is to be able to enjoy the Abundant Life. To be able to live a life as a whole new creation. A life that is above the power of sin and is free from the penalty of sin. As Christians we are radically different than those who live in the world and live by the world's principles. Our minds, our hearts and our souls have been delivered, redeemed and are being restored into the image of Jesus Christ.
This is something that we need to better understand and praise God. This morning, if you have allowed Jesus to save you, to redeem you, then the Bible says that you are a whole new creation. You are no longer like the world. You have been transformed by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Your mind is being right now renewed and rewired through God's Holy Word and prayer. Your goals, your priorities and how you want to live are being each day brought into alignment with God's plan and desire for your life.
Paul reminds us that once we were like a caterpillar living in sin (Romans 6). But through Jesus we are now a new creation - we are like a butterfly - we have been transformed. And we must learn how to live this new life, or else we will only be sanctified worms when we can be transformed into the very image of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
Another joy is being able to help one another in Christ. We all know that the Christian Life is both individual and communal in nature and essence. Each of us are called by the Lord as individuals to follow Him and receive His redemption, renewal and restoration. Likewise, each of us are called to be an integral part of the communal Body of Christ, called the Church, locally and globally.
We all know that the LORD guides us in our individual walks with Him. However, we also must understand that God does not work with us in a vacuum. It is not God's intention that we experience simply a one-on-one relationship with Him. We are to be Christ followers in community. In Christ we are called to be the Body of Christ. Our Lord calls us to be a part of one another in what the Bible wonderfully calls "Koinonia".
For example, when God called His People out of Egypt to experience freedom it was not just an individual call. Moses was called to go and free God's People. They were not a gathering of individuals who happened to be leaving Egypt at the same time. They were God's Community. They were to love the LORD with all their heart, soul, and strength not just as individuals but as a community. In Acts 2 we read about the Spirit of the LORD falling upon the 120 with the idea of the tongues of fire being both individual and communal. Acts 4:32-33 gives us a perfect picture of this communal nature God is seeking for all of us -
"Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostle's gave their testimony to the resurrection." (RSV).
Jesus died for us to experience oneness with Him and oneness with one another. And one of the ways that we can experience that oneness is to do what Paul shares in Galatians 6:2 - "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (ESV).
This morning we want to look at how we can help others during a time of depression, sadness and gloominess. We do this because of this heart wrenching reality: Depression is one of the most prevalent and serious mental illnesses in the United States. Depression is so common that it has been called the common cold of emotion illness and appears to be rising in frequency. Leading doctors tell us that almost 20% of the United States population will at some time be affected by a time of depression that will be debilitating. This is more than just being sad for a few moments. This is having to deal with a sadness, a melancholy and an overwhelming feeling of despair that lasts for days, weeks and even years. That 20% represents over 64 million people in our country. More Americans will suffer from depression than coronary heart disease and cancer combined.
To bring the problem of depression even more closer to home, currently, our state of Tennessee is in the top five states in the nation in percentage of people dealing with some type of depression. We are in the top five states of people having to battle with some type of depression. Back in 2010, our home state of Tennessee took the top honor in having the highest percentage of its citizens dealing with depression.
If the stats are solid and they are it also means that over 1,600 people in our immediate area will suffer from a time of depression sometime in their lives and each year almost 500 people will be suffering from depression. 500 of our family, our friends and our neighbors. 500 people that we can reach out and help each year. 500 families that can be help by the members of our church. That is quite an opportunity for us as a church!
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, this year over 19 million people in our country will experience some form of depression that will adversely affect their lives, their relationships and their health. According to a recent study1 depression related illnesses cost our nation more than 210 billion dollars annually in simple medical and disability cost alone. Over 400 million labor hours were lost last year due to depression related illnesses. And depression is now the leading cause of disability in people aged 15 - 44 and is rising fastest among those who are 50 years and older.
Think about that just for a second. 64 million people in their lifetime will be affected greatly by experiencing a time of depression. 19 million each year will have to battle a period of depression. Those numbers are staggering and in each of those numbers is a precious human being. A human being that our Jesus wants to set free. A precious human being that needs assistance and one that Jesus calls upon us as the Body of Christ to help through the power of the Holy Spirit.
19 million people that we can help with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 19 million people that are both inside and outside the Church. Because we need to understand that depression is not just something that just happens to those outside the doors of the Church. Depression hits both the saved and the unsaved. In our passage this morning, we find the story of one of the greatest men of faith dealing with depression. We find a man that was able to pull fire down from heaven having to deal with a severe period of depression.
Before we look at his story and how God worked with Elijah let's get just a little more backfill on the subject of Depression:
Exactly, what is Depression?2
Depression can be just a simple time of the "blues" or it can be a very serious disorder. It can range from enduring a brief period of sadness to having to deal with experiencing suicidal thoughts. Depression can include both emotional pain and physical pain. Depression can lead to periods of confusion, where your mind seems to exist in a fog. Depression can even lead to mental, social and physical paralysis. People can become prisoners in their own homes as they are too afraid to venture out into the world.
Again, depression hits all people, male and female, Christian and non-Christian. Both Psalm 6 and 13 in our Bibles were written by people who were suffering from a time of deep depression. Listen to some of their words:
“my bones are in agony, my soul is in anguish, I am worn out from groaning, I flood my bed with weeping, my eyes grow weak with sorrow. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart. Give light to my eyes or I will sleep in death.”
Psalms 42 and 43 also echo similar words as each writer struggles with the same question -
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me"
Exactly, who get's depressed?
Some well meaning, but badly informed ministers and teachers have taught that only those in sin suffer from depression. That if you are in Christ, then that means that you are depression proof. They have mistakenly taught that depression only happens to those who are weak in mind and spirit. However, we need to fully understand that none of that is true. Christians and non-Christians, children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly get depressed. As we stated before 64 million people will at some time deal with a time of depression. Experts now feel that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading health problem all over our world.
Again, remember that over 1,600 people in our local area will need our help and each year around 500 people will need our help. Think about that, 500 people who have brothers, sisters and other family members.
Can the Blues really be that serious?
The stats simply do not lie. Over 41,000 people in our country who are suffering from depression people this year will successfully commit suicide. That is one person very thirteen minutes. As many as 250 thousand will attempt suicide but thankfully are unsuccessful. Depression can devastate people's lives. Depression has caused people to lose their jobs. It has caused families and marriages to fall apart. Depression has caused some people to become prisoners in their own homes. They are just too depressed to even get out of the house.
Depression has caused students to give up and drop out of high school and college. Depression has caused people to turn to alcohol, sex and other drugs as a fix. Many have turned to those things as they have attempted to self-medicate their depression.
What are some of the causes of Depression?
There are various possible causes of depression. There are too many to share this morning, but here are just a few:
+ Some people are genetically predisposed to periods of depression. These individuals suffer from chemical imbalances in the brain that bring on depression. It is a part of their DNA package.
+ Certain medications and physical illness can create periods of depression. For example, the medications that are normally given for the treatment of hypothyroidism (hahy-puh-thahy-roi-diz-uh m], migraines, heart disease, diabetes, fibromyalgia and others can lead to periods of depression.
+Certain physical factors can cause periods of depression like continued loss of sleep, lack of regular exercise and even poor diet habits. All of these can lead to a person having periods of depression.
+Stress and anxiety can lead to a period of depression
+Satanic attack, God sent trials, sin and even what the ancients called the "Dark Night of the Soul" can result in times of depression.
+It is not uncommon for a person to have to deal with a period of depression after a trauma, loss, rejection, or a major adjustment in their life.
+Still other facts can include such things as burnout, failure, negative thinking patterns, loneliness, unresolved anger and grief, guilt and unforgiveness.
As you can see there are many things that can cause a person to suffer from a period of depression.
What are some of the overall symptoms?
There are, generally speaking, four different kinds of depression.
1. Depressed Mood. This is a short-lived emotional state of “feeling down” or “blue” and it is generally a feeling that comes and goes. You lose energy, mull over a loss or a problem, and find less enjoyment in life. As you process the loss or resolve the problem you come out of it. It may even pass when the weather improves.
2. Dysthymic Disorder. This is a “low grade” depressed mood state that is experienced on a regular basis for two years or longer (one year for children and adolescents).
3. Major Depression. This is what you would call a clinical diagnosed depression illness. Your physiology, thinking, and emotional state are greatly disturbed. This type of depression is disabling and interferes with your ability to function and think normally. It can be experienced at one time in your life or at repeated intervals. It can go on for months or for years, if untreated and can damage your ability to be healthy and have healthy relationships.
4. Fourthly there is Bipolar Disorder - This type of depression is severe and must be handled by qualified Christian medical professionals.
So, what can we do to help others who are suffering from Depression?
What can we do to help the over 1,600 people that live around us and the almost 500 people and their families each year?
The truth is we can do a great deal. This is perhaps the most exciting thing about looking at Depression is knowing that the Bible helps us to know how to help others who are dealing with this illness. We do not have to despair or leave them alone. We can as family members, as friends and most importantly as disciples of Jesus help them through these times.
This evening, we will go a little deeper into the subject and some of the ways we can help along with passing out some help sheets.
But real quickly, this morning, let's look at what God did for Elijah and by doing so we can pick up on some ways we can help ourselves and others during these periods of depression.
1. The very first thing God did was to listen to Elijah - v 4
God simply gave Elijah permission to share from his heart. God did not condemn Elijah. God did not throw thunder and lightning at Elijah. Our Lord did not ridicule Elijah or blame him. God did not tell him to buck it up or simply just get over it. What God did was what we must do - God simply listen to Elijah's heart. He took the time to listen to Elijah's sorrow, his grief and his concerns.
One of the greatest gifts God has given to all of us is our two ears, our hearing. If we allow God to help us, listening can be one of the greatest healing and evangelistic tools we can ever possess and exercise. There is healing when we allow people to share their hurts without judging or without attempting to fix them or telling them that they are really not depressed. If you are depressed you don't need to have someone tell you that you are not depressed. It just makes you more depressed.
The first key you and I can do is just have a caring and listening heart.
2. Secondly, God began some different therapies including cognitive-behavior therapy . We see God implementing this type of therapy in verses 5 - 6
Elijah needed some outside help and so, God sent him some helpers in the form of angels. Today, we would call them professional and lay counselors or medical doctors. God sent Elijah some angels that immediately went into action.
+They allowed Elijah to get some much needed sleep. No doubt this time of sleep was supernaturally enhanced. More than likely Elijah had been suffering from insomnia and the angels brought some heavenly sleep. At times we all need to just take a "TIME OUT" and rest.
+They gave Elijah some heavenly food - today we could call that medicine.
There are times that listening alone will not be enough. There are times that people need medicine in the form of:
+A healthier diet. After all, you are what you eat. If you remember when we studied the Daniel Plan we all came to understand that our diet(s) can affect our emotions. So, the healthier you eat the healthier you are emotionally and spiritually. You can help your depression and help others during a period of depression by eating better.
+In the form of prescription medicine - medicines that assist a person's dopamine or serotonin levels or that help balance their hormonal levels. Medicine that might include anti-depressants and mood stabilizers.
Taking medicine does not mean that you are broken and unfixable or that you lack faith in God healing you. God gave mankind both the knowledge and the wisdom to use medicines to help our bodies and mind heal. Medicines are God's gift to all of us. Just like counselors and doctors.
God gave us honey for healing, wine for healing and herbs for healing. God specifically told Adam and Noah that the trees and the plants were given to us for food and for healing. The Prophet Isaiah used a fig poultice treatment to bring healing to Hezekiah. Elisha uses salt to heal the waters so the people could drink. All of those items are examples of ancient medicines that God provided for His people.
We should never think poorly of ourselves or others when it comes to medicine. Saying that, however, we do need to be informed concerning all the side effects, but after careful consultation with God and with our medical doctors we should feel free to take medicine much like Elijah felt free to eat angel food. For all we know those biscuits were laced with some kind of heavenly Prozac or Zoloft.
+And the angels began counseling with Elijah. We only have a few of the words that Elijah left behind but I can image that during this time there were quite a number of angelic counseling sessions. They directed him and planned out his day - Arise and eat. Go back to sleep. Arise and eat and get ready to do some exercising. He was already into therapy.
I think we can safely read between the lines in this passage and see where these angels brought more than mere sleep and food. Like any good counselors, they would have worked with Elijah, getting his emotions back in order and helping him begin to see things in a different light. They were helping him with their own type of cognitive behavioral therapy.
Elijah had suffered a great deal and had sought to commit suicide. He needed some counseling and God sent his best angels to help him.
Like medicine there is nothing wrong with us going to counseling or listening to counseling. You and I were created to need one another. We need the advise and help of those who are train in special areas.
Years ago Beth Moore wrote an excellent little book called - GET OUT OF THAT PIT. It has some great advice and it allows you to know that at times all of us need a helping hand out of certain pits. Depression is one of those pits. More often than not - our pits of depression have slick walls that keep us prisoners. We need strong hands and hearts and people willing to do all they can to pray for us, love us and encourage us to help us get out of our times of depression.
Don't ever look down on people who need counseling or those that go to counseling. In my book they are the smartest people because they are going to find wholeness and healing.
+God put Elijah on an exercise regiment - God sent him on a 40 day walk. God sent him to go and climb a mountain - Mt. Horeb.
The University of Toronto has compiled and analyzed over 26 years’ worth of scientific research in which they concluded that even moderate levels of physical activity—like walking for 20-30 minutes a day—can assist and even ward of periods of depression. Before the University of Toronto did their study, God sent Elijah on a 40 day hike.
It's approx. 220 miles from the Mt. Carmel area to Mt. Horeb. Over a 40 day time period that's a little over 6 miles a day allowing Elijah to celebrate Sabbath. God was allowing Elijah to get back into shape. Exercise is not always a fun thing to do, but walking and moving about will help us physically, emotionally and spiritually. And I don't think Elijah went alone, I think those angels walked along side of him over that 40 days continuing their counseling sessions.
It would be amazing I think to have listened to their conversations and their prayer times. More than food, rest and medicine, Elijah needed some healing time with the LORD. I can't help but think that during this whole time he was being prayed over, protected and taught some new ways to handling stress and life.
After all that is what we would do. And can we really think that God would do any less?
3. Thirdly, God gave Elijah a new task and some new helpers - verses 9 - 16
To help Elijah, God invited the prophet to see Him and experience Him in a whole new way, a way that was quieter and more relaxed. Before, Elijah had seen God as a great fire, surrounded by lightning and thunder. But now, God revealed more of His Nature - a quieter and more relaxed part of His nature. He also gave Elijah an assistant, a man who was very different than Elijah, a man by the name of Elisha.
Whereas Elijah was a man of the wilderness, Elisha was a farmer. Elisha was more gentle and more relaxed than Elijah. He was more patient and understood the seasons of life. He would help Elijah start a prophet school so that there would be many who would be able to share God's messages. Elijah would no longer feel like he was alone.
When we are broken, God has this amazing way of putting us back together again in ways that we can do more than ever before. Perhaps, we have to have some help, but Elijah was greater in his final days than he was even on Mt. Carmel. At times he still was rough and ready, but, over time God molded him to be a man so holy that the only thing God could do was to bring Elijah home early via a fiery chariot ride.
Not bad for a man who was so depressed that he wanted to commit suicide. Today, many people would have cast Elijah aside. They would have seen the old prophet as being too broken, too much in need of help and assistance. Once burned out, once depressed, once broken always broken, depressed and burned out.
But aren't you glad this morning, God has other plans. He had other plans for Elijah, for you and me and He has other plans for those that need our help this morning. He has other plans, great plans for those suffering from depression.
Our world is full of whiner and winners. It is full of people who only want to be served. Thankfully, it is also full of people who have been touched by Jesus and want to pick up a towel and serve others. It is full of people who when called, pick up their cross and follow Jesus. It is full of people who seek to do all they can to help someone else. And that at times means people who are depressed.
This morning, many of you know someone who is among that 64 million. Some of you know people that are a part of that 19 million each year that suffer from depression.
What are you going to do? What will you do?
Can the LORD ask you to join Him and be an angel in someone else's life? Will you allow the LORD to use you to help someone else out of a pit of despair and depression?
The World needs us more than ever. This is not the time for us to sit on the side lines of life watching them go by. It is not the time for us to worry about someone serving us. It is the time for us to reach out and help someone.
It is the time that we reach out and help someone and receive help ourselves.
Depression in some degree or other hits everyone. For some it only lasts a day or two. For others it lasts for a week or two. For still others in becomes a constant companion and brings loneliness, hurt and grief.
This morning, God invites us to help others -
+To listen +To provide nourishment
+To provide therapy +To provide prayer cover
+To provide a helping hand +To pick up a towel and serve
As we close - this morning our call is two-fold:
+If you are dealing with depression - we would like for you to allow us to come beside you and help you. We would invite you to allow us to pray alongside of you and support you. As the music is played today - if you would like to be anointed or prayed for - I would invite you to come down and allow the Church to love you, stand beside you and help you.
+If you know of someone dealing with depression - we would invite you to come forward to pray for that person right now and being asking God how you can help them. How you can be an angel, a messenger of healing and grace. A messenger of new revelation and encouragement.
1 http://www.cnbc.com/2015/02/25/depression-taking-a-bigger-economic-toll-on-us.html
2Two excellent sources that helped me in this sermon were Caring for People God's Way by Tim Clinton, Archibald Hart and George Ohlschlager
and an internet article by Ingrid Lawrenz, MSW (http://www.justbetweenus.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=98617)
