Opening Text:
1 Kings 19:1-15 (NKJV)
Elijah Escapes from Jezebel
19 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” 15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.
In this Series as I have come across many dealing with Depression and seeing more and more people fighting this so-called disease. I thought it would be a Great time to bring the facts of Depression to life. What The Bible says about it, what the Physicians say about it and how God handles it.
“Depression is the common cold of our emotions”
Eventually it touches everyone -- even God's people.
~ Let's first take a look at what the National Institutes of Health say's about Depression.
There are a few Labels for Depression as follows:
1. Persistent Depression Disorder - (Dysthymia)
~ This is when Depression Last at least 2 years
2. Perinatal Depression
~ This is during and or after Delivery (Postpartum) which commonly last about 2 weeks
3. Psychotic Depression
~ When a person has Severe Depression plus Psychosis. Causing Delusions and Hallucinations
4. Seasonal Affective Disorder
~ This usually occurs during winter months when there is less natural sunlight
5. Bipolar Depression
~ When a person with Bipolar experiences Extremely Low Moods, and also a term called “Mania” when they experience Extremely High Moods
~ NIH lists the signs and symptoms as:
Sad, Anxious Empty moods
Feeling Hopeless
Feelings of Guilt, Worthlessness, Helpless
Decrease of Energy, Fatigue
Causes Restlessness, Sleep Difficulties
And Depression can lead to:
THOUGHTS OF DEATH AND SUICIDE!
Now as we look into scripture and look at the story of Elijah, a Iron Man who faced Depression just after a Great Victory of over 450 false Prophets of Baal. We can see many of these Signs of Depression Elijah was facing.
Here are 4 points of Depression Elijah was having
1.Fear (V3) - Elijah, frightened by the threats of Jezebel, runs for his life. Fear is almost always a factor in depression.
2.Failure (V4) - Elijah held a negative opinion about himself. He felt he was no more successful in checking the nation's apostasy than the prophets who had gone before him. It's easy to think: "I'm no good. I'm incompetent. God made a mistake when He made me."
3.Fatigue (V5) - Elijah was emotionally drained and physically exhausted. Mountain we sometimes have to climb can leave us that way. He needed rest and relaxation. Depression is always related to or reflected in our physical condition.
4.Futility (V10) - Elijah said, "I am the only one left and now they are out to get me." He feels alone, hopeless and has negative expectations about the future.
Now that we have opened up and can see depression for what it truly is, let's take a look at a few Scriptures that you can meditate on till Next Weeks Sermon.
Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV)
25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Psalm 147:3 (NKJV)
3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
2 Corinthians 4:8 (NKJV)
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Psalm 50:15 (NKJV)
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Conclusion:
Stressing on our Burdens and letting the Mountains we need to climb be bigger then they really are causes that wear and tear that breaks us down emotionally, Yes Brother's and Sister's WE do it to Ourselves, Romans 8:28 says “that all things work together for good. It doesn't say all thing are good, but they all work together for the good. Meaning during your troubled times. There is light at the end of the tunnel. When we feel our burdens are Bigger then we can deal with, it's probably because they are not for us to deal with, it's for us to bring those burdens to the cross. Reach out to God and trust that he will deliver us.
Thought to Ponder on”
Depression is not actually a Medical or Mental Problem, It's often a “Being Human Problem”
