You Got Issues Pt. 1 Mental Strong Holds Series

Intro: This morning I want to talk to about some issues we are dealing with. This sermon will address the mental strong holds we face and tonight I will talk about the physical limitations we may face

I. Her issue.

Here we have a woman that is suffering from an infirmity for 12 years. This issue is described as an issue of blood, now many scholars have debated on what this issue was many concluding that it was a continual menstrual cycle. I can’t help but not only feel bad for her but for her husband and every one that knew her. I know woman that when that time comes she is no longer sister but the incredible Hulk. So I can imagine this woman having a 12 year long cycle was not the most pleasant woman.

Here she is dealing with this issue and is not getting any better. She has spent everything she has and nothing to show for but empty pockets and a broken heart.

Here she is going to every doctor in town, Chapel Hill could not help Duke Medical is baffled and ran every test they can. She has tried every over the counter medicine, every prescription med and even tried some experimental drugs, but nothing is working. Her HMO has stopped approving her and her doctor has stopped taken her calls. The money is gone and her hope is lost. All she can think of is “oh well this is my lot in life I might as well accept this condition this issue as much a part of me as my blue eyes, that is how I was made, this was how I was created and just who I am”.

But one day she hears about Jesus, and how He is going to be in town, so without hesitation this woman tries to get a front row seat and when it seems like she cannot get to Him to tell about her issue she decides that if I can just touch the hem of his garment I can be made whole. At that moment she bows herself down on her hands and feet crawling under the crowd just to get to the hem of His garment. With all humility reduced to crawl she stretches froth her hand and touches the hem it is at that moment the Bible says that she felt herself being healed she didn’t need to go back to Duke and see if she was well she knew that she was healed of that issue.

II. We are carrying around issues

We got right now in the Church people that are carrying around some issues inside them. Now I am not talking about sickness we will talk about that in the second part of this message. But right now I am talking about those that are carrying around mental and emotional issues. I am talking about the mind games.

These issues have held you in bondage to yourself; it has placed a fear upon you that keeps you from moving forward. Every time you are ready to take a step forward here this issue is keeping you from enjoying life. It has become a reminder of a life you can’t have.

The issue has debilitated you into a lifestyle of defeat. It has drained you of every ounce of faith; your spiritual bank account is depleted. You have ran here and there read every book, watched every TV show you can hoping that it would have the answer, went to revival after revival hoping that the evangelist would call you out.

No one knows about that this inner hurt that you are carrying inside you. Here at church and in public you wear a smile that you got to put on cause if you didn’t you would expose this issue to others.

Satan has placed you on house arrest and has convinced you that there is no escape. Like a lion he stalks you looking for those vulnerable moments to pounce you.

There are days when the enemy comes in like a flood against you.

III. We are convinced that this is life.

It is at those moments when we feel like this is our life and that we must accept it for what it is. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

There are attacks on the mind that will lead us down a path of mental and emotional frustration and instabilities. It is here in the mind where the true battle lies. It is here where we make our decisions and choices for our lives, rather they be good or bad. Satan will invade our thoughts with the intent to wear us down.