Emotional to Devotional: Living Hope Church Sermon 2.

Dr. Jeremy Westbrook

Living Hope Church, Marysville, Ohio

Emotional To Devotional: Depression: “There is Victory in the Valley”

Have you come today to meet with God? We did not come for entertainment. We need to realize church is to meet with God. The one TRUE God. The Holy Spirit is so important. BUT we don’t like talking about the Holy Spirit.

1 Kings 19:1-18:

New Living Translation (NLT)

Elijah Flees to Sinai

19 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai,[a] the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 16 Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi[b] to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. 17 Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

Footnotes:

A.19:8 Hebrew to Horeb, another name for Sinai.

B.19:16 Hebrew descendant of Nimshi; compare 2 Kgs 9:2, 14.

Jonah 4: Jonah struggled. God called him to go somewhere and he couldn’t stand the people. And God spared the town, when the town repented. Jonah battled depression and said Lord, just take me.

“When God opens the windows of Heaven to bless us, the devil will open the windows of hell to blast us.” –Leonard Ravenhill

Disappointments become His appointments when you take the D off, and put an H.

“I of all men, am the subject of depression sometimes.” –Charles Spergeon.

“I am helpless. I am hopeless.” – US.  “I am what you need”- GOD

Your hope is not in a man, in a pastor, in a person, or in a country. It’s in God alone. – Jeremy Westbrook

These emotions were crippling the men of God.

Moses was oppressed over stress.

David was depressed over guilt.

Jonah was depressed over anger.

Romans 12:1-2:

New Living Translation (NLT)

A Living Sacrifice to God

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Footnotes:

12:1a Greek brothers.

12:1b Or This is your spiritual worship; or This is your reasonable service.

Roots of Depression:

1. Focus on feelings, not facts. (vs.3)

“If you’re forgiven, then act like it. If you have been set free, then live like it.” – A. W. Tozer.

You are a new creation in Christ. Focus on the facts, not your feelings.

2. Compare Yourself to another Christian or people. (vs.4)

2 Corinthians 10:2

Quit comparing yourself. Do not look to other people. Measure yourself to the Lord, and not others. We all sin, but HE DOES not. We need to stop trying to live like everyone else and say, “Lord, what do you want from me?”

3. Focus on Falsehood

Acts 16: The Lord opened the heart of Lydia. We cannot implement change in someone that is the Holy Spirit’s business.

4. Maximizing Man & Minimizing God. (vs. 10)

For every mountain top there is a valley. The valley is when you grow and where you know who God is.

(vs.17) I still have 7,000 people who haven’t bowed down yet. God always has someone in supply. God’s plan is perfect. It is Sovereign and He knows what He is doing.

Do not elevate your foe over your faith.

Remedies for Depression:

1.Physical needs (vs.5-7)

“Every Christian needs to have time to come apart. And if you don’t come apart, then you will fall apart.” –Vance Havner

You need to get away sometimes and hear from the Lord.

2.Emotional Needs (vs.9-10)

God doesn’t criticize him or condemn him. Cast all your cares on me. For I care for you. –God.

Elijah vents to God. He expresses being afraid, lonely, worried, guilty, and fear. But he ran to the Lord. He is your help and He is your hope.

3. Spiritual Needs (vs.11)

Elijah needed a fresh touch from the Lord. God took those needs and made them what was best.

Psalm 47:3

If we are truly saved in Christ, we don’t want to sin. We will sin, but repentance will be quick.

4.Directional Needs (vs.15)

Sometimes when you get focused on the kingdom, and God, He will give you a new direction and a new assignment. Moses had a people problem. But Moses had a promise. That God would fight for him. Jonah had a pouting problem, but the Lord gave Him a new perspective.

God’s not dead. HE IS ALIVE.