Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

Get Rid Of Your Old Self, Be An Imitator of God

Pastor Roger Feenstra

Take your Bible and turn please to the book of Ephesians, chapter 5. This afternoon we are continuing our study through the book of Ephesians. Like all of the books in the Bible, Ephesians was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That means that every word found in it is God breathed. Although God used human authors, in this case the Apostle Paul, God directed them in their writing in order to convey his truth to people throughout the centuries, including us in the year 2009.

Recently, we have been through some trying times in our church. Many families have grieved over the loss of loved ones: Loved ones who are now safely at home with the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, it is extremely difficult for those left here on earth -- that's why I find so much comfort in God's Word: Because it is the "power of salvation to everyone who believes." It brings comfort to us in our time of need like nothing else can do. God's Word points the way to eternal life through belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And as God's word comforts us and points us to Jesus Christ, it also gives us instruction on how to live our lives while we remain on this earth. This instruction that we receive is not a list of do's and don'ts in the sense that we receive a slap on the wrist when we do something wrong. Rather God's Word instructs us on how to live our lives in a way that will glorify God and live a more peaceful life here.

And this is what our passage today is about. Follow along with me as I read verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5.

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Paul begins this section of his letter with the word, "Therefore." Now, I want to give you an important tip on how to read God's Word. That is, whenever you read the word "therefore" you need to go back and discover what it is “there for." In other words, what is the context[1] that Paul is referring to as he begins this chapter?

To find out we need to go back to chapter 4, verse 22. Let's review what we read a couple of weeks ago.

In chapter 4 verse 22 we read that as Christians we are "put off your old self." In other words, God is instructing us on how to live as Christians and it's as if He is asking you;

Do you want to live a fulfilling Christian life?
Do you want to walk with God and glorify Him?

Then, put off your old self: Stop acting the way you did before you became a believer in Jesus Christ.

And he lists a number of signs of our old life:

1. Lying (Verse 25): The first sign of the old life is that we were once liars. We simply didn't tell the truth. The truth was not important to us. What was important was getting ahead in our own lives -- not caring about others, and saying anything we could in order to get over on someone else. And Paul tells us here, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we are to "put away falsehood." What is meant here is the idea of "immoral deception." To be immoral[2] means to be "not moral" or "wicked". So Paul is talking about "wicked lying" here in this passage. Immoral deception is used in a way to manipulate someone else: To try and gain power over them.

It's always a good thing to not be immorally deceptive in our lives, however, when Paul tells us to "Put away falsehood" in this passage, he is specifically talking about how we act when we come to church and are around other believers. Why would it matter if a believer comes to church and is deceptive to the other believers there? I mean if you come to church and say to everyone, "Yes I'm really walking with the Lord, I'm serving Him and living for Him," But in reality you're living your life just the opposite, why would it matter? Well, as always, the Bible helps us understand why it matters.

Notice what the passage says at the end of chapter 4, verse 25

"For we are members one of another."

What's he talking about here? What does he mean "members one of another."? To find out we need to turn back a couple of books to the book of 1st Corinthians 12. In 1st Corinthians 12 Paul tells us what it means to be "members one of another", and he calls it, being part of the "body of Christ" or the church. So when we read that we are all "members one of another", he means we are part of the church and the Bible calls the church, "the body of Christ." Look at what it says beginning with verse 14:

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Therefore, back in Ephesians 4:25, Paul is letting us know that we need to stop lying, because when we do lie we hurt everyone around us. Coming to church is a place where we are to build each other up in order that we all might go from here proclaiming to others outside of the church what Jesus Christ has done for our lives. We learned in our Thursday night Bible Study that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are "Priests". That's right, God actually says that all believers in Jesus are not just "members" of the body of Christ, but we are a "Royal Priesthood." Why would God call you a Priest? First of all he is not talking about a priest like we think of a priest today. He is not referring to a catholic priest, he is referring to an Old Testament priest. Well, one of the duties of a Priest in the Old Testament was to proclaim the righteousness of God. And so, today we as believers are Priests who are to do the same.

The Apostle Peter said it this way;

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9

Therefore, when we lie to each other in church, it is impossible for us to proclaim the excellencies of what Jesus did for us when we are outside of the church.

Lying, falsehood – this is a sign of "Old self" and Paul says stop doing it!

The second sign of our old life before becoming a believer in Jesus is found in verse 26:

2. Anger that leads to sin (Verse 26): It's best to not get angry, but we all know that anger sometimes churns away inside of us. But Paul gives a solution to not allowing anger to become sin. He says,

"do not let the sun go down on your anger."

Why? Well, there are various reasons for not going to bed angry.

But it's best to deal with your anger during the day - it's during the day there are many opportunities to get rid of your anger. It's during the day that you can talk to those who have angered you and forgive them. It's during the day that you can make peace. But at night, when left alone, your anger, like a fire, will smolder all night long until you wake up in the morning and the sparks kindle and ignite into a full flame again.

Paul says that when you allow your anger to go into the night, it is then that you give the devil an opportunity to work in your life.

We've most likely all experienced going to bed angry. You lie there staring at the ceiling thinking about all the bad things that happened and your anger intensifies. You keep thinking about what you will do or say tomorrow and finally drift off into a fitful sleep only to wake up angry and upset.

And especially if you are at war with someone else who is a believer in Christ. Maybe it's even your spouse or a family member. It is then that the devil delights in knowing that he is controlling you and that you are not being led by the Holy Spirit.

When we let our anger go unresolved, God tells us that we are inviting disaster into our lives. And Satan will use it to beat us down and destroy us.

So the key is to resolve your anger before you go to bed. One of the best ways to do it is to simply pray to God, "God please take this situation and handle it for me. I'm very angry, but I am going to give it to you to handle." And God promises that He will. When you get to the point where you realize that God can handle your problems and you can't, it is then that God really begins to work in your life. Give your anger over to Jesus and rest assured that He will take care of it for you.

Unresolved, sinful anger is the second sign of the "Old self."

The third sign of the old self before we became a believer in Christ is found in verse 28:

3. Stop stealing (Verse 28): How do people steal? In many ways. Some people steal things outright (like the person who broke into my car and Bryce's car and stole our possessions). Some people steal time, by not making the most of every opportunity to live their lives for Christ -- they waste precious time in meaningless endeavors in their lives. Some steal from their employers by not working hard and stealing time, but getting paid for it. Some people steal from the government by trying to get all the financial assistance they can possibly get when, in fact, they can work with their own hands. And some people steal from the church by not providing financial assistance to others who are in need.

And that is the point of this verse. God is telling us to not be idle, to work, earn money, so that we can share with those who are in need.

The Bible tells us we are to stay clear of idle people -- people who steal. Listen to these words:

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12.

What a blessing it is to earn a paycheck and to be able to help those in need. This is why we give to the church, in order to help those who are in need. The church is to help those who are in need. And this is the point that Paul is making here in Ephesians, work, earn money so that you may be able to "share with anyone in need." Deliberately not working is stealing -- that's what we did in our old self, not our new life in Christ.

I have had people say to me, why should I work when I can get unemployment and make more money than if I was working? Well, my answer has several reasons:

1. If you can work and you're collecting unemployment and NOT aggressively looking for a job, then God calls you an idle person and you are stealing from the government.

2. It is a lie to think that you make more money on unemployment. The check you receive might look good when you get it, but it leads to nowhere. There is no chance of bettering yourself; there is no chance of earning more money, there is no chance of moving up in your job so that you can earn benefits that will help you and your family.

3. The longer you collect unemployment, the less desirable you become to future employers. Why? Because they will look at your work history and wonder, "What has this guy been doing for the past six months?"

4. The longer you sit idle and steal time and money, the easier it becomes.

No, there are more ways to steal than just doing it outright. And that was our "Old self".

The fourth sign of our old life is found in verse 29:

5. Stop saying bad things about each other (Verse 29): We'll talk more about this next week, but the point is this, say nice things to each other. Learn to compliment others. In our old self we spoke evil of others - trying to make ourselves look good. God tells us stop doing that; you have a new life now. Use your words carefully to build each other up.

In chapter 4, verse 30 we read that when we are believers in Jesus Christ and we live our life like we did before we became believers, in other words, when we lie, get angry and sin, allow the devil to control us, steal, and speak evil of others, we do something very terrible:

We grieve the Holy Spirit. Do you know that you can only grieve someone who loves you? If you say something wrong to someone you don't know, or you lie to someone who is a stranger, it is wrong, but the person is not grieved by it. On the other hand, if you lie to me, or steal from me or talk evil of me and you are my friend, then I am greatly grieved by your actions. Why, because I love you.

And that is the point Paul is making here. God loves you so much that he sent His son Jesus to die for your sins. When you became a believer, Jesus thought so much of you that he sent His Spirit to live within you -- to guide you, to help you, to comfort you. He loves you and when you give in to the "old self" He is grieved. To grieve is to "cause great distress." It means heaviness or a great burden. And when we live our lives in the "old self" we literally cause God to grieve.

So Paul sums up our old life in chapter 4:31 by saying, Listen, get rid of all that “Old” baggage:

• Bitterness
• wrath
• anger
• clamor and slander
• malice

Work at being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving, just as God in Christ forgave you.

And now in Chapter 5 verse 1 Paul writes "Therefore" because of that, because you are no longer living in your old self, "be imitators of God."

What does it mean to be imitators of God?

As you may remember, the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. When Paul wrote this letter to the people who were in the church in Ephesus, he wrote it in Greek. And the Greek word he used for the word imitator was, Mim-ay-tace, it almost sounds like the word "mimic", and that is close to what the word means. One Bible commentator[3] says that it means to "Imitate God as children do their beloved parents, and remember that you stand in the relation of beloved children to Him."

We all know that one of the major ways children learn is by imitating their parents or whoever is influencing their lives. Children, from a very early age will copy their parents in whatever they see them do. That is why it is such a privilege to have children. You are the one impacting their lives. And that is why broken families can be so devastating – many of you live in agony because your son or daughter is being influenced by someone who may not share the same moral values that you share. And as a church family, we need to pray for those families that have been torn apart by selfishness, greed and power moves. In many ways, how you act now will determine what your son or daughter will be like when they grow up.

I've told this story before, but I'm sure that one of the reasons my daughters pray today is because when they were younger, they saw their mom praying everyday in the morning before they went to school. Every morning they knew where they would find their mom, in the living room, praying. And Carol still does that today -- she prays not only for her own family, but for you as well.

And our girls learned to pray by watching the example of their mom. When they faced trials and troubles at school, they handled it better because they knew that they were being prayed for.

Children will copy whatever they see their parents do, whatever they hear, both good words and bad. And, they even copy the very tempers of their parents.

And this is why God tells us in His word to "Imitate” Him. Notice that verse two gives us the one of the greatest points of imitation that we can strive for: Love.

Paul says we are to "Walk in love." And here, in verse 2, he is talking about sacrificial love. A love that is so strong that even when you don't feel like loving someone, you do it. He compares it to the love Christ had for us by dying on the cross --going to his death so that you and I might have eternal life.

Jesus Christ was both God and man. As a man it was painful to go to his death. He was tortured and beaten, whipped and scourged, spit upon and laughed at. And as God, he could have at any moment, wiped his tormentors off the face of the earth. But in love, he willingly gave his life up so that, as a sacrifice, you and I might have eternal life if we believe in him.

And that is why it is so important to give up our "Old self." "Put off the Old self", give it up, walk away from it, drop out of it -- and become an imitator of God, exhibiting true love to those around you in the church and outside of the church among your own family and friends.

Next week we are going to look at the things that hinder us from imitating God -- the roadblocks that stand in our way.

But this week I want to encourage you to focus on putting off your old self. Burn those bridges behind you and never try to cross them again. Ask God to help you this week as you strive, in love, to be an imitator of Him. He promises to help you if you walk with Him and set your heart toward Him.

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[1] Context means, the group of words or paragraphs that surround the word in which you are studying.
[2] To be moral means to do what is right. A moral person knows right from wrong and does what is right.
[3] Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible. Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

When You Feel Depressed: 1 Kings 18:41 - 19:18

There are three types of Christian experiences, according to Vance Havner, a well-known Southern Baptist pastor.

1. Mountaintop days:  Everything is going well and the world looks bright.  These experiences are temporary: They can't go on forever.  It is unrealistic to expect, as many people do, that we can spend life leaping from one mountain peak to another as if there were no plains or valleys in between.

2. Ordinary days:  Working at our usual tasks.  We're neither elated or depressed.

3. Dark days: We trudge heavily through confusion, doubt, despair, and discouragement.  Sometimes these days string out into months or even years before we begin to experience a sense of relief and victory.  When they persist, dark days are days of depression.

Discouragement, depression, despair and doubt all seem to go hand in hand.  Being discouraged is a natural emotion that everyone faces from time to time.  Jesus himself suffered from a time of discouragement or depression.  In Mark 14:33, Jesus was about to be handed over to the authorities to be crucified.  Going up the a place called Gethsemane to pray, the Bible tells us that he "began to be greatly distressed and troubled."  The word "troubled" in the Greek means to be "Full of heaviness." 

Have you ever felt full of heaviness?  You're not alone.  The prophet Elijah struggled immensely with a time of discouragement and depression.  Yet in our passage we find the answer to getting through and overcoming this emotion in our own lives.

BACKGROUND

Elijah had just completed a stunning victory on Mt. Carmel.  He had challenged King Ahab and his 450 prophets of Baal to a contest in order to discover whose God was the One True God (1 Kings 18:24.)  After an entire day of the prophets of Baal crying out to their god to no avail, it was Elijah's turn.  With one simple prayer, Jehovah blasted the altar with fire that consumed everything in its path (1 Kings 18:38.)  In addition, Elijah had the people take the prophets of Baal down the mountain where they were killed for leading the people away from God and for making human sacrifices of innocent people (Jeremiah 7:31; 19:4-6.)

THE SOUND OF RUSHING RAIN (1 Kings 18:41-46)

Drought had persisted in Israel for three and a half years.  Now it was time for the drought to end.  Elijah first prophesied to King Ahab that rain would not fall on the land "Except by my word."  Not until Elijah prayed to the True God of heaven would the land get its first drink.

The rain was coming and it was going to be torrential.  Elijah told Ahab to get some food and drink, because the drought was over.  There was probably no doubt in King Ahab's mind that Elijah meant what he said.  Ahab had just witnessed a miracle that proved Elijah was speaking for Jehovah.  After such a long drought, Ahab could finally relax and enjoy a meal, knowing that the land would be saved.

While King Ahab enjoyed his meal, Elijah traveled back to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray to God that he would send rain on the land.  It is here that we get our first indication that Elijah was running out of spiritual and physical steam.

Earlier that day, Elijah had made the trek to the top of Mt. Carmel (elevation 1,792 ft.)  He had challenged the prophets of Baal, waited for them to summon their false god, built his own altar, watched Jehovah perform a miracle, traveled down the mountain for the execution of the prophets of Baal, and climbed back up to the top of the mountain to pray to God for rain.  It had been a long, trying, and emotionally draining day.

Verse 42 says when he reached the top of the mountain he "cast himself down and put his face between his knees."  We can just picture a man, exhausted, yet compelled to finish his task. It’s like a picture of a man standing watch, keeping a lookout, not leaving his post. The prophet Habakkuk said, "I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me..." (2:1).
We're not told the exact words of Elijah's prayer (although we know he prayed specifically for rain, James 5:18), but he prayed it at least eight times.  Each time his servant would run to a little ridge on the mountain and look toward the sea for any sign of rain.  The final time Elijah's servant reported back that there was a "little cloud like a man's hand...rising from the sea" and Elijah knew that was it; That little cloud would form into giant cumulonimbus clouds that would drench the land with life giving water.
Elijah gave Ahab fair warning that the rain was coming so he could get his chariots back to the city (about 10 miles away) before the roads became clogged with mud and debris.

Exhausted as Elijah was, God gave him supernatural power to run ahead of Ahab to the city of Jezreel where Elijah arrived first (1 Kings 18:46).

THE DEATH THREAT (1 Kings 19:1-2)

There is no doubt that Ahab was excited to tell Jezebel what had happened on Mt. Carmel.  You should have been there!, might have been the first words out of his mouth.  In relating his story to Jezebel it is important to note that Ahab never said, "You should have seen what Jehovah did!"  Rather, he told her "all that Elijah had done...” After hearing the story of what had happened, instead of Jezebel believing in Jehovah, she sent out a death threat to Elijah.

ELIJAH LOSES HEART (1 Kings 19:3-4)

God had just performed some of the most amazing miracles through Elijah.

• Fed him by sending ravens twice a day with food (1 Kings 17:4,6)

• Provided an unending supply of food for a widow and her son (1 Kings 17:14)

• Raised the widow's son from death (1 Kings 17:22)

• Challenged the prophets of Baal and won (1 Kings 18:39,40)

• Prayer was answered for rain (1 Kings 18:45)

• Ran 10 miles, beating a chariot (1 Kings 18:46)

Yet even with all of these acts of God, Elijah became dreadfully afraid of Jezebel because of her death threat.  And he "Ran for his life!"  His faith suddenly failed him!  He ran to Beersheba (and then, after leaving his servant, went a day's journey farther into the wilderness), which is just about as far south in Israel as he could go.

DARK DAYS OF DESPAIR (1 Kings19:4-5)

It was over.  Elijah had gone as far as he possibly could go.  He could run no further (or so he thought).  He felt there was no use for his life.  What good had it all been?  God performed all those miracles, but now Jezebel was going to kill him.  Is that all life is; you do good things an then you die?  Elijah could do no more -- he quit. He "sat down...and asked that he might die."

Elijah did two things that are classic signs of deep depression.  First, he was ready to die (vs. 4), and second, he fell asleep (vs. 5).  But God wasn't finished with Elijah.

CAKE THAT HEALS (1 Kings 19:5-8)

Elijah needed sleep.  He also needed food.  He had been on the run.  Barely getting any sleep or food.  God knew that he needed both and as he slept God prepared a wonderful meal for Elijah. A fresh cake was baking on hot stones right near his head and a cool jar of water was next to it.  An angel awakened Elijah and he ate the cake and drank the water.  Then he fell back to sleep.  After sleeping for a while the angel awakened him again and told him to eat more because his journey was not over.  He was now to travel 200 miles in forty days and forty nights to Mt. Horeb (Sinai), where God had given the Ten Commandments (the Law) to Moses -- There was still more for him to do!

A NEW JOURNEY (1 Kings 19:8-10)

God met Elijah at a cave on Mt. Horeb and asked him a simple question, "What are you doing here?"  Elijah began to spew out his own self-righteousness to God.  He turned all of the attention on himself:

• "I have been very jealous for the Lord."

• "I, even I only, am the only prophet left."

• "They want to take my life."

He was proclaiming to God that he was the only faithful one left in the land.  He was saying, "Why do I have to suffer?  I've done everything right?  I'm the only believer in the land and yet I'm being pursued to be killed?  Why ME?

ELIJAH IGNORES GOD (1 Kings 19:11-13)

After Elijah vented, God told him to "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD."  But Elijah stayed in the cave; he was too depressed and discouraged to listen to God's commands. [When we fail to listen to God it is because of our own self-centeredness] Elijah was putting all the focus on himself; it was a Woe is me mentality.  When he focused on himself he fell into depression.  When Elijah's attitude changed from God centered to self-centered, his usefulness as a servant suffered.
God passed by the cave and as he did he was followed by a great wind, and an earthquake and fire.  Still, Elijah remained inside the cave.  Finally, there was the sound of a faint whisper -- it got Elijah's attention.  It was the quiet graciousness of God that attracted Elijah and drew him out of the cave.  It’s when the Lord speaks to us through his Spirit and we listen, that we can be set free from the bondage that oppresses us.  God’s Spirit gives us freedom.  It was God’s gentle Spirit that drew him out of the cave.  The apostle Paul said, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

God was showing him that just as he could not be coerced out of the cave by miraculous signs, neither would the nation of Israel be compelled to turn from their sins because of miraculous signs.

NO TIME FOR A PITY PARTY (1 Kings 19:14-18)

God didn't stand around arguing with Elijah about his problems.  Rather, God gave him another job to do:

1.  Go back and anoint Hazael to be King over Syria.
2.  Go back and anoint Jehu to be King over Israel.
3.  Go back and anoint Elisha to take your place as a prophet.

Then God gives Elijah the punch line.  Elijah had constantly been saying that he was the only one who was a true believer.  He said it in 1 Kings 18:22 and he said it again to God in 1 Kings 19:10 and again in 1 Kings 19:14.  But God said to Elijah, Oh, by the way thanks for doing all of these things for me, but I want you to know that you are not the only true believer left; there are seven thousand people in Israel who have never bowed to Baal!  So get moving...there's work to be done.

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Through the life of Elijah, we have seen God do mighty works.  The book of James tells us "Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours."  James tells us that so we might realize what God can and will do through us when we pray. 

But because Elijah's nature was like ours, he entered into times of despair.  He wanted to give up; to say, "What's the use!" 

WHAT CAUSED ELIJAH'S DESPAIR?

There are several causes of depression and Elijah was not immune to them.

First, he may have fallen prey to what one psychologist has called "post adrenalin depression."  This is common in people who have recently had an emotional high.  It happens to Christians sometimes when they go away to camp and make a decision to follow Christ.  At camp, they are away from the trials and problems of their lives and they're able to focus closely on God; they're excited about what God has done in their lives, but when they go back home, down the mountain, the depression sinks in.  It's as if the adrenal system switches off and they slip into a state of depression.

GOD DESIGNED US THAT WAY

Our adrenal system was designed by God to give us the strength to physically get through emotionally charged situations.  That's why people may say this about someone who has lost a loved one, "It is amazing how well he is taking this death.  He is so strong!  He's really trusting the Lord."  That may all be true, but often times, days, weeks, even months after the funeral, after the adrenal system shuts down, the person begins to despair.

DON'T BE DEPRESSED OVER DEPRESSION

But depression is not all bad.  When Elijah fell asleep, it was his body's way of rejuvenating.  Even though he was depressed, the sleep acted as an agent of recovery.  It gave his adrenal system time to repair.  "The longer a person is in a state of demand or energy the longer it may take for the adrenal system to repair.  Likewise, the older we get, the less resilient is our adrenal system and the more depressed we become after an adrenalin high." (Hart, Counseling the Depressed)

EAT YOUR SPIRITUAL CAKE

This is why those who have recently believed in Christ need discipleship.  When a person comes to Christ he or she realizes that their sins are forgiven and that they are  recipients of the gift of eternal life.  For many they feel as if a burden is lifted off of them.  They hunger for the Word of God, they want to tell others about Christ, they desire to live their lives pleasing to the Lord.  At the same time, because they are human, they are tested by the trials of life and it's possible that they can get worn down.  Which is why we constantly need the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Like the "cake and water" that was provided to fill Elijah and give him strength, so the Holy Spirit fills us, guides us and strengthens us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (2 Thessalonians 1:11).  Like Elijah, we must wake up and eat.  Here are two Scriptures that will help in your time of despair:

Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Focus on Christ.  If you only focus on yourself you will sink deeper and deeper into the mire of despondency.  You need to focus your life on something much bigger than yourself. 

HOW DO I PREVENT DEPRESSION OR DESPAIR?

1.  Trust in God.  Do you really believe that God knows the situation you are in?  God didn't forget Elijah while he was wandering in the wilderness and neither will he forget you.  Look at what the Apostle Paul said:

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13

2.  Expect Discouragement.  Here are words from Jesus that help put life into reality:

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

It is unreasonable for you to think that depression, discouragement, doubt and despair shouldn't be a part of your life.  Jesus said, that you WILL have tribulation. 

Here's what Jesus' half brother James said;

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
James 1:3 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

You see, it is what you do when you are depressed or discouraged.  James says to remain steadfast!

3.  Reach Out:  We've touched on this already, but part of the problem in our world today is that we are too self-focused.  We want happiness.  So, we look for happiness in areas that never satisfy us, like money, drugs, sex, entertainment, sports, etc.  Earthly pleasures never satisfy.  They simply cause more distress in a person's life. 

It's like buying a car.  Before you had the car you never worried about it being stolen or breaking down!  You never worried about getting a scratch on it, because you didn’t have a car to worry about.  But as soon as you owned the car all these worries and more flooded into your life. 

If you are constantly striving for money, you can never get enough.  Gamblers understand this very well.  They can never stop because they are always craving more. They never win enough -- never satisfied.

Some think having sex will satisfy them only to find out that it won't.  It's the relationship that is built around sex that satisfies and sex is the natural outcome of that relationship between a husband and a wife.

When you only look to satisfy yourself, you'll find yourself sinking into depression;
Because you can't satisfy yourself.

So how do you do it?  How do you reach out to others?  How do you get the focus off yourself?  J.P. Moreland, professor at Talbot Theological Seminary puts it this way:

One must "learn to give one's life away for Jesus’ sake."  We must "grow in the skill of daily, habitual, healthy self-denial for Jesus' sake.... Here’s one simple suggestion for progress in this area.  When you get up in the morning, start off with praise and thanksgiving to God for the things you honestly appreciate about him and his dealings with you.  Then lift all your burdens to him until you have a sense of rest before the Lord.  Then tell him that between now and, say, lunch, with his help you are going to orient your morning towards focusing on others and giving yourself away for their good."

SUMMARY

Things were going pretty well in Elijah’s life and perhaps that caused him to take his focus off of God and place it on himself. We can learn from Elijah's mistakes.  We don't need to spend time in the wilderness like Elijah did, but if we do we should remember that God never leaves us – he never runs from us, we run from him.  He is always there to impart to us his gentle, gracious whisper of encouragement.  As God sent Elijah to anoint two new kings and a new prophet, so God wants to use you to anoint friends, family and co-workers with his blessings.  When you are depressed or discouraged you can't do that -- gain your strength from God and go forth and obey his will this week!

This Week:  Give your life away for Jesus.  Take the focus off of your problems and make an attempt to help someone else.  Maybe you can just bless someone with a note that says you are praying for them?   Or, perhaps you reach out and help someone in need in the name of Jesus?  Ask God to show you how you can reach out to others.

Study Questions

1.  Elijah became depressed after all he had seen God do.  God works in our lives and yet we too become depressed from time to time.  Does it encourage you to think that we face the same emotional issues that Elijah faced?  Explain.

2.  If you had met Elijah while he was sitting under the broom tree, what would you have told him?

3.  What would you tell a friend who is struggling with his or her Christian walk and being obedient to Christ?

The Cure for Anxiety

Anxiety – everyone experiences it.  The dictionary describes anxiety as, “Worry about what may happen.”  To be anxious means simply, “To be worried.”  What do you worry about?  Many times our worry comes because we are not patient.  We want to be in control!  We want results now!  What we need to learn is patience.  Patience is one of the cures for the problem of anxiety. In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul writes,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is…patience” (Galatians 5:22.) 

To be patient means to “wait” or to “take your time,” to “endure.”   

It is a wonder why we worry.  We want to have joy in our lives, but worry brings just the opposite.  The Bible says this about worry,

“Do not be anxious about anything…” (Philippians 4:6.)

But how do we do that?  How do we go through life without worry?  How do we learn to have patience?

IT BEGINS WITH PRAYER

We live in a fast world.  It’s easy to jump from one thing to the next in our lives without taking time to consider what we just experienced.  The book of Philippians says,

“But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6.)

God tells us in his Word to pray about everything.  No one can pray and worry at the same time.  When we worry, we aren’t praying.  When we pray, we aren’t worrying.

Look at this verse from the book of Isaiah:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

When you pray, you “stay” your mind on Christ, resulting in peace.   “Stay,” means just what you think it means, “To remain, dwell, stop or delay.”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PRAY?

Through prayer, our sin (our most hidden sin) is brought to light before God.  King David wrote in the book of Psalms,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (139:23,24.)

Do you know what happens when your sins are brought to light before God?  In answer to your prayer God washes away your sin completely!  Psalm 51:2 says,

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”

Here’s what that means for you:  God, not only washes away your sin, the Bible says,

“He removes them as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12.) 

How far is that?  It’s forever!  If you keep going east, you will always be going east – the two, east and west, never meet!  Not only that, Micah 7:19 tells us,

“He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” 

Even in the 21st century no one has ever found the bottom of the sea.  It’s just too deep.  Our sins are cast away: never to be brought up again!  That is a wonderful promise.

PRAYER TAKES PATIENCE

We neglect times of prayer because we are too busy.  We are rushed in the morning, we are rushed during the day, and we are rushed at night.  Our lives are too busy to pray, because we are not patient enough to “wait” on God.  In other words, we lack patience for prayer.

Jesus Christ gave special time to prayer when He was unusually busy.  He would get away from the crowds that followed Him and go into the wilderness just to pray.  Look at what He did as recorded in Luke 5:15,16:

“But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.  But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.”

It seems like the busier Jesus’ life was the more He prayed.

WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?

We should “Pray at all times” (Ephesians 6:18.)  We should “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17.)  We hear so much about Muslims praying five times a day, but God tells us to pray all day, every day. 

We should find times during the day to set aside just for prayer.  It might be when you first get up in the morning.  It might be sitting in your car before you go into work.  Maybe you take a walk and pray while you are walking.

Temptations come on us suddenly and announced.  When they do, you can lift up your voice to God and ask Him for help wherever you are.  Even when you awake in the middle of the night, perhaps God is calling you to pray at that moment?

WHEN YOU NEED PATIENCE, LOOK UP

In the 1960’s many of our soldiers were captured by the North Vietnamese and held in prison camps.  These prisons were not like ours in the U.S.  These were places of torture, solitary and depression.  Many men, like General Robbie Risner spent seven years or more in these prisons.  They never heard from home, they never read news of what was happening in the U.S., and they had little contact with the other prisoners – for seven and a half years, General Risner looked at his cell.  He described his cell this way, “Dirt carpeted the floor, Rats scurried beneath the grate vent and roaches roamed the walls and crawled over sleeping prisoners.”  There were no beds, chairs or tables in the cells.  Risner described it as “sad and dismal; the essence of despair.  Everything was gray, dull, lead-colored, dingy and dirty.”

How does a person survive such misery?  Anxiety stares you in the face every waking moment and haunts you in your dreams.  Risner’s solution was to stare at a blade of grass.  Several days after his incarceration he worked away the grate near the floor of his cell and was able to stick his head through the vent while lying on his stomach.  Through a pencil sized hole in a brick he was able to see daylight and he could just see a single blade of green grass.  It was the only color in his world.  Everyday, he would begin his day by sticking his head into the vent, looking at the grass, and praying.  He called it a “blood transfusion for the soul.”

What about your world?  Is it filled with despair, darkness, hopelessness, and anxiety?  Read the words of the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:2,

“Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” 

You see, when we look to Christ, in the midst of our anxiety, it is like looking at a fresh blade of grass in a dull gray world.  The promise from God’s word is this,

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7.)

It takes patience to look at a blade of grass in the midst of trouble, but God promises us fulfillment when we do it. 

The Bible tells us that we are to be “Patient in tribulation and constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12.)  That is the cure for anxiety. 

Study Questions
1. Would you describe yourself as a worrier?  Explain.
2. How do you normally handle worry that seeps into your heart?
3. Is it true that no one can pray and worry at the same time?  Explain.
4. Why does heartfelt, genuine prayer tend to defeat worry?
5. What stops you from looking at the “things above?”  Explain.
6. What can you do this week to lessen the anxiety in your life?