Discouragement
DISCOURAGEMENT
I Kings 17-19
Introduction: Bill Day told us a story about a woman who knew what it is like to be dead (spiritually). The tears shouted depression / discouragement. Probably some of us can relate to her because our story may be similar. All of us get discouraged sometimes; and some of us get depressed! I have two stories to tell and a few Scriptures, then we will be done. I pray God will use this message to pull you closer to Him.
I. Story of Elijah
A. Chapter 17 No rain
B. Chapter 18 Battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal
C. Chapter 19 Elijah’s discouragement
1. Fear vs. 3
2. Wanted to die vs. 4
3. Complained to God vs. 10
4. God’s response
a. God sent him to MT Horeb (Sinai) where they would meet face to face
b. God gave him a job to do vs. 15-16
c. God gave him a helper - Elisha
II. My story of depression
A. Some people have a tendency towards discouragement
1. Runs in families
a. Negative thinking
b. I know of a family where three generations of men committed suicide
2. Temperament types
3. If you are like this, it is not a sin; but the extreme side must be controlled
B. I’ve have 100s of episodes of discouragement / depression
C. Worse time
1. Thought about suicide
2. Nothing was good
a. Church was bad
b. Home was no help
c. God was distant
d. Friends were no help - I didn’t want to see or talk to anyone, and that is hard when you are the preacher
3. I could not think
4. I wanted to eat all the time, but nothing satisfied
5. This lasted about 2 weeks
6. I knew I had a problem, so I ask people for help
a. Most were afraid of my problem and didn’t know what to say
b. A Methodist preacher friend helped by listening
c. I wrote to a preacher brother in the church who was many miles away. He wrote back and said, “Pray.”
7. I went to my office in the church house, stretched myself flat on the floor and prayed for hours. I didn’t know what to say, sometimes I just cried. Later I remembered Romans 8:26 and realized that is exactly what was going on.
8. I never saw a professional psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor
9. God healed me by prayer. That happened 17-18 years ago. I’ve never had another episode as bad as that. In fact, God has been working with me, because I’ve asked him to, and I have been getting better and better.
III. II Timothy 1:6-7
A. anazwpurew - literally, of fire - rekindle, revive, fan into flame; figuratively, of spiritual gifts - stir up (into new life), reactivate, excite into fresh activity (2T 1.6); cause to take on new life
1. Maybe we need someone to lay hands on us
2. Certainly we need prayer - ours and others
B. deilia - a state of fear because of a lack of courage or moral strength- cowardice, timidity. ‘For God has not given us a spirit of timidity' or ... a spirit of cowardice' 2 Tm 1.7. Cowardice is often rendered by means of an idiom, for example, ‘to have a fallen heart,' ‘to have a soft heart,' or ‘one's heart has disappeared.'
C. swfronismo - (1) as a process teaching - of moderation, making temperate, advice for making wise decisions (possibly 2T 1.7); (2) as the resultant state - self-control, discipline, sensible behavior (probably 2T 1.7)
IV. Peace
A. Don’t let anyone tell you that it is sinful for you to feel like that. The sin comes when we make bad choices or when we are abusive to others. However, being depressed / discouraged is not fun. If you ask Him, God will help you get over it and lead you to a life of peace.
B. Romans 5:1 Not justified by what we do, but by faith
C. Philippians 4:6-7
Conclusion: It is not by accident that I taught about prayer last year and this year. The power of God given to me by prayer has changed my life more than any other thing. I’m not special; I’m not better than you are; God loves you in the same way he loves me; God is waiting to hear from you, and will shower you with blessings and with just what it takes to overcome your discouragement!!