Sermon Tone Analysis

*OUR SUFFICIENCY IN CHRIST*

* *

4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Why the *"Sufficiency Doctrine"* Is Insufficient

 

There are those within the Christian body who would say that getting psychological help is un‑spiritual.

That we should rely totally on the Lord for our emotional healing!

My question is why?

Why is emotional healing any different from physical healing?

Why would one seek out professional help for the treatment of T.B., pneumonia, diabetes, or cancer, but be forbidden to seek help for disabling panic episodes, anxiety, depression, anger, fear, phobia’s, PTSD, or co-dependency, to name a few?

A century ago a number of Christians thought it was a sin to wear glasses, or *"devil's eyes"* as they called them.

Their reasoning was *"If God wanted you to be able to see, He would have given you good vision."*

Even after penicillin was discovered, many Christians died of pneumonia because they wanted to trust God alone and not medications.

We know of several Christians who have died in the past few years because they refused to have cancer surgically removed.

Technically, mankind has come a long way; he has even walked on the moon.

But when it comes to common sense, whether it be Christians, or non‑Christians, we have‑not advanced a great deal from where we were during the Dark Ages.

Christ Himself said that those who are sick need a physician.

Luke, who wrote a large portion of the New Testament (including Acts) was a physician.

Just because God used numerous miracles in the early church to prove that Christianity was true (prior to the Scriptures being completed), does that justify the insistence of twentieth‑century Christians that God heal them supernaturally or not at all?

It takes a grandiose person to demand a supernatural healing.

God certainly does heal some people supernaturally on rare occasions today, but He heals most Christians through the common‑sense application of medical technology and medications.

Why did he give man a brain if He never expected him to use it?

Should Christian diabetics who need insulin daily use insulin?

Or should they refuse insulin and die in a diabetic coma within two days in order to prove how brave and super‑spiritual they are?

Should antidepressant medications ever be used?

Some Christians would say no.

Why?

 

What is the difference between a person suffering with a biochemical imbalance which causes diabetes, and a person suffering from a biochemical imbalance causing severe depression, anxiety, phobias, ect.

Answer.....NONE.

\\  

 

There is a book entitled *"The Facts On Self Esteem, Psychology, And The Recovery Movement"* by John Ankerberg, and John Weldon.

This book was written to say we do not need *"psychology"* to make us well, but to rely on Jesus, and Him only to heal us from our emotional pain.

In this book, the following statement is made:

 

*This booklet offers a forthright debate against modern psychology.

This is not because we are against counseling per se; many people in our society need high quality counseling.

*

* *

*Now are we against psychology per se.

The study of the human psyche, or minds and personality, is a worthwhile endeavor.*

So what's the problem?

The problem the *"Sufficiency in Christ"* camp has with modern psychology is that they feel they encourage people to look to self, and not to God for their healing.

I don't believe Mr. Ankerberg, or Mr. Weldon have not been to a truly professional Christ centered Christian counselor.

In the experience of those interviewed as professional Christian Counselors and of course myself, Jesus Christ is the center focus of our healing.

We are being aided by a professional therapist in learning to see ourselves as God sees us.

That we are children of the King, and our King, the Lord Jesus Christ is interested in our emotional well being.

Pastor John MacArthur, and David Hunt are two of Gods servants who share in Mr. Ankerbergs' fears that Christian counseling is based on anti‑Christian, Freudian thought, which directly contradicts the scriptural truth.

Their belief is when we are saved, we are *"a new creation"*, and *"all things are made new."*

They ignore however, (barring a supernatural healing) the convert with cancer, or diabetes.

When the new convert wakes up in the morning, they will normally still need their daily dose of insulin, or go for their radiation treatments as prescribed in order to keep their diseases in check.

Should psychological help be sought when you can't seem to get beyond the cycle of depression, and~/or panic...absolutely!

Should antidepressants ever be used?

Of course, under certain circumstances.

\\  

 

 

An excerpt from the book *"Happiness Is A Choice"*, by Dr. Frank Minirth, & Dr. Paul Meier:

 

"When a patient comes to us and is clinically depressed, cannot sleep, and has suicidal ideation, we have three ways in which we could treat him.

We could see him in weekly therapy with no medications, and he would be totally over his clinical depression within six to twelve months on the average (that is, if he doesn’t commit suicide during those first two months when he continues to suffer insomnia and be in severe emotional pain)."

"A second option would be for that same patient to come for weekly psychotherapy and take antidepressants, in which case he would probably be totally over His depression in three to six months."

"He would be sleeping well and feeling some improvement after his first ten days on antidepressant medications, so suicide would be less of a risk."

"A third option is for that same patient to check himself into the psychiatry ward of a general hospital, get daily psychotherapy and medication, feel better within a week, and be totally over his depression within three to six weeks, requiring only a month or two of follow‑up outpatient psychotherapy."

"Which option is the most spiritual if the patient has four children at home who have been hurting for months because of his depression?"

 

"Which option is the most spiritual if suicide is a real possibility, a possibility that would leave children fatherless, (or motherless) and with deep emotional scars?"

 

"Is it simply more spiritual to tell this person to go home and pray harder, and keep a stiff upper lip?"

 

"People in need of medical care should receive the care necessary to help them become more the person God has created them to be."

 

"A fully functional, clear minded, Christ centered individual, able to go being about the work of the kingdom."

"It is the sick who need the doctor."

"I believe God made that very clear in His word.

\\ 13. *can do* .

Nu 13:30 .

Jn ~* 15:4 , 5 , 7 .

2 Co ~* 3:4 , 5 .

*all* .

✓ ƒ171A , Ex + 9:6 .

*through Christ* .

Is 40:29-31 .

~* 41:10 .

45:24 .

See on 2 Co ✓ 12:9 , 10 .

Ep +~* 3:16 .

6:10 .

Col ~* 1:11 . 1 Ti + 1:12 .

*strengtheneth* .

Dt 31:23 .

Jsh = 17:17 .

Is 45:24 .

Zc 10:12 . 2 Co ✓ 12:9 .

Ep ~* 3:14-17 .

[1]

 

 

/Philippians 4:13/

*I can do all things* ( παντα ἰσχυω [/ panta ischuō/ ]).

Old verb to have strength ( ἰσχυς [/ ischus/ ]).

*In him that strengtheneth me* ( ἐν τῳ ἐνδυναμουντι με [/ en tōi endunamounti me/ ]).

Late and rare verb (in LXX) from adjective ἐνδυναμος [/ endunamos/ ] ( ἐν, δυναμις [/ en, dunamis/ ]).

Causative verb to empower, to pour power into one.

See same phrase in I Tim.

1:12 τῳ ἐνδυναμωσαντι με [/ tōi endunamōsanti me/ ] (aorist tense here).

Paul has such strength so long as Jesus keeps on putting power ( δυναμις [/ dunamis/ ]) into him.

*4:13* I can do all things: It is important to note that the emphasis is not so much on achievement as it is on willingness to allow Christ’s power to sustain in difficulty and scarcity, and to enhance the enjoyment of abundance and prosperity.

Such faith is a stimulant to believe for all Christ’s sufficiency in facing all life’s circumstances.

*/V.

Gratitude Expressed for the Philippians’ /*

*/ /*

*/Generosity (4:10-20)/*

*/Translation/*

10/ O yes, and I rejoice in the Lord greatly because now at last your thoughtful care of me/ a/ has blossomed once again.

Indeed, you have always cared about me, but you have not always had the opportunity to show it.

/11/ I am not saying this because of any need I had, for I have learned to be self-sufficient in every situation in which I find myself.

/12/ Hence, I know how to be humbled and I know how to abound.

In every and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having more than enough and of having too little.

/13/ I have the power to face all such situations in union with the One who continuously infuses me with strength./

b/ /14/ And yet it was good of you to become partners with me in my hardships.

/15/ Now/ c/ you Philippians know as well as I that when the gospel was in its beginning, when I set out from Macedonia, no other church entered into a partnership with me in an accounting of expenditures and receipts except you alone.