Don't Let the Enemy Tell You How to Think
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The script was written
and the sports announcers
were selling it full force.
In the women’s gymnastics
qualifying round of the 2020 Olympic games
the announcers called her
the goat.
The Greatest Of All Time
Every video shot panned to her.
Over and over again
they declared that she
was the best that ever lived.
Although she faltered
at several key moments throughout the night,
the announcers still proclaimed
that she was the glue
that held the USA women’s gymnastic team
together.
A few days later
the most watched event in the summer Olympics
had arrived.
The women’s gymnastics team final competition
began with billions of viewers
expecting greatness from Simone Biles.
But during the first event,
as she vaulted high into the air
everyone knew something was wrong.
She lost her place in the sky
and barely landed without injuring herself.
Then even more surprisingly
she walked off the competition floor
and removed herself from the competition.
Watchers were baffled
as apparently uninjured
she proceeded to cheer her teammates on
to win the silver medal
instead of the anticipated gold.
With unbelievable bravery,
Simone faced the tv cameras
and the multitudes of critics,
haters, and skeptics
stating that it wasn’t physical illness
that lead to her actions
but her struggle with mental health
that caused her to step away from the competition.
And just like
that she forced our society
to take a closer look at mental health
and to reevaluate our assumptions.
The greatest gymnast that ever lived-
is human.
Mental health is part of our “health.”
She reminded us
that it is okay to admit that we are not okay.
Few churches talk about mental health.
In part,
because Christians have bought into the lie
that giving your life to Jesus
immediately fixes all your real emotional
and mental problems.
That if you admit to not being OKAY
then you are admitting
to being less than a good Christian,
somehow less than what you should be.
We ignore the fact
that several of the Bible’s heroes
struggled against mental health,
specifically depression:
Heroes like David,
Elijah,
Jeremiah,
and even the apostle Paul-
just to name a few.
And we try to ignore the fact
that there are decades of medical research
that has proven
that depression, anxiety, and suicide
are all very real medical problems.
Mental illness is not a one size fits all issue.
There are a myriad of causes and triggers.
It can happen because of a traumatic event,
or a significant loss,
battle trauma,
past abuse,
stress,
genetic circumstances,
chemical imbalance,
or even because
of our own personal failures
that we attempt to keep the world from seeing.
Church,
we need to stop trying to hide this problem under the rug
and instead
join with the medical professionals
and start being a part of the solution.
One of the main challenges with mental illness
is that you can’t see it,
it won’t show up on an x-ray,
and you can’t get images of it with a CAT scan.
You can tell when someone is physically disabled,
you can see when they don’t have a leg
or an arm,
but you can’t see the disability
of overwhelming anxiety
that cripples,
or the consuming darkness
that blinds the clinically depressed.
A vigilant parent may be able to protect their child
from a physical attack,
but how do you protect your child
against the invisible enemy
named suicidal thoughts?
That like a home invasion,
sneaks in
and assaults our loved one’s mind.
Please know that this is a very complex problem
so I will not attempt
to give a one size fits all solution this morning.
I respect the intricacy and force of mental illness.
Pastor and speaker Louie Gigglio explains,
“It has the power to steal, to kill, and to destroy.
I believe that the church
will only be able to get into the conversation
in the way that we need to,
once the church wakes up
and understands the power
of the grip of the darkness
that people are struggling with
and facing in their lives.
We can’t just push it aside.
We can’t just say ‘you can get over that.’
We can’t just give
a simple bumper sticker size answer to people.
We have got to respect
that we are talking about a powerful force
when we are talking about mental illness.
But we have to talk about it.
So today whether its depression,
suicide, crippling anxiety
we are not going to hide in the uncomfortable,
but we are going to point to Jesus today
because He has triumphed over all.”
End Quote
Because this topic is so vast, this morning,
I will focus on two aspects of mental illness.
Depression and suicide.
The CDC reports
that in the last twelve months
the percentage of all adults
with reported symptoms of anxiety or depression
increased from 36.4%
to 41.5%.
That is 4 people out of every 10
Who live with this struggle.
Look around you church,
4 out of every 10 people in this room
struggle against one of these issues.
If you haven’t dealt with this,
than you probably don’t really understand it.
If you haven’t had suicidal thoughts,
I’m just telling you-
you can’t fully understand
what that battle feels like.
As Gigglio states,
“that’s not a knock on you
its just a reality you have to step into…
But not understanding
doesn’t give us an ought to be silent- no!
We are going to stand up and speak up,
and today
we are shining a light into the darkness,
even a darkness we don’t fully understand,
because we do understand Jesus.
And Jesus is the light in the darkness.”
End Quote
Depression and suicide
garner their strength in the darkness.
For so many,
it feels like there is no end
and the overwhelming exhaustion
of trying to just keep going
pressures them to give up.
Statistics show
that more suicides happen
near the midnight hour
than any other time of the day.
It is easy to feel isolated,
alone,
and hopeless in the dark.
This morning
we have the opportunity
to step out of that darkness
and into the light.
The truth is,
that there is hope.
Depression
like the darkness of night,
does not last forever.
The dark hours give way to the dawn.
If you are struggling
with depression or anxiety this morning
I urge you to wait for the sun.
Dawn is coming
so cling to Jesus.
He will help you get through.
Although there are many causes
for depression and suicidal thoughts,
what we tell ourselves
can have a huge impact.
I am not a doctor or a psychologist.
If you struggle with depression
or suicidal thoughts
I beg you to seek professional medical help.
Although I am not a medical professional,
I am a pastor
and I do understand how the enemy of our soul works.
You see
he doesn’t play fair.
Satan loves to beat you when we are down.
As a pastor
I also have faith.
I believe that Jesus has defeated the enemy.
Jesus is the Light in our darkness
and He is bigger than depression
and He breathes life
into those who are in suicide’s grip.
Friends, I won’t lie.
For those who experience depression-
Satan loves to use your struggle to his advantage.
He will assault you time and time again
trying to deepen your depression
and force suicidal thoughts to a breaking point.
However,
the enemy has no authority in your life
In Matthew 28:18 Jesus declares, (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
“’All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.’”
God surrounds those
who have put their faith and hope in Jesus.
The enemy has no purchase,
no authority,
no rule over our lives
because JESUS has all the authority.
He is the ruler of your life.
All of the vast cosmos
is under His command
and by His name
the enemy must flee from you.
I can hear it coming-
one of your wonderful questions
is percolating in the back of your mind.
“Pastor,
if the enemy has no hold on me,
then why do I still struggle.”
What an insightful assessment.
I knew you were brilliant.
You see,
Since all authority belongs to Jesus
and if you have put your trust in Him
and are therefore then
freed from the power of the enemy-
the only thing Satan can do
is try to trick you
Trick you into giving up your freedom.
Jesus describes the devil in John 8:44b,
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
“He was a murderer from the beginning,
not holding to the truth,
for there is no truth in him.
When he lies,
he speaks his native language,
for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
One of our dear friend’s is a pastor named
Harry Fletcher.
And one of my favorite quotes by Harry is:
“How do you know when the Devil is lying?
Every time he speaks…”
The only power Satan has over you
is the power you give him
when you believe his lies.
Friends,
don’t let the enemy tell you what to think.
The Bible identifies depression as
the “soul cast down,”
as Psalm 42: 5, 9-10 expresses
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
the inner turmoil of the depressed individual, (NIV)
“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?..
I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
Within these verses
we can see what’s called
The Depressive Triad:
The Depressive Triad:
i. Person devalues self:
I am so unworthy even God has forgotten me.
ii. Person devalues situation: :
I must go about mourning, oppressed every minute by my enemy.
I am in physical pain.
iii. Person devalues their prospects for future:
My future seems hopeless- Where is God?
The writer of this Psalm
is not alone in his struggle against depression.
A teenage girl falls victim yet again
to online bullying.
People she thought were her friends
turn vicious.
She’s been burned
and Satan wants her to stay that way.
So he whispers these lies to her:
I am so pathetic
that even my so called friends
make fun of me.
It is unbearable…
She starts to feel rejected and alone.
She thinks:
No one will ever really accept me…
I’ll never be so dumb
as to let somebody make me hurt like this again.
Can you hear the depressive triad in these lies?
i. Devalues self:
I am so pathetic.
ii. Devalues situation:
This is unbearable
iii. Devalues prospects for the future:
No one will ever accept me.
Thankfully,
we do not have to let the enemy tell us what to think!
We can combat his lies
with God’s truth.
Take a look at what the writer of Psalm 42
tells himself to fight against the depressive triad:
(Ps. 42:3-8, NIV)
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
The Word of the Lord
Notice that the Psalmist doesn’t deny
or even downplay the situation
or his feelings.
The first step to combat the lies of the enemy
is admitting the hurt.
The Psalmist speaks the truth
and doesn’t ignore
or downplay
the emotions that they have.
He doesn’t say,
“suck it up stupid.
Who cares if I am rejected and persecuted.”
No,
he confesses,
“My tears h
ave been my food
day and night,”
I pray that this place,
this “one another community,”
this church
is a safe place for people
to be honest about their struggles.
A place where they know
it is okay to not be okay
because even if they are not okay-
Jesus is with them.
I pray that in this place,
people will feel loved and accepted-
safe.
As Jesus’ followers,
we are called to help defend
and strengthen those
who struggle with mental illness,
but we must start
by providing a place where people can be honest
and like the Psalmist,
admit the hurt they face.
Notice how the psalmist admits the hurt
but doesn’t end the truth telling there.
Instead,
They take the next step
in combatting the enemy’s lies
by continuing the truth-telling about the hurt.
The Second step to combat the lies of the enemy
is to continue the truth-telling about the hurt.
We do this
by reversing the depressive triad.
Instead of believing the devaluing lies,
we must replace them with God’s truth.
The psalmist does this so well:
Reverse triad
Reverse triad
i. Instead of devaluing themselves they remind themselves of their real worth:
God loves me! I am His beloved child, “by day the Lord directs his love at night his song is with me.”
ii. They tell the truth about their situation:
This situation is unpleasant and difficult but it is not doomsville.
Instead they ask:
“Why so downcast oh my soul.”
The psalmist reminds themselves
of better days praising God,
“I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.”
They can do that again.
No matter what happens,
no one can keep them
from the joy of praising a God who loves them.
They declare, “I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My final point this morning is the most important.
Final Point
iii. Combat the lies of the enemy
by finding hope for the future.
When in the midst of pain and loss,
it is often difficult to see through it.
The enemy wants to tell you
that the future is hopeless.
Moreover,
the enemy often goes further.
The depressed person may even start to believe His lies:
- Life is too painful to bear.
- It would be better if I weren’t living.
-They would be happier if I were dead.
NO!
Don’t believe him.
Don’t let the enemy tell you what to think!
God wants you to know that there is hope.
Your life was bought by the blood of Jesus
because you are deeply and truly loved by God.
Moreover,
you are not alone.
Suicide is the fastest growing killer of young people.
People of every age group
struggle against suicidal thoughts.
In fact,
every 10 minutes,
someone succumbs to a “death of despair.”
With sorrow I say,
that I know there are people in this church
who have lost loved ones to suicide,
as I am one of those someone’s.
I have loved ones
who struggle daily
with suicidal ideation.
Covid-19 has compounded the problem exponentially.
Satan will try to tell you
that no one will understand,
people will judge you
if you tell them about your struggle,
or that no one else
has ever felt the same way that you do.
It’s all a lie church…
Louie Gigglio is perhaps best known
for his participation with the Passion youth conferences.
He has preached to groups of high school
and college aged youth in the thousands.
At one of these conferences,
God inspired Gigglio
to share to an audience of 4,000 the following:
“I believe there is somebody here
who has already made a plan.
I believe you have written in your journal
and it is in your drawer in your bedroom
back home right now
and you already made a specific plan
to take your own life
on a specific day
after this Christian conference is over.
And if that is you,
I just need you to know
you are not the only person
whose read that journal entry.
Jesus has also read every word of it.
And He is here tonight
and He wants to bring light into your darkness.
And He wants you to know
that He loves you and He is with you
and He is for you
and you have the power
to step toward Jesus tonight.
And I want to pray for you if that is you.
I know it is a bold step
and I have never done anything
quite like this before
and there is 4,000 of us standing around,
but if that is you,
I just want to invite you
to please-
just put your hand up
and let me see it,
because I want to pray for you.”
In the next few moments following that word,
200 hundred hands went up in that room.
You are not alone.
And if you struggle with these things
you don’t have to fight alone.
Reach out like the 200 brave souls that night,
and tell someone.
I am here, along with the elders, or my wife Kristin.
Jesus has read the journal of your heart
and He knows you,
He knows your struggle,
and He will shelter you in the midst of your storm.
Friends,
God wants you
to have a wonderfully rewarding
and meaningful life.
The future is not hopeless!
(Ps. 42: 5-8, 11; NIV)
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Let us pray.
