Help! I'm Depressed - Part 2

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack. Later, the program will tell you how you can get wins eight message series health first uses message help breast to there's one other man in the Scripture in particular that I want us to focus on because he is a classic example of what were talking about depression's name is Elijah. Remember him a mighty man of God. Vitae was called the man of God. He was a powerful prophet, a godly leader and he was serving God in a very dangerous time a very difficult time in the life of the people of Israel because of a wicked king was on the throne. His name was Ahab and he had a very wicked queen even more wicked than the man was the woman beside him and her name was Jezebel, Elijah's in the midst of immorality and idolatry in the land he called out the profits of bail the idol worshipers challenge them to a God contest on Mount caramel and Elijah prayed he let the people at the bail I see let the idolaters go first in their crying out to God and cutting themselves in Elijah's trash talking them and they get louder and louder is not happening and then Elijah prays and when Elijah prays fire fell from heaven and revival came to the people of God these on a mountaintop literally and spiritually. And yet, in just one day, everything changes and Elijah is plunged into a pit first Kings 19 is where we find the story. The first four verses Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how you kill all the prophets with the sword.

It was a bloodbath and then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying so may the gods little G do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as one of them. By this time tomorrow. In other words, is a contract on your life.

Elijah you're going to be dead by tomorrow so wanted the bold, courageous, believing prophet. It says in verse three, he was afraid and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba that about 18 miles in the desert, which belongs to Judah and left his servant there.

He himself when another day's journey into the wilderness. It was a wilderness physically, but it was another kind of wilderness in his own life and he came in he sat down under a broom.

That is a juniper tree and he asked that he might die say is that enough now, Lord, finish, oh Lord, take away my life, for I'm no better than my father's prays that I but he is depressed.

That's a classic example of depression anxiety in the Bible. The struggle is real, folks. We can be several causes for depression. One is fear is what we have in Elijah the anxiety he was fearful for his life. He was so afraid that Jezebel was going to kill him he was under threat under opposition.

Now he stood up to all of this and more, but somehow now you have enough maybe was just too much. It was the tipping point and so he ran in fear just to get away from Jezebel. He prays that God but he thinks he's one wants to die lying to himself. In effect, what is fear and anxiety.

There something about stress and anxiety. And if you pushing and pushing than the pressure built. The Bible says anxiety produces depression and in a way it's a gift from God. If you find yourself depressed because you just been so overworked, so overwrought, so over words so overwhelmed that your body, your brain just kinda shuts down to keep you from going over the top of the list is a way to slow your body and your mind out but what happens with all these chemicals in our systems in the brain were emptied of a brain chemical called serotonin best the feel-good chemical in your body. God put it there but a fast depleted by anxiety or fear or exhaustion or any other thing, then – depression is a mental illness is a physical illness and is rooted in anxiety and fear. That's why Jesus says don't be worried about anything because it's dangerous can be deadly for the Bible says over and over and over and over and over again, hundreds of times they are not there. Not for not. Do not fear were warned what fear can do. But not only fear but fatigue. It got 18 miles to bear Shiva out ran the chariot and then deeper into the desert and of the wilderness a day's journey.

He is physically exhausted and fatigue. So he sat down under this tree and just physically disabled and defeated.

He prays to die but it was exhaustion. It wasn't. It was fatigue. So when you're your physically exhausted depleted mentally become physically and bottle it affects your body weird things happen. I remember my skin felt like it was on fire, I asked the doctor what what is this so well as your nervous system overreacted but he felt like fire and I was so exhausted and here's the terrible thing about depression when you're depressed you can often you can't sleep. Some people is the other way. They sleep all the time, but for many people. If you cannot sleep.

This is a cruel joke but then you want to be the most I never way awakened in the night as they never mostly never but would you sleep the night through without waking up wide-awake 3 AM in the morning and wait until the dawn is trying to get through the night you ever been there for me when the most devastating effect of this thing was just the sheer exhaustion and fatigue just couldn't get out.

Then their self-pity. The prophet was having a pity party. If you read the story when he prays the die play daddy's lap under the juniper tree and when he got God asking the verse nine. What are you doing here, Elijah. So Elijah explains he says, verse 10 I been jealous of the Lord God, the God of hosts for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, throw down your altars. These are terrible people and killed your prophets with the sword and I only am left, and they seek my life to take self-pity things nobody cares deeply, thinking not God himself doesn't care. So he tried to run away and he throws his pity party problem with a pity parties.

Nobody wants to come to your party, except I me, myself and my not good company. Typically, when you're in the state self-pity. Then there's isolation. He was all by himself out there in the desert isolated from the family of faith isolated from his friends. There was no support system he was alone in the wilderness if you're a Christian, God will never leave you for for sake you, but the lie of depression says I'm alone nobody cares your single-parent you're going alone you're raising children. You're working multiple jobs, utterly and totally exhausted.

You know how you can keep going you're loaning you may be depressed, your husband or your wife dies in your oh so lonely it takes because your heart is broken.

Older adults battle depression is why so very important that we in the church have a ministry to older adults who are lonely that we make sure that we don't forget about people and throw them away so Elijah was alienated he was isolated he was alone and when you get yourself isolated. You become a target of the enemy. And that's when Satan's lies lies born out of the pit of hell start attacking you because ultimately here's what depression does analyze. Or Satan uses your depression to say your worthless your wasted your finish your time, nobody cares. You might as well die. People would be better off without you.

These are the lives come out of the dark listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message help in depressed part two.

So many people are crushed.

The stress of life and are searching for help and hope. That's why we're excited to share that a generous friend has offered to double your gift to hundred and $50,000 to help us reach a hurting world with the perfect peace. Jesus offers as a thanks for your gift will send you Dr. Graham's eight message series help this resource will help you walk in the quiet stress that comes with knowing your security in Christ even in uncertain times, so call right now to have your gift doubled and request your copy help, call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 313131. That's PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotion our website again is Jack Graham.Margie knowledge to back today's message help. I'm depressed.

Anger, he was angry, Elijah.

He's blowing is taught now all this it happened. Now it looks like it's going to get worse and he just so angry with God because God didn't do things the way they expected God to do it and I can tell you that for men. I know some you guys think all depression is four-week. Willden women get depression but not me. But one thing that mask itself as depression in men is anger and that's a symptom of depression is constant irritation and agitation, angry, whining or complaining all bad. This negativity but surprisingly great success in a great victory can create a platform for depression to attack again this man's coming off the greatest victory of his life but he goes from the pentacle to the pit just like that.

What happened there is a thing called adrenaline depletion, and if you push and push and push yourself for an extended period of time and then comes a crisis you just not capable because you are adrenaline depleted physically. You can be strong and going and living from victory to victory and then a crisis hits and if you have depleted yourself. If you haven't taken care of yourself.

Then you can find yourself in a hole you can't dig out and it happens to so many people that happen to this great man Elijah. So what did he do to get out of the pit and what do we do how can we recover only give it some words that began with the T. First of all time.

Give it time is the process of healing again on the kind of guy that didn't happen the next 15 minutes. I'm wondering why I remember actually this is how crazy I was. I remember actually just sitting and staring at the clock trying to make it go faster in my mind where I could get out of this thing. But you can't push yourself out on your own and it takes time again when somebody told me it was a year I said, you gotta be kidding me. Not a year. About a year that I really felt myself again takes time.

I took a couple of months off that summer of 2009 is try to get through this and came back in September and I wasn't ready I wasn't ready emotionally or physically. I was so tired I remember walking up here so tired just putting 1 foot in front of another. I was so tight I could one of the problems I had was I couldn't even read or study never happened to me before. So how my going to preach if I can't put pair and read and study. I needed the promises of God. So I I chose the messages that I preached in the past on God's promises promises that I needed. I believe others needed so I just stood on the promises of God and God through it. The interesting thing is that later on when PowerPoint carried these messages on radio and television.

At that point they were the most popular and most received post-blast sermons that ever done. I'm telling you it was the weakest day the weakest days of my life knowing that the apostle Paul says when we are weak he is strong and one thing you learn in depression. The upside of down is that in our weakness. God is made stronger in us. Give God time to guard you and guide you and protect you the okay truth. Remember I said depression is a lie exchange belies for the true when Satan comes against you when you start talking yourself crazy talk things that are silly is not even true about yourself counteracted by the word of God and what God says about you. You are a child of God.

So many people during times of depression feel so worthless and weak, but you're not worthless and weak stronger than you think I can do all things through Christ. Now sometimes is just putting 1 foot in front of the others just getting up when you feel like laying down if you're depressed you know what you may need.

You need a new mission in your life, you need a new challenge in your life and God's using this season to prepare you for something bigger something greater. He's preparing you so listen, they have someone said to me, I was talking really about the prostate cancer I had said something like this Jack, I'm praying that you will learn everything you need to know what you need to learn from this experience I learned a lot of things and so will you. I learned God's word to stand on God's promises even more give you one of them. This is something to hang on and hope on Jeremiah 2911 for I know the plans you says the Lord, plans not to harm you, plans not to hurt you plans for your welfare and for your good. God has a future and a hope for you.

If you're a follower of Jesus Christ.

He gives beauty for ashes sorrow comes from the night, but joy never notice how things are worse in the middle of the night when it's dark your mind out of control when the best things you can do when that happens I learned to do this is to simply say I remember one evening dad just turned on some worship music, or I just pray tell you this, when you start praying in the middle of the night. The devil then like if you put your right to sleep related.

Then there's trust trusting God, I mean really trusting all the way faith believing God what God says is true. Knowing that you can't fix this, but he can trusting him that he's working all things together for good. Psalm 23 was probably written in a depressive. For David's life. He said gave though, even though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me and then there's touch reach out to others. Don't get yourself isolated as Elijah did. And some of you are right now but you need support and encouragement call someone who cares reach out. I know sometimes Christians can be, ignorant and foolish about the things you don't know what to do. But one thing you can do is pray for people and care for people I don't write them all because they're having a hard time if there's one place people ought to be able to come when they're hurting, it's God's church and God's people, but unfortunately some people down there, because they feel like they're going to be judgment day it wouldn't. When a person is depressed, they often feel so guilty and shaman if you like what people really think I'm weak. People go think I'm just an unstable person and all the rest, and unfortunately sometimes church people act like that the wrong way, but the Bible says bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. We are here to help you carry the load. You don't have to carry this all by yourself then there's Thanksgiving. Write down every day I learn to journal and is to write down everything every day. My thoughts, my thanksgiving to God. Just write down three things every day just 933 things every day. The blessings of God upon your life and what you know what happens. This is proof their scientific proof.

Your brain starts to change those chemicals in your body become positive view of the soul of the body, the mind begins to recede and your mind is transformed. Thanksgiving is therapy and then there is therapy. Yes, I mean professional therapy see a doctor if you find yourself depressed and one of the states you need to go see a doctor. You may need to go see a Christian counselor demanded to see a professional psychologist or psychiatrist. And yes medication is appropriate when needed to get medication for your cholesterol. You give medication for diabetes you give medication for headaches just foolish to think that you wouldn't take a medication if you're battling depression because these medications typically they do a lot of things that all 20 they they rebuild the serotonin in your brain. What they really do is how to get you from an unstable condition to get you even at a level again where you can start repairing and you can start healing so it may be a pro what is not appropriate is to medicate yourself with alcohol or drugs are bad behavior. So get the therapy you need and that includes talk not just medication but therapy is important, and then finally there's testimony. Elijah was reassigned a new work in a new calling in his life and he got up from that desert depressed experience any return. God said what are you doing here, Elijah. There's more work for you today.

I said, in a moment ago. Some of you just need a new calling. You need a new challenge in your life you need to get going again your stop to put 1 foot in front of another listener got it may be volunteering, serving on a ministry team. It could be coaching kids sports team that it could be filing a new exercise routine. And yes, exercise does help the brain recover the body recover from depression equal to often were told even medication.

Aerobic exercise again.

It changes your brain changes your body. So find something you enjoy. Find a sport. Find a hobby and with thanksgiving to God. Let this testimony be yours. Get off the couch and break the cycle start doing something again that's meaningful you'll find your life being transform. It may take a while. And for some depression can come and go to be chronic, but you never have to give up because there's hope and healing in the Lord Jesus Christ and what I learned that we all can learn this what the apostle Paul learned, for he said to the Corinthian Christians that our God is a God of all comfort and with the comfort with which we are comforted we comfort others.

When you are healed, you will help with your broken, you will help other pieces back together, listening to PowerPoint and tank ran and the message I'm depressed her to determine the stress of life is overwhelming. Many people look to the latest self-help treatments only comes in returning to the Lord and trusting in him because the truth is, he simply can't carry life's burdens on your own. In Dr. Graham's eight message series help show you how to turn your stress into strength to the certainty of God's promises you can face any challenges that come your way. Help is our special thanks for your gift to hopefully proclaim God's word to PowerPoint and thanks to a generous hundred $50,000 matching grant. Whenever you give today will be doubled impact even more lives for Jesus Christ to request your copy when you call today knowing your gift will be doubled, when he hundred seven 954-627-2000 795-4627. You can also text link, .3131316 PowerPoint to 313131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.March pastor. What is your PowerPoint for today. Let me say first of all, that as I look around today church, our community and as I visited preach literally across the country and around the world. I've never seen so many broken people so many people that are hurting, whether it is broken relationships or broken health for broken financial condition and there's many kinds of brokenness in life, the struggle that so many people have emotionally just so much brokenness so much pain and their many self-help answers and most of them don't work.

The fact is that we desperately need the message of Jesus Christ.

We need God to heal the inner brokenness of our lives.

We need the power of Jesus to restore our lives and to help us to live again. Every person experience broken times in their lives, so don't feel like you're the only one is a Christian you may think you have to bow up and act like you're not broken but the fact is we all are broken at some level of our lives and we all need the power of Jesus Christ to put all the pieces of our lives back together again and really think about this because Jesus can heal Jesus can bring you restoration in your life from your broken marriage from your broken relationship from your broken body from your broken soul and there you can discover in the power of Christ, a peace that passes all understanding.

I don't care what you're going through. I don't care what the circumstances of your life he will give you peace.

This is good news for broken people.

Good news for broken person like you. So run to Jesus, get on your knees right now finding him the strength to carry on the persevere and to endure and let God heal you step-by-step, every single day of your life and you will discover that the brokenness can become homeless again and that is today's California. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint will send Dr. Graham's eight message series help as our things.

Call 1-800-795-4627 187954627 also text the word PowerPoint 3131 text PowerPoint 23131 going to see you next time. Dr. Graham brings a message but you can experience freedom from shame next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint ministries