“VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION II”
Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
In our first study we saw:
1 - Facts about the vices of depression
2 - Facts about victory over depression.
Tonight we shall look at two more very important thoughts.
3 – Facts about various causes that produces severe depression.
4 – Facts about valuable criteria that produces social development
If we can foresee the vices and various causes early enough in life, we can prevent discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
Medical doctors of years gone by have said, “If people would take care of their spiritual life as they should, the mental and physical problems would take care of themselves.”
But all too often when people are hit with the symptoms of depression, they go to a friend, then a doctor or psychiatrist.
And they find no help because these guys don’t know that a healthy spiritual life will prevent 90% of all mental disorders.
All they know to do is to put you on medications and pills.
If one does not discover the healing properties of God’s word early enough in life their discouragements can esculate to a place where they need more serious help.
There are some Christian psychiatrists that can prescribe drugs to help you, but your goal should not be to be satisfied with a pill but to find the cause of your depression and resolve it.
I – VARIOUS CAUSES FROM LIFE’S PHYSICAL FACTORS
1 – Hormonal changes may cause depression.
The endocrine system is a series of glands throughout the body which secrete different hormones that influence the activities of our cells, tissues and organs through the body.
When under severe pressure these glands (thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and reproductive glands) can function abnormally.
The over or under activity of these glands can cause mood swings, irritability and insecurities mentally, as well as cold sweats, hot flashes and physical whelps.
Within the adrenal gland (located on kidneys) the increased secretion of the hormone cortisol has been associated with depression.
To discover this you would need a blood test. It would show an abnormality of blood glucose levels.
Abnormal excessive thirst, hunger and extra urine production could be a sign of to much cortisol in your body.
The affects can be fatigue, weakness, suppression of the immune system, muscle aches and bone loss, moodiness or depression.
More symptoms are huskiness of the voice, cold intolerance, weight gain, constipation, lethargy, etc. 2
A person may need a medical evaluation if this has persisted for many years. But, the main cause if detected early is “stress.”
So, find out where your stress is coming from and make some changes.
2 – Lack of Sleep may be a physical cause of depression.
When Elijah fled into the wilderness and wished to die (I Kings 19:4) God began to treat Elijah’s depression.
Do you know what he did? He put him to sleep.
Elijah slept so well, that God had to sent the Angel of the Lord to wake him up. But before he woke him up He him a meal. A depressed wife doesn’t want to feel like she has to get up and cook a meal.
When he awoke, he ate and then do you know what he did? He went back to sleep and the Angel woke him a second time.
One of the best physical remedies for one who is depressed is sleep and rest and to have a mate who will take care of you for awhile.
Men, you are the stronger vessel. The women are called the “weaker vessel” in the Bible.
God did not make them to handle the physical, financial and mental pressures the world puts on us. When men are slack and put to much or expect to much from the wife, you may sense some mood swings.
My wife went through the change of life. Her moods would swing back and forth. She felt what many women feel; unloved, unaccepted and unfit to serve the Lord. She felt insecure, of little value and more.
What did I do? I loved her. I told her a thousand times that I loved her. I assured her how special she was. I encouraged her. I made meals for her at K & W, Wendy’s and Chick-Filet.
I listened to her. I told her if the ministry was too much we would do like Elijah. We would just move to the mountains and find a little church running about 25 and build a cabin in a cove.
I never belittled her or condemned her. I believe one key too many women going through the change of life and making it through without drugs and steroids is understanding, sleep and love.
A prescription for sleep: One elderly widow said she couldn’t sleep well, waking up all night with fears because of regrets, loneliness and depression.
Then one day she discovered: Psalms 63: 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
3 – Genetic factors may cause depression.
Many types of depression are inherited by genetics. It may be that your ancestors turned from God and guilt and bitterness triggered a depression within them.
It may be that they lived an immoral life style that brought guilt.
The Hebrew word for “confusion” in the Bible is tebel and it means “mixture; confusion.”
Thus, immoral activities in one’s pass or one’s parental pass may result in mental confusion.
The Bible declares that the iniquities of our fathers can be passed to three and four generations (Exodus 20:5).
If one is neurotic or psychotic or manic-depressive it would be wise to do what Nehemiah did.
He acknowledged his sins and the sins of his fathers and asked forgiveness.
Nehemiah 1: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
4 - Chronic illness may cause depression.
Long term debilitating illness can bring depression. Constant pain will almost definitely cause hormonal imbalances which results in great emotional changes.
What do you do? Pray for grace.
Paul prayed that God would remove the thorn he had and God said, “No, you can bring more glory to me with your infirmity. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities… for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.” I Cor 12:9-10
5 – Postpartum symptoms may lead to depression.
Thirty percent of women suffer from postpartum depression, mainly because many hormones are taken out of the body at birth. Now, many ask, “Why does God allow this?
First, don’t blame God! Our diet for many years in America has been far below par.
I have discovered that most people that tell me they eat good have no idea what “good eating” is. That could be one cause.
A lack of vitamin B6 and B 12 can be another cause due to bad diets.
Anesthesia and various medical procedures also may contribute to this problem. Learn how to have babies God’s way!
6 – Medication today may cause depression in people.
There are so many side affects to medicine that the doctors and pharmacist don’t even know what all goes on in the body when they give you certain drugs.
All scientific evidence has shown that drugs deplete brain chemicals and damage neurotransimitters in your brain.
Some well known causes of depression are: Alcohol, amphetamines, some anti-ulcer medications, and sedatives; some anti-hypertensive medication for blood pressure, seizure medications and cortisone.
(Cortisone is a steroid shot for inflammation of joints (arthritis etc).
Doctors conclude that others items that may have caused depression are Birth-control pills and oral-contraceptives.3
Before taking any medicine go to a recent Physician’s Desk Reference and Prescription Drug guide and find out the side affects.
Proverbs 22:3, “A prudent man forseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.
7 – Physical misalignments may cause depression.
A woman in Atlanta, Georgia had severe depression. Her pastor recommended she go to a chiropractor. He determined the problems with her cervical muscles at the base of her skull. After he relived the tension her depression cleared up.
8 – To much sugar intake and to little fiber intake can cause depression.
9 – Lack of B-12 can cause depression.
About 19 million Americas have difficulty with depression. 90% are women due to the tendency to go on feelings, says Cleveland Clinical Center. However 1 in 10 are men.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
II – Viable criteria that produces a good social development
Our thought process affects us physically, spiritually and mental life.
If our thought process is based on spiritual thoughts our stability and healing will transpire much quicker.
Consider the following spiritual instruction for healing:
1 – Pursue a Life Purpose worth Dying for.
Often circumstances can cause a person to fall into depression.
Those circumstances are often a lost or an unfulfilled dream in life.
Folks may feel as if life or people haven’t treated them fair.
They may feel like a failure or unfulfilled in life.
Many women who have become career women and climb to the top of the ladder confessed feeling unfulfilled in life. Why? There is a simple answer: That is not why God made them.
The Apostle Paul had every reason to be depressed. He like the Lord was ridiculed, rejected, falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet the very experiences that should have depressed him strengthened him in life.
How? He knew his purpose.
His secret is found in II Corinthians 4:1-12, Therefore seeing we have this ministry…we faint not…We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed… Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Paul’s whole purpose in life was to exalt and lift up Christ.
His desire for himself was to bring glory to Christ and be like Christ.
His desire for his fellow man was his full maturity in Christ.
This was Paul’s joy.
When our purpose for living is anything other than Christ, in time we will experience bouts of discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
Whether you are a doctor or a lawyer or a business man or a laborer, your purpose should be to bring glory to God in all you do.
2 – Recognize and remove roots of bitterness.
Depression is one of the “torments” experienced by those who refuse to forgive their offenders.
Bitterness is a deep-seated sin which allows Satan to gain authority over us and jurisdiction within our lives.
Bitterness is the direct opposite of the nature of God.
Paul warns in Hebrews 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many are defiled.
To be diligent is to be thorough and meticulous in our dealings.
If we will not forgive those who we feel have offended us God will turn us over to the tormentors. According to Matthew 18:21-35 those tormentors will imprison our souls.
3 – Remove the guilt of “secret sin.”
Secret sin will sooner or later destroy whoever practices it.
At first it seems so pleasurable, but in time it drains a person spiritually, then emotionally, then mentally, then physically.
Physical and mental illness will eventually take over of which the doctors will not be able to find a cure.
Your body will go from one problem to another to another. And the doctors will give you one pill, then another.
You may have one surgery and then another and it will seem nothing works.
Why? Because secret sin is anarchy against God.
It is you reserving the right to make final decisions over your life rather than God to make those final decisions.
When David hid his sins bitterness brought physical pain and anguish.
Psalms 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
4 – Prepare for cycles of depression in life.
Watch your life cycles. If on a particular date of the year, you went through a tragedy, you will again on that same date sense and experience that same depression from year to year unless you make peace with God.
--If it was the lost of a love one, release that love one. Give them to God. Don’t hold a grudge against God for taking them. If you are bitter admit it and ask forgiveness.
Then, thank God for the time you had with your child or mate or parents and move on in life serving the Lord.
If it was another failure in life, again turn it loose and make peace with God. God forgives and forgets. You must forgive yourself.
Then read the Scriptures during this cycle more often, play melodious music, give your self to service during that time rather than seclusion.
5 – Choose to have a cheerful countenance.
An Israeli soldier officer said, “We do not allow our soldiers to become discourage because discouragement is a luxury.”
Phil 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.”
You need to give a physical smile whether you feel like it or not will.
It bring healing to your soul.
A physical smile tells your autonomic (involuntary) nervous system that you are happy and stimulates the endocrine system to bring healing properties in your body.
Whereas a frown or anger or a fearful look will cause a sharp decrease in skin temperatures, heart rate and the healing properties.
1) Give an obedient smile because as a Christian you should rejoice.
2) Give a ministry smile because it encourages others around you and is therefore a good witness.
3) Give a joyful smile because you feel like it and it shows others you are in love with and at peace with God.
Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
6 – Remove all items that put you in fellowship with devils.
Have you ever seen a day when the youth of America as a whole look so unhappy and depressed? Why?
There are so many ways Satan is capturing the minds of the youth that parents haven’t the slightest idea what is going on.
--Thirty years ago preachers would warn about Ouija boards and Voodoo mask and certain charms and dolls that you shouldn’t buy.
1- Today, with so many video games in the stores of a evil nature, Satan is gaining a great stronghold in our youth’s minds.
2 - He is also controlling them with the music of this world.
-- Kids and teens get hooked on the rock culture and the rap culture music of this world and they have no idea they are playing with demons. They think it makes them tough, independent and their own boss.
--And worse of all, churches of all denomination are bring it to the youth groups and into the church choirs.
3 - Demonic creatures like gargoyles were once taboo. Now, the creatures our kids watch on cartoons are far more demonic looking that a gargoyle and mom and dad allow it because they are simply ignorant of Satan’s tactics.
They wonder why their kids have nightmares and insecurities and fears. They wonder why they are distant and disobedient and seemingly unconcerned about spiritual things.
The Bible declares, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” Nehemiah 8:10.
When people look for joy in toys, games, trinkets, music, etc they open up their lives to another spirit to give them joy. That is why John wrote, “Try the spirits to see whether they are of God.” John 4:1
A business man went to Jamaica and bought a Voodoo face-carving from Haiti. Shortly thereafter a plague hit our family.
a. The customs officer gave us unexpected trouble.
b. Our plane was called back for a bomb search
c. I took the carving to my office and hung it on the wall. Business seemed to stop.
d. I was afflicted with an acute toe infection.
e. I developed an eye infection. It swelled to the size of an egg and became very painful. Surgery was required.
f. A few months later my eye swelled twice the size with more pain. The doctor didn’t know the cause. He said it was to close to the brain to operate. A red ring appeared around my eye.
g. The only clients who now came to me wanted tavern designs. We couldn’t accept the work because of our convictions.
h. It seemed as if bankruptcy was the only thing left.
i. We moved to a smaller office and I brought the wood carving home and hung it in the family room.
j. Immediately things began to go wrong at home. Everyone lost interest in the family room and time together.
h. Our children who were always happy became depressed and argumentative. My family was in a crisis.
j. My wife developed a severe toothache. After many dental visits, X rays and specialist, they could find nothing wrong. Then the tooth broke off near the gum line requiring a root canal and crown.
k. The next week I learn the dangers of bringing worldly items into my home that might have demons attached to them. That night we explained to our children the instructions from Acts 19:19-20.
l. We throw the carving in the fire place and burned it. We heard the most awful noises coming from the carving. Then we prayed and rededicated our lives and home and office to God.
m. Our children became joyful as they gave all their toys to the Lord.
n. The following week our business made a complete turnaround.
o. The redness around my eye completely cleared up.
p. We began paying our bills. Today our family is free from depression that we experienced.
To that we say, “Amen” but you must remember Satan is subtle. We can see the dangers of bring a voodoo mask, charm, or demonic video into our home. But, can we see the danger of Satan’s music, demonic cartoons and evil philosophies coming over the TV?
7 – A grateful heart will bring healing to discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
A well-known writer suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to a hospital room.
Day after day and week after week did not seem to bring any relief.
After a while a friend came to encourage him. He said, “Why don’t you begin listing the people who have helped you in your life and write them a letter and thank them for what they did?”
He thought he would. He first wrote to an old retired school teacher that helped him and thank her for the time she put into his life.
A few weeks later he received this reply: “When I read your letter, I was blinded with tears… I taught school for fifty years. Your letter is the first letter of thanks I have ever received from a student. I shall cherish it until I die.
That encouraged the man and he wrote another letter and another. Not only did the depression leave him, but he remained free from it till this day. He has since wrote hundreds of letters and made valuable discoveries about the meaning and importance of genuine gratefulness. 4
8 – Exercise twenty minutes every day.
Walk, lift light weights or get on a tread mill. Twenty minutes of exercise, five days a week has a greater affect on conquering your depression than anti-depressants. 5
9 – Take omega 3 fish oil tablets.
The fatty acids in omega - 3 are believed to help people with anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc. 6
Fish oil with omega 3 is good to take.
10 – Talk back to your thoughts. 7
When wrong thoughts enter your mind, when Satan tells you nobody loves you and your life is useless. You must quote Scripture and believe God by faith over Satan’s lies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 22
2 - High Cortisol in Women, www.womentowomen.com
3 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 27
4 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 20
5 – UNC TV, March 18, Channel 16, 8:00
6 – Omega 3 fatty acids, Wikipedia encyclopedia, internet
7 - Ibid
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Victory over depression - I
“VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION”
Psalms 121: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Do you ever feel discouragement, sorrow or grief? Those problems left unattended can lead to severe depression.
First let’s look at… I – FACTS ABOUT THE VICES OF DEPRESSION
Introduction: Have you ever be tired yet unable to sleep? Have you ever slept and slept but it seemed you could not get enough sleep? Have you ever lost interest in the things that once brought you great joy? Have you suddenly lost weight because you did not care to eat or gain a lot of weight because it seemed all you wanted to do is eat?
Have you ever been what some folks say, hyper active for a while than listless later? When alone, have you ever felt worthless or felt nobody cared or loved you? Have you ever thought of just dying or even suicide?1
Doctors say if you experience four of the above every day for two weeks you are suffering from depression.
Before you feel bad about yourself, remember that some of God’s men fought some battles with depression.
One of God’s great prophets had just prayed a monumental prayer that brought fire from heaven above to prove to all of Israel that Jehovah God was the true God. And yet only a few days later, depression hit Elijah and he despaired of life itself.
I Kings 19: 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Another one of God’s great prophets had preached and brought a great revival to a nation where upon the entire nations repented. This was of course Jonah. His response to this great revival was:
Jonah 4: 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Stop and think for a minute. Here were two great heroes of the faith that just obeyed God and saw His great and awesome power. So, why are they depressed?
Elijah was depressed because he expected Israel to repent and turn to God but they did not.
Jonah was depressed because he expected Nineveh to reject God’s word like they had always rejected it. Jonah wanted God to judge the Ninevites but God forgave them instead.
“Your greatest cause of depression may be your expectations.”
What are some people’s expectations?
1- A good marriage 2- Financial security 3- Healthy body
4- Problem free life 5- Obedient children 6- Job security
7- Friends 8- Success in life 9- Having your wants met…and you could list many more.
When your expectations are met than you begin to experience:
1 – THE RELATED PROBLEMS
Often a person will goes to a doctor for depression when they are suffering from discouragement, sorrow or grief, all bring sadness.
A - DISCOURAGEMEMT:
-When you become discourage, you lose hope.
-You become downhearted and feel like you can’t pursue God-given responsibilities.
-To become discouraged can be mild or it can disable you completely.
-Discouragement begins in your mind. You entertain a lie from Satan. You give him ground to plants his seeds. Then it affects your emotions and will. Soon you are defeated and discouragement sets in.
If Bible facts for victory are not practiced your actions will be beyond your control. You will become sad and bitter.
-You will feel guilty and God’s love and joy will be gone.
CURE:
a. Bring your thoughts into obedience with God’s Word (II Cor 10;4-5).
b. Hang around encouraging people. A discouraged person needs to be around joyful people, Godly singing, and the reading of God’s word.
Proverbs 12:25, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad.”
If you have friends that are discouraged encourage them to listen to Godly music, not just any “gospel” music but melodious Godly music.
B - SORROW – King Hezekiah, king of Israel experienced sorrow.
The nation was divided. The old men saw the world as their foe, the young men saw the world as their friend.
Half the men wanted to join up with the Assyrians, God’s enemies, and half the nations wanted to join with the Egyptians. Isaiah told Hezekiah to do neither but trust God. And his soul was truly sorrowful.
Hezekiah said in Psalm, 42: 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?...
Sorrow is the sadness of the soul. But even with the sadness of the soul over outward circumstances of life, we can also have the joy of God inwardly. In Psalms 42:5b Hezekiah says, …hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
You may look at your circumstances in life and have sorrow or feel discouraged.
The key to life is to look to God for peace.
Look to God to keep His promises.
He will never fail you. Everyone else in life may but not God.
For a Godly man or woman to look at the conditions of this world, it brings sorrow of soul but we have a hope and our hope rest in the fact that God is in charge.
This world is not our home we are only here for a season. We are pilgrims, passing through. While we are here we are on a mission from God. Let’s do His will and one day He will pay us our wages.
The apostle Paul knew he had a mission form God. With his sorrow, he too had joy. 2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
C - GRIEF – Grief is anguish of the spirit. It is the spirit of God in us that is to affect and control our soul and body.
If we allow, discouragement to fill our minds, it will soon bring sorrow to our souls. If we do not exercise victory over depression daily, it will not belong before our spirit is stricken with grief.
Grieving drains us of emotional energy. It can distort our perspective of life, our judgment, our decision in life and render us useless to God.
King David experienced grief: Psalms 6: 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Cure: We have all experienced grief in our lives.
The answer to over coming grief is the comfort of the Scriptures and the support of loved ones.
Prolong grief will become depression.
Stop and think are their discouragements that have consumed your thought life? Have they touched your body physically? Have they rooted themselves in your emotions? Is God’s sweet peace and joy gone?
Then you may be on your way to becoming neurotic or psychotic.
2 – THE REAL PROBLEM
Here are some comments a depressed person might make:
• "I feel sad all the time." “I don’t want to get out of bed.”
• "I just don't feel like myself."
• "I don't enjoy being with my friends or doing any of the things I usually love to do."
• "I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately."
• “It seems all I want to do is sleep.”
• "I keep having aches and pains, and I don't know why."
• "Sometimes I feel like my life is not worth living anymore." 2
Listen to some facts about depression:
• Depression is very real.
• It is the most commonly diagnosed as a “mental disorder.” 3
• It is twice as prevalent in women as it is in men.
• Depression will affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• Depression is when a person is in a state of severe sadness.
• A person may have mild depression (neurotic) or severe depression (psychotic).
• If the mild depression is not dealt with and overcome, it can turn into psychotic depression.
Neurosis was informally classified as being overanxious. 4
One can become what is called today “Bipolar.” A bipolar person has two completely opposite emotional states. For maybe months or longer they experience exhilaration (mania). Then suddenly they experience severe sadness (depression). Thus they are called manic-depressive. 5
If a person suffers from only one extreme emotional state they are simply depressed. They are called unipolar. 6
Many people at different times in their life may experience what is called situational depression. It is a severe sad state due to disappointment over a death, family problem, job lost, or a personal financial catastrophe. 7
II - FACTS ABOUT VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION
The following information will give you some insight on how to overcome daily worry, mild anxiety, discouragement and mild depression.
If neurotic depression is not conquered, it may develop into psychotic depression. The emotional state of one who is psychotic will affect one’s physical body.
It will cause an over secretion from the thyroid gland and an imbalance of the hormones.
In the next study we will go into deeper detail from a biological, hormonal, medical and spiritual aspect.
Right now let’s answer this question: How do I get victory over worry, anxiety, discouragement and depression?
1 – Exhortation from Scripture
A – Think Right
What is something that is troubling you today? ____________
Will this not remedy that problem?
Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
--The Greek word for “Be careful,” merimnao, means to be troubled, anxious or to promote one’s own interest.
To be anxious is to be nervous, worried, restless, fretful or eager. To be anxious is to lack faith and trust in God.
If you believe the Bible and it is true, then these simple verses put into practice will give you the peace of mind, heart and soul that you need.
How? Look at each verse again.
1 – Quit worrying and quit expecting… (-6a).
2 – Learn to pray (prayer), present your needs to God (supplicate) and leave them there. Then thank God for the outcome which ever way it goes (thanksgiving). (-6b)
3 – Then --- ***The peace of God shall protect and preserve your heart and mind. (-7)
4 – The prescription is this (-8). Take a full dosage of Philippians 4:8 three times a day, every four hours. If symptoms continue, take the prescription 6 times a day every day until the symptoms are gone.
Give your expectations in life to God. Quit trying to control that which only God can control. You can’t control your circumstances, but God can.
Give it a all to the Lord.
B – Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5: 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5: 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-To walk in the Spirit one must die to self. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:31, “…I die daily.”
We are a trinity: Spirit, body, soul. If our Spirit is fed God’s word and we walk in the Spirit, our body and soul will be subject to God.
-If we live after the flesh, our expectations may not be met or if they are and then we lose those things which pleased our flesh, our soul or emotions take over and we can become very depressed.
-Walking in the Spirit is walking in the light of God’s world.
-It is learning to live by faith and not feelings.
-It is basking in the sunlight of His love.
-It is laughing with the joy of spiritual truths.
-It is a peace that passeth all understanding.
-It is a patience that never gets angry.
-It is like a gentle breeze on a warm sunny day.
-Oh, that we would learn God’s love and walk in His Spirit.
C – Make your focus clear
So often our focus is wrong in life. Our focus should be on Christ and to often our focus in life is on “me.”
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Here are some excuses some folks give for being depressed:
“My job doesn’t satisfy me.”
“My work schedule isn’t what I want.”
“People don’t treat me right.”
“My mate doesn’t please me.”
“I am not happy in life.”
The problem in these five statements is “I, Me and My”.
***God did not give me and you life so we might please ourselves but we were given life so we might please Him.
Colossians 1: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Does your life please Jesus is the question?
D – Live like Christ
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus went to the cross with joy. How? He knew to be the right servant for God was costly.
It might mean you spending your life alone.
It might mean you suffering. It will definitely means giving your expectations to God.
--- Often parents build their world around their children when they should teach their children to build their world around Christ.
A child should be taught to be a servant, to be quiet, to be obedient, and to realize he is not first in the home or in life.
A child should not be given everything in life but be taught to be grateful for the things he already has in life.
A child should be taught to serve others, not to be served.
When a person’s focus is “me” they will be useless for God.
When a person’s focus is “Jesus Christ” they will be a great servant for God.
Thus, in life when a person has built their life around self, selfish desires and ambitions, and suddenly those “things” are lost or taken away, depression sets in and with that depression mood swings, discouragements and blame.
E – Remember who you belong to
I Corinthians 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Does that register with you? You do not belong to yourself. You belong to God.
Your joy in life will only come as you are obedient to the one who owns you.
Many Christians are not happy because they have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord of their lives.
We should say… I belong to Jesus Christ and every thing I have belongs to Him. He can take it away or He can continue to allow me to borrow it. It is His.
I enjoy my health, my family and every thing I have in life. With all I have, I have face many discouragements, sorrows as well as grief.
But, I belong to God. I will try to by His grace to glorify Him in my spirit and in my body because they belong to Him.
And so, God’s word says, “think right,” “walk in the Spirit,” “make your focus clear,” “live like Christ,” and “remember who owns you.”
2 - Example from sorrow –
A few years ago I lost half of all I had set away for retirement. Of course I will never retire. You would have never known that unless I had told you because though it was troublesome in my flesh, it didn’t control my spirit.
I have had other sorrows and grief in life that I never share with you because you have your own.
I deal with mine daily and allow God to be my focus. Whenever I come to God’s house I want to be an encouragement to others.
I will let you see in my glass house for a brief moment. Probably the greatest discouragement and sorrow and grief I ever experienced was about 12 years ago when a group of men and women conspired against this church hoping to destroy it.
One man wrote letters and sowed doubt and when all was finished about 75 people left the church.
That didn’t bother most of the folks here much. They simply choose sides from what they heard.
And many others in our church never knew what happening but it was very discouraging and depressing time in my life as a pastor.
I came to the place where I didn’t want to pastor or teach or preach or pray. But I did.
I made myself get up every morning and praise the Lord and thank Him for His goodness. Then I would pray and seek the Lord and study the Scriptures.
But for one year I did not enjoy it. Had I walked by my feelings I would have quit. Some preachers ask me if I would be interested in another church. And then I had to practice what I preached. I told my wife you never run when you are in a battle. You don’t leave till your mission is over. Then slowly God gave me a glimmer of light here and there.
I tell you this story for this reason, if you are not already disciplined in prayer, praise and studying the scriptures, when real discouragement, sorrow and grief comes, Satan may lead you into a depression that you may find it very difficult to get out of.
What is the key? It is living by faith and not by feelings.
Bibliography
1 - Signs of Depression, www.Cymbalta.com
2 – Ibid
3 – Basic care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
4 - www.thefreedictionary.com/neurotic
5 – Basic Care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
6 – Ibid
7 - Ibid
Psalms 121: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Do you ever feel discouragement, sorrow or grief? Those problems left unattended can lead to severe depression.
First let’s look at… I – FACTS ABOUT THE VICES OF DEPRESSION
Introduction: Have you ever be tired yet unable to sleep? Have you ever slept and slept but it seemed you could not get enough sleep? Have you ever lost interest in the things that once brought you great joy? Have you suddenly lost weight because you did not care to eat or gain a lot of weight because it seemed all you wanted to do is eat?
Have you ever been what some folks say, hyper active for a while than listless later? When alone, have you ever felt worthless or felt nobody cared or loved you? Have you ever thought of just dying or even suicide?1
Doctors say if you experience four of the above every day for two weeks you are suffering from depression.
Before you feel bad about yourself, remember that some of God’s men fought some battles with depression.
One of God’s great prophets had just prayed a monumental prayer that brought fire from heaven above to prove to all of Israel that Jehovah God was the true God. And yet only a few days later, depression hit Elijah and he despaired of life itself.
I Kings 19: 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Another one of God’s great prophets had preached and brought a great revival to a nation where upon the entire nations repented. This was of course Jonah. His response to this great revival was:
Jonah 4: 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Stop and think for a minute. Here were two great heroes of the faith that just obeyed God and saw His great and awesome power. So, why are they depressed?
Elijah was depressed because he expected Israel to repent and turn to God but they did not.
Jonah was depressed because he expected Nineveh to reject God’s word like they had always rejected it. Jonah wanted God to judge the Ninevites but God forgave them instead.
“Your greatest cause of depression may be your expectations.”
What are some people’s expectations?
1- A good marriage 2- Financial security 3- Healthy body
4- Problem free life 5- Obedient children 6- Job security
7- Friends 8- Success in life 9- Having your wants met…and you could list many more.
When your expectations are met than you begin to experience:
1 – THE RELATED PROBLEMS
Often a person will goes to a doctor for depression when they are suffering from discouragement, sorrow or grief, all bring sadness.
A - DISCOURAGEMEMT:
-When you become discourage, you lose hope.
-You become downhearted and feel like you can’t pursue God-given responsibilities.
-To become discouraged can be mild or it can disable you completely.
-Discouragement begins in your mind. You entertain a lie from Satan. You give him ground to plants his seeds. Then it affects your emotions and will. Soon you are defeated and discouragement sets in.
If Bible facts for victory are not practiced your actions will be beyond your control. You will become sad and bitter.
-You will feel guilty and God’s love and joy will be gone.
CURE:
a. Bring your thoughts into obedience with God’s Word (II Cor 10;4-5).
b. Hang around encouraging people. A discouraged person needs to be around joyful people, Godly singing, and the reading of God’s word.
Proverbs 12:25, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad.”
If you have friends that are discouraged encourage them to listen to Godly music, not just any “gospel” music but melodious Godly music.
B - SORROW – King Hezekiah, king of Israel experienced sorrow.
The nation was divided. The old men saw the world as their foe, the young men saw the world as their friend.
Half the men wanted to join up with the Assyrians, God’s enemies, and half the nations wanted to join with the Egyptians. Isaiah told Hezekiah to do neither but trust God. And his soul was truly sorrowful.
Hezekiah said in Psalm, 42: 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?...
Sorrow is the sadness of the soul. But even with the sadness of the soul over outward circumstances of life, we can also have the joy of God inwardly. In Psalms 42:5b Hezekiah says, …hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
You may look at your circumstances in life and have sorrow or feel discouraged.
The key to life is to look to God for peace.
Look to God to keep His promises.
He will never fail you. Everyone else in life may but not God.
For a Godly man or woman to look at the conditions of this world, it brings sorrow of soul but we have a hope and our hope rest in the fact that God is in charge.
This world is not our home we are only here for a season. We are pilgrims, passing through. While we are here we are on a mission from God. Let’s do His will and one day He will pay us our wages.
The apostle Paul knew he had a mission form God. With his sorrow, he too had joy. 2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
C - GRIEF – Grief is anguish of the spirit. It is the spirit of God in us that is to affect and control our soul and body.
If we allow, discouragement to fill our minds, it will soon bring sorrow to our souls. If we do not exercise victory over depression daily, it will not belong before our spirit is stricken with grief.
Grieving drains us of emotional energy. It can distort our perspective of life, our judgment, our decision in life and render us useless to God.
King David experienced grief: Psalms 6: 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Cure: We have all experienced grief in our lives.
The answer to over coming grief is the comfort of the Scriptures and the support of loved ones.
Prolong grief will become depression.
Stop and think are their discouragements that have consumed your thought life? Have they touched your body physically? Have they rooted themselves in your emotions? Is God’s sweet peace and joy gone?
Then you may be on your way to becoming neurotic or psychotic.
2 – THE REAL PROBLEM
Here are some comments a depressed person might make:
• "I feel sad all the time." “I don’t want to get out of bed.”
• "I just don't feel like myself."
• "I don't enjoy being with my friends or doing any of the things I usually love to do."
• "I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately."
• “It seems all I want to do is sleep.”
• "I keep having aches and pains, and I don't know why."
• "Sometimes I feel like my life is not worth living anymore." 2
Listen to some facts about depression:
• Depression is very real.
• It is the most commonly diagnosed as a “mental disorder.” 3
• It is twice as prevalent in women as it is in men.
• Depression will affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• Depression is when a person is in a state of severe sadness.
• A person may have mild depression (neurotic) or severe depression (psychotic).
• If the mild depression is not dealt with and overcome, it can turn into psychotic depression.
Neurosis was informally classified as being overanxious. 4
One can become what is called today “Bipolar.” A bipolar person has two completely opposite emotional states. For maybe months or longer they experience exhilaration (mania). Then suddenly they experience severe sadness (depression). Thus they are called manic-depressive. 5
If a person suffers from only one extreme emotional state they are simply depressed. They are called unipolar. 6
Many people at different times in their life may experience what is called situational depression. It is a severe sad state due to disappointment over a death, family problem, job lost, or a personal financial catastrophe. 7
II - FACTS ABOUT VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION
The following information will give you some insight on how to overcome daily worry, mild anxiety, discouragement and mild depression.
If neurotic depression is not conquered, it may develop into psychotic depression. The emotional state of one who is psychotic will affect one’s physical body.
It will cause an over secretion from the thyroid gland and an imbalance of the hormones.
In the next study we will go into deeper detail from a biological, hormonal, medical and spiritual aspect.
Right now let’s answer this question: How do I get victory over worry, anxiety, discouragement and depression?
1 – Exhortation from Scripture
A – Think Right
What is something that is troubling you today? ____________
Will this not remedy that problem?
Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
--The Greek word for “Be careful,” merimnao, means to be troubled, anxious or to promote one’s own interest.
To be anxious is to be nervous, worried, restless, fretful or eager. To be anxious is to lack faith and trust in God.
If you believe the Bible and it is true, then these simple verses put into practice will give you the peace of mind, heart and soul that you need.
How? Look at each verse again.
1 – Quit worrying and quit expecting… (-6a).
2 – Learn to pray (prayer), present your needs to God (supplicate) and leave them there. Then thank God for the outcome which ever way it goes (thanksgiving). (-6b)
3 – Then --- ***The peace of God shall protect and preserve your heart and mind. (-7)
4 – The prescription is this (-8). Take a full dosage of Philippians 4:8 three times a day, every four hours. If symptoms continue, take the prescription 6 times a day every day until the symptoms are gone.
Give your expectations in life to God. Quit trying to control that which only God can control. You can’t control your circumstances, but God can.
Give it a all to the Lord.
B – Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5: 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5: 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-To walk in the Spirit one must die to self. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:31, “…I die daily.”
We are a trinity: Spirit, body, soul. If our Spirit is fed God’s word and we walk in the Spirit, our body and soul will be subject to God.
-If we live after the flesh, our expectations may not be met or if they are and then we lose those things which pleased our flesh, our soul or emotions take over and we can become very depressed.
-Walking in the Spirit is walking in the light of God’s world.
-It is learning to live by faith and not feelings.
-It is basking in the sunlight of His love.
-It is laughing with the joy of spiritual truths.
-It is a peace that passeth all understanding.
-It is a patience that never gets angry.
-It is like a gentle breeze on a warm sunny day.
-Oh, that we would learn God’s love and walk in His Spirit.
C – Make your focus clear
So often our focus is wrong in life. Our focus should be on Christ and to often our focus in life is on “me.”
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Here are some excuses some folks give for being depressed:
“My job doesn’t satisfy me.”
“My work schedule isn’t what I want.”
“People don’t treat me right.”
“My mate doesn’t please me.”
“I am not happy in life.”
The problem in these five statements is “I, Me and My”.
***God did not give me and you life so we might please ourselves but we were given life so we might please Him.
Colossians 1: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Does your life please Jesus is the question?
D – Live like Christ
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus went to the cross with joy. How? He knew to be the right servant for God was costly.
It might mean you spending your life alone.
It might mean you suffering. It will definitely means giving your expectations to God.
--- Often parents build their world around their children when they should teach their children to build their world around Christ.
A child should be taught to be a servant, to be quiet, to be obedient, and to realize he is not first in the home or in life.
A child should not be given everything in life but be taught to be grateful for the things he already has in life.
A child should be taught to serve others, not to be served.
When a person’s focus is “me” they will be useless for God.
When a person’s focus is “Jesus Christ” they will be a great servant for God.
Thus, in life when a person has built their life around self, selfish desires and ambitions, and suddenly those “things” are lost or taken away, depression sets in and with that depression mood swings, discouragements and blame.
E – Remember who you belong to
I Corinthians 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Does that register with you? You do not belong to yourself. You belong to God.
Your joy in life will only come as you are obedient to the one who owns you.
Many Christians are not happy because they have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord of their lives.
We should say… I belong to Jesus Christ and every thing I have belongs to Him. He can take it away or He can continue to allow me to borrow it. It is His.
I enjoy my health, my family and every thing I have in life. With all I have, I have face many discouragements, sorrows as well as grief.
But, I belong to God. I will try to by His grace to glorify Him in my spirit and in my body because they belong to Him.
And so, God’s word says, “think right,” “walk in the Spirit,” “make your focus clear,” “live like Christ,” and “remember who owns you.”
2 - Example from sorrow –
A few years ago I lost half of all I had set away for retirement. Of course I will never retire. You would have never known that unless I had told you because though it was troublesome in my flesh, it didn’t control my spirit.
I have had other sorrows and grief in life that I never share with you because you have your own.
I deal with mine daily and allow God to be my focus. Whenever I come to God’s house I want to be an encouragement to others.
I will let you see in my glass house for a brief moment. Probably the greatest discouragement and sorrow and grief I ever experienced was about 12 years ago when a group of men and women conspired against this church hoping to destroy it.
One man wrote letters and sowed doubt and when all was finished about 75 people left the church.
That didn’t bother most of the folks here much. They simply choose sides from what they heard.
And many others in our church never knew what happening but it was very discouraging and depressing time in my life as a pastor.
I came to the place where I didn’t want to pastor or teach or preach or pray. But I did.
I made myself get up every morning and praise the Lord and thank Him for His goodness. Then I would pray and seek the Lord and study the Scriptures.
But for one year I did not enjoy it. Had I walked by my feelings I would have quit. Some preachers ask me if I would be interested in another church. And then I had to practice what I preached. I told my wife you never run when you are in a battle. You don’t leave till your mission is over. Then slowly God gave me a glimmer of light here and there.
I tell you this story for this reason, if you are not already disciplined in prayer, praise and studying the scriptures, when real discouragement, sorrow and grief comes, Satan may lead you into a depression that you may find it very difficult to get out of.
What is the key? It is living by faith and not by feelings.
Bibliography
1 - Signs of Depression, www.Cymbalta.com
2 – Ibid
3 – Basic care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
4 - www.thefreedictionary.com/neurotic
5 – Basic Care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
6 – Ibid
7 - Ibid
Liberation Theology
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT
LIBERATION THEOLOGY!
I THE BACKGROUND OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
What does the Bible say about “Liberation Theology?” The Bible has much to say about our freedom and much to say about Theology but is the teaching of liberation theology found in the Bible?
The major doctrines of the Bible are doctrine such as Bibliography which includes inspiration, regeneration, faith, repentance, grace and much more.
Another major doctrine is Christology which is the life of Christ; Pneumatology which is the teaching of the Holy Spirit; Anthropology, which is the study of man; Harmotology, which is the study of sin; Eschatology, the study of last things, Soteriology, the study of Salvation; Ecclesiology, which is the study of the Church and Theology, which is the study of God.
Liberation Theology is not a doctrine that has been passed down from the first century teachings of the Church. Surprisingly, the term did not come into existence until 1962.
The word “liberation” means to be emancipated, set free or released.
Liberation Theology began with the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965.
They state, “liberation theology is a school of theology within Christianity that focuses on Jesus Christ as not only the Redeemer but also the Liberator of the oppressed. 1
In liberation theology people’s focus is set upon being free from poverty and oppression.
It emphasizes the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, particularly through political activism.
This became the problem. An alliance was formed between churches and political activist that stirred people’s emotions. It was not long before the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, longsuffering was gone and unethical and un-Christian actions took over.
Due to some unscrupulous actions and politics of the teaching of` liberation theologies by the Catholic Church Cormac McCrory issued official rejections of the theology in the 1980s and liberation theologians were harshly admonished by Pope John Paul II (leading to the curtailing of its growth). 2
The current Pope, Benedict XVI also condemns much of its teachings.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger said, “Liberation theology is a phenomenon with an extraordinary number of layers. There is a whole spectrum from radically Marxist positions, on the one hand, to the efforts which are being made within the framework of a correct and ecclesial theology.”
“An analysis of the phenomenon of liberation theology reveals that it constitutes a fundamental threat to the faith of the Church.” 3
From those who started it, we find reproof of this very doctrine.
Why is Liberation Theology un-scriptural? God raises up governments and sets them down. And God sets a people free as they “seek Him,” “cry out to Him,” “obey His word,” and “walk His way.”
To use un-Christian and dishonorable means and methods to gain freedom is not God’s way or will.
Our Freedom does not come by our demands to man but by our prayers and appeals to God.
Jesus never preached liberation theology. He never taught a people to revolt in order to have freedom from the government. He taught people that there was freedom in Salvation.
In layman terms Liberation Theology is an alliance between a religious establishment and the state through means unbecoming even to the Catholic churches to aid and abed the poor with the same lifestyle as the wealthy through political socialism.
It is often cited as a form of Christian socialism. 4
How is this done? It is the attempt to influence a government to pass laws and even to at times picket and revolt to see to it that the rich and poor are put on a more even social scale.
How? The wealthy are taxed by a greater percentage than the poor. Those tax dollars are then used to build houses, provide food, educate and provide monies for the poor. It is called socialism.
It is in the simple words of Karl Marx, “the redistribution of wealth” to help the poor. (Karl Marx was the father of communism and socialism).
The Catholic Church hierarchy rejected their own “Liberation Theology” due to the anti-Christian actions being imposed by there own people on others.
In the news lately we have witnessed that some black preachers, are using “Liberation Theology” as a justification to promote hatred and anti Christian and anti America and anti Jewish rhetoric. I use the term “black” because the U.S. Census Bureau used that term for their race.
II – THE BIBLE AND LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Old Testament: What does the Bible say about being liberated from poverty and slavery? Jesus said the poor you will always have with you. Servitude is and always will be a part of society as long as man is running things.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. What liberates a man’s soul and life is being Godly, not demanding our freedom or equality (II Tim 6:6).
Look at slavery for a moment. It seems that this is the root claim for such anti-America rhetoric but is it justified in demanding equality.
If you study all of history from the flood till the present day you will discover that slavery has always been part of human civilization.
Most cultures and most civilizations from Babylon, in Genesis ten, and for the next 4,000 years had some form of slavery.
There has always been poor people, poor nations and poor societies. There have always been people enslaved by governments; white people, Asian people and black people.
The world classifies countries as first, second and third world countries depending on their annual income and life style.
When the Babylonians ruled the world they enslaved people of all races. When the Egyptians ruled the world they enslaved people. When Rome ruled the world they enslaved people. History tells us there were more slaves in the Roman Empire than free men.
Who has suffered the most from slavery over the centuries?
Has it been the Africans or the Jews?
Of all civilizations, history documents that the people that has suffered the most were God’s people, the Hebrew people.
They were slaves 430 year in Egypt. What did they do to get free? They repented and cried out to God and were set free.
In time their lack of love and false alliances for God divided them as a nation. Israel, the Northern nation forgot God and were for 120 years captives of the Assyrians.
Judah, the Southern nation was 70 years captives of the Babylonians.
They were run down and sought after by the Assyrians. Laws were passed to kill and enslave them.
Then when Rome became the Great World power, Israel’s nation was brutally destroyed, tens of thousands of the Jewish people were murdered, and the Jewish people were scattered across the face of the earth and for 1900 years they were a people without a nation.
Then in WW II six million Jewish people were murder by the Germans under Adolph Hitler. Keep this in mind.
The African people too were a people that suffered from slavery. They did not suffer like the Jewish people but they did suffer by the millions.
They were mistreated. They were killed. What happened to the African people was wrong.
But, good and godly precious black preachers of the Bible know that God forgives and forgets. The Bible says, “Forget those things which are behind.”
The Jewish people though hurt and mistreated by many nations in the past have moved on to build a life for themselves.
Many good black brethren and black preachers know this truth and they preach this to their congregations. Thank God for truth!
The Hebrew people and slavery: The Hebrew people not only lived in slavery, they practiced slavery against their own people according to God’s word.
For the Hebrew people it was a means of getting a new start in life.
For example, if a man lost everything due to a bad business deal or due to unfortunate happenings, he could sell his life to another in order to get a new start in life.
Look at Exodus 21:1
1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.
These were the rules laid down by God. Here a man purchases a man’s life, who has lost everything and has nothing. He teaches him a trade. He teaches him how to work for him self, yea he gives him another chance.
After six years he can go out on his own and make a living. If however he realizes how good his master has been to him, he may chose to labor for his master the rest of his life. This was a Jewish man’s actions towards a Jewish brother.
When God gave the Promise Land, to Israel He did so because God can give to nations what He wants and he can take away their freedom when he chooses.
Job reveals that truth to us. “…the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
The reason God gave Canaan to Israel is because:
1 - Canaan had become corrupt in their moral life.
2 - They had become idolatrous in their worship and had long ago turned from the true God.
3 - And there alliances were evil as well.
God then divided the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Every family was given a share. If a man fell on hard times and had to relinquish his property God instituted the Year of Jubilee.
Leviticus 25: 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
This is Old Testament liberation theology from a physical standpoint. After fifty years, a man could go back to the land God gave them and plant his crops and start over again.
Now, here is New Testament liberation theology.
You must remember that the Hebrew people were a earthly people with a earthly promise. They were a people who were promised physical blessings if they would seek God. In the New Testament God established a heavenly people, the Church of Jesus Christ. Our promises are heavenly and eternal.
1 - The Bible declares that the “The whole world is under sin.”
(Romans 3:10, 23).
Every man, every race, every culture is under sin.
It doesn’t matter if the man is Jewish, American, African, English, Australia, Chinese etc, he is under the condemnation of sin.
2 – The Bible declares that Jesus came to set men free.
John 8: 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Paul, after being saved by God’s grace declared that he was a “servant of God,” which meant a bond slave or a slave. How can that be?
Paul at one time was a free man, a Roman citizen. When he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, he knew that there was more freedom being a slave for Christ that a free man living in this wicked world with all of its vices.
Even in this world you can become a slave to something or someone. Many folks are slaves to money, alcohol, sex and lust. Some folks are enslaved by greed, bitterness, hate and more. Still others are enslaved by clubs, organizations and even governments.
3 – The Bible reveals how to be liberated from hurts and sin.
A – Truth will set a man free at salvation no matter where he is in life.
Jesus said in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
He said in John 14: 6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
B – God’s Spirit gives us comfort as we study the Scriptures.
Jesus said in John 14: 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
God’s spirit comforts us, man’s words if not biblical can entrap us.
C – Let God’s Spirit be your teacher, not man.
John 16: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
John 17: 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Who and what will teach you truth? Answer: God’s Spirit and God’s Word. Jesus is truth. The Holy Spirit is truth. God’s Word is truth.
Liberation Theology moved into many “black churches” in the sixties, especially with the 1964 Civil Right movement.
The Bible was preached in many black churches but suddenly many began to adopt this “Liberation Theology” and they began to preach a social gospel.
Liberation Theology is a social Gospel movement. It is an intellectual movement that has gained prominence in the 20th century.
It preaches the social Gospel principles.
It talks about Jesus and salvation, yes but its main focus is on poverty and inequality and crime.
It focuses on racial tensions and slums and poor hygiene and education and the dangers of war.
This is all fine. Every culture and church should deal with these things but it becomes detrimental to society and a people when a preacher or church or a man begins to blame the government or another race for their troubles.
The Jewish people never blamed another nation for their troubles. They knew that as they drew near to God, God would bless them and set them free. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Please understand there are good black preachers that preach the bible and their congregation are filled with good folks.
But, when a black or white preacher focuses on hurts and problems and begins to blame a nation, a race or a culture for them being in the position they are in, the preacher has failed from preaching the truth of God’s word.
The Jewish people never blamed another culture for the problems.
Jesus is the answer my friend to all you problems, not a government or somebody treating you right or helping you to get revenge or ahead in life. Jesus is our hope.
The answer to all of life’s problems is found in the life of Jesus and in His Word.
Theologically, the Social Gospel leaders were overwhelmingly post-millennialist. 5
That is because they believed the Second Coming could not happen until humankind rids itself of all social evils by human effort.
And so blame has fallen on government, slavery, the white race, the Jewish race, unfair education and any other item a social gospel preacher wants to blame.
If their doctrine was Biblically correct they would preach pre-millennialist theology. They would be preparing for Jesus’ return rather than focusing on a social gospel.
Though this Liberation Theology is not as predominant in the Southern United States, it has moved in to many churches in the south.
Social Gospel leaders were and are predominantly liberal politically and theologically. 6
It is good and right to help the poor. Many churches do by giving clothes, food, help and aid. But, there is much more than given physical items to people in need. The Gospel must be presented and spiritual truth must be taught by actions and word.
It is so clear in the Scripture that as a people turn their lives over to Jesus Christ and seek His face; it is Christ that will in His time and if He chooses, will prosper a people.
The reason for this message today stems mainly from what has been exposed by the media lately in some black churches. And let me say, not all black churches. Most black churches especially in the South are Christian in content. But there are many black preachers that side with the Rev. Wright.
The Rev. Wright, Obama’s pastor has made many remarks that have caused true Christians to wonder over such comments.
The Rev. Wright took God’s name in vain from the pulpit. He cursed America and in cursing America he was cursing the white man.
He compared the American government to the KKK. And he compared our military to terrorist.
Since those remarks, the Rev. Wright is contemplating his resignation and has cancelled all his public appearances.
The church has called another pastor for now, the Rev. Otis Moss III.
In his first sermon, this pass Easter Sunday, he described the media guilty of a modern day lynching and said what they did to Rev. Wright was compared to what Jesus went through at the hands of the Romans.
I am sorry friends, but Jesus opened not his mouth when he was crucified. Jesus never cursed the government of Rome. Jesus never took His father’s name in vain. Jesus never preached with hate, only with love.
The new pastor, Rev Moss defiantly defended this method of worship when he said, “If I was Ice Cube I’d say it a little differently — You picked the wrong folk to mess with.”
Moss said this to an enthusiastic congregation, standing up during much of the sermon and shouting to the message titled, “How to Handle a Public Lynching.” 7
Stop: Folks, our church is predominately white. We have had precious Christian black people attend. They are welcome here all the time.
They are welcome to become member here. We don’t shun someone because of their race or ethnic background.
When a person gets saved, he is my brother and Jesus is our Savior and God is our father and we are going to spend eternity together. We have no business fighting another race.
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie in her sermon said, “Dr. Wright represents the best among us … An attack on this man of God is an attack on all those of the cloth who believe in the social Gospel of liberation. And I will not stand for it.”
Today liberation theology according to the internet information is founded mainly in Black Muslim groups and Black Muslim parties.
This is the impact Louis Farrakhan has had on many black churches and pastors. Churches that have accepted this doctrine are absolutely wrong for it is totally contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
A church is to make no alliance with any government or ethic group whatsoever. A church is to be an autonomous organization that is run according to the Scriptures, not man.
Just as Paul corrected the early Christian churches by telling them they cannot mix Judaism and Christianity, today you cannot mix liberation theology with Christianity. It does not mix. It can not mix. Sweet water and bitter water does not flow out of the same fountain.
Christian attitudes and actions reveal truth.
The rhetoric of Rev. Wright and those like him are not Christian.
Turn to Galatians 5.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
His preaching was not loving but hateful. It was not gentle but harsh.
Verse 24 makes it clear that God’s children have crucified or died to the affection and selfish revengeful desires of the flesh.
And verse 26 makes it clear we are not to provoke people against one another.
Turn to James 4.
:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Whenever a church or a Christian makes alliances with the world in order to achieve a goal it will only make them an enemy of God.
Turn to James 3.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
A pastor, a church, a congregation should peach Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins. We should show forth love and joy and peace, not hate and anger and blame and warfare.
1 - Liberation theology, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2 – Ibid.,
3 – www.christendom-awake.org
4 - Liberation theology, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5 – Ibid.,
6 – Ibid.,
7 – Ibid.,
LIBERATION THEOLOGY!
I THE BACKGROUND OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
What does the Bible say about “Liberation Theology?” The Bible has much to say about our freedom and much to say about Theology but is the teaching of liberation theology found in the Bible?
The major doctrines of the Bible are doctrine such as Bibliography which includes inspiration, regeneration, faith, repentance, grace and much more.
Another major doctrine is Christology which is the life of Christ; Pneumatology which is the teaching of the Holy Spirit; Anthropology, which is the study of man; Harmotology, which is the study of sin; Eschatology, the study of last things, Soteriology, the study of Salvation; Ecclesiology, which is the study of the Church and Theology, which is the study of God.
Liberation Theology is not a doctrine that has been passed down from the first century teachings of the Church. Surprisingly, the term did not come into existence until 1962.
The word “liberation” means to be emancipated, set free or released.
Liberation Theology began with the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965.
They state, “liberation theology is a school of theology within Christianity that focuses on Jesus Christ as not only the Redeemer but also the Liberator of the oppressed. 1
In liberation theology people’s focus is set upon being free from poverty and oppression.
It emphasizes the Christian mission to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, particularly through political activism.
This became the problem. An alliance was formed between churches and political activist that stirred people’s emotions. It was not long before the fruit of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, longsuffering was gone and unethical and un-Christian actions took over.
Due to some unscrupulous actions and politics of the teaching of` liberation theologies by the Catholic Church Cormac McCrory issued official rejections of the theology in the 1980s and liberation theologians were harshly admonished by Pope John Paul II (leading to the curtailing of its growth). 2
The current Pope, Benedict XVI also condemns much of its teachings.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger said, “Liberation theology is a phenomenon with an extraordinary number of layers. There is a whole spectrum from radically Marxist positions, on the one hand, to the efforts which are being made within the framework of a correct and ecclesial theology.”
“An analysis of the phenomenon of liberation theology reveals that it constitutes a fundamental threat to the faith of the Church.” 3
From those who started it, we find reproof of this very doctrine.
Why is Liberation Theology un-scriptural? God raises up governments and sets them down. And God sets a people free as they “seek Him,” “cry out to Him,” “obey His word,” and “walk His way.”
To use un-Christian and dishonorable means and methods to gain freedom is not God’s way or will.
Our Freedom does not come by our demands to man but by our prayers and appeals to God.
Jesus never preached liberation theology. He never taught a people to revolt in order to have freedom from the government. He taught people that there was freedom in Salvation.
In layman terms Liberation Theology is an alliance between a religious establishment and the state through means unbecoming even to the Catholic churches to aid and abed the poor with the same lifestyle as the wealthy through political socialism.
It is often cited as a form of Christian socialism. 4
How is this done? It is the attempt to influence a government to pass laws and even to at times picket and revolt to see to it that the rich and poor are put on a more even social scale.
How? The wealthy are taxed by a greater percentage than the poor. Those tax dollars are then used to build houses, provide food, educate and provide monies for the poor. It is called socialism.
It is in the simple words of Karl Marx, “the redistribution of wealth” to help the poor. (Karl Marx was the father of communism and socialism).
The Catholic Church hierarchy rejected their own “Liberation Theology” due to the anti-Christian actions being imposed by there own people on others.
In the news lately we have witnessed that some black preachers, are using “Liberation Theology” as a justification to promote hatred and anti Christian and anti America and anti Jewish rhetoric. I use the term “black” because the U.S. Census Bureau used that term for their race.
II – THE BIBLE AND LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Old Testament: What does the Bible say about being liberated from poverty and slavery? Jesus said the poor you will always have with you. Servitude is and always will be a part of society as long as man is running things.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. What liberates a man’s soul and life is being Godly, not demanding our freedom or equality (II Tim 6:6).
Look at slavery for a moment. It seems that this is the root claim for such anti-America rhetoric but is it justified in demanding equality.
If you study all of history from the flood till the present day you will discover that slavery has always been part of human civilization.
Most cultures and most civilizations from Babylon, in Genesis ten, and for the next 4,000 years had some form of slavery.
There has always been poor people, poor nations and poor societies. There have always been people enslaved by governments; white people, Asian people and black people.
The world classifies countries as first, second and third world countries depending on their annual income and life style.
When the Babylonians ruled the world they enslaved people of all races. When the Egyptians ruled the world they enslaved people. When Rome ruled the world they enslaved people. History tells us there were more slaves in the Roman Empire than free men.
Who has suffered the most from slavery over the centuries?
Has it been the Africans or the Jews?
Of all civilizations, history documents that the people that has suffered the most were God’s people, the Hebrew people.
They were slaves 430 year in Egypt. What did they do to get free? They repented and cried out to God and were set free.
In time their lack of love and false alliances for God divided them as a nation. Israel, the Northern nation forgot God and were for 120 years captives of the Assyrians.
Judah, the Southern nation was 70 years captives of the Babylonians.
They were run down and sought after by the Assyrians. Laws were passed to kill and enslave them.
Then when Rome became the Great World power, Israel’s nation was brutally destroyed, tens of thousands of the Jewish people were murdered, and the Jewish people were scattered across the face of the earth and for 1900 years they were a people without a nation.
Then in WW II six million Jewish people were murder by the Germans under Adolph Hitler. Keep this in mind.
The African people too were a people that suffered from slavery. They did not suffer like the Jewish people but they did suffer by the millions.
They were mistreated. They were killed. What happened to the African people was wrong.
But, good and godly precious black preachers of the Bible know that God forgives and forgets. The Bible says, “Forget those things which are behind.”
The Jewish people though hurt and mistreated by many nations in the past have moved on to build a life for themselves.
Many good black brethren and black preachers know this truth and they preach this to their congregations. Thank God for truth!
The Hebrew people and slavery: The Hebrew people not only lived in slavery, they practiced slavery against their own people according to God’s word.
For the Hebrew people it was a means of getting a new start in life.
For example, if a man lost everything due to a bad business deal or due to unfortunate happenings, he could sell his life to another in order to get a new start in life.
Look at Exodus 21:1
1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.
These were the rules laid down by God. Here a man purchases a man’s life, who has lost everything and has nothing. He teaches him a trade. He teaches him how to work for him self, yea he gives him another chance.
After six years he can go out on his own and make a living. If however he realizes how good his master has been to him, he may chose to labor for his master the rest of his life. This was a Jewish man’s actions towards a Jewish brother.
When God gave the Promise Land, to Israel He did so because God can give to nations what He wants and he can take away their freedom when he chooses.
Job reveals that truth to us. “…the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
The reason God gave Canaan to Israel is because:
1 - Canaan had become corrupt in their moral life.
2 - They had become idolatrous in their worship and had long ago turned from the true God.
3 - And there alliances were evil as well.
God then divided the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Every family was given a share. If a man fell on hard times and had to relinquish his property God instituted the Year of Jubilee.
Leviticus 25: 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
This is Old Testament liberation theology from a physical standpoint. After fifty years, a man could go back to the land God gave them and plant his crops and start over again.
Now, here is New Testament liberation theology.
You must remember that the Hebrew people were a earthly people with a earthly promise. They were a people who were promised physical blessings if they would seek God. In the New Testament God established a heavenly people, the Church of Jesus Christ. Our promises are heavenly and eternal.
1 - The Bible declares that the “The whole world is under sin.”
(Romans 3:10, 23).
Every man, every race, every culture is under sin.
It doesn’t matter if the man is Jewish, American, African, English, Australia, Chinese etc, he is under the condemnation of sin.
2 – The Bible declares that Jesus came to set men free.
John 8: 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Paul, after being saved by God’s grace declared that he was a “servant of God,” which meant a bond slave or a slave. How can that be?
Paul at one time was a free man, a Roman citizen. When he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, he knew that there was more freedom being a slave for Christ that a free man living in this wicked world with all of its vices.
Even in this world you can become a slave to something or someone. Many folks are slaves to money, alcohol, sex and lust. Some folks are enslaved by greed, bitterness, hate and more. Still others are enslaved by clubs, organizations and even governments.
3 – The Bible reveals how to be liberated from hurts and sin.
A – Truth will set a man free at salvation no matter where he is in life.
Jesus said in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
He said in John 14: 6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
B – God’s Spirit gives us comfort as we study the Scriptures.
Jesus said in John 14: 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
God’s spirit comforts us, man’s words if not biblical can entrap us.
C – Let God’s Spirit be your teacher, not man.
John 16: 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
John 17: 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Who and what will teach you truth? Answer: God’s Spirit and God’s Word. Jesus is truth. The Holy Spirit is truth. God’s Word is truth.
Liberation Theology moved into many “black churches” in the sixties, especially with the 1964 Civil Right movement.
The Bible was preached in many black churches but suddenly many began to adopt this “Liberation Theology” and they began to preach a social gospel.
Liberation Theology is a social Gospel movement. It is an intellectual movement that has gained prominence in the 20th century.
It preaches the social Gospel principles.
It talks about Jesus and salvation, yes but its main focus is on poverty and inequality and crime.
It focuses on racial tensions and slums and poor hygiene and education and the dangers of war.
This is all fine. Every culture and church should deal with these things but it becomes detrimental to society and a people when a preacher or church or a man begins to blame the government or another race for their troubles.
The Jewish people never blamed another nation for their troubles. They knew that as they drew near to God, God would bless them and set them free. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Please understand there are good black preachers that preach the bible and their congregation are filled with good folks.
But, when a black or white preacher focuses on hurts and problems and begins to blame a nation, a race or a culture for them being in the position they are in, the preacher has failed from preaching the truth of God’s word.
The Jewish people never blamed another culture for the problems.
Jesus is the answer my friend to all you problems, not a government or somebody treating you right or helping you to get revenge or ahead in life. Jesus is our hope.
The answer to all of life’s problems is found in the life of Jesus and in His Word.
Theologically, the Social Gospel leaders were overwhelmingly post-millennialist. 5
That is because they believed the Second Coming could not happen until humankind rids itself of all social evils by human effort.
And so blame has fallen on government, slavery, the white race, the Jewish race, unfair education and any other item a social gospel preacher wants to blame.
If their doctrine was Biblically correct they would preach pre-millennialist theology. They would be preparing for Jesus’ return rather than focusing on a social gospel.
Though this Liberation Theology is not as predominant in the Southern United States, it has moved in to many churches in the south.
Social Gospel leaders were and are predominantly liberal politically and theologically. 6
It is good and right to help the poor. Many churches do by giving clothes, food, help and aid. But, there is much more than given physical items to people in need. The Gospel must be presented and spiritual truth must be taught by actions and word.
It is so clear in the Scripture that as a people turn their lives over to Jesus Christ and seek His face; it is Christ that will in His time and if He chooses, will prosper a people.
The reason for this message today stems mainly from what has been exposed by the media lately in some black churches. And let me say, not all black churches. Most black churches especially in the South are Christian in content. But there are many black preachers that side with the Rev. Wright.
The Rev. Wright, Obama’s pastor has made many remarks that have caused true Christians to wonder over such comments.
The Rev. Wright took God’s name in vain from the pulpit. He cursed America and in cursing America he was cursing the white man.
He compared the American government to the KKK. And he compared our military to terrorist.
Since those remarks, the Rev. Wright is contemplating his resignation and has cancelled all his public appearances.
The church has called another pastor for now, the Rev. Otis Moss III.
In his first sermon, this pass Easter Sunday, he described the media guilty of a modern day lynching and said what they did to Rev. Wright was compared to what Jesus went through at the hands of the Romans.
I am sorry friends, but Jesus opened not his mouth when he was crucified. Jesus never cursed the government of Rome. Jesus never took His father’s name in vain. Jesus never preached with hate, only with love.
The new pastor, Rev Moss defiantly defended this method of worship when he said, “If I was Ice Cube I’d say it a little differently — You picked the wrong folk to mess with.”
Moss said this to an enthusiastic congregation, standing up during much of the sermon and shouting to the message titled, “How to Handle a Public Lynching.” 7
Stop: Folks, our church is predominately white. We have had precious Christian black people attend. They are welcome here all the time.
They are welcome to become member here. We don’t shun someone because of their race or ethnic background.
When a person gets saved, he is my brother and Jesus is our Savior and God is our father and we are going to spend eternity together. We have no business fighting another race.
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie in her sermon said, “Dr. Wright represents the best among us … An attack on this man of God is an attack on all those of the cloth who believe in the social Gospel of liberation. And I will not stand for it.”
Today liberation theology according to the internet information is founded mainly in Black Muslim groups and Black Muslim parties.
This is the impact Louis Farrakhan has had on many black churches and pastors. Churches that have accepted this doctrine are absolutely wrong for it is totally contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
A church is to make no alliance with any government or ethic group whatsoever. A church is to be an autonomous organization that is run according to the Scriptures, not man.
Just as Paul corrected the early Christian churches by telling them they cannot mix Judaism and Christianity, today you cannot mix liberation theology with Christianity. It does not mix. It can not mix. Sweet water and bitter water does not flow out of the same fountain.
Christian attitudes and actions reveal truth.
The rhetoric of Rev. Wright and those like him are not Christian.
Turn to Galatians 5.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
His preaching was not loving but hateful. It was not gentle but harsh.
Verse 24 makes it clear that God’s children have crucified or died to the affection and selfish revengeful desires of the flesh.
And verse 26 makes it clear we are not to provoke people against one another.
Turn to James 4.
:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Whenever a church or a Christian makes alliances with the world in order to achieve a goal it will only make them an enemy of God.
Turn to James 3.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
A pastor, a church, a congregation should peach Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins. We should show forth love and joy and peace, not hate and anger and blame and warfare.
1 - Liberation theology, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2 – Ibid.,
3 – www.christendom-awake.org
4 - Liberation theology, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
5 – Ibid.,
6 – Ibid.,
7 – Ibid.,
LIBERATION THEOLOGY
GOD’S DEALINGS WITH ETHIOPIA
Second Message on Liberation Theology
As we approach the eighteenth chapter of Isaiah keep in mind that Isaiah is called of God to prophesize to Judah. He pleaded with them to walk with God. He then foretold the future destruction of Israel and Judah because he foresaw that they would not turn to God.
When Isaiah foretold the woe or burden to come upon a nation, he also foretold the blessings to come if there were any.
When he saw Israel and Judah’s judgment he also saw a blessed ending because of the covenant God made with Israel and all nations who would make Israel’s God, Jehovah, their God.
Then in chapter thirteen Isaiah began to foretell the judgment of the surrounding nations that had opposed and fought against Israel and Judah.
Isaiah foresaw the beginning of every nation and he saw God’s past judgment and future judgment upon those nations.
Some of them had some terrible origins. For example the Moabites and the Ammonites began through an incestuous relationship that a man had with his daughters.
Till this day the descendants of Ammon and Moab still fight with vicious hatred against God’s people, the Jewish people.
In chapter seventeen we saw the final destruction of the Syrians, the PLO and the Jordanians’ who have and will fight against Israel.
It is the descendants of these that comprise many of the Muslim people in the Middle East.
Now God turns Isaiah’s prophecy towards Ethiopia.
I – GOD’S MERCY TOWARDS ETHIOPIA
Isaiah paints a picture of God’s mercy towards the Ethiopian people. Isaiah 18:1 Woe to the land, shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
In verse one, “Woe,” is the Hebrew word, “hoy.” The Hebrew man, who heard this, understood the word to mean, “Hear Me; listen to this.”
“Shadowing with wings” is also an interesting word. It is a description of the environment of a nation. It means, “Rustling with wings.” 1
Twentieth century missionaries say that the jungles of Africa are known for all its birds. It is called by many, “the land of wings.”
Ethiopia represents Africa. It is the land of the origin of some black or African races. This does not include all black races.
I use those two terms because the United States governmental census used those terms for this race. When the U.S. census asks about one’s race they ask if one is white or Asian or black.
Let me say in the past few weeks I have heard many black pastors refer to themselves and their congregations as black. So I will use this term so we might understand some teachings in the Scripture today.
II - GOD’S MISSION TO THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE
2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered (tall) and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (cut through or divided by)!
Again we see the description is of the African continent for it is known for the many waterfalls and beautiful rivers that flow in the land.
God’s word is both historical and imminent and yet it is pending and prophetic.
In this verse Isaiah brings to our attention the past, present and future of the Ethiopian people.
First we see the past: Isaiah 18:2 reveals some interesting thoughts about these people. One part is very disturbing: …to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto ;
What was so fearful about their beginning? “Terrible” means to fear morally. “Hitherto” means from beginning to end.
Was there beginning as bad as Lot committing incest with his daughters?
In Genesis 10:1 Noah had three sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth.
Ham had a son named Cush (Gen 10:8).
In Genesis nine after the Great Flood Ham committed a grievous sin against his father upon which God cursed one of his sons, Canaan.
When Ham’s children settled, they settle mainly in the area of what we call today Africa.
Cush means Ethiopia. He had a son named Nimrod who was a mighty man and the founder of the Babylonian civilizations.
This society was founded in rebellion against God.
From Nimrod and Babylon came an anti-God constitution, culture and creed of which has influenced the whole world till this day.
But, rather than a woe or burden pronounced by Isaiah on the Ethiopian nation, God seems to be very gracious and kind. He says in verse one, “woe” or hoy. He says, “Hear me, listen to what I am about to say.”
Why? It could be because the Ethiopian people were distant kin through Noah, rather than near kin through Abraham, Ishmael, Esau.
Look at the present in Isaiah’s time. Ethiopia was once a major world power.
--Ethiopia ruled Egypt for a time and was a chief rival to the mighty Assyrians.
--In 715 B.C. an Ethiopian leader named Shabako through great military tactics and great strength gained control of Egypt and was founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty.
--Ethiopian domination continued until 633 B.C. when a native Egyptian regained the throne.”
God’s people, Judah, was caught in the middle between two mighty powers, Ethiopia and Assyria.
It seemed like Ethiopia was the strongest and Judah was contemplating aligning herself with Ethiopia against Assyria. 3
Always remember, God told His people to align with no country. They were to trust Him and Him alone.
Ethiopia sought for Judah to side with them over the Assyrians.
Isaiah 18:2 - That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled…
Presently and prophetically an amazing story unfolds before our eyes.
1st - The Ethiopia people sent ambassadors to Israel as quickly as possible to form an alliance and they waited for the good news to return.
The news of Israelite sending back a messenger to Ethiopia to agree with that alliance against the Assyria never came.
2nd - But prophetically the good news that one day the Ethiopians would come and worship at Mount Zion would actually happen.
It was fulfilled in Acts 8:26-40. First century history and the Bible coincide to reveal this amazing account of Isaiah’s prophecy being fulfilled.
Just east of the Sudan in Africa lived a people of the Aksum Empire.
The Aksum Empire was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD when it became a giant trading nation.
It is also the alleged resting place of the Ark of the Covenant and the home of the Queen of Sheba.4
It prospered as an important trade center between the Roman Empire and India during this time.
One day an official in the Aksum government set out on a journey to seek the God of heaven and earth.5
This spiritually hungry man was seeking out the message of salvation was written about in the book of Acts.
He was called the Ethiopian Eunuch. He had come to Israel, to Jerusalem, just as prophesied in this text to find the true God of heaven, but his search ended with no hope, no alliance with truth.
He got back in his Chariot and was going back home as he had come, a religious seeker, still lost in his sins.
But, God would not let him return without an alliance this time.
Philip, the evangelist was directed by the Holy Spirit to go and witness to this man.
Philip approached him as he was heading home in his chariot. The man was reading a scroll.
Philip asked him what he was reading and discovered the man was reading Isaiah 53. Philip ask if the man understood what he was reading and the man said, “How can I accept someone explain it to me.”
Philip got in the man’s chariot and told him that Isaiah 53 spoke of Jesus Christ who had come from heaven and died for the sins of the people.
The Eunuch got saved. He made an alliance with God and took this story of Salvation back to his nation.
His search proved to be successful.
He returned to his people with the good news of Salvation.
Many in his country accepted Christ and in time the entire kingdom became a Christian state. Their witness spread across the continent of Ethiopia.
Eighteen hundred years have come and gone and the nation, like many nations sadly, slowly and ignorantly turned their back on the promises of God just as America is doing today.
Thought a nation of nearly 1 billion today, Africa is filled with much violence, aids, poverty and governmental problems.
Why? Whose fault is it? Friend this happens to any and every nation that has been given truth and then forgets God’s word.
Skip verse three for a moment and look at verse 4-6.
3 – GOD’S METEING TO THE ETHOPIAN PEOPLE
The word “mete” means judgment in the Scriptures. 4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
God says, I will wait and watch intently to see the actions of this people.
5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is
ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
Isaiah paints a picture of a land with fields filled with plenty (v 5). And that was a picture of the African continent.
But they turned from God even though tens of millions profess Christianity.
Isaiah pictures the crops being cut down and destroyed just prior to a great harvest but that is sadly, a picture of many within the nation of Africa today.
This Scripture reveals the destruction of a great nation who knew God but then began to trust in false alliances.
Many within the Ethiopian nations as well as their governments have yoked up with the Muslims religion and communistic governments to form a social political movement known as “Liberation Theology.”
And because of this, in the 20th and 21st century you see its fruit or offspring being cut off early in life and the many precious African people being cut down like branches due to aids, poverty and war.
4 – GOD’S MESSAGE TO THE WHOLE WORLD (3,7)
3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
Verse 3 is clear. God says to the Ethiopian people, ‘open your eyes and realize you have made wrong alliance in government and religion.
That is why your people have faced judgment, just as every nation that turns from God has faced judgment.
It seems that verse seven is almost the same as verse two but nearly 2,000 years separates the two verses. Here you see God’s mercy again.
Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled again in the twentieth century according to Missionary journals.
How? In the same way that God directed Philip to witness to the Ethiopian man in the first century, he directed two missionaries to answer the prayers of an Ethiopian man in the twentieth century.
In the south-central hill country of Ethiopia, as recorded in missionary journals, a member of the “royal family” of the Gedeo tribe prayed and asked if the true God would reveal Himself to His Gedeo people.
The native’s name was Warrasa. He says he saw a vision. In that vision he saw two white-skinned strangers erect a flimsy shelter under the shade of a large sycamore tree at the edge of his village.
Warrasa then heard a voice, “These men will bring you a message from the God you see: wait for them.”
Warrasa was himself taking the center pole from his own house and placing it on the ground next to the strange dwelling of the two men.
The center pole of a man’s house symbolized his life and all he has. The vision ended.
Warrasa knew that this meant he must identify with the message of these men and the God whom they served.
Warrasa waited and waited and prayed and prayed.
Eight years later on a hot December day, two white skin missionaries arrived at the edge of the Gedeo tribe to begin working among the people.
He watched with excitement and amazement as the two men set up their shelter under a large sycamore tree.
He eagerly listened to their message and became one of the first believers of the Gedeo tribe.
Within thirty years over 200 churches with thousands of believers throughout the Gedeo tribe were established. 6
These 200 churches were filled with African people that loved Jesus just like you and me from 1875 to 1935.
Now Listen:
1 - Churches whether they are of African descent or American descent or Russian decent or Chinese decent or any race, if they are blood-washed, Spirit-filled churches will have everything in common with Christ. The Bible calls our Salvation a common salvation (Titus 1:4).
2 – All Christians are saved by and baptized by one spirit into one body. All preachers who study and preach this book preach a common Salvation, and a common Christian life style.
3- God has given a sign to all the world. It was a sign that changed history. It was a sign that change nations. It was a sign that changed man’s eternal destiny. It set men completely free from sin and hate and prejudices. It was the sign of the cross. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Great men and poor men, kings and paupers, Jew and Gentile, black and white, all who understand the sign of Calvary, rejoice.
That is the great truth God gave to the Ethiopian people and Isaiah says to the whole inhabitants of the world, “This is the ensign God gives to you” (v 3).
--When Christ gave his life on Calvary He provided love and freedom and forgiveness to “all who believe.”
His first words from the cross were, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
--When you receive Christ, you experience His love and you experience His forgiveness. And you experience freedom.
Hate and prejudices die within you and you are free.
Every man is a servant or slave to his sins until Jesus sets him free. To hold hate or prejudices towards anyone, any people, any nation or any individual is to enslave your own soul.
Now, I want to make all of this applicable to where we live today in the light of recent events about churches and their beliefs and what they preach and how they preach whether they are black or white or Asian congregations.
Liberation Theology is a doctrine some churches preach, but it was not invented till 1962 and that by the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI condemns this doctrine today and warns that it caters on Marxism.
It is a teaching that makes alliances with the Muslim religion and socialist politics. Get the Sunday School teaching on this to understand more.
Listen: First, it is wrong to preach white supremacy. How many of you agree with that say, “Amen.”
It is wrong to be part of the Ku Klux Klan or any organization that spews hatred towards another race.
There are nationally 38 White supremacy groups in America.
Some are small and some huge and they are all Biblically condemned by the God’s Word.
Most of these groups preach hate towards America and towards God’s precious black people and towards God’s precious chosen people, the Jews. These white supremacy groups are 100% wrong.
A number of them call themselves Christians and even have organized churches and claim to be doing God’s will.
They are sadly totally ignorant of God’s word and God’s teachings. If you agree say, “Amen.”
Second: It is wrong to preach black supremacy as well. It is wrong for a black group whether it is the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) (The Black Panthers, the nation of Yahewh) or a church to be anti-American, anti white and anti Jewish. Amen!
They mainly began with Malcolm X, then Elijah Muhammad and now with Louis Farrakhan.
In America and other countries there are white churches and mixed churches and black churches that love Jesus Christ and go by the teachings of the Scripture and have nothing to do with the modern Day Liberation Theology from any standpoint. I salute them.
When 911 took place, the Lord laid on my heart to explain to you the evils of the Muslim religion. It is clear that Muslims are anti Christian and anti Jewish and anti America and anti- Jehovah God.
I tell you this because you must be men of understanding.
In II Chronicles 12: 32 God commends …the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;
In the news lately has been Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as well as other black preachers just like him.
But I want you to know there are good Godly black preachers that preach the same truth I preach and not “Liberation Theology.”
The Rev. Wright has been on TV with many sermons revealing attitudes and messages that are contradictory to that Christianity.
Rev. Wright quoted from the song, “God bless America” but then changed it from the pulpit with far less that a loving spirit by saying a number of times and I quote, “No, not God bless America but G—D—America.
He compared American government to the KKK and compared the America government to state-sponsoring terrorism.
His anti-America and anti-Christian and anti Jewish sentiment has not settled well with Christian people of all races in America.
There are many black preachers and churches that are ashamed of such rhetoric, just like I am ashamed that a man would call himself a reverend as I, and preach in such an un-Christian way.
God’s word warns against the style of preaching of Rev Wright and any preacher of any race that will spew such hatred. Look at…
I Peter 3: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
If you feel someone has treated you wrong, according to God’s word, you don’t retaliate with evil, railings, and hatred, but blessings.
Look at 2 Peter 2: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
Not even God’s angels will bring an accusation against a government. Who gives a preacher the right to do so? God doesn’t.
It isn’t wrong to say, “America made a mistake by removing the Ten Commandments, please pray for Amreica.
It isn’t wrong when to preach against “abortion and homosexuality” and call it sin. But it is sin to rail and curse from the God’s pulpit.
Any church whether its congregation is black, white or mixed that spews hatred and anti-Christian and anti-America and anti-Jewish sentiment such as the words that came from Rev. Wright at the Trinity Church of Christ is not a revealing Christianity.
A Christian is to love every people of every race. If our hearts are right with the Lord, we are to love our brothers in Christ whether they are African, Asian or America.
We are to love them. It doesn’t matter what their ethnic background or culture is.
God loved the whole world. Jesus died for every nationally.
When the Holy Spirit fills your life, He lifts up and exalts Jesus Christ.
He doesn’t curse God and a country.
As evil as Nero and Rome was, you never find an apostle cursing the Roman government.
When Jesus Christ saves a man, that man is no longer a white man fighting for his own hates and passion.
When Jesus Christ saves a black man, that man is no longer a black man fighting for liberation theology.
When someone gets saved and I mean truly saved that person should become like Jesus Christ, without prejudices, without hate, without anarchy running through his veins.
The greatest example in the Bible of a free man is the apostle Paul.
He was a Jewish man filled with a passion for his people.
The Jewish people had lost their freedom and had been suppressed by the Egyptian government for 430 years.
They were conquered by and imprisoned by the Assyrian government for 120 years and the Babylonian government for 70 years.
Then Roman government burned their city to the ground, killed millions and spread them across the face of the earth.
Paul hated Christians. His heart was to hunt down, arrest, imprison and kill Christians. But, when he became a Christian, Jesus changed his life.
He no longer spewed out hatred and prejudices.
He preached the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins for all who would repent. Paul loved the Gentile and the Jew, the black and the white.
Any preacher, white or black that will curse their government and spew bias and malicious hate from their lips from their pulpit is not Christian in actions whatsoever.
That is not the fruit of a Christian. That is not the life of a Christian. And I would distance myself as far as I could from a preacher like that.
Paul told Timothy how to preach. 2 Tim 4: 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
James 3:17 reveals the actions of a Believer:
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Christians are not here to start a war but to stop the wars.
We aren’t here to hate but to love.
We aren’t here to stir up violence but to be peacemakers.
We have been forgiven, we must forgive.
We have been set free by Christ, live like a free man.
1 – David Guzik, www.enduringword.com/commentaries/
2 – Ibid.,
3 - Thru The Bible, J. Vernon McGee, Proverbs – Isaiah commentary
4 - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Kingdom of Aksum)
5 - Advance Training Institute of America, Vol 11, p 471
6 – Ibid.,
Second Message on Liberation Theology
As we approach the eighteenth chapter of Isaiah keep in mind that Isaiah is called of God to prophesize to Judah. He pleaded with them to walk with God. He then foretold the future destruction of Israel and Judah because he foresaw that they would not turn to God.
When Isaiah foretold the woe or burden to come upon a nation, he also foretold the blessings to come if there were any.
When he saw Israel and Judah’s judgment he also saw a blessed ending because of the covenant God made with Israel and all nations who would make Israel’s God, Jehovah, their God.
Then in chapter thirteen Isaiah began to foretell the judgment of the surrounding nations that had opposed and fought against Israel and Judah.
Isaiah foresaw the beginning of every nation and he saw God’s past judgment and future judgment upon those nations.
Some of them had some terrible origins. For example the Moabites and the Ammonites began through an incestuous relationship that a man had with his daughters.
Till this day the descendants of Ammon and Moab still fight with vicious hatred against God’s people, the Jewish people.
In chapter seventeen we saw the final destruction of the Syrians, the PLO and the Jordanians’ who have and will fight against Israel.
It is the descendants of these that comprise many of the Muslim people in the Middle East.
Now God turns Isaiah’s prophecy towards Ethiopia.
I – GOD’S MERCY TOWARDS ETHIOPIA
Isaiah paints a picture of God’s mercy towards the Ethiopian people. Isaiah 18:1 Woe to the land, shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia:
In verse one, “Woe,” is the Hebrew word, “hoy.” The Hebrew man, who heard this, understood the word to mean, “Hear Me; listen to this.”
“Shadowing with wings” is also an interesting word. It is a description of the environment of a nation. It means, “Rustling with wings.” 1
Twentieth century missionaries say that the jungles of Africa are known for all its birds. It is called by many, “the land of wings.”
Ethiopia represents Africa. It is the land of the origin of some black or African races. This does not include all black races.
I use those two terms because the United States governmental census used those terms for this race. When the U.S. census asks about one’s race they ask if one is white or Asian or black.
Let me say in the past few weeks I have heard many black pastors refer to themselves and their congregations as black. So I will use this term so we might understand some teachings in the Scripture today.
II - GOD’S MISSION TO THE ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE
2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered (tall) and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (cut through or divided by)!
Again we see the description is of the African continent for it is known for the many waterfalls and beautiful rivers that flow in the land.
God’s word is both historical and imminent and yet it is pending and prophetic.
In this verse Isaiah brings to our attention the past, present and future of the Ethiopian people.
First we see the past: Isaiah 18:2 reveals some interesting thoughts about these people. One part is very disturbing: …to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto ;
What was so fearful about their beginning? “Terrible” means to fear morally. “Hitherto” means from beginning to end.
Was there beginning as bad as Lot committing incest with his daughters?
In Genesis 10:1 Noah had three sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth.
Ham had a son named Cush (Gen 10:8).
In Genesis nine after the Great Flood Ham committed a grievous sin against his father upon which God cursed one of his sons, Canaan.
When Ham’s children settled, they settle mainly in the area of what we call today Africa.
Cush means Ethiopia. He had a son named Nimrod who was a mighty man and the founder of the Babylonian civilizations.
This society was founded in rebellion against God.
From Nimrod and Babylon came an anti-God constitution, culture and creed of which has influenced the whole world till this day.
But, rather than a woe or burden pronounced by Isaiah on the Ethiopian nation, God seems to be very gracious and kind. He says in verse one, “woe” or hoy. He says, “Hear me, listen to what I am about to say.”
Why? It could be because the Ethiopian people were distant kin through Noah, rather than near kin through Abraham, Ishmael, Esau.
Look at the present in Isaiah’s time. Ethiopia was once a major world power.
--Ethiopia ruled Egypt for a time and was a chief rival to the mighty Assyrians.
--In 715 B.C. an Ethiopian leader named Shabako through great military tactics and great strength gained control of Egypt and was founder of the twenty-fifth dynasty.
--Ethiopian domination continued until 633 B.C. when a native Egyptian regained the throne.”
God’s people, Judah, was caught in the middle between two mighty powers, Ethiopia and Assyria.
It seemed like Ethiopia was the strongest and Judah was contemplating aligning herself with Ethiopia against Assyria. 3
Always remember, God told His people to align with no country. They were to trust Him and Him alone.
Ethiopia sought for Judah to side with them over the Assyrians.
Isaiah 18:2 - That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled…
Presently and prophetically an amazing story unfolds before our eyes.
1st - The Ethiopia people sent ambassadors to Israel as quickly as possible to form an alliance and they waited for the good news to return.
The news of Israelite sending back a messenger to Ethiopia to agree with that alliance against the Assyria never came.
2nd - But prophetically the good news that one day the Ethiopians would come and worship at Mount Zion would actually happen.
It was fulfilled in Acts 8:26-40. First century history and the Bible coincide to reveal this amazing account of Isaiah’s prophecy being fulfilled.
Just east of the Sudan in Africa lived a people of the Aksum Empire.
The Aksum Empire was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD when it became a giant trading nation.
It is also the alleged resting place of the Ark of the Covenant and the home of the Queen of Sheba.4
It prospered as an important trade center between the Roman Empire and India during this time.
One day an official in the Aksum government set out on a journey to seek the God of heaven and earth.5
This spiritually hungry man was seeking out the message of salvation was written about in the book of Acts.
He was called the Ethiopian Eunuch. He had come to Israel, to Jerusalem, just as prophesied in this text to find the true God of heaven, but his search ended with no hope, no alliance with truth.
He got back in his Chariot and was going back home as he had come, a religious seeker, still lost in his sins.
But, God would not let him return without an alliance this time.
Philip, the evangelist was directed by the Holy Spirit to go and witness to this man.
Philip approached him as he was heading home in his chariot. The man was reading a scroll.
Philip asked him what he was reading and discovered the man was reading Isaiah 53. Philip ask if the man understood what he was reading and the man said, “How can I accept someone explain it to me.”
Philip got in the man’s chariot and told him that Isaiah 53 spoke of Jesus Christ who had come from heaven and died for the sins of the people.
The Eunuch got saved. He made an alliance with God and took this story of Salvation back to his nation.
His search proved to be successful.
He returned to his people with the good news of Salvation.
Many in his country accepted Christ and in time the entire kingdom became a Christian state. Their witness spread across the continent of Ethiopia.
Eighteen hundred years have come and gone and the nation, like many nations sadly, slowly and ignorantly turned their back on the promises of God just as America is doing today.
Thought a nation of nearly 1 billion today, Africa is filled with much violence, aids, poverty and governmental problems.
Why? Whose fault is it? Friend this happens to any and every nation that has been given truth and then forgets God’s word.
Skip verse three for a moment and look at verse 4-6.
3 – GOD’S METEING TO THE ETHOPIAN PEOPLE
The word “mete” means judgment in the Scriptures. 4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
God says, I will wait and watch intently to see the actions of this people.
5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is
ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
Isaiah paints a picture of a land with fields filled with plenty (v 5). And that was a picture of the African continent.
But they turned from God even though tens of millions profess Christianity.
Isaiah pictures the crops being cut down and destroyed just prior to a great harvest but that is sadly, a picture of many within the nation of Africa today.
This Scripture reveals the destruction of a great nation who knew God but then began to trust in false alliances.
Many within the Ethiopian nations as well as their governments have yoked up with the Muslims religion and communistic governments to form a social political movement known as “Liberation Theology.”
And because of this, in the 20th and 21st century you see its fruit or offspring being cut off early in life and the many precious African people being cut down like branches due to aids, poverty and war.
4 – GOD’S MESSAGE TO THE WHOLE WORLD (3,7)
3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
Verse 3 is clear. God says to the Ethiopian people, ‘open your eyes and realize you have made wrong alliance in government and religion.
That is why your people have faced judgment, just as every nation that turns from God has faced judgment.
It seems that verse seven is almost the same as verse two but nearly 2,000 years separates the two verses. Here you see God’s mercy again.
Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled again in the twentieth century according to Missionary journals.
How? In the same way that God directed Philip to witness to the Ethiopian man in the first century, he directed two missionaries to answer the prayers of an Ethiopian man in the twentieth century.
In the south-central hill country of Ethiopia, as recorded in missionary journals, a member of the “royal family” of the Gedeo tribe prayed and asked if the true God would reveal Himself to His Gedeo people.
The native’s name was Warrasa. He says he saw a vision. In that vision he saw two white-skinned strangers erect a flimsy shelter under the shade of a large sycamore tree at the edge of his village.
Warrasa then heard a voice, “These men will bring you a message from the God you see: wait for them.”
Warrasa was himself taking the center pole from his own house and placing it on the ground next to the strange dwelling of the two men.
The center pole of a man’s house symbolized his life and all he has. The vision ended.
Warrasa knew that this meant he must identify with the message of these men and the God whom they served.
Warrasa waited and waited and prayed and prayed.
Eight years later on a hot December day, two white skin missionaries arrived at the edge of the Gedeo tribe to begin working among the people.
He watched with excitement and amazement as the two men set up their shelter under a large sycamore tree.
He eagerly listened to their message and became one of the first believers of the Gedeo tribe.
Within thirty years over 200 churches with thousands of believers throughout the Gedeo tribe were established. 6
These 200 churches were filled with African people that loved Jesus just like you and me from 1875 to 1935.
Now Listen:
1 - Churches whether they are of African descent or American descent or Russian decent or Chinese decent or any race, if they are blood-washed, Spirit-filled churches will have everything in common with Christ. The Bible calls our Salvation a common salvation (Titus 1:4).
2 – All Christians are saved by and baptized by one spirit into one body. All preachers who study and preach this book preach a common Salvation, and a common Christian life style.
3- God has given a sign to all the world. It was a sign that changed history. It was a sign that change nations. It was a sign that changed man’s eternal destiny. It set men completely free from sin and hate and prejudices. It was the sign of the cross. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Great men and poor men, kings and paupers, Jew and Gentile, black and white, all who understand the sign of Calvary, rejoice.
That is the great truth God gave to the Ethiopian people and Isaiah says to the whole inhabitants of the world, “This is the ensign God gives to you” (v 3).
--When Christ gave his life on Calvary He provided love and freedom and forgiveness to “all who believe.”
His first words from the cross were, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
--When you receive Christ, you experience His love and you experience His forgiveness. And you experience freedom.
Hate and prejudices die within you and you are free.
Every man is a servant or slave to his sins until Jesus sets him free. To hold hate or prejudices towards anyone, any people, any nation or any individual is to enslave your own soul.
Now, I want to make all of this applicable to where we live today in the light of recent events about churches and their beliefs and what they preach and how they preach whether they are black or white or Asian congregations.
Liberation Theology is a doctrine some churches preach, but it was not invented till 1962 and that by the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI condemns this doctrine today and warns that it caters on Marxism.
It is a teaching that makes alliances with the Muslim religion and socialist politics. Get the Sunday School teaching on this to understand more.
Listen: First, it is wrong to preach white supremacy. How many of you agree with that say, “Amen.”
It is wrong to be part of the Ku Klux Klan or any organization that spews hatred towards another race.
There are nationally 38 White supremacy groups in America.
Some are small and some huge and they are all Biblically condemned by the God’s Word.
Most of these groups preach hate towards America and towards God’s precious black people and towards God’s precious chosen people, the Jews. These white supremacy groups are 100% wrong.
A number of them call themselves Christians and even have organized churches and claim to be doing God’s will.
They are sadly totally ignorant of God’s word and God’s teachings. If you agree say, “Amen.”
Second: It is wrong to preach black supremacy as well. It is wrong for a black group whether it is the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) (The Black Panthers, the nation of Yahewh) or a church to be anti-American, anti white and anti Jewish. Amen!
They mainly began with Malcolm X, then Elijah Muhammad and now with Louis Farrakhan.
In America and other countries there are white churches and mixed churches and black churches that love Jesus Christ and go by the teachings of the Scripture and have nothing to do with the modern Day Liberation Theology from any standpoint. I salute them.
When 911 took place, the Lord laid on my heart to explain to you the evils of the Muslim religion. It is clear that Muslims are anti Christian and anti Jewish and anti America and anti- Jehovah God.
I tell you this because you must be men of understanding.
In II Chronicles 12: 32 God commends …the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do;
In the news lately has been Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as well as other black preachers just like him.
But I want you to know there are good Godly black preachers that preach the same truth I preach and not “Liberation Theology.”
The Rev. Wright has been on TV with many sermons revealing attitudes and messages that are contradictory to that Christianity.
Rev. Wright quoted from the song, “God bless America” but then changed it from the pulpit with far less that a loving spirit by saying a number of times and I quote, “No, not God bless America but G—D—America.
He compared American government to the KKK and compared the America government to state-sponsoring terrorism.
His anti-America and anti-Christian and anti Jewish sentiment has not settled well with Christian people of all races in America.
There are many black preachers and churches that are ashamed of such rhetoric, just like I am ashamed that a man would call himself a reverend as I, and preach in such an un-Christian way.
God’s word warns against the style of preaching of Rev Wright and any preacher of any race that will spew such hatred. Look at…
I Peter 3: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
If you feel someone has treated you wrong, according to God’s word, you don’t retaliate with evil, railings, and hatred, but blessings.
Look at 2 Peter 2: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
Not even God’s angels will bring an accusation against a government. Who gives a preacher the right to do so? God doesn’t.
It isn’t wrong to say, “America made a mistake by removing the Ten Commandments, please pray for Amreica.
It isn’t wrong when to preach against “abortion and homosexuality” and call it sin. But it is sin to rail and curse from the God’s pulpit.
Any church whether its congregation is black, white or mixed that spews hatred and anti-Christian and anti-America and anti-Jewish sentiment such as the words that came from Rev. Wright at the Trinity Church of Christ is not a revealing Christianity.
A Christian is to love every people of every race. If our hearts are right with the Lord, we are to love our brothers in Christ whether they are African, Asian or America.
We are to love them. It doesn’t matter what their ethnic background or culture is.
God loved the whole world. Jesus died for every nationally.
When the Holy Spirit fills your life, He lifts up and exalts Jesus Christ.
He doesn’t curse God and a country.
As evil as Nero and Rome was, you never find an apostle cursing the Roman government.
When Jesus Christ saves a man, that man is no longer a white man fighting for his own hates and passion.
When Jesus Christ saves a black man, that man is no longer a black man fighting for liberation theology.
When someone gets saved and I mean truly saved that person should become like Jesus Christ, without prejudices, without hate, without anarchy running through his veins.
The greatest example in the Bible of a free man is the apostle Paul.
He was a Jewish man filled with a passion for his people.
The Jewish people had lost their freedom and had been suppressed by the Egyptian government for 430 years.
They were conquered by and imprisoned by the Assyrian government for 120 years and the Babylonian government for 70 years.
Then Roman government burned their city to the ground, killed millions and spread them across the face of the earth.
Paul hated Christians. His heart was to hunt down, arrest, imprison and kill Christians. But, when he became a Christian, Jesus changed his life.
He no longer spewed out hatred and prejudices.
He preached the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins for all who would repent. Paul loved the Gentile and the Jew, the black and the white.
Any preacher, white or black that will curse their government and spew bias and malicious hate from their lips from their pulpit is not Christian in actions whatsoever.
That is not the fruit of a Christian. That is not the life of a Christian. And I would distance myself as far as I could from a preacher like that.
Paul told Timothy how to preach. 2 Tim 4: 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
James 3:17 reveals the actions of a Believer:
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Christians are not here to start a war but to stop the wars.
We aren’t here to hate but to love.
We aren’t here to stir up violence but to be peacemakers.
We have been forgiven, we must forgive.
We have been set free by Christ, live like a free man.
1 – David Guzik, www.enduringword.com/commentaries/
2 – Ibid.,
3 - Thru The Bible, J. Vernon McGee, Proverbs – Isaiah commentary
4 - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Kingdom of Aksum)
5 - Advance Training Institute of America, Vol 11, p 471
6 – Ibid.,
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Medical Health - Depression
“VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION”
Psalms 121: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Do you ever feel discouragement, sorrow or grief? Those problems left unattended can lead to severe depression.
First let’s look at… I – FACTS ABOUT THE VICES OF DEPRESSION
Introduction: Have you ever be tired yet unable to sleep? Have you ever slept and slept but it seemed you could not get enough sleep? Have you ever lost interest in the things that once brought you great joy? Have you suddenly lost weight because you did not care to eat or gain a lot of weight because it seemed all you wanted to do is eat?
Have you ever been what some folks say, hyper active for a while than listless later? When alone, have you ever felt worthless or felt nobody cared or loved you? Have you ever thought of just dying or even suicide?1
Doctors say if you experience four of the above every day for two weeks you are suffering from depression.
Before you feel bad about yourself, remember that some of God’s men fought some battles with depression.
One of God’s great prophets had just prayed a monumental prayer that brought fire from heaven above to prove to all of Israel that Jehovah God was the true God. And yet only a few days later, depression hit Elijah and he despaired of life itself.
I Kings 19: 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Another one of God’s great prophets had preached and brought a great revival to a nation where upon the entire nations repented. This was of course Jonah. His response to this great revival was:
Jonah 4: 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Stop and think for a minute. Here were two great heroes of the faith that just obeyed God and saw His great and awesome power. So, why are they depressed?
Elijah was depressed because he expected Israel to repent and turn to God but they did not.
Jonah was depressed because he expected Nineveh to reject God’s word like they had always rejected it. Jonah wanted God to judge the Ninevites but God forgave them instead.
“Your greatest cause of depression may be your expectations.”
What are some people’s expectations?
1- A good marriage 2- Financial security 3- Healthy body
4- Problem free life 5- Obedient children 6- Job security
7- Friends 8- Success in life 9- Having your wants met…and you could list many more.
When your expectations are met than you begin to experience:
1 – THE RELATED PROBLEMS
Often a person will goes to a doctor for depression when they are suffering from discouragement, sorrow or grief, all bring sadness.
A - DISCOURAGEMEMT:
-When you become discourage, you lose hope.
-You become downhearted and feel like you can’t pursue God-given responsibilities.
-To become discouraged can be mild or it can disable you completely.
-Discouragement begins in your mind. You entertain a lie from Satan. You give him ground to plants his seeds. Then it affects your emotions and will. Soon you are defeated and discouragement sets in.
If Bible facts for victory are not practiced your actions will be beyond your control. You will become sad and bitter.
-You will feel guilty and God’s love and joy will be gone.
CURE:
a. Bring your thoughts into obedience with God’s Word (II Cor 10;4-5).
b. Hang around encouraging people. A discouraged person needs to be around joyful people, Godly singing, and the reading of God’s word.
Proverbs 12:25, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad.”
If you have friends that are discouraged encourage them to listen to Godly music, not just any “gospel” music but melodious Godly music.
B - SORROW – King Hezekiah, king of Israel experienced sorrow.
The nation was divided. The old men saw the world as their foe, the young men saw the world as their friend.
Half the men wanted to join up with the Assyrians, God’s enemies, and half the nations wanted to join with the Egyptians. Isaiah told Hezekiah to do neither but trust God. And his soul was truly sorrowful.
Hezekiah said in Psalm, 42: 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?...
Sorrow is the sadness of the soul. But even with the sadness of the soul over outward circumstances of life, we can also have the joy of God inwardly. In Psalms 42:5b Hezekiah says, …hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
You may look at your circumstances in life and have sorrow or feel discouraged.
The key to life is to look to God for peace.
Look to God to keep His promises.
He will never fail you. Everyone else in life may but not God.
For a Godly man or woman to look at the conditions of this world, it brings sorrow of soul but we have a hope and our hope rest in the fact that God is in charge.
This world is not our home we are only here for a season. We are pilgrims, passing through. While we are here we are on a mission from God. Let’s do His will and one day He will pay us our wages.
The apostle Paul knew he had a mission form God. With his sorrow, he too had joy. 2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
C - GRIEF – Grief is anguish of the spirit. It is the spirit of God in us that is to affect and control our soul and body.
If we allow, discouragement to fill our minds, it will soon bring sorrow to our souls. If we do not exercise victory over depression daily, it will not belong before our spirit is stricken with grief.
Grieving drains us of emotional energy. It can distort our perspective of life, our judgment, our decision in life and render us useless to God.
King David experienced grief: Psalms 6: 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Cure: We have all experienced grief in our lives.
The answer to over coming grief is the comfort of the Scriptures and the support of loved ones.
Prolong grief will become depression.
Stop and think are their discouragements that have consumed your thought life? Have they touched your body physically? Have they rooted themselves in your emotions? Is God’s sweet peace and joy gone?
Then you may be on your way to becoming neurotic or psychotic.
2 – THE REAL PROBLEM
Here are some comments a depressed person might make:
• "I feel sad all the time." “I don’t want to get out of bed.”
• "I just don't feel like myself."
• "I don't enjoy being with my friends or doing any of the things I usually love to do."
• "I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately."
• “It seems all I want to do is sleep.”
• "I keep having aches and pains, and I don't know why."
• "Sometimes I feel like my life is not worth living anymore." 2
Listen to some facts about depression:
• Depression is very real.
• It is the most commonly diagnosed as a “mental disorder.” 3
• It is twice as prevalent in women as it is in men.
• Depression will affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• Depression is when a person is in a state of severe sadness.
• A person may have mild depression (neurotic) or severe depression (psychotic).
• If the mild depression is not dealt with and overcome, it can turn into psychotic depression.
Neurosis was informally classified as being overanxious. 4
One can become what is called today “Bipolar.” A bipolar person has two completely opposite emotional states. For maybe months or longer they experience exhilaration (mania). Then suddenly they experience severe sadness (depression). Thus they are called manic-depressive. 5
If a person suffers from only one extreme emotional state they are simply depressed. They are called unipolar. 6
Many people at different times in their life may experience what is called situational depression. It is a severe sad state due to disappointment over a death, family problem, job lost, or a personal financial catastrophe. 7
II - FACTS ABOUT VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION
The following information will give you some insight on how to overcome daily worry, mild anxiety, discouragement and mild depression.
If neurotic depression is not conquered, it may develop into psychotic depression. The emotional state of one who is psychotic will affect one’s physical body.
It will cause an over secretion from the thyroid gland and an imbalance of the hormones.
In the next study we will go into deeper detail from a biological, hormonal, medical and spiritual aspect.
Right now let’s answer this question: How do I get victory over worry, anxiety, discouragement and depression?
1 – Exhortation from Scripture
A – Think Right
What is something that is troubling you today? ____________
Will this not remedy that problem?
Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
--The Greek word for “Be careful,” merimnao, means to be troubled, anxious or to promote one’s own interest.
To be anxious is to be nervous, worried, restless, fretful or eager. To be anxious is to lack faith and trust in God.
If you believe the Bible and it is true, then these simple verses put into practice will give you the peace of mind, heart and soul that you need.
How? Look at each verse again.
1 – Quit worrying and quit expecting… (-6a).
2 – Learn to pray (prayer), present your needs to God (supplicate) and leave them there. Then thank God for the outcome which ever way it goes (thanksgiving). (-6b)
3 – Then --- ***The peace of God shall protect and preserve your heart and mind. (-7)
4 – The prescription is this (-8). Take a full dosage of Philippians 4:8 three times a day, every four hours. If symptoms continue, take the prescription 6 times a day every day until the symptoms are gone.
Give your expectations in life to God. Quit trying to control that which only God can control. You can’t control your circumstances, but God can.
Give it a all to the Lord.
B – Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5: 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5: 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-To walk in the Spirit one must die to self. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:31, “…I die daily.”
We are a trinity: Spirit, body, soul. If our Spirit is fed God’s word and we walk in the Spirit, our body and soul will be subject to God.
-If we live after the flesh, our expectations may not be met or if they are and then we lose those things which pleased our flesh, our soul or emotions take over and we can become very depressed.
-Walking in the Spirit is walking in the light of God’s world.
-It is learning to live by faith and not feelings.
-It is basking in the sunlight of His love.
-It is laughing with the joy of spiritual truths.
-It is a peace that passeth all understanding.
-It is a patience that never gets angry.
-It is like a gentle breeze on a warm sunny day.
-Oh, that we would learn God’s love and walk in His Spirit.
C – Make your focus clear
So often our focus is wrong in life. Our focus should be on Christ and to often our focus in life is on “me.”
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Here are some excuses some folks give for being depressed:
“My job doesn’t satisfy me.”
“My work schedule isn’t what I want.”
“People don’t treat me right.”
“My mate doesn’t please me.”
“I am not happy in life.”
The problem in these five statements is “I, Me and My”.
***God did not give me and you life so we might please ourselves but we were given life so we might please Him.
Colossians 1: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Does your life please Jesus is the question?
D – Live like Christ
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus went to the cross with joy. How? He knew to be the right servant for God was costly.
It might mean you spending your life alone.
It might mean you suffering. It will definitely means giving your expectations to God.
--- Often parents build their world around their children when they should teach their children to build their world around Christ.
A child should be taught to be a servant, to be quiet, to be obedient, and to realize he is not first in the home or in life.
A child should not be given everything in life but be taught to be grateful for the things he already has in life.
A child should be taught to serve others, not to be served.
When a person’s focus is “me” they will be useless for God.
When a person’s focus is “Jesus Christ” they will be a great servant for God.
Thus, in life when a person has built their life around self, selfish desires and ambitions, and suddenly those “things” are lost or taken away, depression sets in and with that depression mood swings, discouragements and blame.
E – Remember who you belong to
I Corinthians 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Does that register with you? You do not belong to yourself. You belong to God.
Your joy in life will only come as you are obedient to the one who owns you.
Many Christians are not happy because they have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord of their lives.
We should say… I belong to Jesus Christ and every thing I have belongs to Him. He can take it away or He can continue to allow me to borrow it. It is His.
I enjoy my health, my family and every thing I have in life. With all I have, I have face many discouragements, sorrows as well as grief.
But, I belong to God. I will try to by His grace to glorify Him in my spirit and in my body because they belong to Him.
And so, God’s word says, “think right,” “walk in the Spirit,” “make your focus clear,” “live like Christ,” and “remember who owns you.”
2 - Example from sorrow –
A few years ago I lost half of all I had set away for retirement. Of course I will never retire. You would have never known that unless I had told you because though it was troublesome in my flesh, it didn’t control my spirit.
I have had other sorrows and grief in life that I never share with you because you have your own.
I deal with mine daily and allow God to be my focus. Whenever I come to God’s house I want to be an encouragement to others.
I will let you see in my glass house for a brief moment. Probably the greatest discouragement and sorrow and grief I ever experienced was about 12 years ago when a group of men and women conspired against this church hoping to destroy it.
One man wrote letters and sowed doubt and when all was finished about 75 people left the church.
That didn’t bother most of the folks here much. They simply choose sides from what they heard.
And many others in our church never knew what happening but it was very discouraging and depressing time in my life as a pastor.
I came to the place where I didn’t want to pastor or teach or preach or pray. But I did.
I made myself get up every morning and praise the Lord and thank Him for His goodness. Then I would pray and seek the Lord and study the Scriptures.
But for one year I did not enjoy it. Had I walked by my feelings I would have quit. Some preachers ask me if I would be interested in another church. And then I had to practice what I preached. I told my wife you never run when you are in a battle. You don’t leave till your mission is over. Then slowly God gave me a glimmer of light here and there.
I tell you this story for this reason, if you are not already disciplined in prayer, praise and studying the scriptures, when real discouragement, sorrow and grief comes, Satan may lead you into a depression that you may find it very difficult to get out of.
What is the key? It is living by faith and not by feelings.
Bibliography
1 - Signs of Depression, www.Cymbalta.com
2 – Ibid
3 – Basic care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
4 - www.thefreedictionary.com/neurotic
5 – Basic Care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
6 – Ibid
7 - Ibid
Psalms 121: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Do you ever feel discouragement, sorrow or grief? Those problems left unattended can lead to severe depression.
First let’s look at… I – FACTS ABOUT THE VICES OF DEPRESSION
Introduction: Have you ever be tired yet unable to sleep? Have you ever slept and slept but it seemed you could not get enough sleep? Have you ever lost interest in the things that once brought you great joy? Have you suddenly lost weight because you did not care to eat or gain a lot of weight because it seemed all you wanted to do is eat?
Have you ever been what some folks say, hyper active for a while than listless later? When alone, have you ever felt worthless or felt nobody cared or loved you? Have you ever thought of just dying or even suicide?1
Doctors say if you experience four of the above every day for two weeks you are suffering from depression.
Before you feel bad about yourself, remember that some of God’s men fought some battles with depression.
One of God’s great prophets had just prayed a monumental prayer that brought fire from heaven above to prove to all of Israel that Jehovah God was the true God. And yet only a few days later, depression hit Elijah and he despaired of life itself.
I Kings 19: 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
Another one of God’s great prophets had preached and brought a great revival to a nation where upon the entire nations repented. This was of course Jonah. His response to this great revival was:
Jonah 4: 8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Stop and think for a minute. Here were two great heroes of the faith that just obeyed God and saw His great and awesome power. So, why are they depressed?
Elijah was depressed because he expected Israel to repent and turn to God but they did not.
Jonah was depressed because he expected Nineveh to reject God’s word like they had always rejected it. Jonah wanted God to judge the Ninevites but God forgave them instead.
“Your greatest cause of depression may be your expectations.”
What are some people’s expectations?
1- A good marriage 2- Financial security 3- Healthy body
4- Problem free life 5- Obedient children 6- Job security
7- Friends 8- Success in life 9- Having your wants met…and you could list many more.
When your expectations are met than you begin to experience:
1 – THE RELATED PROBLEMS
Often a person will goes to a doctor for depression when they are suffering from discouragement, sorrow or grief, all bring sadness.
A - DISCOURAGEMEMT:
-When you become discourage, you lose hope.
-You become downhearted and feel like you can’t pursue God-given responsibilities.
-To become discouraged can be mild or it can disable you completely.
-Discouragement begins in your mind. You entertain a lie from Satan. You give him ground to plants his seeds. Then it affects your emotions and will. Soon you are defeated and discouragement sets in.
If Bible facts for victory are not practiced your actions will be beyond your control. You will become sad and bitter.
-You will feel guilty and God’s love and joy will be gone.
CURE:
a. Bring your thoughts into obedience with God’s Word (II Cor 10;4-5).
b. Hang around encouraging people. A discouraged person needs to be around joyful people, Godly singing, and the reading of God’s word.
Proverbs 12:25, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad.”
If you have friends that are discouraged encourage them to listen to Godly music, not just any “gospel” music but melodious Godly music.
B - SORROW – King Hezekiah, king of Israel experienced sorrow.
The nation was divided. The old men saw the world as their foe, the young men saw the world as their friend.
Half the men wanted to join up with the Assyrians, God’s enemies, and half the nations wanted to join with the Egyptians. Isaiah told Hezekiah to do neither but trust God. And his soul was truly sorrowful.
Hezekiah said in Psalm, 42: 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?...
Sorrow is the sadness of the soul. But even with the sadness of the soul over outward circumstances of life, we can also have the joy of God inwardly. In Psalms 42:5b Hezekiah says, …hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
You may look at your circumstances in life and have sorrow or feel discouraged.
The key to life is to look to God for peace.
Look to God to keep His promises.
He will never fail you. Everyone else in life may but not God.
For a Godly man or woman to look at the conditions of this world, it brings sorrow of soul but we have a hope and our hope rest in the fact that God is in charge.
This world is not our home we are only here for a season. We are pilgrims, passing through. While we are here we are on a mission from God. Let’s do His will and one day He will pay us our wages.
The apostle Paul knew he had a mission form God. With his sorrow, he too had joy. 2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
C - GRIEF – Grief is anguish of the spirit. It is the spirit of God in us that is to affect and control our soul and body.
If we allow, discouragement to fill our minds, it will soon bring sorrow to our souls. If we do not exercise victory over depression daily, it will not belong before our spirit is stricken with grief.
Grieving drains us of emotional energy. It can distort our perspective of life, our judgment, our decision in life and render us useless to God.
King David experienced grief: Psalms 6: 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Cure: We have all experienced grief in our lives.
The answer to over coming grief is the comfort of the Scriptures and the support of loved ones.
Prolong grief will become depression.
Stop and think are their discouragements that have consumed your thought life? Have they touched your body physically? Have they rooted themselves in your emotions? Is God’s sweet peace and joy gone?
Then you may be on your way to becoming neurotic or psychotic.
2 – THE REAL PROBLEM
Here are some comments a depressed person might make:
• "I feel sad all the time." “I don’t want to get out of bed.”
• "I just don't feel like myself."
• "I don't enjoy being with my friends or doing any of the things I usually love to do."
• "I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately."
• “It seems all I want to do is sleep.”
• "I keep having aches and pains, and I don't know why."
• "Sometimes I feel like my life is not worth living anymore." 2
Listen to some facts about depression:
• Depression is very real.
• It is the most commonly diagnosed as a “mental disorder.” 3
• It is twice as prevalent in women as it is in men.
• Depression will affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
• Depression is when a person is in a state of severe sadness.
• A person may have mild depression (neurotic) or severe depression (psychotic).
• If the mild depression is not dealt with and overcome, it can turn into psychotic depression.
Neurosis was informally classified as being overanxious. 4
One can become what is called today “Bipolar.” A bipolar person has two completely opposite emotional states. For maybe months or longer they experience exhilaration (mania). Then suddenly they experience severe sadness (depression). Thus they are called manic-depressive. 5
If a person suffers from only one extreme emotional state they are simply depressed. They are called unipolar. 6
Many people at different times in their life may experience what is called situational depression. It is a severe sad state due to disappointment over a death, family problem, job lost, or a personal financial catastrophe. 7
II - FACTS ABOUT VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION
The following information will give you some insight on how to overcome daily worry, mild anxiety, discouragement and mild depression.
If neurotic depression is not conquered, it may develop into psychotic depression. The emotional state of one who is psychotic will affect one’s physical body.
It will cause an over secretion from the thyroid gland and an imbalance of the hormones.
In the next study we will go into deeper detail from a biological, hormonal, medical and spiritual aspect.
Right now let’s answer this question: How do I get victory over worry, anxiety, discouragement and depression?
1 – Exhortation from Scripture
A – Think Right
What is something that is troubling you today? ____________
Will this not remedy that problem?
Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
--The Greek word for “Be careful,” merimnao, means to be troubled, anxious or to promote one’s own interest.
To be anxious is to be nervous, worried, restless, fretful or eager. To be anxious is to lack faith and trust in God.
If you believe the Bible and it is true, then these simple verses put into practice will give you the peace of mind, heart and soul that you need.
How? Look at each verse again.
1 – Quit worrying and quit expecting… (-6a).
2 – Learn to pray (prayer), present your needs to God (supplicate) and leave them there. Then thank God for the outcome which ever way it goes (thanksgiving). (-6b)
3 – Then --- ***The peace of God shall protect and preserve your heart and mind. (-7)
4 – The prescription is this (-8). Take a full dosage of Philippians 4:8 three times a day, every four hours. If symptoms continue, take the prescription 6 times a day every day until the symptoms are gone.
Give your expectations in life to God. Quit trying to control that which only God can control. You can’t control your circumstances, but God can.
Give it a all to the Lord.
B – Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5: 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5: 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-To walk in the Spirit one must die to self. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:31, “…I die daily.”
We are a trinity: Spirit, body, soul. If our Spirit is fed God’s word and we walk in the Spirit, our body and soul will be subject to God.
-If we live after the flesh, our expectations may not be met or if they are and then we lose those things which pleased our flesh, our soul or emotions take over and we can become very depressed.
-Walking in the Spirit is walking in the light of God’s world.
-It is learning to live by faith and not feelings.
-It is basking in the sunlight of His love.
-It is laughing with the joy of spiritual truths.
-It is a peace that passeth all understanding.
-It is a patience that never gets angry.
-It is like a gentle breeze on a warm sunny day.
-Oh, that we would learn God’s love and walk in His Spirit.
C – Make your focus clear
So often our focus is wrong in life. Our focus should be on Christ and to often our focus in life is on “me.”
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Here are some excuses some folks give for being depressed:
“My job doesn’t satisfy me.”
“My work schedule isn’t what I want.”
“People don’t treat me right.”
“My mate doesn’t please me.”
“I am not happy in life.”
The problem in these five statements is “I, Me and My”.
***God did not give me and you life so we might please ourselves but we were given life so we might please Him.
Colossians 1: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Does your life please Jesus is the question?
D – Live like Christ
Matthew 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus went to the cross with joy. How? He knew to be the right servant for God was costly.
It might mean you spending your life alone.
It might mean you suffering. It will definitely means giving your expectations to God.
--- Often parents build their world around their children when they should teach their children to build their world around Christ.
A child should be taught to be a servant, to be quiet, to be obedient, and to realize he is not first in the home or in life.
A child should not be given everything in life but be taught to be grateful for the things he already has in life.
A child should be taught to serve others, not to be served.
When a person’s focus is “me” they will be useless for God.
When a person’s focus is “Jesus Christ” they will be a great servant for God.
Thus, in life when a person has built their life around self, selfish desires and ambitions, and suddenly those “things” are lost or taken away, depression sets in and with that depression mood swings, discouragements and blame.
E – Remember who you belong to
I Corinthians 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Does that register with you? You do not belong to yourself. You belong to God.
Your joy in life will only come as you are obedient to the one who owns you.
Many Christians are not happy because they have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord of their lives.
We should say… I belong to Jesus Christ and every thing I have belongs to Him. He can take it away or He can continue to allow me to borrow it. It is His.
I enjoy my health, my family and every thing I have in life. With all I have, I have face many discouragements, sorrows as well as grief.
But, I belong to God. I will try to by His grace to glorify Him in my spirit and in my body because they belong to Him.
And so, God’s word says, “think right,” “walk in the Spirit,” “make your focus clear,” “live like Christ,” and “remember who owns you.”
2 - Example from sorrow –
A few years ago I lost half of all I had set away for retirement. Of course I will never retire. You would have never known that unless I had told you because though it was troublesome in my flesh, it didn’t control my spirit.
I have had other sorrows and grief in life that I never share with you because you have your own.
I deal with mine daily and allow God to be my focus. Whenever I come to God’s house I want to be an encouragement to others.
I will let you see in my glass house for a brief moment. Probably the greatest discouragement and sorrow and grief I ever experienced was about 12 years ago when a group of men and women conspired against this church hoping to destroy it.
One man wrote letters and sowed doubt and when all was finished about 75 people left the church.
That didn’t bother most of the folks here much. They simply choose sides from what they heard.
And many others in our church never knew what happening but it was very discouraging and depressing time in my life as a pastor.
I came to the place where I didn’t want to pastor or teach or preach or pray. But I did.
I made myself get up every morning and praise the Lord and thank Him for His goodness. Then I would pray and seek the Lord and study the Scriptures.
But for one year I did not enjoy it. Had I walked by my feelings I would have quit. Some preachers ask me if I would be interested in another church. And then I had to practice what I preached. I told my wife you never run when you are in a battle. You don’t leave till your mission is over. Then slowly God gave me a glimmer of light here and there.
I tell you this story for this reason, if you are not already disciplined in prayer, praise and studying the scriptures, when real discouragement, sorrow and grief comes, Satan may lead you into a depression that you may find it very difficult to get out of.
What is the key? It is living by faith and not by feelings.
Bibliography
1 - Signs of Depression, www.Cymbalta.com
2 – Ibid
3 – Basic care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
4 - www.thefreedictionary.com/neurotic
5 – Basic Care #14, Medical Training Institute of America, Box 3113, Oak Brook, Il
6 – Ibid
7 - Ibid
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