The Reality Of Mental Illness

Introduction:

* 25% of all individuals will have a depressive episode during their lifetime.

* Increase in suicidal rates, even among teenagers.

* The Church in general are trying to combine religion and science to deal with mental illness.

* Physiological problem or demonic activity?

* Churches should meet on two common grounds:

• (1) Acknowledge the legitimacy of mental illness.
• (2) Study deeper into what the Word says instead of relying on professional advice.

<Daniel 4:27-34>

27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” 33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

<1 Sam 16:14,23>

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him….

23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

<1 Sam 18:6-11>

6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

There is a spiritual root (sin) in a person’s mental disorder

* The sense of sin is present in the human heart, so he is not totally inculpable.

* We can only seek the mercy of God, not rationalize their wrongdoing.

Causality of mental illness (Case of King Saul)

* Spiritual (the evil spirit)

* Dispositional (Esp Pride, fear, jealousy)

* Cognitive (E.g. compulsive, confused, incongruent)

** Church splits on mental issues:

• Common illness to be dealt with medication? Or
• Demonic influence to be dealt with spiritual deliverance?

<James 4:1-2>: 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

** Not turning to God (repentance) nullifies all forms of intervention.

Practical intervention.

* Not knowing the root cause doesn’t lead us to the right intervention.

* Merely pursuing intervention without God doesn’t help either. Root cause of pride and self-centeredness not resolved.

* <Psalm 139:23-24>

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

1) The need for spiritual person beside to lead the mental patient to the Healer, God.

2) Time is an important factor.

3) Help the patient to be functional in daily living

4) Be careful with our words (Not to aggravate their mental illness)