Hope In God During Depression And Misery

Introduction:

* Some Christians have illusion that they will not be subjected to any form of misery or depressive episode.

* There is a kingdom of darkness that is against us at this moment.

* <Gen 3:1> – Satan is subtle

* <2 Cor 11:14> – Satan masquerade as an angel of light.

* <Ps 42:5>: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

* <James 1:2-4>: 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Wholesomeness of the inner person.

⟹ Mind, Heart and Will

<Ro 6:17-18>

17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching (or: form of doctrine) to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness (Or: righteous living).

Mind, Heart, and Will ⟹ balanced and coherent. 

The Mind

* <Ro 12:2>… Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

* <Eph 1:17-19>… so that you may know him better…. And to be enlightened about the hope, the inheritance and the power that you possess in Christ.

* The Gospel is great not just because it is simply great, but because it is WHOLE.

<Pro 10:28>: The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

* <2 Cor 6:10>: Sorrowful yet always rejoicing.

* Problem of Partial or Truncated Gospel*

– Lack of sound teaching ⟹ unbalanced and lopsided.

– <Ro 5:20; 6:1-2>: 20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more….. 1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

– E.g. Hypergrace believers

* Deficiency of the gospel message *

– Only about Forgiveness?

– Only about Morality?

– Only about a great gift?

** Are we being given the gospel every day and week?

The Heart

* Danger of approaching the gospel only from an intellectual point of view.

* <Pro 4:23> Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

* Danger of stopping at an immersion of release in faith encounter.

* Problem of mysticism.

* Problem of just being captured by what is aesthetic.

The Will

* Importance of act of Obedience.

* But be careful not to just be provoked to decide.

* Gospel is not about a decisive act.

* Gospel is about WHY we decide.

* The mind, the heart and the will *

– Important to have all 3, not 1 or 2.

– Cannot be lopsided and imbalanced.

– A true Man is proportionate, balanced and coherent in all 3 components.

– <Jn 15:10-11>: 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

– All 3 components must come in right order. Mind ⟹ Heart ⟹ Will

– <Eph 1:13>: …when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation…

– <1 Peter 3:15>: 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.