HOW TO OVERCOME SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION
PSA. 119:25-32
Introduction:
1. Have you ever felt like you were alone in the world?
2. Sadly too many of our own feel that they are alone in the race of life.
3. We can all fall victim to spiritual depression
a. Many types of depression (clinical, emotional, ect.)
4. But tonight we want to examine what causes a man to suffer from “spiritual depression”
5. Why would anyone, bathing in the covenant of God through His Son ever need to worry about this type of depression?
6. Well, join me please, in this most interesting study of the psyche of man in relation to the spiritual matters of God!
Body: If you want to overcome spiritual depression, you must defeat it;
1. “By spiritual quickening” [v 25] “Quicken me according to thy word”
a. quickening= to arouse, stimulate, stir
b. “quicken thou me” used 1 time N.T.
i. Rom 8:2-3 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
ii. The psalmist here petitions God for quickening, but it is with the Word!
iii. God’s word must be our guide and plea in every prayer.
2. “by sincerely stating your case unto the Lord” [26] “I have declared my ways”
a. we must, for our spiritual and mental well-being learn to commute our problems and iniquities to God through the Lord.
b. Repentance from the heart involves action from the lips.
c. It is by declaring our faults that we overcome them
d. It is an unspeakable comfort to a gracious soul to think with what tenderness all its complaints are received by a gracious God,
i. 1 Jn. 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
3. “by seeking divine instruction” [26,27] “Teach me….make me to understand”
a. we learn the teachings of Jesus Christ though the inspired Word
b. the plea of the psalmist is “teach me, regardless of the cost”
c. Those who in all their ways acknowledge God may pray in faith that he will direct their steps in the right way.
d. And the surest way of keeping up our communion with God is by learning his statutes and walking intelligently in the way of his precepts.
i. I Jn 1:6-7 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
4. “by spiritual strengthening” [28] “strengthen me according to thy Word”
a. Paul said:I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil 4:13
b. To avoid the weight if the world, one must work out with the weight of the Word
5. “by separating yourself from evil” [29] “Remove from me the way of lying”
a. . David was conscious to himself of a proneness to this sin;
b. he had, in times past, cheated Ahimelech <1 Sam. 21:2>, and Achish, <13>
c. It is most difficult to lie and then create another to cover it up!
d. David was familiar with this sin,
i. He prays that God would prevent him from falling into this sin any more
ii. here he shows his fear of becoming comfortable with it
iii. We must follow this example and separate ourselves from the practice of lying and evil
6. ”by walking the way of unwavering trust” [30] “I have chosen the way of truth”
a. The way of serious godliness is the way of truth;
i. the principles it is founded on are principles of eternal truth,
ii. and it is the only true way to happiness.
b. We must choose to walk in this way,
i. not because we know no other way,
ii. but because we know no better;
iii. nay we know no other safe and good way.
iv. Let us choose that way for our way, which we will walk in, though it be narrow.
c. That those who have chosen the way of truth must have a constant regard to the word of God as the rule of their walking:
7. “by sticking to the right” [31] “I have stuck unto thy testimonies”
a. the right, which is by definition the most conservative route
b. is the way the Lord would have us to go
c. too many change agents in the world today that would have us leaving the “testimonies”
d. notice in verse 31b “put me to shame”
8. “by seriously purposing to obey” [32] “I will run the way of thy commandments”
a. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8
b. Paul was not afraid to run this course We should not fear it as well.
c. It is the fear of failing the course that becomes Satan’s tool
9. If we prescribe to the psalmists ideals,
a. We can enjoy a fresh, healthy spiritual attitude
b. It is only when we venture from the course do we suffer spiritually
10. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. [32]
i. When we keep this ideals close to our heart,
1. the Lord opens our heart and enlarges it!
2. enabling us to defeat spiritual depression
