HEALING FOR DEPRESSION
SERMON STARTER
Well, it's over and Punxsutawney Phil has not seen his shadow. Spring is just around the corner. Based on old European weather lore, the legend says that when the groundhog comes out of his burrow from hibernation, he will look for his own shadow. If it he sees it, he will take fright and go back into his hole, which means winter will then carry on for another six weeks. If he doesn’t see his shadow, then Spring will arrive early.
It is believed that a projected crowd of 20,000 attended the ceremony for Punxsutawney Phil and his Top Hatted "Inner Circle" of prognosticators as they gathered at Gobbler's Knob for the event. Phil's Annual ritual was made famous by Bill Murray and the 1993 Movie, "Groundhog Day."
This time of the year we are restricted and home bound, hemmed in by ice, snow and single digit temps. People suffer the most from S.A.D. and "cabin fever." Stress and depression is on many public faces in shops around town. Fuel bills are soaring and we grit our teeth to get through it.
In today's text King David is suffering from situational depression. His plight is worsened because he has done it to himself. He has lusted over another man's wife, had an adulterous affair and killed her husband to make his sin "legal." Unfortunately, his scheme didn't work for his subjects, not was it done outside of the sight of God.
After learning of the death of his first child with Bathsheba, David rises from his mourning, washes and anoints himself, changes his clothes, enters the House of the Lord and worships. When he comes to his own house, he makes a request, food is set before him and he eats. DAVID WAS STRESSED AND DEPRESSED! He comes out of his situation one step at a time. Each step he makes FOR HIMSELF reduces his stressors and opens him up to HOPE AGAIN. In this text are NINE WAYS David stepped out of his grief-related depression.
Pastor Phil <><<
February 03, 2013 - Sheepfold Ministries
Pastor Phil Roland
HEALING FOR DEPRESSION
2 Samuel 12: 15-24
“Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.” 2 Samuel 12:20
GRIEF-RELATED DEPRESSION - "A flood of emotions precipitated by an unanticipated loss, leaving sufferer feeling out-of-control and hostile for some time."
9 things David does to step out of his grief-related depression:
I. DAVID ARISES FROM THE GROUND - 2 Samuel 12:20
A. The Keys to your Healing are within you - Luke 17:20,21
"Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God
would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not
come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For
indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
1. Each of us must find the Inner Strength to get up
2. The ultimate Helping Hand is the one at the end of your wrist
and elbow
B. Rise Up!
1. Stop Mourning your Failures and Looking Backward
2. David laid hold of God's Promises and believed them
3. We must follow his example
C. Walk in Forgiveness
1. Obey God's Command to Forgive
2. Ever feel like you let God down?
3. Allow God to forgive you
4. Receive His Forgiveness and let the Anger and Guilt go
D. It is easier to get God's forgiveness, than it is to get our own 1. We are harder on ourselves than God is.
2. Forgive yourself where you were wrong, rise up and go on
II. DAVID WASHES HIMSELF - Ephesians 5:25-27
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself
for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the
word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
A. Jewish Worship - Laver of Brass - Personal and Ritual Cleansing
1. Laver of Brass part of Wilderness Tabernacle - Ex.30:18-21
(See Slide)
"You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and
HEALING FOR DEPRESSION, cont. p.2
the altar. And you shall put water in it, 19 for Aaron and his sons
shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. 20 When they
go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar
to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall
wash with water, lest they die. 21 So they shall wash their hands and
their feet, lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them--to
him and his descendants throughout their generations."
2. Jewish Ritual of Washing with Water
3. Jewish Ritual of Mitzpah - Mikveh
B. Pursuing Holiness through "Baptism of the Heart"
1. Christian believers need a regular Laver Experience B-4 God 2. David symbolically "washes away his sin, guilt and grief"
2. "Washing by the Word" - Metaphorical relationship to Holiness by the reading of and adherence to the Word of God
III. DAVID ANOINTS HIMSELF
A. Hebrew and Greek Implications
1. Hebrew Root = MA-SHACH = gLn = To Smear / ANOINT
a. MA-SHEA = “Anointed One”
b. English - "Messiah"
2. Greek Root = CHREE-O = crio = “To Rub” / “A Rubbing In”
a. CHRIS-TOS - "One who is Anointed"
b. English - Christ
B. OT Prophets, Kings and Priests anointed w/sacred anointing oil
1. Anointing is the Sacred, Glorious Presence of Jesus Himself
2. David Anoints himself pictures the Holy Spirit's Presence and Approval
C. Need God's Anointing and Presence to heal from grief and sorrow
IV. DAVID CHANGES HIS CLOTHING
A. In Elizabethan times Widows traditionally wore black
1. Grief makes us feel black inside
2. "If Only. . ." "I should have. . ." "I regret. . ."
B. Garments of Grief must be traded for Garments of Praise - Isa. 61
". . .To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness. . ." (Excerpted from Isaiah 61:1-3)
1. The Joy of the Lord is our strength - Neh. 8:10
2. Christ's Love is constant in all of Grief's Journey
3. We are surrounded by His Love and Presence
V. DAVID ENTERS THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
A. Easy with Depression and Grief to get mad at God Self, Others
1. David makes his peace with People
2. Ignores his inner desires to withdraw w/his grief depression
HEALING FOR DEPRESSION, cont. p.3
B. Assemble yourself w/believers to worship in spite of how you feel
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of
some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the
Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25
1. Find a trusted, Non-Judgmental friend to accompany you
2. Sit in a Safe Place
VI. DAVID WORSHIPS GOD
A. David makes his peace with God
1. Recognizes God hasn't abandoned him in his grief
2. God still loves him even though he FEELS at time alone
B. Worshiping God isn't about how you FEEL
1. Emotion is transient
2. Feelings come and go
C. Three Elements of True, Heart-felt Worship
1. Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:4 -"Enter His Gates w/ Thanksgiving"
2. Praise - Loud, Verbal Praise to God
3. Deep Worship - Fall down in His Presence
VII. DAVID GOES HOME
A. David Resumes Normal, Everyday Life
1. Home is where those around you feel and respond to you
2. Home is where your heart is
3. Home is where you literally "Find Yourself"
B. We will grieve and be depressed for a season
1. Normal Depression may last a few days or up to 3 weeks
2. Grief related depression can last significantly longer
3. This depends on the type of grief
4. Loss of a spouse or child can protract grief and depression
C. Family members will notice and rejoice w/you as depression lifts
VIII. DAVID ATE
A. David took responsibility for himself
1. Didn't neglect himself in a self-destructive way
2. He got past the initial rage and anger
B. David began to do normal things again
XI. DAVID ENCOURAGED OTHERS
A. David shares with his servants his innermost thoughts of God
"But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:23
B. Often God waits for us in the Shadows of Grief and Depression
"I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret
places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel." Isaiah 45:3
HEALING FOR DEPRESSION
2 Samuel 12:15-23 (NKJV)
15 Then Nathan departed to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill.
16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, "Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!"
19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."
20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.
21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
22 And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?'
23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."
http://www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4The_Bronze_Laver.htm
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