Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

Spiritual Initiative Part 2

Taking the Initiative Against Depression! Do not Succumb to Spiritual Weariness. 1 Kings 19:1-8

Principles: A believer is most vulnerable to failure after a great spiritual victory!

Carnal depression culminates in the thought, “Of what use is my life any longer?”

Depression as a result of carnality and reversionism can come to us all, even the super-grace believer, if we do not keep our eyes on Christ.

If we were never depressed, we would not be alive. Only material things do not suffer depression. Its what you do when depression sets in that determines your walk with Christ.

Other’s suffering the same fate. Moses’ Depression, Num 11:10-15 Jeremiah’s Depression, Jer 20:7-18 Jonah’s Depression, Jonah 4:3, 8

If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation.

There was a physical cause to his failure: the great contest on Mt. Carmel had undoubtedly wearied and drained him emotionally.

Believers should take better care of their bodies and souls, especially after times of intense ministry and sacrifice (cf. Mark 6:31).

Mark 6:31, “And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) “

The main cause for Elijah’s failure was spiritual: he saw Jezebel (the Cosmic System) and failed to see the Lord; he listened to its threats and forgot to wait for God’s promises.

Fear leads to impatience, and impatience leads to disobedience, Isa 29:16.

There are things in life that Satan uses to depress us, especially death.

When you are out of fellowship, you will feel sorry for yourself and have the wrong perspective of life.

Rom 8:28, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

This reduces complex doctrine to utmost simplicity for application.

The mature believer hit with undeserved suffering needs to latch onto something simple. He may be spiritually advanced, but he is not perfect.

What does fear do? It cuts off rational thought. Common sense flies out the window. Mental stability melts into panic. Emotion and imagination take over the soul.

God wants us to use the Bible doctrine resident in our souls. Satan and the forces of evil want to prevent us from using it.

God provides a step-by-step technique for overcoming fear and for rapidly recovering mental stability.

Heb 4:1, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.”

Faith Rest Drill: 1. Claim a promise that stabilizes your mind. 2. Use reverse concentration in a logical rationale. 3. Reach doctrinal conclusions.

As soon as we arise and obey, (take the spiritual initiative of the faith-rest life), we enter a higher plane of life.

Even when the child of God is backslidden and discouraged, God cares for him in grace.

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, July 24, 2012 Tape # Spiritual Initiative, Part 2 The Spiritual Initiative Against Depression 1 Kings 19:1-8; Gen 28:10-15; Jer 20:7-8; Jonah 4:3-8; Rom 8:28-32 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012