SERMON ON DEPRESSION. Produced by God and presented by and through the Holy Ghost and by His Temple, Zach.
Everyone has issues or problems of some kind and many people knows how to handle them and many do not know what, where or who to turn to, about their problems and issues. I have been growing up in the Word of God, yes, some were cults, but the Holy Ghost lead me through my young years of life and taught me, who to and who not to listen too and what is the correct doctrine to listen and read of. Many of you, may not like me for telling you the Truth but, hey, when Jesus Christ came to earth to Preach the Gospel, people hated Him too. So, I am prepared to be disliked as well. The reason that many of you may dislike me, because of the Gospel of God, is because many of you are guilty of what God has to tell you, through me. Glory to God. Depression is what we are going to talk about and to see what God has to say and how to deal with them. Last night, I was dealing with deep depression and I thank God, everyday for allowing my wife and I to be together. If it wasn't for God and my wife in my life, I am not sure what I would do with myself. Does this sound familiar in your own life? I did not have it easy growing up. Satan was trying to destroy me at an early age. My Mom was taken away from me and slipped off into eternity, to be with our God. From what I was told, she believed in God and I know in my soul, (Through the Holy Ghost, “God”) that she is in Heaven. I was about 5 months old. In a Car wreck, I suffered, Brain Damage, collapsed lungs, broken leg and a broken him, which I still not have on my right side. I then was maid fun of through out my life. I was teased about how I walked, because of my condition, teased because I was in slow learning classes, I was jumped almost everyday, starting in grade school, all the way through High School and once, here in Zanesville Ohio. I was picked on, not just because I am a little different than some and act a little different than some but, because people can see that I have something that they don’t have and that is Jesus Christ, God Almighty, in my heart and life and Satan knows it. Satan has tried over and over to cripple me with his hell bound tactics and they didn't work on me then and they will not work on me now. I do have a case of depression and a touch of anxiety attacks at times. How do I deal with them? Lots of talking to God about them and sharing my issues with my loving wife. I first go into Prayer and start off, denying myself at the Cross and lay myself at the Cross and ask Jesus Christ to fill me with His Holy Spirit and forgive me for everything. That means, I am dying to self and of the flesh and giving my whole life back to God and walking away from it. At the end of the Prayer, I trust in God, through Faith, that my issues is no longer mine and that he has control over them and it has been lifted up off my shoulders, so I can Live. God is just like an earthly father, you don’t recieve, if you don’t ask the Father up above. Let me share this with you, God does not answer all Prayers. What? That's right. If you are living in disobedience to God in any way, God will not hear or answer your Prayers. Sin separates God from the sinner and will gain no help, if they do not repent and turn away from their sins, in fact, God will not help or Save those who has rejected Him. We will get into forgiveness, towards the end of this sermon. Those who did and does me wrong, I don’t blame the person who did or does the evil acts but, I do blame Satan. Why? Because Satan is an evil spirit and he needs a body to do evil. It could be an animals body or a humans body. God is the Holy Spirit and His Work is done through us. Anyone who accepts Satan into their hearts, will not go to Heaven, only hell. By the way, you can tell if a person is a Christian or not. If you stub your toe on the wall or something hard, then listen to what comes out of your mouth. If its cuss words? That should tell yourselves or anyone who hears you, even if your alone, God still hears you, if you cuss after stubbing your toe, that tells God and whoever else is in the area, that you are not Saved. If you are Saved and have God in your hearts and if your filled with the Holy Ghost (God), you would not have any cussing coming out of your mouths. Like I said before, I did not have it easy growing up and still don’t. My son is another story. We had plans to get together for Thanksgiving weekend and he canceled out on me. I understand that he was sick but, I have been trying to get with him and it almost fails every time. My son is from a previous marriage, that did not work out, I will not go into that story. However, I have always been here for him, no matter what. With someone who has a mental disability and depression, its not easy. I may get to see my boy about 1 or maybe 2 times a year, if Lord is Willing. I came from a broken family, I was Blessed with a family of my own that is now broken and now I am Blessed with a great Christian wife and a bird family of 6 parakeets. God is Good. Lets get started with the readings from God’s Holy Word.
I have every right to Preach and Teach the True Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. God commands it.
King James Expositor Study Bible. Psalms 34:17-18 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles (take the problem to the Lord). 18 The LORD is near unto them who are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit (man is naturally proud and, with pride being the foundational sin of all sin, man is not easily brought to the place of the “broken heart” and “contrite spirit”; the word “contrite” means “broken and crushed”; the Lord would bring David to this state despite his failure of faith).
28 Come unto Me (is meant by Jesus to reveal Himself as the Giver of Salvation), all you who labor and are heavy laden (trying to earn Salvation by works), and I will give you rest (this “rest” can only be found by placing one’s Faith in Christ and what He has done for us at the Cross [Gal. 5:1-6]).
BONDAGE
Galatians 5:1-6 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free (we were made free, and refers to freedom to live a Holy life by evidencing Faith in Christ and the Cross), and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (To abandon the Cross and go under Law of any kind guarantees bondage once again to the sin nature.) Meaning that you can’t live under the Law of Moses and under Grace at the same time because it is a sin. If you are hanging onto the Law of Moses, you then are not under Grace of God and you are then, not Saved.
CHRIST OF NO EFFECT
2 Behold (“mark my words!”), I Paul say unto you (presents the Apostle’s authority regarding the Message he brings), that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. (If the Believer goes back into Law, and Law of any kind, what Christ did at the Cross on our behalf will profit us nothing. One cannot have it two ways.) 3 For I testify again to every man who is circumcised (some of the Galatians Gentiles were being pressured by false teachers to embrace the Law of Moses, which meant they would have to forsake Christ and the Cross, for it’s not possible to wed the two; as well, it’s not possible to wed any Law to Grace), that he is a debtor to do the whole Law (which of course is impossible; and besides, the Law contained no Salvation). 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you (this is a chilling statement, and refers to anyone who makes anything other than Christ and the Cross the Object of his Faith), who soever of you are justified by the Law (seek to be justified by the Law); you are fallen from Grace (fallen from the position of Grace, which means the Believer is trusting in something other than the Cross; it actually means, “to apostatize”). 5 For we through the Spirit (the Holy Spirit works exclusively within the parameters of the Sacrifice of Christ; consequently, He demands that we place our Faith exclusively in the Cross of Christ) wait for the Hope of Righteousness (which is guaranteed to ultimately come [Rom. 6:14]) by Faith (refers to Faith in Christ and what He did for us at the Cross). 6 For in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision (has no spiritual bearing on anything); but Faith which works by Love (The evidence of true Faith is the fact of the Love which emanates from such Faith.) Rom. 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you (the sin nature will not have dominion over us if we as Believers continue to exercise Faith in the Cross of Christ; otherwise, the sin nature most definitely will have dominion over the Believer): for you are not under the Law (means that if we try to live this life by any type of law, no matter how good that law might be in its own right, we will conclude by the sin nature having dominion over us), but under Grace (the Grace of God flows to the Believer on an unending basis only as long as the Believer exercises Faith in Christ and what He did at the Cross; Grace is merely the Goodness of God exercised by and through the Holy Spirit, and given to undeserving Saints).
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Upon obedience to the Lord, with a sincere attempt to follow His Ways and Word, His “thoughts toward us” are always “thoughts of peace, and not of evil.”)
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him (refers here to a direct and once-for-all committal to God of all that would give us concern); for He cares for you (translated literally, “for you are His concern”).
Isaiah 41:10 Fear you not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My Righteousness. (The progression in this Verse is most precious: “I am with you”; but He comes yet nearer: “I will strengthen you”; and still closer: “I will help you”; and finally, He throws His arms around His Child and says, “I will uphold you.”)
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always (not for all things, but in all things): and again I say, Rejoice. (Paul’s teaching on emotional well-being, which follows, begins with rejoicing in the Lord.)
Luke 10:27 And He answering said, You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself (this is quoted from Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18). Deut. 6:5, Lev. 19:18. 5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might (Jesus quoted this Verse in Matthew 22:37). 18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD (fulfills the second half of the entirety of the Ten Commandments). Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (this is the foundation of all the Law, and as well, applies to the present Day of Grace).
Ephesians 2:6 And has raised us up together (the Resurrection of Christ from the Tomb was our Resurrection as well, spiritually speaking, and gave us “newness of life” [Rom. 6:3-5]), and made us sit together in Heavenly Places (made possible by the Cross) in Christ Jesus (it is all done in Christ, and refers to the way He did it, which is through the Cross): Rom. 6:3-5 3 Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ (plainly says that this Baptism is into Christ and not water [I Cor. 1:17; 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:11-13]) were baptized into His Death? (When Christ died on the Cross, in the Mind of God, we died with Him; in other words, He became our Substitute, and our identification with Him in His Death gives us all the benefits for which He died; the idea is that He did it all for us!) 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death (not only did we die with Him, but we were buried with Him as well, which means that all the sin and transgression of the past were buried; when they put Him in the Tomb, they put all of our sins into that Tomb as well): that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (we died with Him, we were buried with Him, and His Resurrection was our Resurrection to a “Newness of Life”). 5 For if we have been planted together (with Christ) in the likeness of His Death (Paul proclaims the Cross as the instrument through which all Blessings come; consequently, the Cross must ever be the Object of our Faith, which gives the Holy Spirit latitude to work within our lives), we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection (we can have the “likeness of His Resurrection,” i.e., “live this Resurrection Life,” only as long as we understand the “likeness of His Death,” which refers to the Cross as the Means by which all of this is done):
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (carnal weapons consist of those which are man-devised), but mighty through God (the Cross of Christ [I Cor. 1:18]) to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations (philosophic strongholds; every effort man makes outside of the Cross of Christ), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the Knowledge of God (all the pride of the human heart), and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (can be done only by the Believer looking exclusively to the Cross, where all Victory is found; the Holy Spirit will then perform the task); 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience (refers to that which is opposed to the Cross, where alone all Victory is found), when your obedience is fulfilled (is fulfilled when looking exclusively, as stated, to Christ and the Cross). I Cor. 1:18 18 For the preaching (Message) of the Cross is to them who perish foolishness (Spiritual things cannot be discerned by unredeemed people, but that doesn’t matter; the Cross must be preached just the same, even as we shall see); but unto us who are Saved it is the Power of God. (The Cross is the Power of God simply because it was there that the total sin debt was paid, giving the Holy Spirit, in Whom the Power resides, latitude to work mightily within our lives.)
John 10:27-31 27 My Sheep hear My Voice (Christ is the head of the Church, not men), and I know them (refers to perfect and absolute knowledge, even on an individual basis), and they follow Me (proclaims what True Sheep will do): 28 And I give unto them Eternal Life (carries with it a promise that cannot be matched elsewhere under any circumstances); and they shall never perish (means that no Believer need ever fear that God will change His Mind respecting their Salvation), neither shall any man pluck them out of My Hand (refers to any and all outside forces; however, if one so desires, one can take one’s self out of His Hand, which regrettably millions have done). 29 My Father, which gave them to Me, is greater than all (proclaims the Power of God that is able to keep any and all, which He does through the Spirit by what Christ did at the Cross, and our Faith in that Finished Work); and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand (when one has Christ, one at the same time has the Father, and the protection of the Father). 30 I and My Father are One (the Greek Text says, “We are One”; these simple words destroy the teaching of those who deny the distinction of persons in the Godhead, and those who question the Deity of Christ). THE JEWS 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him (thus was the answer of “God’s chosen people” to “God’s chosen Gift,” the Lord Jesus Christ!).
Psalms 40:1-3 1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto Me, and heard My cry. (The word “patiently” directs our attention to the thought that God, at times, does not answer immediately; however, the latter portion of this Verse encourages us that ultimately He will answer and “hear my cry.” The theme is threefold: 1. As the/our Redeemer: He atones for our sins, having loaded them upon Himself and having confessed them as His Own; 2. As our High Priest: He burdens Himself with our sorrows, encourages us to follow Him in His life of absolute confidence in God, teaching us to believe in Promises which never fail, and furnishes us with perfect forms of confession, prayer, and praise; and, 3. As our Commander: As such, He engages to deliver us from the powers of darkness, which, in fact, He has already done at the Cross [Col. 2:14–15].) 2 He brought Me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set My feet upon a rock, and established My goings (the words here are figurative of the state of sin and death out of which God Alone can save; He does so by the means of the Cross; trying to extricate ourselves by our own means, we only seek deeper into the “miry clay”; trusting in Him and what He did at the Cross will bring us out). 3 And He has put a new song in My mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD (the doctrine of this Psalm is Christ’s Perfect Obedience to the Will of God as the Sin-bearer of His People, and His Perfect Patience in waiting on and for God to deliver Him and them out of all afflictions). Col. 2:14–15 14 Blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us (pertains to the Law of Moses, which was God’s Standard of Righteousness that man could not reach), which was contrary to us (Law is against us, simply because we are unable to keep its precepts, no matter how hard we try), and took it out of the way (refers to the penalty of the Law being removed), nailing it to His Cross (the Law with its decrees was abolished in Christ’s Death, as if Crucified with Him); 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers (Satan and all of his henchmen were defeated at the Cross by Christ Atoning for all sin; sin was the legal right Satan had to hold man in captivity; with all sin atoned, he has no more legal right to hold anyone in bondage), He (Christ) made a show of them openly (what Jesus did at the Cross was in the face of the whole universe), triumphing over them in it. (The triumph is complete and it was all done for us, meaning we can walk in power and perpetual Victory due to the Cross.)
Psalms 39:13 O spare Me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more (as David pleaded for “strength,” likewise, the Son of David pleads to the Father for strength for Himself, which, in reality, is for us; without that “strength,” we could not make it).
Listen Friends and anyone who is dealing with depression, you have a clean way to escape your depressions, without doing suicide. The reason God has placed this message in my heart to share is because of what is going on in our world today. We just had a Ohio State football player take his own life. I just heard of another suicide on the news, else where in our country. We have had a Police officer shot and killed a young child, for doing his job and I could of imagine what he is feeling right now, even though it was not his fault. God has a way for you to escape your depressions. Yes, I had a rough time in my life but, God gave me, you and the world, a way to escape these feelings. I had a friend back in High School asked me this question. Zach, you had a rough way to go in life and you still have a hard time with your aunt. Zach, why haven’t you committed suicide yet? My response was, God has something greater for me in this cruel world and He is not done with me yet and I will stand strong, until the Good Lord God is ready to take me. I knew suicide was not the way to go. I know that some of you are probably asking this very question right now, can a person go to Heaven, if they commit suicide? Before I answer that question, I want to let you all know that I do not encourage anyone to take their lives, no way, shape or form. We have no rights to take our own lives at all. Back to the question, can a person who is Saved, take their own lives, still go to Heaven? Yes they can still go to Heaven, if they were Saved before that happens but, will just loose some rewards but, they will still be in Heaven. What can take us out of the hands of God?
John 10:28 tells us this; And I give unto them Eternal Life (carries with it a promise that cannot be matched elsewhere under any circumstances); and they shall never perish (means that no Believer need ever fear that God will change His Mind respecting their Salvation), neither shall any man pluck them out of My Hand (refers to any and all outside forces; however, if one so desires, one can take one’s self out of His Hand, which regrettably millions have done).
The only way that a Christian can take themselves out of the hands of God, is to reject Jesus Christ, the Cross and Him Crucified, which suicide does not do. Once again, suicide is still a sin but, it won’t keep the Christian out of Heaven. I still will not condone by saying suicide is the answer or the way, because it is not and I will not encourage it to anyone at all. The problem with going to canceling is, they don’t take peoples issues to the Word of God (King James Bible) to get the real and right help that the individuals really needs. They would rather tell the troubled person the man ways of doing things instead of God’s way of doing things. Thats why there are so many troubled mines, in this world still. Taking troubles to the Word of God (King James Bible) is the only way to help the depressed. I should know, I have dealt with it, on my own, through the Power of our Lord God. He heard my cry (Prayer) and God answered and delivered me. That brings me to my next point, Forgiveness. You must forgive others, so God can forgive you.
Matthew Chapter 6:14-15 14 For if you forgive men (it must be the God kind of forgiveness) their trespasses (large sins), your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (forgiveness rests totally on the Atoning Work of Christ; it is an act of sheer Grace): 15 But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (if we want God to forgive us, we must at the same time forgive others; if not, His forgiveness for us is withheld; consequently, such a person is in jeopardy of losing their soul).
After that Scripture, I should have nothing to say about it, it all was covered in the Word of God. If you do not forgive anyone, you will lose your soul in hell, that's the bottom line right there, so, for your sake, you must forgive others, no matter what and if you don’t, you are no better than what Satan is and you will go to hell with him, in the lake of fire if, you don’t forgive others or, yourselves.
How to get Saved. Believe in Jesus Christ, what He did on the Cross for sins, have Faith in what He did at the Cross, call out to God in Prayer, through the Holy Spirit and deny yourselves (give up your sinful ways of living) and you will be Saved. You must, turn away from sin and live rigfht on this side of the grave, so you can die right and go to Heaven.
Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out (brought Paul and Silas out of the prison), and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (This presents terminology that shows some familiarity with the Gospel; quite possibly before the arrest of the Apostle, the jailer had heard him preach) 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved (presents the most beautiful explanation of Salvation that could ever be given), and your house (means that Salvation is not limited merely to the jailer, but is available to the entirety of his family as well, that is if they will meet the conditions of Faith in Christ required of them).
Anyone of you can be Saved right now and know that you will go to Heaven, when you die, How? By believing through Faith, of what you are reading and you can be Baptized by the Holy Ghost and be Saved. You are Saved by and through Belief and Faith, not by water, like what others think and believe, that would fall under false doctrine, and they use the book of Acts, 2:38 which the correct formula, is found in the book of Matthew, which reads this;
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore (applies to any and all who follow Christ, and in all ages), and teach all nations (should have been translated, “and preach to all nations”, for the word “teach” here refers to a proclamation of truth), baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (presents the only formula for Water Baptism given in the Word of God):
Its very dangerous to your souls, if you are not being taught the correct doctrine of the Word of God, it can cause you to end up in hell, if you are believing in the wrong doctrine, which is of men and not of God. If you want to know if your Saved, with Belief through Faith in Jesus Christ, the Cross and Him Crucified, then say this Prayer out loud and you will be Saved. If you do this with a negative feeling and heart, then it will do you no good. Please repeat it as necessary, until you have recieved the Holy Ghost (God) into your hearts. May God Bless you my friends.
THE SINNER’S PRAYER
"DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN, I COME TO YOU TODAY AS A LOST SINNER." "I AM ASKING YOU THAT YOU SAVE MY SOUL AND CLEANSE ME FROM ALL SIN." "I REALIZE IN MY HEART MY NEED OF SALVATION, WHICH CAN ONLY COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST." "I AM ACCEPTING CHRIST INTO MY HEART AND WHAT HE DID ON THE CROSS IN ORDER TO PURCHASE MY REDEMPTION." "IN OBEDIENCE TO YOUR WORD, I CONFESS WITH MY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD." "YOU HAVE SAID IN YOUR WORD WHICH CANNOT LIE, 'FOR WHOSOEVER CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED' (ROM. 10-13)." "I HAVE CALLED UPON YOUR NAME EXACTLY AS YOU HAVE SAID, AND I AM SAVED."
