Romans 12:2 (NIV) “Do not conform anymore to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
Someone once said, “If you were to be arrested today for being a Christian
would there be enough evidence against you to convict you?” We Christians
don’t have to do the things we did before, we don’t have to follow the crowd,
we can be brand new.
For myself, after I became a Christian I lost the few friends I had, because
they did not understand me anymore, because I had changed. I knew I was
different because their foul language and bad behavior bothered me and it never
did before. When they would take the name of Jesus in vain, it was like a sharp
knife stabbing me in the heart. The good news is that God gave me another
group of friends who are really much better for me.
Today’s verse says, “be transformed!” We do this by renewing our mind, by
rejecting old patterns of thought and concentrating on new ones. I’ve found that
to renew my mind I must keep in the Word. As I read it, study it, and meditate upon it, it sinks down into my being and actually does renew my mind. It is a process. As it takes place, I discover what God wants for me.
God wants good things for all of us, just as any good father would want for
his children. When Christ comes in, instead of living just to please ourselves, we
begin to please him and lift up others.
God wants to help us fight fear and anxiety. His Word is full of suggestions
for achieving good mental health. Search and find a promise for yourself
today. Then claim it and stand on it. He is faithful!
Now you can read my book Panic Buster for free. I would welcome any comments or questions you may have as you study through this helpful book. May God bless you as you do so.
This book is in the .pdf format. You can read it with Adobe Reader. Please click on the link below to read. Or, you can right click and download.
Spiritual Depression: #6 “Feelings,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
My thoughts:
In 2 Timothy 2:1:6 Paul tells Timothy to “stir up the gift of God.”
This sermon was very good and it pointed out many ways I could pursue the subject of feelings and the Christian. But, I think I’ll focus on Christian people who have panic disorder and how feelings come into play with them. I was once one of those people so I can identify with that.
What do we do with our feelings? If you have panic attacks you know feelings play a very important part in them. In my book, Panic Buster, I talk about that “first feeling.” That is the feeling you get that alerts you that you might be going to have a panic attack. For me that first feeling was a rapid and strong heart beat I became so aware of. It made my mind race and think the “what if” thoughts. I could not get my mind off of my feelings. First the rapid heart rate, then the sweaty palms, then the weak legs and so on. These were not good feelings; and guess what? They were controlling me. My feelings were taking over my mind and I was on my way to a full-blown panic attack. Feelings! It seemed they were my worst enemy!
I never really did understand my feelings back then. I didn’t know they could not be trusted. I didn’t know they were controlling me. Now, in looking back, I can see it clearly. My feelings took over and caused me to be an unproductive Christian person. I was at their beck and call. I was their slave. I was a slave to fear!
Feelings aren’t bad really. God created us with feelings, and God even has feelings. He can be angry, loving, kind, and jealous. These are all feelings or emotions. He made us that way. It is only when our feelings get out of control that they are bad.
So my take-away from this sermon is that we need self-control over our feelings. The good new is we as believers have the Holy Spirit living in us therefore we can have self-control because it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He supplies it.
Gal 5:22-23 NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Do you realize a believer has a big edge over an unbeliever in conquering panic attacks? That’s right! We are not the same at all. They do not have the Holy Spirit in their lives and the power He supplies. They are left to their own resources to battle fear. It is a losing battle! I know I tried it before I was a Christian, and I hit bottom. We have been blessed with the power which comes from on high. It is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Isn’t that wonderful? If you suffer from anxiety, stress, and panic attacks and are a Christian than you have hope. You can get better!
It was after I became a Christian that I began to get well. I read and studied my Bible. I learned what the God of all creation was telling his children and there were many lessons for me. I put them to work in my life and I did get well again.
If there is any sin in our lives we must admit it, confess it to God, and turn from it. We need to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Mat 5:6 KJV Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
What does this mean? We need to desire deeply to please God. And, the only way we can do that is by studying the Word and then obeying it. Do you know that worry is a sin? Again, here we need self-control over our thoughts and feelings. The person who has panic disorder worries. Worry won’t help anything and is in fact a waste of time. It makes us more anxious and contributes to take us down the road to more panic attacks. So, this is a sin that we must confess, and repent of. Seek God’s face and turn from your sin and you can again have self-control over your feelings.
Learn to enjoy your feelings! There are many good ones.
Spiritual Depression: #5 “Fear of the Future,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
My thoughts:
Doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his sermon series on “Spiritual Depression.” This time he addresses the issue of fearing what lies ahead, based on 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Every person who has had panic attacks or suffers from stress and anxiety should have this scripture memorized. I can remember so well the first time I came across this scripture. What stuck out for me that day were the words, “and of a sound mind.”
“You mean Lord, I do have a sound mind? You mean I am not crazy? You mean I am not losing my mind?” Those where my thoughts at the time. I truly thought I was losing my mind and when I did I would never recover. Oh, how scary that was. Have you ever thought like that?
What comfort in those words that came from our Lord through the Apostle Paul. It was something that I could hang onto.
Also, I thought, “If God did not give us a spirit of fear, then where did it come from.” I knew I was fearful of almost everything. I reasoned that the fear I was feeling must be coming from the enemy. You know what? I was right. Dr. Jones tells us in this sermon that the devil is relentless to discredit the name and work of God. That he works to bring us down. He doesn’t want us to be successful and do the work we are called to do.
Instead of a spirit of fear, God gave us a spirit of power. That’s the Holy Spirit that lives in a Christian and gives us the supernatural power to do the things we need to do. Also, He has given us a spirit of love. That is the love of Christ in us. This enables us to love others and do for others.
Last by not least is the spirit of a sound mind. Oh my, that’s wonderful! With a sound mind we can have self-control. We can have a disciplined mind, and be wise in the ways that we think and act. Just think of it; your mind doesn’t have to control you! You can control your mind! That is self-control.
I want to also talk a little about the fear of the future in another sense. I can remember when I started to get well that I was afraid of getting well. Can you believe that? Who wouldn’t want to get well? I wanted to but I thought if I did get completely well then my life would have to change a lot. I had stayed at home for years not even free to go out of my house without having a panic attack. I’d have to get a job, drive again, be around other people. To me those were very scary things. No, it would be more comfortable to just stay as I was. But, is that what God would want for me? I had to get a grip on myself and tell myself that God would not let me down. That He was in control and whatever the future held He would see me through. It happened that way. I did get better and I did make a lot of changes in my life, but God took me though it all step by step and day by day. He did not let me down. I did not have to fear the future in getting well again. And, you don’t either!
I encourage you to listen to this sermon. Dr. Jones really explains why we think the way we do and how we can change.
By the way, if you’d rather you can buy his book, “Spiritual Depression,” by going here:
I sent for it myself and am enjoying reading parts of these sermons over again as I try to digest it all. Also, I don’t get anything if anyone buys this book. This is just for your information.
Spiritual Depression: #4 “Vain Regrets,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
Here is another very important sermon regarding the unhappy Christian. Sometimes people get hung up on the past, and constantly dwell on it. Is that you? When this happens we become unable to do the works Christ has for us, and the devil gets the victory.
Dr. Jones says this:
We must never for a second worry about anything that cannot be affected or changed by us. It is a waste of energy. If you can do nothing about a situation stop thinking about it; never again look back at it, never think of it. If you do, it is the devil defeating you.
One scripture that comes to my mind while studying this sermon is what Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
He tells us to forget the past and press forward toward the mark for the prize. Like a runner in a race, we need to set our focus to do the work that God has called us to do.
You may ask, “Do you have regrets?” Yes, I have many of them. There were times in my life where I did let my regrets get me down. I was down-hearted and depressed that I didn’t have the life that many of my friends had. I was poor financially, physically and spiritually. But, I kept in the Word and I was able to learn that I didn’t need to stay that way. I had to focus on Jesus and things above and not on the world around me. We have a home in heaven and we have all spiritual blessings. God will never leave us or forsake us. He is with us always and has the best intentions toward us.
I will never forget one day as I sat in my chair having my prayer time this scripture came to mind.
Joel 2:25 KJV And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,…
I knew at that moment that this was a promise that God was giving me. Tears started to run down my cheeks. It was wonderful! Yes, God would restore those years that I felt were lost, and I claimed that promise and had a new peace inside. Do you know what? God did just that! Since that time, my health was restored. I got completely over having panic attacks. Fear no longer controls me! I met a wonderful Christian man and got married. With him I got 4 step-children, and 8 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. I’d say God restored to me the years the locust had eaten!
How about you? Are you willing to quit thinking about your past regrets and press on with God? I’d love to hear your comments below, and I do hope you listen to this excellent sermon. You just might find the answers you look for.
Spiritual Depression: #3 “That One Sin,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
Are you an unhappy Christian? We aren’t meant to be that way you know. But, many are that’s for sure. Why is that? Do you sometimes feel like David in Psalms 42:5.
Psa 42:5a KJV Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “The moment we become Christians we become very special objects of the devil.”
This is true and it is one reason why we get down and depressed. The devil begins to work in our minds and tries to make us ineffective for the work of Christ.
Are you suffering greatly because of something in your past? I mean before you even became a Christian? There might be something that you did, and you keep going over it to try to figure the whole mess out. Or, it might be something you said to someone that haunts you even to today. Maybe you made a promise to God that if he answered a certain prayer of yours that you would do something in return, and you didn’t keep your promise. The devil likes this. He has us right where he wants us.
When our countenance is gloomy, and we look like we just sucked on a dill pickle we are not a very good example of what a Christian is to unbelievers. We need to be aware of that and be a good example for Christ’s sake.
You need to listen to this sermon as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why this happens to us. We need a right understanding of what happened at salvation. He helps us understand why our past sins should not affect our moods today. We can be joyful in the Lord!
For myself, yes, I do get down at times. But, I don’t stay there. I know what Christ has done for me by dying on the cross for my sins. Those, by the way, are past, present, and future sins. That is a mystery to me, but it is what the Bible says and I believe it. I’ve noticed that past events of my life come into my mind and truthfully I do have many regrets. But, I’ve learned not to dwell on them. When I find myself doing that I have to rush to God and ask Him to help me change my thoughts. I have to focus on how wonderful He is and what great things He has done for me. I have to praise Him! For me it is good to start thinking about what I’m thankful for. I begin with my salvation and then it goes on and on from there. Soon I am no longer down at heart, but my spirit is lifted up to the heavens.
If you are a Christian but not really happy please listen to this sermon. There is so much good teaching in it and it will help you understand why you are not happy.
Spiritual Depression: #2 “Mind, Heart and Will,” a sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.
After listening to the above sermon it is sad to think that many who call themselves Christians do feel miserable and not joyful. The truth is God never promised us a rose garden. We don’t become a Christian to get a life with no problems. He offered us salvation from our sins and eternal life by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross for our sins. God has given us promises though and they are very precious. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He also told us that in this world we will have troubles, but that He has overcome the world.
John 16:33 KJV These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
When we are down we are not much use to God. We cannot be the witness we should be. We cannot encourage others and lift them up. We cannot use the gifts of the Spirit that God has given us in any meaningful way. So, who do you think gets the victory? Satan, of course. He wants us to be out of commission so that God’s work is hindered. That is his plan. Let’s not fall for it.
Dr. Jones talks about a balance of the mind, heart, and will. They make up the whole person and must be kept in balance. When they are not is when we become depressed. He says that spiritual depression is the failure to realize the greatness of the gospel. That is an amazing statement. Just stop and meditate on that for a while. We should not be depressed when we focus on what Christ has done and is doing for us. What a Savior!
The mind, the heart, and the will must be involved in salvation, or it isn’t a true conversion. The mind must hear the truth of the gospel message; that in turn moves the heart to desire it; which gives us the will to practice and live it. Then, we can grow in Christ and be conformed to His image.
This was an interesting sermon and really showed me how important it is that the gospel is presented in the correct way. I think there are many Christians who are not balanced. Some have only accepted an intellectual view of the gospel. Others, have only had an emotional experience, and still others have decided to “try Jesus.” It would seem that these people are not really Christians at all, but have been deceived in believing a false gospel. What do you think?
2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?
After I listened to this sermon my mind went back to when I was first saved. I thought it through to see if my mind, heart, and will were involved. I believe they were. I remember 41 years ago when I was born-again and how I truly turned over the reigns of my whole life to Jesus Christ. I wanted Him to run it from then on as I had made a miserable mess of it.
Spiritual Depression #1 “General Consideration,” by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones. This is a series of sermons given by Dr. Lloyd-Jones back in the fifties. To make it easier for you to follow I’m putting at the top of my posts the lesson number, title and author. I’m doing this because I am also featuring some sermons by my pastor and I don’t want to confuse you. My thoughts are below.
Are you a Christian? Are you depressed? Do you think that Christians should get depressed?
Or, do you think we should be joyful all the time? Some Christians think we should run around with a big smile on our face no matter what. It is my opinion that Christians do get depressed at times because we are human, and that we can be overcomers of depression because we have the Lord. I know fellow believers who battle depression. In fact, I know quite of few of them. I also find myself depressed or feeling down at times, and I don’t like it. Lately, I’ve had many issues in my life and I sometimes find myself getting really gloomy, and feel like a big weight is on my shoulders. That reminds me of scripture:
Mat 11:28-30 KJV Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus is calling me to give him my burdens and He will carry them for me. Isn’t that wonderful? He will do that for us.
Recently, I came across a series of sermons by Martyn Lloyd-Jones given back in the mid-fifties called, “Spiritual Depression.” I thought it might be helpful to listen to these 24 sermons and see what I can glean from them. Why don’t you join me?
I just listened to the first one, but the audio was not very good at all. It was difficult to hear so I used my ear buds and that helped some. Hopefully, the next one will be easier to listen to. You can listen if you wish by clicking on the bar below. Then, it would be awesome if you would share your thoughts in the comment section of this post.
The first sermon, “General Consideration,” is actually an introduction to this series. It is based on Psalm 42:5.
Psalm 42:5 KJV Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
The first thing that jumps out to me is that David sounds depressed. So, I see that men of God got depressed. We are not so different. In this Psalm David is having a conversation with his own soul. He is actually talking to himself, and asking his soul why it is so down. He asks why he is not at peace. Then he tells his soul to hope in God. Isn’t that where we need to put our hope? And he says he will praise God.
So, in a nutshell we can see that David became depressed in his lifetime. He had to have a talk with his soul, and get himself back on the right track. I have to do that myself at times. This is a good illustration of how David handled his depression.
In this first sermon Martyn Lloyd Jones talks about the general causes of Christians becoming depressed. They are temperament, (introvert or extrovert) physical conditions, and reactions. With the primary cause being unbelief.
My takeaway: The devil uses our “self” in order to depress us. We must take control.
There are many “gospel” messages being circulated today. In some circles one would believe that if we simply say “Jesus come into my heart,” we are saved. They do not teach the whole gospel.
Click on the “The True Gospel Message” tab on the top of the page.
Panic Buster
Free Panic Buster Workbook
Panic Buster: Learn to Conquer Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia by Bonnie Crandall (Lord) is now available to read for free.
This is must reading for anyone who has panic disorder. I tell of my experiences as I struggled for twenty years to overcome anxiety. And I share how the Lord gave me wisdom to apply my faith to the problem of fear. I talk about the physical side of panic attacks as well as the spiritual side.
I'm confident you will gain encouragement and help from this book.
Click on "Panic Buster Workbook" tab at top of page to read.
Free Abolish Anxiety 90-Day Devotional
Do you feel stressed-out?
Do you wonder what the future holds?
Do you worry?
Are you afraid?
In ABOLISH ANXIETY, I’ve written a devotional to guide you as you search for the inner peace we all desire. When times are trying we need to find that special calmness deep inside that only God can provide.
Click on “Free E-Book” tab at top of page.
Fear Of Fear
Fear of Fear is another FREE ebook that you can download. This is based on my 5-part series of the same name.
Table of Contents for Fear of Fear:
1. What it Looks Like
2. Cause and Key
3. Blame the Devil?
4. Hope and Help
5. Take Action!
Click on the “Free E-book” tab at the top of the page.
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