The Fear of God and Finding Wholeness

1. Do You Want to Get Well?John 5:6 The Biblical Roadmap to Spiritual and Mental Wholeness “Deity: The Fear of God,” from chapter 10 of What Are You Afraid Of? by David Jeremiah, and “What to Expect,” “Humility and Hope,” and “Thankfulness and Joy,” from chapters 24-27 of Depression, by Edward Welch Calvary Gospel Church Adult Sunday School April 6, 2014

2. How does a raging wildfire produce feelings of both awe and fear? Just as fire acts according to its nature, so does God. The same God who invites us to come boldly into His presence (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19) also expects us to “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

3. “We don’t fear what we don’t know.” “As a culture, we have no fear of God.” “Godly fear is a necessary ingredient in sanctification.” “Deep down, we want a God we can fear.” “Forgotten is the fearsome Jesus who took a whip and single-handedly drove from the Temple a mass of thieving merchants.” “When we begin to understand the blessings that can be ours by fearing God, we will want to begin doing it.” How does the fear of God extend far beyond the emotion of awe, and why is this important for Christians to remember? Words from David Jeremiah, What Are You Afraid Of? chapter 10, pages 249-275

4. There are two ways to fear God: Astonished Devotion Awesome Dread This is not a voluntary act of worship but an instinctive reaction to fear. God’s greatness and majesty reduce us to an overpowering sense of awe that is not focused on His wrath and judgment but also on His transcendent glory.. “Terror…is supposed to be there because we are born original sinners, and the sinful self is naturally and rightfully terrified of the goodness of God, which is sin’s enemy.” Peter Kreeft “[This fear is] that indefinable mixture of reverence, fear, pleasure, joy and awe which feels our hearts when we realize who God is and what He has done for us.” Sinclair Ferguson

5. Why should we fear God? There are 3 reasons why we should fear God: Because of who He is (Psalm 89:6-7; Jeremiah 10:6-7) Because of what He has done (Exodus 14:31; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 33:6-9) Because of what He continues to do today (Exodus 20:20; Psalm 66:5; Joel 2:13; Psalm 130:3-4; 1 John 1:9; Philippians 1:6; Acts 17:28)

6. Can we love and fear God at the same time? The Bible says, “Yes, it is.” Deut. 20:12-13 How would respond to those who say: “My God would never send anybody to hell or punish them for doing evil. My God is a God of love”?

7. 7 promises for those who fear God

8. DEPRESSION What to Expect

9. What to Expect • What to Expect During Patterns of Depressions • Expect to be Forewarned • Expect to be Taught About God and Yourself • Expect God to Use You as You Love Others • Expect Depression to Feel Light and • Momentary

10. What to Expect During Patterns of Depressions Depression can have an expected pattern in our lives; BUT, it can also show up unannounced. During times of expected and unexpected depression, what should I expect?

11. Expect to be Forewarned Listen to depression to determine its unique signature in your life. • Ask for help • Force-feed yourself • Scripture and words of hope • Be on guard against self-pity, grumbling, and complaining • Keep the cross close at hand The warnings of depression may be physical or spiritual. If depression gives you an early warning bring everything you have to the fight.

12. Expect to be Taught About God and Yourself If you are willing to be trained by it, expect depression to be a good teacher. Most people who are willing to be taught by suffering look back and are grateful. Romans 5:3-4; Hebrews 5:8 When dealing with depression, ask yourself: “What will God teach me this time?”

13. Expect God to Use You As You Love Others When we set out to love others even during our suffering, the glory of God is unmistakable. When loving others, expect hindrances – resistance in your own heart. This is Spiritual warfare. Love for others comes from saying, “Jesus, I need You.” It comes out of faith and trust.

14. Expect Depression to Feel Light and Momentary When Paul speaks about suffering, he has credibility. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

15. DEPRESSION Humility and Hope

16. Humility and Hope • The Story of our Lives: Tragedy or a Comedy? • God’s Story • Our Revisions to God’s Story • Hope On This Side of Heaven • Humility

17. The Story of Our Lives: Tragedy or Comedy? The key to winning the battle against depression is humbling ourselves before the Lord and believing what He says in His Word. tragedy comedy How is the story that Jesus offers us a comedy?

18. God’s Story God prizes hope. It says to Him that we will not try to find our homes on earth, but we will look forward to the very best – to find our home in His presence. The resurrection of Jesus is God’s answer to a hopeless world. In the midst of suffering, Jesus anticipated His resurrected life with the Father. If Jesus’ life was rooted in hope, then we are honored and humbled that our lives can do the same.

19. Our Revisions to God’s Story If you are hopeless, two things are certain: You have placed your hope in something other than God (e.g., a person, money, personal reputation), and it has let you down. You may understand that Jesus conquered death, but you live as though He’s still in the grave. Philippians 3:7-11 (NKJ) 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. All hopelessness is a denial of the resurrection.

20. Hope on This Side of Heaven Humility Hope will only grow in the ground of humility. Hope opens our eyes so that we can see the ongoing work of God. The truth of God’s story is that He is on the move right now.

21. DEPRESSION Thankfulness and Joy

22. Thankfulness and Joy • Barriers that Make the Pursuit of Joy Difficult • Depression may dominate relationships • Depression may want something and also fear getting it • Depression may be include anger • Joy and Thankfulness Compared • Thanksgiving is gratitude for a benefit received • Joy is delighting in the beauty of God and His • goodness • Joy in Suffering • Boredom and depression • Looking for Joy • Our Double Joy

23. Barriers that Make the Pursuit of Joy Difficult • Depression may dominate relationships • Depression may want something and also fear getting it • Depression may be include anger James 1:2 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds

24. Joy and Thankfulness Compared • Thanksgiving is gratitude for a benefit received • Joy is delighting in the beauty of God and His goodness Matthew 20:29-34 Jesus gives sight to a blind man. This is the beginning of joy. Attention is on the Giver more than the benefit received.

25. Joy in Suffering • Boredom and depression • Looking for Joy • Our Double Joy Psalm 44:23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!Shout, you lower parts of the earth;Break forth into singing, you mountains,O forest, and every tree in it!For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,And glorified Himself in Israel. Knowing that joy comes from God, we are freed to take joy in the things He has blessed.