Spiritual Depression - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

God's faithfulness is ever constant, but our awareness of his faithfulness is not always so. God's faithfulness never ceases, but our understanding of his faithfulness sometimes does. The human soul, under the right circumstance, is capable of contradicting the goodness of God as revealed in the scriptures. Oftentimes, many true believers even, one day can understand the faithfulness of God and even see it in their ministry, in their lives, in their families, in their business, whatever it may be. And the next day, experience an ambush of turmoil in the soul and find themselves hostage to doubt.

Some experience this more than others. Sometimes it's in longer periods and seasons than others. And if we wanna describe this condition of the soul that even comes about the most faithful of believers, we can define it as spiritual depression. Spiritual depression. That may sound like a foreign term, but as it is described, maybe you will be able to say, oh, now I know what you're talking about.

It's the sense of despair and discouragement that overwhelms the heart of man almost every time by surprise. It is when the soul begins to sense suffocation by the hands of hopelessness, almost leaving them in a place where they can't breathe. It's an uncalled for dark cloud that seems to hide the rays of truth that were at once the source of our joy and strength in life. Perhaps you have known that soulish malady or you've counseled somebody with that kind of condition. Have you been there?

Are you there today? We saying great is thy faithfulness, but if we're really to open up your heart, what we see is a heart that's saying, oh, I wish it were really true because I can't really see it. I know it here, but I don't sense it here. Perhaps you have felt it. Perhaps you are feeling it.

Perhaps one day you will experience it, and you are a true follower of Christ. And if you've ever come to that point in your walk with the Lord, you've perhaps even as a result of that condemned yourself for feeling such an emotion. How can a faithful follower of Christ come to this point? And you begin to question your spirituality, and you begin to question your faith, and even to the point of adding more depression because of your depression in the first place. But in reality, this is the glorious truth, even the most spiritual have experienced this sinking soul syndrome, I would like to call it.

Does the bible have any remedy? Where do we go when we find ourselves in such a place? Well, let's turn together to Psalms 42. Because the Bible not only speaks about it, the Bible provides us instructions to know how to escape it. Psalms 42 beginning in verse one.

Let's understand what type of man this is who's writing this song. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, oh God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Now scroll down to verse five.

Why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. This is not an unspiritual man. This is not a carnal man that is questioning himself.

This is a man who realizes and compares his God and his relationship to this God. And the reception of who he is as the same thing that water and the life giving power that it contains gives to a thirsty beast. The same way that we need water to survive. Oh, God. I need you to survive.

This person knows God. This person has history with God. This person has come in contact with the living God. This is somebody in which faithfulness is evident on his part. And we have to understand this wonderful description of this person because this opens up the possibility for you and I to realize that even in my faithfulness to the Lord and my attempt to walk with him, this can happen to me.

Verse five can happen to us. And so we know what? That this is a son of Korah or sons of Korah. Who are who? The ones who are leading the musical ministry of the temple, a worship leader.

So what do you what do we have in in the light of scriptures? We have a God fearing man like Job. We have a prophet like Elijah, and we have a songwriter like this one here who are all testifying that you can come to a place in your walk with God. Or although you know he's faithful here, you can't sense his faithfulness here. So what does a person who finds himself in such a predicament do?

Does he simply question and say, well, you know what? I think this is just the way it's gonna be, so I'll just stay that way. No. He says, why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me?

What's amazing about the question is he already gave the reasons why in the verses prior. So you look at verse two. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? This is indicating that this individual is clearly in a physical place that is far from where the temple is.

In this day, God manifested his presence in one location, and this is why he's asking, when shall I appear before God? When can I come into close proximity to his presence? This is showing us that he's not where he wants to be. Then you come to verse three. My tears have been my food day and night while they say to me all the day long, where is your God?

Now on top of that, he has people that are assaulting him with their words, that are persecuting him, that are mocking the idea of his God and the idea of God in general. Where is your God? Verse four, these things I remember as I pour on my soul. How I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Here's a person who's remembering his spiritual experiences, whose delight in life was to be with the people of God in the presence of God.

And obviously, he is not in this type of spiritual condition because he's reminiscing and remembering. So when he asked, why are you cast down o my soul? It's not that he doesn't know why. He knows why. So what's the question?

The question is this. In light of these circumstances, in light of these predicaments, in light of these unfavorable things that are happening to me, why is my soul still like this when I know who my God is? I shouldn't be this way even though things are not going my way. So why are you cast out? It's almost as though the man is is rebuking himself.

Shame on you soul. It's as though he steps outside of himself and looks at himself and says, why are you like this? Do you know who your God is? This is quite amazing because it teaches us something. This one question teaches us something that whether you and I know the reasons why our soul seems to be so low or we don't.

Is that not true? That even some days we don't have reasons why our soul is downcast. We experienced that many times where a person is actually going through depression. You can see it on their face. They come into the house of God like this.

Then you sit down with them and you say, what's wrong? I don't know. Whether we do know or we do not know, this one verse teaches us something that it is not God's will for you and I to remain in such a state. We can slip into it, but God wants to deliver us from it. Why are you cast down on my soul?

Where does God want our soul to sit at all times? What's his desired will for the soul? The seat of the emotions of man. The part of our being that expresses moods and experiences feelings. Where does God want us to be there?

Perhaps four Psalms after this in Psalms forty six one to three. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains tremble and be moved into the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling, that's where we need to be.

That's where God wants us to be. But it's not always the case, is it? It's not always the case that we enter into a circumstance and we can say, God is my refuge and strength. God is a very present help in this trouble right now.

There could be an earthquake all around me and I will stand still because I realize his faithfulness. And I

will stand still because I realize his faithfulness. And I will There could be an earthquake all around me and I will stand still because I realize his faithfulness. In verse 10 of that song, be still and know that I am God. This is a different tone. Funny enough, it's the sons of Korah that wrote that Psalm as well.

So when I'm in that place of why are you cast down all my soul, I know this truth, I sing these truths, but my soul is disagreeing with it, he provides a prescription. Verse six of Psalms 42. What does he say? My soul is cast down within me, therefore I remember you. From the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mazar, first thing that we must do in understanding how to find our way out of a place in which we experience heaviness and weightiness that could drag our understanding of who God is, is to steer our thoughts to the knowledge of God.

What is he saying here? He's saying, I remember you from the land of the Jordan here. Meaning again, he is in a place where he does not want to be. I'd rather be near the house of God. I'd rather be in Jerusalem.

I'd rather be in a different predicament. If it was up to me, I would change this, I would change that, and I would change this. Have you ever been there? If I had control over what's going on right here right now, I would change all of these matters, but he can't. He's clearly in a place where he doesn't want to be and he is not in control of it.

And so what does he do? He experiences sorrow in the soul. And verse seven describes what he's experiencing internally, deep coast to deep. At the roar of your waterfalls, all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. What is he saying there?

This is a very poetic way of saying, I feel like I'm drowning. I feel like the emotions are literally like waves crashing over me to the point where I can't catch a breath of hope. That's what he's saying. And I hope to God that you've never experienced that in the physical. I have unfortunately what it's like to be in a place, in water, in the ocean, and be bullied by the waves.

It's fearful. You realize that it's way more powerful than you are. You're caught up in this current and you use all your strength to get out of it and you you can't. And the moment you feel like you you're getting some advancement to your freedom, you again feel this current pull you back into it. And you're tumbling and you're turning and you're confused and there's chaos.

And you can even come to the point where you just want to give up and just let those waves take you where they want to take you. That happens in the soul according to the psalmist. I feel like I'm drowning here. But though you cannot change your circumstance, you can change your mindset. And this is what he chooses to do in verse eight.

I want to remember you. I choose to remember you. How does he remember God? Verse eight. By day, the Lord commands his steadfast love.

And at night, his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. You know what he chooses to focus on? You know where he steers his thoughts? To the loving kindness of God. Not a sentimental kind of love.

God's love is devoted. God's love is unbreakable. God's love is constant. It is unfailing. It is unchanging.

It is unimaginable. God is a God of covenant. When God had made a covenant with us in Christ, He had set a contract from his heart to ours with wonderful promises delivered by a consistent savior. I'm not gonna change my mind about you, my son. I'm not gonna change my plan for you.

This is a person who's walking with God. You wanna walk in your own way? God will say, okay. Do it. Walk in your own way.

I still love you but you'll read the consequences of your choices. But even the faithful can come to this place and when they do, God, I am not gonna change my plan. In fact, I have to use this and I'm going to use this somehow some way. He chooses, God, even if I feel like I'm drowning, I know you love me. I know you care for me.

I I've I've studied you. I've read about you. I I know what the word of God says about who you are. And I may not sense you, but I know you see me. And we have to make a choice with our faith that we rather go through the storm with Jesus than to sail through life without him.

I love that story about the disciples in the boat while Jesus is taking a nap. Because I'd rather be right there with all the waves and all the chaos and all the clouds and to be on dry land with the sun with no Jesus. Because if there's a storm, and even if I'm drowning, he's right there. And he sees me, and he won't let it go too far. He will deliver us.

We think of Peter in Acts chapter 12 verse six. Just hear this verse. Now when Herod was about to bring him out on that very night, he was arrested by Herod and he was used as a prize to satisfy the Jews through his execution. On that very night, what night that he was gonna be executed, Peter was sleeping. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and centuries before the door regarding the prison, and this man has the audacity to take a nap.

He's imitating the savior. Why? Because the sovereignty of God is his pillow and God's faithfulness is his blanket. And so he's so deep in sleep knowing that the next day it's ordained for him to die by men. And he's so deep in peace that when the angel comes, he has to strike him to wake him up.

You know that you trust God when you can sleep at night. Is that not true? That is the litmus test. That is something that we can measure when you and I can go home at the end of the day and not toss and turn and have cold flashes because of fear of the future, fear of tomorrow, fear of what happened from the past. Oh, when you can sleep even on the night of your execution, you know that you've entered into a realm of understanding the faithfulness of God exactly where God wants you to be.

Now we look at them and go, well, that's Peter the Apostle. Peter the Apostle has fallen asleep many times before in the wrong way. This is not a perfect man. This is a wonderful hope for you and I. The psalmist steers his thoughts to remember, meditate on the loving kindness of God.

What does he do secondly? It's in verse nine of Psalms 42. I say to God, my rock, Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? So what does he do at first?

He steers his thoughts towards God. What does he do second? He stirs his heart to cry out to God. And he says this wonderful truth, my God, my rock. This opportunity of this turmoil in the soul is used now to draw near to the master.

And he addresses him in a specific way. Listen, he's not doing this in a fabricated way. He's doing this with total sincerity and honesty because of the way he speaks to God. But he addresses him appropriately. Notice that.

He says what? In pouring out his soul, God my rock. But wait a minute, in the same breath, he says, God my rock, right after says, why have you forgotten me? God you're my rock, you're my strength, You're my strong tower. You're my security.

Why have you forgotten me? Isn't it amazing that we can know it here, but not sense it here? And before we criticize such a question that seems so doubtful, although this does not look like perfect faith, you know what the psalmist does. Right? He allows his doubts to drive him to God.

Now it's a problem when you begin to doubt God and you walk away from him. That's sin. But God is so merciful and compassionate that when we experience questions concerning who he is and who we are in him, and we allow those things to make us fall on our face, God receives it. God is not intimidated by our doubts. And so you have a man who has a demon possessed son that causes him to twist and turn and fire and is mute and has seizures, and says, Lord, if you're able to do something about it, would you do something about it?

And the Lord says, if I'm able, anything is possible if you believe. Oh, I believe. In the same breath, help my unbelief. You know what Jesus doesn't do? Get out of here.

What kind of faith is that? I believe, help my unbelief, come back when you understand who I am. Can you imagine? No. He saw that mustard seed like faith and says, I can use that kind of faith and delivers his son.

What a wonderful truth to know that when I know it's here but I don't sense it here, when theologically I have it, all my t's crossed and all my i's dotted, but my soul is in contradiction to that. I can come to God and say, I don't understand. I know you're my rock. I know that you're sovereign, but this is chaotic and so is my soul. God says, come.

Pour out

your

soul. He does a third thing. He steers his thoughts towards God. He stirs his heart to cry out to God. And lastly, he stands his ground against feelings with faith.

Verse 11. Why are you cast down, oh my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Now he said that twice already.

And many people believe that Psalms 43 and Psalms 42 are linked together. Some would argue that they should be the same Psalm. And so these two Psalms should be read in partnership with one another. Now if that's true, look at verse five of Psalms 43. Why are you cast down, oh my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation, my God. The man said it three times. What's happening here? This is what's happening. Something very human is happening right here.

Here he is trying to meditate on God. Here he is trying to cry out to God. In the midst of trying to escape these waves that keep swallowing him, these emotions keep trying to bring him down. He is consoling himself. So as he's going up, here's another wave.

It's coming to bring it back down, and he goes, goes, why are you cast down, oh my soul? Hope in God. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna meditate on God.

Now I'm gonna see God. I know this is true. And as he sees a little bit of hope, he sees the shore. It comes again. Why are you cast down, oh my soul?

Hope in God. Okay. Let me try this prayer thing one more time. So he comes to Psalms 43. Send out your light in verse three and your truth.

Lead let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill. It's your dwelling. And verse five, why are you cast down? Oh my soul, hope in God.

Probably shall again praise him. It's almost as he is attempting to move forward and meditating, crying out, and even singing to God, and the ways of his emotion are getting the best of him. And this is a powerful truth, because you know what he's doing to himself? Something that we might think sounds silly, but maybe we should try it. He's preaching to himself.

The psalmist is speaking to the psalmist. Let me read a quote to you by a great preacher, Martin Lloyd Jones. Listen carefully. Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself. Let me say that again.

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of speaking to yourself? Another part of the quote, the main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in the hand and have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. And what the psalmist is doing here is he is fighting against his feelings with faithful truths. Brother, are you suggesting that I talk to myself?

I submit to you that we already do it and we don't even realize it. Some of you have work tomorrow morning, and you rather sleep in. Guess what you do without realizing? You convince yourself to go to work, don't you? I gotta pay the bills.

I have a family to provide for. I represent Christ. I'm gonna be faithful. Exercise, trying to, and there's some days you rather lay on the couch and veg out. But what do you do?

I gotta take care of myself. I've already missed two days. I'm not gonna miss this day. You're preaching to yourself. You don't even realize it.

You're a preacher. When temptation comes, I hope you fight it this way, where you take scriptural truths and you preach to yourself. And that's what the psalmist is doing. I look inwardly, and I see something that's not in line with truth, and I'm telling my truth my heart to realize the truth that I will again come out of this. I will praise him.

God is faithful. Oh, that does us some good. When you wake up that one morning, and what do you wake up with? You wake up with your soul lying to you. Fear for the future, anxiety about the present.

You say, no. I trust in you, Lord. Soul, don't go by your feelings. Go by faith. Do you tell yourself that?

I hope so. If we fail to do this, we will allow that feeling that is so haunting dictate our choices. And that's when the feeling can become dangerous. When the spiritual depression begins to determine our decisions, we're in trouble. So what halts that?

When you make sure that that feeling doesn't lead to that place. Oh, no. No. No. No.

No. I'm going to the house of God, and I'm going to sing to the Lord. It doesn't matter how I feel. I'm gonna serve in my ministry, although I'd rather curl up in a ball because I feel like I am inadequate for such a task, but I'm gonna go anyway. This is the problem with, I would say, a majority of people in the church, that they allow their feelings to dictate their decisions.

You will not know consistent faithfulness until you know how to preach to your feelings. And as you practice that step in closing, remember this, that it's not a magical thing that happens.

Does it.

So what does he do? He steers his thoughts towards God, he stirs his heart to cry out to God, and he stands his ground against his feelings with faith. Great is thy faithfulness. And we serve a faithful God even when we don't feel his faithfulness. God has been faithful to this church and God will continue to be faithful to this church.

God is faithful to you and me. And when your soul disagrees with it, disagree with your soul. Before we pray, I praise God for what he's done in this place. I praise the Lord Jesus Christ that he has proven to all of us who have witnessed what he's done over these years that he is a living God. He is a living God.

And this is what we need to hope for. That God will do so much more than we can ask or imagine in the days to come. We must believe that. And God will do it. He will do it as long as we stay low.

When we stay low, God has prescribed that there is a law in which he exalts the humble and he opposes the proud. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor it in vain. Remember that. I'm thankful to pastor Wafi. I'm thankful to brother Nabeel.

I'm thankful to Phoebe and Bishr. I'm thankful for every single one of you

that we get to run this race together.

Praise be to his name that twenty five years have passed. May he continue to do more that would leave us in awe of who he is for the glory of his name for he is worthy. He is worthy. He He is worthy. And I'm sure of this, these past twenty five years I'm 27, so almost older than me.

We saw highlights, but there are things in the background that perhaps have caused people who have served in this church throughout the years to say, why is my soul downcast? It's not all roses and peaches and cream when you wanna serve God. So we saw highlights and we praise God for the highlights, but as much as there's blessings from heaven, there are also blast from hell. Oftentimes more than the average congregant would see. Pray for your leaders.

But if

we're gonna trust God to do more in the future, we better believe that there will be moments. There will be moments. Oh, let's just be real. There will be moments where we will say, God, what's going on? I know you've done many mighty things in the past twenty five years, and here more years have come, but there's something right now that's testing my faith.

And when we get there, oh, people of God, stir your thoughts towards the knowledge of who he is. Stir your heart to cry out to him and stand your ground against feelings with faith. By his grace, maybe so. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the prescription of Psalms 42 for the soul of man.

And Lord, in this moment right now, we say to you that you are loving. You are kind. You're faithful even when we don't feel it. Help us. Help us, Lord, in those moments, even those right now that feel that sinking soul syndrome.

I'm drowning, and I need a breath of fresh air. Lord, would you provide it even now? Help us remember these truths. Help us believe that even the most spiritual have come under this type of condition. You are good to us, Lord.

Protect this ministry.

Protect every single one who's a part of

this church, this family, Protect every single one who's a part of this church, this family. Lord, we want Jesus' name to be exalted, not man's name. So, Lord, we're here for you and you alone, and we pray that you would use us as broken, helpless vessels so the world would see, the world would see Christ in us, the hope of glory. Lord, even now as we take of your bread and drink, we do so with reverence and awe. That if there's any truth that we can That if there's any truth that we can preach for ourselves is the truth of the gospel.

You love us and you showed it on that cross. We trust you with our lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.