The Enemy Called Depression

Goals for this Week’s Study:

  • Review Pastor Daniel’s sermon from Sunday morning.
  • Help group members (especially new members) get to know one another.
  • Share how God has been growing you through the next steps you have been taking!

 

Getting Started:

 

Open your group with prayer.

 

Ice Breaker: Is there anything that absolutely terrifies you? (Heights, clowns, snakes, public speaking, thunderstorms, your in-laws, etc.) Share with the Group!

 

Scripture:

- “Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!” Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! LORD, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. He entered a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of Armies, but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.” Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence.” At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of Armies,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.” Then the LORD said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.” – 1 Kings 19:1-15 CSB

 

Sermon Notes: Take time to let everyone share some of the notes they took or anything that stood out to them from the message. Use this time to get everyone in your group talking (a good tip for this situation would be to go around the room and have everyone share one thing that stuck out to them from Pastor Daniel’s sermon)! Keep in mind, not everyone may feel comfortable talking yet, so try your best to help assist them in any way you can!

 

Study Questions

1. Has there ever been a time when you were an emotional wreck over something that really wasn’t that big of a deal?

2. Pastor Daniel talked about how we can’t always control how we feel, but we can control what we think. How can meditating on the wrong things affect your feelings?

3. Is there a lie that you have believed that your feelings have told you? (You’re not good enough, you’re all alone, you’ll never be successful, etc.) Does that line up with what Jesus says about you?

4. What were the 4 points that Pastor Daniel shared to combat depression?

  • Get Up & Eat!
  • Don’t suppress it, Confess It!
  • Get A Fresh Awareness Of God’s Presence
  • God Still Has A Purpose For Me

5. Which one of these stood out to you the most? Why?

6. What would change in your life if you knew and fully believed that Jesus is with you right where you are, and that He still has a purpose for you right now?

7. What’s one thing you can take from this week’s discussion to help encourage you this week? Is there anything your Group can help encourage you in?

 

Final Thoughts:

  • You can’t motivate yourself by verbally abusing yourself
  • Don’t compare your weaknesses to someone else’s strengths!
  • If you are alive and breathing, God still has a purpose for you!
  • It’s impossible to disappoint God! He knows everything about you!
  • Even when you’re faithless, He is faithful!

 

Pray Over Your Group!

Pray over all prayer requests and the next steps that will be taken this week. Take a little extra time to pray for the unity of our country and for all victims of the mass shooting that took place in Las Vegas. 

Zach Hacker