July 8, 2024 • 48 mins
What if your mental health struggles were not a sign of weak faith but a call to deeper spiritual and practical wisdom? In this episode of the Everyday Christian Podcast, we promise to unravel the often overlooked intersection between faith and mental health. Starting with a deep dive into the roles of physicians in the Bible, we shine a spotlight on Luke, the beloved physician, and Jesus’ acknowledgment of the need for healing both physical and spiritual ailments. This sets the foundation for our in-depth discussion on mental struggles and spiritual warfare—a topic so rich that it may span multiple episodes.
We share personal stories about managing headaches, illustrating how faith and practical solutions like medication and natural remedies can coexist harmoniously. You'll hear firsthand how everyday factors such as weather changes impact our well-being and how trusting God for healing doesn’t exclude utilizing the resources He has provided. This conversation flows naturally into a broader discussion on mental health treatment and spirituality, emphasizing that seeking help from doctors or using natural remedies is part of God’s provision for our overall well-being.
Finally, we tackle the stigma around men's mental health, highlighting the courage it takes to seek help for issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Through personal stories and biblical examples, we convey that mental health struggles do not indicate weak faith but are challenges that can be faced with support from the Christian community. We wrap up by offering our resources and support, ensuring confidentiality and compassion, and expressing gratitude to our listeners for their continued support!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I know, we know the great physician.
Praise God we do.
But who's another doctor in theBible that you know of that God
used?
There's a man named Luke and hewrote a book in the Bible
called Luke.
And he also wrote a book in theBible that everybody in the
Pentecostal movement stands on,which is the book of Acts.
And guess what?
He was a physician.
(00:23):
And Jesus in one of his gospels.
I'm just going on here, brotherSean, you got to interrupt me
here but Jesus, even in one ofhis gospels, uses an analogy and
an illustration that those whoare whole don't need a physician
, but those who are sick do.
And he was obviously talkingabout the spiritual, but he is
illustrating to the physical.
Even he understood andacknowledged that people who are
(00:56):
sick need a physician.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Welcome back to the Everyday Christian Podcast,
where we apply scripturalprinciples to everyday.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Christian lives.
I'm Sean Sloggett and I'm JohnRich, and today we are going to
discuss Christian Lives.
I'm Sean Sloggett and I'm JohnRich, and today we are going to
discuss mental struggles orspiritual warfare.
This episode is unique and it'sgoing to be one that we will
probably not be able to do anentire podcast on just in this
one episode, because there's somuch regarding the subject.
So there's a chance we may do aseries on this or we may do a
(01:25):
follow-up episode.
We'll just see about that.
Before we get into the episode,I want to talk to you and tell
you about the Everyday ChristianPodcast tumblers $25.
You get a tumbler that heatsfor like eight or 10 hours I
think they're 12.
12 hours, hot or cold.
The man has coffee right now inhis thing in his Tumblr and it
(01:49):
has ice in it.
Still, he's had it for threedays ago.
No, I'm kidding, I'm reallytrying to sell these 30 minutes
ago.
I'm really trying to sell theseTumblrs.
But if you would like anEveryday Christian Podcast
Tumblr, it is $25, shippingincluded and it includes the the
tumbler lid straw two strawsactually.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, a bended straw and then a straight straw and a
cleaner.
Also, they do have um closabletops on them.
Yeah, there you go.
So there is actually a lidwhere you can slide it shut and
slide it open as well.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
And that obviously, the proceeds there go to support
our podcast, support our show.
So if you are a fan of the show, if you like listening to us I
know there's some of you outthere, maybe two or three,
hopefully more than that but ifyou do like listening to our
show and you want to support us,please purchase one of the
tumblers $25 and it would go toa great cause and great use.
The other thing I wanted tomention I've mentioned this
(02:47):
probably two or three times nowis our virtual youth group, or
virtual youth class.
We've already done our firstepisode a few weeks back about
which version of the Bible youshould read.
We are going to be doinganother class here.
You'll probably get this aswe're doing this class, so I
won't ruin it for you.
But if you would like to jointhe virtual class, we're going
(03:11):
to be talking about stuff likemodesty.
We already did the version ofthe Bible to read, Stuff like
what does it mean to touch notthine anointed Things of the
Bible that people have questionson, Youth teens.
If you know someone that'squestioning the Bible or wants
to learn more about the Bible,please join that class.
(03:31):
It's a Zoom meeting.
You don't have to talk on thereif you don't want to.
It's simply Brother Sean andmyself teaching a lesson or a
subject.
But if you would like to jointhat, please message us.
You can email us at theeverydaydaychristians at
gmailcom.
I'll put that on the bottom,and you can also message us on
Facebook or Instagram, BrotherSean.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
We do ask that you pray for us on both of those
this podcast and doing that aswell.
We're not complaining in theleast bit.
It does take a little bit oftime to do a lot of these things
and preparation for it, yes,and we have kind of gotten off
track with our podcast becauseof that.
Yeah, we are trying to get thatstraightened back out,
(04:16):
hopefully, where we canalternate them or do something
to fix them.
But if you guys will pleasecontinue to pray for us or start
praying for us, if you're not,that we can help people, because
that's what this podcast andthose classes are about is
helping people.
That's what we want to do.
(04:36):
We're not here to hurt anybody,to offend anybody.
We've talked about this before.
We talked about it just alittle while ago.
Actually.
There are people who are goingto look for reasons to get hurt,
look for reasons to getoffended, and when it comes to
that, forgive me for being soblunt, but we don't care.
(04:57):
We don't want to intentionallyhurt or offend those that we
can't help or that are lookingfor help.
If you're looking to beoffended, please move on, but
pray for us that we can in thethings that we do.
That it will actually helppeople.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
The good thing about Brother Sean and I is we enjoy
criticism and we enjoy listeningto others tell us some issue
that they have with us.
I know that sounds crazy, I'lltake that back.
Sometimes I don't enjoy it, butI'd much rather have that than
you know you tell others abouthow you got your feelings hurt.
(05:37):
So if you ever do in one ofthese episodes, like you likely
will in this episode, pleasemessage us, reach out to us,
talk to us.
We want to know your thoughtsand feelings behind the subject
and see if we can find commonground or see if we can make up
the difference or even owesomeone an apology, because I've
done that before.
Anyway, I wanted to start thispodcast with a few questions to
(05:58):
get the ball rolling, and hereare the questions that I have
for those listening, thosejoining in.
As a Christian, have you everdealt with depression, anxiety
or fear?
Have you ever had long-termissues with any of those things?
As a Christian, have you everbeen told that you need to pray
(06:22):
more about it or that you arenot close enough to God and that
is why you're facing thosethings?
As a Christian, have you everbeen told that you need to pray
through because of differentmental struggles.
Have those things ever beenbrushed off by family members or
friends, churchgoers, ministers, leaders, as spiritual attacks
(06:45):
of the devil?
Are brushed off?
As you are just going through aseason right now, are you
prayed through and prayed up butstill dealing with those
struggles?
Does it seem like God isn'tanswering your prayer?
You know, in this episode wecan talk about you know, brother
Sean different mental trialsthat everyone faces, whether
(07:08):
they're spiritual or whetherthey are mental.
Of course we know everyone,christian or not, faces
depression, they face anxiety,they face fears and some of them
faced different PTSD.
Because we are all human, wehave all faced different
adversities at different times,some more than others, but we
(07:31):
are all imperfect humans.
And the reason I say that isbecause oftentimes, as
Christians, when one of ourbrothers or sisters are
struggling in many ways, notjust mentally but especially
mentally, we like to paint amagic wand or brush over the
situation and say to ourselvesthey need prayer, or they need
(07:51):
Holy Ghost deliverance, or theyneed to read and study the Bible
more, or they need to listen tothe voice of God more.
We automatically attribute anymental struggle with spiritual
warfare.
And I hate to sound arrogant ormean.
You know, we we started offthis podcast I don't know who've
ever started off the podcasttalking about not trying to hurt
(08:13):
people.
So some of this may soundarrogant, mean and I'm not
trying to insult anyone, becauseI've also had that mindset and
gave instruction for those whoare struggling to just simply
pray through.
But in all reality, it is asilly thought process and
mentality to have and I want youto look at the reason why.
(08:33):
Before I give you that reason,I need you to know that there's
nothing wrong with praying foryour mental health, there is
nothing wrong with seeking God,but there is also nothing wrong
with seeking help outside of thespiritual realm.
We want to say things like Godgave us doctors or God created
(08:56):
science, but we don't believethat there are modern and
physical answers or help to whatwe face mentally.
Again, that's a weak thoughtprocess.
If you're listening to this andyou've had that mentality, you
need to understand that there'sso much more to it and the Bible
(09:16):
shows, actually, that there'sso much more to it.
I'm going to pass it to BrotherSean here in a moment, but I
want to ask just a couple morequestions and then we'll shift
here.
But have you ever experienced aheadache of any kind?
The reason I say any kind,brother Sean, is because there's
like 13 or 14 different typesof headaches.
(09:38):
There's tension headaches,there's migraine headaches,
there's allergy headaches,there's caffeine headaches,
there's hypertension headaches.
Now, some of you pray that Godwill heal that headache, some of
you pray that God heals it andthen you take some sort of
medication, but most of you, ifyou're honest with yourself and
(09:59):
with everyone else, go right tothe medication or an alternative
to help that headache.
And I've got to be honest witheverybody here and I I don't
care if I get labeled as anon-spiritual person, but the
first thing that I do when Ihave a bad headache, a migraine
you want to know what that is,brother Sean I tell my wife
(10:23):
please leave.
I got it.
Yes, yes, yes, no, no, no, no,morgan, no, absolutely,
absolutely not, no.
But I tell her I'm like, she'slike how are you doing?
I got a bad headache.
And the first thing she askedis this isn't spiritual and I'm
sorry if this offends you is didyou take any medication?
Did you take some Tylenol?
Did you take some?
(10:44):
They call it goody powder.
The answer usually is no,because I hate taking medication
.
But when she asked that I go tothe medicine cabinet and I take
medicine, most of you do that.
Most of you want to pretendlike you're spiritual and like
God is your first resource.
But I would be willing andventure to say that a lot of you
(11:05):
the first thing you think to dois grab that medicine bottle
out of your purse, grab thatmedicine bottle out of your
cabinet, and I want to portrayand let you know that there's
nothing wrong with that either.
Most of you do that, but mostof you would say, if I did that,
I'm not trusting in God forhealing.
(11:26):
God heals when we are down tonothing or have no other options
.
Not that God can't heal beforethat, but most of the time we
exhaust all of our resourcesfirst.
So if you were honest and you'dsay I have a migraine,
therefore I will take migrainemedication such as Tylenol, or
(11:49):
you'd say I have a caffeineheadache, so I'll drink
something with caffeine in it,now I'm going to pass to Brother
Sean with this question.
Brother Sean, can two things betrue?
Can God instantly take away myheadache?
Answer that.
And there's another one yes.
I can, and then I'll pass itover to you with the second one.
Does God want?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
us to use the resources, even natural ones, to
take away my headacheAbsolutely as well.
My wife suffers from sinusheadaches a lot Because we I
mean my household like mosthouseholds we deal with
allergies.
Whenever allergy season comesalong and she has, I'm going to
(12:38):
I don't remember essential oils,whatever those, whatever that
witchcraft stuff is.
She has some of that stuff, andnot that my wife.
Jonathan just dropped his phone.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Sorry about that yo.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Not that my wife isn't spiritual or that she
doesn't rely on God for a lot ofthose things, but she knows
when that sinus headache isstarting to come on.
She said I'm all congested, I'mswell, you know whatever it is.
And you're right.
She goes and finds whateverpotion it is that needs mixed
(13:19):
together.
Yes, amen, I don't understandit all.
I mean, I use it occasionallybut I'm not completely possessed
yet.
But you know she'll getcrucified by both of our wives
bro.
But she'll go get whatever it isand use it to help her, and you
(13:40):
can check in how you feel itfeels better.
That is a very good resource.
Yeah, and I haven't done theresearch in it, so supposedly
it's all natural.
I don't know that for a fact,but that's what I've heard Our
wives do, though.
That's what they say.
That's what they say is thatit's all natural, but she's
(14:00):
going to use those things thatwill help her and to benefit her
.
You know, and it's, I wouldn'tbe, I wouldn't be mad at her if
she wouldn't prayed about it,right, you know, I wouldn't be
upset, I wouldn't bedisappointed.
But she knows what is going tohelp and there is a natural
supplement that is going to help.
So she goes and uses that.
(14:22):
You know, I, if I have aheadache, a lot of times it's
because I've been working mostof the day and I haven't had
much caffeine.
Yeah, I usually try not todrink much caffeine and then
I'll have a Coke or whatever.
In the evening Doesn't alwaysgo that way.
I'm not a sweet tea drinker, soif I don't drink a Coke or pop
(14:47):
whatever you guys call it sodapop I don't get much caffeine.
Well, when I get home and Ihave a headache that's her first
question to me I've got akiller headache.
Do you drink any caffeine?
Have you had any caffeine today?
No, I haven't, she's Okay.
I mean, crack open a Pepsi andCrack one open and drink it.
Have you had any caffeine today?
No, I haven't, she's okay.
I mean, crack open a Pepsi andCrack one open and drink it.
(15:11):
That's a, that's a whole nothertopic.
Getting addicted to that kindof stuff, yeah, but there are,
you know, there are things thatare very beneficial to us and on
the kind of the mental,spiritual side of it, you know,
the is it always a spiritualbattle?
I thought of something earlier,when Brother Jonathan was
(15:32):
talking.
I thought of the weather.
It's something that'scompletely natural.
We all deal with rain, we alldeal with sunshine.
Most of us get snow.
We all deal with sunshine, mostof us get snow.
But I'll tell you this, when itrains, the mood in my house I
don't know what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's like a sleepy mood for me.
I don't know how it is foreverybody else.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
It's a real sleepy, somber mood.
But for somebody like me whomost of my life I've been a very
active go getter, go do, yeah,when it's raining and I'm stuck
in my house, yeah, I hate it.
Depressed is a very strong word, yeah, but I kind of like and
(16:17):
I've made comments like to mywife we're like I'm depressed
today yeah, I've been stuck atthe house for eight hours.
Yeah, I've been awake for eighthours, been stuck at the house
for eight hours.
Yeah, I've been awake for eighthours, been stuck in the house.
And you know, to her it may notbe much because she's there a
lot, but my life has kind ofshifted for that moment or for
that timeframe.
(16:37):
You know where I'm normallyoutside working, or where I'm
normally running or playingbasketball or whatever it is
that I would be doing.
I can't do it because it'sraining, yeah, so the mental
aspect of it shifts.
Yeah, there's nothingspiritually wrong, right, when
(16:58):
it rains.
Right, I didn't wake up and sinfirst thing as I was rolling
out of bed and now I'm beingpunished for it.
It's just a shift in youremotional state.
Is what it is, and a lot oftimes I shouldn't say it.
Well, it's a shift in ouremotional state and at times we
(17:21):
fail to realize that, and that'swhat this podcast is for is to
try and help us with some ofthat, brother John.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
You know, we kind of going back and forth, because
I'll touch upon a little bit ofthat too, because situationally
there's things that happen thatdo get us down, you know.
And obviously when you say I'mdepressed, that's an obvious
over-exaggeration.
Yes, but I'm the same way.
It's like, you know, it's rainy, I'm groggy now, I'm tired, you
(17:52):
don't have anything to dobecause you can't go outside,
and it's like trying to like,figure things out and be
productive, which, by the way,is one of the main what's the
word I'm looking for?
The main way to combatdepression would be find purpose
, find things to do, you know.
(18:12):
So there is an element theresituationally.
But then, going back to whatyou were talking about a moment
ago with your wife, wife, youknow she knows the right, you
know potion mixtures ofessential oils to use, to take
away that.
You know, sinus headache, and Ithink about people like Paul in
(18:36):
the Bible, and I'm going tomention him again.
Some of you are going to beoffended by what I'm about to
tell you, but it's in the Bible.
So if you get offended, beoffended by God, you know.
But Paul writes a letter toTimothy and in that letter he
tells him what does he tell him,we get it.
(18:56):
We don't believe in drinkingalcohol, but he tells him a
little wine for the stomach sake.
In other words, a little winewill help your stomach.
A little wine will help giveyou whatever it is strength.
It'll help you overcomesicknesses, help your blood
pressure.
We're not going to talk aboutthat, I get it.
(19:17):
Paul says that in the Bible.
He gives us an example of atype of whatever you want to
call it medication, alternative,natural thing to help combat a
sickness.
But we believe this in everyother area, except for our
mentality.
We believe it for body aches.
(19:38):
I'm going to talk about sinuses, but let me give you another
example and then we'll move onabout sinuses.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But let me give you another example and then we'll
move on.
But you'll do a bunch of things.
If you get up and your truckisn't working but you have to
get to work you're going tofigure out a situation to make
it work.
Yeah, it's.
Take your wife's car.
Or if it's a flat tire, I canpump it up.
Yeah, maybe see if I you'regoing to assess the situation
and see what's wrong with it totry to fix it.
You're not going to just, oh,my left front driver tire is
(20:09):
flat, I need to change, I needto change my oil.
No, it's not going to do it.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Right, well, and God gave you brain and he gave you
free will, he gave you theability to choose most people.
Well, most, yeah, but but goingalong with that, to give you
another example, um is is myself, you know.
I think about my struggle withweight for the last 13 years,
(20:35):
and all of that is attributed tolack of exercise and bad eating
habits.
That's just what it is.
It's plain, and I mean, I usedto be a skinny stick.
Used to be like me is yeah,exactly is the best thing for me
to lose weight To be to ask godto take it away from me.
Everyone knows that answer.
(20:57):
If anybody says yes to thatanswer, you are a fool.
I'm sorry that's harsh.
I get it, but wait a second.
I'm going through a strugglewith my self-image and god
should be the one to help mewith that, right?
No, but that would be Anotherexample of an uneducated mindset
.
Most of you wouldn't think thatway, but it's the same mindset
(21:19):
as earlier.
The answer to that is eatbetter, snack less, workout, get
more out, get more cardio, getmore strength training and have
discipline with my body.
But why is it that we have noissue taking medication for our
cold, for our headaches, for ourbody aches?
Why is it we have no issuegoing to the doctor for
(21:40):
sicknesses that we cannotrecover from on our own?
Why is it that we have no issuewith God taking fat from our
bodies?
Well, here's why.
Here's the reason why Becauseit's all outward and our minds
are inward.
Okay, that's fine.
(22:00):
Why do we go to heartspecialists and heart surgeons?
Why do we go to the doctors andspecialists when we break a
bone?
That's all on the inside, too.
Our minds are the same but theyare way more complex.
Why is that, you may ask?
Because our minds are made upof cells in the most complex and
sensitive part of our body, thebrain.
(22:21):
But for some reason, we'reperfectly fine with doctors and
pediatricians and specialistsand experts when it comes to
helping all of our otherinternal and external organs,
except for cells, and except forour brain.
Anything that has to do withsomething we don't know enough
about or that we don't have alot of answers for is something
(22:43):
spiritual or something that onlyGod can help.
Now, brother Sean, I believethe devil can attack us mentally
.
I believe that.
I agree with that.
I believe things can comeagainst us that can attack us
that are spiritual.
I understand that, but most ofthe time I also believe it is
from a different source anddifferent reasoning.
(23:05):
Back in the day, like back in,like the 1800s you can look this
up, please do.
If someone were to fall to theground with eyes and parts of
their bodies twitching, stiffmuscles, eye movements and
confusion and even foaming atthe mouth, priests and believers
and Christians would havecalled that demon possession.
(23:26):
But what I just described toyou was not a spiritual thing
and it was not a demonpossession.
It's what's called an epilepticseizure.
But it was something peopledidn't know about and because
they didn't know about it, theycalled it spiritual.
Not everything that affects ourbodies and our minds is
(23:49):
spiritual or demonic.
There are other reasons, such aschemical imbalances we talked
about that Past traumas, currentworries or even overall health
even overall health.
We must overcome this crazyidea and mentality that someone
who is struggling with theirmental health is someone who is
(24:09):
far away from God.
You want to know people in theBible who struggled with their
mental health.
David was close to God andstruggled with depression.
Elijah was close to God andstruggled with fear and
depression.
Job was close to God andstruggled with grief.
Jeremiah was close to God andstruggled with loneliness,
feeling defeated, feelinginsecure.
Paul was close to God and hestruggled with depression in the
(24:33):
past, and there are many, manymore examples all throughout the
Bible, because everyone in theBible outside of Christ was a
hundred percent imperfect andhuman, just like me and you are.
So to say, anything that you'rebattling mentally means that
you're far away from God couldnot be farther from the truth,
(24:54):
brother Sean, you know to say,to say you are not a man or
woman of God if you strugglewith mental issues is to say
that none of the men and womenin the Bible were of God, and
most of them face mental issuesand battles.
So what is the right thing to do?
Who can I talk to?
Can I talk to someone outsideof just talking to God?
(25:16):
Can I take medication for mymental health?
Can I do something natural formy mental health?
And here are my answers.
God gave us doctors for ourmental health, just like he did
for our physical health.
So, yes, there are physiciansyou can go to.
Yes, there are medications youcan take to help.
Yes, there are natural thingsthat you can do, like essential
(25:39):
oils.
Show me in the Bible anywherewhere those things are wrong, in
black and white.
In fact, god used doctors inthe Bible.
Who's a doctor famous that youknow of?
I know we know the greatphysician Praise God, we do.
But who's another doctor in theBible that you know of that God
(25:59):
used?
There's a man named Luke and hewrote a book in the Bible called
Luke, and he also wrote a bookin the Bible that everybody in
the Pentecostal movement standson, which is the book of Acts.
And guess what he was aphysician.
And Jesus in one of his gospelsI'm just going on here, brother
(26:20):
Sean, you got to interrupt mehere.
And Jesus in one of his gospels.
I'm just going on here, brotherSean, you got to interrupt me
here.
But Jesus, even in one of hisgospels, uses an analogy and an
illustration that those who arewhole don't need a physician,
but those who are sick do.
And he was obviously talkingabout the spiritual, but he is
illustrating to the physical.
Even he understood andacknowledged that people who are
(26:42):
sick need a physician.
People who are sick mentally,physically, does not mean
they're sick spiritually.
There are battles in believers'mind that have nothing to do
with the devil.
They have nothing to do withspiritual warfare and not being
close enough to God, brotherSean.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
The devil can use those situations to attack and
to try and get a foothold inthere.
And we're not saying thatthat's not part of it.
You know there are those whohave dealt with extreme cases.
(27:20):
With extreme cases I shouldn'tsay there are those who have
dealt with some very hard thingsin their life.
I was talking to BrotherJonathan earlier about
relationships.
To me, the battle of depressionthat I dealt with some of them
(27:42):
doesn't even scratch the surfaceof what some others have dealt
with.
And if you have, if you havestruggled with some of those
things, you know there there'sverbal abuse, there's physical
abuse, there's mental abuse,there's all these things.
The devil can use those to geta foothold.
(28:04):
Yeah Right, you know, if youwere physically abused, that
wasn't spiritual.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Right, but it can't affect your mental.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
It is going to be very mental, very physically
straining on you, right, but itcan't affect your mental.
It is going to be very mental,very physically straining on you
, right.
What it is is somebody who wasnot right.
Somebody was doing somethingvery evil, very vile.
Now the devil can use that andturn it into a spiritual battle.
(28:42):
But you have to get help.
Yeah, and I'm not saying ifyou're listening to this and
this is you, I'm not saying thatyou're not looking for help,
but just praying about it Isn'talways going to fix the problem.
(29:07):
Go find somebody that you cantalk to about it.
Yeah, go find somebody who canrelate on your level.
You know there's times whereand I'm not speaking out against
leadership, but when we don't,I say we like I'm in leadership,
(29:31):
when they don't have theanswers and I said we, because
I've said stuff like this beforeis just pray about it.
Yeah, god will give you theanswers.
Yeah, and part of that isbecause I don't have the answer,
(29:53):
part of it's because I don'tknow how to deal with the
situation myself.
Right, so if I tell you to prayabout it, that gets the weight
off of my shoulders, and this iskind of taking a rabbit trail
here.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
No, it's not.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
It's right, uh, but find somebody who can help you.
Yeah, god can't help you.
He wants to help you.
But things like that that arethat are mind battles that you
(30:33):
feel like you can't talk aboutto anybody, that if you say
something you're going to getshunned or you're going to get
shut down or kicked out of thechurch.
Whatever the situation is,there are people who want to
help you, there are programs,there are psychologists there.
I mean there's a whole bunch ofdifferent avenues for you to go
to to get that help.
(30:53):
Yeah, don't let the devil turnit into a spiritual battle.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That is.
That is a mental and a physicalbattle that you're fighting.
Yeah, if you give the devil afoothold, he'll turn it into
yeah, yeah, don't let thathappen.
Don't let it happen, but findhelp.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yes, I got to be honest with you, brother, sean.
I faced depression and I facedanxiety and I faced fears and
worries and all that stuff andI've been up at night and had a
lot of weight on my shoulders attimes and you know different
things, situational things thathave come into play and as a man
(31:50):
, I don't want to tell anybody,I don't want to go to anybody, I
don't want to depend on anyonebecause I'm a man.
I'm not supposed to be cryingand feeling feelings and
emotions.
I'm not supposed to be doingthat.
But that doesn't make you anyless of a man.
To face fear and PTSD andanxiety does not make you any
(32:15):
less of a man.
In fact, it makes you more of aman, to admit it and to depend
on someone or something.
You know there's different.
A couple years back we did anepisode about depression and one
(32:43):
of the main causes ofdepression was due to faulty
mood, regulations by the brainor genetic vulnerability,
stressful life events, eatinghabits, no-transcript PTSD comes
to individuals who witness orexperience traumatic events.
These things have nothing to dowith the devil, demons, dark
forces, anything like that.
But I know as men we like tobury those things and cover them
(33:08):
up and hold on to them until 10years.
Down the road, somethinghappens and we unleash it in
some way, form or fashion andI'm telling you there's nothing
wrong, there's nothing unhealthy, there's nothing unspiritual,
there's nothing ungodly, there'snothing that makes you feminine
(33:29):
about reaching out for help andreaching out to someone who can
point you, to someone who canhelp.
Maybe pastor doesn't have theanswers, but maybe pastor knows
someone who does.
We don't have the answers.
You know we have a pretty goodknowledge base here, but if you
(33:51):
were to message us and I'llmention it at the end here again
but if you messaged usprivately, if you emailed us
privately, it'd be confidentialbetween you and I, you and
brother Sean, and we would getyou to people who could help you
.
We would get you to people whodon't just prescribe things to
(34:13):
prescribe them, don't just throwout medications to get you
hooked onto some drug, but theywould do everything in their
power to help you mentally.
So that's my plea in thisepisode.
Really, I'll pass it back toBrother Sean, but my plea in
this episode is preachers,ministers, men of God, women of
(34:33):
God, believers, stop sayingeverything is the devil and that
everything is spiritual andstart looking at things that God
gave us.
Start looking at reality, andthat is there are other things
that cause depression, there areother things that cause the
anxiety, there are other thingsthat cause the fear.
(34:55):
And on the flip side of that,this episode is for you who is
struggling.
You're scared, you're afraid ofwhat your Christian parents
might think, you're afraid ofwhat your Christian friends
might think, you're afraid ofwhat everyone and their mother
in the church might think.
But I'm telling you, I've gotyour back, brother Sean.
(35:19):
I know has your back that ifyou are struggling with anything
in your mind and youdesperately need help, you've
exhausted all resources.
We will be behind you 100%.
You will have encouragementfrom him and from myself,
brother Sean him and for myself,brother Sean.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
My father-in-law passed away in September of last
year and I was, I think, thethird person there.
We were trying to perform CPR,you know, work on him, yeah, and
(36:11):
that I mean the toll that itput on me, on my family.
I mean we still feel it to thisday.
Just a couple nights ago, myoldest daughter came out crying
Because it hit her hard again,and I just remember that week,
two weeks, whatever it was.
(36:31):
After that, the families alltogether at the house were
making plans for everything,trying to figure everything out
Very, you know, very somber itwas.
I mean it was very depressingbecause the man, one of the men
(36:53):
that we looked up to, was gone.
Yeah, because the man, one ofthe men that we looked up to,
was gone.
And I remember one day it wasnothing against my in-laws, my
wife, kids or anything, but Ijust told my wife, I said I've
got to go, I just need to leavethe house for a little while.
(37:19):
And I called one of my bestfriends.
He's in the healthcare world,his wife is too, and she
actually lost her brother at ayoung age and she was the second
one to find him.
(37:39):
So I called him and I just said, man, I need some help right
now.
Can I come over to the house?
And of course he said, yeah,get over here, what do you need?
So I went over there and I satdown on their their couch and I
cried and I cried and I criedand I had hundreds of questions
(38:07):
how do you deal with this?
Yeah, one of the hardest partsin my mind was and to this day I
can replay every single momentof that morning, every single
moment just about.
I can tell you where everybodywas standing, I can tell you all
(38:27):
what was going on as I wasleaned over him.
You know, it's the moment.
I don't know how to explain itall, but talking to him who's
(38:49):
worked multiple patients, andtalking to her who lost somebody
very close to him, and talkingto her who lost somebody very
close to him was one of I mean,it was the best day.
It was still a horrible day,but it was one of the best days
(39:11):
I had had since he had passed,because I got to go talk to
somebody who lived what I hadjust went through I lost my
father-in-law, she lost herbrother.
It was somebody very close toboth of us.
(39:33):
Yeah, and just sitting on acouch with her, just being able
to talk to her for an hour, hourand a half I mean it was a
little while there was.
There was a bunch of people, andI'm not hating on them.
(39:54):
There was a bunch of people,and I'm not hating on them.
There was a bunch of peoplethat came.
Keep your head up, sean.
God's got this.
He cares for you.
We're praying for you and Iunderstand that they all meant
well and good, but you can'tkeep your head up when you're
dealing with something like that.
There was no spiritual battlegoing on, right.
(40:22):
You, if you would have been inservice with us for several
weeks following that, you'd haveseen me and my wife crying in
our pews, yeah, and from theoutside looking in.
If you didn't know the situation, you'd have thought, right,
they're struggling withsomething, and we were, but
(40:51):
finding somebody who knew how tohelp with the situation.
I'm thankful for all the prayers, I'm thankful for everybody
that came by and brought us foodand did all those things for us
, but I am more thankful that Ihad somebody that I could go
(41:12):
find and talk to, right, becausethat gave me hope.
Yeah, I asked her questionslike what do you do when, every
night, when you lay down to goto sleep, you can't close your
eyes because those 30 minutesplay over and over, and over,
(41:35):
and over and over again?
Yeah, I'm sorry, but most of myfriends couldn't have answered
that question, right, they justsaid I don't know, but we'll be
praying for you, and they meanwell and good, yeah.
But for you to sit down withher and her say, okay, I did
(41:57):
this, right, or I did that.
Or she said I went and foundsomebody and talked to him.
It makes a world of difference,right, find somebody and get
help.
Yeah, it doesn't have to besomebody, it could be something
Exercise, just going for walks.
(42:20):
There's a whole bunch ofdifferent things, but get help.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Go to those resources .
I think that we depend onpastors to do a lot of things
and different church leaders todo a lot of things except help
us with our mental struggles.
And I say that because you knowI'll add to that I won't add
(42:49):
that much to what Sean said,because I think that he summed
it up just right is you haveresources, you have people to go
to.
And now you've got anotheravenue to turn to as well.
You know, and Brother Sean andmyself, because you know, we
desired for you to get help.
We desire for you to not beshamed or ridiculed but to get
(43:10):
the help that you need.
And, yes, you need to turn tosomeone, to talk to someone.
And the beautiful thing aboutall of that is you can say, you
know, you can be on yourspiritual high horse and say
well, you need to talk to God.
Or you can come down andrealize that God gave us people
(43:31):
to talk, to talk to, that Godgave us individuals, like
brother Sean was just talkingabout, to discuss these things
with and to find help in.
I love that God provides people.
Yeah, I love that God providessomebody physician, psychologist
(43:52):
I love that God provides thosepeople and I'm thankful for
those people.
So go turn to them and Ibelieve that you will get
encouragement and you will gethelp.
You know, sean, I have a lot ofthings that I could say and add,
but I don't want to do that, Idon't want to ruin this or
(44:16):
change the tune of this, becauseI think that this is a good
place to end is if you need help, reach out.
Like I said, message us onFacebook, on Instagram, email us
theeverydaychristians atgmailcom if you are struggling
and we can point you.
I'm telling you we haveresources I mean a lot of
(44:36):
resources available that we cansend you to and get you help
with.
So please reach out to us.
Brother Sean, was thereanything else you wanted to add?
All right, well, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
Yeah, I do want to throw this in here real quick.
I just thought of this.
There are resources out therethat want to help you, but be
careful as well.
Yes, I went to my best friendsbecause I knew that they had
dealt with those kind ofsituations, but not every case
(45:09):
you need to go to your bestfriend and talk to them about it
, right?
Not every case you need to goto certain people and try to get
help.
Yeah, you know there are.
If you can ask somebody forhelp, make sure it's somebody
you can trust and rely on.
(45:31):
Yeah, and that you know that ifthey can't answer it, they can
get you to the right people whocan help you or the right
resources to help you, becausethere are those out there who
will take situations and canmake them worse.
Unfortunately, that's very real.
We've all seen stuff like thathappen and that's part of the
(45:54):
fear behind trying to find helpwith resources.
But find people that you love,that you can trust, to get help
with these resources.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Yeah, look at the track record, you know.
Look at how they've helpedothers and listen to the stories
and you'll find someone.
Again, I'm going to throw it atthis like the third or fourth
time, but if you do needresources or you just need
someone to try to help youfigure it out, brother Sean and
I are great for that.
Like I said, it'd beconfidential.
Some of you we don't know fromAdam, so we don't know your
(46:28):
situation.
Where you go to church, none ofthat matters.
If you need help with a mentalstruggle, please feel free to
reach out to us and we will helpyou the best way that we can.
So, in saying that, I just wantto end this episode and thank
you all for listening.
Thank you for joining in, thankyou for everyone's support
through all this.
We'll try to do another episodehere in the next couple of
(46:50):
weeks.
I'm not sure if we'll do itabout mental struggles again or
we'll change the tune of it, butwe will be coming to you in a
couple of weeks and, as I said,as we said before, you're
listening to the EverydayChristian podcast, where we
apply scriptural principles toeveryday Christian lives.
Thank you, and.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
God bless, god bless you, thank you.
I know, we know the great physician.
Praise God we do.
But who's another doctor in theBible that you know of that God
used?
There's a man named Luke and hewrote a book in the Bible
called Luke.
And he also wrote a book in theBible that everybody in the
Pentecostal movement stands on,which is the book of Acts.
And guess what?
He was a physician.
(00:23):
And Jesus in one of his gospels.
I'm just going on here, brotherSean, you got to interrupt me
here but Jesus, even in one ofhis gospels, uses an analogy and
an illustration that those whoare whole don't need a physician
, but those who are sick do.
And he was obviously talkingabout the spiritual, but he is
illustrating to the physical.
Even he understood andacknowledged that people who are
(00:56):
sick need a physician.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Welcome back to the Everyday Christian Podcast,
where we apply scripturalprinciples to everyday.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Christian lives.
I'm Sean Sloggett and I'm JohnRich, and today we are going to
discuss Christian Lives.
I'm Sean Sloggett and I'm JohnRich, and today we are going to
discuss mental struggles orspiritual warfare.
This episode is unique and it'sgoing to be one that we will
probably not be able to do anentire podcast on just in this
one episode, because there's somuch regarding the subject.
So there's a chance we may do aseries on this or we may do a
(01:25):
follow-up episode.
We'll just see about that.
Before we get into the episode,I want to talk to you and tell
you about the Everyday ChristianPodcast tumblers $25.
You get a tumbler that heatsfor like eight or 10 hours I
think they're 12.
12 hours, hot or cold.
The man has coffee right now inhis thing in his Tumblr and it
(01:49):
has ice in it.
Still, he's had it for threedays ago.
No, I'm kidding, I'm reallytrying to sell these 30 minutes
ago.
I'm really trying to sell theseTumblrs.
But if you would like anEveryday Christian Podcast
Tumblr, it is $25, shippingincluded and it includes the the
tumbler lid straw two strawsactually.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, a bended straw and then a straight straw and a
cleaner.
Also, they do have um closabletops on them.
Yeah, there you go.
So there is actually a lidwhere you can slide it shut and
slide it open as well.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
And that obviously, the proceeds there go to support
our podcast, support our show.
So if you are a fan of the show, if you like listening to us I
know there's some of you outthere, maybe two or three,
hopefully more than that but ifyou do like listening to our
show and you want to support us,please purchase one of the
tumblers $25 and it would go toa great cause and great use.
The other thing I wanted tomention I've mentioned this
(02:47):
probably two or three times nowis our virtual youth group, or
virtual youth class.
We've already done our firstepisode a few weeks back about
which version of the Bible youshould read.
We are going to be doinganother class here.
You'll probably get this aswe're doing this class, so I
won't ruin it for you.
But if you would like to jointhe virtual class, we're going
(03:11):
to be talking about stuff likemodesty.
We already did the version ofthe Bible to read, Stuff like
what does it mean to touch notthine anointed Things of the
Bible that people have questionson, Youth teens.
If you know someone that'squestioning the Bible or wants
to learn more about the Bible,please join that class.
(03:31):
It's a Zoom meeting.
You don't have to talk on thereif you don't want to.
It's simply Brother Sean andmyself teaching a lesson or a
subject.
But if you would like to jointhat, please message us.
You can email us at theeverydaydaychristians at
gmailcom.
I'll put that on the bottom,and you can also message us on
Facebook or Instagram, BrotherSean.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
We do ask that you pray for us on both of those
this podcast and doing that aswell.
We're not complaining in theleast bit.
It does take a little bit oftime to do a lot of these things
and preparation for it, yes,and we have kind of gotten off
track with our podcast becauseof that.
Yeah, we are trying to get thatstraightened back out,
(04:16):
hopefully, where we canalternate them or do something
to fix them.
But if you guys will pleasecontinue to pray for us or start
praying for us, if you're not,that we can help people, because
that's what this podcast andthose classes are about is
helping people.
That's what we want to do.
(04:36):
We're not here to hurt anybody,to offend anybody.
We've talked about this before.
We talked about it just alittle while ago.
Actually.
There are people who are goingto look for reasons to get hurt,
look for reasons to getoffended, and when it comes to
that, forgive me for being soblunt, but we don't care.
(04:57):
We don't want to intentionallyhurt or offend those that we
can't help or that are lookingfor help.
If you're looking to beoffended, please move on, but
pray for us that we can in thethings that we do.
That it will actually helppeople.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
The good thing about Brother Sean and I is we enjoy
criticism and we enjoy listeningto others tell us some issue
that they have with us.
I know that sounds crazy, I'lltake that back.
Sometimes I don't enjoy it, butI'd much rather have that than
you know you tell others abouthow you got your feelings hurt.
(05:37):
So if you ever do in one ofthese episodes, like you likely
will in this episode, pleasemessage us, reach out to us,
talk to us.
We want to know your thoughtsand feelings behind the subject
and see if we can find commonground or see if we can make up
the difference or even owesomeone an apology, because I've
done that before.
Anyway, I wanted to start thispodcast with a few questions to
(05:58):
get the ball rolling, and hereare the questions that I have
for those listening, thosejoining in.
As a Christian, have you everdealt with depression, anxiety
or fear?
Have you ever had long-termissues with any of those things?
As a Christian, have you everbeen told that you need to pray
(06:22):
more about it or that you arenot close enough to God and that
is why you're facing thosethings?
As a Christian, have you everbeen told that you need to pray
through because of differentmental struggles.
Have those things ever beenbrushed off by family members or
friends, churchgoers, ministers, leaders, as spiritual attacks
(06:45):
of the devil?
Are brushed off?
As you are just going through aseason right now, are you
prayed through and prayed up butstill dealing with those
struggles?
Does it seem like God isn'tanswering your prayer?
You know, in this episode wecan talk about you know, brother
Sean different mental trialsthat everyone faces, whether
(07:08):
they're spiritual or whetherthey are mental.
Of course we know everyone,christian or not, faces
depression, they face anxiety,they face fears and some of them
faced different PTSD.
Because we are all human, wehave all faced different
adversities at different times,some more than others, but we
(07:31):
are all imperfect humans.
And the reason I say that isbecause oftentimes, as
Christians, when one of ourbrothers or sisters are
struggling in many ways, notjust mentally but especially
mentally, we like to paint amagic wand or brush over the
situation and say to ourselvesthey need prayer, or they need
(07:51):
Holy Ghost deliverance, or theyneed to read and study the Bible
more, or they need to listen tothe voice of God more.
We automatically attribute anymental struggle with spiritual
warfare.
And I hate to sound arrogant ormean.
You know, we we started offthis podcast I don't know who've
ever started off the podcasttalking about not trying to hurt
(08:13):
people.
So some of this may soundarrogant, mean and I'm not
trying to insult anyone, becauseI've also had that mindset and
gave instruction for those whoare struggling to just simply
pray through.
But in all reality, it is asilly thought process and
mentality to have and I want youto look at the reason why.
(08:33):
Before I give you that reason,I need you to know that there's
nothing wrong with praying foryour mental health, there is
nothing wrong with seeking God,but there is also nothing wrong
with seeking help outside of thespiritual realm.
We want to say things like Godgave us doctors or God created
(08:56):
science, but we don't believethat there are modern and
physical answers or help to whatwe face mentally.
Again, that's a weak thoughtprocess.
If you're listening to this andyou've had that mentality, you
need to understand that there'sso much more to it and the Bible
(09:16):
shows, actually, that there'sso much more to it.
I'm going to pass it to BrotherSean here in a moment, but I
want to ask just a couple morequestions and then we'll shift
here.
But have you ever experienced aheadache of any kind?
The reason I say any kind,brother Sean, is because there's
like 13 or 14 different typesof headaches.
(09:38):
There's tension headaches,there's migraine headaches,
there's allergy headaches,there's caffeine headaches,
there's hypertension headaches.
Now, some of you pray that Godwill heal that headache, some of
you pray that God heals it andthen you take some sort of
medication, but most of you, ifyou're honest with yourself and
(09:59):
with everyone else, go right tothe medication or an alternative
to help that headache.
And I've got to be honest witheverybody here and I I don't
care if I get labeled as anon-spiritual person, but the
first thing that I do when Ihave a bad headache, a migraine
you want to know what that is,brother Sean I tell my wife
(10:23):
please leave.
I got it.
Yes, yes, yes, no, no, no, no,morgan, no, absolutely,
absolutely not, no.
But I tell her I'm like, she'slike how are you doing?
I got a bad headache.
And the first thing she askedis this isn't spiritual and I'm
sorry if this offends you is didyou take any medication?
Did you take some Tylenol?
Did you take some?
(10:44):
They call it goody powder.
The answer usually is no,because I hate taking medication
.
But when she asked that I go tothe medicine cabinet and I take
medicine, most of you do that.
Most of you want to pretendlike you're spiritual and like
God is your first resource.
But I would be willing andventure to say that a lot of you
(11:05):
the first thing you think to dois grab that medicine bottle
out of your purse, grab thatmedicine bottle out of your
cabinet, and I want to portrayand let you know that there's
nothing wrong with that either.
Most of you do that, but mostof you would say, if I did that,
I'm not trusting in God forhealing.
(11:26):
God heals when we are down tonothing or have no other options
.
Not that God can't heal beforethat, but most of the time we
exhaust all of our resourcesfirst.
So if you were honest and you'dsay I have a migraine,
therefore I will take migrainemedication such as Tylenol, or
(11:49):
you'd say I have a caffeineheadache, so I'll drink
something with caffeine in it,now I'm going to pass to Brother
Sean with this question.
Brother Sean, can two things betrue?
Can God instantly take away myheadache?
Answer that.
And there's another one yes.
I can, and then I'll pass itover to you with the second one.
Does God want?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
us to use the resources, even natural ones, to
take away my headacheAbsolutely as well.
My wife suffers from sinusheadaches a lot Because we I
mean my household like mosthouseholds we deal with
allergies.
Whenever allergy season comesalong and she has, I'm going to
(12:38):
I don't remember essential oils,whatever those, whatever that
witchcraft stuff is.
She has some of that stuff, andnot that my wife.
Jonathan just dropped his phone.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Sorry about that yo.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
Not that my wife isn't spiritual or that she
doesn't rely on God for a lot ofthose things, but she knows
when that sinus headache isstarting to come on.
She said I'm all congested, I'mswell, you know whatever it is.
And you're right.
She goes and finds whateverpotion it is that needs mixed
(13:19):
together.
Yes, amen, I don't understandit all.
I mean, I use it occasionallybut I'm not completely possessed
yet.
But you know she'll getcrucified by both of our wives
bro.
But she'll go get whatever it isand use it to help her, and you
(13:40):
can check in how you feel itfeels better.
That is a very good resource.
Yeah, and I haven't done theresearch in it, so supposedly
it's all natural.
I don't know that for a fact,but that's what I've heard Our
wives do, though.
That's what they say.
That's what they say is thatit's all natural, but she's
(14:00):
going to use those things thatwill help her and to benefit her
.
You know, and it's, I wouldn'tbe, I wouldn't be mad at her if
she wouldn't prayed about it,right, you know, I wouldn't be
upset, I wouldn't bedisappointed.
But she knows what is going tohelp and there is a natural
supplement that is going to help.
So she goes and uses that.
(14:22):
You know, I, if I have aheadache, a lot of times it's
because I've been working mostof the day and I haven't had
much caffeine.
Yeah, I usually try not todrink much caffeine and then
I'll have a Coke or whatever.
In the evening Doesn't alwaysgo that way.
I'm not a sweet tea drinker, soif I don't drink a Coke or pop
(14:47):
whatever you guys call it sodapop I don't get much caffeine.
Well, when I get home and Ihave a headache that's her first
question to me I've got akiller headache.
Do you drink any caffeine?
Have you had any caffeine today?
No, I haven't, she's Okay.
I mean, crack open a Pepsi andCrack one open and drink it.
Have you had any caffeine today?
No, I haven't, she's okay.
I mean, crack open a Pepsi andCrack one open and drink it.
(15:11):
That's a, that's a whole nothertopic.
Getting addicted to that kindof stuff, yeah, but there are,
you know, there are things thatare very beneficial to us and on
the kind of the mental,spiritual side of it, you know,
the is it always a spiritualbattle?
I thought of something earlier,when Brother Jonathan was
(15:32):
talking.
I thought of the weather.
It's something that'scompletely natural.
We all deal with rain, we alldeal with sunshine.
Most of us get snow.
We all deal with sunshine, mostof us get snow.
But I'll tell you this, when itrains, the mood in my house I
don't know what it is.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
It's like a sleepy mood for me.
I don't know how it is foreverybody else.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
It's a real sleepy, somber mood.
But for somebody like me whomost of my life I've been a very
active go getter, go do, yeah,when it's raining and I'm stuck
in my house, yeah, I hate it.
Depressed is a very strong word, yeah, but I kind of like and
(16:17):
I've made comments like to mywife we're like I'm depressed
today yeah, I've been stuck atthe house for eight hours.
Yeah, I've been awake for eighthours, been stuck at the house
for eight hours.
Yeah, I've been awake for eighthours, been stuck in the house.
And you know, to her it may notbe much because she's there a
lot, but my life has kind ofshifted for that moment or for
that timeframe.
(16:37):
You know where I'm normallyoutside working, or where I'm
normally running or playingbasketball or whatever it is
that I would be doing.
I can't do it because it'sraining, yeah, so the mental
aspect of it shifts.
Yeah, there's nothingspiritually wrong, right, when
(16:58):
it rains.
Right, I didn't wake up and sinfirst thing as I was rolling
out of bed and now I'm beingpunished for it.
It's just a shift in youremotional state.
Is what it is, and a lot oftimes I shouldn't say it.
Well, it's a shift in ouremotional state and at times we
(17:21):
fail to realize that, and that'swhat this podcast is for is to
try and help us with some ofthat, brother John.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
You know, we kind of going back and forth, because
I'll touch upon a little bit ofthat too, because situationally
there's things that happen thatdo get us down, you know.
And obviously when you say I'mdepressed, that's an obvious
over-exaggeration.
Yes, but I'm the same way.
It's like, you know, it's rainy, I'm groggy now, I'm tired, you
(17:52):
don't have anything to dobecause you can't go outside,
and it's like trying to like,figure things out and be
productive, which, by the way,is one of the main what's the
word I'm looking for?
The main way to combatdepression would be find purpose
, find things to do, you know.
(18:12):
So there is an element theresituationally.
But then, going back to whatyou were talking about a moment
ago with your wife, wife, youknow she knows the right, you
know potion mixtures ofessential oils to use, to take
away that.
You know, sinus headache, and Ithink about people like Paul in
(18:36):
the Bible, and I'm going tomention him again.
Some of you are going to beoffended by what I'm about to
tell you, but it's in the Bible.
So if you get offended, beoffended by God, you know.
But Paul writes a letter toTimothy and in that letter he
tells him what does he tell him,we get it.
(18:56):
We don't believe in drinkingalcohol, but he tells him a
little wine for the stomach sake.
In other words, a little winewill help your stomach.
A little wine will help giveyou whatever it is strength.
It'll help you overcomesicknesses, help your blood
pressure.
We're not going to talk aboutthat, I get it.
(19:17):
Paul says that in the Bible.
He gives us an example of atype of whatever you want to
call it medication, alternative,natural thing to help combat a
sickness.
But we believe this in everyother area, except for our
mentality.
We believe it for body aches.
(19:38):
I'm going to talk about sinuses, but let me give you another
example and then we'll move onabout sinuses.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But let me give you another example and then we'll
move on.
But you'll do a bunch of things.
If you get up and your truckisn't working but you have to
get to work you're going tofigure out a situation to make
it work.
Yeah, it's.
Take your wife's car.
Or if it's a flat tire, I canpump it up.
Yeah, maybe see if I you'regoing to assess the situation
and see what's wrong with it totry to fix it.
You're not going to just, oh,my left front driver tire is
(20:09):
flat, I need to change, I needto change my oil.
No, it's not going to do it.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Right, well, and God gave you brain and he gave you
free will, he gave you theability to choose most people.
Well, most, yeah, but but goingalong with that, to give you
another example, um is is myself, you know.
I think about my struggle withweight for the last 13 years,
(20:35):
and all of that is attributed tolack of exercise and bad eating
habits.
That's just what it is.
It's plain, and I mean, I usedto be a skinny stick.
Used to be like me is yeah,exactly is the best thing for me
to lose weight To be to ask godto take it away from me.
Everyone knows that answer.
(20:57):
If anybody says yes to thatanswer, you are a fool.
I'm sorry that's harsh.
I get it, but wait a second.
I'm going through a strugglewith my self-image and god
should be the one to help mewith that, right?
No, but that would be Anotherexample of an uneducated mindset
.
Most of you wouldn't think thatway, but it's the same mindset
(21:19):
as earlier.
The answer to that is eatbetter, snack less, workout, get
more out, get more cardio, getmore strength training and have
discipline with my body.
But why is it that we have noissue taking medication for our
cold, for our headaches, for ourbody aches?
Why is it we have no issuegoing to the doctor for
(21:40):
sicknesses that we cannotrecover from on our own?
Why is it that we have no issuewith God taking fat from our
bodies?
Well, here's why.
Here's the reason why Becauseit's all outward and our minds
are inward.
Okay, that's fine.
(22:00):
Why do we go to heartspecialists and heart surgeons?
Why do we go to the doctors andspecialists when we break a
bone?
That's all on the inside, too.
Our minds are the same but theyare way more complex.
Why is that, you may ask?
Because our minds are made upof cells in the most complex and
sensitive part of our body, thebrain.
(22:21):
But for some reason, we'reperfectly fine with doctors and
pediatricians and specialistsand experts when it comes to
helping all of our otherinternal and external organs,
except for cells, and except forour brain.
Anything that has to do withsomething we don't know enough
about or that we don't have alot of answers for is something
(22:43):
spiritual or something that onlyGod can help.
Now, brother Sean, I believethe devil can attack us mentally
.
I believe that.
I agree with that.
I believe things can comeagainst us that can attack us
that are spiritual.
I understand that, but most ofthe time I also believe it is
from a different source anddifferent reasoning.
(23:05):
Back in the day, like back in,like the 1800s you can look this
up, please do.
If someone were to fall to theground with eyes and parts of
their bodies twitching, stiffmuscles, eye movements and
confusion and even foaming atthe mouth, priests and believers
and Christians would havecalled that demon possession.
(23:26):
But what I just described toyou was not a spiritual thing
and it was not a demonpossession.
It's what's called an epilepticseizure.
But it was something peopledidn't know about and because
they didn't know about it, theycalled it spiritual.
Not everything that affects ourbodies and our minds is
(23:49):
spiritual or demonic.
There are other reasons, such aschemical imbalances we talked
about that Past traumas, currentworries or even overall health
even overall health.
We must overcome this crazyidea and mentality that someone
who is struggling with theirmental health is someone who is
(24:09):
far away from God.
You want to know people in theBible who struggled with their
mental health.
David was close to God andstruggled with depression.
Elijah was close to God andstruggled with fear and
depression.
Job was close to God andstruggled with grief.
Jeremiah was close to God andstruggled with loneliness,
feeling defeated, feelinginsecure.
Paul was close to God and hestruggled with depression in the
(24:33):
past, and there are many, manymore examples all throughout the
Bible, because everyone in theBible outside of Christ was a
hundred percent imperfect andhuman, just like me and you are.
So to say, anything that you'rebattling mentally means that
you're far away from God couldnot be farther from the truth,
(24:54):
brother Sean, you know to say,to say you are not a man or
woman of God if you strugglewith mental issues is to say
that none of the men and womenin the Bible were of God, and
most of them face mental issuesand battles.
So what is the right thing to do?
Who can I talk to?
Can I talk to someone outsideof just talking to God?
(25:16):
Can I take medication for mymental health?
Can I do something natural formy mental health?
And here are my answers.
God gave us doctors for ourmental health, just like he did
for our physical health.
So, yes, there are physiciansyou can go to.
Yes, there are medications youcan take to help.
Yes, there are natural thingsthat you can do, like essential
(25:39):
oils.
Show me in the Bible anywherewhere those things are wrong, in
black and white.
In fact, god used doctors inthe Bible.
Who's a doctor famous that youknow of?
I know we know the greatphysician Praise God, we do.
But who's another doctor in theBible that you know of that God
(25:59):
used?
There's a man named Luke and hewrote a book in the Bible called
Luke, and he also wrote a bookin the Bible that everybody in
the Pentecostal movement standson, which is the book of Acts.
And guess what he was aphysician.
And Jesus in one of his gospelsI'm just going on here, brother
(26:20):
Sean, you got to interrupt mehere.
And Jesus in one of his gospels.
I'm just going on here, brotherSean, you got to interrupt me
here.
But Jesus, even in one of hisgospels, uses an analogy and an
illustration that those who arewhole don't need a physician,
but those who are sick do.
And he was obviously talkingabout the spiritual, but he is
illustrating to the physical.
Even he understood andacknowledged that people who are
(26:42):
sick need a physician.
People who are sick mentally,physically, does not mean
they're sick spiritually.
There are battles in believers'mind that have nothing to do
with the devil.
They have nothing to do withspiritual warfare and not being
close enough to God, brotherSean.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
The devil can use those situations to attack and
to try and get a foothold inthere.
And we're not saying thatthat's not part of it.
You know there are those whohave dealt with extreme cases.
(27:20):
With extreme cases I shouldn'tsay there are those who have
dealt with some very hard thingsin their life.
I was talking to BrotherJonathan earlier about
relationships.
To me, the battle of depressionthat I dealt with some of them
(27:42):
doesn't even scratch the surfaceof what some others have dealt
with.
And if you have, if you havestruggled with some of those
things, you know there there'sverbal abuse, there's physical
abuse, there's mental abuse,there's all these things.
The devil can use those to geta foothold.
(28:04):
Yeah Right, you know, if youwere physically abused, that
wasn't spiritual.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Right, but it can't affect your mental.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
It is going to be very mental, very physically
straining on you, right, but itcan't affect your mental.
It is going to be very mental,very physically straining on you
, right.
What it is is somebody who wasnot right.
Somebody was doing somethingvery evil, very vile.
Now the devil can use that andturn it into a spiritual battle.
(28:42):
But you have to get help.
Yeah, and I'm not saying ifyou're listening to this and
this is you, I'm not saying thatyou're not looking for help,
but just praying about it Isn'talways going to fix the problem.
(29:07):
Go find somebody that you cantalk to about it.
Yeah, go find somebody who canrelate on your level.
You know there's times whereand I'm not speaking out against
leadership, but when we don't,I say we like I'm in leadership,
(29:31):
when they don't have theanswers and I said we, because
I've said stuff like this beforeis just pray about it.
Yeah, god will give you theanswers.
Yeah, and part of that isbecause I don't have the answer,
(29:53):
part of it's because I don'tknow how to deal with the
situation myself.
Right, so if I tell you to prayabout it, that gets the weight
off of my shoulders, and this iskind of taking a rabbit trail
here.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
No, it's not.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
It's right, uh, but find somebody who can help you.
Yeah, god can't help you.
He wants to help you.
But things like that that arethat are mind battles that you
(30:33):
feel like you can't talk aboutto anybody, that if you say
something you're going to getshunned or you're going to get
shut down or kicked out of thechurch.
Whatever the situation is,there are people who want to
help you, there are programs,there are psychologists there.
I mean there's a whole bunch ofdifferent avenues for you to go
to to get that help.
(30:53):
Yeah, don't let the devil turnit into a spiritual battle.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Right.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
That is.
That is a mental and a physicalbattle that you're fighting.
Yeah, if you give the devil afoothold, he'll turn it into
yeah, yeah, don't let thathappen.
Don't let it happen, but findhelp.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yes, I got to be honest with you, brother, sean.
I faced depression and I facedanxiety and I faced fears and
worries and all that stuff andI've been up at night and had a
lot of weight on my shoulders attimes and you know different
things, situational things thathave come into play and as a man
(31:50):
, I don't want to tell anybody,I don't want to go to anybody, I
don't want to depend on anyonebecause I'm a man.
I'm not supposed to be cryingand feeling feelings and
emotions.
I'm not supposed to be doingthat.
But that doesn't make you anyless of a man.
To face fear and PTSD andanxiety does not make you any
(32:15):
less of a man.
In fact, it makes you more of aman, to admit it and to depend
on someone or something.
You know there's different.
A couple years back we did anepisode about depression and one
(32:43):
of the main causes ofdepression was due to faulty
mood, regulations by the brainor genetic vulnerability,
stressful life events, eatinghabits, no-transcript PTSD comes
to individuals who witness orexperience traumatic events.
These things have nothing to dowith the devil, demons, dark
forces, anything like that.
But I know as men we like tobury those things and cover them
(33:08):
up and hold on to them until 10years.
Down the road, somethinghappens and we unleash it in
some way, form or fashion andI'm telling you there's nothing
wrong, there's nothing unhealthy, there's nothing unspiritual,
there's nothing ungodly, there'snothing that makes you feminine
(33:29):
about reaching out for help andreaching out to someone who can
point you, to someone who canhelp.
Maybe pastor doesn't have theanswers, but maybe pastor knows
someone who does.
We don't have the answers.
You know we have a pretty goodknowledge base here, but if you
(33:51):
were to message us and I'llmention it at the end here again
but if you messaged usprivately, if you emailed us
privately, it'd be confidentialbetween you and I, you and
brother Sean, and we would getyou to people who could help you
.
We would get you to people whodon't just prescribe things to
(34:13):
prescribe them, don't just throwout medications to get you
hooked onto some drug, but theywould do everything in their
power to help you mentally.
So that's my plea in thisepisode.
Really, I'll pass it back toBrother Sean, but my plea in
this episode is preachers,ministers, men of God, women of
(34:33):
God, believers, stop sayingeverything is the devil and that
everything is spiritual andstart looking at things that God
gave us.
Start looking at reality, andthat is there are other things
that cause depression, there areother things that cause the
anxiety, there are other thingsthat cause the fear.
(34:55):
And on the flip side of that,this episode is for you who is
struggling.
You're scared, you're afraid ofwhat your Christian parents
might think, you're afraid ofwhat your Christian friends
might think, you're afraid ofwhat everyone and their mother
in the church might think.
But I'm telling you, I've gotyour back, brother Sean.
(35:19):
I know has your back that ifyou are struggling with anything
in your mind and youdesperately need help, you've
exhausted all resources.
We will be behind you 100%.
You will have encouragementfrom him and from myself,
brother Sean him and for myself,brother Sean.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
My father-in-law passed away in September of last
year and I was, I think, thethird person there.
We were trying to perform CPR,you know, work on him, yeah, and
(36:11):
that I mean the toll that itput on me, on my family.
I mean we still feel it to thisday.
Just a couple nights ago, myoldest daughter came out crying
Because it hit her hard again,and I just remember that week,
two weeks, whatever it was.
(36:31):
After that, the families alltogether at the house were
making plans for everything,trying to figure everything out
Very, you know, very somber itwas.
I mean it was very depressingbecause the man, one of the men
(36:53):
that we looked up to, was gone.
Yeah, because the man, one ofthe men that we looked up to,
was gone.
And I remember one day it wasnothing against my in-laws, my
wife, kids or anything, but Ijust told my wife, I said I've
got to go, I just need to leavethe house for a little while.
(37:19):
And I called one of my bestfriends.
He's in the healthcare world,his wife is too, and she
actually lost her brother at ayoung age and she was the second
one to find him.
(37:39):
So I called him and I just said, man, I need some help right
now.
Can I come over to the house?
And of course he said, yeah,get over here, what do you need?
So I went over there and I satdown on their their couch and I
cried and I cried and I criedand I had hundreds of questions
(38:07):
how do you deal with this?
Yeah, one of the hardest partsin my mind was and to this day I
can replay every single momentof that morning, every single
moment just about.
I can tell you where everybodywas standing, I can tell you all
(38:27):
what was going on as I wasleaned over him.
You know, it's the moment.
I don't know how to explain itall, but talking to him who's
(38:49):
worked multiple patients, andtalking to her who lost somebody
very close to him, and talkingto her who lost somebody very
close to him was one of I mean,it was the best day.
It was still a horrible day,but it was one of the best days
(39:11):
I had had since he had passed,because I got to go talk to
somebody who lived what I hadjust went through I lost my
father-in-law, she lost herbrother.
It was somebody very close toboth of us.
(39:33):
Yeah, and just sitting on acouch with her, just being able
to talk to her for an hour, hourand a half I mean it was a
little while there was.
There was a bunch of people, andI'm not hating on them.
(39:54):
There was a bunch of people,and I'm not hating on them.
There was a bunch of peoplethat came.
Keep your head up, sean.
God's got this.
He cares for you.
We're praying for you and Iunderstand that they all meant
well and good, but you can'tkeep your head up when you're
dealing with something like that.
There was no spiritual battlegoing on, right.
(40:22):
You, if you would have been inservice with us for several
weeks following that, you'd haveseen me and my wife crying in
our pews, yeah, and from theoutside looking in.
If you didn't know the situation, you'd have thought, right,
they're struggling withsomething, and we were, but
(40:51):
finding somebody who knew how tohelp with the situation.
I'm thankful for all the prayers, I'm thankful for everybody
that came by and brought us foodand did all those things for us
, but I am more thankful that Ihad somebody that I could go
(41:12):
find and talk to, right, becausethat gave me hope.
Yeah, I asked her questionslike what do you do when, every
night, when you lay down to goto sleep, you can't close your
eyes because those 30 minutesplay over and over, and over,
(41:35):
and over and over again?
Yeah, I'm sorry, but most of myfriends couldn't have answered
that question, right, they justsaid I don't know, but we'll be
praying for you, and they meanwell and good, yeah.
But for you to sit down withher and her say, okay, I did
(41:57):
this, right, or I did that.
Or she said I went and foundsomebody and talked to him.
It makes a world of difference,right, find somebody and get
help.
Yeah, it doesn't have to besomebody, it could be something
Exercise, just going for walks.
(42:20):
There's a whole bunch ofdifferent things, but get help.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Go to those resources .
I think that we depend onpastors to do a lot of things
and different church leaders todo a lot of things except help
us with our mental struggles.
And I say that because you knowI'll add to that I won't add
(42:49):
that much to what Sean said,because I think that he summed
it up just right is you haveresources, you have people to go
to.
And now you've got anotheravenue to turn to as well.
You know, and Brother Sean andmyself, because you know, we
desired for you to get help.
We desire for you to not beshamed or ridiculed but to get
(43:10):
the help that you need.
And, yes, you need to turn tosomeone, to talk to someone.
And the beautiful thing aboutall of that is you can say, you
know, you can be on yourspiritual high horse and say
well, you need to talk to God.
Or you can come down andrealize that God gave us people
(43:31):
to talk, to talk to, that Godgave us individuals, like
brother Sean was just talkingabout, to discuss these things
with and to find help in.
I love that God provides people.
Yeah, I love that God providessomebody physician, psychologist
(43:52):
I love that God provides thosepeople and I'm thankful for
those people.
So go turn to them and Ibelieve that you will get
encouragement and you will gethelp.
You know, sean, I have a lot ofthings that I could say and add,
but I don't want to do that, Idon't want to ruin this or
(44:16):
change the tune of this, becauseI think that this is a good
place to end is if you need help, reach out.
Like I said, message us onFacebook, on Instagram, email us
theeverydaychristians atgmailcom if you are struggling
and we can point you.
I'm telling you we haveresources I mean a lot of
(44:36):
resources available that we cansend you to and get you help
with.
So please reach out to us.
Brother Sean, was thereanything else you wanted to add?
All right, well, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
Yeah, I do want to throw this in here real quick.
I just thought of this.
There are resources out therethat want to help you, but be
careful as well.
Yes, I went to my best friendsbecause I knew that they had
dealt with those kind ofsituations, but not every case
(45:09):
you need to go to your bestfriend and talk to them about it
, right?
Not every case you need to goto certain people and try to get
help.
Yeah, you know there are.
If you can ask somebody forhelp, make sure it's somebody
you can trust and rely on.
(45:31):
Yeah, and that you know that ifthey can't answer it, they can
get you to the right people whocan help you or the right
resources to help you, becausethere are those out there who
will take situations and canmake them worse.
Unfortunately, that's very real.
We've all seen stuff like thathappen and that's part of the
(45:54):
fear behind trying to find helpwith resources.
But find people that you love,that you can trust, to get help
with these resources.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Yeah, look at the track record, you know.
Look at how they've helpedothers and listen to the stories
and you'll find someone.
Again, I'm going to throw it atthis like the third or fourth
time, but if you do needresources or you just need
someone to try to help youfigure it out, brother Sean and
I are great for that.
Like I said, it'd beconfidential.
Some of you we don't know fromAdam, so we don't know your
(46:28):
situation.
Where you go to church, none ofthat matters.
If you need help with a mentalstruggle, please feel free to
reach out to us and we will helpyou the best way that we can.
So, in saying that, I just wantto end this episode and thank
you all for listening.
Thank you for joining in, thankyou for everyone's support
through all this.
We'll try to do another episodehere in the next couple of
(46:50):
weeks.
I'm not sure if we'll do itabout mental struggles again or
we'll change the tune of it, butwe will be coming to you in a
couple of weeks and, as I said,as we said before, you're
listening to the EverydayChristian podcast, where we
apply scriptural principles toeveryday Christian lives.
Thank you, and.
Speaker 2 (47:07):
God bless, god bless you, thank you.
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