Dealing with Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health and Wellness

Synopsis of Bible Study June 20, 2018

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, DMin.

www.mtzionnashville.org

3 John 2 says, “2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

I.          Introduction

1. Many of us pour ourselves into other people so much, we end up neglecting ourselves. This is noble and admirable, but at some point, you have to access your needs and pour back into yourself.
2. Audre Lorde wrote “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” The point is, we want you to live.
3. Self-care is important. You are not taking care of yourself just for you, it’s also for the people that depend on you.
4. Genesis 2:2-3 (NKJV) says 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.- God thought enough of his work that He Himself, took some rest. If God took time to rest, so should we.
5. Music works in harmony. There are a lot of notes and chords written down, but really, there is no music or rhythm without a rest (which is a pause in the music) being used throughout the composed music.

Ex1.

Ex2.

1. A lot of time we mask issues behind being busy. Nobody drives a vehicle and turns the corner, without atleast touching the brake. They at least tap the brake.
2. Some people go through life without ever pausing. When God created everything, He even stopped to celebrate himself. He stopped and looked and said, “It was good”. Know that it is ok to celebrate yourself.
3. It’s really about your mentality (your mind). You have to learn to take control of your thoughts.

II.          Be Transformed in Your Thinking

A.    You got to take control of your thoughts.

1. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; – Images/imaginations are pictures. Taking control of your thoughts is about taking control over what you are thinking in your life.
2. For example, if you want to get rid of scary thoughts, then stop watching scary movies.
3. Scary movies are the things we allow to enter our mind that are not of God. Scary movies also referred to as images or imaginations, get into your mind through your gates. These gates are your eye gates, your ear gates, or your ear gates. Then the images stack up and clutter your mind. As a result of the stacking of these images, you produce ungodly thoughts.
4. The Bible says that any man born of a woman is but a few days of trouble. This means we are born slanted towards trouble. If we are slanted towards trouble, then it is guaranteed that trouble will come our way.
5. Some people aren’t able to be creative anymore, because they have filled their minds up with clutter.
6. Three ways to take your thoughts captive:
7. Accept responsibility for your thoughts. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) says 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.– You have a choice to respond positivity or negatively. One bad event can ruin your whole day if you let it.
8. Your mind not just your behavior, must change. You can change addresses and still be in the same mindset you are . Romans 12:2 (NKJV) says 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
9. Choose to focus your thoughts on the right things. Colossians 3:2 (NKJV) says 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. You got the right not to want negative stuff around you.

B.     Remain positive by surrounding yourself with positivity.

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.- Have an environment around you that is so positive. This throws people off guard!
2. Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV) says 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [a]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.- What you release is what you will attract.
3. Systematic theology – God has a system. His word doesn’t return to him void. It accomplishes what he sent it to do. Even when God sent the Word in flesh, it returned back to him. Jesus, the Word is sitting at the right hand of Jesus right today. In like manner, when you send out a word, know that it is coming back to you.
4. The words you speak, create a greenhouse in your life. When you release the word, it comes back to you as a harvest. This is the reason the bible says so much about your mind and guarding your tongue.
5. Mental health is so important. You have to make sure that you keep your head together. What you listen to, what you watch, and what you say, all contribute to what your mind thinks.

III.          Be Trained with the Care of Your Body

A.    Treat your body like a temple

1. 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV) says 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?-Your body is a housing of the essence of who you are and the God in you. The Holy Spirit, God in you, lives inside your body. God was above us, then he was with us (in the form of Jesus), and now God is in you (In the form of the Holy Ghost). We can tell how you value the essence of who you are, simply by looking at how you treat your temple.
2. Would you intentionally allow rodents and filth inside the baby’s crib? No, because you value your baby’s life. If you were to get a new car and you don’t smoke, would you allow somebody to smoke inside it? No, because you value your car. Strangely, there are some people who value their car more than they value their temples.
3. You can’t ask the Lord to enlarge your territory if you don’t have the health to work it. The majority of people that pastor today are either morbidly obese or chronically ill. We are digging our graves with a fork.
4. What healthy habits do you practice daily?

Grade yourself with a grade of A-F on the following questions.

1. Stay hydrated
2. Get enough sleep daily
3. Ge adequate down time/ rest
4. Learn to say no
5. Eat more meals in a relaxed state
6. Find more ways to laugh
7. Spend more time in nature
8. Get daily light exposure
9. Move your body daily with exercise
10. Limit and reduce how much sugar your consume
11. Learn to manage overall stress
12. Exercise your mind
13. Learn a mediation technique that works for you
14. Let go of unrealistic expectations.
15. Find how to make yourself happy

Things to think about

1. What is preventing me from leading a healthier life?
2. What life adjustments are needed for me to include healthy habits into my life?
3. Which of the healthy habits listed do I need the most in my life.

B.     Your body requires intentional care

1. Maintenance is so much cheaper than repairs.
2. God gave an amazing diet. He fed it to the Children of Israel when they were in the wilderness. He gave them Manna in day, which is carbs and He gave them meat at night, which is protein.
3. It’s important to watch you emotional health too. This is your heart. The stuff in your heart can make your head go left. Think about it. Nobody ever thought they would be stalker. It just kind of happened. Noone ever thought they would be one to key a car, but it happened!

IV.          Be Transparent about Your Emotional Wellness

A.    Being truthful about your heart leads to healing

1. If don’t deal with your emotions, you can become implosive.
2. How you know?
3. Arrive at personal choices and decisions– not based on emotions.
4. Live and work independently. A person that has their emotional wellness in check, is not needy or clingy.
5. Form independent relationships with others. – Some of the closet friends I have, I don’t call every day.
6. Take on challenges. – People that are not emotionally well, are withdrawn.
7. Mange your life in personally rewarding yourself- You can’t just go to work and not stop to enjoy your life. Nothing works without reward.
8. John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.– God wants you to prosper in your health and in your mind.

B.     Nothing is done without spiritual health

1. Psalm 116 New King James Version (NKJV)

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

116 I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

3 The [a]pains of death surrounded me, And the [b]pangs of Sheol [c]laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. 6 The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living. 10 I believed, therefore I spoke, “I am greatly afflicted.” 11 I said in my haste, “All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.

16 O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people, 19 In the courts of the Lord’s house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

[d]Praise the Lord!

 Lessons from Psalm 116:

• v. 1 Believe in Him.
• v. 2 Cry out to Him.
• v. 9 Follow Him.
• v. 13 Drink Him.
• v. 14 Obey Him.
• v. 16 Serve Him.
• v. 17 Thank Him.
• v. 18–19 Live for Him.

I see myself like a pitcher. Every day I show up, there are cups waiting for me to pour into them. The more cups you have, the more I have to be under the fountain, so that I may pour out. The bigger your request, the more you have to stay under the fountain.

If you have a lot of cups to fill, then you have to continuously be under the foundation.

You got to get to place where you allow God to fill you up. There are times you get tired and want to leave the fountain, but you still pour out.

Sometimes you are only operating on pure condensation because you are good at what you do. This means that you are functioning, but you are not full. So you go back to the fountain to be filled up, so that you are not counterfeit.

Lots of people try to function without the fountain, but you just can’t. We’re able to do what we do, because God constantly fills us up.

God wants you to operate at the optimal level all the time. Get your body together, and get your heart right, allow yourself to be so spiritually focused, that you will come to get a word, no matter who is delivering it. Make sure you stay under the fountain.

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