Mind Games, Part 2: I Feel Abandoned

"I don't want to live. I feel abandoned. I lack faith. I don't need God." If you've ever found yourself thinking these thoughts, you've probably found yourself in the midst of a mind game.

"…..we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

"We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world." Ephesians 6:12 CEV

Fear: What does it do?

1. Consumes your mind.

"How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" Psalm 13:2 NIV

2. Clouds your judgment.

"Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him." But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean." Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly." Luke 22:54-62 NIV

3. Controls your life.

"We have heard reports about them, and our hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped us, pain like that of a woman in labor." Jeremiah 6:24 NIV

"When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." Judges 6:12-13 NIV

1. Draw near to God

"The central promise in the Bible is not "I will forgive you". The most frequent promise is "I will be with you." –John Ortberg

"Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." Genesis 35:3 NIV

"...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 NIV

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" —which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23 NIV

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8 NIV

2. Listen to His voice.

"I'm not so different from you, we all hear voices. We just have to decide which ones we are going to listen to."

Do you know His voice?

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27 NIV

3. Do life together.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2 NIV

"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." 1 Thessalonians 2:8 NIV

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24 NIV

For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www. freedom-church.org.