Identity Crisis

---

If you would rather read this message, I have provided the words below:

---

INTRODUCTION: 

What do you do when you first meet someone? Let’s examine some examples from both teenage and adult perspectives:

(1)  Teen Friendship only:  

• Get his/her name?
• Ask what he/she likes to do?
• Find out where he/she typically hangs out?
• Do you know any of the same people?
• Find out what you have in common.
• Discern who the person is and if you want that person to be in your life. 

(2)  Teen Romantic interest:  

• Robot mode: Judge by appearance. Scan the subject.
• Facial recognition: Approved. Does not need a bag over the head.
• Body: mid-section: Approved.
• Body: lower-section: there’s some junk in the trunk but that’s okay because I like big butts and I cannot lie—
• We don’t even think about who they are! They could be the most attractive serial killer you’ve ever met.

(3)  Adult friendship only:  (we are worse than teens)

• What’s your name? (I don’t really care and I probably won’t remember it)
• What do you do for a living? (Do I have a better career than you? Do I make more money than you? Am I better than you?)

(4)  Adult romantic interest: 

• Adults basically do the same thing as teens.

(5)  Is it any wonder why so many friendships last a long time — even a lifetime? Is it any wonder why so many romantic relationships end in heartache, pain, and divorce? 

• When seeking friendships, we typically seek to find who the person is – we seek to discover that person’s identity.
• When seeking romantic relationships, we typically seek to find what is physically attractive to look at and then try to force that person to become the best friend we’re hoping to find.

SCRIPTURE READING:

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ ‘Well,’ they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.’ Then he asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.’ ”
(Matthew 16:13-17) -NLT

GAMESHOW:  GUESS WHO

How To Play:

Get out a piece of paper and a writing utensil. Write numbers 1-7, going down. I am going to describe to you seven different people, one at a time. As I am describing each person to you, I want you to try to imagine what each person looks like. First, imagine whether the person is male or female. Write it down — male or female. After you assume the gender of the person, I want you to imagine the age, height, and even the weight of the person. I want you to also imagine if the person has a lot of facial hair or if the person is clean shaven. Imagine the person’s skin tone, hair color and even the eye color. Does the person have freckles? Wrinkles? Does the person have scars? What clothing would the person be wearing? Be as specific as possible in your guess as to who this person is. If you know who the person is, simply write the name of the person. 

IDENTITY #1

Description:  

This person had a sister and a brother who both died at an early age. Not too much longer after the death of both siblings, this person’s mother also died. This person eventually became a part-owner of a store, but the business failed. This person studied law. This person eventually fell in love; however, this person’s love interest also eventually died. With only two saddlebags to hold all of this person’s possessions, this person moved to a new city to live in at the age of 28. This person eventually got into politics. This person ran for president year after year and got rejected year after year; however, this person finally got elected as the president of the United States at the age of 52.

Identity Revealed:

It was only after years of rejection and ‘failure’ that this man succeeded. That man was Abraham Lincoln.

IDENTITY #2

Description:

This person was born in 1929. This person lived in a confined space with many other people and felt as if the atmosphere was suffocating at times. At the age of only 15, this person got arrested. At the young age of 16, this person died from typhoid fever; in addition, all family members with the exception of the father ended up dying. But the father found this person’s diary and this diary became famous.

Identity Revealed:  

The young girl named Anne Frank eventually went on to inspire millions of people despite the fact that she wasn’t even alive here on Earth. Her father — the only remaining family member — found Anne’s diary, was amazed by her maturity and character and then he got it published into a book. Anne provided wonderful insight into a dark moment of history inundated with Nazis and also showed the world that maturity can be found in youth and a hero can look like a female. 

{She was 16! You are not too young to make a difference!}

IDENTITY #3

Description:  

This person was born in Australia. As a child, this person struggled mentally, emotionally, and even physically. At one point, this person considered suicide. At the age of 21, this person graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce and with a double major in accountancy and financial planning. This person is now a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker.

Identity Revealed:  

This person is Nick Vujicic; he was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. Nick has encouraged, motivated and inspired millions of people simply because he overcame and never quit. Though he lives a life without limbs, his heart propels him in the direction he needs to go.

IDENTITY #4

Description:  

This person was one of eight siblings and was also the runt of the litter. Being the smallest, this person was sent to watch over sheep rather than being in war or hunting. On one occasion, a special visitor came to the father and desired to choose one of the siblings for a special task and rare position. But on this occasion, this person was excluded from the other siblings and wasn’t even presented as a choice to the special visitor. Neither the father nor the siblings thought very much of this person.

Identity Revealed:  

This person is the great David of the Bible. Even Samuel — a prophet — admitted he wanted to choose David’s brother over David. But GOD’s response in 1Samuel 16:6-7 tells us that GOD does not look at appearance, but looks at the heart.

IDENTITY #5

Description:  

This person dressed with clothing that proclaims importance and that is because this person possesses an important title or position. This person was one of the few who comprised the ruling class in the area. This person was a successful person by human standards. However, this person eventually caused an innocent and much loved man to receive a death sentence and was later despised because of it. 

Identity Revealed:  

This person is one of the many Pharisees whom Jesus opposed and often rebuked. These are the people who seemed like they had it all together and were doing everything right! Though the Pharisees had the appearance of importance and right character, they lacked heart. Examine the words of Jesus regarding the Pharisees:

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others…. Woe to you, blind guides…. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness…. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?”
(Matthew 23:1-5, 16, 27-28, 33) -ESV 

IDENTITY #6

Description:  

This person grew up agnostic and eventually became a performer in Hollywood for the entertainment industry and had been in dozens of television shows. This person became a nihilistic atheist whose only concern was experiencing fun. Sadly, this person’s nihilism brought this person to write out a suicide letter, considering everything in life to be worthless and meaningless — even life itself. After failing to commit suicide, this person eventually left the entertainment industry and ended up receiving unemployment checks until working such jobs as a janitor for an elementary school and as a groundskeeper for an apartment community. By the world’s standards, this person became a failure and an insignificant and invisible nobody.

Identity Revealed:  

This person is me (Trenton Gill). Jesus saved me from myself. To see my entire testimony, please see my other article, “My Testimony: from Agnosticism, to Atheism, to Christianity“.

IDENTITY #7

Description:  

As a baby, this person was born in a dirty place where animals typically go to eat. There never seemed to be anything remarkable about this person; in fact, this person worked an ordinary job as a typical carpenter. When this person was around 30 years of age, this person went above and beyond to love people. And yet despite of this person’s great love, this person was condemned to a death sentence on false accusations and died a horrible death. People mocked this person as this person died.

Identity Revealed:  

This person is Christ Jesus. Jesus — fully GOD — became fully human in order to save us from ourselves. By His great sacrificial love, our bloodstained sinful selves have been whitewashed and cleansed and we will be able to live in His presence for all eternity.

SUMMARY

When I described each person, did the physical appearance ever make a difference as to who they ended up becoming? Did physical appearance have anything to do with the person’s identity? 

(1)  Think:  

• Did age or gender make a difference?
• Did all of their ‘current’ jobs, tasks, labels or titles ever define who they would end up becoming?
• Did their history determine their future?

(2)  The heart is the start and most important part:  

• From examples in this game and everyone we read about in the Bible, what matters most is the heart. 

CONCLUSION: GAME’S OVER; NOW WHAT? REAL LIFE STARTS.

(1)  Examine yourself:  

• If I were to write a description about you and share it with someone else, would that person picture you?
• Is the current description of you the person you want to be in the future?
• What do you care about most in life?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• What are your dreams?
• Who do you want to become?
• You need to know your identity. Otherwise, people will tell you who you are and you just might believe them. 

(2)  Examine others:  

• Are you judging someone by their appearance instead of looking at their heart?
• Do you even know enough about someone to write a description about that person’s heart?
• If you don’t know a person well enough to write a description about that person’s heart, then you don’t truly know who they are.

REAL LIFE APPLICATION

Pastor Steve Fender from Livingway Church of San Antonio, Texas once shared with me one of the most amazing testimonies I’ve ever heard. After an alter call at one of Steve’s services, a man by the name of Ernest had asked Steve to talk to him and pray with him. Eventually, Ernest confessed to being a Mexican mafia hitman and that he had killed a lot of people. Ernest asked if GOD would still accept him because of all the murders he had committed and pastor Steve told Ernest that no one is too far gone to be saved. Pastor Steve asked Ernest to lift up his hands in surrender to GOD; Ernest told Steve that he would, but only if Steve would hold his shirt down so that no one would see his gun while his arms were up. Ernest — a hitman with a loaded gun in church service — gave his life to Christ that day and eventually led many other people to Christ. One day, Ernest was shot while walking the streets. When pastor Steve arrived at the scene, Ernest was face down on the ground, already dead. In Ernest’s hand appeared to be a gun; however, it was a copy of the New Testament. The world labeled Ernest as a murderer; Ernest proclaimed himself to be a murderer at one point; however, Ernest was made new in Christ and was called to be a preacher. Ernest’s title of ‘hitman’ wasn’t his true identity. And once Ernest realized his real identity, he received his true calling and his true title. Repentance and faith bring salvation. Despite his past, Ernest was a preacher and that is how we should remember him.

CALL TO ACTION:

(1)  Perhaps you genuinely desire to have a relationship with GOD, but you are guilty of judging people by their appearances. If that’s you, repent and ask GOD to help you see people in the loving way He sees them. “GOD, remove the veil of lies from my eyes! Open my eyes to see Truth! Help me to see people as you see them!”

(2)  Perhaps you don’t judge people by their appearances and assume the worst of them, but you do distance yourself from people who seem questionable. If that’s you, ask GOD to cast out fear and to fill you with the love and courage necessary to go introduce yourself to those people. You just might introduce yourself to someone who needs love the most.

(3) Perhaps you view yourself as the person who has only been judged by his/her appearance. Is it possible that you’ve closed yourself off and have prevented people from establishing relationships with you because you’re afraid of getting hurt? If that’s you, open yourself up again and allow people to get to know who you truly are. If possible, link up with someone else and then together go introduce yourselves to someone else.

(4)  Perhaps you just found yourself here but you’re not a committed follower of Christ. If that’s you, perhaps it’s time to get to know the One who died for you. Perhaps it’s time to get to know the GOD who desires to have a relationship with the person He created. GOD created you for a purpose. If you want to discover that purpose and know more, let it be known to GOD. Seek and you will find.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, please inundate our hearts and convict us of the truth. Please open our eyes and help us to see beyond the superficial surface and to dive deep into the depth of Truth. Open our minds and enable us to see true identity beyond the facade of the face or the build of the body. Help us to love people the way you love them. I proclaim in the name of Jesus, the person reading this will discover his/her true identity in You. 

Superhero: Solution Seekers

---

If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:

---

This is Part 5 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love.

---

In this message (Part 5), I’m going to examine another defining characteristic of superheroes: they are solution seekers!

Solution seeker! Yes! Being a solution-seeker is a great concept and a wonderful thing to write on a resume! But there’s one problem: we often worry about what’s wrong. Many people are prone to pointing out problems. In fact, I just pointed out a problem by pointing out that problem. (Oh no! That’s a problem!) But wait – there’s more! I have good news to share! Where there are problems, there can be solutions! In fact, here is a solution to problems: Never point out a problem unless you’re also willing to seek a solution. At the very least, you must be willing to seek a solution to a problem or else you become the problem. For the one who refuses to seek a solution accepts the problem as a permanent pain.

If seeking solutions is such an easy answer to pesky and persistent problems, why are there so many people who are depressed and/or filled with anxiety or worry? Why do so many people consider suicide? Well, there exists two major evil villains that prevent people from seeking solutions: Fear and Doubt – they are the fork in the tongue of the serpent. Many people often allow problems to paralyze them from going forward due to fear of failure; many people also what-if themselves into indecisiveness and doubt themselves into idleness.

Fear and Doubt:

Fear paralyzes people and prevents possibility. Even if you do not fear anything, you can still be denied possibility due to Doubt. If Doubt becomes a barrier between you and Belief, it becomes equal to fear in the sense that it still prevents you from possibility. The person who allows Fear and Doubt to take control becomes his/her own problem because he/she is imprisoned within his/her own mind. In the prison of problems, your only cellmate is stagnation.

There Is Hope:

I’m going to let you in on a secret in the hope that you’re going to tell everyone and it will no longer be a secret: Doubt fears Belief, and Fear doubts Belief. Even with as much hatred and evil as Fear and Doubt have within themselves, they still understand the concept of teamwork; together, they can imprison you! However, Doubt fears Belief. Doubt fears Belief because Belief banishes Doubt away. Where is your concept of teamwork? You cannot have teamwork with Fear or Doubt while seeking Possibility. Fear and Doubt already work together with plans of destruction and their target is you! You can only pair up with Belief and Vision in order to find Possibility. Belief banishes Doubt from you when you and Belief join together to create a team. Together, you can then overcome Fear because you would believe that you can do so. However, because Fear doubts Belief, Fear will follow you, doubting that Belief will remain within you. Since Belief banishes doubt from you when you team up with Belief, Doubt will live inside of Fear (who is following you), motivating Fear to follow you. However, the pursuit will be in vain because Belief is eternal so long as you never have an about-face of doubt. That means you will always be able to find Possibility so long as you team up with Belief. But belief in what? Not what, but who! Belief in the Savior, Christ Jesus! The Savior is the Solution – we simply need to seek the Solution to all problems if we are to find the specific solutions for specific problems!

Resist and Receive:

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -NLT

The special stipulation to this promise is found in James 4:2-3; our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. Ask yourself three important questions:

1. For what are you asking?
2. Why are you asking for that specific request?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

Knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will.

What Does GOD Say About Fear?

There are over 300 instances in the Bible in which we are instructed not to fear. There are two major reasons why we should not fear:

1. Trust in GOD;
2. love for others.

(1) There should be no fear in this limited lifetime because we know our eternal destiny:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
(Matthew 10:28-31) -NLT

(2) Why would we fear the outcome of choosing to love?:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
(1John 4:17-18) -NLT

Therefore, we do not fear people nor do we fear punishment. Perfect love casts out all fear. And since we trust in GOD – who is love (1John 4:8,16) – and we choose to love GOD and others, we have no reason to fear.

What Does GOD Say About Doubt?

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
(Psalm 94:19) -NLT

Do you see how this works? Belief banishes doubt. Faith (trust) in GOD creates hope. With hope, one has reason to seek solutions. While seeking the Solution, the Holy Spirit gives the seeker wisdom and vision. Wisdom and vision plan out and produce possibilities.

“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ ”
(Matthew 14:28-33) -ESV

Peter had faith and so he walked on water. However, he allowed doubt within and he started to sink. But remember: doubt was living inside of fear and fear is faithful to follow. Doubt and fear joined forces and caused Peter to sink. But in seeking the Savior, the Solution was found: trust in the Lord is the solution. Faith creates hope and hope gives birth to possibilities.

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.’ ”
(Matthew 21:21) -NLT

So, faith is foundational and prayer is powerful. But in order to pray we must first be seeking GOD. If prayer, however, is one of the keys to being a solution seeker, then prayer needs to be properly understood.

Faith-filled Purposeful Prayer:

Prayer needs to be purposeful if it is to be powerful (I’ll expound upon prayer in parts 21-22). Prayer is not a means of merely asking for what we want. GOD is not a magic genie and prayer is not the magic lamp by which to summon GOD. Prayer is a connection between us and GOD. A healthy relationship requires constant communication. So, talk. Prayer is also a way to love others. We should pray for others (Ephesians 6:18-19). But we should also pray that GOD’s will be done and not our own (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44). In the connection of prayer, the goal is to come into alignment with GOD’s will. Regarding prayer, it is important to remember that GOD always answers our prayers in one of three possible ways: yes, no, or not yet. And it is important to thank GOD for all the “no” answers. All the “no” answers eventually lead to the “yes” moment. When we pray, we must pray for the right reasons. Motive matters. We don’t need a mantra, we need a meaningful connection with the Maker. Prayers need to be genuine and purposeful. But remember: you don’t always need to know exactly what to say (Romans 8:26-28). Just be honest.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
(James 1: 6-8) –NIV

Doubts are sometimes unavoidable and seem inevitable. Whether intellectually based or emotionally charged, all doubts need to be doubted and examined. If you find yourself doubting, you’re certainly not alone in your struggle. In Mark 9:24, the father of the possessed son asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Having the courage to doubt your doubts and investigate their causes leads to greater confidence in your relationship with Jesus. In seeking the Savior, He can help work through your doubts to increase your faith. Therefore, investigate your doubts. Seek Truth. Be specific about what your doubts are – write them out and list reasons for and against them. Also, pray! And never stop praying (1Thessalonians 5:17)! Like the father of the possessed son, we too can ask GOD to help with unbelief. Be a Solution seeker! This is important because belief casts out doubt and love casts out fear. The faith-filled become the faith-full! The faithful and loving solution-seeker is stable and also able to pursue possibilities.

Beyond, Through, and To:

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.”
(1Peter 5:7) –NCV

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7) -NLT

Though the Bible does not explicitly say that worry is a sin, we can still logically conclude that it is a sin by examining all the available evidence. One simply cannot trust GOD to provide if one worries about provision. Likewise, one cannot trust GOD about wellbeing if one worries about wellbeing. Faith is trust. There’s no trust in worrying because worrying comes from doubting GOD.

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) -NLT

Know this: GOD already told us He will take care of all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34).

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4:8-9) -NLT

Pray Your Way To Peace:

Prayer is not our last resort; rather, it is our first line of defense! And that is why prayer is being discussed here in addition to the end of this book. How do we get GOD’s peace? By putting into practice what we learned. We have learned that we need to put our trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). So, let us put into practice our faith by living confidently in Christ. We can pray our way into peace! Look beyond the problem, through the potential and to the possibilities by seeking the power of GOD in prayer. If we focus on all that is good and right, our focus won’t be on what is bad and wrong. That’s easier said than done – I know. But no one ever said that what is simple is also easy. If we fill our minds with GOD’s Word, we won’t have enough room to fill our minds with the Satan’s lies and the world’s ways. Christians must think about what they’re thinking about and not allow their minds to wander into the chaotic circus of sin. In our spiritual warfare, we need to wear the helmet of salvation (explain in Part 19) because it is spiritual armor for the mind. Negative thoughts can be replaced with positive ones, and the more that godly substitution takes place, the more peace and joy we can experience. Many times we are asking GOD to change our situation when GOD desires to change our stinkin’ thinkin’! GOD’s peace is promised to guard those who pray – with thanksgiving – about everything.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
(Romans 8:28) -NLT

Stay Focused:

We already know the ending of the story! Christ returns, evil is banished to Hell, and all believers will live happily ever after with Jesus for eternity (Revelation 19-21). Knowing this, our focus should simply be on how to continually make things better until Christ returns. GOD gave people the great gift of free will. Where free will exists, evil is always possible; in fact, bad things are inevitable in this sinful fallen world. But GOD created us to create good while we choose to live a life of love. So, what are you creating? In order to be a solution seeker, we must trust in GOD and love others. Belief banishes doubt and love expels fear. Without fear and doubt, GOD’s peace will be with you and GOD’s power will enable you to be more than a conquerer in Christ (Romans 8:37).

Conclusion:

“Show mercy to those who have doubts. Save others by snatching them from the fire of hell.”
(Jude 1: 22-23) –GW

You can be a superhero! You can be a superhero by simply being a consistent solution seeker! In the name of Jesus, go be a defender of the faith by helping others battle fear and doubt. Peter was saved while sinking in the sea of doubt because he reached out to Jesus. All people can find salvation by doing exactly what Peter did – by reaching out to Jesus and trusting Him to save. In fact, I did the same thing when I once found myself sinking and Jesus saved me too! To read my testimony, see my other article, “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, To Atheism, To Christianity“.

Here’s the bottom line: When a problem comes along, you must whip it! Whip it good… in the name of Jesus!

 

From Caveman To Conqueror

 

---

If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:

---

 

FROM CAVEMAN TO CONQUEROR

What’s up everybody! My name’s Trenton. I’m going to share a little bit about myself, but before I do that, I want to show you a clip from a television show. Does anybody like the television show Grey’s Anatomy? Real quick, watch this clip and then I’ll continue…

[Clip from Grey’s Anatomy]

Ew! That guy was bloody! Bloody good, right?! I’m not sure if you noticed or not, but that scrawny pale dead guy was me! Yes! I died, I came back, I’m here, it’s strange — I know! I used to be an actor in Hollywood. I’ve been in over 20 television shows, a couple movies and a few commercials. (see my acting resume here!)

That scene where I got zipped up in the body bag was not fun to film. The cast and crew actually played a practical joke on me and left me in the body bag even after they had finished filming. 

That scene of me being inside the body bag is actually a very fitting description of what my life was like back then. By the world’s standards, I had made it. I had made money from acting jobs and I had accomplished what many people can never say they’ve done. But there was one problem: I was an atheist and I didn’t believe in GOD. I also suffered from severe depression, thoughts of suicide, and felt dead inside even though I was very much alive.

I was alive while I had been filming that scene, but I was trapped in darkness. I knew that life was going on all around me, but I wasn’t able to comprehend the truth of what was going on. All I knew was darkness.

Now imagine this: when the joke was over and they unzipped the body bag, I was not only able to see, but I was able to comprehend the truth of what I saw. 

I want to share a message with you about what it’s like to come out of the darkness and into the Light of Truth. 

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
(John 12:46) -ESV

[Prayer]

(If you have a Bible, turn to 1Samuel 22 and leave it open there.)

The people of Israel demanded that they receive a king like other nations had. GOD warned them against it, but they demanded it anyway. GOD gave them what they wanted. And the type of king they wanted was a guy named Saul. But Saul wasn’t a good king. Eventually, GOD had Samuel the prophet go anoint David as the new future king to replace Saul. Instead of having a king who reflected the people’s desires, GOD chose a man after His own heart. (Tag! You’re it!) 

When David got anointed, the Holy Spirit filled David and left Saul. Saul had darkness within him, was bitter, envious, paranoid, etc. A lot of things happened after that, but David ended up working in the palace under Saul. So, David wasn’t king yet, but he was going to be. To make a long story shorter, Saul kept trying to kill David until David went on the run. And that’s where we are at in this story. 

In 1Samuel 22, it is written that David escaped and hid in the cave of Adullam. Everything seemed to be working against David. Saul wanted to kill him and he wasn’t even safe in his own home — Saul sent thugs to David’s house to try to kill him. So, David ran somewhere else. But that didn’t work either — he had more enemies there than where he came from. Let me ask you this: Do you run from your problems, going from this to that, here to there?

David eventually escaped and hid in a cave. How many times in life do we all ‘escape’ and hide in a ‘cave’? You may not escape to a literal cave, but perhaps you escape to your bedroom or a bathroom. Maybe you don’t have a physical location where you can go to feel safe, but you shut your mind down and you hide within yourself. Where is your cave? Why do you go there? When you get discouraged? Distressed? Depressed? Deflated? Defeated? When you don’t see the results you wanted? When people are talking bad about you? When you see your parents fighting? When you feel like a failure? Some people even go to the extremes and hide in the caves of alcohol, drugs, or sexual relations outside of marriage because they think they’re safe there. I hope and pray that’s not you, but if it is, I have Good News to share with you. 

Yeah — David found himself in the cave, but while David was in the cave, he did something that would forever change his seemingly hopeless situation — he wrote Psalm 34! (I want you to find in your Bible where 1Samuel 21 ends and 1Samuel 22 begins and write, “Psalm 34” between them.) David was being hunted like wild game. Meanwhile, he was hiding in a cave, praising GOD in the darkness of the den and declaring deliverance from all his fears! The faith of David! And why not? Look at the faithfulness of GOD! Listen — GOD has a plan! When we call out to GOD in loving trust and praise like David did, we will find that GOD will find us in whatever bad situation we’re in and use it to take us to where He wants us to go. 

Psalm 34 — like many other psalms — is an excellent example of trusting in the Lord. In Psalm 34:8, David said: Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the person who takes refuge in GOD! He was basically saying, “Try it for yourself — you’re going to like it! You’re going to love it!”

David was down, but he was not out! It was there in the darkness of that den that the light of the Lord shined on David! Why? David had placed his focus on the Lord! 

“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.”
(Psalm 18:28)-NIV

His physical body may have been in the darkness of that cave, but his thoughts were on the Lord and His ways! David invited the light of the Lord to come into the cave so that he would not cave into temptation to collapse in his current situation. Where the Light is, darkness simply cannot be! 

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
(John 1:5)-NLT

Are you complaining about your current cave while dying in your darkness? Or are you inviting the Lord into your situation so He can bring light to your life? With the Lord leading the way as the Lamp who guides our path, we will walk out of the darkness and into the Light. And that’s exactly what David does! 

In 1Samuel 22:1-2, it is written that first, his family found out he was there and came to him. But then all the outcasts of society joined him. They were broke, busted, and disgusted. They owed people money, they were filled with stress, anxiety, and worry, felt like they didn’t fit in or belong anywhere, and people always talked about them behind their backs. These were people who experienced loss and weren’t happy about the way life was going. And If we’re all honest with ourselves, we will be able to admit that maybe we’re kinda like David and all the outcasts who joined him in the cave. Because it’s human nature that when life doesn’t go our way, we often run to the cave. We run to whatever feels good. We hide because we don’t want to face our problems. 

Hide and seek is the worst when someone hides with you in your spot. David was trying to hide, and hundreds of people hide with them. And of course you’ll have that one dodo brain who will have half his body sticking out, yet he thinks he’s hidden because he covered his head. Meanwhile, his body that’s sticking out is basically shouting, “Hey Saul! We’re over here! You can come kill us! Me and every single person hiding in this same spot!” (You’re blowing my cover! Get your own spot!) But that’s not what David thought. David welcomed them.

In 1Samuel 22:5, Gad the prophet delivered a word from GOD to David and told him to leave that cave and go into the land of Judah. David was obedient to GOD, acting on what he heard, which showed him to be faithful. Though David was surrounded by evildoers who served Saul and Satan, he had complete confidence in the Lord’s love and faithfulness. Though David mentions his problems, his focus is on his relationship with GOD. David basically says, “I’m too blessed to be stressed! Ain’t nobody got time for stress and worry! Ain’t nobody want to live in this dank dark depressing cave anyway! So why not leave?! It’s time to get up on out of here! I will leave this cave!”

That’s obedience! When you say, “Yes, Lord! Yes!” and you actually act on what you hear. David was obedient and left the cave. Had David stayed in the cave of Adullam, GOD would not have been with him and he would have died in his darkness because Saul was on the way.

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”
(John 12:46) -ESV

We may find ourselves in darkness — it happens sometimes. But we must walk with the Lord if we are to live in the light! GOD is on the move! We need to go on the move with Him! 

That’s why it says in Psalm 23, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…”  — No, this ain’t gangsta’s paradise. We don’t take a look at life and realize there’s none left. 

“Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness, I am not overcome by fear. Because You are with me in those dark moments, near with Your protection and guidance, I am comforted.
(Psalm 23:4)-Voice

We are to look at life and realize that GOD has so much more in store! But the key is that you have to be traveling with the Lord. The sheep travel with the Shepherd! And David left the cave to walk with GOD. And guess what happened — everyone else followed David. Why? They saw something in David they wanted. David wrote psalms while in the cave, praised GOD while in the cave, and kept his focus on his relationship with the Lord. David had been speaking life into those outcasts the entire time they were in the cave. Those who were lost found everything they needed through David and in the Lord. And guess what — David’s ragtag motley crew bunch of nobodies eventually forms the core of his military leadership after he becomes king of Israel (2Samuel 23:8~)!

Linda, listen!

Pay attention! Just for clarification: the cave is not the final destination; it’s not where we find ultimate salvation. The cave is a rest stop location during migration. How many people experience frustration because they give into the temptation to lay foundation in the depths of darkness where death destroys creation? Dwell in the darkness? That’s abomination! Don’t accept that invitation! Satan will lie and say it’s acceptable to stay; it’s your home, your life, you don’t need authorization. But after the presentation, if you sign on the dotted line, Satan the salesman becomes your boss and affiliation because you never took into consideration the contradiction of the special stipulations that states your soul is now available for confiscation and condemnation. The decision for sinful cohabitation is a deadly combination. Without hesitation, the boss becomes abuser and you live under constant accusation, intimidation, manipulation, and dehumanization. But it was your negotiation created the situation for suffocation and termination. But GOD’s Word is full of truthful information; some can be difficult to understand and requires further explanation. I’ll save you some aggravation; I’ll provide the translation: (And yeah — go ahead and write down the quotation, unless you’re good at memorization.) Are you ready for the translation? The cave ain’t yo crib, casa, cabin, or cottage! The cave is not the central campground! We should never make the hideout our home!

David’s army grew from a few wimps and knuckleheads to 400 in number, and then to 600, and then David was eventually crowned king of Judah and then all of Israel. But in 2Samuel 23, we find out that David had 37 best of the best warriors, but considered three of them the greatest. (You can be the greatest, you can be the best — these guys were king kongs banging on their chests!) 

And the three had been with David since the cave of Adullam! These are the same guys who had once been on the run and now they’re running people out! They went from wimps to warriors! These guys are what legends are made of! These were the guys who were once broke, busted, and disgusted! Everywhere they went, people told them, “You dusty, you musty, you crusty! Ew!) And now they’re taking territory, getting paid! (Standing in the hall of fame! And the world’s gonna know your name!) “Go ahead and talk about me in the Bible because I’m living right. It’s every day bro!” Bu why? the change? Imagine Dragons:
(First things first, I’ma say all the words inside my head, I’m fired up and tired of the way that things have been – oh – the way that things have been – oh)

Josheb-basshebeth took out 800 men in a single battle setting using only a spear. This guy had once been on the run, and now he’s immovable. He said, “C’mon, I will cut you foo!” He went from running and hiding to hunting and gathering! He went from hiding behind David in the cave (“Yo, where they at?”) to standing in front of David on the battlefield (“Yo, where they at?!”)

Eleazar got stranded when other soldiers ran away during battle. But he stood his ground and struck the enemies down one after another until his hand was weary and locked onto his sword handle. He gripped that mug so tight that his hand just locked in place and refused to let go. He said, “I ain’t scurred! I’ve been running away from my problems for too long! I’m done running! I’m done caving in to evil! I’m never going back to the cave of darkness! I’d rather die living in the light than merely existing in the darkness! David showed me that our GOD is greater! And I’m experiencing that for myself! That’s the truth!”

Shaman — Like Eleazar, he also stood his ground when other soldiers ran away during battle and he defended an area by himself. 

So why the change? Why not?! Some people have been hiding in the cave of darkness for too long! GOD is on the move! It’s time to come out of the darkness and into the light. 

Austin Riesen, professor of psychology, did research into how early visual experience, or the lack of it, affects vision. He raised infant chimpanzees in complete darkness. After about two years, the animals were tested in light conditions and were found to be visually blind though not organically blind. In other words, they could see but could not comprehend. They had lived in the darkness for too long and didn’t know what to do in real life where the light exists. It was only after living in the light-filled condition for a while that they were finally able to distinguish between harmful or not harmful, friend or foe. Likewise, David’s men didn’t automatically become warriors and righteous men after coming out of the darkness and into the light. They had to adjust to the light, change the way they lived, let go of old harmful habits, pick up and learn new good and healthy habits.

In this study, the younger the animal, the greater the loss of vision altogether. The visual cortex in the brain fails to develop properly in the absence of a visual input or stimulation. What does that mean? The longer you live in the darkness, the more you become accustomed to living a life of darkness. And then you won’t be able to function in the real world where the lights exists. 

When you come out of a movie theater in the middle of the day, the light is uncomfortable and you can’t see at first. It takes time to adjust. And that’s not even two hours watching a movie — that’s not even in complete darkness. 

All studies have confirmed that the early experience of the environment contributes to perceptual competence in adulthood. What that means is that your adult life is being determined by the decisions you’re making right now. Everything you do or do not do is extremely important. Your childhood and teenage years is your development stage. If you grow up in the darkness, it is likely that you will be blind as an adult. And please understand I’m talking about your spiritual health. It is possible to see but not comprehend. As an adult, you’ll be a darkness dweller, creeping and crawling around in the dark like cave creatures do, simply living out the ways of the world because that’s what society will tell you to do. 

I’m not here to condemn you if you happen to be in a cave right now. But I am here to tell you — like the prophet told David — do not remain in the cave. The only reason why David went into the cave was to seek the Lord. Do you know what that’s called when you go into a cave to seek the Lord? A prayer closest! A prayer room! You need to turn that cave of darkness into a prayer room full of Light. David went into the cave seeking the Lord and then came out of the cave walking with the Lord.

Bruce Wayne ran into a cave, but it was so that he could become Batman, leave the cave, and go out and help people, rescue them, and save them. Likewise, Jesus calls us out of the darkness and into the light so we can go out and help, love, and serve people, and lead them to the One who can actually save them! Jesus is the Light that casts out the darkness of the cave so that it may be our prayer room full of light!

There was about 400 outcasts and David became commander over them. He was a leader of losers! The rejects! Sound familiar? That’s what Jesus did in His ministry (blind, lame, poor, sinners, etc.). And BTW, Jesus went into a cave too; some call it a tomb. But guess what — He came out of the cave! There’s only darkness and death in the cave, but death couldn’t hold Jesus down because He had the crown! He conquered the cave; He conquered the grave!

Romans 8:35-39 says that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We are more than conquerors in Christ!

• What is your cave? Where do you run to when problems come your way?
• Are you currently in the darkness of the cave and want to come out? 
• Do you want to know how to make your cave of darkness into a prayer room full of light, love and laughter?
• Do you know someone who is in the darkness you need to help out?

May the church be the cave you run into to seek the Lord. And every time you leave church you walk with the Lord. Now, some of you may feel like you don’t need church. By all means, if you’re perfect I suppose you don’t need church. Because the church is not a holier-than-thou social club for super spiritual saints; rather, it’s a hospital for sinners and place where imperfect people can seek a better life and improvement. We’re all growing together here! This is the cave we come to so that we can be challenged and so we can grow. 

Look around you. How many wimps do you see? Some of you might see some wimps; some of you might even feel like wimps. But when I look at you, all I see are future warriors in Christ. I’m going to speak life into you and show you that GOD is greater. And when you go out into the spiritual battlefield we call life, your hand is going to lock onto the handle of that double-edged Sword, which is the Word of GOD, and you won’t let go! 

First, I want to speak to those of you who are already believers. Maybe you’re already a believer and you’ve been hiding out in the darkness of the cave. But there’s only two types of believers who hide in the darkness of the cave. Either you’re the believer seeking the Lord and you’re at a rest stop location or you’re the believer trying to hide certain sinful actions from GOD because it’s what you want to do. And you’ve somehow convinced yourself that if you do it in the secrecy of the dark that it’s somehow acceptable.  

“ ‘Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?’ says the Lord.”
(Jeremiah 23:24) -NLT

“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:14) -NIV

(1) If you’re the believer who is in the darkness because you’ve been trying to hide certain sinful actions, I’m not trying to beat you up — I want to encourage you to come back to Christ. May this be your moment to repent and come out of that cave and join the rest of your committed comrades in the light and come together in the fight.  

(2) If you’re the seeker, I just want to encourage you and let you know that you came to the right place — because this is a prayer room full of Light! Keep doing what you’re doing! Keep seeking the Lord so that we may continue to walk with the Lord!

(3) Maybe you’re not a follower of Christ — you’re not a believer — but you happen to be here right now. Do you think it’s a coincidence that I traveled through different states to come here and give you the message that you should not remain in the cave anymore? Maybe the Holy Spirit spoke into your heart and you feel like you finally see some light in the darkness of your cave. If that’s you, I want to invite you into a personal relationship with Jesus. This is not some self-help seminar or inspirational feel-good-about-yourself pep talk. Jesus is is real; He is there; He is aware; He does care. He sacrificed Himself for us on our behalf to save us from ourselves. That’s how much He loves you! And I promise you that in seeking the Lord, you will walk out of the darkness and into the light and you will be more than a conquerer in Christ!

(All eyes on me…)

Your eyes were closed for a little while and then you opened them and you saw. Let that be symbolic for your spiritual walk with Christ.

Whether this is your first time making a commitment to Christ, or you’re repenting and coming back to Christ, or you’re simply making a declaration to advance forward with Christ, I want to invite every single one of you to participate in something if you raised a hand. Even if you didn’t raise your hand but you know in your heart you should have. I want you all to stand to your feet. (Not yet!) And I’m asking you to do this for two reasons: [1] It takes effort to leave your old ways behind and to walk with Christ. The physical action of standing up takes effort. This is more so that you can show yourself that you’re not only willing to do this, but that you’re able. You can rise up! You can take a stand! [2] I want you to see just how many people around you are on your team. (Okay, now!) On the count of three, if you had raised your hand or knew you should have, stand up. 1,2,3!

Now look around at each other. You’re looking at warriors in Christ. You might want to get to know every single one of them because they are the ones who are going to have your back in the spiritual battle. But also look around and be sure to take notice of anyone not standing up.

Extra: If you see someone sitting down, I want you to love them, encourage them, motivate them, and inspire them! They are not outcasts because they’re not standing up with you! You better invite them in just like David did. And how many people not in this room are out there in the world who feel isolated, alone, and rejected? How many can you love and invite in? How many people feel dead inside yet are very much alive? YOU could be the one to unzip the body bag so someone can come out of the darkness and into the light!

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS:

(1) What are the problems in life you tend to run away from most often? Why?

(2) Where is your cave? Where do you usually go when problems come your way?

(3) Are you teaming up with others to conquer problems or are you trying to win a war by yourself?

(4) Do you have a righteous mentor (like David) speaking life into your life? If not, what is your next step to finding one?

(5) What are things we can do to ensure that we turn the cave of darkness into a prayer room full of light?

(6) How many people do you think are lost in the darkness and trapped in a cave? What can we do to help others out of the darkness?

(7) Who do you know that’s an outcast, reject, loner, or loser? What are you doing to love that person and invite them into your life?

(8) Are you willing to be the one to help someone out of the bodybag of death by unzipping it? Are you willing to be the one to help someone comprehend the Truth of what they see?

(9) Do you need someone to talk to? If so, I’ll make myself available. Reach out to me!

But why am I a Christian? To find out, read my other article: “Why I Am A Christian“

What About Suicide?

First and foremost, may it be known that if you’re considering suicide, you are not alone in this life and many people are available to live life with you — including myself. In fact, I have battled depression for as long as I can remember and I have waged wars through suicidal thoughts myself. If you are considering suicide, do everything you can to get the help you need. Suicide is never the answer! Call 1-800-273-8255, the national hotline, get yourself to a hospital if you can, call 911, go alert someone in your home, apartment, or workplace, or wherever you are, and do whatever it takes to get help.

---

National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
To Write Love on Her Arms: http://twloha.com/find-help
Befrienders.org: http://www.befrienders.org/directory
Suicide hotlines available in most countries: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

---

At the age of 17 going into 18, I had written out my own suicide letter. Before reading this article, I highly recommend that you read my personal testimony: My Testimony. If you have a desire to leave this life here on Earth, it is only because you are not of this world (John 15:18-20; 17:14-19) and are meant to be in the presence of GOD, connected with the Creator. But this is why we need to come to Christ Jesus in faith and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

---

(Acts 16:27-30)
“27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?””

…———…

Because Roman jailers were personally responsible for their prisoners and could be executed for allowing them to escape (Acts 12:19), the jailer decided to kill himself instead of suffering through an execution. But in Acts 16:28, Paul prevented a jailer from committing suicide.

Is suicide wrong? Is it a sin? Will suicide prevent someone from entering the Kingdom of heaven? Because mere human opinion is relative, we should investigate what GOD’s Word says about the topic of suicide being though GOD is the absolute moral standard (Leviticus 10:10; 19:2; Deuteronomy 27:10; 28:9; Romans 3:10,23; 1Peter 1:16; Revelation 15:4).

Samuel was a man of GOD, had always been careful to listen to GOD (1Samuel 3:10; 9:14-17), obey GOD (1Samuel 3:21; 10:1-2), and even ended up in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:32). But Samuel prophesied that Saul and his sons would die and they would be with him (1Samuel 28:19). We also know that Jonathan was a man of GOD (1Samuel 18:3; 20:8,23,32,42). But if Saul would end up “with” Samuel and Jonathan, does this mean that Saul’s suicide (1Samuel 31:4-5) was justifiable and he would end up in the Kingdom of heaven? Is anyone’s suicide justifiable? Does suicide prevent people from entering the Kingdom?

Well, the verse simply states that Saul and his sons would be with him, meaning they would die and then go to the ‘other side’ (where Samuel went after his physical death) where we all face Judgment (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12,15). Scripture does not actually state whether Saul and his sons will be in either Heaven or Hell. But Scripture does inform us that Saul indeed killed himself by falling on his own sword.

However, suicide is not justifiable. Never. Suicide involves the unauthorized taking of a human life, and as such violates the sixth commandment of murder (Exodus 20:13). Suicide is murder; it makes no difference that the life taken is one’s own. All life belongs to GOD, and He alone has the right to take it (Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 1:21). Even the most desperate believers in the Bible who desired death never considered suicide a morally viable alternative. Rather, recognizing the sovereign hand of GOD over human life, they prayed like Jonah: “Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3). Apostle Paul even prevented the Roman jailer in Philippi from taking his own life (Acts 16:27-28). Abimelech commanded his armor-bearer to kill him out of a selfish and hateful motive because he didn’t want anyone to be able to say that a woman took his life; in fact, his act was not seen as commendable, but as judgment (Judges 9:54,56). Ahithophel committed suicide because he had been publicly humiliated and he wanted to avoid being executed for treason (2Samuel 17:23). Zimri, after murdering an Israelite king, ended his life to avoid being killed by his pursuers (1Kings 16:18). Judas hanged himself after experiencing remorse due to betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5). And as we learned from the “Judas” Picture Scripture, there is good reason to believe that Judas was never saved.

But what about Samson taking his own life? With Samson, his situation seems to be more of a sacrifice, not a suicide. Samson had been humiliated and humbled and then he essentially offered his life as a sacrifice for others’ benefit (Judges 16:30) even though his motive was to get revenge. GOD simply used both the situation Samson had gotten himself into and Samson’s willingness to be a sacrifice to enact judgment upon an evil people. It was in Samson’s humbled decision to offer himself as a sacrifice that he aligned himself with what is written in Scripture (John 15:13). Suicide is acting for one’s self; Samson offered his life for others.

There are no biblical examples of honorable suicide nor is there any reason to believe that anyone who committed suicide was ever saved. But will suicide prevent people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven? Though we have permission to call attention to sin and judge according to righteousness (John 7:24; 1Corinthians 5:9-13; 6:2-6), it is never our place to proclaim with absolute certainty whether someone is going to Heaven or Hell — there is only One Judge (Romans 14:4,10-12; James 4:12). Only GOD knows what happens with a person in their very last moment with their very last breath. Scripture also states that all sins (with the exception of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) will be forgiven (Matthew 12:31-32) so long as we are in Christ and the Holy Spirit is in us. So, obviously, if a person is not saved, then that person who committed suicide wouldn’t be saved anyway. But what about the person who claims to be saved?

There is good reason to believe that suicide would be sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, and that means there would no longer remain a sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26-27). Would the Holy Spirit ever tell someone to kill him/herself? Or is that something only Satan would do because he was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44)? Suicide is an attack on the image of GOD in man (Genesis 1:26-27) and an attempt to usurp GOD’s sovereignty over human life. If a truly saved person does not practice lawlessness but bears fruit by keeping with repentance (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:7-17; 1John 3:4-10; Matthew 7:16-20,24-25; Luke 6:43-44; John 13:17; 15:1-11; James 1:21-25), wouldn’t suicide be sinning willfully while cutting down the tree to ensure that no fruit would come from it? Suicide bears no fruit and destroys the tree. Dying daily to our flesh (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6:11; 8:13; 1Corinthians 15:31; Galatians 2:20; 5:24) does not mean literally murdering your body. Anyone who knows the truth yet willfully walks away from the truth would be guilty. It is written in James 4:17 that “one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Committing suicide is a willful rejection of the Holy Spirit. No one who has the Holy Spirit within them is able to make the claim that the Holy Spirit is telling them it’s acceptable to commit suicide. The very act of committing suicide as a “Christian” would be to either declare the Holy Spirit as evil (for telling you to commit suicide) or to rebel against the Holy Spirit (because He told you not to commit suicide). Either way, suicide is willfully sinning after knowing the truth. And true children of GOD do not reject the Holy Spirit in order to do what they know is wrong. Christians are called to endure until the end, not escape (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; John 6:27; 1Corinthians 4:12; 10:13; 13:7; 2Corinthians 1:6; 2Timothy 2:10-13; 2Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 12:3-17; 1Peter 2:19-20). It is also written in Philippians 2:3-5: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (see also, Romans 15:1-3).

The bottom line is that we should not be willing to gamble with salvation or eternity. Even if forgiven, it does not mean that it’s right or acceptable (Romans 6; Hebrews 10:26-27; James 4:17). Life is a gift from GOD and your body is a Holy Temple (1Corinthians 6:19-20) that should be used for service to the Lord and others (Matthew 20:26-28; 23:11; 24:46; 28:18-20; Mark 9:35; 10:43-45; Luke 12:38,43; 22:26: John 12:26; Acts 26:16; Romans 1:9; 12:11; 14:18; 1Corinthians 4:1; 9:19; 2Corinthians 4:5; 6:4; 11:23; Galatians 5:13; 2Timothy 2:24; 1Peter 4:10). How is it possible to serve the Lord and others if you’re not here to do so?

To take a life — even your own — is to play the role of GOD. But GOD is the only One who should give and take away (1Samuel 2:6; Deuteronomy 32:39; Job 1:21). We are instructed to endure until the end and walk by faith (2Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:6). By giving up and quitting early, do you believe you will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21,23) or would you get told that you’re a “wicked and slothful servant” (Matthew 25:26) and get cast into the “outer darkness” (Matthew 25:30)? Is it possible for someone to have faith in Christ yet not have faith in His plan and to abandon the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20; Philippians 1:22-26)? Instead of taking our lives into our own hands, we should place our lives into GOD’s care and trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-8; Romans 14:7-8). If GOD brings you to it, GOD will bring you through it!

Conclusion:

An examination of Scripture reveals the Truth about suicide:

[1] Suicide is an option that some deeply troubled people will choose when facing seemingly hopeless circumstances. There may be perceived problems, but we need to be solution seekers. Suicide is murder and even our own lives are not ours to take.

[2] Suicide is a selfish choice and a tragic end to a human life.

[3] If we place our focus on the great commandment (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:29-31) and the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20), we will know that suicide is not in alignment with GOD’s will because suicide is not in alignment with loving GOD and loving others (1Corinthians 13).

[4] Therefore, suicide is blatant rebellion against GOD’s will, it will never receive divine approval, and it is never justifiable. It is also written in 1Samuel 15:22-23 that “rebellion is as the sin of divination.”

Now, I freely confess that like Elijah in 1Kings 19:4, I have prayed for GOD to take my life and bring me Home. I confess that there have been many days I desired to depart from this world because I know I am not of this world (John 15:18-20; 17:14-19). But because there have been many days I desired to depart, there have also been many days I felt connected with the words of Paul in Philippians 1:21-30: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”

Just like the Roman jailer of Acts 16:25-34, the answer is not suicide. In fact, the answer to being saved is to follow Christ and obey His commandments, enduring until the end. The Holy Spirit would never command anyone to commit suicide. Instead, Jesus tells us to take up our crosses and follow Him.

The Pursuit of Happiness

---

If you’d rather read this message, I provided the words below…

---

A woman asked me, “Are you happy doing what you’re doing in life?”

I answered her question with a question: “Should what I do be based upon a feeling of happiness?”

The woman replied, “You should be happy doing whatever it is you find yourself doing.”

I said, “I am perturbed by the pursuit of happiness and I don’t believe it is relevant to purpose. I believe purpose is more meaningful than happiness.”

Before you accuse me of being negative, allow me to explain my position, for it will ultimately end in love. What is someone pursuing when that person is pursuing happiness? Is the pursuit of happiness a noble pursuit? Is it possible that it’s actually cowardice? Does a person truly deserve to be happy at all times? Should pain and suffering always be avoided? Can purpose be found through pain and suffering? What is the ultimate goal of the pursuit of happiness?

Comedy stems from reality; it originates from truth. People laugh when they are able to relate to the root of the reference. Comedy is created with a hope of being able to cope, to make light of the darkness we experience. Even knowing the truth, most people will laugh and choose to cope. Now examine the reality from which the coping was created. It’s sad because it’s true. Humans are very versed in coping with the worst. Be careful of what you prioritize to first. Humans are often coerced into traveling head first in reverse to the conjured cope of hope that is cursed. Simply because humans resist facing their fears and overcoming obstacles. All hail happiness, right? Happiness will be our guide and lead us to victory, right? If it makes you happy, do it. …Right? …You better be certain you’re right; otherwise, what’s left?

Happiness. …I had to ponder on that concept for a long time.

As if listening to cult members repeating the words of their instructor, I have heard many different people recite the same mantra: “If it makes you happy, do it.”

Even my own mother had told me many times, “I want you to do what will make you happy.”

It is possible to have good intentions yet travel in the wrong direction. Is a path based on happiness a wise route to travel? Can it be wise unless it’s right? Is the pursuit of happiness right?

I believe that ‘happy’ is merely a term used to describe a temporary feeling that one receives when one gets a break from the sad reality of life. In this sin-filled and fallen world in which we all live, sadness is the constant of life; only when one is able to rise above the sea level of sadness does one experience the feeling known as happiness. I would relate happiness to the feeling one gets when finally inhaling oxygen after being held under water to the point of nearly drowning; happiness is merely a breath of fresh air from our stagnant society in which people suffocate in their sufferings. It seems that happiness is merely a discontinuity from misery, only enjoyable and desirable by comparison.

Can I be honest with you? Will you allow me to expound upon my thoughts? Can you refrain from your judgement about me until you have read everything I have to write? The truth is that I can’t seem to figure out how to obtain that feeling of happiness for an extended period of time; happiness only seems to exist in short bursts between the extended drudgeries of life’s normalcy. But unless happiness is the purpose of life, does it matter if it is the constant? I would say no — it doesn’t matter if happiness is the constant. Happiness is chocolate cake. Can you imagine what everyone would look like if chocolate cake were the constant? Happiness seems to be correlated to feelings; however, feelings can be misleading. Even a drug addict receives the short burst of happiness after getting a temporary fix; even a cheating wife/husband receives the short burst of happiness while sinning against his/her spouse with another happy-driven individual. For if happiness is the purpose of existence, what can be labeled as right or wrong? How can it possibly be wrong to do drugs if it brings the user/abuser happiness? How can cheating on your husband/wife be considered wrong if it brought about happiness?

What is the pursuit of happiness? The pursuit of happiness is nothing more than the pursuit of pleasure. Happiness simply cannot be the purpose of life. Happiness only fulfills mere moments, but always leaves people grasping for more. Too many people trade purpose for pleasure. So, what then? What is my purpose? I am not convinced that my happiness is of any importance to this world or my own purpose. Is there a purpose? Why am I here? Why do I exist?

Happiness must not be the focus point in our journey through this life. Happiness seems to be unconcerned with the purpose of others; in addition, happiness seems to be so self-centered that the intensely focused approach to obtaining happiness seems to be unconcerned even with one’s own purpose. The pursuit of happiness can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. I have reason to be wary of a smile or a laugh because there’s no telling from where the smile or laughter originated; after all, I have seen evil people smile and laugh before. Haven’t I? Evil is real, isn’t it? What is real?

Solipsism breeds sin; therefore, happiness warrants caution and invokes question of motivation and intention. I often observe that the pursuit of happiness for self often produces negative consequences for others around that particular happy-driven individual. And if happiness and purpose aren’t analogous, what purpose does happiness serve? But why do we possess the innate ability to feel happiness if happiness serves no purpose? So, then there must be a purpose for happiness. What is the purpose of happiness? To keep us going? To show us that ultimate happiness is possible? Is happiness the ultimate goal in which we should all strive to achieve? When? In this lifetime? Certainly not. I want to be happy, but I don’t know how to be happy and remain happy at all times. It’s simply not possible – especially if you allow yourself to feel the pain of others. Happiness is not the constant. When I do manage to obtain that feeling of happiness, I am unable to keep it without also keeping a selfish focus on myself. My happiness starts to dissipate once I start thinking of others’ pain and suffering. I sometimes even feel guilty for possessing happiness when so many other people in this world live in misery and despair. What’s so special about me? Why should I be happy? Should happiness be a constant in my life when so many people are suffering in this world? Why is there suffering? But why do we exist at all? Why does it matter? Does it matter? What is important? The only thing that seems important to me at this time is knowing the Truth. I exist. I need to know why I exist. You exist. Don’t you want to know why you exist? What is the meaning of life? What is your purpose for being alive? Why is there life at all when there doesn’t need to be?

Life is quite complicated and [to be honest] I don’t care much for it most of the time. Please allow me to bring clarity to what I just wrote: I like life as [I believe] it should be experienced, but I hate the life that humans have distorted and disfigured in order to accommodate their arrogant, atrocious and abhorrent agendas. One example of an atrocious agenda is the abhorrent act of abortion. Why are we willingly murdering babies and snuffing out life? Just so a woman can be fulfill her pursuit of happiness?  I don’t understand life as it is in its current state, only as it should be experienced; therefore, I am an outcast, imprisoned in a free yet fallen world.

It is becoming increasingly evident that the more knowledge I acquire, the more I realize just how much I don’t know. I am aware that I could obtain the feeling of happiness more often than I currently do; however, I am aware that I would be obtaining that feeling of happiness at the expense of others. I am aware that much of the misery I feel is self-inflicted because I choose to feel and care so deeply for others; however, I believe that the alternative of harvesting happiness at the expense of others would not be fulfilling — hunting happiness is an endless endeavor, and an unfulfilling endeavor at that. A human hunting happiness is like a cheetah hunting a gazelle; the amount of effort and energy used to catch the prize will only replenish the effort and energy that was used to obtain the prize. Happiness produces no gain; the most happiness can do is help one sustain. The cycle never ends; the replenishment is always short-lived. All batteries must either be recharged or die. A human continues to recharge the ‘battery’ of his/her body until the body can no longer sustain the charge necessary to produce the movement which is necessary to sustain life. I hate the hunt; I am tired and irritated by the body’s weakness and dependency upon its seemingly everlasting soul to recharge it for another redundant day. There is a soul, isn’t there? If I am merely matter in motion, what does anything matter at all? There is no good reason why anything should exist at all. But we do. Why? To experience happiness? Certainly life is not so superficial.

What produces happiness anyway? Maslow’s hierarchy of needs asserts that basic needs must be met before happiness can ever be achieved. I believe that one’s definition of success produces happiness. But how does one define success? Fame? Fortune? Fornication? Family? Fortitude? For many people, money equates to success because money eliminates the worry or anxiety over basic needs; furthermore, money aids one’s desire to obtain happiness, to seek pleasure.

Both those who are ignorant and those who are people-pleasers desire to promote the promise of paradise in a passionate proclamation of love and equality for all — a fairytale happy ending for all who choose to believe! But that doesn’t coincide with reality. And if a belief does not coincide with reality, it cannot be true. Belief does not prevent grief; in fact, my belief has brought me to grief many times.

Earth is seemingly overpopulated and the only way to rise to the top is to pull others down while climbing up. That’s the way of the world. There is much wisdom to be found in life by simply examining nature. Nature is pure, raw, mechanical, and typically uncorrupted by influence. Nature doesn’t try to call attention to itself and doesn’t attempt to be anything it is not. If there is an occurrence in nature, it happens by ‘divine’ order — it was destined to happen. In order to win the prize of the female, male blue whales try to push each other down, and if necessary, with intent to drown — the most aggressive male wins the prize (ends up with the female). Take your pick: hippopotamus, silverback gorilla or even a lion — the most aggressive male will dominate and receive whatever prize it desires. Within nature, the dominance hierarchy declares that losers are inevitable. There are winners and there are losers. Sink or swim. Fight or flight. Kill or be killed. That is life in its current state in this sin-filled and fallen world. Therefore, the notion that humans will coexist and live in peace is wishful thinking — so long as life exists in this current state, there will always be competition to live and reason to die. Pain and suffering are inevitable. Why? Because people will pursue pleasure. So, is that the real reason so many humans pursue happiness? To escape pain and suffering? Is that a noble pursuit? Is it possible it is cowardice?

Humans are just as primitive as animals and resort to the same primal instincts: we dress to impress, dance to advance, we strut and flaunt, we even kill to get what we want. But more so than animals, humans dig deeper into the expanse of evil because we conjure lies and concoct plans in order to appease our carnality; the demonic deeds of humans are often premeditated. Well, I despise the desire to bring others down just so I can be on top. I refuse to allow my body to be a flagitious factory that will produce misery for others all for the selfish sake of my happiness. I am convinced that the purpose of my existence has little or nothing to do with my happiness.

It is true that I am unhappy a lot of the time, but it’s not because of a lack of joy. I have joy within. Joy and happiness are not one and the same. I’m unhappy a lot of the time because I have refused to allow the superficial to sway my selections or settlements; I have refused to allow demons to desensitize me and detour me from righteous decisions; I have refused to be plagued by promises of power; I have refused to allow my ethics to be eroded or my morals to be manipulated; I have refused to allow my hero to be anyone other than He who is Holy. I refuse to allow my eternal soul to be misguided by temporary temptations of damning desires. And by living as such, I have become calloused to the ways of this world. For a long time now, I have not felt temptation’s incessant tapping and I have not been persuaded by pain nor pleasure regardless of how persistent the pain or promising the pleasure. Am I impervious to evil’s invasions? No. Evil’s attacks are present and are evident by the persistent pain I experience. But my armor is thick and my threshold for pain is high. I simply choose not to be directed by the ways of this world.

If you can be honest with yourself, you will agree that in general, our society is superficial; our culture is corrupt. I feel as though I don’t fit in anywhere; I feel like I don’t belong anywhere; I’m seemingly surrounded yet feel incisively isolated. But I am a piece to the puzzle of life and I do belong somewhere even if I don’t know where I belong. I may not be a cornerstone, but I am of the Creator and a component of the calling. And if GOD won’t extract me from this execrable Earth, I will be forced to endure until I get interlocked into my predetermined place within life’s puzzle and fulfill my purpose. But while I exist, is happiness a goal in which I should strive to achieve? Or is happiness merely a covetous concept that will distract me from achieving my purpose? Also, how can the purified form of happiness be harvested in a world so impure? The very idea of me being happy creates conflict within myself, rendering any brief moment of happiness obsolete.

My mother desires me to do whatever makes me happy; my father desires me to climb to the top. If I do whatever makes me happy, my actions will most certainly produce misery for at least a few people. Though my mother would be happy knowing that I finally found happiness, would either of my parents be proud to know of the method to which my happiness was achieved? And what would the ramifications of my actions be in regards to many others? Others matter, don’t they? Others are important, aren’t they? To what degree? To what extent? Only so long as they don’t take away from your happiness? Think: if you were to get everything you ever wanted and fulfilled your every desire in order to be happy, how many people would not have their desires fulfilled? A quick example of this is the scenario of sexual relations. Let’s suppose you pursue pleasure and receive happiness from having sex with someone you’re physically attracted to yet that person was not physically attracted to you. Well, you would be happy, but would that other person?

Can you even fathom what would become of this world if everyone set their focus on obtaining happiness for self? A pursuit of happiness is self-centered; in addition, the pursuit may lack purpose. Like the term, ‘fun,’ happiness is also subjective when put into proper perspective. The pursuit of purpose, however, will ultimately lead to joy. Happiness can always be found when fulfilling purpose, even if the discovery is not immediate. I must not risk my purpose by chasing the white rabbit of happiness down its black hole of absence. And though my arduous adventure to achieve my purpose may cause me to be unhappy a lot of the time, I will eventually discover happiness once my purpose is fulfilled. When that day comes, I will discover even more happiness as I notice that my happiness and fulfilled purpose continue to bring happiness to others. For the only way to obtain happiness and keep it is to help others obtain it. I choose purpose over pleasure because the promise of pleasure can be found in the pursuit of purpose. I choose a purpose-driven life. Hmm…. But what is my purpose? My purpose is to make life better for others by helping them to understand that they were created for a purpose beyond what they currently see and experience. We do not exist to merely exist. Are you merely existing or are you truly living? Purpose cannot be experienced if the heart and mind are numbed and medicated by happiness. Happiness is a drug that prevents potential. The person stuck in the pursuit of happiness is a sleepwalking citizen who is unable to experience growth through pain and suffering. If one is to pursue happiness, it should not be for self. If the purpose of your life was to make your own life better, you wouldn’t be surrounded by so many other people. Your life is not your own and your happiness has little or nothing to do with your purpose.

Do you know why you exist? Do you know the meaning of life? Do you know your purpose? If you knew your Creator, you would know why you exist. 

To know why I became a Christian, see my other article, “My Testimony: from Agnosticism, to Atheism, to Christianity“

[Suggestion: read “The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For”, by Rick Warren]