Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Thursday, March 17, 2011Thursday, March 17, 2011

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

1 Tim 1:5, 1 Tim 1:5, “But the goal of our “But the goal of our

instruction is love from a pure instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience heart and a good conscience

and a sincere faith.”and a sincere faith.”

John 16:5, John 16:5, “But now I (“But now I (JesusJesus) am going ) am going to Him (to Him (God the FatherGod the Father) who ) who sent Me, and yet not one of sent Me, and yet not one of you (you (the disciplesthe disciples) asks Me, ) asks Me,

‘Where are you going?’”‘Where are you going?’”

John 16:6,John 16:6,“But because I have said “But because I have said ((taughttaught) to you all these ) to you all these

things, sorrow (things, sorrow (inwardinward stressstress) ) has completely filled your has completely filled your

heart (heart (right lobe of the soulright lobe of the soul).”).”

Doctrine of StressDoctrine of Stress

8. Stress, perpetuated in the 8. Stress, perpetuated in the soul, means failure to glorify soul, means failure to glorify

God, and therefore, God, and therefore, unchecked stress produces the unchecked stress produces the loser believer, one who lives loser believer, one who lives

in perpetual carnality. in perpetual carnality.

9. There are seven categories 9. There are seven categories of loser believers brought on of loser believers brought on

by allowing stress to penetrate by allowing stress to penetrate their souls.their souls.

a.a. Stress results in Stress results in self-fragmentation.self-fragmentation.

a.a. Stress results in Stress results in self-fragmentation.self-fragmentation.

b. Stress perpetuated b. Stress perpetuated results in polarized results in polarized

fragmentation. (P.F.)fragmentation. (P.F.)

PF = the sin nature control PF = the sin nature control takes you to your trend of takes you to your trend of self-righteous arrogance or self-righteous arrogance or

antinomianism.antinomianism.

c. P.F. leads to the eight stages c. P.F. leads to the eight stages of reversionism. of reversionism.

c. P.F. leads to the eight stages c. P.F. leads to the eight stages of reversionism. of reversionism.

1. Reaction and distraction.1. Reaction and distraction.

2. The frantic search for happiness.2. The frantic search for happiness.

3. Operation boomerang.3. Operation boomerang.

4. Emotional revolt of the soul.4. Emotional revolt of the soul.

5. Locked in negative volition.5. Locked in negative volition.

6. Blackout of the soul.6. Blackout of the soul.

7. Scar tissue of the soul.7. Scar tissue of the soul.

8. Reverse process reversionism.8. Reverse process reversionism.

d. Christian moral degeneracy.d. Christian moral degeneracy.

d. Christian moral degeneracy.d. Christian moral degeneracy.e. Christian immoral e. Christian immoral

degeneracy.degeneracy.

d. Christian moral degeneracy.d. Christian moral degeneracy.e. Christian immoral e. Christian immoral

degeneracy.degeneracy.f. Dissociation, which is f. Dissociation, which is

garbage in the subconscious.garbage in the subconscious.

d. Christian moral degeneracy.d. Christian moral degeneracy.e. Christian immoral e. Christian immoral

degeneracy.degeneracy.f. Dissociation, which is f. Dissociation, which is

garbage in the subconscious.garbage in the subconscious.g. Becoming a psychotic or g. Becoming a psychotic or

neurotic Christian.neurotic Christian.

10. Stress refers to the 10. Stress refers to the consequence of the failure of a consequence of the failure of a person to respond adequately person to respond adequately

to mental, emotional or to mental, emotional or physical demands, whether physical demands, whether

actual or imagined.actual or imagined.

a. Signs of stress may be a. Signs of stress may be cognitive, emotional, physical cognitive, emotional, physical or behavioral. Signs include or behavioral. Signs include

poor judgment, a general poor judgment, a general negative outlook, excessive negative outlook, excessive

worrying, moodiness, worrying, moodiness, irritability, agitation, …irritability, agitation, …

… … inability to relax, feeling inability to relax, feeling lonely, isolated or depressed, lonely, isolated or depressed,

physical ailments, eating physical ailments, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, disorders, sleeping disorders,

social withdrawal, social withdrawal, procrastination or neglect of procrastination or neglect of

responsibilities, …responsibilities, …

… … increased alcohol, nicotine increased alcohol, nicotine or drug consumption, and or drug consumption, and

nervous habits such as pacing nervous habits such as pacing about, nail-biting and neck about, nail-biting and neck

pains.pains.

b. Physiologists define stress b. Physiologists define stress as how the body reacts to as how the body reacts to

adversity, real or imagined, a adversity, real or imagined, a stimulus that results in stress. stimulus that results in stress.

11. Common stimuli of stress 11. Common stimuli of stress include both negative and include both negative and

positive adversities. positive adversities.

The intensity and duration of The intensity and duration of stress changes depending on stress changes depending on

the circumstances and the circumstances and emotional condition of the emotional condition of the

person who is suffering from person who is suffering from it. it.

Common categories of Common categories of adversities include:adversities include:

a. a. Sensory inputSensory input: pain, bright : pain, bright light, noise, temperatures, or light, noise, temperatures, or

environmental issues like lack environmental issues like lack of control over environmental of control over environmental circumstances (i.e., food, air, circumstances (i.e., food, air, water quality, housing, health, water quality, housing, health,

freedom, or mobility).freedom, or mobility).

b. b. Social issuesSocial issues: struggles of : struggles of inordinate competition with inordinate competition with difficult individuals, social difficult individuals, social defeat, relationship conflict, defeat, relationship conflict,

deception, break ups, and deception, break ups, and major events such as birth and major events such as birth and deaths, marriage, and divorce.deaths, marriage, and divorce.

c. c. Life experiencesLife experiences: poverty, : poverty, unemployment, clinical unemployment, clinical depression, OCD, heavy depression, OCD, heavy

drinking or insufficient sleep, drinking or insufficient sleep, or performance pressures or performance pressures

from exams and deadlines.from exams and deadlines.

d. d. Adverse experiences during Adverse experiences during developmentdevelopment, (e.g. prenatal, , (e.g. prenatal, poor attachment histories, poor attachment histories,

sexual abuse, etc.) can sexual abuse, etc.) can contribute to deficits in stress contribute to deficits in stress

response development.response development.

12. There are three stages of 12. There are three stages of negative influence on the soul negative influence on the soul and body called the “General and body called the “General Adaptation Syndrome” that Adaptation Syndrome” that

result from stress on the soul.result from stress on the soul.

a. a. AlarmAlarm: When the adversity : When the adversity is identified or realized the is identified or realized the body’s stress response is a body’s stress response is a

state of alarm. Adrenaline will state of alarm. Adrenaline will be produced in order to bring be produced in order to bring

about the fight-or-flight about the fight-or-flight response. response.

b. b. ResistanceResistance: If adversity : If adversity persists, some means of persists, some means of coping with the stress is coping with the stress is

attempted. The body cannot attempted. The body cannot keep this up indefinitely, so keep this up indefinitely, so its resources are gradually its resources are gradually

depleted.depleted.

c. c. ExhaustionExhaustion: At this point, all : At this point, all body resources are eventually body resources are eventually

depleted and the body is unable depleted and the body is unable to maintain normal function. to maintain normal function.

Long term damage may result Long term damage may result as bodily and immune system as bodily and immune system

function is impaired.function is impaired.

The result can manifest itself The result can manifest itself in obvious illnesses such as in obvious illnesses such as ulcers, depression, diabetes, ulcers, depression, diabetes,

trouble with the digestive trouble with the digestive system or even cardiovascular system or even cardiovascular

problems, along with other problems, along with other mental illnesses.mental illnesses.

13. The negative effects of 13. The negative effects of stress on the soul and body stress on the soul and body are revealed to us in the Old are revealed to us in the Old Testament, Psa 6:2-3a; 38:3-Testament, Psa 6:2-3a; 38:3-

8; 102:1-7; Hab 3:16.8; 102:1-7; Hab 3:16.

Psa 6:2-3, Psa 6:2-3, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, “Be gracious to me, O LORD,

for I for I amam pining away; heal pining away; heal me, O LORD, for my bones me, O LORD, for my bones

are dismayed. are dismayed. 33And my soul is And my soul is greatly dismayed.”greatly dismayed.”

Hab 3:16, Hab 3:16, “I heard and my inward parts “I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips trembled, at the sound my lips

quivered. Decay enters my bones, quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. and in my place I tremble.

Because I must wait quietly for Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people the day of distress, For the people

to arise to arise whowho will invade us.” will invade us.”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, March 17, 2011Thursday, March 17, 2011

Tape # 11-032Tape # 11-032

Doctrine of Stress on Your SoulDoctrine of Stress on Your SoulUpper Room Discourse, Part 484Upper Room Discourse, Part 484

      

John 16:6; Psa 6:2-3; 38:3-8; 42:10-11; 102:1-7; Hab 3:16John 16:6; Psa 6:2-3; 38:3-8; 42:10-11; 102:1-7; Hab 3:16

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011