Breathing Out the Weight of Depression

Feb 19

In this talk, Louie Giglio urges listeners to get back in touch with the breath of God – His Spirit.

It is breathing IN the truth about God and the actual physical breath that He gives us that ultimately combats the anxiety and depression that ravage our nation. It is in breathing OUT worship and truth that ultimately leads to an offensive attack on the schemes of the Enemy.

Key Takeaway

Breathe out "My God is Able"

The result of getting our eyes off God...

The result of being led by our feelings...

The result of neglecting the simple pleasure of life...

The result of isolation...

The result of being self-focused...

is a toxic mix and a weight that leaves us breathless.

“

"The work of the Spirit does not add information about Jesus; He opens our eyes to see who He really is."

”

Sinclair Ferguson

Discussion Questions

Does anyone know about any of the statistics surrounding the increase in anxiety and depression? Share those with the group.
What is your history with depression? Have you faced seasons of depression or anxiety? Has someone close to you suffered?
What are the fears behind the instances or seasons of anxiety you experienced in your life?
What are we as human beings supposed to do with feelings? To what extent should we embrace and acknowledge feelings? To what extent should we ignore them?
What role does ‘neglect’ play in increasing anxiety?
What role does ‘isolation’ play in increasing anxiety?
What role does ‘self-focus’ play in increasing anxiety?
What role does ‘gratitude’ play in combatting anxiety?
What is your response to this talk? What do you want to do differently to embrace God’s peace, which surpasses understanding?
If your group is already in a place of transparency, take a moment now and pray for anyone who is in the midst of a storm of anxiety or depression.

Scripture References

9.You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

1.The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2.He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3.He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”4.Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5.This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath37:5 The Hebrew for this word can also mean wind or spirit (see verses 6-14). enter you, and you will come to life. 6.I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”7.So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8.I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.9.Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10.So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.11.Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12.Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13.Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14.I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ”

2.Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

7.Then the Lord God formed a man2:7 The Hebrew for man (adam) sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for ground (adamah); it is also the name Adam (see verse 20). from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

25.And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Louie Giglio

Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute.