(Depressed Disciples) the Fear of Death — Willie Mullan

The Mind of the Believer and the Unbeliever

We're going to sort of shorten them down a little bit and let everybody away home in a sort of good time this evening. We start this series this evening called depression and I want to sort of underline for you that it's depressed disciples that I'm talking to.

You know I believe that the mind of the believer and the mind of the unbeliever are two different minds. I was talking to two medical doctors just the other day and they say, you know, we can't agree with you here, that the mind in man is just the mind in man.

So I just tried to have a bit of a go with them and I said, you know, when Paul was writing to the Romans in chapter 12, he said, I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto the Lord which is a reasonable service and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

So I said to this very capable doctor, do you think that you could say this to an unbeliever? You see when you get born again the understanding that was darkened is now enlightened. Remember that Isaiah the prophet speaking to God about the children of God, he said thou wilt keep them in perfect peace whose minds have stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.

You see that's a believer trusting the Lord. And of course as he goes on continually and daily unceasingly in storm and sand, God is quite capable of giving him perfect peace. You remember that Paul writing to the Philippines said, be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God.

What a mighty phrase, the peace of God. You think you could expound the peace of God? Nothing that ever happened on this planet disturbed the peace of God. Hitler never disturbed the peace of God. Nor any storm, nor cyclone, or anything that happened down here never disturbed the peace of God.

And the peace of God remember belongs to the believer. That the peace of God might garrison your heart and mind. You see, this is very silly. I said to this other doctor, he was chirping in now and again, I said listen this, Paul is saying to these believers of Philippi, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

Do you think you can say that to them on faith mind? I'm afraid you can't. I think you would need to get saved first. So what we are doing in these meetings, we are talking about depression, but remember we are thinking about depressed disciples.

Depression Among Believers

Oh yes, the children of God, while they have so many things going their way because they are gloriously saved, remember they are not always at peace. And I don't think we should try to bluff that. You remember Paul writing that great letter to the Hebrews and he said, consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be really unsaint in your minds.

You see, I have met believers here and there and yonder, all classes, all creeds, all ages, and I find them really unsaint in their minds. But they regret, become depressed at that. You remember that Paul wrote that letter to the Thessalonians and he wrote it for this purpose, that ye be not soon shaken in mind.

You know you can have your mind shaken all right and never mind whether you are saved or not. You see somebody could write a letter to you and you open it the first post in the morning and you read it and there are things in that letter and they really shake you.

Or you could meet somebody on the street and you think he is on his way to Canaan's lands and he starts to talk to you and he says things to you and he never says them about somebody else. But he shakes you.

You are being inoculated at that moment with something that might disturb you all day. And that's a terrible thing. And the devil sees that it's done again and again and again. You see, the believer can become really unsaint in his mind.

And don't forget that Paul talks in this book about the feeble minded. And we will come to that in one of these studies one of these nights. Now you see the old devil has so many lines that he works through to disturb the peace and upset the mind of the believer.

And these are the lines that I'm taking each night in the Bible class. I think maybe they'll run for about 12 weeks or maybe 14 weeks or so. You see he takes the fear of death and he upsets some people.

Upsets them very much. You know he's been at this since the world began. You remember when our Lord Jesus died on yonder cross. That it does say that through death he destroyed them that have the power of death which is the devil.

And we shall have to examine very carefully this very night what it means when it says he has the power of death. It cannot mean that he has the power of death in the absolute sense. Otherwise there's not one of us left at the end of this meeting.

And though he hasn't it in the absolute sense but he has it in a certain sense which we will come to. And you see when our Lord Jesus Christ died through death he destroyed him that had the power of death which is the devil and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

And this is a line he takes and he comes to believers and he does certain things with them and he depresses them and upsets them and we find them here and there and yonder and they're really disturbed and distracted and oppressed and axed.

Just because the devil uses this line. Well we should try to counteract him in these meetings and I'm sure that's the reason that I've had a rough day this day. Then you know he takes the line of insecurity.

So many people you know they turn and look down the years and just wonder how I'll finish the race and maybe there'll be nobody to help me. They can see an old people's home and all the rest of it. Now it's when your youthful days are gone and old age is creeping on and your body bends beneath its load of care.

It's when you're fainting your own faintness. It's when you realize that you're almost done as we use the word and you become an old woman or an old man and instead of being in the forefront of the battle you're away back here as it were.

You're not able to do the things you used to do. And then Israel came out of Egypt you know they were all redeemed. But away after that called the Hindmost and I think one of the great poets said this.

The power belongeth to the mighty but let the devil take the Hindmost or the Hindmost. When Israel was coming out of Egypt we will find that right at the back of the line there was the faint and the weaning and the distress.

Then came Amalek and you know he began to tackle the ones at the end of the line. He destroyed the Hindmost and this is what the devil does again and again and again and we shall counteract it. Of course you know there are folks who are troubled with the name of loneliness and there are more lonely folks in this world than you've ever dreamed of.

Old Moody said this. If you preach to lonely souls you will never be without an audience. Because there are people lonely in this world from so many different angels that are lonely. And the devil uses it.

And you see we're going to go into all these and many more as we go through these lines of his attack. And we're going to try to liberate the saints and get them on the feet to be steadfast and unmovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Biblical Examples of Fear

Now we're going to look at this fear of death tonight. And I did this in the morning one Sunday morning some time ago but if we're going to take this line I think we need to have a good look at it this evening.

Now let me say this to you because some of the greatest believers this world has ever seen were afraid of death. If you take Elijah and what a character he was. He was a warrior and he stood on Mount Carmel and he faced 850 old diabolical prophets.

And he overturned them and he slew them and he won the day and turned the nation back to God. And you know when Ahab saw what was done he got in the chaiath and went home like a mad man and then threw the gates and shut them and he said to Jezebel his wife he has destroyed every one of the prophets.

And she came and looked over the wall and sent a messenger to say by this time tomorrow I will make your life as one of them. And I'll tell you what happened he fled for his life. Oh he was afraid. He was afraid of a particular kind of death.

He didn't want to die at her hands. And you see he ran away to Beersheba which is the most southerly point in the land because the land was always measured from down to Beersheba. And he left his serpent there and went a day's journey into the wilderness.

I wish you could see him with the head down and he's chomping on and then he gets onto the juniper tree and then he lies down and he says let me die. Well it didn't mind this kind of death at all. If you just take my breath away and let me die here I'm alright.

But he was afraid of the death that Jezebel would give him. Oh he was afraid of death. You know David penned the 23rd Psalm. And we sing it with all our hearts and why wouldn't we. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.

Well I'm afraid that was alright that day because he was on the mountaintop. But there came other days in the life of David. There were days when he lay in the cave of Adullam and looked out and he was really down in the dumps.

He said my spirit is overwhelmed within me. And when my spirit is overwhelmed within me then I'll use my power. And one day lying looking out he turned to Juab and he said I shall yet perish by the hand of Saul.

Oh he did you know. He was afraid that Saul would get his clutches on him. That he would die by the hand of Saul. There wasn't a chance of it happening. It was just a big man was afraid. The man that faced the giant remember him did a thousand exploits.

He's afraid now. And I think the poem writes in this when John was on the isle of Patmos and he's an old man. And he's a prisoner there and he's all alone. When the Lord Jesus came. What a wonderful day that was.

It was a Lord's day. John heard a voice behind him saying I am Alpha and Omega. And he said I turned to see the voice that speak with me. And being turned I saw one like unto the Son of Man. It was the Lord Jesus.

Just as Henry Russell I'd say I'd like you to know the Lord Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. In case you didn't know that. The beginning and the ending says. The I am. Yes. And John could feel. As tall as his feet.

And he laid his hand on John. Touched him. And this is what he said to him. He said fear not. Oh now why that bitch. Did John know he was going to die on this barren island. And he did you know. And the Lord Jesus laid his hand tenderly on him and said well don't be afraid.

I am he that liveth and walketh dead. You know I died one day. But the day I died. I took the keys of the box from the floor. To that my gretel John. You'll not die John until I put the key in the door.

You see when you see men like Elijah. And men like David. Men like the apostle John being afraid. Then you know we're all sort of inoculated with the same sort of stuff. And we do get afraid of that. And the old devil comes around in these terrible days that we're living in.

Some of you are alone at night. And some loony shakes the door at two in the morning. Frightens you. And the devil uses this. Now I'm going to show you tonight. How we can be more than conquerors. Even in this situation.

And we're going to use the bible to do that. Now that's all sort of introduction. And we're starting on this now the fear of death. Now come with me to Hebrews chapter two please. The letter to the Hebrews.

Christ's Victory Over Death

And we're at the second chapter. And we're reading at verse fourteen. For as much then of the children are partakers of flesh and blood. He also himself likewise took part of the same. You see when he came to this planet.

He was perfect in human. Of course he didn't cease to be what he had always been. He was God. But he had now become what he never was before. Without ceasing to be what he had always been. You see he was God manifest in flesh.

And he took with flesh and blood that he might die. For as much then of the children are partakers of flesh and blood. He also himself likewise took part of the same. That through death he might destroy him that had the power.

The devil must be getting near me now. I thought I was getting off of this. I will not leave this until I've delivered this. No matter what he does. There's one of you behind me anyway. That through death he may destroy him that had the power of death.

That is the devil. Now if that phrase him that had the power of death. Now in what sense had the devil the power of death? I've already said to you. Not in the absolute sense. You see if the devil had the power of death in the absolute sense.

Then we would never finish this matter. And believers all over the world would be blotted out. He would kill us. But he hasn't this power in the absolute sense. But he has it in a sense all right. You see to get this proper you have to go all the way back to Eden's garden.

And you have to see God coming into the garden at the cool of the day. And you have to see Adam and Eve and Satan standing before God. And God looked at the devil and said because thou hast done this.

I will put enmity between thee and the woman. Between my seed and her seed. And then he said to Adam. A dust thou art. And on the dust shalt thou return. And if I'm right I think the devil smiled. I think he's standing back there with this sort of smile in.

You see he's always been a usurper. He's always claimed to own things that he doesn't really own. And I think that all down through the ages. He had great joy in singing. The body of Abraham shall reject him.

I think he was a big man. Laid in the tomb. And this body lent into doubt. The devil laughed. Because I worked this out you know. And then he saw the body of Jacob and Joseph. He saw the body of Daniel and Isaiah and Jeremiah.

And he saw the bodies of all the saints right down the ages going into the grave. Going into dust. And he thought of you search this thing. He said that's my power. I did that on them. But then you see there came another wonderful conqueror through the fight.

And he was born in Bethlehem. And he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And on the old rugged cross he gave up the ghost and died. Christ died. Now let's get this bit quite clear. Because I'm afraid we haven't been clear.

You know death had no claims on him. And into this realm he stopped. Actually one of the translations says he dismissed the spirit. And you can't do that. And he stepped into this realm. And they take his dead body down from the tree.

And they leave it in the tomb. Now let's get this quite clear that he's dead. I am he that liveth and was dead. And this body is dead. And they roll the stone. And everything inside that tomb that is dead.

Ah but there were demons in there you can't see them. Oh the devil's in there. Because he's going to smile again as it goes into corruption. You see this has been his all down through the years. And he's smiling.

And he stands there. Yea right through those hours of Friday and through Saturday. And then on the first day of the week. As the devil watched this body. It's dead. It'll go into dust. This body moved.

Oh that shook him. This body actually moved. And this body came through the grain's close without disturbing a fold of him. This body rose again. And this wonderful Lord of all. At birth and death at that moment.

Shredded beneath his feet. Yes. You know at that moment he took the keys. He took the keys and said give me it. You've fiddled about long enough. It's at Christ's gable now. I have the keys on. I have the keys both of hell and of death.

You see what we've got to see right away here. We've got to see that our Lord. As he triumphed over death. As he abolished death. And brought life and immortality to life. We've got to see that he's sovereign here.

God's Sovereignty Over Satan and Suffering

Now that's the thing that the saints need to see most. You know the Lord is sovereign. Not only over death. But over everything. And that goes for disease. And all the rest of it. We'll get there. Not only sovereign over death.

But everything and everyone. That's just the way I write it. Yes. He's sovereign over death. And over everyone and everything connected with it. Yes he is you know. Well that's very thrilling. If you can get this into your heart this evening.

And we can bring it there. And it is going to be good for you. Let's go way back to the book of Job now. And just to save time I think you know the story don't you? That in the first chapter. The Lord said unto Satan in verse 7.

Job chapter 1. It's just before the book of Psalms. And it's just after Esther. And take your time until you find the place. Because the place is most important. When I was just saved and went to the meeting.

If the preacher preached out of anywhere except Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Well I couldn't find it. But I was never afraid. I always handed the Bible to the woman next to me. Get me that. You try to get somebody to get it for you.

You have to learn. We all have to learn. Now in Job chapter 1. Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan. You see that our boys have learned to argue with me that Satan is not a personality. Tell me how God talks to something that's an abstract.

Oh no he's talking to a person. And the Lord. You might as well say the Lord is abstract. And the Lord said unto Satan. Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord. Because this person can talk back.

And said from going to and fro on the earth. And from walking up and down earth. And Dr. Barnhill said to me one day. When he said that he's a liar. He's a liar from the beginning as he says. He wasn't walking up and down on the earth.

He was around in Job's backyard. And he was trying to get in on them. And he had been there for weeks. Because God knew where he was you know. Verse 7. And the Lord said unto Satan. Whence comest thou?

And Satan said from going up and down on the earth. And so on. Verse 8. And the Lord said unto Satan. Hast thou considered my servant Job? Because he knew right well he was considering his servant Job.

That there is none like him in the earth. The perfect and the upright man. One that seetheth God and escheweth evil. And then this subtle old Satan said. Answered the Lord and said. Doth Job fear God for naught?

You know he began to say to God. Sure you've given him farms. And he has 7 ,000 sheep and 3 ,000 camels. He has 7 sons and 3 daughters. And he's well off. In fact he was the greatest man in the east at that time Job.

The devil said. You know if you destroyed some of them. And if you'd even allow me to destroy some of it. He'd curse you to your face. Well I'll take you off of that now. Because I know this free man.

No matter what happens he's still trusting me. So he's given the devil permission. Allowing him. This is what we call the permissive will of God. He says alright go you run. If you detach it you'll find that in 24 hours.

He destroyed 7 ,000 sheep and 3 ,000 camels. And 7 sons and 3 daughters. And when everything was lying around the wheat farmer. He got down on his knees and he lifted his hands and he said. Blessed be the Lord.

The Lord gave. And the Lord hath allowed it to be taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. You know the devil was really deep here. So he came around in the next chapter. Well chapter 2 then. So I'm going to save time.

Save me too. And you know. Verse 3. The Lord said unto Satan. Hath I considered myself of God that is not like him in the earth? Not the passage in the upright man. One that fears God and eschews evil.

And still he holdeth fast his integrity. Although thou losest me against him to destroy him without cause. And it's a good thing for some of the argumentative critics of the Bible. To underline without cause.

They're trying to tell me that Job was a sinner. When God says he's a perfect and upright man. I don't know what way they read. They only read their own ideas into it. And so. Satan answered the Lord in verse 4 and said.

Skin for skin yea. All that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh. And he will cut thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan. Behold he is in thine hand.

Now watch this wee bitch. But save thy life. You're not allowed to kill him. You see the Lord was giving him permission. To do what he liked with Job's body and his bones. And I can tell you he made a mess of the woman.

Because he went out and with one stroke. From the crown of his head to the foot of his feet. He had him covered with a loathsome disease. Called elephantitis. Big boily scabs all over him. And it was absolutely stinking.

From the crown of the head to the soles of his feet. Here he lied. You see what I want to show you. That the Lord is sovereign over Satan. You just go as far as the Lord allows you by. Yes. Oh I have no doubts in my mind.

Dr. Barnhouse walked towards to stand with me and said. You know when the Lord allowed him to touch Job's body. He didn't need to poison him or anything. He just touched him with his hands. And he knows so much about the human body.

That in an instant he was covered with this loathsome disease. So he walked on a little bit with a head down. And then he said. Did Satan bring this disease on? Yes sir. Could he touch him and heal him the next minute?

Yes sir. And you'll have to watch the devil when you're talking about healing. Because I think the devil's at work sometimes. But we'll get into that department sooner or later you know. All you've got to see here.

Is that the Lord was sovereign over Satan. In connection with death. Oh Satan can't kill you if the Lord says no. You see he's limited. He's a weak fellow. He just can go as far as God will allow him.

No further. It's impossible for him to kill Job. There's a very dear lady in this very assembly. Who was a good woman. A godly woman. Still is. She's a wretched husband who wasn't saved. He was a bad man and he still is.

And he came into that little vespery one day. Through the door. And I had to watch him. He's no good. He says I want to confess something to you. Get out. I'm not a popish priest. To confess and not under me.

He says it concerns you. Oh well if it concerns me I'll listen to it. Now he's a commercial traveller. And he's earning four figures. I won't tell you how much. It's so that he has some brains somewhere.

Brilliant possibly in his own job. Says I've been waking up at four o 'clock. Every morning for the last six months. Asking the devil to destroy you. I said somebody should buy you comic books. He says you're going crackers.

That's what you're doing. He says if the devil could destroy me he wouldn't wait for a fool like you getting out of bed at four in the morning. You haven't gone before you were in the bed. Did you ever hear such loony talk in all your life?

Ah no I'm not afraid of that end of it. The devil will not touch me unless the Lord allows him. And if the Lord allows him it will shoot me. Won't it? The Lord is sovereign over Satan. In this matter of death.

God's Sovereignty Over Illness and Life's Span

Let's get that bit. Yes let's go through Philippians chapter 2. Paul's writing through the Philippians here. And up the second chapter. And this is a mighty portion for us all. Philippians chapter 2. And verse 25.

Paul writing to these saints of Philippi said Yet I suppose it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and companion and label and fellow soldier but your messenger he that ministereth to my wants.

So Epaphroditus gets a real testimony here from Paul. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that he had heard that he had been sick. Did you see the testimony? My brother companion in label fellow soldier your messenger he that ministereth to my wants.

He was a good man you know. This was some of the time going round preaching and saying if a saint gets sick it must have come from one. Ah well there was never sin in Epaphroditus or Job. In case you don't know.

He didn't sin at all. And you've got to come here to learn this thing. And take it in and stop your argument. And get out of that old fallacy that you're in. Yes this man wasn't sinning in that shape or form.

Now he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because that he had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death. Great but there isn't there. But God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also.

Left I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore more carefully that when you see him again you may rejoice. And that I may be left sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness and hold such in reputation.

Yes sir. Because for the work of Christ. He was nigh unto death. See I had a friend in this afternoon who knows a thing or two about medicine. He said you got there with that temperature on you tonight you'll be in a box next week with a little bit of medicine.

Oh I'm not afraid of that. Don't think that we should just read these things without doing them. Oh we're pretty good to ourselves aren't we. My God coming here being dead for a week and a wee woman throttling up and down with tea to you.

Yes this fellow was sick nigh unto death for the work of the Lord. Not regarding his life. Yes you know there were men in the Old Testament who hazarded their lives. Oh we've got to do a bit of this hazarding.

You see this disease that he had. He was just worn out this people. Took the coat off and worked the shirt off his back and he's worn out and he's really sick. I'll tell you that Paul had great gifts.

He could heal the sick at times if you watch him. In fact he got medicals. In fact he did many wonderful things. Although this fellow was so near to him he never did anything for him. Oh no. I'll tell you what healed this fellow.

The mercy of God. But God had mercy on him. What I want you to get the hold of that the Lord is covenant over disease and death. Now this fellow's down and almost out. But the Lord is covenant. He's not just letting him die like that.

I think that's wonderful isn't it. Don't forget the Lord is sovereign. The devil can do nothing about it. Unless the Lord would allow him. And I don't think disease will take you away if the Lord wants you here.

I'll buck off a bit and stop lying moaning around. Yes let's go to John's gospel chapter 21 for a moment. The gospel by John and the chapter 21. I think this is one of the most beautiful portions in the book.

You see our Lord Jesus has risen from the dead and he came to the shores of Galilee and his meeting with the disciples and he's talking to Peter. Verse 17 just saving time for me the story of your leisure.

He the Lord says unto him Peter the third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me. Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time lovest thou me. And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus said unto him keep my sheep. And then he said this very tenderly to him verily verily I say unto thee when thou wast young. Now let's get back to this. You see Peter wasn't a young man here. Oh here's an example dear to God.

He's not an old man is he? Oh no. He says when thou wast young thou didst thyself and walketh whether thou wouldest. But when thou shalt be old. Wouldn't this be nice if the Lord came into the bedroom and said you know you're going to live to be a very old man.

There's nobody to choose you you know. And there's no one going to take you away. You don't think our laws would be wrong do you? If you're going to live to you're a very old man. And I believe that Peter was quick enough to take this in you know.

Because when I find him had arrested and put him in prison and he's going to bring him forth in the morning and cut his head off. Peter is sleeping between two souls. I heard some of the preachers at some time saying my this is dreadful that this man is lying asleep.

It may not be as dreadful at all. He knew he was as safe as a bank. I'm not old yet. The Lord said when thou shalt be old. You see what I'm getting at. I hope you see what I'm getting at. The Lord is sovereign over the span of life.

The Lord Determines the Manner and Timing of Death

Before death. He knows the number of my days you know. He knows how long I'll go on. Well let's get this into our hearts. I'm always afraid of preaching in any mission. Let's get it. Let's get it that the Lord Jesus tonight is sovereign over death.

He's sovereign. Let's get it that he's sovereign over the devil. He can't do a thing unless the Lord allows it. Agnes can go so far and no problem. He's sovereign over disease. In a flash he can set you on your feet.

He's sovereign over the span of life before you meet death. He says when thou shalt be old. Now I want you to get this a bit in now too. John 21. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, talking to Peter, when thou wast young, thou dreaded by thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest.

But when thou shalt be old, and another shall get thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee. So let's do this, you know.

Let's try this. You see, here's Peter and the Lord is saying, you know, when you're old, they'll stretch forth your hands like that. And they'll gird them. Now this is what he said here. This speak he in verse 19, signifying by what death Peter should glorify God.

You know, he had selected the death, because he's not only sovereign over the span of life before death, but he's sovereign over what kind of death we shall die. You know, he had selected this for Peter, and he was going to be crucified.