Excerpt taken from Christianpost.com:

In August of 2018,young megachurch Pastor Andrew Stoecklein committed suicide while he was at work inside the Inland Hills Church in Chino, California.

In his Aug. 12 message, Stoecklein also encouraged his congregation to be more aware of the mental health crisis in America and attempted to use the story of Old Testament prophet Elijah to illustrate that mental health is a common subject in the Bible.

"Elijah, he pinpoints the pain. He acknowledges that he is filled with anxiety and depression and suicidal thoughts. And you see mental illness on display. Now that is something that we don't like to talk about much, do we? Especially not the church. And what's odd to me about that is from cover to cover in Scripture, it's filled with men and women who've struggled with their emotions and feelings and have been honest. And we have these Scriptures that have been preserved to read and relate to these feelings and emotions," he said. (Christianpost.com)

1. Dangers of Normalizing Mental Illness & Suicide

   1. Worldly Culture Glamorize Mental Illness

      1. Assisted suicide is legal in some countries, under certain circumstances, including Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Colombia, Switzerland, and parts of the United States and Australia. In

   2. Church Accepting it

      1. Doctrine -

         1. There is a practice among preachers to teach and preach that even if you commit suicide, you will still go to heaven as a child of God. This is an irresponsible teaching since (1) We don’t fully understand the process that leads to suicide. This sin may lead to hell (2) Our focus should be on preaching and teaching that suicide is not the will of God, and the worst way to end one’s life. (3) Helps to normalize suicide.

         2. Emphasizing Mental Issues of Biblical Characters As a Norm

            1. Elijah - did experience loneliness, sadness, and expressed to God that he wanted to die along with others such as Jeremiah (I Kings 19:4).

            2. Difference - Elijah did not attempt to kill himself nor did he express the desire to take his own life. Doing so was not the norm as it is today.

            3. We should Rather Stress the Power of God in times of Lowness. When Elijah was low he experienced God’s power and presence in the following ways (I Kings

               1. Supernatural Appearance of an Angel

               2. Spiritual Guidance

               3. The Voice of God

               4. Action

         3. Suicidal Thoughts Should Not Be the Norm of Spirit-Led Believers:

            1. We have the Mind of Christ

            2. *We Have the Spirit of Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

            3. *We Endure through the Joy of Christ

            4. *We Exercise Longsuffering

Remember how Satan tried to tempt Jesus to test God by casting himself off a pinnacle (Matthew 4:4-6). Satan is a murderer and will speak lies to men to cause self-infliction. Satan may tempt the believer to harm themselves with lies and deception, but this should be rebuked sharply, and not allowed any place. In the same manner, preachers and teachers should sharply avoid any teaching that normalizes or provides a justification or comfort for suicide. We should never take comfort in God's goodness and promise to intentional put ourselves in harmful situations - this is tempting God.

1. Downplaying Demonic Attacks or Sinful Anguish

Examples of Suicide in the Bible Often Stemmed from Demonic Bondage or Sinful Anguish

Mark 5:5-13 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

1. Indirect Demonic Attacks (Jezebel with Elijah, Family Attacks with Jeremiah)

   1. Jezebel was influenced by devils

   2. Persecution is influenced by devils

   3. Resist

   4. Cover

2. Satanic Attacks

   1. Murderer from the Beginning. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

   2. Uses Lies to Bring Suicide  Matthew 4:5-6 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written

   3. Causes Suicidal Remorse

Satan Entered Judas to Betray. Luke 22:3-4 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 4And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

Leading to Judas’ Remorse and Suicide. Matthew 27:3-5 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

• *Saul - took his own life after the anguish of rebellion against God (I Samuel 31:4-5).

• *Ahithophel - betrayed King David (2 Samuel 17:23)

1. Immunize the Mind (Youtube.com/harvestarmy)

Bishop K.D. Collins of Harvest Army Church International teaches on immunizing the mind with the following steps:

1. Prevention - take preventative action when you hear negative news, or a recent victory or good news. Keep your mind from the possible downfall by covering your mind under the blood, and claiming the mind of Christ.

2. Detection - diagnose bizarre behavior, porn watching, double-mindedness, contradictions, unforgiveness - any ill behavior or your mind. Evaluate the health of your mind.

3. Expulsion - cast out demonic strongholds, ungodly thoughts, and mind numbing substances.

4. Medication - speak the scriptures over your mind - you have the mind of Christ.

5. Regulation - live in a peaceful environment, avoid harmful social media, or carefully manage your social media intake (also telephone and email). Regulate your association - associate with people that are healthy for your healthy.

6. Inoculation - practice the above, and claim the mind of Christ, and you will be inoculated from a wrecked mind.