According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800,000 people die from suicide every year. That’s one person every 40 seconds. This statistic alone should make every person’s eyes open to the real pandemic overtaking our nation, suicide. Suicide has been downplayed more and more in our culture by calling it a beautiful tragedy or saying that the person is finally at peace. We even go as far as to rename suicide and defend that that person is now given the chance to die with dignity. Our culture is shifting further and further to the acceptance of suicide as a cultural norm, but what does God say? Does God have an opinion on suicide? Does the Bible talk about suicide? Is suicide a sin? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he brings awareness to the heartbreaking subject in his somber message, Suicide, A Real Pandemic.
Acts 3:13–15
Judges 9:52–54
Judges 16:29–30
1 Samuel 31:3-6
2 Samuel 17:23
1 Kings 16:18-19
Matthew 27:3-5
Job 1:6
Job 2:9–10
Job 3:1–12
John 10:10 (NKJV)
Romans 6:16
1 Corinthians 6:19–20
1 Corinthians 6:20b
Suicide, A Real Pandemic
Suicide Statistics
The reason suicide is a real pandemic, is because suicide is increasing in our society today, especially in our younger generation.
Data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that suicide rates in youth aged 10-24 have increased by 57% between 2007 and 2018. This is a rise from 7 in every 100,000 people to 11. The U.S suicide rate within all age groups was 14 people in every 100,000 in 2018. More than a quarter of young adults reported seriously considering suicide in the last 30 days.
Organic Lifestyle Magazine
Suicide rates went up more than 30% in half of states since 1999.
CDC
More than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition.
CDC
Suicide is a real pandemic, according to the CDC. As if these stats weren’t enough, the CDC stated:
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the US. Suicide rates increased in nearly every state from 1999 through 2016. Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death.
Suicide Mentions in the Bible
3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
1 Samuel 31:3-6
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
2 Samuel 17:23
3 Then when Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
Matthew 27:3-5
Suicide Help
For immediate, free, confidential help, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Chat with a counselor online? Educate yourself on suicide prevention? Get involved? Should I call? What happens if you call?
We, here at HoldToHope, believe that suicide is a spirit, as we believe every sin has a spirit behind it. 1 John 4:1 tells us,
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
We believe that it is a Spirit of Suicide that plants the seed that someone is worthless, hopeless, doomed, or disgusting in their head. Therefore, finding relief would begin in the mind. It all starts with changing your thoughts. But how do you do that? You have to make a conscious decision to change your thoughts. Then you fill your mind with scripture to tell you the truth that you are not worthless. That you are loved. You are beautiful. You are wanted. You are not disgusting. You are a Child of God. Don’t fall prey to this pandemic of suicide
Verses For Suicide Prevention
Don’t be another statistic in this growing pandemic of suicide. Allow Jesus, the Word of God, to fill you and heal you inside and out. May the LORD mend your broken heart and heal your wounds as you read these verses. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Verses For Depression
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalms 34:18
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation 6 and my God.
Psalms 42:5-6a
8 By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.
Psalms 42:8-11
Verses For Anxiety
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
5 Let your reasonableness [gentleness, your trust in God] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand [the LORD is with you]; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:5-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God [bow down and worship God, spend time with Him] so that at the proper time He may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:25-34
Verses For Self-Hate
1 But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O [insert name], He who formed you, O [insert name]: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:1-3a
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.
John 3:16-17
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.
Romans 5:8
Verses For Hopelessness
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
Luke 1:36
27 But He said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through Him [Christ Jesus] who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:12-13
Verses For Feeling Alone (Loneliness)
20 We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You.
Psalms 33:20-22
13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
Jesus is famous for saying that the Truth will set you free (John 8:32). So, here’s the Truth. Suicide is a real pandemic. Suicide is a sin that leads to eternal death. Suicide is a lying spirit. Anyone can overcome the Spirit of Suicide through the redeeming blood of Jesus. No weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17), if you put your faith in Christ and build a relationship with Him, through His Holy Spirit.
If you’d like peace, say this prayer with all of your heart and believe it with everything in you, regardless of what you see with your eyes or feel within you at this moment.
Dear Jesus,
Please forgive me for any sins that I have committed knowingly and unknowingly. Please redeem me by Your blood that was shed on the cross for my freedom. I accept Your forgiveness, and I declare You as LORD and Savior of my life. Thank You for Your forgiveness. By Your stripes, I have been healed. The chastisement that brought me peace, was upon You. Thank You for Your healing. Thank You for Your peace that passes all understanding that You have given to me, LORD Jesus. Please help me to remember every day that You, LORD Jesus, love me and have a plan for me. Help me to remember that I am not worthless nor was I created by accident. I am divinely designed by You, the creator of all things. Please fill me with Your presence so that You never seem far away.
In Jesus’ name, I pray,
Amen
Back to Special Occasion Messages?
Similar Content
