WE ARE NOT HELPLESS VICTIMS OF DEPRESSION!
Depression is one of the major strategy's satan is using today in his counterattack against the Church to spiritually immobilize Christians and hinder them from making further advances into his territory. We are living in a depressed environment.
Luke 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Among the nations of the world there is great distress, as Jesus prophesied there would be before His return. Today men's hearts...their minds, their innermost beings...are becoming weakened and are failing them. Because of the great perplexity of the times we are living in...wars, famines, economic uphealval...men and women are becoming fearful, unable to cope with the pressures and crises which are coming upon the earth.
Perplexity! Stress! Fear! Worry! Hopelessness! Despair! Discouragement! Depression! Defeat! These negative forces permeate our environment and affect our society today. But, in the midst of these negative forces, we do not have to become victims of depression! SATAN IS USING DEPRESSION TO SPIRITUALLY IMMOBILIZE CHRISTIANS TODAY.
There are multiplied thousands of Christians today who are depressed and oppressed by satan because they have failed to recognize depression as an attack of satan, and do not know how to fight and win the war over depression. As a Child of God, you must spend time in God's Word. You need to be renewed daily in the 'spirit of your mind'. You have to spend time talking with God. You need to learn to be faithful to the things of God. You can not neglect the things of God and be strong. `
Many Christians have become victims of depression...their minds and bodies have become weakened and they are now frustrated, worried and depressed. It's time that we go to the root cause and recognize depression for what it really is. DEPRESSION IS A SPIRIT THAT SATAN IS USING TO ATTACK THE MINDS OF CHRISTIANS TODAY!
Depression is a matter of choice. Satan's strategy is to attack us through our circumstances, so that we will become fearful, worried, faint-hearted, discouraged and depressed. None of the adverse circumstances we face...spiritual failures, financial problems, loss of income, death of a loved one, marital problems, separation, divorce, pain & sickness, problems on the job, problems with wayward children...or any other circumstance can cause us to be depressed; it is how we act in those circumstances, trials and temptations that determines whether or not we will be depressed.
GET YOUR MIND ON GOOD THOUGHTS!
PROVERBS 23:7
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:
If we allow our minds to be filled with fear, worry, doubt, and other negative thoughts regarding our circumstances, we are programming our minds for defeat. To overcome depression, the thought pattern...the thoughts we allow to fill our minds...must be changed!
Depression affects every aspect of our beings...spiritually, mentally, physically. It attacks us first in our hearts and minds...in our thoughts, will, emotions...within our innermost beings, and eventually affects our physical bodies.
Anger and self-pity are the major causes of depression. To overcome depression and walk in victory over it, you must learn to recognize it the moment a spirit of depression attacks your mind. You must recognize that the thoughts which you allow to remain in your heart and mind, not the circumstances you face, are major cause of depression. You must reject those thoughts and change your thought pattern before you can overcome depression. Getting proper rest is very important!
The first step toward producing depression is anger. Depression in every phase of its development includes anger, whether it is conscious or unconscious. The anger is a reaction to the circumstances the depressed person faces, and is directed toward a specific individual or group of individuals, and sometimes toward God.
Self-pity is the primary cause of depression. Christians who allow satan to fill their minds with self-pity concerning circumstances, trials, temptations and attacks of satan on their finances, their bodies and their families are going to be depressed. Self-pity is a form of doubt that questions God's faithfulness to fulfill His promises. Christians who are filled with self-pity are not exercising faith to believe God will make them victorious in the circumstances they are facing, they are spiritually immobilized.
Two examples of men who fell into anger & self-pity.
Numbers 11:11-15, NIV (MOSES)
11 He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?
12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers?
13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!'
14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.
15 If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now--if I have found favor in your eyes--and do not let me face my own ruin."
1 KINGS 19:4, NIV (ELIJAH)
4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
God has promised you: 1 COR. 10:13, NIV...No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
This is God's guarantee to you against depression. God will not allow any circumstance, trial, temptation or attack of the enemy to come into your life that you are unable to bear...and (during every circumstance you face) HE WILL MAKE YOU VICTORIOUS!
Paul wrote...2 COR. 4:8,9, JKV...We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
AS A CHILD OF GOD, DO NOT ALLOW YOUR SELF TO BE DEPRESSED. USE GOD'S WORD & THE TOOL OF PRAYER!
SMILE & BE HAPPY!