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07 Defeating depression

Encouragement for difficult days (7):
DEFEATING DEPRESSION

Psalm 42:11a and 43:5a
“ Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?”

Reading in Psalms 42 and 43 we find that the authors world is falling apart, and he is asking himself where God was. He is wondering if he’ll ever get out of the dark pit of depression.
Depression is a serious problem in today’s world, costing employers and taxpayers loads and loads of money all the time. It is a serious thing, and we need to know show to handle it.

1. Depression often has a physical cause.
Remember how discouraged the prophet Elijah was after his battle on Mount Carmel.
What he needed was some sleep, some good food, and a new vision of the greatness of God.
Some times we need get sorted for physical illness brought on because of physical problems like injuries and chemical imbalance in the body.

2. Sometimes depression is a result of the attack of Satan.
He is the accuser and destroyer.
He knows when to attack us and what weapons to use.
He tries to get us to look at ourselves so much we forget to look at Christ.
This is the spiritual reason for depression.

3. Some depression has a psychological cause.
It could be grief after the loss of loved one, emotional problems or crisis in life.

Some times we are in need of medication and professional help, especially if the cause is physical, but here we will deal with the spiritual aspect of depression.

Depression normally follows a definite pattern.
Stage 1 is self-protection.
Stage 2 is self-pity
Stage 3 is self-punishment
Stage 4 is self-destruction

When you realize that you are attacked by depression, what do you do?
1. Surrender yourself to Jesus Christ and tell Him all about the hurt down inside.
2. Get your eyes on the Lord and off yourself.
3. Remember that Jesus Christ died for all your sins and failures, and you need not punish yourself.

Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Hebrews 8:12
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”