Do You Suffer From Depression?
How Common is Depression in the US, Our Children, Etc.
Learn how to get out of depression biblically.
How common is depression in the US? Well, about Millions of Americans suffer from clinical or manic depressive disorders. Did you know there is a way of escape without drugs?
Did you know despair, guilt, shame, and not loving for who you are (self-hatred, self-rejection) cause depression? Losses of someone you love, loss of job, or big changes, such as moves away from personal support, can also bring on depression.
I want to address those who have a hard time accepting themselves, manifesting as shame, guilt, self-hatred, or self-rejection.
In fact many Christians have depression as much as the world. Did you know it says in Matthew 22:37-39 to Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love others as yourself? We are commanded to love ourselves!
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
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| Depression Hurts |
The enemy wants to kill, steal, and destroy you. Jesus warns us about Satan…. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, kill, and destroy: I come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:10-11).
If he can get you stuck in negative thoughts about yourself – your failures and past sins, not allowing yourself off the hook, he’s got you. Did you know people who are clinically depressed might spend 90 percent of their time thinking about the one negative and 10 percent of their time thinking about the nine positives?
Thinking thinking! As depression deepens, the individual might start to feel that things are hopeless. That is precisely what the enemy wants to take you – hopelessness. But our hope is in Christ.
Where do thoughts come from? Did you know not all your thoughts are your own? Did you know we are spiritual, and the enemy is spiritual? He knows your past and is the accuser! He loves to accuse the saints of God. The word of good is good when putting out those fiery darts.
Where do thoughts come from? Did you know not all your thoughts are your own? Did you know we are spiritual, and the enemy is spiritual? He knows your past and is the accuser! He loves to accuse the saints of God. The word of good is good when putting out those fiery darts.
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Eph. 6:16
How many of you repented for the things in the past, but you cannot believe you're forgiven? Is God’s Word faithful or not! Isaiah 43:25
My question to you is, if the Lord sent his son to forgive you of your sins, and when you repent and his word says he no longer remembers, why are you allowing the enemy to accuse you! Remember that is satan’s job to get you to doubt God’s promises. Hang on to God’s promises.
What happens when I live with some of these negative emotions? One, your body lines up to what you believe, and the serotonin, dopamine, or norepinephrine down, neurotransmitters in the brain that carry impulses among all the brain cells. All these chemicals are feel-good chemicals, but when someone does not feel good about themselves or cannot get over guilt or shame, the chemicals decrease, causing depression. You go to the doctor for depression, and the doctor gives you serotonin enhancers called anti depressants, which give a false peace because only God is our real peace. Depression causes chemical imbalances in the brain through a complex interplay of body, mind, and spirit.
If God is the creator of all life, then you are unique, and there is only one of you. Some of you have heard negative words spoken over your lives. You have to choose to believe God’s word over their words. Remember, your father in heaven is your real father, and you will be with him for eternity.
This is what God says about you:
God made you, you are His workmanship – you are wonderfully made. Ps 139:13-14 …For you created my inmost being…. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
You are deeply loved
Jer 31:3 The LORD…says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
You are not rejected
Is 41:9 “…I have chosen you and have not rejected you.”
You are precious in God’s sight
Is 43:4 … you are precious and honored in my sight, and …I love you
You are the ‘apple’ of God’s eye
Zec 2:8 …This is what the LORD Almighty says…whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye
You are God’s friend
John 15:15 “…. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
You are God’s child
John 1:12-13 To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
You are God’s delight
Ps 150:4 The LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
God is with you, and you are His joy.
Zep 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
You have a hope and a future.
Jer 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me, come and pray to me, and I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
How to Overcome Depression in Four Steps
First, who are you listening to. Is God’s word true or not. Are you going to allow your past failures or what others have said? Who are you going to define you? God’s word or past word curses? Are they really true about you?
In 2 Corinthians 10:5 it says “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” What does this mean? It means anything and I mean anything against the word of God, don’t listen to it, but cast it down.
Second, stop comparing yourself to others. Learn to be content with who you are and stop looking at your temporary you and get to know who you really are, the eternal person you are. Did you know comparing yourself to others is a form of envy and jealousy? Praise God and hold up your head that you represent the creation of God.
Third, forgive yourself. Jesus forgave you, didn’t he? Didn't you repent of your sins when you gave your life to Christ? If you did, then it is under the blood. If you have failed since then, go to the Lord and confess your sins to him. That is why he was sent so we can go to him anytime and confess our sins. God knew no man could be perfect, and he sent his son for us to have access. Conviction is from the Lord and condemnation is from the devil.
God says in the Bible, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25 Heb. 8:12; 10:17). He chooses never to bring them up again. He doesn’t forget because He cannot. But He doesn’t remember them either; He will never bring them up again. Why? Because they have been forgiven by His Son Jesus. It is under the blood, which covers forever. Don’t listen to the accuser who wants you to remember your past failures and sins.
Remember the Lord your God loves you with an everlasting love. He sent his son to earth not to condemn but bring life.
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16, 17 Bible KJV)
This should restore your hope back. For now, there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13
Fourth, if someone abused you, rapped or molested you, you must forgive them.
I know the pain of someone not loving you and abusing you. Your heart is broken, your spirit is crushed, and your mind is filled with anger and bitterness. Mercy and forgiveness are merely words we hardly remember the meaning of.
If a person holds onto bitterness, then the memory stays in the mind as torment. We are commanded to forgive. Part of the Lord’s prayer is to forgive others.
Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25) when we didn’t deserve it.
So why should you forgive? Remember thatgiving others is an absolute necessity. In Mat. 6:14-15 Jesus said that if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Think about that. Dwell on all your past sins, and how grateful you are that our heavenly father is merciful and forgiving. Jesus commanded us to forgive, which is why we must do it.
This begins the healing process when we can forgive those who hurt, abused, or misused.
As you begin to heal, Satan will try with all his principalities to remind you of the hurt that has been put upon you. He will try to restore your bitterness. You must continue to get in line with the word of God and allow the healing power of the cross to invade your thoughts. That means stay out of self-pity by not replaying those thoughts to become one with bitterness again.
Sometimes, bitterness can be a stronghold that makes it hard to forgive. If that is the case, a person needs deliverance and ministry to heal the broken heart.
Fifth, is learning to be grateful for what you have. It is being content in all things. Philippians 4:11-13 says:
11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Satan is the biggest robber of contentment. He gets the children of God to get their eyes off the Lord and onto the world in what others have or see blessings of others. Overcoming discontent is a matter of relying on God and trusting him.
One has to come to the place of contentment in all things. It is learning to give praise in all things, even in trials. 1 Peter 1:3-21 is a great scripture of promise.
You see, when you can turn your discontentment to praise to him, something changes in the brain. It is a choice but it is warfare you are doing against the enemy by praising the Lord.
In Conclusion: All these steps will increase seretonin levels.
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