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There are many examples of
depression in the Bible. MOst of
GHod's heroes suffered from
depression at some point in there
lives. God always helped them when
they turned to Him.
Abraham (Genesis
15)
Jonah (Jonah
4)
Job (Book of
Job)
Elijah (1
Kings 19)
King Saul (I
Samuel 16:14-23, etc.)
Jeremiah (Book of
Jeremiah)
David (Psalms
6,
13,
18,
23,
25,
27,
31,
32,
34,
37-40,
42-43,
46,
51,
55,
62-63,
69,
71,
73,
77,
84,
86,
90-91,
94-95,
103-104,
107,
110,
116,
118,
121,
123-124,
130,
138,
139,
141-143,
146-147)
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King David -- "I am
troubled, I am bowed down
greatly; I go mourning all
the day long. ...I groan
because of the turmoil of my
heart." -Psalm
38:6,8 (NKJV)
David dealt with his
depression by getting in
contact with God, through
prayer an praise and
worship. In fact, praise God
while your feeling down is
probably the strongest
weapon in fighting
depression. |
GUILT CAN CAUSE DEPRESSION
CAIN DISOBEYED
GOD
"Then the LORD said to Cain,
'Why are you angry? Why is your
face downcast? If you do what is
right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is
right, sin is crouching at your
door; it desires to have you,
but you must master it.'"
Genesis 4:6-7 (NIV)
DAVID,
COMMITTED ADULTERY
"When I kept silent, my bones
grew old Through my groaning all
the day long. For day and night
Your hand was heavy upon me; My
vitality was turned into the
drought of summer. Selah.
-Psalm 32:3-4
CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
RELEASES YOU FROM THIS KIND OF
DEPRESSION.
"For I said in my
haste, 'I am cut off from before
Your eyes'; Nevertheless You
heard the voice of my
supplications When I cried out
to You. Oh, love the LORD, all
you His saints! For the LORD
preserves the faithful, And
fully repays the proud person.
Be of good courage, And He shall
strengthen your heart, All you
who hope in the LORD. Blessed is
he whose transgression is
forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the
LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no
deceit. ...I acknowledged my sin
to You, And my iniquity I have
not hidden. I said, "I will
confess my transgressions to the
LORD," And You forgave the
iniquity of my sin. Selah.
-Psalm 31:22 - 32:2, 32:5 (NKJV)
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"If we
confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse
us from all
unrighteousness."
1
John 1:9
(NKJV)
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David sinned greatly, but he
confessed his sin to God and
humbly asked for forgiveness.
That is why he was a man after
God's own heart.
"Have
mercy upon me, O God, According
to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of
Your tender mercies, Blot
out my transgressions. Wash me
thoroughly from my iniquity, And
cleanse me from my sin. For I
acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I
sinned, And done this evil in
Your sight; That You may be
found just when You speak, And
blameless when You judge.
Behold, I was brought forth in
iniquity, And in sin my mother
conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the
inward parts, And in the hidden
part You will make me to know
wisdom. Purge me with hyssop,
and I shall be clean; Wash me,
and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken
may rejoice. Hide Your face from
my sins, And blot out all my
iniquities. Create in me a clean
heart, O God, And renew a
steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your
presence, And do not take Your
Holy Spirit from me. Restore to
me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous
Spirit. Then I will teach
transgressors Your ways, And
sinners shall be converted to
You. ...For You do not desire
sacrifice, or else I would give
it; You do not delight in burnt
offering. The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit, A broken
and a contrite heart; These, O
God, You will not despise."
-Psalm 51:1-13, 16-17 (NKJV)
WHEN YOU'RE DEPRESSED, YOU
NEED HOPE THAT IT WILL END. YOU
CAN GET HOPE BY TRUSTING GOD AND
BELIEVING IN HIS PROMISES.
"Why
are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted
within me? Hope in God, for I
shall yet praise Him For the
help of His countenance. ...For
You are the God of my
strength..." -Psalm 42:5,
43:2 (NKJV)
"Trust in
the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own
understanding; In all your ways
acknowledge Him, And He shall
direct your paths."
-Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
"Now
may the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in
believing, that you may abound
in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit."
-Romans 15:13 (NKJV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again I will say, rejoice! Let
your gentleness be known to all
men. The Lord is at hand. Be
anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known
to God; and the peace of God,
which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your
hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus. Finally, brethren,
whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good
report, if there is any virtue
and if there is anything
praiseworthy; meditate on these
things.
-Philippians 4:4-8 (NKJV)
"Therefore humble yourselves
under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due
time, casting all your care upon
Him, for He cares for you."
-1 Peter 5:6-7
BELIEVERS ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM
DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, BUT WE CAN
AVOID LETTING OUR CIRCUMSTANCES
DEPRESS US.
"We
are hard pressed on every side,
yet not crushed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not
destroyed... Therefore we do not
lose heart. Though outwardly we
are wasting away, yet inwardly
we are being renewed day by day.
For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an
eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our eyes not
on what is seen, but on what is
unseen. For what is seen is
temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:8-9,
16-18 (NIV)
Think about what Jesus
endured for us. Remember
what Paul experienced.
both of them focused
on the eternal rather than
the temporary and so must
we. When we feed our faith
and keep our focus on God's
love and promises, then we
have hope and can avoid the
pits of depression.
Paul said--
"...I have worked much harder,
been in prison more frequently,
been flogged more severely, and
been exposed to death again and
again. Five times I received
from the Jews the forty lashes
minus one. Three times I was
beaten with rods, once I was
stoned, three times I was
shipwrecked, I spent a night and
a day in the open sea, I have
been constantly on the move. I
have been in danger from rivers,
in danger from bandits, in
danger from my own countrymen,
in danger from Gentiles; in
danger in the city, in danger in
the country, in danger at sea;
and in danger from false
brothers. I have labored and
toiled and have often gone
without sleep; I have known
hunger and thirst and have often
gone without food; I have been
cold and naked. Besides
everything else, I face daily
the pressure of my concern for
all the churches."
-2 Corinthians 11:23b-28 (NIV)
TRUST GOD, BELIEVE HIS
PROMISES, WAIT UPON HIM WITH
HOPE IN YOUR HEART. HE WILL
NEVER LET YOU DOWN.
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GOD HAS GOOD
PLANS
FOR
YOUR
FUTURE
know what I'm doing.
I have it all planned
out--
plans to take care of you,
not abandon you,
plans to give you
the future you hope for.
"When you call on me,
when you come
and pray to me,
I'll
listen.
Jeremiah 29:11
(Message Bible) |
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