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How to overcome depression
Depression accounts for a tremendous amount of the medical costs of healthcare in our world today. It can be a taboo subject in the church, because many people are ashamed to admit that they suffer from this condition. It can be perceived as a symbol of weakness, especially among males.
As you might expect, that bible does address the subject of depression in-depth. This is not a new phenomenon, nor is it just a "last days" condition (though I definitely believe the church is under attack like never before because the devil knows that he has but a short time). As we read from Genesis to Revelation, we find men and women who were faced with hardships and emotional struggles. Even David, the man "after God's own heart" found himself desperately discouraged at times (just read the psalms if you don't believe me).
This article is not intended to discredit the benefits of modern medical treatment, nor to condemn those who seek medical help for this condition. By all means, use all resources available to help you. The purpose of this article, is to show you that God cares about your innermost feelings, and He wants to give you peace where there is anxiety, and joy where there is depression, and hope where there is despair.
How can I overcome depression?
Well, there are probably a thousand books written on this subject, and I am certainly no expert. But what I want to do is give a scriptural view of what the LORD has done for us and what is given unto us. In the book of Hosea it is written "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) It is of the utmost importance that we lean on the scriptures and the power of the Holy Ghost so that we may "know the things that are freely given to us of God" (I Cor 2:12)
Rather than focusing on the problem (in this case depression/anxiety), the key is to focus on the promises of God. Again, let me say that I am NOT advocating stopping any medications that your physician may have prescribed for you-I am not a doctor, nor am I offering medical advice!. I don't want to belabor the point, but so many times, we sincerely want to act in faith, but we end up in worse shape than we started. So follow your doctor's advice in addition to meditating upon the Word of God.
The bible states that in the last days perilous times will come (and they're here if you haven't noticed). It's only natural with all of the pressures of life, that mankind is succeptable to the attacks of the enemy on his emotional well-being. There are volumes of scriptures that deal with the innermost needs of the human soul, and these are just some of them. I'm sure I've missed some verses here and there, so don't take this as an exhaustive list on this topic, but I just wanted to provide this as a "quick reference guide", if you will. A way to meditate on the promises of God. We know that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God", so we can only benefit by hiding the Word in our hearts in this manner.
Some verses about PEACE
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost
I Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Colossians 1:20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
I Thess 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
II Thess 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
The Psalms are a wonderful place to find peace and comfort
Psalm:
4:8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety
29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace
37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace
55:18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them
Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee
Isaiah 26:12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed
Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee
Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands
Isaiah 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end
Some verses about JOY
From the Psalms
5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
43:4Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.
51:12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
105:43And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:
126:5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Isaiah 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified
Jeremiah . 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full
John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you
Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith
I Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory
I John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full
Overcoming fear and anxiety
(of course there is a godly "fear of the LORD" which is a very healthy thing-this section is referring to the tormenting type of fear which is a tool of the enemy)
Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom
II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind
I John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love
Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 31:7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed
Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Psalm 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me
Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Psalm 3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about
Psalm 56:3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. 112:8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
Proverbs 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Phillipians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God
I Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you
This passage in Matthew basically sums up how to deal with anxiety in a nutshell
Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
In conclusion
As I stated earlier, this is not a complete listing of all scriptures dealing with depression, fear, and anxiety. But hopefully I have shared enough verses with you to convince you that God wants you to be made whole emotionally and mentally. If you would like us to pray with you, feel free to click the prayer link below and we would be glad to pray for your needs. God bless you!
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