Depression is of the DEVIL - A Follow Up

My last post, "Depression is of the DEVIL," was well received. Several of my followers, however, were confused whether I was talking about "Spiritual Depression" or "Clinical Depression." The answer is that I was talking about both.

Since, though, I didn't talk about clinical depression outright in that post, I will do so in this post. I am going to organize the discussion by question and answer as I have received a lot of questions as to how you can just "have more faith" and it lead to being physically healed of a disease. In light of all that, let's get started!

Q1: "Does the Devil really cause CLINICAL depression? I don't think he does because clinical depression is a medical condition."

Yes the Devil does cause it. Remember that I said God can use it and allow it, but He does not cause it. "But without faith it is impossible to him." (Hebrews 11:6) Therefore a lack of faith is a sin. So not having faith in God is sinning. What happens when we sin? We're turning away and disobeying God. THIS being the case, think about what it means for God to try your faith with depression. God is allowing your faith to be tested because you don't have enough! He has to give you some, but since you won't take it, He allows you to be attacked by His enemy: Sin and therefore Satan.

All of this means that the Devil is still the ultimate source of the depression. Whether he's attacking you, or whether God is allowing Him to. Further, just think of the opposite. If depression isn't of Satan, then from whom does it originate? The world operates from a Good vs. Evil standpoint--so if it isn't of Satan than you're saying it is of God. To say God wants you to be depressed makes no sense (see Nehemiah 2:10).

"Well okay. Just because God doesn't cause it doesn't mean Satan does!" someone responds. Then who? Not God, not Satan....then who? Is there a third powerful being that does things to us in this world? Absolutely not. It's one or it's the Other.

Q2: "Can God actually heal clinical depression?"

While the answer to this question is obvious, some people would disagree. Some people would contend that you cannot just "pray away" depression because depression is a physical imbalance of chemicals in your brain. I would make two observations:

1. God Can Do It!

Psalm 103:19 is clear that God is in control of everything (He is sovereign). That being true, how can you say "God can't heal depression."? If you can be driving along, and someone pulls over on you, and God causes the other car to miss you by half of an inch, then God can fix a chemical imbalance in your brain. Perhaps, after you pray, you will feel this unusual urge to eat a squash. Then come to find out it had the chemicals in it your brain needed! God created you, your brain, and the chemicals it needs--therefore it's ridiculous to say that He can't bring them all together and heal you of clinical depression.

Further, Jesus Christ promises us healing. Notice the parallel in these two passages:

Isaiah 53:3-7, "³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵But 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. ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."

Matthew 8:14-17, "¹⁴And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. ¹⁵And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. ¹⁶When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: ¹⁷That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."

At first glance, you might think that Isaiah 53:5 is talking about healing us of sin. But notice the correlation! Matthew said Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 5 not by dying but for physical healing! Matthew said, "they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:" Why? "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."! What does this mean? It means the Jesus Christ came to heal SICKNESS! As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the privilege of access to Jesus Christ's HEALING! Not only that, but it's what proves we are believers! Consider Mark 16:17-18:

^"17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

HEALING! People will know you are Christians because you can HEAL people through Him! He came to bring Salvation! Salvation not only of the spirit but of the body--how could we serve Him and bring others to Christ if our own bodies don't work? Our bodies are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)! The physical temples of the Old Testament were kept incredibly clean. Why? They were very very holy. In the same way, Jesus will keep OUR (HIS) temples holy and clean!

And just in case you were wondering, "Esaias the prophet" is the name of the Prophet Isaiah. KJV just translates it into a different English name than the actual name "Isaiah".

2. I'm Not Saying God Can't Heal Through Medication.

Don't misinterpret anything of what I've said to mean that those who need medication can stop taking it, pray, and will be better (if you have faith that will work, though--see Matthew 19:26). God can certainly use medication to heal you of depression--I'm just saying don't assume it's the only way to be healed of it. Your God created you, knows about your depression, created all the medication that exists (and the doctors who invented them), and--most important of all--He controls all of it! God can heal you through whatever means He chooses--medication is one of them just not the only one.

Q3: "You do realize some people NEED medication?"

Yes I do, but the reason some people NEED it (in the fullest meaning of the word) is because of something I said earlier in my first post about depression:

"...The only reason it may take God slow steps to break down one of Satan's fortresses in your life is because you have been subject to him for so long...."

Now if you're coming from the standpoint of, "but I never have been subject to Satan! I am trying to follow God and somehow this is still attacking me. THAT'S why I need medication." If this is the case, we still get back to what I said in my original post:

"...You will not be tested above what you are able. Mark it down--it's a promise of the Living God. Your depression will not get that bad! Either it will go away or it will be dealt with by God. That is why you can be cheerful about it! It will end at some point in one way or another--you just have to trust Jesus to bring it to pass..." and I would add "He won't let you take more than you can handle." (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

The scenario goes like this: either you're rebelling against God and not letting go of some sin in your life (or you aren't a Christian to begin with) OR God is testing your faith and it WILL end in the near future. It's either/or. There is no, "but my situation is different!" Either you've let Satan gain a foothold in your life one way or the other, or God is testing you and you have to stand firm. If you give up and don't stand firm, you will end up on the Devil's side of the issue (because you're sinning by giving up--because giving up is not having faith in God and therefore a sin against God [see Hebrews 11:6]). This doesn't mean you are JOINING the Devil or that you even want to join the Devil--it just means that any thought you think or action you take that says "God can't" or "God won't" or "maybe other people but God can't/won't not for me" is originating from Satan. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)!

The Greek word for "flee" ("φεύγω") means "to run away (literally or figuratively); by implication, to shun; by analogy, to vanish:-- escape, flee (away)." Resist the Devil and his depression and he WILL run away from you--and all CONCERNING you. Why? The Greek word for "you" ("ὑμῶν") means "of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves)." God says that if you submit to Him and resist the Devil, the Devil will RUN AWAY from you and anything that CONCERNS you. Depression fits both of those. You ABSOLUTELY can defeat depression. It is a truth of the living God that He will help you--if you trust Him to.

Q4: "Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. - Hoesa 6:1 Doesn't that verse show that God does cause it and not just allow it? "

God does cause it--but only in the sense that He allows the sickness to come upon us. The best way to handle questions like this is to assume they were true. If you were to answer "Yes." to the above question, you would be saying that God causes sickness. If God causes sickness then you have a real problem because Scripturally you can prove Satan is the causer of sickness (see Job for example). So to say that both God and Satan cause sickness is to assume that Satan and God both have some equal power--which they do not. God cannot cause sickness because sickness is a result of the Fall.

This which brings us to another interesting point: the Fall was an event that was not God's doing. God created the world perfect, so He certainly would not allow it to be destroyed. If God caused sickness you would be in effect imply He had something to do with causing the cause of sickness--the Fall. Which He did not.

Therefore, to answer your question, no that verse does not prove God causes it--"He has torn" and "He has stricken" are just used to show that He is the ultimate source of power and control--but not the direct cause of the problem. He is the cause in the sense that He caused it to be allowed to harm them, but not in the sense that He made them sick.

Q5: "Are you saying depression is sin? Anything of the Devil is sin, so that's essentially what you're saying."

Staying in depression on purpose is a sin. Now do not read that to mean if you are depressed and can't get out of it you are sinning--that's not what I mean. I mean that if you're purposefully keeping yourself in a down state to make people notice you, that's a sin. But if you are depressed and want to get out of it or hate being depressed, no that is not a sin. To explain why, I would make a comparison. If depression is a sickness, and it's a sin, then it is sinful to catch the common cold. That obviously makes no sense because you have no control over catching the common cold--no more than the control you have to stop depression from coming upon you.

I still want to be clear though: I am not, nor even meant to imply, that depression is a sin. The Devil afflicts many people, but that doesn't mean that you're sinning because you're being afflicted. Sin is only something you choose to indulge in. Therefore if you are willfully staying in your depression for attention or whatever else, that's sin--but just being depressed because of medical conditions or because of a traumatic event in your life is not. For example, look at the Psalms. They are laden with despairing passages--but that was because David was genuinely down and in need of help--not because he wanted to be depressed. In fact, David gives some useful guidance on depression when he said (Psalm 27:13-14):

"¹³I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

CONCLUSION

I hope this clears up what I meant in my earlier post about depression. Yeshua can heal you--just trust Him and don't give up. If you have questions, comment them below and I will edit this post with my response.

הוה' (Yahovah--God/Jesus Christ) bless,

Robert A. Rowlett

Depression is of the DEVIL

I have been confronted with so many depressed people in the last week, in addition to being a little down-pressed myself, that I want to attack this issue head on.

Here's the punchline: God does not cause depression (though He may allow it)--SATAN DOES. If you are depressed or feel depression about to come on top of you, read on. Depression is a horrid mental state that leads people to make all sorts of wrong decisions. Satan has been busy this holiday season and I refuse to allow him any more power as far as God has granted me influence.

We will be looking at what depression is, why God allows (not causes) you or another person you know to experience it, and how to defeat it. Even if you aren't a Christian, read on--there's something for you to take from this discussion as well.

What is "Depression"?

Medically speaking, depression is just that--a depressed state of mind. For some reason or another, your mind cannot function properly without a negative outlook. The Mayo Clinic defines depression as:

"...a serious illness that causes changes in mood, thinking, physical well-being and behavior. It can affect all aspects of a person's life. Depression is caused by a complex set of physical, psychological and environmental factors. Sometimes, a stressful life event can trigger depression. In other cases, depression seems to occur spontaneously with no identifiable cause. No matter what triggers it, depression is much more than grieving or a bout of the blues."

This definition is accurate except for the reference to instances where there is no identifiable cause of depression--we will touch on that momentarily.

Depression is a mental state--but notice that your mental health alone is not the cause of depression. Your mental, physical, and environmental health together are the cause. So fact number one about depression: you're not this way because "it's all in your mind." That statement is completely false. Depression (by definition as we see) is much more complex than that.

What are some examples of mental, physical, and environmental factors that contribute to depression?

Mental Factors

Mental factors can include a pessimistic outlook on life. If you are the "rainy cloud" kind of person, it's no wonder you're having problems keeping yourself upbeat. Another example are people who claim they are "realists." They say "I just see life how it is--bad." While that may be true, you as a Christian are called to the opposite. Consider what Jesus said in 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."

Jesus says, "I know--but don't worry about it."

Another contributing mental factor to depression can be your brain's left-right cycles. Every few hours, your brain "switches" which side is dominant. Left-Right-Left-Right. If one side of the brain becomes excessively overused, it can become "locked on." If this is case, here's how to combat it: the right side of your brain is your logical side--the side the does math, the side that does science, the side that processes rational thought. The left side of your brain is the emotional and "freeer" side--the side that can understand and appreciate art, music, and other less-structured ideas. Further, this side of your brain is the non-logical side, so anytime you get a "gut" feeling, or want to run on instinct, that's the left-side of your brain talking.

You can see what can go wrong. If your right side gets out of kilter, you will begin to overanalyze situations. You will think too logically. If your left side gets out of kilter, you will become overly emotional and very sensitive. To correct this, all you have to do is stimulate the opposite side of the brain that's dominating. If you're anxious or depressed because you're thinking to much or too hard or for too long (right brain), refuse to think about it anymore and then do something that stimulates the left side of your brain. Go play an instrument, look at some pictures, and/or listen to some music. If your finding yourself overly emotional or sensitive (left brain), then stimulate the right side of your brain. Go work on some math, go read the Bible, and/or just think through something.

Stimulating the opposite side of the brain goes a long way in reducing whichever tension (logical or emotional) is dominating your thoughts.

Physical Factors

Examples of physical factors that can contribute to depression can include my personal nemesis--lack of sleep. If you are not getting enough rest, you will become depressed (yes it rhymes--helps you remember). Sleep is absolutely essential to our physical wellbeing. All SORTS of wonderful processes happen when you are asleep that aid the body in homeostasis (that is, total wellbeing and balance). Would it surprise you to know that sleep is when your body does the most healing? It shouldn't. When you're asleep, your conscious mind isn't operating at full capacity, therefore your body can divert that energy to healing anything that requires it.

Another thing that your body does while you sleep is *drum roll* dump emotional baggage. Yes you read that right. Do you know why you have nightmares after seeing a scary movie? It's because what scared you consciously is also disturbing your brain (obviously). Therefore your brain puts it in a dream to dump it out of it's conscious thought area. If it's not in your conscious thoughts, then there's only one place it can go--your subconscious thoughts (read: your dreams). That's why that happens. Sleep is essential to maintain wellbeing.

Nourishment is another physical factor that can contribute to depression and/or sickness. If you are not taking in the correct foods, your body cannot function correctly. Did you know that some chemicals and substances that your body needs to LIVE are not produced in your body at all? You ingest them! Therefore it is imperative you eat the right foods. Look what happened to Daniel when he and his brethren ate right:

Daniel 1:11-15

"¹¹Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹²Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. ¹³Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. ¹⁴So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. ¹⁵And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat."

The Hebrew word for "pulse" ("זרען") means "vegetable"! Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah all ended up healthier and better looking than their brethren who ate the king's food because they ate vegetables. Eating correctly is very very important.

Further, you must take care of your body for it is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"¹⁹What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ²⁰For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

GOD lives inside you! He considers your body a TEMPLE. Would you take idols into God's temple at Jerusalem? No of course you wouldn't. In the same way, don't eat foods that will be to the detriment of your body.

Environmental Factors

Depression can start or be very much increased by the situations that you put yourself (or God allows you to fall) into. These are the "environmental factors" mentioned above. Situations contribute greatly to stress because of their very nature. You only can "over think" something if you have something to think about. You can't get too emotional over something if there isn't something to get emotional about.

Some of the worst situations that cause clinical depression are such things as near-death experiences and (what came to my mind first) divorce.

Most people who are depressed speak of no one loving them. No one caring for them. Everyone saying that "oh they are just acting that way to get attention." I disagree. Most of the time people are being more than just unkind to a person. No situation is as simple as it sounds.

Further, there is something about being loved that is needed in our physical brains. Most non-Christians I talk to are the ones that are depressed the worst. The reason for this, though they do not understand it, is that they need Someone to love them. That Someone is God. There is a place in your mind and heart for God--that if not filled will drive you mad. I like to think about it like this: you meet Christians that have been "a Christian for 50 years and loved every second of it!" Have you ever met an atheist that says that? ....a Hindu? No you don't. Why are Christians the only ones to be able to live in this world all of their life in peace? There is Someone--a Higher Power, a Greater Being--that loves them.

Why Does God Allow Us (or Others) to Fall into Depression?

It is of great importance that you understand one thing before we go further in our discussion. God allows depression--He does not cause it. Why does God do that? A primary reason is to test our faith in Him.

James 1:2-4

"²My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

The Greek word for "temptation" ("πειρασμός") means "a putting to proof." While temptation is certainly a way to prove someone, it is not the only way. "Trials" is a better translation I think. Various trials can come upon you to teach you patience and reliance on God. Another fact to observe is the Greek word for "fall" ("περιπίπτω"). It literally means "to fall into something that is all around, i.e. light among or upon, be surrounded with:--fall among (into)." Sound familiar? Depression is something that clouds you all day all the time. It follows you everywhere.

If God thinks you need to trust Him more, He will allow you to undergo some depression. Do not despair though! God has a plan to fix this. Just keep reading.

However, there is another factor to consider before we move on. Sometimes you are in depression or under attack by Satan because you are not repenting of some sin in your life. Consider Psalm 66:18:

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"

The Hebrew word for "iniquity" ("און") means "to pant (hence to exert oneself, usually in vain; to come to naught); strictly nothingness; also trouble, vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol." Yahovah is saying that if you regard some specific sin or wicked thing in your life, He will not hear your prayer. I know this passage is referring to a specific sin because a specific sin is an idol. How? An idol is anything that you exalt above God. If you aren't repenting of your sin when you know you should, then you are saying that indulging your sin is more important to you than serving God. That's idolatry. An idol doesn't have to be a small wooden statue to be an idol.

If you are in depression it might be because you are refusing to deal with a sin you know is in your life. The longer you refuse to deal with it and serve your sinful desires (and thus serve Satan and his plans) the worse your depression will be.

Now someone is bound to ask "What if I don't know I'm sinning?" Then God will tell you! If you don't know you're sinning, then there's no way you could address that sin. God knows this, so He will make you aware of it.

How to Defeat Depression

In light of the causes of depression and why God sometimes allows it in our lives and other's lives, how do we defeat depression?

1. Realize it WILL End

Depression is a reason to be cheerful. Yes you just read that. If you're like me or anyone else, you would instantly ask, "Why?!" Consider this absolutely astounding promise of Yeshua (Jesus Christ):

1 Corinthians 10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

"But that is about temptation!" you object. No, it is not actually. The Greek word for "tempted" above ("πειράζω") means literally "to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline:--assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try." Again, temptation is a part of all that, but not the only thing that could fit that definition. A better translation into English would be "tested." You will not be tested above what you are able. Mark it down--it's a promise of the Living God. Your depression will not get that bad! Either it will go away or it will be dealt with by God. That is why you can be cheerful about it! It will end at some point in one way or another--you just have to trust Jesus to bring it to pass.

2. Realize That If You are a Christian, You Have Positively NOTHING to Fear

All you have to do to realize this promise of Yeshua is to read two Scriptures. The first passage below is the effect, the second is the cause.

Isaiah 41:10-13

"¹⁰Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. ¹¹Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. ¹²Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. ¹³For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

Psalm 103:19

"The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."

You do not have to fear because Yahovah controls EVERYTHING. All people, all situations, all sicknesses, all fear--even the Devil himself! The Hebrew word for "kingdom" ("מלכות") means "a rule; concretely a dominion:--empire, kingdom, realm, reign, royal." The word means the Yahovah has complete RULE and DOMINION over EVERYTHING (the Hebrew word translated "all" means the entire universe). God controls everything and everyone all the time. Therefore, do not fear! God loves you enough to die for you on the Cross in the form of a man to pay for your sin. He loves you that much--and if you're one of His redeemed then you have nothing to fear because God not only can but WANTS to help and protect you. From people, from the devil, from anything! All of it is within His control and power.

Just use the picture God provides Himself. Yeshua--the Creator, Savior, and absolute God of everything including you--takes your right hand, looks at you, and says, "Fear not; I will help thee." I might melt in the presence of God if He audibly said that to me!--but yet He does so right there in that passage. All you have to do is realize that God is allowing everything in your life and is in complete control of it all. Further, from what we read above, you know that He won't let you be depressed too far before He allows you to escape (we'll visit this in a moment) or He ends the depression Himself.

If you aren't a Christian, and want that kind of assurance, just take Him up on His offer of salvation. We'll talk about that in a few moments.

3. God Always* Provides an Escape from His Testing

First thing you probably noticed was the asterisk (*). That is there for a reason. This promise only applies if (A) you are a Christian and (B) you do not have sin that you are willfully holding onto in your life.

Now let's continue. Remember back to...

1 Corinthians 10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

...notice the second half of the verse: "but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." If you are following Yahovah and the devil is attacking you with depression, remember God provides escape. There is always an escape from the testing procedures of God. That's the very nature of the idea! God puts you the choice: "Will they choose to be broken--or trust Me and take the escape route I have provided for them?"

4. Realize the Devil is Controlled by God

The Devil is no less subject to God than you or I are--mark it down. Satan does nothing without God knowing it and controlling it. Consider the following verses:

Philippians 2:10

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;"

Matthew 4:8-10

"⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
The name of Jesus Christ--Yeshua--is an incredibly powerful name. And it's at your disposal. That doesn't mean you can say, "I want a new car--in the name of Yeshua." It doesn't work like that. When you are seeking Christ and HIS interests, it will work for you--because you're working for Him.
The thing Satan doesn't want you to know is that HE is also subject to that name. Notice that Yeshua Himself said in the presence of Satan, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Satan shall ONLY serve God. It follows therefore that he has no power over you whatsoever. Anything the devil accomplishes in your life is either (A) something you have allowed him to do to you or (B) something God is allowing to strengthen you. "Why on earth would I allow the devil to come into my life?" you ask. You do it, for example, by sinning willfully. Satan is the definition of a sinner. He loves and caused sin. But did he really? Think about this for a moment: Who caused the original, first sin? Eve or Satan? EVE did. Why did she do it? Satan tempted her and she listened to and obeyed him. She took what the devil had to say over what God had said to do.
This situation easily occurs today. Good Christians become completely misguided and do evil things because they choose to follow Satan over God. Do not be subject to him! He nor his devil-minions have any control over you. In particular, remember that the excuse "Satan made me do it." does not stand. The devil and absolute eternal enemy of Yeshua cannot make one of Christ's children do ANYTHING they do not submit to doing.
"Well, what about people who suffer from addictions? That's a sin, but they physically cannot stop themselves," someone says. Firstly, yes they can--and secondly just because you have allowed yourself to be weakened physically to the point you are addicted to something does not mean that you aren't capable of ceasing to submit to Satan and his desires.
"What do you mean 'yes they can'? They cannot stop!" someone cries out. As pointed out above, God can do all things (Philippians 4:13, Matthew 19:26) and all you have to do ask Him for help. A man I knew drank for years and years--but one day he said he would not take another sip. He never drank again from that day forward. Your mind controls your body. Just let God control your mind and the rest will follow.
Further, even if you have to slowly draw back from an addiction, it still shows that you are not subject to Satan. Your willingness to take any steps to break an addiction and then to actually take those steps is to tell Satan, "I refuse you and choose God's way." The only reason it may take God slow steps to break down one of Satan's fortresses in your life is because you have been subject to him for so long. This brings us to...
5. Defeat Satan Using the Armor of God
Read this passage:
Ephesians 6:10-18
"¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"
Notice that throughout the entire passage, Paul only mentions one thing the armor is for--protection from the Devil! From this passage we can take all we need to defeat the Devil.
First, you have to gird about your loins (aka put on a belt) with truth. The Devil is the father of lies and in him is no truth (John 8:44). By a lie, Satan deceived Eve. Don't let him deceive you. "How can I know what's true and what's not?" you ask. Read the Bible! Jesus Christ is the source of all truth and His word is complete truth (Proverbs 30:5, Matthew 24:35).
Second, we have to put on the breastplate of righteousness. What does the breastplate protect? Your heart! You have to practice righteousness so that Satan will not obtain a foothold in your heart.
Third, you have to have "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;". Your feet are what take you where you go. Therefore make sure they are quick to spread (and go to) peace and not strife. The Devil would love nothing more than to portray a true Christian as someone who causes trouble in matters that don't concern them.
Fourth, you have to take the shield of Faith. Why? To quench the fiery darts of the wicked! You have to STAND FIRM as God says three times above. You stand firm in faith knowing that God will aide you and help you so that you are not moved in your life or in your walk with Christ (remember Isaiah 41:10-13 above!).
Fifth, you need the helmet of Salvation. What comes to mind is assurance of Salvation. If you are a true believer (and know it), wouldn't the Devil love to shoot a thought into your mind that says you aren't? Make you doubt? Make you second guess God? Satan is a DECEIVER--therefore protect your mind from him.
Sixth, you must take the Sword of the Spirit--the Word of God. Your Bible is an absolutely awesome tool. Notice that earlier in the passage where the Devil was tempting Jesus, Jesus always responded with a Scripture! The Bible is so powerful that it works every time you quote it (Isaiah 55:8-13). Use it to cast off the devil.
Seventh, the passage mentions "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,". You must be in constant contact with God. Always ready to ask Him for help in any situation in which you find yourself. For example, if you are being tested by depression, ask a very simple question of God (not sarcastically however): "Where is the escape?" If you have no sin in your life that you are aware of, then God must have a way of escape from your testing. Just ask Him where it is!
James 4:2
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."
Many times the reason you don't have something you desire or need of God is because you simply haven't asked Him for it!
Last, God says look out for your fellow soldiers (Ephesians 6:18)! Pray for other Christians that might be going through the same thing as you--for indeed some out there are (1 Peter 5:8).
6. Know that Other Christians in the World are Going Through the Same Struggles as You
Consider this passage:
1 Peter 5:7-11
"⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. ¹¹To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Notice that God says to resist the Devil by being "stedfast in the faith,". How do we do that? Put on the armor of God! God says in that passage to "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11). Over and over, God says (in that passage from Ephesians 6), "Stand firm. Stand firm. Stand firm."
Also notice that the passage says that you can almost rest in the fact that there are other Christians out there going through the same testing as you. You are not alone in your struggles. You have God, but you also have other Christians going through the exact same thing! No temptation has come over except as is COMMON TO MAN (1 Corinthians 10:13). The adage is true: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." You are not experiencing some new kind of depression that no one has felt before--someone, somewhere (that is a Christian) has endured it before or may be enduring it right now.
The lesson? Talk to them! See how they have overcome depression. See how God worked in their lives to get them out of it. And further, tell them how you will get through yours! That's the "watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Ephesians 6:18) from earlier. Show concern for other Christians on the battlefield!
7. Pray!--And Pray With the Mindset that Yeshua WILL Answer You How You Want
It is true to say that keeping a positive attitude will heal you! Indeed, see what Yeshua said Himself:
Mark 11:24
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Matthew 21:22
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
1 John 5:14-15
"¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Matthew 18:18-20

“18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

If you believe (Greek word meaning "trust in") that you will receive what you are asking from God, you will! Now again, as I have mentioned in other posts (and as mentioned in 1 John above), that does not mean you can ask for whatever you want and get it--the thing you are asking for must be in the will of God. But if you are asking of a pure heart something you need of God--He will give it to you.
Need deliverance from depression? Pray for it!
Further, have others pray for you! As in Matthew above, if two people agree on anything, He will do it (again, within His will)! The power of collective prayer is an amazing promise of Yeshua.
8. Fast
Fasting is incredibly, incredibly powerful. Consider Yeshua's words in Isaiah:
Isaiah 58:5-7
“5Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? 6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.”
In verse 6, God says that fasting can "undo heavy burdens". You can get out of depression by fasting. Also, you can fast (abstain from) anything--you do not necessarily have to fast from food. Fasting just means giving up something of yours (that you cherish) in order to give seriousness to your request to God. However, I do believe fasting food brings the most results as food is something necessary to keep you alive. When you give that up, you are adding the most seriousness to your request. Almost as if to say, "I care so much for this request I would die to get it." God honors that.
CONCLUSION
Are you depressed and downtrodden? "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1). Do not fear! Again, just imagine God talking to you about your depression and the attackings of the devil. Imagine what He would do:
Isaiah 41:13
"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
God Himself saying to you "Fear not; I will help thee." No devil, no situation, no disease, no anything can change that promise to you. God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)--He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6, Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5).
One sad soul, however, cries out, "But I'm not a Christian!" This can be fixed. To become a Christian means you have to be saved by the LORD Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus Christ? That is the English translation of the Hebrew name for God (Yeshua). He came to earth in the form of a man, lived a perfect and sinless life, and came to die for your sin (anything evil you have ever done is called "sin" by God). By that death (and by being both God and man), Christ payed for your sins so as to make it possible for you to be saved. He had to die for you because you yourself aren't able to save yourself (Romans 3:23). If you are not saved by Jesus Christ, you must die and go to a place of everlasting punishment called Hell (Ezekiel 18:20, Revelation 20:13-15). This can be avoided if you can, with sincerity, do the following things:
1. Admit you are a sinner and need Jesus Christ to be saved (Romans 3:23, Ezekiel 18:20, Revelation 20:13-15). This is known as "Repentance." The word in the Greek language means to change your mind and turn. This doesn't mean you have to stop sinning or attempt to clean up your life--you can't do that only God can (Titus 3:5). Think of it like this: your life is the car your driving. Your car is broken down because of Sin. Repentance for this situation would mean not fixing the car, but getting out of it and running to the Mechanic. You don't want your sin, you want God--but just remember it has nothing to do with YOU trying to address your sin--God does that. That's the whole reason He died for you (John 3:17)!
2. Only Jesus Christ can fix that (1 John 2:2). He is the ONLY One that can save you. Why? He died for you and therefore is the only one that lives that contains the payment for your sins.
3. Believe that He is the Son of God who died on the Cross for your sins (1 Peter 3:18) and was brought back to life (resurrected) by God the Father (Acts 13:29-32).

4. Trust Him as your savior (John 3:16, Acts 16:31) and call upon his NAME (Yeshua) to save you (Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21). Come to Him, as the women that washed Jesus' feet with oil did (Matthew 26:6-13).

Tell those things above to God--that you're a sinner and need Him to save you through His death--and you will be saved! Being "saved" means being saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), that you are given the Holy Spirit and sealed with Him forever (Ephesians 1:13-14 andEphesians 4:30), and that you are a Child of God forever(Romans 8:29-31 with R0mans 11:29). God is good!! Buy a Bible and start reading it everyday, pray to God everyday, get in a good, Bible based Church, and tell others about what you've just experienced (Matthew 28:16-20)! Live every day in the fear and reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ (Proverbs 9:10).

Also, once you do that, you can attack depression! The Devil now has to listen to the God that lives in you. The God inside of you is now a force to be reckoned with.

Depression isn't something you have to stay in--God will get you through it. Just remember why He does it. It may not be fun or enjoyable for the moment, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." (1 Peter 5:10).

I conclude with the next verse: "To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:11).
הוה' (Yahovah--God/Jesus Christ) bless,
Robert Austin Rowlett