“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Mathew 11:28
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.
- feeling depressed most of the day
- loss of interest in most regular activities
- significant weight loss or gain
- sleeping too much or not being able to sleep
- slowed thinking or movement
- fatigue or low energy most days
- feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- loss of concentration or indecisiveness
- recurring thoughts of death or suicide
Are you done? Now let us go into spiritual matters for spiritual things are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
Depression is an easily misjudged ailment. Medical experts and physicians will administer medications to a depressed person, psychologist will apprise you on how to forget your sorrows and troubles. While others say “find the cause of the depression and tackle it”.
History and events have proven that even people who have money, good health and things that life entails can still fall into depression. This kind of depression is not curable by money, wealth, food, women, good life even the experts can offer little help. In other words, some depression cases doesn’t have human cure. It is like a cancer that it eats you up wherever you go, whatever you do, everyday and almost every time and you can do nothing to help it. The cause of this form of depression is beyond science and human solution. But the solution to it is the cure to all other depression cases.
Causes of depression
- Depression is conventionally caused by lack of something that eventually results in restlessness, hopelessness, deep thoughts and mood swings. It may be lack money, good health, Job, friends, family, love, etc. Depression can also be caused when a person loses something he or she is endeared to. We will not buttress much on this but at the end of the article you would have learnt why a Christian shouldn’t fall for this form of depression.
- Depression can also be caused by satanic manipulation and demonic afflictions.
- Catastrophic depression can be caused by struggle with the true reality of human nature.
Satanic depression
Most times depression comes as a result of satanic manipulations from demonic and wicked spirits. Did I just say that? Yes!! I just did. I personally have been in situations where I was so troubled. I couldn’t focus on what gives me joy. Each time I arrive at an end of why I should stop thinking, I would start to think again. It was then that God opened my eyes to a spirit in front of me causing me to have confused thoughts that troubled my mind.
The devil can also amplify a very tiny bad situation and his demons can also make any mans life miserable. Satan can also inflict men with situations that would end up leading them to depression. For the thief comes to steal to kill and destroy-John 10:10.
Let us not be ignorant of the works of the devil -2 Corinthians 2:11
2 Corinthians 2:11
If the devil is the primary cause of a depression case, money, good life, friends and other human solutions will fail. In-fact Satan can do everything to prevent you from figuring out or coming to a solution. Therefore Christian, if you don’t know why and how you are confused, troubled, depressed or in deep thoughts, start praying fire and brimstone.
It is worth knowing that even unbelievers are also Satan’s prey and he makes life meaningless to them or depresses them. But their problem is only compounded because the only solution, they have rejected.
“For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
1 John 5:4
Catastrophic depression
If depression isn’t caused by lack of worldly things or caused by an affliction from the enemy- Satan, then it may come from a struggle to accept the reality of human nature. Actually, the devil is to be blamed as well, but the devil doesn’t really need to inflict or afflict you for depression to happen in this case. This case is the deadliest case because you can’t pray it out and you can not treat it. The captive becomes hopeless, empty, sad, gloomy, dark and suicidal. Luckily this kind of depression is not for children of day and light who have accepted the savior of mankind. For the Lamb of God has conquered sin, death, darkness and Hades.
To understand this case of depression there is need to trace why humans can fall into it.
“…..in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die. “
Genesis 2:17
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned against God and man died (spiritually). From that day and time man was cut away from God, the source of his life and this was the beginning of depression, darkness and death. For the Spirit of man was as a result of the breath from God. That also means that our spirit is part of him. God and his presence therefore is the true meaning to human life, the light of life and the spine of a living soul.
Subsequently after the Eden drama, man’s spirit died and every human who was born unto man was born with a dead spirit. And that spirit is porous to darkness and the works of the enemy. It is like a warm hole to darkness, evil and Satan’s bondage. That dead spirit is where the devil troubles when he wants to nail you on a depression cross and is also the reason man can fall into this third case of fatal depression.
Humans began to live in a state of continuous search for life and sense of fulfillment. Drinking, smoking, partying, fornication, adultery, theft, wickedness, fighting and many other forms of evil deeds are simply humans trying to find life and meaningful existence. There are people who find life in fighting, killing, performing wicked acts, immorality, cheating, lying or doing one sort of evil or the other.
This is to say that sinners sin as a remedy to feel alive. Their deeds are done out of natural selection. (Genesis 6:5).
After the First World War, Germany was in chaos. Once the German emperor had gone, rebellions erupted everywhere. Left-wing groups tried to seize power in many places. In Munich, for instance, a ‘People’s Republic’ of Bavaria was proclaimed during a brief revolution. It provoked a right-wing reaction, which in turn resulted in bloodshed. Hitler was very much impressed by these events.
www.annefrank.org
The Hitler story shows a man who was made happy by war and conflict. In-fact he once said that peace will bring an end to humanity.
I was in a hall with some boys during my NYSC days. They had seen my lifestyle which was different from others. I wasn’t ashamed to kneel down to pray and I don’t join in godless discussions. Then they asked me; do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you womanize or commit fornication/adultery? I replied no to these questions respectively. Then they exclaimed in pidgin English – “this guy dey miss”.
They actually meant that I am missing good life. Because they couldn’t fathom how a human with blood and a youth can live without these things.
But in-fact they were absolutely right in their sphere of knowledge. If a human stays away from smoking, drinking, partying, sexual relationships and other sins that make them happy, life automatically become boring, sad, burdensome, gloomy, dark, hopeless and empty; which is actually the true state of man.
Having now explained why and how we are where we are. It is worth knowing that be it satanic attack or natural causes, these sins and things humans do in a search for happiness and life may one day fail man. This is why the great teacher says – Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them – Ecclesiastes 12:1 .
It might really not be in our old age, it may be in a youthful age that these futile struggle for sense of living starts failing man. When this happens, it leads to a full-fledged disastrous and catastrophic depression that is irrevocable and deadly. This is that depression that supersedes other cases. The man finds no purpose for life anymore. Nothing gives him Joy.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.“
Isaiah 61:1
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “
John 10:10
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28
Jesus is the cure for all forms of depression that is incurable by humanity, physical and psychological approach. He has brought us meaning to life by dying and resurrecting and in Jeremiah 29:11, promised us that living for him we will find out the true meaning to life. For he has commanded all those heavily burdened to come to him for rest.
A Christian might not be extensively rich and might lack some certain things that life offers, but a Christian doesn’t lack life and that is why we can’t fall into depression like those who are in the world.
That Joy that flows from the living waters or the Holy spirit in us, that knowledge that we are now sons and daughters of God. That whole new life and approach to life the Holy Ghost creates in us, is the true antidote to all depressions.
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children
Romans 8:16.
This we know: that nothing shall separate us from the love of God; whether it tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword or the devil. Nothing!!!
Romans 8:35
- In sickness we are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37)
- In death we are winners. For when we die we shall live. (Romans 14:8)
- In battles we are victorious through God who has given us victory. (Romans 8:37)
- In lack and wants we are confident that our God shall supply our needs. It might not be riches but what we need to live. (Philippians 4:19)
- Even in poverty or riches we are confident that he whom we believe is able to keep us to the end. (2 Timothy 1:12)
- And even when the devil is the source, our lord has overcome the world. (John 16:33)
There is absolutely no need for a Christian who knows his God to be depressed. Amen!!!