Fighting spiritual depression

Fighting spiritual depression

Are you discouraged? Feeling down and out? Wondering why you should even bother living the Christian life anymore, especially since you seem to have failed so much?

Who hasn't felt worthless at times? Who has not become impatient and felt sick because of the lack of spiritual progress? (Luke 8:15). YOU'RE NOT ALONE! We all walk through these valleys of the shadow of death. But be brave: the path must lead again soon! "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you troubled within me? Hope in God; for I will yet bless Him, who is the health of my face and of my God" (Psalm 42:11).

Who would encourage you to quit? Would Christ want you to give up? The one who died for you? Would God pressure you to surrender? Too many have never realized what a vicious beast and enemy we have to face. Even those who have not rejected the devil as a superstition have not understood how dangerous he really is to our health and well-being. God takes up the parts of life that have been brutally torn apart and declared dead by sin (Isa 49:24-25; Amos 3:12).

Satan foams at the mouth against our incredible human potential and wants to take us out like a sniper - one at a time. He hates all humanity with jealous rage (because we were created after the Godhead), but he particularly targets the brethren (1 Pet. 5:8-11).

The devil can take some things that are true about you and twist them, take them out of context and blow them all out of proportion to DESTROY your will to survive. He never stops badmouthing us because he is a MURDER CHARACTER assassin and liar! (John 8:44; Rev. 12:10). ButDon't let the forces of darkness overcome your will to live in the light.Do not accept Satan's depressive mind. Don't fall prey to his hopeless attitude of defeat. He has no right to condemn (Romans 8:13,33).

King David would be discouraged, but he would end his prayers on a positive note, showing the healing effect of God's Spirit on our spirits as we engage in HEART PRAYER. “I was going to pass out unless I didbelievedto see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Be courageous and He will strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. “(Ps. 27:13-14.) David believed in God’s goodness, hoped for His mercy, and waited for His sufficient grace—whether grace to forgive or to empower (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God will give us grace to bear the many burdens of life (Hebrews 4:16). His Holy Spirit enables us to be graceful – full of grace – even in adverse circumstances. Welive and learnthrough a variety of situations to be gracious in word and deed, attitude and action. David undoubtedly knew: "The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with power" (Psalm 29:11). So “Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart, all who hope in the LORD” (Psalm 31:24).

Even if you have been carried away, your sins have taken you far from God, and Satan has you captive (2 Tim. 2:26; 1 Cor. 5:5). Remember God and He will remember you. Not that he ever forgot you: "But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she may have no pity for the son of her womb? Yes, they can." Forget, but I won't forget you. Behold, I have carved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are constantly before me" (Isa 49:14-16). God's love for us far exceeds our love for him. He demonstrated this when stakes were driven through the palms of Jesus (Zech 13:6).

Some have been foolishly deceived by sin and are carelessly entangled again - caught in a danger zone - but as long as they do not give up, they CAN overcome what is currently overcoming them (Heb. 3:13; 2 Pet. 2:20). Only those who have turned their backs on God and refuse to get back up when knocked down in the ring lose the victory.

“And yet (despite ourselves), when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: I am the Lord their God” (Lev. 26:44).

God promises to release, gather, and restore. He will free us from those sins that have cruelly held our time and attention, recover our spiritual senses - since Satan's psychological warfare had left us with a basket case and a scattered brain (Luke 22:31-32; Deuteronomy 28:66-67) - and restore us to sanity and a right relationship with Him (where we belong), even if "one of you in the the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you" (Deuteronomy 30:3-4). No matter how far you stray, God has not lost sight of you. "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7).

When you begin to cry out to God for help, even if it is just a whimper because you are so weak, He will see and hear and answer. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those of a contrite spirit…none of those who trust in him will be despondent” (Psalm 34:18, 22). "For I will not strive forever, neither will I be angry always: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made... I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will also guide him, and will I comfort him again, and he that mourneth him with consolation" (Isa 57:15-18).

God sees the trouble we have gotten into and where our backsliding into sin has dangerously led us astray and stranded us, almost to the point where we cannot return, but NOTHING can separate you from God's love if you do not allow it (Romans 8:35-39). As long as there is a spark of God's Spirit, God can do itrenewour thoughts and transform our lives (Psalm 51:10). God will finish what He has started in our lives (Philippians 1:6; Isa 66:9). Never forget that we worship a MIRACLE WORKING GOD!

Remember, the prodigal son was still far from his father, their relationship estranged, but when he "came into himself" and went home - even when he was still agreatfar away – “his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:17, 20).

God knows where you are and what direction you are moving in your heart and mind, even if your actions have not yet caught up with your attitude! God knows they will in time. "For he remembers our frame (makeup); he remembers that we are but dust" (Psalm 103: 14). God wants to encourage us to change, not discourage us from even trying (2 Cor. 2:7).

Constructive criticism, not destructive. Judgment with mercy. God helps, but Satan hinders progress, but weConquest by continuation, one step at a time(1 Thess. 2:18; 2 Pet. 3:18). God gave David the kingdom, but he had to fight for it! So do we (Mt 11:12; I Tim 6:12). Otherwise we would take it for granted. Keep it up (Luke 13:24). All things you believe in are worth fighting for. Growth occurs gradually. We must patiently endure our trials and build God's character within us (Heb. 12:11; Jas. 1:4).

Satan wants to put out your light (1 Tim. 4:16). He hates the holy glow of God's Spirit, light, and truth that we preserve and display as a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9; John 17:17; Ex. 27:20). God doesn't kick us when we're down and out, but encourages us to get up and get over it and get on with His work (Psalm 37:24; Philip 3:13). When your faith falters and your confidence shakes, Christ will not erase you, but willadd more oilthat we may arise and shine (Isa. 42:3). “For God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but unto salvation...Therefore comfort yourselves together, and build up one another, even as ye do” (1 Thess. 5:9-11).

“For God commends his love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... For if we, as enemies, were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more much more we will be saved by his life... from whom we have received the atonement "(Rom 8-11).

If God can express such love for us when we were not even trying to live a Christian life pleasing to Him, how much more so now that we are trying, however imperfectly? Are we not suffering because we are hungry and thirsting for justice? Brothers appreciate yoursholy suffering!It is carving out a purpose in your life that will last for eternity! Growing pains hurt.

We should love God all the more when we see His mercy and patience toward us. His goodness should move us to draw closer to Him and do what we can to show how much we appreciate His tender love (Romans 2:4; Luke 7:47). Nothing should come between our relationship with our Creator God! If God would save our ancestors again and again when they cried out to him,how much moreWill he save us from the lake of fire? (Jude 23:24).

God can rescue us from sinful situations and restore His priesthood promise to us (Zech. 3). We can be “a brand plucked out of the fire” and saved from “the furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10). God can forcefully remind us that He is what we really want, His fulfilling kingdom and righteousness, not the shallow things that could not possibly fill the void in life (Psalm 106:15; 107:9).

We have to keeptopRemember the meaning and purpose of life: to develop God's holy, righteous character in joyful anticipation of the Kingdom of God. This will help us face any challenge that life offers us in this purification process we call conversion. We must remember: "It did not tempt you, but as is usual [not unusual] to man: but GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond your level of tolerance; but will with every temptation provide a way out, that you may be able to deal with it" (1 Cor. 10:13 paraphrased).

And realize that “…the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18), because Christ will soon return and every practicing Christian will be made perfect. Then we help our Savior prepare the way for our Father's great coming with NEW JERUSALEM (Rev. 21:3).

God's kingdom is closer with each passing day, so we should hold our heads high and not remain discouraged, but be encouraged to keep going (Isa 35:3; Luke 21:28). All stumble, but do not wallow (Psalm 37:24). Let your attitude be; “I shouldnotdie, but live, and proclaim the works of the LORD. The Lord has chastised me sore; but he did not hand me over to death" (Psalm 118: 17-18). Hallelujah!

God's forgiveness and the cleansing power of Christ remain in force (Isaiah 18). God knows what we have been through and has gone through it with us, in the midst of it, with his crown of thorns (Isa 63:9; Gen 22:13; Ex 3:2). God couldn't get much closer (Jer. 23:23). The bottom line is: haveHopeand do not despair;Trustand don't be afraid! Finally, “…it is the Father’s great joy to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Inspired by David Ben-Ariel