Choosing Your Weapon

Choosing Your Weapon

By Linda Littlefield Copyright 1999 ChooseLife Ministries

Fighting Depression with Supernatural Power

In spite of modern science’s understanding of depression, the illness has been on the increase every year since 1915. Today, the mental health industry approaches depression from a physical & mental aspect. Drugs combat low levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, and psychological counseling attempts to address the feelings of sadness, hopelessness, guilt, and anxiety associated with depression. Is this approach successful? Success is debatable since the risk of re-occurrence of depression increases dramatically with each episode. Perhaps, there is a better answer.

The battle is God’s… not yours.

God will deliver you.

The spirit of despair is evil. God’s will for us is peace and joy. Jesus went about healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Illness is oppression by the devil! God wants us to walk in Holy health, never needing healing; but when we do need it, he has already provided for us. The Bible tells us "by his stripes, you are healed" This means healing is yours now; you must only choose to receive it.

Things that stop God’s healing flow

Lack of knowledge

Sin: Satan has no power unless we give it to him. Personal sin allows Satan a foothold. In John 5:14, Jesus heals a man telling him to pick up his bed and walk. Then, Jesus says "go and sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you." In Mathew 9:2, Jesus told the sick with palsy "be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee" and they were healed.

Unbelief: In Mathew 9:22, Jesus tells a woman sick for 12 years "Thy faith has made you whole." Do you trust more in what the doctors say than in what the Word of God says? We can’t pick and choose which scriptures we believe. If we believe Christ is the Son of the living God who died on the cross for our salvation, then we must believe all of God’s word.

The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Psalms 29:11

Getting Free

Believe that Christ is your deliverer.

Confess that the devil has deceived you. Confess any circumstances or relationships that allowed Satan a foothold. Was there a generational curse, sin, unforgiveness, or perhaps a tragic event?

Repent: Make an irrevocable decision to not let the spirit of despair in your heart again. God’s grace will allow you to do this.

Exercise your God given authority. In the name of Jesus, rebuke any demons that may be tormenting you. Ask God to deliver you from the spirit of despair.

Accept God’s healing, Now!

Ask God to fill you with his Holy Spirit.

Stay free, and protect yourself.

Staying Free

Don’t visit old neighborhoods. Demons are territorial; they live in old neighborhoods. Do not revisit the issues that opened your heart to depression. Leave them with God.

Pray constantly. We are called to a relationship with God. Our conversations with him shouldn’t be limited to 5 minutes before bed, and an hour on Sunday in church.

Sing praises to His name. When you feel the spirit of despair coming upon you, glorify and praise the name of the Lord. Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. (Isaiah 61:3)

Find fellowship with other Christians. They will help you hold up your victory banner, when you become weary. Do not seek the counsel of the ungodly.

Renew your mind daily. The Bible is an instruction manual for daily living. Read it. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)
Attend to my word; let them not depart from your ears; keep them in the midst of they heart for they are life and health to thy flesh. Proverbs 4:20-23

Protect your heart. Guard your heart by guarding what you hear and see. If anything is true, honest, pure, just, lovely, of good report. If there be any virtue or praise meditate on these.
Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

Guard your mouth. The power of life and death is in the mouth. Don’t sow death, sickness, or sin out of your mouth.

Take your eyes off yourself. Go out and serve others.

If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become as noonday. (Isaiah 58)