I know this may seem like a strange title, but I want to get you thinking about making agreements with things that do not align with the kingdom of God. As believers, we are to have joy, even when we are facing trouble. Obviously, this is supernatural and not a natural occurrence. We are human and experience emotions of sadness, grief, and deep sorrow that we express under certain circumstances. However, we are not to let these emotions overtake us to the point of putting us in a deep depression.
All of us, at one time or another, have suffered from depression. Usually, we have a bout of depression due to circumstances; however, some people have a more challenging time shaking it than others, and they get diagnosed with clinical depression. If this is you, please don’t think I am judging or criticizing in any way; I have been there.
Over the years, I have learned to seek God’s word for answers. In the Bible, depression is described as heaviness.
With a quick search of the word heaviness, we find a variety of connections to depression. Heaviness is depression, and it is connected to
Sickness
Heartbreak
Grief
Worry
Sorrow
Distress
Anguish
Shame
Dejection
Fear
Anxiety
Rejection
If you give it some thought, you may see where depression has connected itself to your or a loved one in the past. Depression is a foe, not a friend. A foe is an enemy or opponent, and depression is an enemy of joy! Depression is a sadness that goes much deeper than a one-time incident. It is often rooted in rejection, abuse, or abandonment, though not always.
King David said Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. – Psalms 69:20
Those who suffer from severe depression cannot find comfort in anything a person may offer. This is one of the reasons it is so demanding on the person and their family.
When Jesus Christ was in the place called Gethsemane, the Bible tells us that He was sorrowful and deeply distressed. 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me. – Matt 26:38
The word distressed is translated from a word that means full of heaviness. Jesus had every reason to be heavy in spirit due to what He was about to go through, as well as the severe rejection He suffered at the hands of those He came to save. But He did not allow it to stop Him from moving forward in His destiny.
When we agree with any diagnosis or negative situation, we tend to dwell on it, and that thing starts to encompass our lives. It becomes a weapon for the enemy and a distraction for the person dealing with it.
Depression can overtake a person whenever a loss occurs. Many people make an agreement with a spirit of depression, especially when it has been in their family line for generations. Depression can lead to sickness and, at times, suicide. There is a spirit of death attached to depression. At other times, depression can become a false friend, a way to cope, and an excuse to get out of things like social activities or work.
The Bible tells us what to do with the kind of cares that overwhelm us and lead us into depression. We are to cast them on Jesus! Why? Because He gets it. He knows what depression is, and He knows how to get us out of it. Rejoicing in the Lord is the best way out of depression. Praise God and declare His faithfulness to save and deliver. Meditate on past victories and not current losses.
We can have The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; - Isaiah 61:3
The word agreement is defined as having harmony or accordance in opinion or feeling about someone or something. Whenever we agree with something, we give it power and influence over our lives. When I hear people use words like “my depression” or “my anxiety,” I see it as an opportunity to help them identify who really gave them these things. I then help them recognize the agreement they have made in their hearts.
If you have made an agreement with depression or a spirit of heaviness, chances are that it has established itself in your life with authority. It doesn’t have to stay. You can choose, even in challenging circumstances, to deny it access to your soul. It may take a little work, but in Christ, you can do anything!
Let’s pray,
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus Christ to bear my burdens. Thank You for lifting depression and exchanging it for my praise. I give You praise that no matter what I am facing, there is always a purpose. You have a way of bringing it all together for my good because I love You and am called according to Your purpose. Make Your will be done in my life, and allow Your kingdom to be demonstrated through my life even when I am facing unknown times. I love You. In Jesus name, Amen.
Comments