Ephesians 6:12

Depression in World Gone Crazy

Proverbs has much to say on the subject of anxiety, depression, and how to have peace.  If the world needs a good dose of anything right now, it is PEACE!  “The world has gone to hell in a handbasket.”  The nightly newscast is filled with overwhelming bad news!  FIRES.  HURRICANES.  TORNADOS.  WAR.  RIOTS.  PESTILENCE  (Covid-19).  HUNGER.  POVERTY.  MURDER.  DRUGS.   HOMELESSNESS. BANKRUPTCY. NATION OVERTHROWING NATION.    It.  Never.  Stops.  So where is the peace?

And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars:  see that ye be not troubled:  for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.   Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.  (Matthew 24:6-9)  

Be not troubled?  You are kidding right?  

“Are you ever disturbed?”  Oswald Chambers asked this question.  My Utmost for His Highest, Aug.  26  Jesus said, “I give you peace.”  REALLY???  

Solomon’s Wisdom

Let’s see what Solomon wrote about anxiety and depression inducing events of life.  In Ecclesiastes 1:9, he said, “there is nothing new under heaven,” so I am thinking this still applies.  

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression. (Proverbs 12:25)   (I know people who go to school for decades trying to figure this out and there it is.)  Root cause of depression:  Anxiety. Fear.  And, the pill to reverse it:  A GOOD WORD!  “But a good word makes it (the heart) glad.”  Depression is caused because we lose HOPE!  

Hope deferred makes a heart sick,  (Proverbs 13:12)  but when the DESIRE comes it is a TREE OF LIFE.  (you remember in the Garden of Eden that tree we all want to get back to because we are dying from the minute we are born.)  A sound heart (a happy heart) is life to the body but envy is rottenness to the bones.  (Proverbs 14:30)  A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.  (Proverbs 15:13)  There it is.  The heart is the place where our spirit resides.  Out of our heart come our actions, our words, and even whether we are approachable by the look on our face.  Solomon puts it like this:  “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness but who can bear a broken spirit?”  (Proverbs 18:14)  Because, “a merry heart does good like medicine but a broken spirit dries the bones.”  (Proverbs 17:22)

Spiritual Warfare

Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.  (Proverbs 28:14)  I know the perfect examples of this tidbit of wisdom.  Someone I love very much decided they were NOT going to do what God wanted them to do because “It was going to be too hard.”  At that very moment, with me begging them to reconsider, their life began to spin out of control and remains so today.  The enemy wrapped his chains around them as surely as morning will follow night..  Another individual, is the most beautiful example of the truth of this proverb.  Her life has been filled with heartache, financial woes, illness, and losses I cannot even imagine surviving.  Yet, she is the most reverent human being I have ever known and nothing comes out of her mouth but praise and adoration of her Triune God.  She always wears a smile.  She is loved and adored and admired among women.  To hear her pray is to be swept into the Presence of Almighty God and feel the holy hush of reverence and the clanging of angelic swords being deployed on behalf of whoever she is lifting in prayer. 

The Cure for Depression

The answer for anxiety and depression?  Proverbs 14:26-27 says it best:  In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence.  And His children will have a place of refuge.  The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death.  Fear of the LORD brings peace because our trust is in Him who is greater than he that is in the world.  ( I John 4:4)

Anxiety and depression are on the rise robbing people of life.  Suicide is out distancing cancer and heart disease, and too many I love have died this death.  Platitudes do not help.  Judgement will only add to the bone drying bitterness of their heart.  What is needed is a 

Good Word!  Jesus is the Word of Life.  Sometimes, we must begin in silence.  On our knees interceding on their behalf.  Join me in praying, “Lord break the chains.”  This is my breath prayer until He does!  Break the chains of anxiety and depression that lead to actions that steal, kill, and destroy the lives of those we love.  (John 10:10)  Jesus has won the war.  Let’s get on our knees and win the spiritual battle for those who need us to be standing in the gap.  (Ezekiel 22:30)

My beautiful friend would prove to you, “the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous (wo)man avails MUCH!”   (James 5:16)  Let us not be weary in this task.  (Galatians 6:9)  May we stand up and tell the enemy, “Not today!  You cannot have this one today!”

https://youtu.be/0F_nN1nyyqY

 

Not Today,  by HillSong United

I do not know why Solomon didn’t just group all this wisdom in sections with sub headings so we could find it with more ease.  I do know this is a perfect example of “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search out a matter.  The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law.   (Proverbs 25:2, Deuteronomy 29:29)  So, put on your crown!  Pick up your sword.  It is time to do battle in the heavenlies.  (Ephesians 6:12)

 

You Keep Hope Alive by Mandisa & Jon Reddick

Chris was my wonderful server at a restaurant and his tattoo caught my eye and I asked to see it.  (I am not a tattoo fan because you just do NOT paint  graffiti on the Sistine Chapel –your body is the temple of God and you just don’t mess with perfection–my opinion!!!)  As I read his arm, I had never seen such truth displayed.  “Our War is a Spiritual War and Our Great Depression is our Lives.  Is this not the truth????  Chris allowed me to photograph his muscular forearm and consented to my using the picture here.  Thank you Chris at the Cheesecake Factory in Birmingham