Victory over Depression - II

“VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION II”
Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
In our first study we saw:
1 - Facts about the vices of depression
2 - Facts about victory over depression.
Tonight we shall look at two more very important thoughts.
3 – Facts about various causes that produces severe depression.
4 – Facts about valuable criteria that produces social development

If we can foresee the vices and various causes early enough in life, we can prevent discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
Medical doctors of years gone by have said, “If people would take care of their spiritual life as they should, the mental and physical problems would take care of themselves.”
But all too often when people are hit with the symptoms of depression, they go to a friend, then a doctor or psychiatrist.
And they find no help because these guys don’t know that a healthy spiritual life will prevent 90% of all mental disorders.
All they know to do is to put you on medications and pills.

If one does not discover the healing properties of God’s word early enough in life their discouragements can esculate to a place where they need more serious help.
There are some Christian psychiatrists that can prescribe drugs to help you, but your goal should not be to be satisfied with a pill but to find the cause of your depression and resolve it.
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I – VARIOUS CAUSES FROM LIFE’S PHYSICAL FACTORS
1 – Hormonal changes may cause depression.
The endocrine system is a series of glands throughout the body which secrete different hormones that influence the activities of our cells, tissues and organs through the body.
When under severe pressure these glands (thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and reproductive glands) can function abnormally.
The over or under activity of these glands can cause mood swings, irritability and insecurities mentally, as well as cold sweats, hot flashes and physical whelps.
Within the adrenal gland (located on kidneys) the increased secretion of the hormone cortisol has been associated with depression.
To discover this you would need a blood test. It would show an abnormality of blood glucose levels.
Abnormal excessive thirst, hunger and extra urine production could be a sign of to much cortisol in your body.

The affects can be fatigue, weakness, suppression of the immune system, muscle aches and bone loss, moodiness or depression.
More symptoms are huskiness of the voice, cold intolerance, weight gain, constipation, lethargy, etc. 2
A person may need a medical evaluation if this has persisted for many years. But, the main cause if detected early is “stress.”
So, find out where your stress is coming from and make some changes.

2 – Lack of Sleep may be a physical cause of depression.
When Elijah fled into the wilderness and wished to die (I Kings 19:4) God began to treat Elijah’s depression.
Do you know what he did? He put him to sleep.
Elijah slept so well, that God had to sent the Angel of the Lord to wake him up. But before he woke him up He him a meal. A depressed wife doesn’t want to feel like she has to get up and cook a meal.
When he awoke, he ate and then do you know what he did? He went back to sleep and the Angel woke him a second time.
One of the best physical remedies for one who is depressed is sleep and rest and to have a mate who will take care of you for awhile.
Men, you are the stronger vessel. The women are called the “weaker vessel” in the Bible.
God did not make them to handle the physical, financial and mental pressures the world puts on us. When men are slack and put to much or expect to much from the wife, you may sense some mood swings.

My wife went through the change of life. Her moods would swing back and forth. She felt what many women feel; unloved, unaccepted and unfit to serve the Lord. She felt insecure, of little value and more.
What did I do? I loved her. I told her a thousand times that I loved her. I assured her how special she was. I encouraged her. I made meals for her at K & W, Wendy’s and Chick-Filet.
I listened to her. I told her if the ministry was too much we would do like Elijah. We would just move to the mountains and find a little church running about 25 and build a cabin in a cove.
I never belittled her or condemned her. I believe one key too many women going through the change of life and making it through without drugs and steroids is understanding, sleep and love.
A prescription for sleep: One elderly widow said she couldn’t sleep well, waking up all night with fears because of regrets, loneliness and depression.
Then one day she discovered: Psalms 63: 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
3 – Genetic factors may cause depression.
Many types of depression are inherited by genetics. It may be that your ancestors turned from God and guilt and bitterness triggered a depression within them.
It may be that they lived an immoral life style that brought guilt.
The Hebrew word for “confusion” in the Bible is tebel and it means “mixture; confusion.”
Thus, immoral activities in one’s pass or one’s parental pass may result in mental confusion.
The Bible declares that the iniquities of our fathers can be passed to three and four generations (Exodus 20:5).
If one is neurotic or psychotic or manic-depressive it would be wise to do what Nehemiah did.
He acknowledged his sins and the sins of his fathers and asked forgiveness.
Nehemiah 1: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

4 - Chronic illness may cause depression.
Long term debilitating illness can bring depression. Constant pain will almost definitely cause hormonal imbalances which results in great emotional changes.
What do you do? Pray for grace.
Paul prayed that God would remove the thorn he had and God said, “No, you can bring more glory to me with your infirmity. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities… for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.” I Cor 12:9-10

5 – Postpartum symptoms may lead to depression.
Thirty percent of women suffer from postpartum depression, mainly because many hormones are taken out of the body at birth. Now, many ask, “Why does God allow this?
First, don’t blame God! Our diet for many years in America has been far below par.
I have discovered that most people that tell me they eat good have no idea what “good eating” is. That could be one cause.
A lack of vitamin B6 and B 12 can be another cause due to bad diets.
Anesthesia and various medical procedures also may contribute to this problem. Learn how to have babies God’s way!
6 – Medication today may cause depression in people.
There are so many side affects to medicine that the doctors and pharmacist don’t even know what all goes on in the body when they give you certain drugs.
All scientific evidence has shown that drugs deplete brain chemicals and damage neurotransimitters in your brain.
Some well known causes of depression are: Alcohol, amphetamines, some anti-ulcer medications, and sedatives; some anti-hypertensive medication for blood pressure, seizure medications and cortisone.
(Cortisone is a steroid shot for inflammation of joints (arthritis etc).
Doctors conclude that others items that may have caused depression are Birth-control pills and oral-contraceptives.3
Before taking any medicine go to a recent Physician’s Desk Reference and Prescription Drug guide and find out the side affects.
Proverbs 22:3, “A prudent man forseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.

7 – Physical misalignments may cause depression.
A woman in Atlanta, Georgia had severe depression. Her pastor recommended she go to a chiropractor. He determined the problems with her cervical muscles at the base of her skull. After he relived the tension her depression cleared up.
8 – To much sugar intake and to little fiber intake can cause depression.
9 – Lack of B-12 can cause depression.

About 19 million Americas have difficulty with depression. 90% are women due to the tendency to go on feelings, says Cleveland Clinical Center. However 1 in 10 are men.

WHAT CAN BE DONE? WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

II – Viable criteria that produces a good social development
Our thought process affects us physically, spiritually and mental life.
If our thought process is based on spiritual thoughts our stability and healing will transpire much quicker.

Consider the following spiritual instruction for healing:
1 – Pursue a Life Purpose worth Dying for.
Often circumstances can cause a person to fall into depression.
Those circumstances are often a lost or an unfulfilled dream in life.
Folks may feel as if life or people haven’t treated them fair.
They may feel like a failure or unfulfilled in life.
Many women who have become career women and climb to the top of the ladder confessed feeling unfulfilled in life. Why? There is a simple answer: That is not why God made them.

The Apostle Paul had every reason to be depressed. He like the Lord was ridiculed, rejected, falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet the very experiences that should have depressed him strengthened him in life.
How? He knew his purpose.
His secret is found in II Corinthians 4:1-12, Therefore seeing we have this ministry…we faint not…We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed… Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
Paul’s whole purpose in life was to exalt and lift up Christ.
His desire for himself was to bring glory to Christ and be like Christ.
His desire for his fellow man was his full maturity in Christ.
This was Paul’s joy.
When our purpose for living is anything other than Christ, in time we will experience bouts of discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
Whether you are a doctor or a lawyer or a business man or a laborer, your purpose should be to bring glory to God in all you do.

2 – Recognize and remove roots of bitterness.
Depression is one of the “torments” experienced by those who refuse to forgive their offenders.
Bitterness is a deep-seated sin which allows Satan to gain authority over us and jurisdiction within our lives.
Bitterness is the direct opposite of the nature of God.
Paul warns in Hebrews 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many are defiled.
To be diligent is to be thorough and meticulous in our dealings.
If we will not forgive those who we feel have offended us God will turn us over to the tormentors. According to Matthew 18:21-35 those tormentors will imprison our souls.

3 – Remove the guilt of “secret sin.”
Secret sin will sooner or later destroy whoever practices it.
At first it seems so pleasurable, but in time it drains a person spiritually, then emotionally, then mentally, then physically.
Physical and mental illness will eventually take over of which the doctors will not be able to find a cure.
Your body will go from one problem to another to another. And the doctors will give you one pill, then another.
You may have one surgery and then another and it will seem nothing works.
Why? Because secret sin is anarchy against God.
It is you reserving the right to make final decisions over your life rather than God to make those final decisions.
When David hid his sins bitterness brought physical pain and anguish.
Psalms 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
4 – Prepare for cycles of depression in life.
Watch your life cycles. If on a particular date of the year, you went through a tragedy, you will again on that same date sense and experience that same depression from year to year unless you make peace with God.
--If it was the lost of a love one, release that love one. Give them to God. Don’t hold a grudge against God for taking them. If you are bitter admit it and ask forgiveness.
Then, thank God for the time you had with your child or mate or parents and move on in life serving the Lord.
If it was another failure in life, again turn it loose and make peace with God. God forgives and forgets. You must forgive yourself.
Then read the Scriptures during this cycle more often, play melodious music, give your self to service during that time rather than seclusion.
5 – Choose to have a cheerful countenance.
An Israeli soldier officer said, “We do not allow our soldiers to become discourage because discouragement is a luxury.”
Phil 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice.”
You need to give a physical smile whether you feel like it or not will.
It bring healing to your soul.
A physical smile tells your autonomic (involuntary) nervous system that you are happy and stimulates the endocrine system to bring healing properties in your body.
Whereas a frown or anger or a fearful look will cause a sharp decrease in skin temperatures, heart rate and the healing properties.
1) Give an obedient smile because as a Christian you should rejoice.
2) Give a ministry smile because it encourages others around you and is therefore a good witness.
3) Give a joyful smile because you feel like it and it shows others you are in love with and at peace with God.
Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
6 – Remove all items that put you in fellowship with devils.
Have you ever seen a day when the youth of America as a whole look so unhappy and depressed? Why?
There are so many ways Satan is capturing the minds of the youth that parents haven’t the slightest idea what is going on.
--Thirty years ago preachers would warn about Ouija boards and Voodoo mask and certain charms and dolls that you shouldn’t buy.
1- Today, with so many video games in the stores of a evil nature, Satan is gaining a great stronghold in our youth’s minds.
2 - He is also controlling them with the music of this world.
-- Kids and teens get hooked on the rock culture and the rap culture music of this world and they have no idea they are playing with demons. They think it makes them tough, independent and their own boss.
--And worse of all, churches of all denomination are bring it to the youth groups and into the church choirs.
3 - Demonic creatures like gargoyles were once taboo. Now, the creatures our kids watch on cartoons are far more demonic looking that a gargoyle and mom and dad allow it because they are simply ignorant of Satan’s tactics.
They wonder why their kids have nightmares and insecurities and fears. They wonder why they are distant and disobedient and seemingly unconcerned about spiritual things.

The Bible declares, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” Nehemiah 8:10.
When people look for joy in toys, games, trinkets, music, etc they open up their lives to another spirit to give them joy. That is why John wrote, “Try the spirits to see whether they are of God.” John 4:1

A business man went to Jamaica and bought a Voodoo face-carving from Haiti. Shortly thereafter a plague hit our family.
a. The customs officer gave us unexpected trouble.
b. Our plane was called back for a bomb search
c. I took the carving to my office and hung it on the wall. Business seemed to stop.
d. I was afflicted with an acute toe infection.
e. I developed an eye infection. It swelled to the size of an egg and became very painful. Surgery was required.
f. A few months later my eye swelled twice the size with more pain. The doctor didn’t know the cause. He said it was to close to the brain to operate. A red ring appeared around my eye.
g. The only clients who now came to me wanted tavern designs. We couldn’t accept the work because of our convictions.
h. It seemed as if bankruptcy was the only thing left.
i. We moved to a smaller office and I brought the wood carving home and hung it in the family room.
j. Immediately things began to go wrong at home. Everyone lost interest in the family room and time together.
h. Our children who were always happy became depressed and argumentative. My family was in a crisis.
j. My wife developed a severe toothache. After many dental visits, X rays and specialist, they could find nothing wrong. Then the tooth broke off near the gum line requiring a root canal and crown.
k. The next week I learn the dangers of bringing worldly items into my home that might have demons attached to them. That night we explained to our children the instructions from Acts 19:19-20.
l. We throw the carving in the fire place and burned it. We heard the most awful noises coming from the carving. Then we prayed and rededicated our lives and home and office to God.
m. Our children became joyful as they gave all their toys to the Lord.
n. The following week our business made a complete turnaround.
o. The redness around my eye completely cleared up.
p. We began paying our bills. Today our family is free from depression that we experienced.

To that we say, “Amen” but you must remember Satan is subtle. We can see the dangers of bring a voodoo mask, charm, or demonic video into our home. But, can we see the danger of Satan’s music, demonic cartoons and evil philosophies coming over the TV?
7 – A grateful heart will bring healing to discouragement, sorrow, grief and depression.
A well-known writer suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to a hospital room.
Day after day and week after week did not seem to bring any relief.
After a while a friend came to encourage him. He said, “Why don’t you begin listing the people who have helped you in your life and write them a letter and thank them for what they did?”
He thought he would. He first wrote to an old retired school teacher that helped him and thank her for the time she put into his life.
A few weeks later he received this reply: “When I read your letter, I was blinded with tears… I taught school for fifty years. Your letter is the first letter of thanks I have ever received from a student. I shall cherish it until I die.
That encouraged the man and he wrote another letter and another. Not only did the depression leave him, but he remained free from it till this day. He has since wrote hundreds of letters and made valuable discoveries about the meaning and importance of genuine gratefulness. 4

8 – Exercise twenty minutes every day.
Walk, lift light weights or get on a tread mill. Twenty minutes of exercise, five days a week has a greater affect on conquering your depression than anti-depressants. 5
9 – Take omega 3 fish oil tablets.
The fatty acids in omega - 3 are believed to help people with anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, arthritis, etc. 6
Fish oil with omega 3 is good to take.
10 – Talk back to your thoughts. 7
When wrong thoughts enter your mind, when Satan tells you nobody loves you and your life is useless. You must quote Scripture and believe God by faith over Satan’s lies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 22
2 - High Cortisol in Women, www.womentowomen.com
3 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 27
4 - Medical training Institute of America, Basic Care Booklet 14, p 20
5 – UNC TV, March 18, Channel 16, 8:00
6 – Omega 3 fatty acids, Wikipedia encyclopedia, internet
7 - Ibid