Overcoming Spiritual Depression

By Dr. André Pelser

Last day of the 20^th Century

Cape Town Harvester Church

God’s children are not exempt from emotional problems, but thank God we have a Saviour! Once you have chosen Jesus as Lord of your life you have to learn how to draw strength from His Holy Spirit instead of trying to solve all your emotional problems by your reasoning ability. It takes faith to overcome anything in this world.

I John 5:4 and his commandments are not grievous. ⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

God is building a mighty army, but before that army can conquer the world it must conquer all the battles within. There is a reason and an answer for every problem. Even the greatest prophets had emotional strain at times. Elijah was a man just like us.

James 5:16-18 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ¹⁷Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.   ¹⁸And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Know the source of spiritual depression

Satan is the source of all attacks against us. He uses sin, sickness and circumstances to bring turmoil in our lives. Through faith in Christ Jesus’ redemption work we can overcome all the attacks of the enemy on our lives including our emotional crises.

Elijah won a great battle for God’s people against idolatry and then the devil attacked with full force to destroy the man of God. All depression is not the result of sin. Elijah made a few mistakes that opened the door to Satan and his devices. Paul says we should be wise to know the devices the enemy of our soul uses against us.

II Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The mistakes Elijah made were:

• He believed his first victory was his last battle
• He had unrealistic expectations of the results of victory
• He became disillusioned and depressed through anxiety
• He doubted himself and ran away
• He violated God’s law of rest
• He forsook his friends
• He fasted when he should have had a feast to celebrate!

I Kings 18

1 Kings 19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

1 Kings 19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.  

When you panic and flee God’s will for your life it produces defeat instead triumph.

Symptoms of spiritual depression

1 Kings 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

• Desire to be alone all the time
• Self-pity: no one knows what I’m going through
• Burn- out state: weary of life itself

God’s cure for Spiritual Depression

• God never gave up on Elijah or condemned him for being depressed.
• God gave his servant provision and rest.
• God focussed his servant on his personal relationship with God.
• God made Elijah face the real problem.
• God gave him a fresh vision and commission in life.
• God chose a friend to help him: Elisha.
• God gave him a positive attitude and new control of the situation.

What to do when you are weighed down with spiritual depression.

• Reach out to others who are less fortunate than you are.
• Balance your life: avoid extremes, be moderate.
• Allow God time to repair the damage in your life.
• Press on for a fuller knowledge of Christ!
• Let your trouble turn into a testimony!
• God is trying to meet a need over and above your imagination!

You are going to be what you see. The enemy is trying to steal the imagination of the word. He substitutes the thoughts of God with worldly thoughts. He is out to make an exchange. Thoughts crystallise in habits and habits solidify in circumstances. You think yourself into a place. Your life is the fruit of your own thoughts. You have to produce healthy thoughts, prosperous thoughts, life-giving thoughts. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Henoch halagah walked with God to walk one with in absolute harmony and intimacy with one that thinks like you think. Henoch was not out to build a ministry but a relationship with God that is still ministering to the world today. One act of God working with God: Two or three agree on earth as touching anything the Lord is in the midst of them. If you abide in me, John 15, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you desire and God will work with God.