Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. Please contact your medical provider if you have suicidal thoughts, persistent depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or any other type of depression. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dial 988.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression (also known as major depressive disorder, clinical depression, or major depression) is a common but severe mood disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Severe symptoms develop, affecting a person's mood, thoughts, and ability to complete daily tasks such as eating, sleeping, and working. To diagnose depression, the symptoms must last at least two weeks. Depression manifests in a variety of ways, some of which are triggered by specific situations.
MEDICATION MAY BE NECESSARY
Medication does not make you weak as a believer. It does not mean you lack faith in God. God may want to heal you through medication or surgery. You have to have a relationship with God to know His will. Well, it just so happens that God's will is for us to be healed. Isaiah 53:5 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." However, sometimes He wants to glorify Himself through our suffering. He is God. Confess healing over your mind and your body and take your medications unless or until God tells you otherwise.
WHAT ARE TORMENTING SPIRITS?
Webster's dictionary defines torment as "extreme pain or anguish of body or mind (agony), a source of vexation or pain, and the infliction of torture (as by rack or wheel)." Tormenting spirits come to do exactly that: torment, inflict pain, torture, and vex your spirit. I like to think of it as harassment. Tormenting spirits take various forms and attack us in different ways. If they are unable to torment you in one way, they will try another. Unfortunately, the enemy never stops trying, especially if you have a calling on your life. If he can't get us to fall for his tricks anymore, he will target our family, loved ones, job, finances, and so on. His job is to divert our attention away from the Lord and our destiny. Our minds serve as his battleground. Everything that we do begins with a thought. Our hopes and dreams exist in our hearts and minds. If we are sad or depressed, we cannot consider our dreams. It is difficult to think about positive things. Sadness makes you want to wallow in it for a while. However, it is at these times that we must truly change our way of thinking. Stay with me. I will tell you how shortly.
TORMENT OF GRIEF
If we allow it to stay too long, grief can become another form of torment. In Deuteronomy 34:8 it says, "The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over." There is a set time for mourning. 1 Samuel 1 God tells Samuel that he had "mourned long enough for Saul." If you are grieving someone or something right now, no one can tell you how long it takes to get over it. That's not what I am trying to do here. What I want you do is set an end point. You do not want to be still grieving 10 years from now. Give it an end date. From now until that date make up in your mind that you cannot stay here in grief. God does not want us in a constant state of sadness. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10.
HIDDEN TORMENT: LOSING JOY AND PEACE TO RANDOM THOUGHTS
Have you ever had random thoughts that made you sad or angry? It could begin with seeing an old photo of yourself when you were young and healthy, but now you feel old and overweight. You start to reflect on the things you wanted to accomplish in life but never did. You start thinking about everything that should have or could have been. Before you saw this photo, you were having a pretty good day. You may not be thinking about the photo anymore, but all of your joy has vanished. You enter a state of sadness. You don't realize your joy is gone. The tormenting spirit has done its job. Your joy and peace are gone.
TORMENT OF DEPRESSION
I believe depression is a form of torment that can engulf one's entire being. When we are in the depths of depression, we are consumed by a sense of hopelessness that clouds our every thought and action. The weight of this emotional burden can make even the simplest tasks feel insurmountable, affecting our ability to find solace even in prayer. It's a dark place that can be incomprehensible to those who have not experienced it firsthand. I have personally faced the gripping hold of depression, to the point where even uttering the name of Jesus felt like a monumental effort. However, I discovered that invoking His name had a profound impact - it was like a powerful force that forced the spirit of depression to retreat. With each repetition of His name, I felt a surge of strength and resilience building within me. Slowly but surely, the grip of depression began to loosen its hold on me, allowing me to gradually reclaim my sense of self.
Depression is indeed a relentless tormentor that preys on the mind without rhyme or reason, casting a heavy shadow on the soul. It instills a sense of helplessness and despair that can lead one to question their faith and even harbor feelings of anger towards God. The insidious nature of this spirit aims to drive a wedge between individuals and their connection to God, seeking to sow seeds of doubt and discord. However, there is hope amidst the darkness. Through faith, support, and resilience, it is possible to break free from the clutches of depression. By acknowledging the presence of this tormenting spirit and seeking God, one can begin the journey towards healing and restoration. Remember, you are not alone in this battle, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Embrace the support and love of God, and know that freedom from this affliction is within reach.
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS
Yes, you have a choice. You can choose to stay there and wallow in sadness and depression, or you can choose to think about those things which are good. Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]." Amp. Never forget that God is good and God loves you. Do not fall for the tricks of the enemy. His goodness is something you can choose to think about. At that moment of torment, you may actually feel like God is not good. Because you know for a fact that God loves you, the second you feel that way, you should know this attack is spiritual. This battle belongs to GOD. GOD is with you. God loves you so much "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16. There is no greater love. God wants you to LIVE and NOT die. Remind yourself, your spirit, and even the devil of these things.
PLAN FOR THE ATTACK
First, I need you to take a stand right now and proclaim that you will fight this demon. I need you to proclaim that you want to live. You must declare that absolutely nothing will ever separate you from the love of God. That’s what you must do first, friend. You must declare that you will fight this to the end. Even on the days when it looks like you’re losing, you need to declare today, right now, that you will never give up and you will never stop fighting.
Yes, my friend. You are in a fight. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we may have life and life more abundantly. Now let me help you. You may want to take out pen and paper and write this down because if you’re not feeling sad, depressed, or tormented today, right now at this time, I promise it's coming back. This is a relentless spirit; it does not give up easily. It is one of the strongest spirits of Satan. Next to rejection, the spirit of rejection is a spirit that contains many demons. The spirits are not easily overcome; however, with Christ, you have the victory. Some trials come to test your faith; the spirit will test your faith. The spirit will test your strength, but I promise you, believers, I promise you this too shall pass. One day you will wake up and realize you haven’t had any depressing thoughts in months and years. You need a plan. I will help you start your plan. He’s only attacking you because God has a plan for your life. Baby, you are blessed and highly favored. Are running from God? People who struggle like this usually have a calling on their life and/or are running from God. Not all, but most. God wants you to fight in His army. Will you say yes?
Before the next attack, follow these steps:
I declared that I will never give up.
Make a list of songs that draw you close to God. Have them ready to play over and over again during this time of heaviness of torment.
Make a list of scriptures to declare over yourself and read them and declare them out loud.
Step four. Repeat steps one through three.
SCRIPTURES
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Psalm 34:17-18 "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the
LORD and put their trust in him
1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
If you need to audibly cry out to God, cry out to God! Once the spirit has left don’t dwell on it. Don’t even talk about it with loves ones unless you are struggling with it. The more you talk about his stronghold over you the stronger it becomes the next time he attacks you. Start claiming you are healed. Instead of saying you have depression, say you are healed and delivered from depression by the grace of God.
MY PRAYER FOR YOU
I pray the spirit of the Lord blesses these words so that they minister to those in need. I pray you will find freedom from all tormenting spirits. I pray no weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper. God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we are weak, He is strong. Lord I pray everyone seeking deliverance will find it in the Mighty Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
You can find more of these scriptures from Bible Study Tools website. Just click the link below. I am not affiliated with them, however, I just use them as a course. You can choose any bible website you like to find more scriptures to battle tormenting spirits.
Speak with a healthcare professional if you experience depressive symptoms or signs that do not go away or persist. Encourage someone you know who exhibits signs or symptoms of depression to get help from a mental health professional. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline dial 988.
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