NLDC BACKSTAGE: November 2007

Victory Over Depression.

Does your happiness depend on everything in your life being just right? If you think you can't be happy until all your circumstances are right, you will never be happy. We all experience times in life when we feel down for various reasons, but we can't allow our circumstances to control our emotions. Satan seeks to fill our minds with negative thoughts and emotions that cause us to feel down. He is a discourager, and he pulls us down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way he can. But Jesus is our Encourager, and He came to give us righteousness, peace and joy.

Everyone experiences times of frustration and distress over unfulfilled hopes and dreams. When things don't go according to our plans, it is normal to feel disappointment. But we must be careful how we deal with that feeling, because disappointment is the beginning stage of depression. If we remain in a state of disappointment for too long, it can turn into discouragement, despair, and finally depression. Psalm 30:5 tells us that ...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

I've learned that staying disappointed can cause me to start feeling discouraged, which is a deeper problem than disappointment. But I've also learned that you can't be hopeful and discouraged at the same time. So as soon as the devil attacks us with disappointment and we start feeling discouraged, we need to turn to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill us with hope. A brief period of discouragement may not have a devastating effect, but long-term discouragement can lead to depression—a very serious problem.
DON'T TRUST YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

Our number one enemy is emotions. We tend to be led by how we feel, but we must realize that feelings are fickle; they change from day to day! We should be careful not to follow every thought that comes to our mind because our thoughts and feelings don't dictate truth to us.

Depression is defined in part as "a hollow; being in a low state; a state of sadness; dejection." The real cause of depression is not where we are, but our attitude about where we find ourselves. It is possible to learn to live on the other side of your feelings. We will always have feelings; they will never go away, but we can make our feelings line up with our decisions. That's why God gives us the fruit of self-control. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil, and we must also resist depression, and anything that resembles it, because it is of the devil. Philippians 4:4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! If we stay filled with the right thing, the wrong thing has no place.

If you don't let the devil impress you with what he does, then he can't oppress you; and if he can't oppress you, then he can't depress you. So choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and you can have victory over depression. We can claim the promises as our own and stand in faith, believing God to help us overcome our feelings and move forward into better things. We can't control all of our circumstances, but we don't have to let what happens today ruin tomorrow. We can actually turn things around by making a decision to let go of the situations that caused the disappointment and discouragement, and move toward the good things God has planned for our future.

You can experience victory over your emotions by being led, guided, controlled, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to us as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby to remain with us forever (see John 14:16). Thank God, we don't have to be disappointed, discouraged, despondent, depressed, or in despair. Jesus is not only the Way, but He is also the way out! Jesus is our healer, our glory, and the lifter of our heads.

Testimony from the Road

While staying with NLDC alumni in Fresno, CA, my team and I went to pass out tracts in the neighborhood. We were going door to door handing people tracts, talking with them about their beliefs and sharing the gospel with them.

On my way to the next door, I saw a couple walking, so I ran up to them to give them tracts. I then offered to pray for whatever they wanted me to pray for. The woman had me pray for her mother who was dieing. After I prayed they started asking me questions. By the end of our talk I was able to lead them both in the prayer of salvation!

At one point I walked up to a lady, I handed her a tract and proceeded to ask her questions. I soon discovered she didn’t speak English very well. She kept pointing at the back of the tract so I asked her if she wanted to accept Jesus and she said “yes”! I told her to repeat after me as I said the sinner’s prayer. After we prayed, I asked her if she understood what she had done and she said “yes”. Later on as I continued going door to door I ended up at her home! Her grand daughter and her granddaughter’s husband greeted me. I explained to them what had happened. They told me they were believers and then in their language explained to her more in detail about the saving grace of Jesus. Later on as we were doing the last street before stopping, I approached a young man as he got home from work. I handed him a tract and said, “Are you saved? If you died today do you know where you would spend eternity?” He said he didn’t know but wanted to go to Heaven, so I talked to him about the choice of surrendering your life to God. He then accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior right before me eyes.

“He [Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.””
Mark 16:15 (NIV)

Jessica Lococo