iSpeech.org

It is very obvious that many are now graduating from being discouraged into depression; the rate at which people are committing suicide is at an alarming stage and the majority of the people that are falling into this trap are youths.

The stage of losing hope psychologically and emotionally has dragged many youths into depression with the end result being an increase in drug abuse and an increase in the crime rate that is being experienced in our society today. The truth to be known today is; depression and discouragement are weapons in the hand of the devil; he will first push discouragement onto man and if he discovered that such a person has been caught in the web of discouragement, he will now transfer the person into the field of depression. Devil will make you worry about things you shouldn’t bother about. His strategy is to magnify what you ought to have been enjoying but have yet to get into your mind so that he can push you into depression.

The word of God says “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand and guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds”. Philippians 4vs6-7 (Easy to Read Version). Your mind is the battlefield, if you allow the devil to capture your mind with worrying, the end result will be depression and if you allow depression to overwhelm you, it can lead to committing suicide or doing drugs, or going into crimes.

God says do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need. If you read the bible passage above furthermore, there you have the reassuring word of God for you. The word of God says; “My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus”.  (Easy to Read Version).

Are you seriously swimming in the ocean of depression; have you been caged in the prison of discouragement and depression and you really want to step out before it will submerge you? The following are the steps that you need to take with boldness and determination:

  • STOP UNHEALTHY COMPARISON: This is one of the things that always drag people into depression. Many youths are in the habit of comparing themselves with others. Most especially in this age of social media; many youths have entered into a higher level of depression because they keep comparing themselves with many of their mates that are living fake life style on the social media. You will see somebody that is still struggling with his house rent and many other problems posting a picture of him driving a big car and you will be comparing yourself with him without you knowing that he borrowed the car to take the picture in order to ornament his fake lifestyle on the social media. Stop comparing yourself with others, the last part of Philippians 4vs6 says; “Always give thanks for what you have”. When you thank God for what you have and for what he has done in your life, you will discover that those things that you wish to have will be supplied. Stop unhealthy comparisons if you want to move out of depression.
  • STOP SETTING UNREALISTIC GOALS: It is very good and very important that you set goals if you must become somebody in life; even the bible encourages goal setting. You cannot be receiving 30,000 dollars as a salary and be planning to own a house worth 80 million dollars in the space of two years. If you must step out of depression, you must re-adjust your goals. Take your goal from the bottom to the top not from the top to the bottom. That is, take a step at a time. Try and set goals that are in line with the reality of your situation. I know you will want to ask me, where do I put my faith? Yes you can work in faith but the bible says; faith without work is dead. A five-year-old boy that said he wants to drive a car worth 100 million dollars is not working in the reality and if he says he is working in faith, I want to let him know that, that is not the way faith works. He is just like an apprentice that wants to be receiving a salary from his master, such a person is a joker. I know you understand what we are saying, start setting goals that are result oriented. If you do not want to be depressed, start setting realistic goals.
  • START APPRECIATING WHAT YOU HAVE: You need to start focusing your searchlight on those things that you have and things that God has done for you. If you keep focusing on those things that you wish or you want to get always, you will gradually move into depression when you do not get them. The truth is, many people that you think are doing better than you also have the part of their lives that you will never pray that you should get. Learn to give thanks for what you have and for all that God has done for you because a heart that knows how to thank God cannot be captured by depression. 1 Chronicles 16vs34 says; “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good. His faithful love will last forever” (Easy to Read Version). When you give thanks to God for what he has done for you, it will propel him (God) to do more for you. That is, your thanksgiving is a propelling force for God to do more wonders in your life. 1 Thessalonians 5vs18.
  • STOP WORRYING ABOUT THINGS: You need to stop worrying about things you cannot help yourself with. Jesus Christ our Lord said; “Do not worry about the things you need to live-what you will eat or what you will wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. Look at the birds. They do not plant, harvest, or save food in the house or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than crows”. Luke 12vs22-24 (Easy to Read Version). Worries will bring discouragement to your spirit and by extension depression. That is why you must shun worrying if you must step out of depression. Psalm 55vs22, Proverbs 16vs3, Matthew 6vs25.
  • START LIVING IN THE JOY OF THE HOLY GHOST: When you start living in the joy of the Holy Ghost, there will be no demon that will be able to penetrate into your mind. Operating in the joy of the Holy Ghost is building a wall of protection round about your soul and spirit. Like we said earlier, your mind is the battlefield and that is where the devil wants to conquer first but when you allow the Joy of the Holy Ghost to overwhelm your mind and soul, there will be no way for the demon of depression to hide or operate in your life. Galatians 4vs6, Ephesians 5vs19, Philippians 4vs7, Colossians 3vs15, Luke 21vs24, John 14vs27.

CONCLUSION: The joy of the Lord is your strength. When you surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, that is when you can be totally delivered from the hand of the demon called depression. You do not have to bury yourself in that graveyard of discouragement and depression; come to Jesus Christ today because he is the only way out from the pit of depression that you have fallen into.

The word of God says; “And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thought and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds” the word says you should “Continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected”. Philippians 4vs7-8. (Easy to Read Version)

Embrace the peace and the joy that is flowing from the throne of God through the Lordship of Jesus Christ today and see yourself coming out of the swimming pool of depression that you have been dragged into. Allow the Prince of Peace into your life and step out of depression.