We’re going to talk about depression today, but suicide is NOT the answer.

1. You are not a burden. You are not a burden to us. You ‘re not a burden to those who love you. We are honored to be able to serve you here at this church.

2. Second of all, your mental health issue is not a sign of weakness. It is not a sign of weakness. We all have issues. We all have struggles. And in our weakness, we are made strong.

3. You did not bring this on yourself.

4. You are loved by God unconditionally. No matter what your struggles, no matter what your issues, no matter what your hurts, habits, or hang ups, God loves you just for who you are.

5. There are people around you who not only care, but understand you are not alone in this. There are people in this church who have walked the road you’re walking through. We care for you, and they understand even what you’re going through.

We hear you and we are here for you.

6. It’s not a sin to be sick.

You need to know today that your illness is not your identity. It’s not who you are. It may be a battle you’re facing, but it does not define your identity. You are a child of God, loved by Him, formed in your mother’s womb. He had plans for you before anybody knew your name.

This season will not last forever. You will get better. There’s hope. So hang on.

Lamentations 3:17-20
“Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.”

Three major things that drive depression:

1. Spirit driven depression.

Mark 5:5
“Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones.”

The idea of self harm and self hatred is not something new.

If you’re saved, if you’ve given your life to Jesus, you cannot be demon possessed. Why? Because you are full of the spirit of God.

While you cannot be demon possessed, you can be demon oppressed.

Sometimes we are quick to believe in a very good God and slow to believe in a very bad devil.

Satan wants to destroy you.

And if we start listening to the lies, what happens is our hearts become very good soil for very bad seed.

James 4:7
“Submit to God resist the devil and he will flee.”

We don’t fight supernatural battles with natural weapons.

2. Circumstance driven depression.

Life is not always easy. Life is not always fair.

What we have to understand about this circumstance driven depression is it’s not just sadness. It’s stuckness. We’re not just sad. It’s not just grieving. Grieving is right. We grieve. But it’s about being stuck there.

Job 3:11
“Why wasn’t I born dead?”

You cannot trust your emotions.

You have blind spots. You need people to help you see those things.

The devil wants to isolate you. He wants to get you on an island so that you think you’re the only one and you’re all by yourself.

1 Kings 19:4-9
He says, “I’ve had enough. Lord take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he laid down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said get up and eat. He looked around and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said get up and eat some more, for the journey is too much for you. So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he traveled for 40 days and 40 nights to a place where God wanted to meet with him.

Sometimes when we’re depressed, we start feeling things that are not true. We create false realities in our mind. The enemy can fuel that.

It is helpful for us to understand that some depression is lifestyle related.

“We were never designed for the sedentary, indoor, socially isolated, fast food laden, sleep deprived, frenzied pace of modern life.” ~ Stephen Ilardi

Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God.”

3. Biochemical driven depression – when your brain is not at optimal health, when your brain is not working correctly.

Getting medication from your doctor appropriately can bring clarity to your mind so that you can stay in the guidelines while you deal with your struggle.

Jesus didn’t come to earth conquer sin on the cross and overcome death three days later so that we can cope with our issues. He came that we might have life and life more abundantly. He loves you as you are. He loves you unconditionally.

He loves you right in the middle of your mental health issues, in the middle of your struggles, but he loves you too much to leave you there.

Your sickness may be identified, but it is not your identity.

Whom the sun sets free is free indeed.

I am whole. I am healed. I am free. I have joy, the joy of the Lord. Is my strength.

Lamentations 3:21-24
“Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this, that the faithful love of the Lord never ends, his mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness, his mercies begin afresh each morning. And so I say to myself, the Lord is my inheritance, therefore I will hope in Him.”

Don’t stay stuck. Sorrow may last for the night and maybe for two nights, and maybe for three nights, and maybe for three years. But joy does come in the morning, and as long as you have breath, you have hope.

The fact that you’re still alive is proof that God is still fighting for you.

The only way you lose is if you quit. So don’t quit. His faithful love never ends. He won’t quit. His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness. Dare to hope.

2 Corinthians 2:9-10
“But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves, being isolated, thinking, this is my struggle, my fight. I have to go it alone. And we learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and he will come to rescue us.”

We have to have confidence in God. Go to your doctor, but have confidence in God. Please see a counselor, but have confidence in God. Surround yourself with good friends that you can talk to, but have confidence in God. It’s God who gives wisdom to your doctors. It’s God who gives revelation to your counselor. It’s God who gives grace to your friends to walk through you with it, with it through you in the times of struggle. Have confidence in him. He’s brought you this far, and he will rescue you again.