OPEN HEAVENS Devotional – Friday
August 19th 2016
TOPIC: CUMBERED WITH
DEPRESSION?
Memorize: But he himself went
a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper
tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, it is enough;
now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 1st Kings
19:4
Read: 1st Kings
19:1-8,
1 And Ahab
told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the
prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel
sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also,
if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
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.
4 But he
himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a
juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is
enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my
fathers.
5 And as he
lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said
unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he
looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water
at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the
angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and
said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he
arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days
and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Bible in one year: Isaiah 37:14-40:8,
Psalms 37:21-33
MESSAGE
Depression is a deep sense of
despondency, discouragement and sadness that is often linked with a sense of
personal helplessness, a loss of meaning in life and enthusiasm of living. Some
common symptoms of depression include self-condemnation, deep sorrow, a
loathing of life and a desire to end it. Bible records show evidence of
depression in the behaviour of some personalities such as Elijah, King Saul,
King David, Jonah, Hagar, Judas Iscariot, etc. Today’s memory verse says,
“But he himself went a day’s
journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he
requested for himself that he might die; and said, it is enough; now, O Lord,
take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
The devil is very bad. It is
absolutely impossible to believe that the person credited with the above
statement was the same Elijah, who just a few hours before stood against 400
prophets of Baal, and with the help of God, destroyed them all. Before the dust
of the celebrations could settle, the devil had succeeded in driving fear and
discouragement into him. He suddenly lost confidence in the God that performed
such as marvellous miracle that shook the entire country.
Depression got hold
of him at such a fast rate that within hours of celebrating victory, his mood
had swung to the extreme of requesting to die. Some of the prevailing
conditions that could lead to depression so quickly include, serious sin, loss
of sense of God’s presence, fear of failure, oppression, threats,
fear of judgment, loneliness and deep sorrow. I decree in the Name that
is above all other names; the Lord is bringing you out of depression today. The
joy of the Lord is your strength. Just hold on to the Word of God in Philippians
4:6-7 that says;
“Be careful for nothing; but
in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer Point
Father, please completely
destroy the power of depression in my life in Jesus’ name.
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