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God gave me my life for a reason, and if anything in my life is a help to you, then I count that as a blessing to God. II Cor. 1:3-7, "Blessed be God, even the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. 4. Who  comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth in Christ. 6. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7. And our hope of you is steadfast knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolations."

Recently, in a Bible study, we were studying Hagar, Sarah’s’ handmaid.  In studying Hagar, we discussed the struggle between the flesh and the spirit.  God had promised Abraham that his seed would be as the grains of sand and the stars in the heaven, but Sarah was past the childbearing years, and thought she would help God out.  At that point she had a choice.  She could believe God, and wait for His timing, or she could "help" Him out, by providing her handmaid to  Abraham, who would then provide an heir.  She yielded to her flesh instead of the Spirit.......and the world is STILL suffering from the effects of her fleshly choice today.

 I believe this is the same battle those who are depressed struggle with.  After all, doesn’t scripture itself say, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places", Eph.6:12, and does that verse not go on to tell us how to put on the spiritual armor?

A quote I find interesting says " To function in the spirit, SELF must be broken...........brokenness occurs when that "hard unyielding self which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory, at last bows its head to God's will, admits its wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus, surrenders its rights and discards its own glory....that the Lord Jesus might have all and be all". 

You CAN NOT fend off the demon of depression by yourself. You CAN NOT fend off Satan in the power of your own might.  I believe this is what caused my own years of bouts with depression. I CAN NOT cure my depression by hours and hours of introspection.  Weeks and months of turning into myself to "find the answer" only made me more and more depressed.  I believe this is part of Satan’s plan in peoples lives who have this problem. 

Ask yourself this question?  Why did Satan get sent out of heaven???  The Bible says in Isaiah 14:13 & 14, "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High."  Satan first of all said in his heart, and I believe that is what introspection is.  There IS a time when we are to "examine our selves", II Cor. 11:28, but that examination is done in light of how we have effected other people, and how we stand before God prior to communion,  not just ourselves.

 I know it sounds WAY too simple, but it is basically what our Pastor said once. He said if you change your focus from downward and inward, to upward and outward, that depression will soon be taken care of.  If you are looking up to Jesus for the answers and for your every day leading in life, and outward to OTHERS and to "doing" things, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to STAY depressed.

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