“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (II Corinthians 5:17)
“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)
You can’t pray depression out or at least not on a permanent basis. Prayer is like water and fertilizer and the Bible is always the seed. Prayer helps prepare the ground and helps the crop to grow but it is not the seed itself. This is a mistake Christians make in this area and in so many areas. I wrote a blog a while back called “No more naked prayers” addressing this very subject.
It really comes down to what you think about that causes depression and how can we change this. Scripture is always emphasizing what we think about; what we put our minds on. What we focus and meditate on is the key; this is critical! Here’s the cool thing; you can be pro-active. You don’t just have to sit there and take it. You can believe God to change your physical and mental health. You can do something about it. You don’t have to sit around and just wait and hope something happens. You can make something happen!
There are seven principles that I have found that are working for me. I suffered from depression for forty years until I stood on these principles and then everything changed and for the first time in my life I had victory in this area. Thank God!!!
1. As a man THINKS IN HIS HEART-so is he.
You create a glass ceiling by the way you think. In other words, you’re not going any farther than what you think about and what you believe. Even though God declares you a winner, if you think of yourself in your mind as a failure, you will ultimately fail. You will stop yourself from succeeding. You must change the way you think!
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7)
2. To be naturally or carnally minded is death
(Carnal means of the five senses-can be sinful or just natural)
But being spiritually (Word) minded brings life and peace to
boot.
“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)
3. Renew your mind
You have to keep thinking differently-reprogram yourself
with God’s help-this takes time and effort but is completely
do-able if you want it bad enough.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 1, 2)
4. Monitor what you watch
Let’s use television as an example. Here are your choices: Watch: daytime soap operas/mindless shows/night time dramas full of sexual immorality and bickering.
(OR)
Watch: Uplifting movies/family shows with moral
values/good clean classic comedies.
What you watch affects your mind and your heart.
It can desensitize you!
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16)
“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (I Corinthians 15:33) (This would apply to all negative media influences)
The old saying is still true-Garbage in/Garbage out.
These things can cause physical and emotional sicknesses.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8)
5. Who you yield your self to you is whose slave you are
You could also say what you fill yourself with. Are you eating junk food or health food? You can’t mainline strife into your mind and walk in peace. If we yield ourselves to the devil through sin, God doesn’t punish us-we shoot ourselves in the foot-we are the slaves to whom we yield ourselves to. We buy the gun, put the ammunition in and say here Mr. Devil shoot me)
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. (Romans 6:15-19)
6. Train yourself each day-take some promises with you.
Don’t think this will happen without effort on your part-
build momentum and dept and it gets easier and normal.
Spiritual replaces the carnal (natural) and you are transformed. You will have to engage your mind. You will have to read and study the Bible. It’s more work than just watching TV and letting that do your thinking for you; but pay off is unbelievable!
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15)
7. Speaking in Tongues
You need additional power. I can’t emphasize this enough. You need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues. For years, I am ashamed to admit it, I rarely used this gift. Then I became deathly sick and it gave me power beyond belief and transformed me. It will do the same for you. Give yourself a few weeks before you will be able to notice the difference. If you keep at it, it will empower you. You will be amazed. That’s why Jesus gave it to the church.
“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (I Corinthians 14:4)
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20)
http://www.howcanibehealed.com/1/post/2013/10/-no-more-naked-prayers.html
http://hischarisisenough.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/medical-facts-about-speaking-in-tongues-carl-r-peterson-m-d/
http://www.howcanibehealed.com/how-do-i-receive-the-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit.html