Driving Out Anxiety, Depression, and the Spirit of Death
Depression
Depression has a strong link to the spirit of death. Like any other emotion, it can come upon anyone, but it’s a problem when it lingers. I believe it lingers when we live in the emotional realm of past hurts and disappointments. Reliving the painful moment over and over again is a trap of the enemy to bring us down to his level of defeat where he can easily cause further harm.
Reliving the pain of the past is like a cow regurgitating its food. It keeps coming back up. The enemy will use the pain of the past against us if we allow him to—don’t! Next time satan brings up these hurtful memories of the past, spit the memories out, tell the devil to leave you alone, and to be silent, because you are not going to chew on the cud of his negativity any longer.
Depression is a pressing down of the spirit, it lowers the ability of the soul, the mind, and the emotions to carry us through life’s situations. It prevents the supernatural strength of joy to lift us up to higher ground with Jesus. It drains energy and strength from our entire being. It’s a life-stopper. Very troublesome things happen to everyone in this life, but it doesn’t mean we have to live in a depressed state forever.
Some Facts about Depression
Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year. (CDC)
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Females experience depression at roughly two times the rate of men. (SMH)
There is hope to overcome depression—Jesus. Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV) tells us, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”
When I read these words, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire,” I get this image in my mind’s eye of a pit filled with quicksand and someone stuck in the middle of it. The more the person tries to get out in their own strength, the farther they sink. It’s a frustrating place to be because no matter what, the person continues to sink.
In order to escape this pit of sinking sand, you have to remain calm and still and allow someone to come and pull you out—rescue you. This is what Jesus, the Rock of our Salvation does for us. He extends His hand; and at that moment we have a choice to make: grab hold of it or reject His help.
When we take hold of Him, He lifts us up out of the mud and the mire and places us on a solid foundation—the Rock of our Salvation, His redemptive work.
For those sinking in a deep pit of depression, Jesus extends His hand toward them—to you—this day. He waits patiently for you to grab hold of His hand so He can place you on the Rock, His plan of salvation. Included in this plan of salvation are a host of benefits for you to accept and apply to life. The following are five of these benefits to ponder:
1. Forgiveness. Apostle Paul writes to us in Ephesians 1:7 (NIV), “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
2. Eternal Life. Jesus, our Redeemer, promises us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
3. A New Beginning. Again the apostle Paul gives us a message of hope in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
4. Acceptance into His Family. Paul, an apostle of Christ, explains to us about our acceptance into God’s family, “In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring” (Romans 9:8 NIV).
5. Unconditional Love. The Word of the Lord in Jeremiah 31:3 encourages us with these endearing words, “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
Prayer
Dear Holy Spirit,
I need Your help to be free from this lingering depression. I do not desire to relive the pain of the past anymore. I desire to pass through the healing process with Your help. I thank You for Your forgiveness, Your unconditional love, acceptance into Your family, a new beginning, and eternal life with You—free from depression, in Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Pledge
I pledge to God and to myself to take the necessary steps to be free from lingering depression. I make a quality decision with the help of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to let go of the past and move forward in the power of God’s forgiveness, His unconditional love, and His acceptance of me. Today is a new day, a brand-new beginning, and I move forward with the strength of His joy. I hold on to His hope for my future, amen.
Anxiety
Another partner that the spirit of death will use to latch onto you is through anxiety. Do you struggle with anxiety and panic attacks? Do you feel overwhelmed? Does your world feel like it’s caving in on all sides at once? Look to Jesus. He’s the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). He will never leave you, or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
God’s not angry like the world would have you believe Him to be. Psalm 86:15 (AMP) beautifully describes the goodness of God toward us, “But You, O Lord, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” If you allow Him, He protects you, 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (AMP) says it like this, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one.”
Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed because we focus on the problem, and in doing so we wind up magnifying our enemy, the devil. When in reality, the things he whispers to us are just lies. In John 8:44, Jesus calls him the father of all lies. The devil takes the Scriptures and twists them, and he makes his lies believable to us; once we grab hold of his lies, then they can produce in our life. We are reminded by the words of God in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” We need to think about what we are dwelling upon—the promises of God or the lies of the devil.
When you feel the negative reports or circumstances are too much to bear, and you feel anxiety try to take control of your mind and emotions, slip away to a quiet place with the Lord. This does not need to be a physical place, but a spiritual one. You are instructed in Matthew 6:6 (NIV), “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
The Bible tell us to, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Be honest with Him and confess this weakness, this sin of anxiety. Say to Him, “Lord, I know that I am not to be worried, but sometimes I am, and especially now. Help me to deal with each and every one of my concerns, and to take into account all that You have promised me, and to remember that You care for me. I ask this in Your name, amen.”
I have come to the realization over and over again that the more time I spend with God, the safer I feel in the security of His loving arms. And I encourage you, the next time you feel overwhelmed by life, choose instead to think about the following:
1. Focus on the love Jesus has for you.
2. Contemplate upon His mercy that He feels for you.
3. Take comfort in the fact that He wills to protect you.
4. Spend time with Him in prayer until His peace takes over in you.
Prayer
Dear Holy Spirit,
I ask for Your help to overcome this anxiety controlling my mind and emotions. I desire to be free from this and walk in the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Remind me with Your gentle nudge when I am entering into the realm of anxiety. I know that all things are possible with You, and I can’t do this without You. Thank You for being with me to help me walk in victory over anxiety, in the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
Pledge
I pledge to God and to myself to work with the Holy Spirit to overcome the sin of anxiety in my life. I promise to follow His leading and to rest in His provision and power in my life. For the glory of God, amen.
How to Reach Out and Help
As a friend or loved one, how can I help someone who is fighting with negative emotions that are out of control such as fear, loneliness, discouragement, depression, anxiety, and other harmful emotions without becoming a victim of those I am trying to help?
1. Know that you can’t force someone to overcome negative emotions if they don’t want to be free from them.
2. Be sincere in your support.
3. Give a listening ear.
4. Pray for them.
5. Encourage them with hopeful reminders that this is a season in their life and with help it can pass, as long as they are willing to do their part and accept help.
6. Offer reasonable help, without being controlled by them.
7. Don’t become an enabler; they are responsible for their own actions.
8. Suggest an intervention.
9. Offer to take them to their first session with a local pastor who is known to help people in the community, or a doctor, or support group.
Prayer
Dear Holy Spirit,
I have seen how I have allowed negative feelings like fear, loneliness, discouragement, depression, and anxiety get the best of me at times. I repent from holding on to a spirit of fear instead of surrendering to You, Holy Spirit. Forgive me for believing the lies of the enemy that no one cares about me. I know You care for me and will not abandon me. I confess that I have allowed depression to linger. I now see what I need to do to be free from this oppression. I ask You to forgive me for not casting my cares upon You and for allowing worry to take over my mind and emotions and control my life. I thank You, Holy Spirit, that You are my Comforter. I rely upon Your great strength to conquer these negative feelings and overthrow the spirit of death in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Pledge
I make a pledge, a promise to God and myself to seal the door against the spirit of death. I will not to allow it entrance into my life by its partners of fear, loneliness, discouragement, depression, anxiety, and mind-altering drugs. I will use godly wisdom and guard the door of my heart for the sake of my life and well-being.
After reading this, we have a better understanding how negative emotions may seem harmless in the beginning, but in reality quickly form partnerships with the spirit of death and create utter havoc in our lives. Therefore, we’ve taken measures to biblically protect ourselves from allowing these spiritual partners to take us down the wrong pathway that can lead us to premature death.
Becky Dvorak
