I’d like to encourage you not to let depression be some kind of big terrible ugly monster that is impossible to destroy. It’s not. All you have to do is take hold of God’s hand, and ask Him for His strength in helping you to conquer this obstacle that is preventing you from serving Him as effectively as you possibly can. You are very important to Him, and to prove it, He led you here to guide you in solving this menacing problem. He loves you and He wants you to be happy so … Let’s get started.

What we will be talking about in this study are some different methods you can use to get rid of depression and keep it from returning. As with ANY kind of self help program, these methods won’t work unless you actually practice them.

One of the best ways to combat depression is with music. When king Saul had an evil spirit, David played the harp for him and Saul was refreshed and well, and the evil spirit left him.

Now, about that music that refreshes the soul … You obviously don’t want to put on blues or anything sullen when you’re depressed, or if you have a tendency to become depressed. Instead, select something upbeat and joyous. Check out our CD player. You can’t go wrong with any of the music available on it. Bad spirits don’t like anything that is the opposite of their intent, so they’ll find it uncomfortable in a joyful and holy environment … and they’ll leave. The effects of music are immediate. You don’t have to wait 20 minutes like you do with aspirin, or days like you do with antibiotics. Turn it on, and let the healing begin.

What about time? Do you have too much time on your hands? Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.

Well, if YOU don’t worry about all those things that you feel need worrying about, who’s gonna?

Only He’s not gonna worry about them, He’s gonna take care of them.

Is anything impossible for Him?

Our spirit reacts to our thoughts so you need to control your thoughts. The Bible tells to maintain Good thoughts.

It also makes sense that changing from sad to happy would be an easier transition than from happy to sad, because happiness is a more readily accepted emotion than sadness … for anyone … unless you simply don’t want to be happy.

That sounds foolish at first … Why would anyone want to be sad? Well, for one thing … Attention. Ouch! The truth can either hurt, or set you free.

Depression is something that you can say good-bye to this very moment if you choose to. You won’t suffer any kind of withdrawal from giving up this bad habit right this very second. It’s not like giving up chocolate or cigarettes … you won’t crave a spell of depression if you haven’t had any for a few hours or a few days. There is no healing time required, like with other habits that leave you fragile while you’re rehabilitating from them. It doesn’t cost a thing to give it up, and there is only one possible thing that you could possibly miss about choosing to be free from depression … and that thing is attention.

Now, it’s a good thing that you’re reading this alone right now, because sometimes when we discover things for ourselves, we find them easier to accept. For instance: Let’s say you confide in your mother about your depression. She knows you inside out so she identifies the problem quite easily and says with a half annoyed look on her face and a stern yet loving voice, Snap out of it! Grow up, you’re just feeling sorry for yourself! Immediately you feel defensive, on top of your sensitive emotional state, and you deny it to yourself, and to her, insisting that there is good reason for you to be depressed. Way, way down deep inside, so far deep that you don’t even know it yourself (in your subconscious mind) you know she’s right, but your PRIDE won’t let you admit it, because, well, you’d look stupid, and none of us ever want to look stupid. It’s embarrassing, humiliating, and degrading. So, our pride locks up the truth where we can’t find it, and things get worse and worse and worse, until you feel like you need medication, or counseling, or pity, or all of the above. Whew, what a mess. By the way, who do you think is orchestrating all this pride and stubbornness and denial, anyway?

It’s not you. It’s just a bad spirit.

Now look at this from another angle. Let’s say you never told your mother about your depression. You discover for YOURSELF (maybe right now) that you’re just feeling sorry for yourself, you face the fact that you have indeed wanted some attention and you tell yourself the truth about it. You feel no need to defend yourself against … yourself … or anyone else. Your pride has been protected because you discovered the root of the problem all on your own, instead of being told by someone else. Now, instead of the truth hurting, the truth has set you free! You may even boast about it. Hey, Mom, It’s a wonderful day isn’t it? I was feeling quite depressed for a while and realized how childish and selfish it was, so I decided to control my own thoughts instead of letting anything else control them, and now I feel like my old self again! (By the way, don’t forget to thank God for His hand in your discovery!)

You do want to be happy, you’ve just been swindled by lies that made you believe that you should be depressed. Remember this, lean on Jesus. He’s your Savior, and He wants to help. He wants you to know the truth.

If you’re under the care of a doctor, or if you’re taking prescription medication for any reason, DO NOT discontinue it unless you have orders from your doctor.