| If a person is depressed, is he just
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| | players go around and congratulate each
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| supposed to let Jesus fight this battle?
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| | other and compliment each other on what a
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| What is depression? The act of being
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| | good job each did. That's praise.
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| depressed, which Webster's Dictionary
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| | When we praise God, we are telling Him
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| defines as being pressed down, dejected,
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| | what a good job He is doing. We pick out
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| dispirited.
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| | specific things we can congratulate Him
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| What causes us to be that way? A bad
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| | about. When we don't feel like it, that's
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| grade in school, a missed promotion at
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| | when we should to do it the most. This
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| work, a spouse leaving us, abuse in our
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| | is call the sacrifice of praise.
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| home when we were younger, someone dying
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| | We can sing our praises, write our
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| or an illness.
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| | praises, maybe even paint our praises as
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| There are so many reasons that we might
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| | long as they come from our heart.
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| be depressed--pressed down, dejected,
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| | Praise is the antidote to the spirit of
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| dispirited.
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| | heaviness. When we begin to praise God
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| I know I have been depressed on and off
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| | one step at a time, our lives change. We
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| for most of my life. I can trace it back
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| | need to praise our way out of depression.
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| to the physical and verbal abuse that
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| | Praise our way to a miracle. Praise our
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| took place in my home.
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| | way to a breakthrough, a turn-around.
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| I have always felt sad, or as if I didn't
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| | Praise is the number one way to combat
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| belong, as if I was an alien from another
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| | depression, but it is not the only way.
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| planet, who had been dropped here on
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| | In our lives there will be times and
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| Earth to be raised by humans.
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| | seasons of trouble, but our God has
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| To some extent, everyone has gone through
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| | overcome the world (John 16:33). We have
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| depression at one time or another,
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| | to put our trust totally and completely
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| especially as a teenager.
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| | in our God (Proverbs 3:5-6) and what He
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| I've heard from some well-meaning people
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| | has done for us.
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| that Christians cannot be depressed.
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| | We have to trust that God is in control
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| Christians are human beings like the rest
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| | and that He will do what He said He
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| of us. They go through failures and
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| | would, that He will turn everything that
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| disappointments, ups and downs, in life
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| | happens in our life around for our good
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| just like everyone else. They become
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| | (Romans 8:28).
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| depressed too.
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| | We have to put our trust in God rather
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| Let's take a look at the Prophet Elijah.
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| | than the news papers or in the news
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| A mighty man of God. He had initiated a
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| | broadcasts or in what the President says.
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| contest with the prophets of a false god
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| | We must choose to trust God in
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| Baal to see whose divine power could
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| | everything we do.
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| bring down fire--Baal or the One True
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| | One of the solutions God has expressed to
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| God. Of course, our One True God won (I
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| | me is to cast my cares (I Peter 5:7). We
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| Kings 18)!
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| | were never designed to carry the heavy
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| Elijah, probably feeling victorious and
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| | load that we endure.
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| vindicated, soon learned that the wicked
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| | God is more than willing to carry our
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| Queen Jezebel sought to kill him. Elijah
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| | cares, our worries, our fears. He is
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| ran and hid from her under a juniper tree
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| | just waiting for us to hand them over to
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| (I Kings 19). He felt very pressed down,
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| | Him.
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| dejected and dispirited. He felt sorry
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| | God is like a bank. We have to entrust
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| for himself and complained to God, as
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| | the bank with our money before they will
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| many of us do.
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| | take charge of it and keep it safe.
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| God wasn't moved by his complaining. Nor
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| | Unlike a bank, though, we must check our
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| is He moved by ours. Yes, we should
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| | cares in but not withdraw them. Instead
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| bring our problems to God, but we cross a
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| | we must exchange our currency of cares
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| fine line when we complain and try to get
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| | for His currency of sufficiency and
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| God to do things our way instead of
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| | provision (II Corinthians 12:9,
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| taking our problems to God and letting
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| | Philippians 4:19).
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| Him handle them.
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| | If needed, it is fine to go to a
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| Complaining involves a lot of questions
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| | counselor or psychologist. We should try
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| and commentary. Taking our problems to
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| | to retain one who is a Believer. Someone
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| God involves reporting the facts of our
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| | who believes in the ways of God.
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| situation to God, and as my mother says,
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| | Depression can be caused by a chemical
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| "Exchanging our facts for God's Truth."
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| | imbalance. Some require medication.
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| When we are complaining, we aren't
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| | Some require a professional.
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| interested in truth or facts. Rather we
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| | Either way, though, it is well within the
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| are focused on the way we feel. We are
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| | right of every Believer to believe God
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| listening to our emotions.
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| | has already healed our depression in the
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| What does the Bible say about depression?
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| | spiritual realm. Therefore it is within
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| The Bible speaks of being broken-hearted
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| | our right to stand on the promises of God
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| (Isaiah 61:1) and having a spirit of
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| | concerning the healing of our body and
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| heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). It says that
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| | mind (I Peter 2:24, II Timothy 1:7).
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| God gives us the garment of praise for
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| | When we stand on His Word, believing He
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| the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).
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| | will do what He said He will do (Mark
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| Now what is praise? When we are on a
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| | 9:23), He will come through for us in our
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| team--football, basketball, whatever
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| | time of need. He will give us the
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| sport we play--and the team wins, the
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| | breakthrough we need.
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