Defeating Depression Without Popping Pills

The Psalmist David experienced depression but found GodÂ’s answer and then wrote this answer for the Word of God. He wrote it as a song to be sung in the temple because there is no way to communicate truth more powerfully than a song. Songs are written to be memorized so that we may sing them not just in the church but also as a melody all the day long. Biblical singing is a spiritual activity of the soul. It was meant by our Creator to be a source of spiritual food that we feed on continuously. Apostle Paul encouraged the saints by teaching them, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" (Ephesians 5:19-20) Worship is a lifestyle, not just an experience.

Notice that this Word from God said, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." Many people cannot worship in GodÂ’s house because they have never developed a lifestyle of worship. Most pastors and song leaders are nothing but cheerleaders leading the attendees in emotional exercises. Occasionally, these exercises move beyond emotion and become worship and everybody goes home saying, "We had church today." But our God wants us to turn our life into a life of worship so that our very soul becomes the temple where His Spirit finds daily manifestation. Your soul is that real you that inhabits the body that God has identified as your temple. Just the fact that He calls our body "His temple" is sufficient to know what He intended. He does not want to show up at church. He wants to show up at your temple and then our temples together become the church house.

Now we can understand depression. Depression is the result of an empty soul. The body may have a myriad of problems but if the soul is full of worship, joy will spring out of that sick frame. I have stood beside the bed of many dying saints, their bodies wrecked with disease, and had my soul lifted to heaven which prove this truth. If the devil cannot deplete your soul of its worship and praise to God, he will never baptize you in his depression. If you know you are washed in JesusÂ’ Blood and born again, do not doubt your salvation because you fight depression; but obey the call of the Word of God and start worshipping.

David shares his experience of recovery by proclaiming, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?" (Psalm 42:1-3) His soul was empty. He had grievously sinned, covered up his sins, and was going about business as usual but dying on the inside. Depression was wrecking him. He was a perfect example of our modern day psychiatric wards where debilitating souls languish day after day. By GodÂ’s wonderful grace, a prophet put his finger on DavidÂ’s sin and David cried out, "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance." (Psalm 42:4-5)

Every soulÂ’s encounter with depression is different and arises from a different set of experiences, but the answer is always the casting of oneself on the Lord for mercy and unfailing grace. You can claim recovery just as perfectly as David. After his soul had found his joy again, he declared, "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." (Psalm 40:1-4)

You can live a clean and Godly life but neglect your soul and its need for fellowship and worship before God and become depressed. You can do like David by "going with the multitudeÂ…to the house of God" and "keep holy days" with great conviction while your soul dies on the inside. Our churches are full of dear people that have never learned the lifestyle of worship. These souls, wonderful and faithful church members, are empty inside and hunger for something from God that appears beyond their reach. Confess the emptiness of your life and enter into the Word of God. Start filling your life with Scripture quoting, learning great songs, and sing them all day. Expect the joy to return because our God is faithful.

You may be a chronically depressed soul that has never known the Lord. Declare yourself a helpless sinner and repent genuinely in your heart to God. The grace of God is absolutely free and He requires nothing of you but the readiness to believe Him and His love for you. Understand that the Lord said, "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4) Cast yourself upon Him and ask Him to draw you to Himself by His wonderful Spirit. John the Apostle said, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13)

The soul is a wonderful creation of the eternal Creator. ItÂ’s the you inside the shell. Neglect it, refuse to feed it, treat it like a nuisance, and it will become a morbid and pestering emptiness on the inside of your daily struggles. At some point, you will be completely destroyed. But admit the presence of that soul and let the Lord Jesus Christ renew your soul by the sacrifice of Calvary. His grace is awaiting your invitation to make you a new creature. Nothing but God fits the shape of your soul.