Written by Evi Idoghor
I was present at an event where a person shared their battle with depression. They expressed how they could hear voices telling them; you are not good enough, you wouldn't amount to anything, just end your life! Surely, this couldn't be the voice of God, as such, they associated the voices they heard with the voice of the devil. However, they later concluded by saying; if someone is going through depression, religion should be kept aside and the sickness should be handled medically or scientifically.
From their standpoint, I can perhaps understand why they would say for religion to be left at home whilst they go and seek real help, because of what Christianity has been reduced to, especially in this part of the world. Everything seems performance-based; people prophesy and testify falsely, for clout, and when others chase after those things, thinking them to be true, they get disappointed. However, true Christianity and the word of God are more powerful and profound than what many have come to believe them to be.
While I am a proponent for people seeking medical attention when something is amiss, as a believer, I am also knowledgeable that the word of God (the Bible) is a powerful weapon if used appropriately. I am no medical or scientific expert when it comes to this field, or any of that sort (as you can tell, I am a writer) but, I believe that people can overcome depression with the word of God.
Mental Health
Mental health is one of the hottest topics there is. People are becoming more aware of their mental wellness, and they are speaking out about it. I remember growing up in Nigeria, hearing people say you are mental because you did something stupid or crazy. The insult—mental, simply meant all was not well with you, especially with your mind. Most of the battles we face every day are in our minds.
It has been said that the average human thinks over 6000 thoughts per day. You can only imagine how conflicting some of these thoughts and voices are. As such, there are voices in our heads that compete for permanent residency daily. Such voices can tell us that we are not good enough, rich enough, pretty enough, or even loved well enough.
These voices make us feel small, then we begin to doubt our abilities, and for many others, their existence. It is up to the believer to be able to discern the voices they hear, that is—which one is the voice of the enemy, your own voice, and the voice of God. God is definitely not going to tell you to jump off a cliff or say to you that you will never amount to anything. If you are hearing such voices, and they are beginning to affect your mood, that is not the voice of God because such sayings go against His word.
Our Weapons of Warfare Are Not Carnal
There was a time that was extremely difficult for me. It seemed as if everywhere I turned, there was a trial waiting for me to answer to. So, I began harboring the fear of dying. Voices in my head were whispering that I was going to die, my dreams at the time didn't make it any easier. I was walking on eggshells and did not open up to anyone about what I was dealing with. Then I decided to get out my Bible, study it and pray.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that ‘we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and power, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.' Some forces in operation here on earth can only be brought down by the word of God, I also believe that depression is one of them. I have heard cases of people being depressed, who were on anti-depressants and still ended up taking their own lives.
These people had access to the best doctors and therapists, but all of that didn’t help solve their internal issues. This is also not to negate the fact that there are people who modern medicine has helped combat this problem. The point here is to highlight that the word of God can give you victory if you are suffering in this area. As the speaker of that event talked about how religion should be put aside, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 stood tall in my spirit, which made it difficult for me to agree with what they were saying.
The passage says: "For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ."
For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t war according to the flesh: the thoughts in our heads are real thoughts. Sometimes, they fight against the word of God. They want to steal from you, kill you and destroy you. When we hear cases of suicides or mass murders, sometimes, such acts can be linked to the voices in the heads of people that led them to do so. Everything starts off as a thought before it grows into action.
It is my belief that you cannot use medicine to fight emotions that make you feel worthless, or cause you to harm other people (and even yourself)—you need the word of God. That is why the Bible describes these thoughts as strongholds, arguments, and vain imaginations, and tells us to bring them into captivity. Those thoughts are not there to play with you—they are there to destroy you.
And if you don’t know your authority as a believer, you will be defeated by them. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind." Sound mind! People are losing their minds these days; there is a severe outcry for help. Only if people can be pointed back to ancient scripture that is still relevant today—they will be set free. God doesn’t give you depression or mental health issues—He gives you a sound mind—the mind of Christ.
Will you face difficulties in life? Of course yes! You can still have a sound mind and be sad about something. Still, the Bible says, ‘beauty for ashes, the oil of joy in the place of mourning, the garment of praise over a spirit of despair.' God loves us dearly, and He wants us to thrive spiritually, physically, and mentally. The next time those evil thoughts come to mind, remind them who the boss is, who is for you, and who fights your battles.
That was how I overcame the evil thoughts in my head, and I know you can as well. If you are battling depression of any kind, please see someone who can help you overcome this battle, and if you are a believer, get out the word of God and fight for your life. God did not create you to be depressed.
Did you like this article? What are your thoughts on depression? Can it be overcome with medicine alone, or do we need the word of God?
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