Hello Dear Listeners, welcome to overcoming temptations. My name is Oyisi Okatahi. Today our topic is titled: Avoid Depression. I had a boss who I worked with some time ago, he had a good job and was married with children. A certain day he came to the office smiled, talked with people around and helped them with their respective jobs, the next day we heard he committed suicide, he killed himself. When we heard the news we were all in disbelief and shock. He was hard working and had everything going well for him, or so we thought, however inside he was depressed and sad. Statistics have shown that 90% of suicide cases is as a result of depression. So what exactly is depression. Doctors consider clinical depression a mental illness, put in simple terms depression is a feeling of persistent sadness. There are so many reasons in life that can cause depression, such as broken relationship, loss of a loved one, loss of finances or poverty, sickness or physical handicap. Other reasons include heredity, drug abuse, sexual abuse, comparing yourself with others, being unmarried, bareness and so on.
We all are sad one time or the other in life, personally I have struggled with sadness. There is no problem in being sad, but there is a big problem if you are persistently or consistently sad, if that is the case then the sadness has grown into depression. See what the bible says in Proverbs 17:22. A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. So happiness is the best medicine, some people who you think are sick in the hospital are not actually sick but depressed, if they are happy then their body will be healed. The bible also says in Nehemiah 8:10b The joy of the Lord is your strength. So joy brings strength. If Satan wants to destroy a man he attacks his joy, because if Satan can succeed in stealing your joy he has succeeded in destroying you. That is why you must never allow anything or anyone take your joy, because that is where your strength lies.
See what Prophet Habakkuk said in Habakkuk 3:17-18- Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! God be praised!. Imagine Habakkuk was a farmer, the crops fails, the animals die, nothing is working, probably in your own case , no money, business fails, no marriage, no accommodation, no food, barrenness all around, he said he will still be joyful in God. Beloved the greatest source of joy is in God and our savior Jesus Christ, your husband, wife, brother, sister, children, father, mother can all fail you. But God can never disappoint you. So stop complaining and grumbling, you will not achieve anything, rather begin to thank and praise God, at least you are alive, that is something worth thanking God for. Because when there is life there is hope for a better tomorrow. That is why the bible says in Ecclesiastes 9:4. Anyone who is among the living has hope –even a living dog is better off than a dead lion! So don’t give up, reject sadness and sorrow, no one can force you to be sad it is a choice. So choose happiness irrespective of what you are going through. It is your choice. Remember when you have Gods’ joy then you have strength. Wish you a blessed day in Jesus name.
