Millions of people all over the world are fighting a war where their enemy attacks all day, every day. Its a difficult war because to most people the enemy is unknown and many don’t know how to defend themselves. This battle is going on right now and the battlefield is close to you, maybe even in your home. On this battlefield there is unimaginable chaos and disorder.
The battlefield is your mind and the chaos and disorder is anxiety and depression. You might have seen a warrior in this battle today and didn’t even know it. It might have been the close relative or friend that you saw today or person driving next to you or the person walking past you at the grocery store. The number of people living with anxiety or depression every day is alarming.
Why are so many people suffering from these disorders? What can we do about winning this battle? What does the Bible say regarding anxiety or depression? These are some of the questions we will address in this reading and we pray that you will benefit in our attempt to seek the truth on this subject.
Anxiety and Depression defined
According to Wikipedia:
Anxiety is a feeling of fear, uneasiness, and worry, usually generalized as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue and problems in concentration.
Depression is defined as a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person’s thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being. People with a depressed mood can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, angry, ashamed or restless. They may lose interest in activities that were once pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions, experience relationship difficulties and may contemplate, attempt or commit suicide.
The Statistics
The Kim Foundation states that an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older or about one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 6.9% (16 million) of American adults live with major depression and 18.1% (42 million) live with anxiety disorders. The NAMI lists depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. 90% of those who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
What causes Anxiety or Depression?
Why are so many people suffering from anxiety or depression? Surprisingly, medical doctors and experts admit they don’t know the cause. There is no sufficient medical evidence and explanation for the cause of this “mental disorder”. The Mayo Clinic website states:
“The causes of anxiety disorders aren’t fully understood.”
Another website, WEBMD states:
“the exact cause of anxiety disorders is unknown, but anxiety disorders — like other forms of mental illness — are not the result of personal weakness, a character flaw, or poor upbringing.“
What is the medical world’s solution to this problem?
Although doctors and medical researchers admit to not fully understanding or knowing the cause of anxiety or depression, this does not keep them from prescribing medications. A report from Medco Health Solutions, which analyzes trends in the use of mental health‐related medications among the American population says that overall, the number of Americans on medications used to treat psychological and behavioral disorders has substantially increased since 2001. More than one‐in‐five adults was on at least one of these medications in 2010, up 22 percent from ten years earlier. What is very alarming is that the most notable increase in the use of these medications was seen in children ages 10‐19; utilization increased among this age group by almost 50 percent!
What are the effects of Anti-depressant or Anti-anxiety medication?
What is more surprising than medical professionals not knowing the cause of anxiety or depression is that these same medical professionals don’t fully understand how or what the effects these medications are having on their patients. WEBMD’s website regarding the effects of antidepressants states:
“We don’t exactly know how antidepressants improve the symptoms.” “It’s worth remembering that a lot of what we think about antidepressants is still speculative. We don’t really know if low levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters “cause” depression, or if raising those levels will resolve it. We don’t know enough about brain chemistry to say what’s “balanced” or “unbalanced.” It’s possible that antidepressants have other unknown effects, and that their benefits don’t have as much to do with neurotransmitter levels as they might with other effects, such as regulating genes that control nerve cell growth and function.”
Regarding anti-anxiety medication, WEBMD website states:
“Anti-anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines are effective in relieving anxiety and take effect more quickly than the antidepressant medications (or buspirone) often prescribed for anxiety. However, people can build up a tolerance to benzodiazepines if they are taken over a long period of time and may need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Some people may even become dependent on them.”
These medications do not deal directly with the cause since the cause is unknown. These medications, like alcohol only give you a temporary relief and only cover up the real problem for a short time, thus making you need more of the medication to maintain the relief from this anxiety or depression. This dependence to maintain that relief leads the man or woman to become addicted to this medication.
What does the Bible say?
Although these mental disorders have recently become popular mainly due to the commercialization of prescription drugs to the American public, anxiety and depression are not a new discovery. The battle of this disorder known as anxiety or depression has plagued humans since the beginning of creation. In the Bible, the Book of Genesis gives us insight into what is behind the true cause of this dilemna. Genesis chapter 3 says:
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
According to this verse, before sin we were not afraid. We did not hide or feel shame. We did not have shame because we did not know we were naked, meaning we were innocent. We did not know the difference between good and evil because evil was not an option that was in our hearts. So what caused us to sin? What caused us to realize we were naked and feel like we had to hide or feel shame? The answer is that we believed the lie. We sinned by going against God’s will when we acted on that lie.
What is Gods will regarding anxiety or depression?
The bible is very clear on what it says about being anxious or having a thought contrary to the knowledge of God and what God holds to be true. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Matthew 6:25-34 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
So who or what is this battle against?
So who lies to us? How are we lied to and deceived? What or who are we fighting this battle against that is causing us to fear, hide or feel shame? We are in a battle all day, every day. We are being lied to constantly. We are in a never-ending fight and to win we must first acknowledge who we are fighting. We need to know how to prepare for battle and how to protect and defend ourselves.
2 Corinthians 10:3 says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”
Ephesians 6:10-12, says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
There is help. You are not alone.
We are fighting against the devil and his schemes which are to use lies, assertions, and thoughts that are contrary to the knowledge of God and contrary to what God holds to be true. For example when you’ve already committed a sin, you may be believing the lie that you can’t be forgiven. Believing the lie that you can’t come back to God or that your sin is so great that God will never forgive you.
The devil wants you to believe the lie. When you believe the lie you empower the liar. He wants to keep you in a state of fear. He wants you to be sad and depressed, to hide yourself and feel shame for your sin. He wants to keep you in the dark so that you won’t come out.
But, the truth is that none of his lies are true. There is hope and there is freedom for those who will seek it. Colossians 3:1 says, “ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Ephesians 6:13-18 says,”Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
There is freedom from guilt and shame. Free yourself by confessing to God and repenting of your sin.
John 8:31-36, says, “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
1 John 1:5-8 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Trust in God. You don’t have to fight this battle on your own. Seek Him and put all your trust in the Lord. The battle is the Lord’s. Trust God by not believing that lie that you are not worthy to be forgiven. The lie that you are not good enough. The lie that you are not loved anymore. Believe the truth. The truth is that God loves you despite your sin. You are God’s child and He wants to be reconciled with you. Below are a few versus from the Bible that speak about putting your Trust in God.
Psalm 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”
1 John 4:18 says, “ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. “
Psalm 40:4 says, “Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Follow Gods Commands and He will be your strength in the time of trials and tribulations. During the Sermon on the Mound, in Matthew 5,6 and 7, Jesus give us great and powerful words that we all should follow and live by. In this Sermon, He gives us the parable of the two builders. Matthew 7:24-27 says:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
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Believe the truth
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Repent of your sins
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Trust in God
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Follow his Commads
