This is going to be another long column on a spiritual subject, as I believe that there should be spiritual solutions for spiritual problems.  I don’t know where this column may find you on this issue.  I don’t know what your circumstances might be today.  It may be that over the past few years you may have lost a family member, lost a job or career, or may be shut out of your school or university.  I will say this up front: Suicide is NOT the answer!  Neither is giving in to the temptations of addictions and sexual perversion. 

     Some storms are best ridden out, and not bowed down to!

     II Timothy Chapter 3 KJV contains a wealth of biblical truth about the times that we are facing.  Jesus himself talked about the last days in Matthew, Chapter 24, Mark, Chapter 13 and Luke, Chapter 21.  Remember: all storms are in the hand of God and are under His control.  It rains on the just and the unjust.  Bad times hit both the just and the unjust.  It is more important that BOTH the just and the unjust take the time to look UP instead of focusing on the storm.  Look UP and see the salvation of the Lord.  Rest assured that the sun will shine once again, and you will get back to what may be familiar with your track in life!

STAR TREK--AND AN EXAMPLE WORTH NOTING:

     We’re going to be focusing on the issue of depression, and I will be coming at it from the spiritual point of view.  I’ll warn you up front that I’ll be taking the long way around the mountain.

     I’ve long been a fan of many of the shows in the ‘Star Trek’ franchise.  Some of them have provided more entertainment than others—and some great examples of ‘anti-depression’ strategy.  From the outset, let me state that I am a ‘Trekker’…which is an older fan of the series.  Many, in error, call themselves ‘Trekkies’, which—in the original vocabulary of sci-fi universe—means a younger ‘Star Trek’ fan.

     I know that you are glad that I cleared this up…but I digress.

     In the ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation” series, the Enterprise was attacked by the ‘Borg’; a race of killers and assimilators.  They had a great propensity of providing a very real example of what depression does to the human body.  To get through the ship’s defenses, the Borg had to get through the Enterprise’s shields.  If you are familiar with the series, the shields protect the ship during an enemy attack. 

     The Borg, being a sneaky as they were, figured out a great way to get through the defenses of the Enterprise.  They drained the shields by systematically firing at them.  After a volley of shots, the shields were completely drained; and the ship was defenseless.

     Let’s apply this to real life.  This is what depression does to a person…especially to the Christian who forgets Ephesians 6:10-20 KJV.  It systematically drains your spiritual energy and saps the might of your spiritual weapons.  The individual Christian eventually has their Holy Ghost strength greatly reduced, thanks to the ‘draining’ issues of demonic attack. 

     Demons are real, folks.  Mark, Chapter 5 provides a great example of demonic danger.

     Satan and his forces will ‘fire volleys’ at your Shield of Faith.  Until you are refilled with the right Spirit—according to David—you are going to have a miserable time, and an even more miserable Christian walk.  Think I am making this up?  One of the main ‘calling cards’ of depression is a ‘drained’ feeling.  The depressed person—if not careful—gets to a point of feeling so ‘listless’ or ‘out of it’ that all they want to do is sleep, or ‘shut down’ in some other manner.

     Whenever depression is stalking you, friend; think of the Borg.

     Satan wants to ‘drain’ you—one by one--of your Christian joy, your daily devotions, your relationship with your family and church family.  All this to fake you out, think that your spiritual weapons have no power, and YOU to throw them down and submit to his demonic host. When you have the ‘blues’, Saints…make sure those blues don’t to get you to ‘fade to black’.  Amen?

ONE PLANE FLIGHT LONG AGO:

     Years ago, I was on a plane flight from one part of the country back to my home city of Indianapolis, Indiana.  We took off in what best could be described as overcast, dreary and possibly rainy conditions.  Once in the air, the pilot nosed the big plane up above the storm clouds. Sunshine and blue skies soon appeared.  The dark skies were a thing of the past.

     It was an object lesson I have never forgotten. 

     Depression is best described as what I went through on that plane trip: enveloping storm clouds with dark skies and some wind and rain thrown in for the proper effect.  Eventually, one will come out of it.  But it takes realizing that there ARE going to be sunny and blue skies eventually, while it may take time for those better conditions to arrive.

     Rest assured…better times WILL arrive.  Do NOT let the devil, your circumstances nor your friends talk or manipulate you OUT of better times.

DEPRESSION—SPIRITUAL ATTACK AGAINST THE MIND:

     Depression is a spirit!  It is subject to the same rules of spiritual warfare laid out in the Scriptures.  Yes, it SEEMS to have strength because we often observe it from the inside of the cloud, rather than from the outside.  Depression ONLY has the power that we ‘give’ to it and will ONLY be around if we learn the lesson that it has arrived to bring us.

     At this point, let me assure you that I am NOT a medical expert, nor a mental health professional.  I have merely lived life as a Christian and a preacher and teacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have been blessed to work in a variety of disciplines and professions (in addition to my clerical collar) which have provided insight into the human condition.  I am also a card-carrying member of the human race. 

     No matter how much a Christian one may be, we all have taken a bite from the depression apple during our lives.  As a matter of fact, if you are familiar with the background of one of the greatest preachers of all time—Charles Haddon Spurgeon—he had some of the greatest battles of his life against the realities of that ‘black dog’ he called depression. 

     Spurgeon was a man who was used mightily by God, with a multitude of ministries and souls saved.  However, Spurgeon also suffered bouts of depression which staggered the imagination. 

     Not just once, but many more times over the years of his life.

     Does this describe YOUR life? 

     The spirit of depression LOVES to attack the mind of individuals.  It may come in a small form, or great, but attack it will.  Depression seemingly comes out of nowhere as one least expects it.  It waits like a robber around the corner under the cover of darkness, jumping out at the intended target without warning or notice.

CONVERSATION IN A DISCOUNT STORE:

     I ran into a man about my age at a local discount store a few years ago.  We got into a brief but powerful conversation about history—the history that we both lived through from the seventies: A time of our lives when the Vietnam war was winding down; everyone was broke, gasoline was in short supply, unemployment was high, and the Watergate scandal was in full bloom.  Politicians didn’t have much in the way of answers at that time, either.  Yes, we had some great music—but there was a great deal of suffering that went along in many of our lives.

   Allow met to drop this in at this point for the young who are ‘going through’ in the present.  History is a great comfort to the wise.  It supplies solid examples of people who have survived some of the same challenges you are currently facing.  There is biblical history—a written record provided by God through the Holy Spirit about how God’s people—and their enemies—lived through perilous times.  There is ancient history—dealing with a record of things before your time.  There is also modern or current history—dealing with things that you have already lived through that serves to remind you that you have lived through this type of drama/stress once before and came out of it intact.

     Be aware, history can teach you, IF you are willing to listen.  Biblical history can provide the best in the way of education for the Christian teen.

DAVID’S EXAMPLE OF OVERCOMING DEPRESSION:

     While the KJV Bible is filled with examples of overcomers, the best example of overcoming depression comes from King David himself in First Samuel, Chapter 30.  To summarize the scene in the first six verses, David and his warrior crew came back to the town of Ziklag, which was their home base.  Little did they know that their enemy—the Amalekites—had already come in through the other end of the town, carried away all the wives and children and for good measure, burned the town to the ground.

     Of course, when David and his crew arrived, all they could see was devastation.  Smoke was still in the air from the Amalekites’ raiding party.  The families of David and his soldiers were nowhere to be found.

     This was a depression in major league form.  David and his soldiers had a massive ‘pity party’ and cried and sobbed until they had no strength to want to go on.

     Then things really got ugly.  There was a mutiny in the ranks.  The men—who earlier were willing to go and do anything with their leader, David—were talking about killing him with stones.

     How did David get out of this mental—and literal—prison?  Verse six shows the solution: David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.  In short, David dumped the pity party and had a praise session.  Then he went right to the Lord and asked Him what his next move should be.

     Once again, David encouraged himself IN the Lord, then went TO the Lord to seek his next move.  Soon after this, David rallied his troops to get their families and stuff back.  Further, he had the strength to meet and destroy the Amalekites and take their stuff as a bonus.

     In our Iphone age, many young (and not so young) people have made their phones their lifelines.  If they can’t get ahold of a friend, family member, or video concerning a situation, all hope seems to be lost, and their depression deepens.

     Do what David did.  Encourage yourself IN the Lord.  Rally yourself!  After you have gotten yourself together with Him, then ask Him what he would have your next move to be!

     When depression knocks on your mental door, have Jesus Christ answer it for you.  When things turn dark, reach for the light of God’s Word.  The Christian teen always has more than enough resources to counter the attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil.  Don’t let the devil ride!  When depression wants to take over your day, cast it away in the power of Jesus Christ and the biblical antidote provided by David.  The sunshine and blue skies WILL return.

     Mike Ramey is a Minister, Book Reviewer, P-School Ranger, Modern Street Gang Specialist and Syndicated Columnist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  “Tips for Teens” is one of a variety of columns that Ramey has in cyberspace.  To drop him a line…or a whine…the address is still the same:  [email protected].  ©2020, 2022 Barnstorm Communications International.

Mike Ramey is a Retired Gospel Minister who lives in Indianapolis, IN. Book Reviewer, Syndicated Columnist and Award-winning Journalist in Radio, Television, Print and Internet with more than 25 years experience. KJV Bible Teacher and Modern Street Gang Specialist. Veteran teacher and instructor.