The 1st step

Today so many have struggles physically, emotionally and spiritually with depression, depression leads to many health issues and health issues lead back to depression, it affects our marriages, our work, and other relationships. It becomes almost impossible for anyone to really live their life normally,(whatever that is) past guilt consumes us for things we did or didn't do, said or didn't say, it seems to always haunt us, fear seems to lead us away from others, and isolation seems to be our escape.

Our past sins and failures are the enemy of our soul's favorite form of torment, yet we don't see how it affects us, all we know is we just feel guilty, and fear and isolation are no more than parlor tricks from the enemy of our soul.

Here is a not so secret, secret, Jesus came to heal the sick, and save the lost, not seek the righteous, He came seeking all who are tormented, hurting, dying, broken and lonely, He came to save us all.

The scriptures tell us if we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just, He forgives our sins, He takes our sins and separates them from us, as far as the east is from the west and we are no longer condemned for them if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, for He took our punishment upon Himself so we would be set free from the chains of sin and death.

Most of what has tormented mankind from the beginning could be fixed with confession and repentance to God for the way we have lived.

If we seek healing in our relationships, in our depression, or for our physical health, then today ask God to reveal the things hidden and not confessed, things our enemies hold against us, then confess and repent and be free today in Christ.

If depression courts you and keeps you from living, ask God to help and set you free from this daily if need be, take every thought captive and start living in Christ one day at a time.

If we are in Christ we do not need to live in fear or bondage, we are free from the chains of sin and death and in Him, free to live an abundant life.

With God’s help depression, anxiety, fear, isolation, sickness, anger, lust, hate and everything else can be wiped away, the first step is coming to Him and asking for His help.

God’s word says this;

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:1-8 ESV

“Save me, God, for the water has risen to my neck. I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing; I have come into deep water, and a flood sweeps over me. I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head; my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me, are powerful. Though I did not steal, I must repay. God, you know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from you. Do not let those who put their hope in you be disgraced because of me, Lord God of Armies; do not let those who seek you be humiliated because of me, God of Israel. I have endured insults because of you, and shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons because zeal for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. I mourned and fasted, but it brought me insults. I wore sackcloth as my clothing, and I was a joke to them. Those who sit at the city gate talk about me and drunkards make up songs about me. But as for me, Lord, my prayer to you is for a time of favor. In your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink. Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep water. Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me or the deep swallow me up; don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, Lord, for your faithful love is good. In keeping with your abundant compassion, turn to me. Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly! Come near to me and redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies. You know the insults I endure — my shame and disgrace. You are aware of all my adversaries. Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I waited for sympathy, but there was none; for comforters, but found no one. Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Let their table set before them be a snare, and let it be a trap for their allies. Let their eyes grow too dim to see, and let their hips continually quake. Pour out your rage on them, and let your burning anger overtake them. Make their fortification desolate; may no one live in their tents. For they persecute the one you struck and talk about the pain of those you wounded. Charge them with crime on top of crime; do not let them share in your righteousness. Let them be erased from the book of life and not be recorded with the righteous. But as for me — poor and in pain — let your salvation protect me, God. I will praise God’s name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving. That will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves. The humble will see it and rejoice. You who seek God, take heart! For the Lord listens to the needy and does not despise his own who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them, for God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah. They will live there and possess it. The descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will live in it.” Psalms‬ ‭69:1-36‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”John‬ ‭10:7-18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed. And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O LORD —how long? Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness. For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol who will give You thanks? I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; It has become old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.” Psalms‬ ‭6:1-10‬ ‭NASB‬‬