Note: These pages are written from a Christian pastoral perspective and are not intended to replace personal, one to counseling. Users are advised to consult with an appropriate doctor/s prior to following various suggestions in these pages. User of these pages indemnifies Pastor Macinta and Macinta ministries from any adverse results of following, or not following, the advise on all these pages.
Sometimes it seems like it will never, never end, or there's no hope, or you just can't get ahead, or no one understands, or similar emotions. You are not alone (in more ways than one) and there is light at the end of this tunnel, and some light while in the tunnel too! (I'll help you look in a little bit.)
More of us all the time live in a world of convenience, having access to counselors, ministers, psychiatrists, medications, clinics, etc. Yet with all of this "help", it is easy to forget about, or put "on the back burner" our Creator who lovingly fashioned us, even while we were in our mother's womb. Our loving Creator brought the ministers, doctors, medications, etc., into existence, but many still remain trapped in the web of mental illness mainly because we forget to depend upon the Creator, and focus on His creations.
Sometimes, the human sources I just mentioned, including ministers, do not have a direct link to their Creator and many times do not provide adequate counsel. Sometimes the counsel is even out right wrong. There have been people suffering from depression that have been told by (only a minority of) mental health providers that what they need to do is "go out and have a sexual fling" or go ahead and lash back, etc. We even have health care providers that would be glad to "put you out of your misery" through suicide.
Our Father has a much better plan for us: a wholesome, loving, life-giving one. Outside help at times may be good, OR harmful. Inside help from the God Who made us is the best and safest. Do not misunderstand. I am not saying to totally abandon outside help, just that we need to put God first and make sure the instructions we get from outside sources line up with the original instructions God has given us. Those instructions are found in the . . .
Don't let that scare you or turn you off. Think about it. Many times when we buy a manufactured item, instructions come with it. When God made man, He gave us a conscience that would be in tune with His Spirit. However, when sin entered the world, consciences became twisted. God sent prophets to bring us back. Eventually the words of the prophets and spiritual teachers were written down. God's people, who were truly led by God's Spirit collected certain writings they considered sacred and grouped them as a whole. The Jews had the Tanakh, what many of us call the Old Testament. When the Church was instituted by Jesus Christ, the majority of the Christians by 250 or 300AD agreed that the Tanakh and the current portion we call the New Testament were sacred; what we call the Holy Bible today.
Later, on this page, you will see certain steps or avenues to eventually
bring you out of depression. Some have a direct link to the Holy Bible. Some are
alluded to by the Holy Bible. The next section discusses signs of "major
depression" along with other types of depression. Although "major
depression" is mainly addressed in this page, the steps out of depression, for
the most part, could apply to all forms of depression.
Now here is the index:
I am sure other forms of depression exist, but they are nothing that God cannot handle. We will offer help for all of these below.
Return To Index, or scroll down.
Many who have problems with mental depression have a hidden upside rooted in their personality.
For example, those whom some psychologists say have a melancholy
personality, the upside is that God created them with a tender,
compassionate heart. It is because of our sin nature this tenderness can
open avenues for depression. For the one suffering from manic depression, their tendency for extra activity can be redirected to useful service under proper supervision.
In the Holy Bible, it almost seems that Elijah had bouts with depression. On Mount Carmel, God used him to display a great miracle to the unfaithful Jews who were worshiping Baal. Just after this great victory, he is confronted by Jezebel, queen of Israel, who threatens him with death. He flees away and later we see him wishing that he was dead. When God spoke to him, He told God he was the only one serving Him. God reminded him that He had reserved 7000 that did not bow their knee to Baal. God then told Elijah he had plenty of work to do before he would leave earth.
Do not write yourself off! Here the Holy Bible shows that the great man of God, Elijah, was just like us! Closer to our time, I have heard that Abraham Lincoln suffered from severe depression, but he made a great president. Satan would like to keep you all tied up in negative emotions, hardly able to do a thing. Yet you have potential, ready to be freed by God! Please continue to view the rest of the information I have for you.
NOTE: Just because you feel sad for a time does not mean you suffer from major depression.
The following is derived from DSM-IV (prior to 2000): Major depression involves at least two weeks of deep despair and at least four of the following:
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CORE PROBLEMS
All of us have a body, soul, and spirit (do not confuse this spirit with the Holy Spirit). We know what the body is, and a good bit of our time is used to care for it. Our soul, as many Holy Bible scholars put it, is "the seat of our affections"- our wants, wishes, needs, plans, etc. The spirit, (NOT meaning God's Holy Spirit), is the REAL you and me, the part of us that really makes the decisions and the place at which our conscience resides. Our spirit is our core (what the Scriptures call the heart at times ).
When God created mankind, we were fine. However, when Adam sinned, the whole person became warped, body,
soul, and spirit. When Adam sinned, he WILLFULLY SINNED: it was the direct action of his
spirit. This action also violated his conscience. The entire person was now damaged. The body
was now prone to disease and the bodily needs became out of proportion. The desires of the
soul no longer were guided by a pure spirit, because the core, the human spirit was damaged,
being controlled by sin, and readily yielding to satan.
So, every person is born with a sin nature. We come into this world messed up, especially on the spiritual side. The sin nature is readily displayed in us as babies, testing their parent's commands, trying to be the center of attraction, and even willful disobedience, unless we accept the cure, we continue in sin and our lives many times become a bigger mess.
Scroll on down or . . .
When we sin and a cycle starts. For example, not realizing it we dwell on fearful things or things that have
hurt us in the past. We become sad. We may lash out or withdraw. This deepens the sadness, so
we dwell even more on these things and so on. Then our eating, sleeping, working, habits
become a little worse, etc., etc. Get the picture?
AYE CHIHUAHUA!
Is there no way out? There is!
Scroll down for The Door for the way out or, . . .
Note I said Jesus of Nazareth. The Word of God terms Jesus as the second man. Adam, our ancestor, the first man sinned, and therefore every one of us is messed up. God saw our plight, veiled Himself in our flesh, and became the second man. The word of God is very clear - Jesus was tempted in all points, just like were are, yet He did not sin.
"But", you may say, "Jesus was God! He could not, would not sin!" Please read carefully, Philippians 2:5 - 11. You will see that Jesus did not choose to operate according to His divine nature, but chose to operate according to His human nature being led by the Holy Spirit, which, when conceived by the virgin Mary, His flesh was of the same sort that Adam had BEFORE Adam fell into sin (hence the term "second man"). With this choice, Jesus HAD to be directed by the Holy Spirit just as we MUST be directed by the Holy Spirit. He remained God, but willfully, lovingly, decided to operate in the human manner.
Or you may say, "things are not the same today as they were back then! There were no drugs, no TV, no cigarettes, no Internet, etc!" Don't be fooled! Though these specific things (except for the drugs) did not exist, similar things existed. Although the main temptation of Jesus is mentioned as the temptation in the wilderness, the passage indicates that satan left Jesus alone "for a season." Rest assured Jesus was tempted with similar things we face today. There was no TV, radio, or Internet, but there were plenty of opportunities to take in indecent, immoral activities, or activities that would distract Jesus from advancing the Kingdom of God. As far as drugs and cigarettes (same thing), drugs did exist in various forms. Jesus was offered a sedative on the cross but He refused.
Jesus is the main cure. He lovingly desires to take your human nature and give you His human nature in return, fully equipped with His victorious life. He will not force this upon you. You must really want it.
If you really want this, you are ready for the Great Physician, the Cure Himself. Grant it, you can become healthier without a direct connection to Jesus, but the direct connection makes it more sure that you will be delivered from depression and other things. Above all, a direct connection with Jesus guarantees that if you stick with Him, you will not be sent to hell, you inherit eternal life in heaven.
Would you please trust Jesus now? He is ready to take your, sin nature, sins, depression, along with other mental difficulties, and give you His victorious life. Please pray this prayer, meaning it from the depths of your heart:
Father, forgive me for being a sinner. I ask You to cleanse my heart and make a new creature. Take away this heavy depression. I love You God. I ask Christ into my heart to be my Savior and KIng. I surrender my whole life to You. Thank You Father for sending Jesus into my heart. I love you. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer, and meant it, you are now a child of God. Please see some steps in the right direction.
Ask God 
to help you develop the same desires
that God Himself has. You will never be truly happy until you do this. You can pray something
like this:
Father, I love You. Please help me to want only the things You would want. I thank You for meeting my needs. Please help me to know the difference between my needs and my wants. I know I need to love You more and more. Help me to do so, in the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
1Cor.6:19-20-"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN: YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE. Therefore honor God with your body."
Indeed, we do not belong to ourselves. If you do not like that thought, then realize if you do not or did not receive Christ, you belong to Satan. I know it does not seem that way if a person is unsaved. That is because Satan wants you to think that you are in control when, in reality, he is in control.
So relax in Jesus. I was on "cloud 9" for many weeks after being saved. I pictured Jesus as the Shepherd, and I and other Christians as lambs and sheep. I considered Him, and still do, my Lover (in a GOOD sense), and Friend. I love my wife and children, but I love Christ first and most. This is the only way to stay saved.
WHAT ABOUT GENETIC TENDENCIES TOWARD DEPRESSION? Genetic problems are nothing that Christ cannot fix. Isaiah 53:4 -5 says that we are healed by the stripes (from the whipping He took) on Christ's back.
Satan, and his demons, are spirit creatures too.
That's a beginning for them to bug us. They do so basically in four ways:
You must begin to draw near to God. As you draw near to God, and resist satan, satan will flee from you (James 4:7). Further help will be given below.
WHAT TO DO???-Again, draw near to God. Force yourself to take the action below. Also, plead the blood of Jesus over yourself. If you really are a Christian, GET MAD AT SATAN AND REBUKE HIM BUT ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS. Never speak to Satan unless you definitely have Jesus dwelling within you.
If you feel that someone you know is possessed, then (1) fast** and pray before attempting to do something directly, making sure of your own stance in Christ.(2) Secure Godly advice from a Bible believing minister. (3) Develop compassion for the victim. (4) Develop hatred for Satan, and (5) only upon definite leading from God cast out the demons in a secure setting (only mature, solid Christians around***).
DO NOT STOP HERE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF OBSESSION, OPPRESION, OR POSSESION, OR YOU REPEATEDLY YIELD TO TEMPTATION. SCROLL DOWN.
* You may wonder if someone is demon possessed, then how are they able to seek help. Scripture indicates that in certain cases, sometimes demon possessed people through their spirit seek help. Paul was pestered by one lady who followed them at one point in his ministry. Outwardly, she was a mess, inwardly she hungered for help.
**Fasting is a vital tool for every Christian. As God permits, I might address this topic on a page at this site. For now, do not think that if you have hardly ever fasted before, and you are confronted with a case of demon possession, that if you fast a meal or two you can go out and whip demons. And, if you are new to this, and have not fasted before, do not think that you can do 40 days at a snap. Don't even try it! AND DO NOT ATEMPT FASTING WITHOUT WATER FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS, AND AT THAT, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A MATURE MINISTER OR FELLOW CHRISTIAN.
***This may sound like I am contradicting myself on my initial statement that a Christian cannot be demon possessed. I maintain that A REAL CHRISTIAN cannot be possessed. I also believe a Christian can backslide. That is why I teach that only mature Christians should be present at a real deliverance. The additional evil influence may push the weak "over the edge", leading to a backslidden state, which then opens a definite path for possession.
Do it NOW. Tell God you love Him. Lift your hands, feel love towards God. Sing to God (it does not matter whether you think you can sing or not, or you know for a fact that you can't carry a tune), - He loves to hear your voice in praise.
In the Holy Bible there is plenty of adventure, love stories, history, guidance, comfort, and so on. Ask a Bible believing born again minister to help you (Do not trust anyone or any group that supplants the Holy Bible and/ or lifts itself up rather than Jesus).
If you have trouble understanding a passage, ask God directly to help you. If you think some things are boring, read something else in it or ask God to help you. If you come across a genealogy, either skip it for now, or just skim over the names without trying to pronounce them.
If you follow Rx1, you will be ready for . . .
Pete Macinta