What is despair?  It is the feeling of hopelessness. 

What is depression?  It is the inability to see hope.

What is panic and anxiety?  It is the voice of fear.

There are hundreds of reasons why one is bound by these places of defeat.  In our human understanding, we attempt to look into these reasons to find the solution to getting free.  We go back into our childhood or investigate the trauma we experienced.  The way of the world in its psychology will direct us to focus on ourselves to tune into our senses and feelings and prescribe drugs to help in the process.   

Those who are believers in Christ should not seek what the world offers but Jesus Christ. 

While this is definitely a subject with many depths and complexities, what is essential to know is even this can be simplified in Christ.  First to recognize is that depression, despair, panic, and anxiety disorders are symptoms of when we ‘sow to our flesh’ and is a spiritual law.  When we place our eyes, mind, and focus upon ourselves (flesh), we reap what is corrupt; Gal 6:7-9.  So we have a clue where we need to go, which is sowing to the Spirit; Gal 5:22-23.

To better understand, we get a picture of a Christian attempting to live out their Christianity in the flesh through the apostle Paul’s lament in Romans 7.  It will always lead us to futility, anguish, and hopelessness.  Thankfully, as we continue reading, Paul reveals the answer to such a dilemma in Romans 8. The key to our deliverance, of all and anything that has us bound, is contingent upon our willingness to no longer let our senses and carnal understanding (mind) rule us.  Paul says it this way, ‘to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ’ – Romans 6:5-11.  It is the commitment to no longer be me-centric but to be Christ aware, focused, and consumed.  It is a progression, and its depths will be determined by our willingness. It comes only by Spiritual means, so the more we lay down, the more we can receive.  God will not give to us anything unless we desire it.  How many of us say we want to be free and want the Lord, but our actions say differently?   

Spirits who are the tormentors of Mental Anguish:

Depression is a ‘spirit of heaviness’ Is 61:3.  Fear is a ‘spirit of fear’ 2 Tim 1:7,  and there are lying spirits 1 Kings 22:22-23.

Our only defense of such spirits is to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth; John 4:23-24.

It is for our benefit – that we do.  It is the Lord’s prescription for keeping our minds in perfect peace. 

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You. Is 26:3

God protects us from ourselves – when we trust Him over our feelings.  Our feelings will lie to us, and they are not to be ‘the gospel truth’ in our lives. 

Steps to take to be Free – According to Biblical principles

• We must quit allowing our state of mind to rule us and repent of this. 
• Then we ask the Lord to help us take ourselves off the throne of our lives to put Him back on. 
• We tell the Spirit of heaviness and the Spirit of fear they have no place nor influence over us any longer. 
• We ask the Lord to fill us– in Word and Spirit (Spirit &Truth).  We apply ourselves to the study and meditation of the Scriptures.

At this point, we must be ready for our old comrades of heaviness and fear to come back to test to see if we really want them to go.  So it is essential to dive into the scriptures, arming ourselves with the Word.  Jesus quoted the Word when Satan tempted Him; Luke 4.   So, our line of defense is getting to know what the Word says and standing by it. 

• We begin to treat the Word as our food and drink – so, daily, take it in as such; John 6:54-55.  This is a spiritual truth, and as we walk by faith in it, the Holy Spirit opens up to us the knowledge of its truth and power. 
• We have deliverance already from the torments of the devil – we just need to live like this is true.  That means we live by faith – in Christ, who is the Word that has set us free.  We live by this and not by our feelings and thoughts. 
• When we are under an attack – begin praising the Lord and reasons to be thankful – in Him.  Out loud or in your mind.  If you can put an audio bible on – the Psalms is good.  Bible Gateway has audio bible, or Youtube.   We read in the account of King Saul as he was tormented by such spirits, David played music – to the Lord, and the spirits subsided;  1 Samual 16:14-23

Some of us have lived according to our carnal perceptions all our lives, and it is habit and mindset.  No matter, it can be broken the minute we refuse to go this road any longer,  turning ourselves to the Lord, who He is, and what He has done for us.  Our sanity is taken out of the wrong hands when we do and placed in Victory, who is Jesus, where we will experience the freedom, joy, and peace Jesus has died to give us.  It requires our diligence – do not give up. My prayers are for all who set out to defeat this foe once and for all – Amen.