Pastor Philip Nissley has been the Senior Pastor of New Hope Assembly for 24+ years. He has a passion for the Downriver community and Detroit to be changed by the power of God.
SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
OVERCOMING DEPRESSION BY GETTING YOUR
HOPES UP
Article by Pastor Philip Nissley,
New Hope Assembly of God, Taylor, MI
Mayo Clinic says “Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest…it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.” The relevance of this article is that the intensity of depression increases in the fourth Quarter of the year. So how does the Bible say we can deal with it:
I. THE BIGGER YOU MAKE GOD, THE SMALLER YOU MAKE YOUR PROBLEMS
We serve the Great I AM! The I AM of power, the I AM of help, the I AM of love and provision. You need to get your eyes off present day circumstances – and turn your eyes to the all-knowing, all-powerful, Creator of the universe.--The Great I AM! In Acts 12 in the midst of Peter’s problems…
A. GOD’S POWER IS SEEN IN HIS PEACE (v. 6). Peter was scheduled to be tried and executed the next morning but what was
he doing? He wasn’t praying loudly for deliverance. He wasn’t panicking and writing his last will and testament. He wasn’t crying, screaming and begging for mercy. Verse 6 says, Peter was “sleeping between two soldiers” in his prison cell so soundly that an angel in v. 7 had to wake him up! God had given Peter “peace that passes understanding” because he had the church praying for him! I want you to realize the power of God’s Church praying for you (so go to Church and let them)! Be encouraged by the fact that…
B. God’s Power is seen in His PRESENCE (v. 7). When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the furnace, they found in Deut. 3:25, the Lord was already there! When Daniel went into the lions' den, he found in Dan. 6:22, the Lord was already there. When Paul was on the ship in the stormy sea in Acts 27:23, he found the Lord was there with him! David said in Psa. 37:25 “I have been young and