Defeat Demonic Depression with These 3 Steps

Depression can manifest itself in many forms: lingering sadness, physical fatigue, mental anguish or apathy, emotional sensitivity or numbness, cynicism and negativity, hopelessness and emptiness.

Some live under the weight of depression for months at a time, years at a time, or even in waves at various points in life. In many cases, depression can leave you feeling empty, uninterested, tired, or just generally disconnected from life.

Ultimately, depression is the result of deception. The lies we believe become the weights we carry in the soul. There are many lies that can be at the heart of depression: “You are unloved and unwanted.” “You have no value or purpose.” “There’s no hope of life getting better.” “You’d be better off dead, and your loved ones would be better with you gone.” “Nothing will ever work out for you.” “You deserve to be mistreated.” “You attract chaos and tragedy.”

There are thousands of possible lies that can form the root of depression. The lies we believe become the feelings we feel and the thoughts we think. Those thoughts and feelings form mental and emotional patterns, strongholds of depression. Once you embrace the lie, it begins to affect everything about you.

Now, of course, this does not mean that if you’re sad that you are deceived. Even Jesus wept.

Then Jesus wept (John 11:35 NLT).

So not everyone who experiences difficulty and heartache will develop depression, but the enemy can certainly use difficulty and heartache in an attempt to persuade you to believe what he says. All of us will experience loss, tragedy, and heartache, but how we respond to these is key. All of us will experience seasons of sadness, but the state of our spiritual lives depends upon whether or not we fall into deception during those seasons of sadness.

The difference between a moment or season of sadness and the stronghold of depression is deception. Only when we choose to believe the enemy’s lies can our naturally occurring responses of sadness turn into full-blown strongholds of depression.

Of course, there are mental health aspects to some cases of chronic depression, but even those with mental health issues can live in victory if they embrace truth. Clinically speaking, you may have depression. Spiritually speaking, depression doesn’t have to have you.

The Power of Endorsement

Think of the power of an endorsement. If a major political figure endorses a virtually unknown up-and-comer, the unknown politician can gain enough votes to win an election. If an unknown author is endorsed by a mega-bestselling author, the author can be catapulted into success. If a famous athlete endorses a clothing brand, that clothing brand can bolster sales. An endorsement lends credibility and believability.

In the same way, the enemy will use your emotions and negative circumstances to make his lies more believable. The enemy may also use your upbringing, abuse, betrayal, tragedy, loss, disappointment, and even trauma to endorse his lies.

For example, he might say to you, “You’re worthless.” If you’ve experienced trauma, the enemy can use that trauma as evidence for the case he’s building against your worth. He might say something like, “If you were really worth anything to God or to anyone, someone would have prevented that trauma from occurring.”

That’s just one example of how the enemy might use your emotions or negative circumstances to endorse his deceptive talking points.

Consider also that even existing thought patterns can endorse the lies of the enemy. When you face a trial or disappointment, the already existing negative mindset can cause you to think about that trial and disappointment in the worst-case scenario. Preexisting strongholds can cause you to see a bad situation as the worst situation. Strongholds of depression help to form additional strongholds of depression. This is why this stronghold can be so difficult to break.

Demonic beings and the flesh can seize upon our moments of sadness to plant the seeds of deception. They use the power of our emotions and the persuasion of negative circumstances to cause us to think in unbiblical ways. It’s easier to believe you’re rejected by God when you feel alone. It’s easier to believe that nothing ever good happens to you when you’re facing a hardship. So the tribulations of life present opportunities for depression to take root, especially if we do not respond to personal tragedy in a spiritual manner.

Breaking Free from Depression

#1 - Be Prepared

People will offend and betray you. Life will throw tragedy and trials your way. We will all experience loss and disappointment. Accept the fact that God never promised us perfectly ideal circumstances on this side of eternity. Paul the apostle himself experienced both welcome and unwelcome circumstances.

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little (Philippians 4:11-12 NLT).

If you want to prevent the stronghold of depression from being given a place, you need to determine beforehand how you will choose to perceive the negative experiences of life.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1:2-4 NLT).

Before problems ever arise, make a commitment to not be swallowed up in lies such as, “This always happens to me. This will never get better. God has abandoned me.”

Know the Word before the tragedy strikes, so that your foundation is in place before the storm. Before you face loss, betrayal, or any negative circumstances, prepare spiritually. Determine within yourself that you will not allow yourself to embrace the lies of the enemy about you or about God’s love for you just because of life’s negative occurrences. This doesn’t mean you won’t experience the emotions of sadness, but it does mean that you won’t allow the flesh or the devil to use your trials as an opportunity to build the foundations of the stronghold of depression.

#2 - Take Care of the Body

This may not sound spiritual, but you need to take care of your body if you want to win your battle against depression. Your sleep patterns, diet, exercise routines, and overall physical health can affect how you feel. This doesn’t mean that those who battle with other chronic ill-nesses can’t overcome depression. This just means that we must do what we can to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I know that it can be frustrating when people lend you their simple-sounding, dismissive cures for depression. Overcoming depression isn’t just a matter of “getting more sun” or “getting some exercise” or “getting out more” as some casually suggest. Still, we also must acknowledge that care for the physical body is a key component to winning in the war against depression.

Think of the prophet Elijah. After winning a supernatural stand-off against Jezebel’s false prophets, Elijah fled away in fear for his life. Elijah was likely tired and worn out, emotionally drained from the work he was doing for the Lord. It was at this point that Jezebel threatened to kill him. What did this mighty prophet do? How did the man who called fire from Heaven respond to the threats of a wicked woman? He panicked.

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:3-8 NLT).

Elijah was depressed to the point of wanting to die. He believed the lie that he was no better than his ancestors. He pitied himself. In response, God didn’t suggest the prophet was demon possessed. God didn’t tell Elijah to undergo an exorcism. In this specific instance, what did the prophet need? The truth, a nap, and some food. He needed rest, to take care of his own body.

#3 - Believe the Truth

I cover this more in my book, Holy Spirit: Bondage Breaker, but I think it’s necessary to show you how believing the truth looks, specifically in the fight against depression.

When the psalmist was discouraged, when his heart was filled with sadness, he decided to make a shift in his thinking.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God! (Psalm 43:5 NLT)

Even though depression can sometimes seem only like a feeling that we can’t explain or like a heaviness for which we cannot identify a source, it must be remembered that deception is, in fact, the source of depression. You may not be able to immediately identify the lie or you may not be able to point out the source, but deception is the root, even if it is hidden. Trials may cause the emotion of sadness, but only deception can form the stronghold of depression.

There may actually be several lies that you believe that might be contributing to the stronghold of depression in your life.

Here’s the dynamic I want to consider: resisting the reinforcing lies.

Perhaps no stronghold has more effective reinforcing lies than depression. Depression often breeds cynicism, and cynicism rejects hope. Cynicism says:

• “You already tried that; it won’t work.”

• “This is too simple; your problems are more complex.”

• “Even if it does work, you’re just going to end up depressed again.”

If you’re going to effectively resist the primary lies of depression, then you need to also resist the secondary lies that distract you and discourage you from even trying. Consistently believing and walking in the truth really is the key to freedom. Don’t allow any setbacks or delays to deter you from attacking the stronghold at its weak points. The only way the enemy can keep you from tearing down the stronghold is getting you to believe it can’t be done.