Thank God I m Free We have grown up thinking that grief, sorrow, sadness and depression is normal and natural. Surveys were done showing that many people suffer from depression. Some people would say that s understandable. It s to be expected in times like these. But I want you to know something today. If you have made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, depression is not normal for you. It s not to be expected. Just as surely as you ve been made free from sin, sickness, poverty and defeat, you have also been freed from depression. Isaiah 53:4-5 AMPC Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. Whatever Jesus bore on the cross, we must resist. You are not the bound trying to get free. You must remember that you are already free and the devil is using grief, sorrow and depression to keep you bound. Galatians 5:1 NLT So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1 TPT Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. Don t be stubborn against God and authority. But be stubborn against the devil and oppose him and refuse to go back to your past. Refuse to allow sorrow, grief and depression to stay on you. We are commanded not to grieve and sorrow like those who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 NKJV But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. We are people of hope. We have a bright future ahead of us. God is already there. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Romans 15:13 NKJV Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. People say, don t get your hopes up otherwise you are going to be disappointed again. It depends on what hope you are talking about. If it s real Bible Hope that is based on the promises of God, then we must get it up as high as possible, because God watches over His Word to perform it. Bible Definition of Sorrow The dictionary defines grief and sorrow as a heavy emotional weight that comes from loss. Some of you have experienced loss and a heavy weight of depression is trying to take over your life. Perhaps you are still grieving over things that happened years ago, or you may find that sorrow has gotten hold of you, not through major events, but through seemingly small disappointments. You may even be worrying and grieving over something that hasn t even happened yet. Grief is the doorway to death. So when you open yourself up to that sorry spirit, it comes in with all kinds of death, depression and lack. But the good news is - grief and sorrow do not stand a chance against the joy of the Lord. But like everything in Jesus, a stand must be taken. Nothing is just automatic. We have to stand firm against these spiritual forces and resist them.
Ephesians 6:13 AMPC Therefore put on God s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground It s time you stood your ground against depression. Now, I m going to be honest with you. If you don t take a stand against depression, especially in these times, the devil will push depression on you anyway. He ll put pressure on your mind. He ll bring negative thoughts to you. He ll tempt you to say those negative thoughts out loud. If you yield to him, you will end up with a spirit of depression on you that will rob you of your joy, steal your health and strip you of your productivity for the kingdom of God. Maybe that s already happened to you. If it has, there is a way out. It s the way of faith. Faith always overcomes anxiety and depression. If you will begin to cultivate the spirit of faith, depression will lose its grip on you. James 4:7 NKJV Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith Instead of yielding to crying, grief, sorrow, sadness and depression. Start yielding to the joy of the Lord that is in you. Begin to stir up the joy of the Lord that is in you. Happiness is based on happenings. Joy is a fruit of the spirit. It s a spiritual force that must be stirred up. Nehemiah 8:10 Amp And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.
Declare this: I will never be sad another day in my life because the joy of the Lord is my strength. Isaiah 51:11 NKJV So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away from the redeemed of the Lord. We are the redeemed of the Lord, therefore sorrow and grief has no right to stay on us. Psalms 107:2 NKJV Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, When grief and sorrow come against you, stand in faith and say, Oh no, you don t. I m the redeemed of the Lord. I ve been delivered from grief and sorrow. By the blood of Jesus, I m free. So, grief and sorrow, you get out of my life! Psalm 30:11-12 NKJV You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. It s time to turn things around through the Word of God and praise. Psalms 90:15 TPT We ve been overwhelmed with grief; come now and overwhelm us with gladness. Replace our years of trouble with decades of delight. Stop seeing yourself as mistreated and pitiful. See yourself the way God sees you. As an overcomer. As blessed. As prosperous.
Starting from today and for the rest of your life, take a stand against it. Make a commitment to drive grief and sorrow away again and again with the Word of God until they don t even try to come back anymore. Don t give in to it anymore. When the devil tries to burden you with grief and sorrow, resist him. You may have to walk the floor all night long. But instead of worrying and crying, walk the floor and quote the Word until that sorry spirit leaves and the real rush and overflow comes the joy of The Lord, which is your strength. 1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Remember now who you are! You are the redeemed of the Lord. You are the one that sorrow and sighing must flee from. You are the one that will obtain joy and gladness. You are an overcomer. You are the blessed of the Lord. You are prosperous. Confession In the Name of Jesus, I refuse to be sad, I refuse to be depressed, I refuse to be discouraged. I will not grieve and sorrow because the joy of the Lord is my strength. Sorrow and mourning shall flee away from me. I have obtained joy and gladness and everlasting joy is on my head. My God has turned my mourning into dancing. I am the redeemed of the Lord and I say so. Grief I resist you. Sorrow I resist you. Depression I resist you. Discouragement I resist you. I give you no place in my life. I stir up the joy of the Lord that is in me. I stir up the power of God that is in me. I stir up the love of God that is in me. I refuse to fear. I refuse to doubt. Fear I resist you. Doubt I resist you. My God loves me and He is working all things together for my good. Every good thing that God has promised concerning me, is coming to me. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I am more than a conqueror, I am an overcomer and I am well able to possess my promise land. Pastor Lester Holland Sunday Message: 25 th November 2018