Handling Depression

Introduction

1 Samuel 27:1–12 KJV 1900

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

When we last left David, he was full of fire and anger. Nabal, a wealthy landowner, disrespected David and his men. David reacted swiftly, determined to make an example of Nabal. However, Nabal’s wife, Abigail, stepped in. With great wisdom, she stopped David from committing a grave error. Ultimately, God judged Nabal and demonstrated to David that he only needed trust in God. God promised those who follow Him that He, God, will enact vengeance upon our behalf. Thus, we must learn to allow God to defend us and not take matters into our own hands. The rest of the story goes that Nabal drank himself to death. When word arrived to David that Nabal was dead, he sent a message to Abigail, the woman of lovely countenance and good understanding. He proposed marriage to her. Of which she accepted.

As we pick up the story, David is again in a bad place spiritually. We will get to that more in just a minute. We must remember that God uses the anvil of life’s situations to mold and make us. It is the fiery furnace of these situations in which God melts us, pouring iron into our souls, as it was with David.

We must turn to the Psalms to understand David’s mental and spiritual condition. God uses David’s ability to sing and write Psalms so we might look into David’s soul. Without the Psalms, we would most likely miss the emotions and feelings that this great man of God experienced. Listen to what David wrote and tell me what you think David was expressing.

Psalm 10:1 KJV 1900

1 Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psalm 13:1 KJV 1900

1 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

Psalm 22:1 KJV 1900

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

What do you hear in David’s songs? I hear the minor keys of depression and sadness. You might say that David seems like he is at a breaking point. I imagine the toil of Saul’s hatred and unabated pursuit to kill him weighed heavy. We see Saul’s doggedly determination in 1 Samuel 23:14

1 Samuel 23:14 KJV 1900

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

In addition to Saul’s constant hounding, David now bears the burden of leading six hundred warriors along with their wives and children. Adding to that was the care of his growing family, where he now has two wives. It is quite possible that David’s band was now close to 3,000 people. Imagine the weight of that! How was he to feed so many? How could he protect them in the wild country of Judea? How did they avoid capture by the 3,000 trained warriors of Saul’s army? The problems were mounting, and with each new problem came the weight of leadership and responsibility. It is no wonder David proclaims, “I will now perish one day at the hand of Saul.”

As men of God, we also often find ourselves in such situations. As committed believers whose lives are in God's hands, we are subject to the constant and unceasing attacks of our three enemies: our flesh, the world, and Satan. It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit warned us...

Ephesians 6:12 KJV 1900

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

These three enemies never take a vacation! Satan himself seems to have an unlimited arsenal in his attacks. Without a doubt, Satan uses this world, along with its philosophies and prejudices against Christians, to wage his daily onslaught towards us. Couple that with our flesh, which is constantly warring within us to have its way, and it seems like we, too, are going to perish under it all.

Feeling depressed is real. We are only human. The Lord knows that. And there will be times when the weight of this spiritual battle will overwhelm us. Thus, it is not a matter of IF we will experience depression, but WHEN. However, the great news is God can help us overcome any feelings of worry, anxiety, and even depression. The more significant issue for us is our reaction to times of depression. Will we make the right choices? Will we treat our depression utilizing God’s directives or simply give in to our feelings? David gave in to his feelings.

Note what he did.

1 Samuel 27:1 KJV 1900

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

David said, “Phooey with this! If I am going to die at Saul’s hand, then I will just go live with the Philistines. Hopefully, that will ward off Saul, and he will stop pursuing me.”

Now, let me ask you this: Who made this decision? David did. God didn’t tell him to escape to the Philistines. Remember, the land of the Philistines is enemy territory. David chose to leave God’s promised land and live with the enemy. It was a choice based solely on David’s self-focus and pity.

Initially, his decision paid off some dividends.

1 Samuel 27:4 KJV 1900

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

Okay, great, Saul stopped pursuing David. For a moment, it seemed this was the right decision. However, we must be aware that not every peaceful result is achieved by God. There are times when the Devil and the world back off because we are now living with them instead of living for God. This happens a lot with believers. They give in to Satan and the world, thinking they have found peace. It is not true peace. Why would Satan and the world afflict you if you are living like them and doing their bidding? There is no reason. They won, and your testimony to the Lord is sullied.

Here are a couple of things we must know and understand.

There is a Price to Be Paid When We Stop Living God’s Way

First, David’s choice dishonored God and strained his relationship with God.

Who promised David that he would be king? Who promised David that his enemies would be cast out? Had not God repeatedly shown Himself to be David’s protector in this conflict with Saul? There was even a moment when David loudly proclaimed...

Psalm 27:1 KJV 1900

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:3 KJV 1900

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psalm 27:5 KJV 1900

5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.

Where was David’s faith and commitment to God now? He was back to trusting his feelings rather than the promises of God. David was now saying, “I am afraid the Lord has undertaken something more that even He can accomplish. Yes, God has kept me so far, but the situation is much worse and too tough for even the Lord. Saul, sooner or later, is going to kill me. Therefore, I will take matters into my own hands using my own wisdom to get me out of this situation.”

‌The minute we have such thoughts and take such actions, we dishonor Christ. We refuse to trust Him, deny His promises, and reject His truth.

‌However, another price is also paid when we stop living God’s way

Second, David’s attitude was harmful to his friends and family.

1 Samuel 27:6 KJV 1900

6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

Ok, so now, here comes a geography lesson. Achish, the Philistine king, gave David and his band the town of Ziklag. Ziklag was a town in the southernmost part of Israel’s border with Philistia. Initially, this part of Israel was allocated to the tribe of Simeon. Over time, the Philistines captured but never indeed occupied the city. Even during the days of Saul, this city, Ziklag, was still inhabited by the descendants of Simeon. God’s people were living in the place that God had given them, but it was under enemy control. They were living in subjection to the enemy.

‌It was here that David led his men and their families. This great man of God is not the man God desired him to be. Instead, he has surrendered to his feelings and the enemy. As we know, no man is an island unto himself. Not only has he surrendered, but he has now led his 600 warriors to surrender to the enemy. David has led them to a place of compromise. The one thing God demanded of His people is that they worship Him and Him alone. They were not to have false idols and worship false gods. Now, David has them living under the control of the enemy, who does not worship Jehovah but bows the knee to all kinds of false gods.

‌Here is the warning! Anytime we give in to the enemy as men of God, the consequences are widespread and begin to spiral.

‌Note how things begin to spiral out of control for David.

1 Samuel 27:7–12 KJV 1900

7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months. 8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

So, let me explain what is going on here. Remember that David is now living under the control of Achish, the Philistine King. Achish, by the way, is the perpetual enemy of Israel, God’s people. Since David is now living in Philistine territory, David feels obligated to serve the enemy king. So, David and his men invaded the Geshurites, Gezrites, and the Amalekites. These were all enemies of Israel as well. However, when David returns, Achish questions whether or not David and his men have raided the land of Judah, their people. It would seem that Achish expected David to attack his people, Israel. David lies, claiming to have attacked Judah. In order to cover his tracks, David and his men slew everyone including women, and we must assume, even children. Achish, in turn, was unconvinced but decided to believe David anyway. Note Achish’s glee!

1 Samuel 27:12 KJV 1900

12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

Did you see how things started spiraling out of control? All of this happens because David gave into his feelings instead of trusting God.

‌Here is the point! Each time we, as men of God, yield to our flesh and the pressures of the enemy, God removes His hand of protection and blessing. Then, we are left to scheme and plan on our own. Unfortunately, when this happens, we are driven between a rock and a hard place. We then try to escape that place by using deceit. We have moved from a state of depression to a state of desperation. Too many times, we exchange the promise of God for the cities of the enemy. In doing so, we bring great harm not only to our relationship with God but also to our families and those we care deeply about.

‌What is the remedy? How do we overcome such a situation? Well, for the answer, we must turn back to Scripture.

We must Get Back to Trusting God

David’s failure is noted in verse 1.

1 Samuel 27:1 KJV 1900

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

Note that “David said in HIS HEART.” There it is. He failed because he trusted in his heart. There were times when David sought the Lord before making a decision. That was not the case this time. Later, we will see Him turn back to God. However, for now, we must be reminded our decisions must be made according to God’s Word and not our feelings. We must learn to wait on the Lord and trust Him. Here are three essential things we must know and remember.

We must know and remember that God’s Promises are Sure.

Psalm 34:22 KJV 1900

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

1 Kings 8:56 KJV 1900

56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

We must know and remember that God’s Promises are Conditional.

Psalm 34:15–16 KJV 1900

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

They are conditional based on your acceptance of Christ, God’s Son, as your personal Savior. For those who accept Him, they are made righteous. Thus, the promise is that His eyes are “upon the righteous,” and His ears are always “open to their cry.

We must know and remember that God’s Promises are Corrective.

1 Samuel 27:1 KJV 1900

1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

David allowed his feelings and the pressure of his circumstances drive him away from God. However, even our waywardness and sin cannot separate the believer from the love of the Savior.

Romans 8:37–39 KJV 1900

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is because He loves us that He chastens us.

Hebrews 12:6–7 KJV 1900

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

God even uses the times we distance ourselves from Him to teach us how to draw closer to Him.

Psalm 34:18 KJV 1900

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Conclusion

We must be careful about our choices. We must recognize the times when depression sets in. When feeling depressed, we must be careful not to do things our way but lean wholly upon the promises of God. Those are the times when we must exhibit great faith. If we don’t, we end up like David, with everything spiraling out of control. Let’s learn from his life. Instead of relying upon ourselves and living with the enemy, trust and wait on the Lord.