DEFEATING DEPRESSION

the 1,2,3’S OF CHRISTIANITY

There’s a legend that says, after Pontius Pilate had adjudicated Jesus Christ worthy of crucifixion, he tried to wash his lily-white politician’s hands in a basin. Then, he went back to Rome to report to the Emperor what he had done. And then, he went to Switzerland—just outside of what is now called Lucerne—went up to a tall mountain; and there, filled with grief, and remorse, and guilt, he jumped from that mountain to his death. You go to Lucerne today, and you can visit that mountain—it’s called Mount Pilatus, named for Pilate. And the legend says that up there on that mountaintop, if you listen, you can hear the ghost of Pilate, moaning, and groaning, and trying to wash his hands from the guilt of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Now Mount Pilatus is a very real mountain, but that’s a legend. Whether he committed suicide there, I know not. I doubt, very seriously, that there is any ghost of Pilate that is there. But I’ll tell you this much: There are many in this congregation, today, and many of those of you who are listening to me wherever you may be, who are haunted by another ghost that I want to call the ghost of guilt. You’re caught in the guilt trap.

And with the Ghost of guilt can come a spirit of depression

Now last week after the sermon we had a time of prayer and there were many of you that asked for prayer, saying that you were battling depression, and so this morning I wanted to bring you somethings that can help you deal with that depression. Now I am not a licensed counselor or psychologist. And I am not going to attempt to do their jobs. But I have a lane and I intend to stay in it this m and help you see things from a spiritual perspective. So in keeping with our subject matter from last week we will be looking at things in the unseen

Now depression is no small matter in the world today. It is all around. I can be a subtle savage, or it can be a looming monster. It comes in many forms. But just in case you are not sure if you are depressed or not let me give you a few questions to ask yourself

Now I am not talking about those days where you wake up on the wrong side of bed, or when you get spn out of control or anal about others around you

The depression that I am talking about is a state of continual sadness

a state of continual sadness

More than a billion a dollar a year industry. Millions of Americvans are depressed. Don’t tell them to just cheer up. Because that will not work

Questions to see if you are depressed

Depression is a passive feeling. it is the feeling of a continual sadness about the way things are going.

It is a place where you are not just unsure about the future, you are straight up hopeless that anything will trun out

A feeling that no one cares, understands or really cares about me

. Have you lost all inititipe

Do you have repeated crying spels

2. Do you have repeated crying spels

Do you have repeated crying spels

Do you have repeated crying spels

Waking up at night or unable to sleep

Waking up at night or unable to sleep

Do you find it easy to sleep when you ought to be awake and hard to sleep when you are supposed to sleep

Do you have an unspecific pain, aching all over

Or do you wake up with a dread for the day

Do you have an unspecific pain, aching all over

Thought of your own death, and of suicide

Thought of your own death, and of suicide

or find yourself just sighing

Distrusting your wisdom and second guessing yourself

or find yourself just sighing

Do you find it hard to pull the trigger and make a decision because you are afraid of making the wrong decision

Distrusting your wisdom and second gssing yourself

Find yourself irritable or cross with others

an attitude that nothing

If you

Now this message is not so much on the couseling side of things where I tell you to look inward and analyze all of your feeling and emotional baggage. I am not going to take you down a trip down memory lane to help you discover that when you were 4.5 and your Grandmother told you no for the first time, or when you were in the eighth grade and that first run in with a bully.

Now I am not trying to make those childhood wounds trivial, its just that m,y focus this morning is more focused something more sinister to many peoples depression. And I will help you without fail lead you to the road to where victory can be found.

Last week we looked at a passage in the Book of and read a passge about demons and talked a little bit about spiritual warfare. This morning I am going to be examining another passage this time in the Old Testaemnt. So without further ado look with me in your Biblers at Zecheriah 3

CONTEXT of Zechariah… (A VISION OF RESTORATION)

In 586BC. God brought about judgment against his people Israel. They had turned to other Gods, and bloodshed and violence filled the land of Israel in those days. And the form of the judgment came in the form of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Forces. And Nebuchadnezzar's army besieged the city of Jerusalem, and waited them out until he could breach the city's walls. He brought such bloodshed against the city that historians tell us that blood ran down the city streets like water after a hard rain. He burned the city, destroyed its walls and destroyed the Temple of God. For those Israelites who did not die in the battle he transplanted as POWS back to Babylon.

But even in the Book of Jeremiah when these events took place, God gave Jeremiah a prophecy that God would not cast off forever. In fact many of you have that verse kind of as a life verse...

Jeremiah 29:10–13 ESV

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:

That is key to finding your own personal restoration. Restoration is conditioned on this God promised, and two your responce… you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Now that is key if you and I are going to find freedom from the Ghost of guilt and the demon of depression. There is a reason why the Lord is called the Great Physician and the Lover of our souls.

And these people of Israel, who were living in slavery, downtrodden and Im sure fought great bout of depression, God who had promised is about to make good on that promise. Even though it had been a long seventy years, the Lord is about to resore them

Zechariahs name means - “Yahweh Remembered”

In the first six chapter of Zechariah is about the restoration of His people and there are some real jewels that we can take away from this passage that we are about to read. In Zecheriah 3 God pulls back the curtain of the invisible realm and lets us gain a peak into what is happening in that unseen real, what the bible calls the heavenlies.

Zechariah 3:1–7 ESV

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.

Zechariah 3:1-

Now if you are needing some deep restoration this morning you need to understand that there are forces that are at work to hinder you or to keep you in a hole. This story is imperitative to the restoration of God’s people because Joshua in this story is the High Priest. He is the leader of the spiritual vitality of the people of God.

And he is standing before the Lord as judge. And just like any ocurtroom proceeding there is always a District attourney, a prosecuter, and from this passage the Prosecuter is Satan, and what is he doing? He is accusing

Nowe a Good section of scripture to go along with this is

Revelation 12:10–11 ESV

10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Now notice the similarities, the Devil, the prosecuting attourney ius there accusing day and night. And then there is the other side, who win their court case every time have a testimony. Now the key to victory is given to us here in the last part of verse 11. The blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives even unto death.

Let me give you the three C’s of victory

First C is Calvary

First C is Calvary

It says that they conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb. That speaks of Calvary. You and I have no victory outside of Calvary. There is POwer, POwer, wonder working power in the Blood of the lamb.....

Now go back to Zecheriah

Zechariah 3:1–2 ESV

1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?”

Zech

Joshua the High Priest is standing before angel of the Lord. Now notice that it does not say that Joshua is standing before God Almighty and there is an angel standing there with him. Joshua is actually standing before this angel. Now who is this mistery angel. Well the actual Hebrew would read like this, the angel of Jehovah. What is really interesting is this Angel of Jehovah pops up everywhere in scripture, and there are plenty of times when this angel of Jehovah is used interchagbly with Jehovah himself. Jehovah is the name that God gave the Hebrews of himself, It is his covenant name. We see this in the burning bush with Moses. The angel of Jehovah speaks to Moses and then it is Jehovah himself speaking. We see it with Abraham when He offers his son Isaac, The Angel of Jehovah stops him and then it is Jehovah himself. The thing that you need to wrap your mind around is this is no angel at all. Angel simply means messenger, so who is this mystery messenger this angel of Jehovah? It is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. the One that called Jesus the Word of God.

Here is the good news in this setting. Satan is standing there as the Accuser, but the Lrd Jesus who Joshua is standing before is not only the King, but he is also our counselor. Our Lawyer who is defending us.

On those days when you feel like you are the scum of the earth, like you have blown it one to many times, take comfort that this same jesus who defends you and I was also there defending the High Priest during that time, who should have no better...

Notice how Joshua the High priests is stading before the Lord?

Zechariah 3:3 ESV

3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments.

Zech 3:3

During this time the Holy Garb of the High Priest was to be completely immaculant, clean without stain or spot, but this High Priest has excerement on his clothes. These clothes are a symbol of his righteousness

Zechariah 3:4 ESV

4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

Zechariah

He says behold I have taken your iniquity. Question according to this story how did He get rewarded with clean garments? Nothing. The the Lord Jesus went ahead and paid it forward. He knew one day he would bear a bloody cross even for this man who knew better. There is pwoer in the Blood. The Lord Rebuked Satan, and He won that case because of Calvary

Second C- Confession

Here is the second C to your restoration , Not only Calvary, But there is Confeession… They overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their testimony.... Confession

This is how you deal with he Ghost of Guilt and the demon of depression.

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We need an awareness of Heavenly Realities

Now what is Zechariah doing. He is in Holy Prayer before the Lord confessing his sins and the sins of the people. But there is one stading there to acuse

DEALING WITH THE GHOST OF GUILT

THE ACCUSER

THE ACCUSER

Satan

Satan

But not only is he these other things—he’s also called Satan. And the word Satan means “adversary.” He is your adversary. He is your enemy. He is against you. He wants to harm you. He wants to harm your family.

Now I want to tell you, his real war is not primarily with you. His real war is not primarily with the nation Israel. His real war is with God.

But evil persons have always known that, if you cannot harm someone, then harm someone that someone loves; and, in a sense, you’ve harmed that someone anyway. And so the devil, seeking to get at God, pours out his wrath against the children of God, and especially against the nation Israel, because it is the nation Israel that is the chosen race, and the nation Israel that has given us the Messiah.

How the Devil Works

D. How the Devil Works

Now how does the devil do his work? Verse 9 tells us that he does his work through deception: he is the one that “deceiveth the whole world” (). I believe that that speaks of the time when everybody on Earth is going to believe the lies of the Antichrist—or, at least, many of the people all over the earth are going to believe the lies of the Antichrist. And I believe that, at one time or another, everybody who’s ever lived has been deceived by some degree by the devil. The devil must use deceit. I mean, he can’t get his work done any other way, except by lying. The devil had rather get you to believe a wrong thing than to do a wrong thing, because the thought is the father of the deed. And the devil is not nearly so much a pusher of pornography, and a pusher of dope, and a pusher of alcohol, as he is a pusher of false doctrine. The devil knows, if he can get you to believe the wrong thing, he can always get you to do the wrong things. So the devil is a deceiver, and he deceives the whole world, according to verse 9.

Now look in verse 10, if you will, as we think about the war. You’re going to understand why this war is being fought—look: “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (). God, in this present dispensation, has allowed the devil to come and to accuse us. But one of these days, God’s going to have enough of the accusations. One of these days, it will be proven that all of these accusations against God’s children hold no water because of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the devil, who is the accuser of the brethren, is going to be cast out.

You see, in a court of law, there is the district attorney—there’s the accuser; and then, there’s the defense attorney—that’s the advocate. Now we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The devil is the accuser of the brethren. He’s always pointing his finger at us. And he’s saying up there in Heaven tonight, “There’s ole’ Rogers down there, Lord. Look at him. You see that big hypocrite up there standing behind that pulpit? You see him lose his patience with his wife yesterday? Did you see him do this? Did you see him do that?” And the devil is accusing. Up there, my advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, is saying, “Yes, Father, that may be true, but he trusted Me; he believed on Me. My blood is cleansing him.” “And if any man sin, [he has] an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (). But the devil is constantly accusing.

Third C- Commitment

Rogers, A. (2017). Why Some People Hate the Jewish Race. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (). Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.

But not only is he these other things—he’s also called Satan. And the word Satan means “adversary.” He is your adversary. He is your enemy. He is against you. He wants to harm you. He wants to harm your family. Now I want to tell you, his real war is not primarily with you. His real war is not primarily with the nation Israel. His real war is with God. But evil persons have always known that, if you cannot harm someone, then harm someone that someone loves; and, in a sense, you’ve harmed that someone anyway. And so the devil, seeking to get at God, pours out his wrath against the children of God, and especially against the nation Israel, because it is the nation Israel that is the chosen race, and the nation Israel that has given us the Messiah.

They overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb- Calvary, and by the word of their Testimony- Confession, and here is the last part and they loved not their lives even unto death- Baby that is commitment,

D. How the Devil Works

Now how does the devil do his work? Verse 9 tells us that he does his work through deception: he is the one that “deceiveth the whole world” (). I believe that that speaks of the time when everybody on Earth is going to believe the lies of the Antichrist—or, at least, many of the people all over the earth are going to believe the lies of the Antichrist. And I believe that, at one time or another, everybody who’s ever lived has been deceived by some degree by the devil. The devil must use deceit. I mean, he can’t get his work done any other way, except by lying. The devil had rather get you to believe a wrong thing than to do a wrong thing, because the thought is the father of the deed. And the devil is not nearly so much a pusher of pornography, and a pusher of dope, and a pusher of alcohol, as he is a pusher of false doctrine. The devil knows, if he can get you to believe the wrong thing, he can always get you to do the wrong things. So the devil is a deceiver, and he deceives the whole world, according to verse 9.

Now look in verse 10, if you will, as we think about the war. You’re going to understand why this war is being fought—look: “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (). God, in this present dispensation, has allowed the devil to come and to accuse us. But one of these days, God’s going to have enough of the accusations. One of these days, it will be proven that all of these accusations against God’s children hold no water because of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the devil, who is the accuser of the brethren, is going to be cast out.

You see, in a court of law, there is the district attorney—there’s the accuser; and then, there’s the defense attorney—that’s the advocate. Now we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The devil is the accuser of the brethren. He’s always pointing his finger at us. And he’s saying up there in Heaven tonight, “There’s ole’ Rogers down there, Lord. Look at him. You see that big hypocrite up there standing behind that pulpit? You see him lose his patience with his wife yesterday? Did you see him do this? Did you see him do that?” And the devil is accusing. Up there, my advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, is saying, “Yes, Father, that may be true, but he trusted Me; he believed on Me. My blood is cleansing him.” “And if any man sin, [he has] an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (). But the devil is constantly accusing.

Rogers, A. (2017). Why Some People Hate the Jewish Race. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (). Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.

D. How the Devil Works

Now how does the devil do his work? Verse 9 tells us that he does his work through deception: he is the one that “deceiveth the whole world” (). I believe that that speaks of the time when everybody on Earth is going to believe the lies of the Antichrist—or, at least, many of the people all over the earth are going to believe the lies of the Antichrist. And I believe that, at one time or another, everybody who’s ever lived has been deceived by some degree by the devil. The devil must use deceit. I mean, he can’t get his work done any other way, except by lying. The devil had rather get you to believe a wrong thing than to do a wrong thing, because the thought is the father of the deed. And the devil is not nearly so much a pusher of pornography, and a pusher of dope, and a pusher of alcohol, as he is a pusher of false doctrine. The devil knows, if he can get you to believe the wrong thing, he can always get you to do the wrong things. So the devil is a deceiver, and he deceives the whole world, according to verse 9.

Now look in verse 10, if you will, as we think about the war. You’re going to understand why this war is being fought—look: “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (). God, in this present dispensation, has allowed the devil to come and to accuse us. But one of these days, God’s going to have enough of the accusations. One of these days, it will be proven that all of these accusations against God’s children hold no water because of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the devil, who is the accuser of the brethren, is going to be cast out.

You see, in a court of law, there is the district attorney—there’s the accuser; and then, there’s the defense attorney—that’s the advocate. Now we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The devil is the accuser of the brethren. He’s always pointing his finger at us. And he’s saying up there in Heaven tonight, “There’s ole’ Rogers down there, Lord. Look at him. You see that big hypocrite up there standing behind that pulpit? You see him lose his patience with his wife yesterday? Did you see him do this? Did you see him do that?” And the devil is accusing. Up there, my advocate, Jesus Christ the Righteous, is saying, “Yes, Father, that may be true, but he trusted Me; he believed on Me. My blood is cleansing him.” “And if any man sin, [he has] an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (). But the devil is constantly accusing.

Zechariah 3:6–7 ESV

6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.

Revelation

Rogers, A. (2017). Why Some People Hate the Jewish Race. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (). Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.

THE THREE C’S

1. Calvary

2. Confession

Zechariah 3:

3. Commitment

Revelation 12:11 ESV

11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Walk in His ways and keep his charge, then He would have access of rights. Not only will God cloth you with his righteousness, but he will make you a commander in his army… then you shall rule my house have charge of my courts and have right of access among those who are standing here.

Hebrews 4:15–16 ESV

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Hebrews 4:1

He wants to take you from down and depressed to being large and in charge.

You must deal with guilt if that is a root to your depression

1 John 1:9–10 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You say well I have no guilt. There is no sin that I need to be guilty of … well I believe that you may believe that on the surface but John knew that as well and that is why he wrote the next verse in verse 10......

1 John 1:10 ESV

10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.