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CURRENT RADIO SERIES The Wonderful Name of Jesus   CURRENT TV SERIES The Wonderful Name of Jesus

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.   --Psalm 18:2 What are the causes of depression? If you look at Elijah’s bout with depression in 1 Kings 19, you’ll discover that depression is fueled by: Fear. Elijah heard that Jezebel was after him and was afraid. According to Zig Ziglar, FEAR equals False Evidence Appearing Real. The way to avoid fear is to walk in the truth of the Word of God and not according to the false evidence that is all around us. Unbelief. Elijah had seen the mighty miracles and works of God, but still allowed feelings of unbelief to creep in. He didn’t trust God to handle the situation. Impatience. Elijah ran ahead of God. He was trying to live and die on his own schedule, rather than trusting God to give him life, strength, and health. Pride. As Elijah sat under the juniper tree, he cried out, “I’m no better than my fathers!” Where did he get the idea that he was better than his fathers to begin with? Self-pity. Elijah was feeling sorry for himself. He looked at his problems and just wanted to give up. Here’s the formula for depression: insult + anger x self-pity = depression. If you see yourself going down that road, put on the brakes! Then put your trust in God. When you do, as the psalmist says in our Scripture today, He will be your deliverer, your refuge, your shield, your stronghold, and your salvation. if you’re feeling depressed, take inventory of your attitude lately. Are there signs of FEAR, unbelief, impatience, pride, or self-pity?

Fear Versus Faith

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”
Numbers 14:7–9

When Moses sent twelve spies into the Promised Land, ten returned with a report that focused on the difficulties that would have to be faced if the Israelites did as God directed and entered the land. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, returned with a report that focused on God. Because of the bad report brought by the majority, the Israelites refused to even try to obey God and take the land. As a result, they spent the next forty years wandering in the wilderness.
There were real obstacles posed by the defenses of those who lived in Canaan. There were giants in the land. There were strong, walled cities. Yet while those presented difficulties to the Israelites, to God they were nothing at all. He destroyed the great walls of Jericho while the Israelites simply marched around the city. He gave them victory after victory when Joshua finally led the people into the land. His power was far more than enough to meet every challenge.
You and I may face hardship, trouble, loss, grief, disappointment, pain, and suffering in the coming year. But none of those difficulties will be too much for God. We need to keep our focus on Him and keep our faith in Him. J. Sidlow Baxter wrote, “What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.”
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

God never changes, and no obstacle we face is ever a challenge for Him to overcome.