2. The Real Issue Is Sin or Spiritual Immaturity.
All feelings of depression are an attack from Satan that needs to be resisted. It is a tactic of the enemy to get people focused on themselves rather than God and other people who need to hear the Gospel. You just need to “take every thought captive”; say “no” to Satan, “yes” to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. There are times when the enemy harasses us with a “spirit of heaviness” and resisting him and drawing near to God causes this to lift and symptoms subside.
Living in disobedience can result in depression, and it is one of the possible reasons. But that does not mean sin or satanic attack is the underlying cause for all people who experience depression.
If we are not exempt from physical illnesses, and the Bible is clear we will all die at sometime, on what basis can we conclude Christians are exempt from all mental or psychological illness? Most of the people who had significant roles in biblical history struggled with discouragement and depression and as a result were motivated to trust God to give them insight. Even Paul was not granted healing of his “thorn in the flesh” in order to keep him from “becoming conceited.”
3. Confusion About the Purpose of Depression in Our Lives.
There is a difference between feeling sad or discouraged and the medical illness of depression. It is often difficult to distinguish a “normal” temporary grieving or learning to “persevere through our trials” so we can be mature from an actual medical illness that needs specific diagnosis and intervention either with counseling or medication or both.
Feeling depressed, hopeless or discouraged is like an alarm system that alerts you to something needing your attention. Depression is to the psychological self as pain is to the physical self. Rather than view feeling depressed as the enemy, see it as an ally to initiate a search for the underlying cause to find insight and healing.
4. Lack of Staff and Expertise.
If the topic were to be discussed openly, there would be such an outpouring of need that the staff would be overwhelmed with requests for help and counseling. There is not enough time or qualified people available to even suggest our church could be a healing agent for people with enormous needs.
Therefore, it would be unfair to encourage people to seek help and then not come alongside them and assist them in their healing journey. The task can be overwhelming both in terms of emotional and financial resources.
