UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION

Sermon By James Bong

UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION
Symptoms, causes and treatments

Text: 1 King 19:1-18 (NIV Version)

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You are authorized by the author to freely adopt the message for your teaching or preaching

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Contents

INTRODUCTION 3

I. SYPMTONS OF DEPRESSION 4

II. CAUSES OF DEPRESSION 6

III. TREATMENTS OF DEPRESSION 6

CONCLUSION 9

BIBLIOGRAPHIES 9

All scripture quotes are in NIV version, unless otherwise stated.

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INTRODUCTION
Depression is a common disease that affects many people. According to statistic, one tenth of the
world population does suffer from depression at various stages in their lives. Christians are not
exempted from this disease. Elijah was a typical example. He was example of hero of faith, yet he
went through this terrible disease. Considered what Elijah had accomplished: “He prophesied and
Israel was suffering from famine; while staying in the house of a widow, he performed a miracle by
bringing her son to life; and he called upon God to consume the offering supernaturally”. Yet Elijah
went through a terrible emotional upheaval in his life asking God to end his life. In fact, Elijah was
undergoing a depression in today’s medical term.

In this study, we will focus on a typical type of depression which is connected to our exhaustion in
Christian ministry. As a result of stress in the ministry, many pastors, ministers and church leaders do
undergo this kind of condition. You may not have the illness yourselves; however, the case study of
Elijah’s depression will make you to become a friend to those who suffered. Therefore, the objective
of this study is to use the case study of Elijah to help the victims to overcome depression and to
bring about emotional wholeness. We will achieve the above objective by looking into three insights
concerning depression: symptoms, causes and treatments of depression.

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SYPMTONS OF DEPRESSION
For a sufferer of depression to board on the plane of recovery, it is essential for the sufferer to gain
insight that he or she is ill. Without insight, it is very difficult to have healing to occur. The study of
the symptoms of depression will help us to help others to understand the illness in a better way.

(1) Fear

According to I King 19:3, Elijah was afraid. Why was fear entering into the life of Elijah?
Because he entertained intimidating words spoken by Jezebel: “May the gods deal with me,
be it even so severely, if by this tomorrow, do not make your life like that of one of them”
(I King 19:2).

Therefore, permitting the word of man or devil to germinate in our mind is very detrimental.
Eventually faith will give way, and the devil will have a foothold in our lives. No wonder Paul
admonished Christians who are fighting the spiritual warfare to put on the shield of faith so
as to resist the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

Indeed fear is a terrible feeling. It practically eats into our innermost being, making us feel
helpless, hopeless and tormented.

(2) Withdrawal

According to I King 19:4a, Elijah left his servant and withdrew into the wilderness: “…he left
his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert..” (I King 19:3b-4a).

A person suffering from depression does not want to mix with the crowd. He normally lives
in his own world of seclusion. When we have such symptom of withdrawal, we should all the
more resist of going into seclusion, but to join a fellowship and look for friends to talk to.

(3) Suicidal Thought

Elijah was surely tormented by the suicidal thoughts: “He came to a broom tree, sat down
under it and prayed that he might die” (I King 19:4b).

In fact, most people who are having depression do have suicidal thoughts with them. For
your information, Christians are not exempted from it. When such symptoms emerge, we
need to be extra careful, so as to avoid tragedy to happen.

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(4) Sense of Unworthiness

Elijah felt that he was not worthy and he was not as competent as his ancestors: “Take my
life, I am no better than my ancestors” (I King 19:4c).

A sense of unworthiness will eliminate us from depending on God. The sufferer will be
punished by the sense of guilt and unworthiness. Such condemnation is surely not from God
for the scripture says that: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ”
(Roman 8:1).

(5) Self Pity

His self-pity was clearly magnified when he confessed to God: “I am the only one left…” (I
King 19:14).

He demonstrated himself as the victim of injustice. Faith in the Lord is absent when a person
is in depression.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

• loss of energy
• loss of interest
• inability to experience pleasure
• chronic anxiety
• poor memory and difficulty in organising thoughts
• feeling of worthlessness and that life is meaningless
• hopeless despair leading to suicidal thoughts

Physical symptoms include:

• disturbed sleep
• headache/dizziness
• tiredness/weakness/exhaustion
• loss of appetite and weight loss leading to problems like constipation
and stomach upset

Taken from “A Practical Approach to Mental Illness” by Singapore Association For Mental
Health Page 28 to 29

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CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

In order to recover from depression, other than gaining insight into the symptoms, one should also
know the cause of his or her conditions. Depression can be caused by endogenous or psychogenic
factors. Endogenous depression is resulted by the organic malfunctioning of the brain system,
whereas psychogenic depression is caused by stress. As for Elijah, he was suffering from psychogenic
depression, resulted by stress in the ministry.

(1) He was overcome by word of man

After hearing a threat from the messenger of Jezebel, Elijah was afraid: “And now Ahad told
Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so
severely! If by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them’. Elijah
was afraid and ran for his life” (I King 19: 1-3a).

Obviously the word of man had overpowered the faith of Elijah. I suppose, Elijah was
dwelling in fearful imagination: “he was skinned, beaten, hands and legs chopped etc”. Such
imaginative fear brought about terrible effect on his life emotionally and mentally; yesterday
hero became a timid man.

No wonder Peter admonished Christians to put their minds on guard: “Therefore gird up the
loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought
to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:13).

Christians are to put their minds into full alert when engaging a spiritual warfare. When
word of man or devil is attacking us, we should use the shield of faith to pull it down.

(2) He was deceived by presumption

Elijah presumed he was alone fighting the battle: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God
Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put
your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to
kill me too” (I King 19:14).

Can you see the point? Elijah was dwelling on wrong presumption: “He was alone fighting
the battle”. No! He was not alone. In reality, God had reserved the seven thousand prophets
who had not bowed down before Baal.

Therefore, lone ranger in ministry is not encouraged. We should always look for teamwork
so that we will not be deceived by presumption.

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(3) He over-estimated his ministry

He thought by just performing a few miracles he could change the whole destiny of the
country. When things didn’t turn out to be positive, he was discouraged: “I have had
enough, Lord…Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors” (I King 19:4c).

As we serve the Lord, our eyes ought to focus on Christ and his will. Our dependence on few
miracles of God and over-estimation of our ministry will render us frustrated and
disappointed. Philippians’ 2:3 advises us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves”.

As ministers of God, it is important to unload our self-ambition to God. Instead, we should

embraced the ambition of God and serve him with humility. By so doing, we will be able to
avoid over-estimation of ourselves.

How anti-depressant can help a depressive sufferer:

• release from inward nervousness and tension
• reduction of crippling feelings of anxiety
• lightening of the melancholy mood
• re-establishment of adequate sleep
• improvement in the patient’s ability to cope with everyday
burdens and trials
• prevention of any relapse of recurring endogenous and manic-
depressive psychosis

Taken from Supporting The Weak by Samuel Pfeifer M.D. page 128-129

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TREATMENTS OF DEPRESSION

We have studied the symptoms and causes of depression. Let us touch on the final most important
insight, which we can find in the case study of depression encountered by Elijah. Please take note:
the prescription to Elijah depression is only applicable to depression caused by psychogenic factors
due to stress in ministry.

(1) God set priority in restoring Elijah’s physical well-being

I feel that God was the best counsellor I can ever find. He didn’t start the treatment by
performing a lengthy Freudian’s psychoanalysis. He struck at the root of Elijah immediate
need – food and rest. God through the angel provided him with baked cake and water: “All
at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat’. He looked around and there was
by his head a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and
then lay down again” (I King 19:5b-6).

In real life, friendship and fellowship are conducive to the process of healing on depression.
Anti-depressant is God-given medicine which has saved many lives from committing suicide.
Christians should listen to doctor’s advice to take this life saving medication.

(2) God endeavoured to pull Elijah Out of his world of seclusion

Elijah was dwelling in self-pity and seclusion. God penetrated the imprisonment of his own
world through developing a line of communication with him: “and the word of the Lord
came to him:’ what are you doing here, Elijah’” (I King 19:9b)?

God didn’t reproach Elijah; rather He spoke emphatically to him. God is an omniscient God;
surely he knew what was happening to the life of Elijah. Yet He spoke to him in a non-
embarrassing way. He let Elijah to pour out all his frustration, and be an emphatic listener: “I
have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your
covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am
the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (I King 19:10).

God allowed Elijah to release his frustration and be a good listener. Thus, God is conducting
an emphatic counselling on Elijah.

(3) God helped Elijah to overcome fixation (I King 19:11-13)

Elijah was fixated to certain concept about God and how God worked. He was fixated to the
idea that God was present only when there was the manifestation of earthquake, fire and
brim storm. God brought a shock to him that God was not found in the above three
manifestations. Instead God’s presence was manifested in a gentle, still small voice. As
ministry of God, it is important that we let our minds open to any channel as God can speak
to us in many ways.

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(4) God restored him into new potentiality (I king 19:15-18)

God looks at us beyond our predicament – He looks into our potentiality. He permits us to
go through trial and suffering, but he will turn them into our blessing.

At this point, God reshaped Elijah ministry from a lone-ranger into a team player. God
appointed Elisha as his successor. God commissioned him to anoint Jehu as the future leader
of Israel to replace Ahad so as to bring reform to the nation of Israel.

Therefore, when we encountered spiritual depression in our ministry, we need to remind

ourselves that God is ready to promote us into a higher ministry. He looks into our
potentiality beyond our weakness.

CONCLUSION
“...a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3)

When you are depressed, you are like a smoldering wick. But I wish to comfort you; God will not
snuff out the smoldering wick. He will restore the flame and make it glow again.

Bibliographies

Pfeifer, Samuel M.D. Supporting The Weak. Milton Keynes, England: Nelson Word Ltd., 1994

A Practical Approach To Mental Illness. Singapore: Singapore Association For Mental Health, 1988