I. Scriptural statements about depression.

    A. Use of word "depressed" in NASB
         1. II Sam. 13:4 -"Why are you so depressed morning after morning?"
         2. II Cor. 7:6 - "God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus."
    B. Some examples of depression, discouragement, dejection, etc.
         1. Job- Job 7:3-11 -"without hope (6); God doesn't care (8); bitterness (11)
         2. Moses - Numb. 11:10-15 - "burden (11); burdensome (14); suicidal (15)
         3. Elijah - I Kings 19 - "fearful (3); suicidal (4); self-pity (14)
         4. David - Ps. 42,43 - "soul in despair (42:6); disturbed (42:11); God has rejected (43:2);
             mourning (43:2)
         5. Asaph - Ps. 73 - "envious (3); questions God's sovereignty (11); embittered (21)
         6. Jonah - displeased, angry (4:1,4,9); suicidal (4:3,8,9)
         7. Jesus? - Matt. 26:37; Mk. 14:33 - (JBP-"desparately depressed") Greek word ademeneo
                means "to be filled, glutted" with anguish, heaviness of heart and emotional concern.

II. Defining depression.

    A. Used in English to refer to everything from mild discouragement to manic- depressive; from
         "Monday morning blues" to "masochistic blow- out."
    B. Webster's Dictionary defines as "gloomy, dejected, sad, discouraged, despondent, feeling of
         inadequacy."
    C. Greek words
         1. II Cor. 7:6 - tapeinous - "lowly, cast down, brought low"
         2. II Cor. 4:8 - exaporeomai - from ek=out of; poreuomai=way through. "No way through!"
             No hope! despairing!

III. What brings on depression?

    A. Presenting causes.
         1. Non-personal.
             a. Death of loved one
             b. Reversal of pleasurable circumstances
             c. Sickness, exhaustion, hormonal changes, inadequate nutrition
             d. Everything is so bad; life is so hard; world is a mess; hopelessness.
             e. Tasks seem overwhelming - student, wife, work
             f. Feel trapped in marriage, parenting, job, financial bind
         2. Inter-personal.
             a. Mistreated, oppressed, mocked, rejected
             b. Taken advantage of
             c. Inadequacy to meet expectations of husband, boss, children
         3. Intra-personal.
             a. Unrealized aspirations - to be married, have children, home, get raise, be successful
             b. Unfulfilled desires of worth, identity, belonging, usefulness, etc.
             c. Feeling inadequate to respond to repetitive indulgent desires to eat, drink, sex, etc.
             d. Self-pity, envy, jealousy
    B. Behavioral cause.
         1. Selfishiness - Personal interest - Isa. 53:6
         2. Guilt
             a. of failing to respond to God's opportunities by relying on God's sufficiency.
             b. of wrong action - personal aspiration, gratification, reputation.
                 (1) immorality
                 (2) negligence
             c. of wrong reaction - fight, fright, flight.
                 (1) anger
                 (2) resentment, bitterness
    C. Root cause.
         1. Delusion of the Deceiver, Satan, "the father of lies" (John 8:44)
         2. Promotes hopelessness. God in Christ not sufficient.

IV. Response to depression.

    A. Inadequate responses.
         1. Diversion - "keep smiling; it will go away; things will get better."
         2. Direct action - "Operation bootstrap; Shape up and get your act together; Get on the stick
             and get out of the spin."
         3. Discovery of "victimization" and symptomatic causes for lack of self-esteem.
    B. Biblical responses.
         1. Acceptance of discouragement and frustration. Not wrong to get "down." Problem comes
             when we are "down and out" in despair, believing that there is "no way through." (II Cor.
             4:8)
         2. Confession of sin that causes guilt - I John 1:9
         3. Faith
             a. recognizes God's presence - Matt. 28:20
             b. recognizes God's sovereign sufficiency - Job 42:2; II Cor. 3:5
                 God's grace - II Cor. 12:10
                 God's Spirit - Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18
                 God's preservation - Phil. 1:6
             c. is receptive to His activity. Heb. 11:6
             d. is a trusting contentment with God's provision in all His providential opportunities - Phil.
                 4:11-13; I Tim. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5
         4. Hope - Confident expectation of God's continuing activity. I Tim. 1:1