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Daily Devotions
- Understanding Depression
Monday, May 29, 2017
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, 'For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.') No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35–39 NLT)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
You are a failure at everything you try to do. When you try to make friends, you never succeed. No one wants a loser like you for a friend. People avoid you like the plague. Even your own family can’t stand you. Come to think of it, the world would be a better place if you weren’t in it. Why don’t you just go ahead and end it all now?
Have you ever struggled with thoughts like these? Such accusations can flow from the despair of depression.
CONSIDER THIS . . .
Accusing thoughts like these attack most depressed people night and day and clearly have an element of spiritual warfare. They can be not only disheartening but also dangerous.
When we listen to accusations like these, we begin to feel they are true. It is so important that we look at ourselves in the light of the truth of the Bible, not our feelings. Our enemy, the devil, lies to us and accuses us falsely in his efforts to destroy us. We must remember that such accusations contradict what God says.
We are special to God. He created each of us unique and has a special plan for our life. Nothing can separate us from his unconditional love. We make mistakes but he still loves us. He still has a job for us to do. He created us for a purpose!
When Satan attacks us with his accusing lies, we need to turn to God’s Word. Only there will we find the truth.
PRAYER
Father, help me recognize these horrible feelings and accusations as the lies they are. Help me see myself through the light of your Word. Help me remember that you love me unconditionally. In Jesus’ name . . .
_________________________________________________________
THESE THOUGHTS WERE DRAWN FROM . . .
This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships
- Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare
- Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer, and mutual support
- Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons
- Bible-based coping skills
- How to pray for healing and what to expect
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
_________________________________________
We hope these devotions are a blessing to you and to others in your life. We are happy to provide them for you at no cost but thought you may want to consider a donation to help our ministry with the expense involved. You can safely donate through our website. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
©Living Free 2016. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“Constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength].” (Romans 12:12 AMP)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
To fight against the lies of hopelessness and unworthiness the devil tries to thrust on us, we need persistence. We need to live with hopeful anticipation for we know that “if God is for us, who can ever be against us” (Romans 8:31 NLT).
Being persistent does not mean we should accept depression and the feelings of hopelessness that go with it. Instead, we must persist in following God and trusting him to deliver us. We may not be instantly delivered from depression but we must persist in waging war against our own doubts and feelings and against the lies of the enemy—a war that will be won in Christ Jesus.
CONSIDER THIS . . .
Today’s scripture teaches us some things that will help us persist until we have victory.
First, constantly rejoice in hope. How can you hope when all you feel is hopelessness? By hoping in Jesus. By putting your confidence in him and what his Word says instead of in your feelings.
Second, by being steadfast and patient in distress. Trust God’s ways and timing. Don’t give up! God is with you and he has already given you the victory, even if you cannot see it yet.
Third, be devoted to prayer. Continually seek God’s wisdom, guidance, and strength. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
PRAYER
Father, help me put my faith in Jesus and not my feelings. Help me trust in you and your Word above all else. Help me trust your way and your time. I thank you for victory! In Jesus’ name . . .
_________________________________________________________
THESE THOUGHTS WERE DRAWN FROM . . .
This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships
- Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare
- Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer, and mutual support
- Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons
- Bible-based coping skills
- How to pray for healing and what to expect
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
_________________________________________
We hope these devotions are a blessing to you and to others in your life. We are happy to provide them for you at no cost but thought you may want to consider a donation to help our ministry with the expense involved. You can safely donate through our website. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
©Living Free 2016. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Thursday, June 1, 2017
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NLT)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
The enemy prepares a deadly mixture to deceive people by mixing a grain of truth with his lies. For example, the original temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden involved a bit of truth about eating the forbidden fruit followed by a big distortion of the words God had spoken to Adam (Genesis 3:1–5).
Have you ever noticed that the “tape” the devil plays in your mind contains a kernel of truth but then draws conclusions that contradict God’s Word? That can make the accusations feel so real that you may not even question their source. It is so important to know your enemy and his tactics so you can recognize them for what they are. Lies. Lies you can overcome!
Martyred saints of old overcame the terrible accusations of the devil by their testimony, and so can we.
CONSIDER THIS . . .
Martin Luther, the founder of the Reformation of the church in the sixteenth century, struggled against depression all his life. Nevertheless, he lived victoriously, and his life changed the whole course of Western history. In his daily times of prayer, his confession of faith was open and verbal. He often shouted at the devil such words as, “Devil, I defy your accusations in the name of Jesus. You are a liar who will suffer forever in the lake of fire. In the name of Jesus, I command you out of my mind!”
The devil even tried to use his tricks on Jesus. Read about Jesus’ forty days of temptation in Matthew 4:1–11. Again, Satan mixed truth with deception. But Jesus showed boldness and perseverance in his spiritual battle. He used the truth of God’s Word to defeat the devil soundly.
You too can defeat Satan’s deadly mixture. Resist him with the truth, and he will flee from you!
PRAYER
Father, help me recognize the deadly mixture of truth and lies the enemy throws at me. Help me keep my eyes on Jesus and the truth of your Word. Help me resist the devil and boldly declare the truth. In Jesus’ name . . .
_________________________________________________________
THESE THOUGHTS WERE DRAWN FROM . . .
This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships
- Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare
- Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer, and mutual support
- Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons
- Bible-based coping skills
- How to pray for healing and what to expect
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
_________________________________________
We hope these devotions are a blessing to you and to others in your life. We are happy to provide them for you at no cost but thought you may want to consider a donation to help our ministry with the expense involved. You can safely donate through our website. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
©Living Free 2016. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.’” (Revelation 12:10–11 NLT)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
The war we are fighting against the enemy is very real. Earlier this week we mentioned the constant accusation of worthlessness we feel when we are depressed. Today’s scripture points out the true source of these thoughts. “The accuser” is Satan.
Do you sometimes go out the door in the day and feel accused of inadequacy? Do you ever toss and turn on your bed in the middle of the night filled with a sense of shame and despair? Who is accusing you? Satan. And talk about persistence! He accuses us “day and night.”
CONSIDER THIS . . .
In John 8:44 Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, a group of legalistic Jews, about the devil (Satan). “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (NLT).
Satan is not only a liar but also the father of lies. In John 10:10, Jesus says this about him: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy” (NLT). Who does he want to steal from and kill and destroy? Us! And one of his primary tools is lies.
Here is the second half of that verse: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Satan is out to kill us. Jesus came to bring us life—a satisfying one. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins. When we receive him as Lord and Savior, our sins are forgiven. That’s the truth. But Satan brings those sins up to us and tries to condemn us for them. That’s a lie. Just like the believers described in today’s scripture, we can defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony. Jesus shed his blood for us and we are forgiven. That’s the truth. That’s what we need to declare to the world—and to our enemy when he comes at us with his accusing lies.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that he died on the cross for my sins. Thank you that since I received him as my Lord and Savior, my sins are forgiven. Help me to boldly declare that truth. In Jesus’ name . . .
_________________________________________________________
THESE THOUGHTS WERE DRAWN FROM . . .
This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships
- Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare
- Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer, and mutual support
- Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons
- Bible-based coping skills
- How to pray for healing and what to expect
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
_________________________________________
We hope these devotions are a blessing to you and to others in your life. We are happy to provide them for you at no cost but thought you may want to consider a donation to help our ministry with the expense involved. You can safely donate through our website. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
©Living Free 2016. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Friday, June 2, 2017
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” (Romans 8:31–34 NLT)
THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
Lie: You can’t do anything right. You are a failure.
Truth: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT).
Lie: No one loves you.
Truth: “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39 NLT).
Lie: You are alone.
Truth: “He has said, “I WILL NEVER [under any circumstances] DESERT YOU [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], NOR WILL I FORSAKE or LET YOU DOWN or RELAX MY HOLD ON YOU [assuredly not]!’” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP).
Lie: You are worthless.
Truth: “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:13–16 NLT).
Lie: No one can help you.
Truth: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NLT).
Lie: You have blown it now. God will never forgive you for that.
Truth: “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9 NLT).
Lie: Your life is pointless.
Truth: “The LORD will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever” (Psalm 138:8 NLT).
Lie: You may as well give up. There is no hope.
Truth: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11 NLT).
CONSIDER THIS . . .
When lies harass you, answer them with truth. Truth from God’s Word. Consider today’s scripture. If God is for you (and he is), who can be against you? God loves you so much he gave his only Son to die on the cross for your sins. If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, don’t let the devil condemn you. Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand, pleading for you. You are covered in his righteousness. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate you from his love. No matter how bad circumstances may look, he is with you. He will help you. He is all you need.
If you have not yet received God’s gift of salvation, you can do that now. Do you believe Jesus is God’s Son and that he died on the cross and rose again the third day? Decide today to follow him. Just talk to him and receive his forgiveness. Your problems won’t vanish, but you will never again have to face them alone . . . and victory will come.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:8–11 NLT)
PRAYER
Lord, I have listened to the lies and accusations too long. Help me focus on you and the truth of your Word. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for your promise never to leave me. Thank you for your unconditional love. In Jesus’ name . . .
_________________________________________________________
THESE THOUGHTS WERE DRAWN FROM . . .
This study deals with depression, a condition common throughout the world, and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Understanding what depression is and how it affects relationships
- Understanding the relationship between depression and spiritual warfare
- Ways to fight depression with scripture, prayer, and mutual support
- Understanding the special prayer needs of depressed persons
- Bible-based coping skills
- How to pray for healing and what to expect
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then lead them to Christ
_________________________________________
We hope these devotions are a blessing to you and to others in your life. We are happy to provide them for you at no cost but thought you may want to consider a donation to help our ministry with the expense involved. You can safely donate through our website. Thank you!
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
©Living Free 2016. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
