Mrs Karin Stewart
Experienced counsellor, holds Hons. B.A Social Science (Social Work) and Bachelor of Theology degrees

Overcoming Depression

By Karin Stewart, 2^nd June 2023

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

2 Cor. 10:5 NIV

I have chosen this verse because it holds a vital key to good mental health, a key which I discovered when I was diagnosed and treated for depression about 30 years ago. There is a spiritual battle going on for our minds and will-power, our flesh is not going to win this battle. How often have you made New Year’s resolutions only to break them before the week is out? I know I have. Or you have well-meaning friends who tell you to just think positively, that will sort your mind out… but it doesn’t. The problem is that much of the time we think a stronger will is all that we need, but in the end our will actually fails us. And God being the gentleman that he is, will stand back and not interfere until we ask him.

Now anyone who has had depression knows the battle that takes place in the mind with thoughts of worthlessness, and being unloveable amongst many other negative thoughts, swirling through the mind. I believe the Lord wants you to know that these thoughts are not who you are. Don’t hold onto them, they are the symptoms of an illness that needs treatment. It’s also no good just believing that this is just who you are, it’s not. If you believe you are worthless or unloveable, you are believing a lie to be the truth, and the enemy will be very happy to have you limping along as a Christian. A country at war doesn’t give landing-rights to enemy planes. Likewise we shouldn’t give landing-rights to enemy thoughts. We are incredibly loved and valued by God.

So fighting this battle of the mind with our will, our flesh isn’t successful. Verse 4 tells us that we have a divine power to demolish strongholds. Christians have the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead to help us with our thoughts and demolish strongholds. Submit your thoughts to God.

Verse 5 tells us to demolish arguments and pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. Or in plain English, any thought that is contrary to the Word of God needs to be destroyed. Jesus is the Prince of Peace so I’ve learnt to examine any thought that doesn’t give me peace.

The author Max Lucado gives an excellent illustration on how to take a thought captive. When a thought enters your head that doesn’t give you peace, handcuff that thought and march it down to the courthouse and present it to Jesus who is sitting on the Judgment Seat. Jesus, you say, this thought tells me that I’m worthless, what do you think? And Jesus will reply to give that thought marching-orders, that it has no place in your life. Every thought must be made obedient to Christ and when you do so, you will be given peace. Don’t settle for less, only settle for thoughts that give you peace.

I said that this verse had special meaning to me when I had depression all those years ago. I remember lying in bed, feeling miserable and thinking all sorts of negative thoughts common to depression. It came as quite a shock when the Holy Spirit convicted me of holding my thoughts of being unloveable in higher regard than what God felt about me, that I was very loved and incredibly precious to Him.

Now I had a dilemma, I could choose to hold onto my own thoughts or choose to believe what God said. You might wonder why this was a dilemma and I’ll tell why. When I felt depressed I couldn’t eat which was actually quite nice as I’d always had a weight problem and I thought I could lose a few more kilos if I stayed depressed for a few more days. There was a real battle going on for my mind. I realised what I was doing and told God how sorry I was for holding my thoughts higher than His, I confessed my sin. And with that a miracle happened, I jumped out of bed with an incredible joy and carried on with the day. Miracles happen when you work with the Holy Spirit to take your thoughts captive.

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4: 8 + 9 NIV

(For more information about Mrs Stewart’s website and her first book Happy Again!, get in touch with Helen Jesze)