Wednesday 25 May 2011

victory Over Crisis And Depression

1 Samuel 30;1-8.
Crisis  is simply  described  as  a moment or moments of trouble cum uneasy calm in the life of a man ,nation or group. Crisis is a nearby companion to life as one often hears about financial crisis, marital crisis, social crisis, company crisis and recently the bold grab, economic downturn is having on the world in general

The attack and crisis at Ziklag , took place three days after David and his men left the Philistine army at Aphek.

Nomadic in nature, the Amelekites roaming the nearby lands had often attacked Isreal. Their wandering nature was generational as God cursed them with a curse for fighting His people Isreal after the great exodus.. Numbers 13;29 and Exodus 17;8-13]. Duetronomy 25;19.

 These normads [Amelekites] had invaded Ziklag on the absence of David and instead  of killing, they chose to carry their prey away as slaves. Among those who were carried away were David’s two wives and children and host of others.

 To David, it was a major crisis  in his leadership. He  was highly distressed not only because of his personal grief over the erosion that swept off his family members, but the magnitude of the crisis  at hand, can one tackle this problem without divine intervention, how, just how,?

 David wept. More so as the people  were ready to stone him to death. for failing them.

 The crisis led             David to a great depression ,his wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and  Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite were gone ,everyone in the village lamented of his loss, their souls were grieved, they became  depressed, things fell apart for David, the centre could no more hold for him but he did one thing.. BUT DAVID STRENGHTENED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD. [vs6b] “Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelechs’,please bring the ephod here to me axnd Abiathar brought the ephod to David, then David enquired of the Lord saying,shall I pursue this troop?, shall I overtake them? And He[God] answered him, pursue for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all[vs 8]

Then David attacked them[ The Amelikites] from twilight until the evening of the next day, not a man of them  escaped except four hundred young men who rode on carmels and fled, so David recovered all that the Amelekites had carried from him and David recovered his two wives and nothing of their’s was lacking either small or great, sons or daughters ,spoil or anything which they had taken from them David recovered all.[vs17-29].

The solution to crisis and depression is simply taking the steps David took.. Encourage yourself in the Lord..
                                              PRAYERS.                                        

1.       Arise my soul, why are you cast down and why are you disquieted within me, hope in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.[Ps 42;5]

2.       Arise my soul and encourage yourself in the most high God.

3.       The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord raises those who are bowed down[Ps146;8]…Lord open my eyes in the physical and in the spiritual and raise me up where I am bowed down in the mighty name of Jesus.

4.       Let him who stole, steal no more but labor with his hands, what is good that he might give to him who has need.. Ephesians 4;28]

Oh Lord, provide for me goods work, let me not be idle, but labor with my hands, that I might be a blessing to others in the name of Jesus.

5.       “Say to those who are fearful hearted, be strong do not fear, behold your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God, he will come and save you”..Isaiah35;4]

6.       “Who amongst you fear the Lord?, who obeys the voice of his servant? who walks in darkness and has no light ,let him trust in the Lord and rely upon his God. [Isaiah50;10] Oh God, I rely and trust in you, confound them that seek after my fall in the name of  Jesus.

7.       The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those that are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” Luke 4;18] Lord let your spirit increase in me, increase your anointing on me and let me preach to the poor and broken hearted with boldness in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

8.       “then he said to them, go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared for, for this day is holy to our Lord. .DO NOT SORROW for the joy of the Lord is your strength [Nehemiah 8;10],….Oh Lord, your promises are yea and  amen, they are unfailing, you never lost any battle, I sorrow no more in the mighty name of Jesus.

9.       Oh Lord, thank you for delivering me from the evil of this present age…Gal 1;4.

10.   Lord Jesus, help me to be constantly renewed in the spirit, that I may put on the new man created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.. [Ephesians 4;

11.   Lord ,may  I  Like David did ,continue to strengthen myself in you in times of need and everyday of my life .. in the mighty name of Jesus.