Flirting With DarknessSample

The Bible begins with a picture of how God intends things to be. We are created to be kings destined to rule in God’s kingdom, not slaves cowering to the dark lord of depression. Genesis 1:27 tells us we are created in the “image of God,” and in the Hebrew language, that phrase is selem Elohim. All over the ancient Near East, this was the title given to kings. For example, the pharaoh who was called Amon-Re had a name that meant “the image of the sun god.” All over Mesopotamia, the king was nicknamed for the god of that nation. The king was not only a ruler over all the land but also a high priest who mediated blessing to his kingdom.

So, if God decrees that we are kings and priests (Revelation 1:6), then it means we are to have dominion over the earth and subdue it, not live the lives of those subjugated and defeated.

As someone who once journeyed quite a distance down the long, dark tunnel of depression and faced the temptation of suicide, I can assure you that suicide is not the answer. No one has to live with the kind of deep depression that once stifled my happiness and contentment.

At its root, the answer to depression is a renewed hope, and my number one goal is to help you find that hope.

We are rebelling against the kind of conformity and negativity that make up the zeitgeist of despair in our culture. We refuse to fit into that system. Because it is killing us. Literally. You don’t have to settle for just learning to live with your depression. You don’t have to accept it as a character trait of your personality. No, you can rise above it!

This new outlook made all the difference for me.

It helped me climb up out of the deep well of my own despair and disappointment and breathe the fresh, pure air of renewed hope.

It can do the same for you.

Over the next few days, I’m going to give you the warrior weapons you need to fight the dastardly dark lord of depression. I’ll share with you some of the things that have helped me climb out of my own personal pit.

I’m calling them weapons because I believe we are in a war. We are doing battle with dark thoughts and dark emotions and dark perspectives in our hearts and in our minds. They are ultimately rooted in our warfare against the forces of evil that play on the battlefield of our biochemistry. Like any weapon, though, you aren’t helped just by knowing it’s available. You must take the weapon in hand and wield it. Only then can your depression be defeated.