There were mornings when I did not want to wake up. I would rather lay in bed and cry tears of disappointment because that was much easier. Depression is such a sneaky and manipulative spirit. Depression feels like your being held hostage. Although you want to escape the feeling of being weighed down, you worry still, is there a possibility I can’t escape? The fear of “what if” can keep you from believing there is a chance of total freedom.
In my experience, I knew it was going to take more than my physical strength and positive thinking to overcome depression. I knew that there was more for me to do in life. After much prayer and seeking God, I began walking in total freedom. I am no longer a hostage but a joint heir with Christ. I went from being a hostage to an heiress and you can too.
What is an heiress? An heir is a person who is legally entitled to the rank of another. An heiress inherits and carries on the legacy of that which was rightfully given to her. Christ willingly gave his life for us to experience an abundant quality of life. Christ took our place in dying on the cross so that we can live free from sin, bondage, depression, and lack (all of which can hold us hostage). The following scriptures support this notion:
- Romans 8:17 says, Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
- 1 Peter 2:24 says, He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
- Matthew 11:29 says, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
As a child of God, you are no longer a hostage to the fears, worries, and anxieties of this world. Don’t fall into the trap of wishing you were someone else, living someone else’s life. God chose you for such a time as this. You have been called to breathe in His oxygenated grace for a purpose. My prayer is that you get up and don’t give up. Believe that you are an heiress. Depression has no power and authority above the name of Jesus.
In the middle of my battle with depression, I had to rearrange and redecorate the living room of my heart. I had to sweep out the cob webs, dust, and draw the blinds. I had to let the sunshine in. I gave God permission to search me and change me for the better. I had to hear myself declaring my freedom in Christ. I had to take back what was rightfully mine in Jesus name. I got angry and cried out for what was rightfully mine. I began to walk out my authority as an heiress, and no longer live life as a hostage. Sometimes, you have to go to war and fight. It can be lonely, tiresome, and frustrating, but let me encourage you by saying there is no victory without a war.
You and Jesus are a majority. Keep fighting, believing, and don’t let up in your prayer room. Depression has an expiration date. You shall win!
Blessings,
