Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, delivered a profound message on the spiritual roots of depression during a sermon titled "Towards Our Rescue from the Siege of Depression" at the Liberation Hour Service.
His sermon emphasized the importance of recognizing depression as a spiritual issue rather than merely a psychological one.
In his message, Bishop Oyedepo stated, "Depression is not a psychological issue. It's a spiritual issue. Depression is a spirit. The Bible calls it the spirit of heaviness."
Bishop Oyedepo highlighted that depression can lead to severe consequences, including suicide, which he described as a direct offspring of depression. He noted that this "siege is no respecter of status," affecting both the affluent and the impoverished alike.
He cited the biblical story of Hannah, whose prolonged sadness and depression hindered her fruitfulness until she changed her countenance, as described in 1 Samuel 1:18-19.
Furthermore, Bishop Oyedepo referred to King David's experience with depression. He recalled how David was "greatly distressed" when his people thought of stoning him due to their grief over lost family members.
Bishop Oyedepo noted that if David had remained in that state of depression, he might have succumbed to suicide. He connected this to David's lament in Psalm 42:5-6, highlighting the emotional turmoil David faced.
Bishop Oyedepo's sermon calls for a deeper understanding of depression as a spiritual battle that requires spiritual solutions. He urged believers to seek divine intervention and support from their faith communities to overcome the oppressive weight of depression.
Fast forward the VIDEO to 40 minutes for the sermon