Today I would like to speak for a few moments on depression. Many Christians today are faced with deep depression. Espically those who are in ministry. Pastors are good candiates for depression! Being a pastor is one of the most if not the most thankless jobs there is. Pastors have to deal with many issues daily.

Depresssion is defined as a feeling of saddness, being despondent, felling rejected, and feeling hopless. These feelings cause an inability to concentrate, and or an inability to sleep. 

All Chrisitans are subject to depression, because of this fast pace life that we live today.

In our scriptures today we see David, a man after God's own heart, a great man of God, distressed, or depressed. David was depressed because of the circumstances (verse 1) because of the captivity (verse 2-3) because of the criticism (verse 6) and because of the choices he had to make. (verse 7-8)

David not only survived the time of distress, but he conquered! Let's see what we can learn by his example, as God recorded it:

    1. He remembered the past (I Samuel 17:32-50)

       A. God had delivered him from the lion and the bear

       B. God had delivered Goliath into his hands

    2. He relied on the power available (Phil. 4:13)

    3. He rejoiced in the prospect of the recovery of his loss

II. HE WENT TO THE LORD (1 Samuel 30:7)

    1. David recognized his personal limitations

    2. David reached out to his powerful God!

III. HE WAITED FOR ASSURANCE (1 Samuel 30:8)

Reminds me of Exdous chapter 14 where God delieverd His children out of the hands of he Egyptians by parting thre Red Sea. Just before he parted the sea He told Moses to hold out his rod, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

    1. He got a definite answer

    2. He got a detailed answer

        A. Pursue

        B. Overtake

        C. Recover

    3. He got a delightful answer

       A. "without fail"

       B. "recover ALL

"IV. HE WAGED WAR, WON THE VICTORY (I Sam. 39:9-18) 

     1. He waged war with the authority of God.    

     2. He waged war with the assistance of warriors

     3. His victory came through faith.

CONCLUSION