At one time or another we all face sadness or depression.  It is not a disaster in our lives when we are faced with these feelings, but it becomes a  possible disaster in our lives in reference to  how we deal with these feelings when they come to us.

It was Martin Luther, the great Reformer who at the risk of his very life who broke out of severe sadness and depression from living a life of punishing himself for not "measuring up" to the gift of salvation.  One day, the LORD opened a window of Heaven for him and he saw that the gift of salvation was just that; "a gift" and since it was a gift, it was by "grace", not earned in any way.  It was 100% GOD'S gift of grace that saves us from our sins and delivers us into a relationship with GOD through the act on our part of "receiving" JESUS as our SAVIOR.  There is nothing we can do to earn or merit GOD'S grace.  That day, Martin Luther broke away from his, sad, depressed life, and told everyone about the grace of GOD for them.  He would not shut up!!!

As a man who lived under the oppression of sadness and depression for a dozen years, I can tell you that I believed there 
WAS NOT WAY OUT!  

I bought the devil¹s lies for my life and continued to slip further into my depression, at least it was a "place" I had become comfortable in.  Staying depressed for a day or a week at a time allowed me to suffer and say that I was a victim and hopelessly imprisoned by this so called disease.  

By convincing myself of these lies, I was not responsible to act in a way that could lead me to JESUS and to be set free into the "scary" world of freedom.  It was also Martin Luther who said; "You can¹t stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can stop it from building a nest on your head!"  

You see, to live in the state of depression for great lengths of time is a choice we make.  It is possible that we like our misery!  

DON¹T CHANGE THE CHANNEL!!!  DO NOT BECOME OFFENDED AND SAY THAT; "HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!"

Dear brother, dear sister, that¹s just it, I DO know what I am talking about.  I used to be tied down and felt like I was drowning some days, even a week at a time or more, just like you might feel like today.  I know the pain, despair, hopeless feelings and much more, but like Martin Luther, I found the exit door.  Satan's lie to you is that the exit door is barred over and locked from the outside so there is no reason to test the door.  Some of us even tried the door but found it to seem to be locked when it did not immediately open, so we bought into the lie of the one who only wants to KILL, STEAL AND DESTROY YOU!!!!!  NOW!!!!!!  FOREVER AND ETERNALLY!!!!!!!!!!

RUN!  Run for your life, run to JESUS! Run away from the plan Satan has for your destiny.  Run to the door, accept the destiny that JESUS has planned for you, one of freedom and liberty and "wide open spaces", abundant life!! JESUS said;  "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."  

Do not hesitate, open the door!  Open the door to JESUS!  HE is standing just inches from you, the three inches of the width of the door!  Open the door, use your faith, call out in JESUS Name, HE will hear you.  If you are too weak to push open the door, just tell JESUS that your hand is on the door, ask HIM for the strength of open the door all the way.  

JESUS WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH ACCORDING TO THE CRY OF YOUR HEART!!!!!!!  YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  JESUS IS WITH YOU!  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM!  HE IS POISED TO RESCUE YOU.

As the door opens to JESUS, remember HE will free you to live a life of 'JOY' and eventually to lead others out of the state of depression.  You are now free, live like it, act upon your freedom, stand in your freedom, confess your freedom to your soul, tell others about your freedom, and speak the Word of GOD out loud because, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."  Romans 10:17

Your new freedom from sadness and depression will be challenged. Remember, you choose not to ever go back there again, if you begin to get caught up, run, do not walk back through that door JESUS has provided for you.  The Scripture says;  "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  James 4:7

Your new life of freedom is maintained by 'JOY', 'JOY' of The LORD, the 'JOY' of HIS Salvation in you.  It is the 'JOY' of The LORD that is your STRENGTH according to Nehemiah 8:10.  This word STRENGTH means, "a place of safety, protection, refuge and stronghold from GOD to you."  It also depicts Healing Heath to the child of GOD, who lives in the 'JOY' of The LORD!  You ask; "can it be this easy?"  Yes, there is no mystery about the 'JOY' of The LORD, it just that the devil has kept you away from the truth for far to long now!  Get your 'JOY' ON!  

Praise, walk, talk, sing, clap, dance, stand, lay down, sit and yell if you want to that from this day on; "I choose to live in the 'JOY' of The LORD."

A few months ago I headed off to meet a couple of Pastors for lunch.  I happen to live about 45 minutes from the place where we were to meet.  When I pulled out of my driveway, I put my favorite 'JOY' Song on my car stereo and made it repeat all the way to my destination.  When I arrived, the Pastors who were to meet me were not there yet, so I just kept repeating my 'JOY' Song for another 25 minutes or more.  I did not keep track of the number of times the song played from my drive way to the moment they pulled up to meet with me.

   Over an hour had gone by and I kept playing my 'JOY' Song over and over again.  Even though I was parked against the curb, many people starred into my car windows as my car rocked in every direction, from side to side as I was literally dancing in the drivers seat.  

This may sound too radical for you, but to the measure that you walk in your new freedom, will be the power of the 'JOY' of The LORD in your life.

FATHER GOD, YOU sent YOUR ONLY SON, JESUS CHRIST to die for my sins on a cross.  I believe in HIS Name and what HE did for me by saving my soul, I also now understand and confess that HIS death also set me free from sadness and despair.  You are the only ONE who should control my life, the life you have given me to help others escape the evil of this World.  Now that YOU have freed me from sadness and depression, please use me to help others like the way I used to be, and help them find and run to the door of freedom with JESUS!  I confess, FATHER, YOU have made me free!  I am free!  Free to live in the 'JOY' of The LORD!

In JESUS Name, amen.