Who are we trying to influence others to love? Jesus, the world, or us?

Who are we trying to influence others to love? Jesus, the world, or us? 

I do not spend a lot of time on any social media platform. In fact, the only one I ever go to is Facebook, but I only scroll through for a few minutes after I post. I do not even have a personal Facebook page, only one for this ministry page. I know there are a lot more social sites out there than Facebook, but I only know of about 4. Even though my knowledge of such sites is intentionally limited, I am still aware of what an influencer is, either by labeling themselves as such or simply by flooding social media for attention. Those people are the inspiration for this writing.

Think of this as you read this blog: Two definitions of influence are: (1) the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself: (2) a person or thing with the capacity to have an influence on someone or something. The definition of an influencer is: a person who has become well known through regular social media posts and is able to promote a product or service by recommending or using it online.

(Ecclesiastes 1:2, AMP) “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. “Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God’s guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind].”

Let me go back to saying that I spend a few minutes after posting on Facebook to scroll through the home page. I only follow 9 sites (4 belong to my husband, 2 are KJV Bible verse pages, 1 is Bible Gateway, and the other 2 are ministers: Nicky Cruz & (the late) David Wilkerson) so the majority of what shows up on my feed is based on Facebook figuring out my interest in southern gospel music but not pages or people I follow.

With that second long explanation, let me finally get to the point of this writing. I am not here to insult anyone, so I am not naming names, I am just stating what I see and also state this is why I do not follow any "Christian" celebrities, no matter how much I enjoy their music.

And, let me also state that are some very honorable singers out there that only use their group or individual fan pages for glorifying God and do not post for the sake of vanity such singers from Greater Vision, The Inspirations, Ernie Haase, and maybe 1 or 2 others. Of course, I do not scroll through all the posts or seek out their pages to see what they have posted very often, but what I have seen so far has been to promote their music, share a (non-musical) Christian message, or general posts that do not fall into the below categories. However, they are the rare exceptions.

Understandably many of these singers are using their fan pages to be influencers. Are they trying to influence you to like their group? Yes, no problem there, that is their career. But beyond that it seems as if the majority of their posts revolve around non-musical issues. What they are wearing, what over-priced meal they are eating, about some new hair style, their workout routines, their snack choices, and even posting about the ungodly, perverted, satanic tv shows and movies they watch. One singer even showed his large collection of murder mystery novels he collects. Why are Christians reading violent, often very disturbing books about murder? I have seen these singers promote sexually suggestive shows such as The Office, Mash, (I know they are impure shows because I was once guilty enough to watch them before I listened to God's correction and gave up all tv/movies), and all manner of shows promoting witchcraft from children's cartoons to superhero movies and others filled occultic characters. These singers are even trying to influence you to listen to secular music that does not glorify God! Southern gospel may be related to country music (sort of, I actually feel the styles are very different), so I see a lot of Christian singers promoting ungodly music that sings of sex outside of marriage, drinking, and even violence. Not just country music, but way too many promotions of the very worldly Elvis, and current rock stars. Just because a singer mentions prayer or God one time or two times in a song, it does not change the fact that neither their lifestyle nor music has the pattern of bringing honor to God.

(1 Corinthians 10:21) Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18- 7:1) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness... for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate," saith the Lord, "and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

If you stumbled upon one of these singers pages, would you even be able to tell they considered themselves a Christian? They look, dress, and promote the same entertainment choices that the world does.

(Romans 12:1-2) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

(James 4:4) Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

They even use their children as bait to get you to follow them. I have seen many post pictures of their teenage daughters in way too provocative clothing (even in prom dresses - what happened to Christians avoiding ungodly, oversexualized dance events, especially for their children), and their younger children dressed in clothing promoting witchcraft. Yes, Frozen, Cinderella, Beauty & The Beast (etc.) all promote witchcraft (Galatians 5:19-21 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these... witchcraft... of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. & Revelation 21:8 - But the... sorcerers... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.) Parents, you are supposed to be protecting your children, not parading them in front of the world full of pedophiles. Plus, why aren't they teaching them to dress modestly rather than show off bodies?

(1 Timothy 2:9-10) In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with... costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

With all that said, yes, I will still listen to their music because the music glorifies God, even when their social media posts do not, and I can use their music to worship God. However, it is why it is so very important not to put any Christian, especially a celebrity, on pedestal. Every time I think I found a group that seems sincere, all I have to do is go to their Facebook fan page and I see they are just like the world. They may sing beautiful songs about the holiness of God, but post about a raunchy movie they just saw. They may sing about loving Jesus but then post a picture of themselves in a very low-cut top, short shorts, etc. (women), in a swimsuit, or brag about their weight loss or other vanity issues (men and women). Who exactly are they trying to influence you to love? Jesus, the world, or them?

I am not saying these people are not truly Christians, as that it between them and God. But I wish (and even pray) they would use their posts for Bible studies and promote less worldly topics. And believe it or not, I am not writing all of this to be judgmental, just to get you to think. Let me repeat from above, but make it more personal: Who exactly are we trying to influence others to love? Jesus, the world, or us?

It doesn't matter if you have a social media page with 1 or 1 million followers. It doesn't matter if you don't even have a social media page. What matters is if you are using your time to influence people, even one on one, to love Jesus. To follow in His footsteps, not yours.

It is perfectly okay to post pictures of family vacations (as long as everyone is dressed modestly), pets, foods you like to eat/cook (as long as you are not doing so to show off your wealth or brag about your diet), or other nice things that make you happy, but these things should in balance to sharing about Jesus. Let me strike that. All else should take a backseat or even be in an entirely different vehicle. If you are sharing personal facts, then use it to make an illustration or to glorify God, not just to show off how attractive, thin, or rich you are. These things are just for attention for YOU, and why are you taking the focus off of God and putting it on yourself. I struggle to even put myself in my profile picture for my page, but I figure people want to see who is writing what they are reading.

Before you post and try to influence someone, think of these criteria. Is it glorifying God, is it pure or lovely, and will it encourage others to follow Jesus?

(1 Corinthians 10:31) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

(Philippians 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

(Colossians 3:16-17, AMP) Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him].

(1 Thessalonians 5:11) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

(Hebrews 10:23-25) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works... but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

(Ephesians 4:29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Let us all remind people that God loves them, will forgive their sins, and had prepared a paradise for those who obey Him. And let's tell others how much we love Jesus and when we say we love Him, it is our utmost honor to share and glorify His holy name influence them to obey Jesus as an act of pure love and devotion!

(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(John 15:9-15) [Jesus said,] "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."

(1 John 5:1-3) Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

(John 14:15, 21 & 23-24) [Jesus said,] "If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

 
(Matthew 19:16-19) And, behold, one came and said unto [Jesus], "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

And He said unto him, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

He saith unto Him, "Which?"

Jesus said, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

(1 John 2:3-6) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, "I know Him," and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

(1 John 2:15-17) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Now is the Time to Speak out for Jesus

 

Now is the Time to Speak out for Jesus

As you can tell by all the unusual events that have been happening for several years now, we are approaching the end of the end of the world as we know it today. Matthew 24:6-8 lets us know we are currently in a time referred to by Jesus as "The Beginning of Sorrows."

(Matthew 24:6-8) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

 

What this means to us as believers is that we know the tribulation is soon to follow.

First, let me remind you that there will not be a rapture of the saints before the tribulation.  You can read my recent writing on this titled issue "Discerning the Signs of the Times" (It also includes other links on the same subject) https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/09/discerning-signs-of-times.html However, that does not mean we should panic or give up.  Now is the time to step up our walk with the Lord. We need to seek the Lord as never before. 

Jesus bluntly tells his disciples in Luke 21:26 that in the last days "Men's hearts" will fail "them for fear."  Which is another reason why it is so important to daily be fully clothed in the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-18) so that we may guard our hearts and minds against the fear the end of this world is sure to bring.    

Now is the perfect opportunity to reach out to frightened people.  We can show them what peace in the midst of a storm looks like and why we have such hope.  Our calm assurance can lead them to the ultimate peace giver, Jesus Christ.

If you are shy as I am, being bold in the Lord will not be easy.  However, Jesus' commanded his believers in Mark 16:15 to, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."  You can teach as I do through the written word or through videos.  However you choose to spread the gospel, do it with boldness and authority.  Not in your own power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I remain shy in my day-to-day interactions with people, yet God has given me a boldness speaking out against ungodly forms of entertainment, and the occult as I never thought I could have.  When you humbly and sincerely pray for courage to preach within His will, He will graciously grant you a boldness for the sake of His kingdom.

Now is also not a time to slack in reading your Bible and spending time in prayer.  In fact, now is the time to increase your time with the Lord.  The more you know Him and what His Word says, the better equipped you will be in what to say and should be less likely to lead others astray with a false message.  While you do not need to be a so-called expert on the Bible, I am absolutely saying you must know what it says on the issues of the free gift of salvation, true grace that comes with repentance, and holy living in order to keep from falling away from your walk with the Lord.  Do not rely on what your pastor tells you since most are only preaching a false gospel to make sure the offering plates are full.  Study on your own and read the words of Jesus Christ and His followers.  Might I suggest the New Testament first?  And of course, this is just to start your Biblical journey as we should the entire Bible.

My point today is to encourage all of you to take this end of days seriously.  Now is not the time to be afraid to be bold for the Lord. Being wishy washy or conforming to the world is not doing anyone any favors.  When you fear that your friends and family will call you judgmental and so you stay silent for their sakes, you will lead them away from Heaven, not toward it. Let go of your ego and do not worry if your friends and loved ones reject you.  True love does not keep silent; it warns of the dangers of sin and hell!  Point people to Matthew 19:16-21, Mark 7:6-23; Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Galatians 5:16-26, Ephesians 5:1-21, and Revelation 20:11-12, 21:7-8.  Do not be afraid to remind them what these verses mean. Break it down verse by verse and we can all learn what Jesus expects from us!

Time is shorter than most are ready to admit, so this message to believers today is to speak out for Jesus!  Do not wait until it is too late and we have all gone our separate ways when we are forced into hiding when the Antichrist begins his persecution of the True saints.  We need to speak up now while we still have the freedom to do so.  Now, more than ever is the time to be a light and a life preserver that leads strangers and loved ones alike to Heaven.  Do not hesitate or procrastinate, because if you wait until tomorrow, it may be too late!

The wonderful song I am sharing below is for all of all who want to speak out for Jesus. Don't be afraid to speak or write a sermon of conviction and to call sin what it is! Time is too short to try to make people feel comfortable in their sins.

Pride and Humility

 

Pride and Humility

With the recent Bible studies I have been doing, I have been noticing more and more the theme of humility.  God is more pleased with the humble man and woman than the one filled with pride.  

I performed a Bible Gateway search for both "pride" and "humble" (not any variation on the words such as prideful, arrogance, humility, contrite, etc.).  Pride had 46 results, and humble had 56 (KJV).  The main reason I like to use a lot of scriptures in my writings is to show that these are not my ideas or theologies, but those from great prophets, apostles, and especially from the ultimate teacher in the school of holiness, Jesus Christ! 

It will be difficult to do so, but I will narrow it down to 5 verses on each word, but, as usual, I recommend you do your own searches and read the verses you find.  As you read through the following 10 verses, prayerfully ask God to show you if you resemble any of these verses.  Repent if you can see you are mimicking the actions of pride and ask God to soften your heart.  Rejoice if you realized you are humble, but not to the point of pride (sounds contradictory, but you are rejoicing in the Lord and giving Jesus all the glory) and ask God to keep your heart and mind focused on Him and not on yourself or others' opinions.

I will begin with pride.  

Notice that the Bible shows pride as belonging to a wicked person.  The prideful person in Psalm 10 refuses to "seek after God" and does not even think about God.  He does not care about the consequences of his actions, arrogantly does as he pleases, and could care less if God is happy with him or not.   

(Psalm 10:4) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 

As I mentioned in my blog, "Seven Abominations," https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/07/proverbs-616-19-seven-abominations.html God hates pride. By the way, the dictionary definition of pride is: "a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired." That makes me think of someone who refuses to acknowledge that God is in control and that He has given us the abilities and talents we possess.  Yes, we may have to work hard to achieve certain talents, but God made you in His image, don't forget that!  Your drive and ambition may be your own, but God is still the giver of life and created our bodies and brains to be able to perform special tasks.  Fail to give God the glory and you may just be as the one mentioned in Proverbs: the one who falls.    

(Proverbs 16:8) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 

I love the way the verse in Obadiah says that pride is a deceiver.  The verse also is a perfect match for the verse above in Proverbs.  Your own arrogance can be your own destruction when you think no one can defeat you.  One great example of this: Napoleon Bonaparte.  I will not go into history, except to say that when Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena, he died broken hearted and alone.  Instead of humbling himself before God and repenting of his sins, he felt sorry for himself, and some historians believed it was depression that killed him more so than stomach cancer. So, if you are prideful enough to ask, "Who shall bring me down?" you had better be prepared for a life-changing answer!  

(Obadiah 1:3) The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee... that saith in his heart, "Who shall bring me down to the ground?" 

The words of Jesus mean more to me than any others in the Bible.  Mark 7 was spoken to the Pharisees and scribes that were scolding Jesus and His disciples for not properly washing their hands!  I could easily write a separate blog on this chapter, and I encourage you to read all of Mark 7.  It is important to remember that Jesus sees pride as evil as blasphemy and murder.  If you think of it in those terms, it makes it easier to check your ego at the door! 

(Mark 7:21-23) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

1 John is a great way to sum up the issue of pride.  It is considered the "lust of the flesh" and it absolutely is not a quality God wants us to possess, it is a characteristic of being seeped in the world, not in the spirit of a Holy God!  

(1 John 2:16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

Now the verses on being humble.

God may allow you to go through difficult times as with the Israelites spending 40 years in the desert, in order to teach you a lesson on humility. We live in a fallen world, and bad things happen to the just and unjust (see Matthew 5:45), therefore, not all hard times are a punishment from God, be we can still allow ourselves to learn and grow and improve based on all the tough times we have or will face. Be humble and ask God what He would like you to learn so you can live better for Him.

(Deuteronomy 8:2) And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His [ten] commandments, or no. 

We hear the below verse quoted a lot lately, but what people forget to focus on is the first word, "If."  God is more than willing to heal our land if we humble ourselves and repent from wickedness.  Sadly, this is unlikely to happen, and we will only see this world spiral farther downhill until Jesus returns after the tribulation.  However, we can still seek individual revival and healing.

(2 Chronicles 7:14) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

We should only boast about the goodness of God! Our goals should always be to lift Jesus higher and remove the attention from ourselves. It says in Psalm 34 that the humble hearts will be glad and rejoice in the goodness of God. The mercy and love of God is absolutely worth celebrating!

(Psalm 34:2) My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 

Just as with the above list in Mark that show how God hates pride, the verse below shows us how God loves humility. When we choose to call ourselves a follower of Christ, we need to do our best to be humble with one another just as Christ was.    

(Colossians 3:12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of [the depth of] mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.

It has been very hard to narrow these verses down, but I will end in the book of James.  These verses sum up this entire writing beautifully!  God's grace is a free gift, but the below verse clearly states that God gives more grace to those who are humble than those who are full of pride.  Just as we are more likely to forgive someone whose apology is sincere, the Lord knows our hearts, and if our repentance is shallow.  God's grace will not be extended as far as if you are truly sorry for what you have done and will sincerely trey not to repeat the same mistakes.  But the great news if when we are not attempting to be phony with the King of Kings, then He will cast our sins far away (Michah 7:19) and His mercies will be new every single time we humbly repent (Lamentations 3:22-23).   

I included verses 7 & 8 because they go so perfectly with the theme of humility.  Submitting to God means giving up all He asks us to, giving up our will, and letting Him lead.  When we submit to God's perfect ways, only then will the devil flee from us.  If we are still rebelliously refusing to give up the sinful things we know God hates, the devil will stay right where we have invited him to stay: in the movies, books, secular music, false religions, occultic practices, and other sinful activities we allow in our lives that go against the principles of Jesus Christ.   

When we truly draw close to the presence of God, we lose our egos and focus only on the sovereignty and holiness of God.  We decrease so God can increase (John 3:30).  

We need to clean our hands, and hearts and repent from our sins and as the verse states, quit being double-minded.  We cannot serve both God and Satan (1 Corinthians 10:21 - Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.).  Humbly repent and serve the Holy Trinity alone!       

The amplified version of James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]."  Then you can use that new purpose to serve God and bring glory to His great name!

(James 4:6-8, & 10) But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The Power of Intercessory Prayer, Written by My Husband & Me

 

The Power of Intercessory Prayer, Written My Husband (Mel) & Me (Julie)

Some of our favorite scriptures in the Bible are Romans 8:26 and 34. It is difficult to put into words just how amazing these verses are (as well as others below based on this same theme). We see here how the three, which are one, work together on our behalf. Jesus himself prays for us with the aid of the Holy Spirit based on God's will for our lives. Who knows better the perfect will for our lives than the Almighty Creator of the Universe? No one.

(Romans 8:26-28 & 34) Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died , yea rather, that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of God , who also maketh intercession for us.

(Hebrews 7:25-26) Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.

(Isaiah 53:11-12) He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured his soul until death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Consider this example from Luke 22:31-32. In verse 31, Jesus tells Peter, "Satan has desired to sift you as wheat." Satan wants Peter's soul for hell. In verse 32 Jesus goes on to tell Peter, "But I have prayed for thee that you fail not; and when thou art converted, [you will] strengthen thy brethren." Jesus desires our souls as well as longs for us to be strong in our faith and minister to others. With God on our side, we will win the war and devote our souls/lives to God for all eternity

Let us then follow the example of Jesus and practice interceding for those we love.

Has anyone ever said to you, "I had the strong urge to pray for you yesterday," and it was at the exact same moment you desperately needed those prayers? The truth is, we will never know this side of eternity how often the prayers uttered by someone else saved us from serious harm or even death. The same can be said in the reverse. When we get a sudden burden for someone out of the blue, God could be prompting us to pray for him or her. I (Julie) had two dreams a week apart of a childhood friend.

In the first dream, this woman was asking for help and in the second, Mel and I were in a church praying for her. When I awoke from the second dream, I finally realized these were not random dreams my subconscious created, so I prayed for her before falling back to sleep. If you ever feel the need to pray for a specific person or need, please do not say you will do it later, because you will probably forget later. It is best to pray right then because you never know what that person may be facing. Even if turns out that person was perfectly safe at that moment, you never waste time praying for someone else. God knows our hearts and needs. There is no such thing as a simple prayer. When you call upon the power of heaven, there is nothing mundane about it! When you pray for someone, not only could you be calling on angels to save a life, but also for the person's conscience to be pricked. Your prayer could cause someone to remember the things of God and could stop an affair, suicide, and who knows what else.

Many people pray for their own desires or needs, but how many pray for the needs of others? When a person prays with a selfless heart, it moves the hand of God. There will be many people in heaven because of those who were willing to stand in the gap and intercede in prayer for them. The many prayers of parents, grandparents, friends, and acquaintances will lead to the salvation, as well as protection of many. There are times when a person will come strongly to my mind, and I will intercede in prayer for them. Later, I found out that they were sick, or in a dangerous situation.

When I (Mel) have experienced tragedy in my own life, on several occasions God led a spirit- filled friend of mine to call me. Prayer works, when it is made on the behalf of another. Many churches or home groups have a system put in place known as a prayer chain. When a person is in need of prayer, a designated person will notify everyone on the chain to intercede in prayer for them. I have known of people in the hospital, who showed a marked improvement, after prayer, was made for them.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 Teaches us that prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks, should be made for all men. We are to pray for those who govern over us, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. When prayer is made for even wicked leaders, the Lord may move upon them to make wise decisions. When a nation repents of their sin, God will heal their land. Nineveh is an example of a city who repented of their sin in sackcloth and ashes after Jonah warned them. Because of their sincere repentance, God spared that city from destruction. However, the Book of Revelation tells us that the nations of the world will not repent, but rather will curse God when the judgments come. The Lord knows the future, since he is not bound by our timeline. The Lord knows that America will not repent, because this nation has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, we are to still intercede for this nation, as well as our leaders until the time of judgment comes.

(1 Timothy 2:1-3) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessors, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savoir. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth.

Many believers keep a list of prayer requests either in a bible, on the refrigerator, or in a prayer notebook. It is a good reminder to pray for specific needs whenever they see the list, and/or to remember who and what to intercede for during prayer time. Some people even record the results of the prayers as God answers them.

If you have ever done this (writing this blog inspired us to start our own prayer book), I am certain you will see people's names on that list that always seem to have the same request. Maybe years have gone by and you are still praying for a specific situation to change. Do not be discouraged, or quit praying. Results are not your responsibility, but praying is. (Although we should help people in need as much as our resources will allow.) We do not know why God has not answered the petition. Some prayers cannot be answered while the person is living an ungodly lifestyle. Other times God may have different plans than what the person thinks he needs. On the other hand, maybe God will eventually grant the request, but not until His perfect timing says it is right. We may never understand the mind of God, but that does not mean we give up praying even for a situation that seems hopeless.

(Job 16:21) Oh that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor.

Yes, God is capable of helping a soul in rebellion, but typically chooses not to, which is why it is so important for us to intercede for someone who will not pray for himself. Remember the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:20-19:30. In Genesis 18:20, the Lord decides to tell Abraham that He is about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Because Abraham's nephew Lot and Lot's family are living in Sodom, Abraham pled with the Lord to spare the city if even ten righteous are living there. The Lord does not become angry with Abraham and agrees, but there are not even ten people living for the Lord in the wicked cities. The Bible never says that God spares Lot because of Lot's righteousness, but clearly states, "God remembered Abraham" and his cries for Lot. It does not say he sent angels to assist Lot based on Lot's prayers. This is a wonderful example of God's mercy as well as showing the importance of intercessory prayer. It reminds us to always be faithful in praying for the safety and salvation of those we love.

(Genesis 19:29) And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.

Throughout the book of Exodus, we see God tell Moses on several different occasions that He is angry with the murmurings and sins of the Hebrews. God tells Moses He will destroy them all. However, each time Moses begs God to spare the lives of his people. He reminds God that their enemies will laugh at the death of the Hebrews if God smites them. Repeatedly, Moses' interceding saves the lives of his family and friends.

(Exodus 32:9-11 & 14 ) And the Lord said unto Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them..." And Moses besought the Lord His God and said, "Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou has brought forth out of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?" And the Lord relented which he had thought to do unto His people.

In Acts 12, King Herod had Peter arrested and thrown into prison. The church offered up constant prayer on his behalf and it moved the hand of God. The Lord’s angel caused the chains to fall off Peter, and Peter was escorted outside of the prison gates by the angel. This is a good example of the importance of intercessory prayer. I have known of several cases, where men came to the Lord in prison, and they were released early because prayer went up on their behalf. We must never stop praying for those who are sick, in prison, or in need of salvation.

(Acts 12:5-7) Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.

The above examples are just a few of the times one of God's servants intervened for a loved one. This shows God is tenderhearted, and very well may spare someone punishment or harm for the sake of sparing the believer pain. This does not mean God is insensitive to the offender deserving the rebuke, instead it shows how quick He is to show mercy. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to stand in the gap for another person in order for God to change His mind and forgo the chastisement. In other words, we need to ask for help in order to receive it.

(John 16:23-24) And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 　Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Also consider the below scriptures:

(Matthew 18:19-20) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

(Ephesians 6:18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

(Philippians 1:3) I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,

(Philippians 1:19) For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

(James 5:16) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Trust

 

Trust

When you are going through a difficult time and someone says, "Just trust in the Lord," do you find yourself thinking, Easier said than done?   There are many reasons why we may find it challenging to trust that God will take care of us.  The main reason is usually because the people you love have betrayed you.  Why should you trust in an invisible God to care about your needs when everyone else that claimed they would take care of you abandoned you? Where was God when you were abused, when you got divorced, when a loved one died, when you received a frightening diagnosis?  Why should you trust God will be there for you now when He seemed so absent in the past?  I have had this same question when facing near homelessness, loss, illness, or when someone I loved endured a hard time.

To answer all of these doubts, I will take you through a journey of trust through scripture.  This may take a while, so get comfortable and be prepared to do a lot of reading!     

When I performed a search on the word "trust," I found 188 Verses!  Since there are too many to list them all here, I will focus on a handful of them.  Please do your own search on either Bible Gateway or other resource and read through all verses listed.  It will greatly encourage you!  

First, in order for you to understand why bad things happen, you should realize that we live in a fallen world.  I will quote a blog I wrote titled, "Now is the Day of Salvation":

"Adam and Eve chose their own selfish wants over fellowship with their Creator (see Genesis 3).  We live in a fallen world because God chose to give us free will.  Adam and Eve betrayed this gift and chose to listen to the serpent’s lies rather than God’s warnings simply because the serpent’s lies were more appealing than God’s Truth.  This is why we live in a world full of death and tragedy, not because God is cruel, but because man chose to alienate us from God by using his free will out of the desire of wanting to be like God... Matthew 5:45 says, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  Not because He is cruel, but because man chose to defy God.  Man caused this fallen world and the good suffer because of it...

"I will not say nothing bad will ever happen to you in this life.  People who believe God will prevent all bad things from happening end up hating God... “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) We know God grieves with us and does not intend for bad things to happen.  Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope,” which means God does not want bad things to happen.  Does that mean God does not have any control? No, this means we will never fully know why things are allowed to happen because there is a war going on we cannot comprehend.  “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

(1 Corinthians 13:12) "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

 This means that we cannot understand why things happen as they do because we cannot see the big, eternal picture, but when we get to heaven, it will all be crystal clear.  This senseless world will make sense."

Now back to this blog! 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of the best ways to sum up what it means to trust.  We cannot rely on our own understanding as we do not have the spiritual ability to comprehend the mind or will of God (See Isaiah 55:9).  When we allow our hearts to rule over our brain, it is easier to trust.  Notice the below verse in Proverbs says, "in all thy ways acknowledge him." All means all and includes our actions not just our thought patterns.  Acknowledging God includes repenting of sins and giving up an immoral lifestyle.  When we allow God to have full control of our lives and let go of habitual sins, God will direct our paths.  And when you acknowledge God is holy and sovereign you will doubt less and trust more.     

(Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

When choosing verses for this blog, it was very difficult to narrow it down, but 2 Samuel:22:31 says so much in just 25 words. I could write a whole blog on this verse alone but I will do my best to sum it up quickly.  God's ways are perfect.  Remember that when nothing makes sense.  When life is imperfect, know that, as mentioned above in Jeremiah 29, it is not the Lord's plans wreaking havoc on our lives, but our own act of rebellion blocking God's hand.  Even when we strive to walk down paths of righteousness, we still live around unseen spiritual forces that are trying to cause us harm (see also the verse in Ephesians 6 listed above).  But rest assured, when we trust Him, when we surrender our will and say we will obey and serve Him no matter what, God will place a buckler (or a shield) about us to turn things around or to give us the strength to make it through to the other side.     

(2 Samuel 22:31) As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

Now, let's look at Job.  In spite of all of Job's losses, he recognizes that God is good and just and pledges that he will trust the Lord no matter what!  Can we all say the same?  If you truly think about it, even though it is emotionally difficult to imagine losing those you love, and suffer through poor health can you honestly say you would not abandon your faith if you lost as much as Job?  Some of us have been there so you can answer you will.  More realistically, you were angry with God for a while and maybe even gave up on Him.  But God never gave up on you, and you could feel Him calling you back to Him.  Your heart cried for the loss of God even more than those who died, and you realized your heart beat to the same rhythm as Job's.  Your Creator will always call you back to Him.  Trust He loves you and your heart may not fully heal this side of Heaven, but with God, we can find peace in knowing He carries your tears in a bottle (see Psalm 56:8), which means feels compassion over ever tear we shed.

(Job 13:15) Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 

Again, it was difficult to narrow it down on which verses to use for this writing, but on the topic of trust, I could not leave out the issue of righteousness.  When you take the time on your own to read verses on trust, you will see how holiness and trust work together as a perfect team.  When you are actively choosing to live a life of sin, I am not speaking of accidental slips or ignorant sins, but of purposefully doing what you know goes against the principles of Jesus Christ, your heart will become too hard for trust to penetrate.  You will only be able to see God as a cruel judge and not as a kind, gracious, loving Father (although yes, you are being judged according got your works - Matthew 16:27).  As the below verse states, when you do not love the Lord enough to sacrifice your ungodly ways at the altar and give up all the things you know are wrong, your stubborn pride will force the trusting side of your heart to atrophy.  The fact is you cannot trust someone you do not really love.  When you love God enough to put your worldly ways behind you, holiness will become synonymous with trusting Him.

(Psalm 4:5 ) Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. 

Psalm 5:11 says we will be joyful when we learn to trust God.  This is true!  When we can go through a difficult time but know the Lord is in control, we realize we are not as stressed.  We can trust the Lord has us in the palm of His hands and we can relax even in the midst of strife.  When I was diagnosed with both ovarian and endometrial cancer in 2023, I told myself I would trust the Lord no matter what happened next.  While I waited for the results of the biopsies to declare the stage of each cancer, I was calm and was able to feel a joy even though, yes, I was fearful. (see Philippians 4:7) Fear is not a sin as Jesus Himself was so afraid he sweat drops of blood, and though it seems strange, we can still trust Him in the middle of scary times and know in the end, it will all work out just as He had planned.     

(Psalm 5:11) But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

I chose Psalm 20:7 & Psalm 118:8 as a reminder that we are not to put our trust in anyone except Jesus!  Politicians will not save you, famous actors and singers will not save you, not even your pastor can save you.  Yes, there are many heroic people in the world, and they can and have literally saved many lives from harm, but we are not to place any human on a pedestal.  Jesus' death on the cross is a free gift to all and He is the only one that can save your soul from hell.  As with any gift, you can reject it or receive it and you can even throw it in the garbage after you accept it.  But when you trust the Lord with your physical and spiritual life and do not rely on humanity, you are acknowledging the beautiful gift of true grace that comes with repentance and daily choosing Jesus to lead and guide your steps.   

(Psalm 20:7) Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 

(Psalm 118:8) It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 

Though I could easily make this writing much, much longer, I will end with these two verses in Psalms. The Lord will not forsake us when we seek His face and do our utmost best to walk in ways of holiness.  We can absolutely trust this is true because the Bible repeatedly says so.  But let's take it even one step further.  Psalm 71:1 does not say we will never be confused, but when we ask for assistance, we will have more clarity.  It is easy to feel confused by the worldly advice and confused by even so-called Godly advice.  People contradict each other, but even worse, they go against what the Bible says.  When you trust in what the Lord says and rely only on scripture, not on any human's words, you will not be confused as to the will of the Lord and how you are supposed to act. You can trust that by living as God intended, your mind will be clear, and your heart will be wide open to loving and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ!    

(Psalm 9:10) And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 

(Psalm 71:1) In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 

No, trusting God is not an easy process, but trusting the Lord leads to joy, repentance, holy living, clarity, and peace! 

When you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression! (Includes my "Depression" Poem)

 

When you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression!

(Includes my "Depression" Poem)

I hear so often from Christians who love and serve Jesus that they are steeped in depression, anxiety, and dark thoughts. Way too many people battle with a feeling of hopelessness. If you or someone you love is one of those people, I pray this writing gives you hope, peace and joy!

(You can also see my writing about casting our burdens on Jesus: "Jesus Will Never Tell You That You Are Beyond His Help" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/09/jesus-will-never-tell-you-that-you-are_15.html

Let me start off by saying that grief is never wrong, and even the Bible reminds us it is acceptable, so do not ever let anyone tell you tears are wrong. (Psalm 30:5 - Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. & Ecclesiastes 3:4 - A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.)

However, I am not writing about normal grief, but a dark depression that never seems to go away. Let me also say that depression is not a sin, it is a symptom of what you have gone or are currently going through. In some cases, depression can even be a chemical imbalance one cannot control. There is never, ever any shame in seeking treatment, and in fact, I would encourage you seek professional help from a Biblical counselor for your depression if needed.

I have shared this story before in my blog, "Advice on How to Help a Hurting Friend" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/03/colossians-19-advice-on-how-to-help.html but I will share part of it again: I once had a Christian co-worker confide in me that due to depression, she struggled with issues of faith. She felt as if her mind was a battlefield between Christ and Satan and she was painfully struggling not only to win the spiritual war, but also to understand why this was happening. My heart went out to her, and I told her I fully believed she was indeed involved in spiritual warfare and quoted to her Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. I also told her that we have a God that intercedes on our behalf and reminded her of Luke 22:31-32 - And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

Due to a traumatic childhood, she was someone who was difficult to encourage, yet through our four months of working together, I tried my best to be her friend. I once gave her a card to let her know I was praying for her and wrote some verses in the card including Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. She accepted the card with tears and thanks and said life was hard right now, but then the wall came back up, and she said no more.

The job we were working at was seasonal, and as soon as the season was over, she never had anything else to do with me. I tried to keep in contact with her, but she was not interested. I still think of her often and pray for her. God knows where she is and has her in His hands and heart.

Her struggles due depression are ones we have all heard of many times, and maybe even experienced ourselves.

The number one way to conquer depression is not on your own, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. By surrendering your all to Jesus and letting Him be your hope and peace. There are hundreds of good verses I could give to encourage you, and I absolutely believe in the power of Biblical Truths, prayer, and praise. So I am in no way dismissing the healing power of reading God's Word. Yet I also know that there are many for whom Jesus is nothing more than a band-aid for a broken heart, not a cure.

For those people quoting scripture and prayer will never be enough if they refuse to let go of the items in their lives that cause depression. Therefore, I want to help you understand why you (or someone you love) may be experiencing depression and how to conquer it.

There is a reason why scriptures won't bring more than temporary comfort and Jesus cannot heal your mind. Here is the key: when you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression!

As I told my friend, I will say it again, spiritual warfare is very real. Satan wants to tear all of us apart and separate us from the Father as wheat is separated from the chaff. We may or may not realize how easy it is to open doors that allow Satan and his demons to enter into our homes. By watching television and movies as well as listening to music with satanic beats and reading ungodly books (which often includes so-called Christian artists and authors), as well as being seeped in false religions that either offer a greasy grace message or the opposite where only our works can save us, we give Satan a foothold and allow him to affect us with emotional ailments, nightmares, and even bad tempers and sinful desires.

Depression attaches itself to our emotions when we stubbornly refuse to give up the things we know God hates. When we are suffering mentally (or physically, financially, and spiritually) we beg for help. We ask God to fix our circumstances. We say we will do whatever He asks of us. Yet when God says we need to give up a particular sin or sins in order to be set free from bondage, we balk.

We try to justify our actions. For example, some might say, "Jesus, I know if only I would give up pornography, You would heal my mind, But God, find another way to help. I know Your word says that looking at another woman with lust is cheating on my wife, but..." (Matthew 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.)

Or some may try to bargain, "God, I know if I gave up the demonic influences of television and movies that my depression would decrease, and I would see more answers to my prayers. But can you quit mentioning that 'touch not the unclean thing,' scripture verse? Surely that verse has nothing to do with modern day times anyway. If You can give me more proof, other than what the Bible says, that Hollywood is harmful to my soul, then I will give it up." (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Or some may just ignore God altogether, "God, you expect me to give up alcohol and marijuana? But then how will I cope with all the pains from my past? You need to help me deal with my problems another way; I will not give up drinking or drugs! If I quit going to the bars with my buddies, they will not understand." (Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.)

In essence we have all been guilty of saying, "God, You are not enough for me. I know I am begging and crying for You to help me, but if you expect me to give up what the Bible says is unclean, then You don't love me at all, You just want me to be bored and miserable. I do not trust your plan for health and healing. I do not believe that the Bible that tells me to give up my sins. If you love me, You will simply grant me a miracle." (Mark 2:17 - When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came... to call... sinners to repentance.")

It is the same with sin. If we refuse to repent and cast sin away, our minds will not improve and will have the potential to escalate to the point of non-repair. If we do not allow God to test us and get to the bottom of why we are depressed and why we are so stubborn to give up sin, we will never get the relief we are begging for. (Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me. & Psalm 51:7 - Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.)

Whatever God is asking you to give up, be it pornography, homo- or bi- sexuality (etc.), the occult, Hollywood, alcohol, an affair, false religion, bad temper, argumentative attitude, etc. then you need to follow His will and let go of your own stubborn pride, or you will remain in darkness. (1 John 1:6-8 - If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.)

I know there are some already resistant to what I have said because you are too attached to certain forms of entertainment. Well, I am going to make even more of you upset when I say there are also some people you may need to let go. When we allow people with poisonous personality traits or ungodly beliefs in our lives, we are asking for trouble. (1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.) Especially those glorifying the occult; they will do more than tempt you to sin but can literally disturb your peace.

You may meet a seemingly nice person who just happens to be into Wicca, yoga, fortune telling, fantasy role playing, or steeped into witchcraft through movies/books. Make no mistake, there is nothing safe, fun, or innocent about witchcraft. Being around these people can cause their demonic influences to oppress you with depression.

We are to treat everyone with kindness and respect, but when we willingly let a person involved in Satanism in our lives, we are mixing dark and light when they are clearly meant to be separated (again, see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). There is a fine line between witnessing to an unbeliever and becoming their friend. By all means, please share the love of Jesus, but do not cross the unholy line and become unequally yoked.

It is not just outside influences that give Satan an open door to harass us. When we give into negativity, critical attitudes, grumbling toward God, and sinful desires, we are saying we are more fleshly-minded than spirituality in-tune. We make it easier for the enemy to plague us with not just depression, but also anger, bitterness, un-forgiveness, and other sinful actions. I am talking of oppression, not possession. We must bind and cast the evil spirits out of our homes in Jesus’ name and trade our poisonous attitudes for a heart of repentance and praise. Worshiping the Lord (not just singing a pretty song but really honoring Jesus with your heart and soul), brings down the strongholds of sin.

I know this is already a long writing, but I cannot end it without offering you hope. The main goal of Jesus' death on the cross was for our spiritual health, to save us from our sins, not for our tears our mental health (in spite of what some songs may say). However, we can still say that Jesus wants us to enjoy life, not be trapped in depression (John 10:10 - I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.) And if we can truly accept the precious gift of Salvation and then honor that gift by living for Jesus and not for the world, we can be free indeed!

I wrote the below poem in 2005 for a friend that was perpetually wallowing in self-pity and often depressed.  It is difficult for her to find joy even in the best of times.  God showed me it was her false religion where she placed empty rituals and unnecessary man-made laws above grace and the pure love and sovereignty of Jesus that was causing her depression (see 2 Corinthians 3:5-6).  

Freedom in Jesus means giving up our sins so we can break the chains of depression. Accepting forgiveness from God and truly believing He loves us can help bring about peace and joy. Believing your repented of sins are forever under the blood of Jesus should set you free from darkness in your mind. However, if you still cannot find the joy of the Lord, (as I stated above, unless your depression is caused by a legitimate medical issue) depression can never be cured until you learn to hate what God hates and then give it up.

For a reading on joy, please see my article, "Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Joy" here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/search?q=joy and one on peace "Do you find it difficult to believe that Jesus came to be your personal Prince of Peace?" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/12/do-you-find-it-difficult-to-believe.html

Depression (2005)

Depression
Has settled in;
How can she
Tame such a Beast
That devours life's joy?
With teeth and claws
That scratch and bite,
And a forked tongue
That whispers hate and deceit,
And purrs sweet nothings
To make her believe
Its treacherous lies

Redemption
Has paid the price
To kill the Beast
And set her free;
With nail-pierced hands
That comfort and heal,
And eyes of peace
Full of hope and love
And words of truth
To bless with joy
And a pure heart
Full of mercy and grace