FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS, volume 7, number 30, July 24, 2008

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord, Job 1:12.

The Devil And Depression

William Cowper (pronounced Cooper) was born outside of London in 1731 to a relatively prosperous family. Cowper is best known for his poetry and hymns, two of the more popular ones being There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood and God Moves In A Mysterious Way. But what I want you to know is that Cowper had at least four serious bouts with depression in his life. His first came at the age of twenty-one when he was engaged to his cousin, Theodora. Her father made Theodora call off the wedding and both she and Cowper were devastated with neither ever marrying. Theodora, in later years, anonymously funneled money to Cowper at times when he was languishing in poverty. It does not appear Theodora’s father was too concerned about the consanguinity issue because he allowed the engagement to go on for many years. He seemed to see things in Cowper which made him an unworthy suitor for his daughter. At any rate, William went into a serious time of depression, feeling that all was lost in his life. At the age of twenty-eight his father orchestrated a government job for him, but it required him to stand before Parliament and answer questions. The reclusive and retiring Cowper was terrified at the prospect and the day before he was to stand for questioning he attempted to kill himself in three different ways. A few years later, during his third bout with depression, he was admitted to an insane asylum and while there picked up a Bible and read of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and then believing that if Jesus could do that for helpless and hopeless Lazarus, then surely He could do for him too. Later William Cowper moved to Olney and became active in the church pastored by the former blasphemer and slave trader, John Newton, who had a profound effect on Cowper. Still his depression came back at times, completely debilitating, tempting him to kill himself.

Have you ever had such thoughts- to kill yourself? Perhaps you were terrified and shocked that you could entertain such violence. Have you ever been immediately tempted, out of the blue so to speak, to do harm to your young children? From where do these thoughts and temptations come? Is it possible that some people with debilitating depression are under the attack of the devil? The answer is, “Of course.” There are natural causes of depression, things like not interpreting life’s events Biblically, and living with unfulfilled expectations, but another cause can be Satan himself.

Clearly that is the issue with Job, whom God has declared to be one who obeys, fears, and honors Him. In essence Satan says to God, “Well, of course Job serves You. You have set him up in unprecedented prosperity. Why wouldn’t a man delight in You with such advantages.” God allows Satan to work on Job, bringing him the loss of his health, wealth, and children- a most devastating circumstance. Mark this down- God sometimes allows the devil to bring havoc to His people. This is not an isolated case. We see the same thing with the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4:1ff when we are told that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In Luke 22:31 Jesus tells Peter that Satan has demanded permission to sift him like wheat, but He has prayed for him, saying that after Peter returns he is to strengthen the brethren. And after Paul is lifted to the third heaven and sees glory beyond description he tells us that in order to humble him, God sends a messenger of Satan, a thorn in the flesh, II Corinthians 12:1ff.

This begs several questions, doesn’t it? How does Satan attack you in order to depress you? Consider briefly these four things. One, he tempts you spiritually, seeking to make you feel hopeless (like Peter in his denial of Jesus), hoping to convince you that your sin has disqualified you, that you are no longer accepted by the Father. If so, then why not give up Christ altogether? Why not end your life? Two, he tempts you physically. This happened both to Job and Paul. Chronic physical problems can weaken one's resolve, causing him to compromise his convictions, and when he then sins, he feels duped, too weary to continue with fighting the good fight of faith. He simply wants out of this world. Three, Satan tempts you emotionally. The Psalmist in Psalm 73 faces the same problem we all have faced at sometime- the prosperity of the wicked. We simply cannot understand why the godless prosper and we languish in financial or physical ruin. The Psalmist says that when his heart was embittered he was a beast before God. He is emotionally bankrupt. The devil loves to get God’s people to the end of their emotional ropes, as it were. And fourth, the devil tempts you chronologically. Paul faced this in I Timothy 1:12 when he is able to thank Christ Jesus who strengthened him, considering him faithful, putting him into His service, even though Paul had been a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor. Though Paul had a wretched past he refused to play the if-only-I had-not game. “If only I had not stood by and watched the Jews stone Stephen to death. If only I had not persecuted those who are now my brothers and sisters in Christ.” Paul was able to glory in the cross of Christ, firmly believing his past was past. He refused to allow it to shame or silence him. He built upon it for God’s glory. And sometimes Satan convinces you to play the what if game. “What if my husband loses his job. . .what if my son has a brain tumor. . .” The devil loves to tempt God’s people to live in the past or the future with inordinate shame or debilitating fear.

But why does God allow the devil to work us over? If He loves us, then why Satan’s fiery arrows? First, God wants to drive us to Christ, getting us to the place that we delight supremely in Him. Paul came to that point, “Whatever things were gain to me, I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. . .I count all things but rubbish in order to gain Christ.” Our God is a jealous God and He wants your unfettered loyalty. He allows the devil to bring you low so that you will depend upon Christ for everything in your life. Second, God wants to wean you from this world, like a mother who weans her child from breast milk to solid food. Paul says that though he has not yet experienced it he presses on toward the goal for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. God wants you pursuing Jesus more than your hobbies, work, family, or any other created thing. And third, God wants to get you to put your complete confidence in Christ, not looking to anything else for peace. Paul said that he had learned to be content in every circumstance, knowing how to get along with humble means and how to live with abundance. In any and every circumstances he had learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, of saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Do you see God’s hand in allowing the devil to work you over? What are you to do? Trust God. Move toward Him. Don’t be passive. Actively pursue Christ by worshipping and praying to Him.

FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS is a weekly devotional by Reverend Al Baker, pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.

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