Blog Post
Posted by Dion Todd October 10th, 2024 1,263 Views 28 Comments
To provide for those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3 WEB.
Have you ever felt so down, so sluggish, that you begin to ask yourself, "What is the point of it all?" There are many things in this verse, but the one that I want to discuss today is the "spirit of heaviness." It is better known by its bona fide name: "Depression."
The spirit of heaviness can settle on anyone given the right circumstances, and none of us are immune to it. We all like to think that we have it together, but really, we are just one phone call away from crying at any given moment.
Once, we became overworked and nearly burned out, so we went to an exhilarating praise and worship conference that lasted for three days. After the first night, I began to feel lighter and brighter. Each hour we spent there under the music brought renewal, a refreshing of our spirit, like standing under a waterfall.
When I first arrived, I was feeling pretty down and cynical. Yet afterward, I was as light as a feather and cheerful. By the time I left the conference, I felt like I was walking on air and didn't have a care in the world. I would not have cared if the world were ending. That time soaking in praise and worship brought an immediate change in our life. We had exchanged the spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise.
Praise and depression are polar opposites and repel each other. If you are down, depressed, or heavy, you will not feel like praising the Lord. If you are praising the Lord, then you will not feel like being depressed.
If you feel "heavy" today, find some good praise and worship music and soak in it for an hour. Listen to it while working. Begin to praise the Lord along with it, and that spirit of heaviness will flee out of hearing range. The garment of praise drives away the spirit of heaviness.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise You today. Please deliver me from the spirit of heaviness. Fill my life with Your presence. Bring the right people, the right music, and the right opportunities into my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
Note: Today is Thankful Thursday at the Ministry Events group! This event gives us an opportunity encourage each other by posting thoughts, moments, and prayers of gratitude for Him, His creation and all that He does in our lives. All our welcome! To join, just click on the group name and then the join link on the page that will follow. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.
Post from Liesel aka lisa Wardle
1 month ago
AMEN, Pastor!!! There is so much power in praise, it works two ways, it lifts up our Lord and God as we worship Him, and it lifts us up as well and the dark cloud of depression!! And so it is with praise and worship music and song, especially when I'm completely exhausted, mentally and physically, and then all of a sudden a song will pop in my head, my heart, at times even a song from when I taught Sunday School like "This little light of mine" or "Jesus loves me this I know", and I know WHO put it there!!! So blessed to be HIS child, regardless of my age!!! 🙏
Post from Mari Kaufmann
1 month ago
Praise God Amen
Post from Wesley Paulus
1 month ago
Amen!
Post from Sherry Mccosh
1 month ago
Heavenly Father, I praise You today. Please deliver me from the spirit of heaviness. Fill my life with Your presence. Bring the right people, the right music, and the right opportunities into my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
Post from Marisa Jackson
1 month ago
Dear Father in Heaven, when I am weak, YOU give me strength, when I am sad, YOU give me LIGHT, when I am depressed, YOU fill my heart with your love. Depression is such a deep dark place to be, I know because I have experienced it as we ALL have especially when it is a loved one that has died. When I feel depressed, I reach out because sometimes, depression can take you down the rabbit hole and sometimes that rabbit hole can engulf you to the point of you not wanting to come out. But because of my FAITH in OUR LORD, HE continues to show me that as long as I hang on to HIM, I will be okay, and that is the TRUE BLESSING, "FAITH"!! Thank you Jesus for ALWAYS BEING BY MY SIDE!! In your most precious name I pray, AMEN!! AMEN!! ALLEULIA!! AMEN 🙏🙏❤️!!
Post from Susan Petho
1 month ago
Amen!
Post from Narciso Salas
1 month ago
A.en
Post from Bella Colliander
1 month ago
Father. Fill my life with Your presence. Praise Your name Lord for Your faithfulness. Amen!🕊️
Post from Scott Riegelmann
1 month ago
Thank you so much pastor Dion this is exactly what I needed when I needed it most thank you thank you thank you! Love ya brother.😀
Post from Sylvia Todd
1 month ago
Good morning, y'all, God bless 💛!
Post from Yvette York
1 month ago
Amen Good Morning Everyone 😀
Amen!
Post from Wanda Pennington
1 month ago
Yes Lord, Amen. For You Lord Jesus know everything about me. Thank You for loving me, watching over me and guiding my steps. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen
Post from Laura Clark
1 month ago
Amen! Really needed this today. Thanks so much. 🙌
Post from Theresa Bright
1 month ago
Amen 🙏🏻 Thank you Pastor Dion, you are right on for me today. Thank you Lord for speaking to me through pastor today.
Post from Raju Williams
1 month ago
Praise the Lord. Amen.🙏🙏
Post from Linda Clark
1 month ago
Yes in Jesus name amen
Post from Candy Laventure
1 month ago
Amen!
Amen!
Post from Debi Burton
1 month ago
Heavenly Father, I praise You today. Please deliver me from the spirit of heaviness. Fill my life with Your presence. Bring the right people, the right music, and the right opportunities into my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen! ❤️🤟🏻
Post from Kevin J. Eck
1 month ago
Heavenly Father, Remind me of the Blessings you promised us when our Spirits start to feeling heavy. In Jesus name, Amen!
Post from Kay Collinsworth
1 month ago
Amen
Post from Elena Vasquez
1 month ago
Amen
Post from Rose Theuret
1 month ago
Amen 🙏🙏😇
Post from Dana Rozell
1 month ago
Amen!
Post from Schalk de Beer
1 month ago
Yes amen Lord Jesus, amen.
Post from Bari Bargerstock
1 month ago
You have no idea how much this hit home this morning. I keep asking the Lord what is wrong with me, lately. Guess he used this to tell me. Thank you for listening and writing this.
Comment from Liesel aka lisa Wardle
1 month ago
Psalm 9:1 "I will praise Thee oh Lord with all my heart . . ." in the morning and in the evening, today and tomorrow, in good times and in bad times!!! 🙏🎶