Rejoice, no matter what

Isaiah 40: 26 "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

My friends, we often question others, and in particular God, "Is my way is hid from Thee?” Is my business forgotten before God? ". We often hide from each other our situation and the state of feelings, yet God knows everything. At times we want to run away. Sometimes we do not know what to do and understand that no one, even the nicest person, are not able to help us. There are times when even the relatives: husband, wife, parents ... are not in a position to help us. And in times like these we feel that even God Himself cannot help us.

I know that here are people, who have been through this, and there are also those who just will have to go through straitened circumstances, and I wish you to pass them successfully. You may have questions to the Lord and to yourself. You may find yourself in a circumstances where you will not understand why do you believe and why do you live at all. Today the Spirit of God is present to answer you some questions, and I wish you to gain a foothold and cheer up in the spirit with the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ! To everyone who has passed times like these, I wish to climb the ladder of faith and grace, higher and higher and reach the end.

Severe conditions may plunge us into a depression. The word itself means "to push " or "to suppress”. There are different kinds of depression.

Seasonal depression. Common in regions were rainy and cloudy weather dominates, and where daylight hours are short.

There is clinical depression, where pathological changes in the brain leads to a change in mood. Lord, have mercy on us from these things!

There is atypical depression, the symptoms of which are increased appetite and lethargy.

And finally, there is a spiritual depression. This is lack of desire to serve God, to pray and read the Bible.

When a person is depressed, his mood is low, he loses the ability to enjoy, and the normal process of thinking is disrupted. When in depression ones self-esteem often is very low. A person loses the meaning of life. I'm not encouraging us to think too highly of ourselves, yet modestly, by measure of faith. All types of depression are connected to each other, one way or the other. It is written: "crushed spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17: 22).

Let's have a look, why this is happening?

Proverbs 17: 22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Sometimes our situation and circumstances are against us. We do not understand what is happening and allow depression and a broken spirit into our lives.

The Bible tells us by Apostle Paul: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4: 4). Paul: "Rejoice, and again I say unto you, All hail." The Lord does not propose rather commands us to rejoice! Us - the people of the spirit and faith, we do not live by circumstances, by apparently, on the contrary by invisible. "...faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Hebrews 11: 1). We should raise above all our circumstances!

Some of you today are in need of healing, in a financial breakthrough, in the salvation of the family, the new social status, or a new job. And everyone thinks if he gets the desired, then everything in his life will change. But God says that if you do not find peace within, you will not find it anywhere! The Lord wants to give you inner peace. "Shabbat " means rest. We tell each other: "Shabbat Shalom!" God wants us to have this shalom so that our cup would be filled, and we could know the Lord personally and did not complain, but raised our arms and praise Him instead. So we would become like eagles, " they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40: 31). This is the will of God!

I like that the Word of God does not say, "Thus said the Lord," but "Thus SAYS the Lord.” This is relevant for all times and nations. Therefore, your problem today is in front of the Lord. He knows what you're going through and what you need. The Lord knows how to rescue you and bring triumph out of your problem. He commands you to rejoice in spite of the circumstances. You can look in your pocket and say: "there is nothing to rejoice.” But many wealthy people cannot find a reason to rejoice either. Money doesn't give us a ground to rejoice. Nor does position in society. It all may serve as something secondary. Even health is not reason to rejoice. I have seen many people who were not healthy, yet happy. You may know, Nick Vujicic - a man with no limbs, however, looking at him, my faith rises, and I begin to rejoice with him. Thus, our joy is not built out of our circumstances!

I understand that sometimes things are not easy. Sometimes there is such a pressure, that you do not know where to escape. And yet, this is not the time to flee and hide. In contrary - to come before the Lord, go to church; pray with your brothers and sisters. This is the very time to praise the Lord. The best cure for depression is the praise, worship and celebration, adoration and thanksgiving! This is the victory of the Lord!

I want to encourage you today and say that the Lord knows what we are going through in our lives. Our walk will last a lifetime and it is not so important as we began, but how do we finish instead. I sincerely wish you to walk it in the power of the Holy Spirit - with dignity and triumph!