No More Sad

In this message preached at RCCG Victory House in Chicago, Andrew Kitaka brings a word of comfort and restoration to every heart carrying the weight of grief, loss, or prolonged sorrow. Drawing from Scripture, he reminds us that God does not leave us in our sadness — He steps into it, transforms it, and leads us into a joy that the world cannot give and cannot take away. If you have been waiting for a reason to hope again, this message is for you. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

This is victorious. So, um uh how many of you have visited our Instagram page? By the way, if you do not know that we have an Instagram page, we do. It's Victory All the Way. So if you go and search, um, you will find Victory All the Way, and you will see our profiles, you'll see uh photos of people that you may know. And if there's somebody that you don't know, uh the next time you're in church, introduce yourself. Amen. So um we are thankful for how far God has brought us. Um this month, um, like we mentioned on Wednesday. If you didn't come on Wednesday, may God bless you. But if you came on Wednesday, may God bless you more. So this month um we're talking about um depression, but it's under the umbrella of detox, um decluttering things that um hold us down. Um and on Wednesday we were going through um we did an introductory um session. Um we will hand it on um over um to other ministers throughout the the course of this month. Um but I think uh I wanted to talk to today about two forms of depression and uh um the first form being uh reaction or situational depression and uh the other form being masked depression. And uh you may ask and wonder why are we talking about depression in church? Um and you probably are right. Um minister that I appreciate so much said that um a depressed Christian is an oxymoron in a sense. So you are allowed to be sad, but you are not permitted to be depressed. Amen. It's okay to be sad, but it's not okay to be depressed. If you will return with me to Philippians 4 and verse 4. Philippians 4 and verse 4. The Bible says, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice. Can we read it together? Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say, rejoice.

unknown 3:22

Why?

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Why do you think joy is important? Why do you think joy is important? On Wednesday we talked about um depression as a psychological state that exists when the heart is pressed down and unable to experience joy. It's a psychological state that exists when the heart is pressed down and unable to experience joy. It is an extended spell of sorrow. I don't know if I don't know about you, but there have been certain times in my life where I was sorrowful more than I was supposed to be. And just going back to what we said, it's okay to be sad, but it's not okay to be depressed. And depression one of the things about depression is that depression will hinder your productivity. That you shouldn't be, that otherwise you should be free to do other things. You start going to work, not to enjoy work, not to do work, but just to you have mentally checked out in a sense. Maybe you come to church, but you are not there. That's what depression can do. Um, pastor was saying earlier that somebody has a heavy burden. Um, I think he also mentioned that sometimes some people talk to themselves and they're like, I'm no good, or I cannot do anything, right? Those are some of the things or the thoughts that are implanted into your mind when you're in a state of extended sorrow or when you're in a state of depression. But I believe that the word of God will pull you out if you are there. And I believe that the seeds that we are sowing today, the seeds of the word of God that we are sowing today will help you keep you from that spell of depression in the name of Jesus. So the Bible is saying, Philippians 4 and 4, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Does somebody know how to rejoice? Hallelujah. So if I say rejoice, give me a shout at the list. Rejoice. Praise the Lord, hallelujah. So I'm gonna go briefly uh and we'll talk about what we talked about on Wednesday really quickly, and then um we'll get into what we have today. I will get you out of here on time. If anybody keeps you, it won't be me. Maybe the people coming after me. Rejoice. Glory to God. So oftentimes um when people are depressed, especially in uh uh Christian Dome, we often think about why is it me, or where were you, Lord? And on Wednesday we talked about how somebody can come uh to church, never miss a service, you're always um on the prayer call, and you are doing all the Christian things, but then again, you experience bouts of sorrow, you experience bouts of trouble. We saw in 2 Corinthians 2 and um verse uh no 2 Corinthians 1 from 8 to 9, we saw examples of people who were um who we even consider now as um spiritual spiritual leaders, let me say. Um people who have done things for the Lord, but they were also seasons where they felt the pressure of the world, or they felt a lot of pressure on them that it weighed them down. Let's let's look at um 2 Corinthians um 1 and verse 8. The Bible says, For we would not, brethren, uh, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength. Another translation says that more than we could even bear, um, in so much that we despaired even for life. Verse 9 says, But we had the sent, but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead. And I like verse 10 that says, God who delivered us from a great death and does deliver us, and in whom we trust that he will deliver us again. Amen. So we see that you being a Christian does not disqualify you from trouble, and oftentimes, if you do not have the right perspective of trouble, or if you do not have the right perspective when you are troubled, you can be depressed. You can experience extended um spells of sorrow. We talked about um depression, not depression, depression making you feel lonely, uh, depression making you feel like um you are alone. Amen. But we talked about that you are not alone. We have seen an example that there are some people that also experienced depression, but they came out, experienced great trouble, great sadness, but were able to overcome. Amen. And so that should also be our testimony. We are not um without hope. Somebody that is outside the church may be hopeless, but we are not without hope. Amen. So you are not on, and that was our title for last week, I mean for Wednesday, and we are saying that Jesus, regardless of the trouble, is with you. Hallelujah! We talked about um Psalm 139 from verse 11 to 12 um that highlights that um even when it is dark all around me, even when everything, even when the light has become darkness for me, God is still there with you. Can we shout hallelujah? Praise God. So if you were to give a title for my message today, and I know I have 15 minutes, but I believe God that I will be able to accomplish it. Um, it is no more sad. No more sad. And uh let's open first Samuel chapter 1. We'll read verse 7, verse 11, verse 15, um, and then verse 17 and 18. No more sad, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice, choir, you guys are rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Glory to God, and please, I hope I'm repeating this because I want it to be, I want it to be implanted in your heart. Uh, because after you leave church today, I want you to rejoice. I want you to I want that to be boaming out of your head and your heart that I am meant to rejoice, I am meant to enjoy life. God has given me all things to enjoy. Amen. So first Samuel um one and verse seven. May God bless media. Hallelujah. As he did, so as he did, so year by year, when she when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her. Therefore she wept and did not eat. Background. This is Hannah. Um, in relation with Penina. Penina had um there were co-wives, um, they were uh wives of El Kanah, I believe. Um, and the Bible says God had closed the womb of Hannah, and yet Penina was a flowing. Um she was giving birth left and right, and the Bible says that Penina um was mocking Hannah. I don't know about you, but there are certain situations that can mock you. Uh, maybe it is a job that you have been looking for, uh, or maybe it is a family situation. It is always a mockery to you. I looked at it. Let me give uh an illustration. I I think have girlfriends, right? Um, many women have girlfriends. So I was imagining that the grief that Hannah was experiencing was not just grief from uh Penina, but it was grief from Penina and her girlfriends. I think there was a mother's club somewhere during that time, and Hannah was being excluded from it. Um, we were talking on Wednesday that sometimes you look at your life and say that my mats have gone. It's okay to let your mats go. Amen. If they are going, let them go. I think on Wednesday I said that my mats have not gone. When I went back, the Lord was like, Really? Let them go. If they are going, let them go. You face your life, amen. Fest your own life. Glory to God, hallelujah. This one will work in the name of Jesus, amen. Praise God. So, a couple things that Hannah did. Um, in verse 11. How do you get out of a situation of depression? How can you get out of a situation of depression? In verse 11, we see, and she vowed a vow and said, Oh Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid and remember me and not forget your handmaid. But can somebody give me an NIV, please? But will give unto your handmaid a child, then I will give unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. Amen. So how do you get a how do you come from a place of where things and situations are mocking you? How do you get out of that place of depression? The Bible says of Hannah that she remembered God. She remembered God, she did not um alienate herself from God. We talked earlier on Wednesday that oftentimes what depression does, it makes you feel like there's no one that can understand what you're going through. Uh, this that you are all by yourself. And we saw that Elijah, when he was faced with uh great trouble in 1 Kings 19, I think it was 3 and 4, he separated himself from his servant and then went ahead and drove a BMW. If you are not part of my company, you will not understand that. But the last word of the W is whining. Amen. So if I tell you that you're driving a BMW, um, it's not a good word. I'm not complimenting you, I'm checking you. Stop whining. Anyway, uh, we saw in uh 1 Kings uh 19, 3 and 4, um Elijah separates himself from his servant and goes and he's like, kill me, oh Lord, let me die. But the Bible says of Hannah that she remembered the Lord, even though years and years and years, um, even though her sorrow um was extended, even though she had been in sorrowful for years and years, there came a time where she actually, all those years, she was going to the um house of worship, if I may call it. So she was still coming to church, um, she was still um giving offerings because the Bible says of Elkhana that El Kana uh every time they went up to to worship, El Kana would give portions um to uh Penina and to her children, but he would also give um, I think this the Bible says um he gave a double portion, like he gave twice as much to Hannah. So even though she was in a period of depression, she still came to church. Amen. Do not believe the devil that you are alone, amen. You are not alone. God is with you, and there are others around you that have perhaps overcome what you are going through. Amen. The Bible says in verse 15, so how do you come out of that state of depression? Number one, remember God, do not alienate yourself, do not um believe the lie that uh you are alone. Verse 15 says, Not so, my Lord, Hannah replied, I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer, I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Uh, verse 16 says, Do not take your servant for a wicked woman. I have been praying here out of the great anguish and grief. Uh, the Bible says she poured out her heart to the Lord. I remember the first time I came in contact with pouring out my heart is a friend of mine. Uh, we were back home in Uganda, and she was um, she's a poet, she's a lyricist. Um, she she does rap, and she's born again. I just thought I'd make that clear because we're in church. Um and um she's I saw some stuff that she was writing, and I asked her, How do you what are you writing? What are you um she had a notepad and she was writing things down. I asked her what's going on, and she's she said that that the conversations that she has with God, she writes them down. Um, she writes questions that she has for God, and then um she listens to her heart and she writes down answers, or she goes through scripture, and and that thing blessed me. Ever since then, I have been writing down. I actually wrote a book um with some of the stuff that I had been writing down. Amen. Um yeah, I'll tell you about it. It's on Amazon, you can go and get it. Um, and I think the book is titled Um Reflections of My Heart, something to that effect. Yeah, I think it is. Yeah. So anyway, she poured out her heart to God. The principle is God is not going to be offended by what you are going through, by you telling him, I am going through this, why is this happening? Why is that happening? As long as your heart is in the right place. Amen. As long as your heart is in the right place. The Bible says, Come, let us reason together. Bring your ideas, bring your thoughts, bring your feelings to me, and then let allow me to mold you. Amen. So, how do you get up out of the place of depression? You remember God, pour out your heart to him, and do not alienate yourself. Amen. Verse 17. The Bible says, Eli answered, or Eli, go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him. Can somebody say amen? So I'm telling you here, go in peace and may God answer your request in the name of Jesus. So Hannah got somebody to agree with her in prayer. Hannah found somebody that will agree with her in prayer. Instead of talking about about things and and and just talking for talk's sake, get Get with somebody that you can pray with. Amen. Get with somebody that you can pray with. And I believe that as you agree in prayer, you will see the answers that you're praying for. The Bible says that where two or three are gathered in his name, that is not a consolation for small churches or for small gatherings where you find that you are expecting hundreds and hundreds of people, and then you have just two or three people, and you're like, hey, where are two or three? No, that is a scriptural principle. Where two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord, he is there in the midst. Amen. And can I tell somebody that you are one and the word of God is another? And so if you gather with the word of God, God is there in your midst. Amen. But beyond the word of God, find somebody else. Amen. Find somebody that will agree with you in prayer. How do you get out of that state of depression? Find somebody that will agree with you. Um, and verse 18. This is where I was going. Um, she said, Okay, I actually want KJV for this one, please. Thank you. Glory to God. And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in your sight. So the woman went away. No, though so the woman went her way and did eat. Remember, before she wasn't eating, uh, before she was too sad to even eat. Jolov rice. Ghanaian Jolof. Hey, I have to go home. The Bible says that, and her countenance was no more sad. Hallelujah. I want to tell somebody that if you are believing God for something and you hear a word from God, whoo, the Bible says you have no reason to be sad again. Because it is the word of God that is going to carry you out of any situation that you're in. Amen. So, how do you come out of that place of depression? Number one, remember God, pour out your heart to him, find somebody to agree with you in prayer, and after agreement, the Bible says her affliction, I mean her countenance, was no more sad. And see, this is what's interesting. Hannah had spent years and years and years and years sad, going to the temple, going to the place of worship. It wasn't until the Bible says her countenance was no more sad, that verse 20 says, and through the course of time, can we get to verse 20? I want you to see it. Wherefore it came to pass when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, and she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. Can I tell somebody that if you are sad, if you keep being sad, things will remain bad. The Bible says, Philippians 4, verse 4, rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice. So when Hannah started rejoicing, when her countenance was no more sad, things started to turn around. And the Bible says that shortly after she conceived. The Bible says in Isaiah 12 and verse 3 as I close. So why is joy important? Isaiah 12, verse 3 says, Therefore, with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. Therefore, with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation. So God has already done everything that He needs to do, and salvation is available for you. We talked about depression being a weight, something weighing you down, keeping you from moving forward, keeping you from advancing, keeping you from being productive and doing what you need to do. But the Bible says that joy is what helps you draw from what God has done. Amen. Salvation can be financial breakthrough. Salvation can be emotional stability. Amen. Joy is what draws it out. As long as you are still sad, you won't be able to focus right. You won't be able to see what you need to see so that you can get what you need to get. Amen. But the Bible says that joy will help you draw out what God has prepared for you. So as I close, how do you come out of that pit of depression? And again, I'm talking primarily about situational depression and masked depression. And situational depression is things maybe you were you had applied for a job or something and you were rejected, or maybe you failed at something, you had a test that you were studying for, you failed at it, and then your heart becomes sorrowful for extended periods of time. Amen. Or sometimes, especially in church, we often want to put on a face. She was able to recognize that this guy is going down in productivity, he's not as excited about this, he's not as excited about that. And she was able to call me out. Amen. We talked about depression. This is when it's and I'm closing. I've closed, I've finished, I've closed. But why it is important even to talk about this, we talked about depression. Um when you look at the life of poor and the troubles that they experienced. We talked about the concept of depression. Um statistically, I I read some um, I was looking at something online, and they were saying that about 16.7 million adults in the United States have at least experienced a bout of depression once a year. So it doesn't matter where you are, whether you are on the street homeless or you are living um in Buckingham Palace, if you do not if you do not pay attention, it's easy for you to be depressed. And who is responsible? Who is responsible for depression? Thank you. The devil is responsible for depression. And don't overthink it. The Bible says John 10 10, the thief comes only to kill, or only to steal, to kill, and to destroy. So everything that you go through, every evil thing, or every bad thing, or every manifestation of theft in your life, whether it's emotionally or whatever, it is down to the devil. Amen. So do not look at Jesus or do not look at God and ask why. Stand with God and speak against the devil. Can we rejoice in the name of Jesus? Hallelujah!