Life in the blood and the Way out of depression. Pretty looong:)

What makes bones juicy? An abundance of marrow of course! Whenever my mom killed and cooked chicken when I was younger, my uncles and two older siblings got fleshy parts while we younger kids had to be content with bony wings and scrawny feet:) I remember sucking out the marrow from the chicken bones. 

Bone marrow keeps us alive and healthy. It produces red blood cells that transport oxygen/gets rid of carbon-dioxide. It also produces platelets that trigger blood clotting so we don't bleed out and die from even tiny cuts and different types of white blood cells that help the body fight infections. The bone marrow produces what God's word says is where the life of every living thing is: Leviticus 17:11-

"The life of every living thing is in the blood, and that is why the Lord has commanded that all blood be poured out on the altar to take away the people's sins. Blood, which is life, takes away sins."

What do all of these have to do with depression and the believer's health and wholeness today? Science and God's word are not separate. I believe that Science is simply God's revelation of or a glimpse of understanding into His wonderful works that He allows man to have. For instance, long before scientists found out about gravity and thought that the earth rested on a solid base, Job wrote:

"He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing." Job 26:7.

The laws given to the Israelites e.g that concerning human waste disposal in their camp didn't seem to make any sense until science "discovered" disease-causing micro-organisms that can't be seen with the naked eye. As recently as the 1800s, surgeons would go from unhygenic pit toilets to theatres with blood and pus encrusted operating tables, all without washing their hands and so on, passing germs from fecal matter to their patients! When a particular doctor made the connection between germs and post-operation infection in the mid 1800s, some resisted the directive to wash their hands pre-operation because they did not believe that they were transmitting diseases to their patients!

God's word says blood is life but less that 200 years ago, doctors would try to help a person with a cold or other infection recover by slashing their veins so that "bad blood" can drain away. No one knew that they were draining the life out of the patient:) So much more.

Back to health and wholeness and bone marrow. Prov. 17:22 says: "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” 

Dry bones are lacking in moisture and marrow. Here, the available bone marrow is unable to keep up with its owners' need for healthy blood cells. This could lead to problems including irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs), an enlarged heart, heart failure, a myriad of infections and bleeding, even death. No one wants to be here as there is no lifehere, only sickness and weakness. 

We see from Prov. 17:22 that "...a broken spirit dries up the bones." But how is a person's spirit broken? See this in Proverbs 15:13- 

"A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken."

The GW translation puts it thus: "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but with a heartache comes depression."

The owner of a broken spirit suffers from depression. Such battle sorrow of the heart, heartache and plenty anxiety and panic attacks for reasons that many cannot understand. Proverbs 12:25 says:

"Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad."

See the TPT: "Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart."

So we see a trend here:

1. Anxious fears lead to depression or a broken spirit.

2. A broken spirit/depression causes the bones to dry (not enough marrow) which subsequently causes a host of illnesses.

The root of this "dry bones" problem that causes sickness and death seems to be anxious fears that lead to depression. Many doctors will tell you that anxiety leads to depression. I spent almost 3 years going in and out of hospitals and dealing with so many symptoms in my body that my doctor got me to see a neurologist who told me that my illnesses were psychosomatic aka "caused or aggravated by a mental factor such as internal conflict or stress." One thing marked that entire period for me- I was very fearful that God was punishing me or was about to punish me for my sins! All of this when Christ died to save me from my sins!

But what causes anxious fears? What makes one afraid that something bad will happen to him or his family? What makes people fearful so much that they get depressed, have panic attacks and feel that "the shoe is about to drop?" We see this in 1 John 4-

17 "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us."

See the TPT: "18 Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. 19 Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us."

See the perfect expression of God's love for us at the cross: 1 John 4:-  9 "God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

In the period that I experienced anxiety, panic attacks and illness, I was trying so hard to obey the law to get right with God (an effort in futility according to Romans 3:20) and totally engrossed with righting my wrongs like Judas:) 

Anxious fears that lead to depression or a broken spirit, which subsequently "dries up the bones," are a result of dreading impending punishment for wrongdoing, sins and unrighteousness; even things like sending the wrong e-mail to a superior can trigger the beginnings of anxiety that leads to depression in some people. Its a tool that Satan uses to gradually wear down his prey. Satan the accuser accuses sinners of wrongdoing, and usually on a legal basis. But all have sinned; even the holiest "Daddy in the Lord" stands condemned if his righteousness comes from his own ability to obey the law. 

The law condemns the best of us so Satan's ministers are actively preaching obedience to the Ten Commandments as the way to be righteous in God's sight. All who try to obey the law in a bid to be godly stand CONDEMNED, "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." Romans 3:20.

The root cause of all fear, anxiety, sickness, lack and all earthly ills is condemnation. Only the condemned can expect to be punished, just as it is in any earthly court of law. The righteous go free and have no reason to fear. Here's the great part: In Christ, God sees us as righteous through and through, and not because we obeyed the law or did anything to deserve it. See Romans 5:9-

"And there is still much more to say of His unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in My sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God."

But Satan through his ministers tries to move the believer from his position of righteousness by faith in Christ to trying to obey the law to be godly. Here, sin has dominion (Romans 6:14) and the curse of the law comes into effect; Galatians 3:10- 

"But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law."" 

No one can keep all. All who try fail and so are always on their toes, fearful of bad things happening because of their sins and imperfections and always anticipating punishment. This is what causes depression.  

But Romans 8:1 says of ALL who are in Christ- "Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]."

Where there is no condemnation, there is no fearful expectation of judgment or punishment; no anxious fears that lead to depression/broken spirit and so no broken spirit that causes the bones to be marrowless. Only Good News that nourishes the bones. See Proverbs 15:30-

"The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones."

Believer, see the Good News about Christ that brings salvation in every facet of life: Romans 1:

16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”"

And this is how God makes us right in His sight- Romans 3:

"26...for He himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."

You can't live free of anxious fears that cause depression unless you know how much God loves you- so much that He gave His own Son to free us from guilt and condemnation for our sins, making us righteous in His sight. Romans 5:16 says: 

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins."

Our sins or lack of them cannot do or undo our righteousness in Christ because we did nothing to earn it to begin with. Only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death-

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.

Believer, believe right. If our freedom from sins and punishment depended on what we must do, we will never be free from anxiety and fear of punishment. There will always be something to worry about and something to do to avert disaster. This is not the rest that is promised in Christ.

Proverbs 3:7-8 says: "Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones."

But who, by human effort, can turn entirely away from evil? Psalm 130:3 says of God: "If You kept a record of our sins, who could escape being condemned?"

The only reason why we are not committing particular sins is because we have not been tempted beyond what we can bear in those areas. Believer, we are and can do nothing without Christ. In Him, God sees us as righteous through and through. Only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death...and through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17.)

By grace, let's keep on seeing ourselves as our heavenly Father sees us: Righteous through and through. "It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones." Life and life more abundant in Christ. 

Believe Right and you will Live Right.