Welcome to Vlad's Subject podcast. Our mission at Vladimir Subject Ministries is to reach the world globally and disciple them digitally. Let's dive into this episode.

Well, what I want to actually speak to you today is I want to deal with the topic of discouragement,

burnout, personal powerlessness, also maybe a sense of extreme sadness. Perhaps you are dealing with feeling all alone, depressed, hopelessness, helplessness, despondent,

and just even loss of meaning and enthusiasm for life.

Now, for those of us who are doing a fast-for challenge,

some of these feelings can come and go, especially when you're fasting.

But I want to deal with those that these things didn't come just because you haven't been eating.

But it's been kind of the state of your mood, mental state, for some time.

This happened to a guy in the Bible named Elijah. He experienced very heavy,

what some people would call it today, actually depression. He experienced feelings of not wanting

to live anymore. This happened to Charles Spurgeon. He was given to periods of depression.

History tells us that there were times that Spurgeon would be so depressed,

he would refuse to leave his own home to go to church.

On one occasion, his deacons had to come and physically carry the pastor to the pulpit.

This issues also Winston Churchill said, depression falls carry the pastor to the pulpit.

This issues also Winston Churchill said,

depression followed me around like a black dog

all of my life.

A young lawyer in 1800s suffered with such a deep depression

that his friends did everything they could

to keep all razors and knives away from him.

He wrote these words,

...