Robin Williams, Depression and Deliverance Ministry

The day after Robin’s sudden and tragic demise, we were contacted by a Christian radio station and invited to be on a drive time show to talk about depression.

Neither Phyllis’ nor my schedule would permit it, but I’ve spent some time musing on what I might have said. When a beloved comedian sees death as the best option, people want to understand what happened and how it could have been avoided.

More details will surely emerge, but Williams had been candid in the past about his struggles with addictions. Initial reports claim that he was also very depressed.  How, people wonder, can someone with so many perceived blessings and gifts take the path he did? I read one account where the writer opined that his eyes always looked so sad. Other accounts referred to Robin and “his demons”.

Many in the secular humanist realm contend that depression is a disease that people are powerless to avoid. They are looking for an organic cause. The medical profession comes up with diagnoses and treatments (medications primarily) with minimal focus on what goes on between a person’s ears.

As Christians, we must view incidents like this through the lens of biblical teachings and from the standpoint of Christ’s finished work on the cross.

I do not know where Robin Williams stood with Christ, but I pray that he knew Him. Receiving the gift of eternal life is an important starting point for everyone. We can have the hope of eternal fellowship with God and, as we begin the journey, a blessed, abundant life here on earth (John 10:10). Joy is one fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:6) that is to be evident in a Christian’s life.

Depression: A Tormenting Spirit

Sadly, many born-again, Spirit-filled believers are tormented by depression also. There are no pat answers or directives, but some part of the promises of God are missing if a person is bound up in depression. Coming to a saving faith in Christ sets us on the road to life but does not instantly remove every problem and issue a person has been facing.

I submit that torment that is so deep as to drive a person to suicide has spiritual, not medical roots.

It is not God’s will that for people to be bound up that way; Jesus came to set the captives free.  Psychotropic medications are band aids at best, provide limited, temporary relief, and most people understand that. They do not enjoy the side effects either. Christians who pursue that path should not be belittled; they are looking for healing and wholeness, and we want it for them.

Competent pastors and Christian counselors labor to help people get free from depression. There are no easy or pat answers but there are some wonderful resources and teachings in the Body of Christ. However, one biblical solution is frequently ignored: deliverance from a spirit of depression.

As counselors and deliverance ministers, we have help counsel people about depression and also seen them delivered from demonic spirits. Our website contains testimonies from many who have gained freedom in this area, and other deliverance ministries attest to similar results.

There are many open doors for depression and a spirit of rejection at work is very common. As part of the progression, other spirits, including addiction (such as Williams faced), can enter in also.  They work together to complete their plan for a person’s life, which is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).

There are not demons behind every tree and some people who might claim to be depressed need to get their lives straightened out.  They should become part of a healthy, Spirit-filled, bible-believing, Word-preaching church so they can learn how to build a relationship with Jesus. They need help and discipling to get their thought life in line with God’s word, learn how to take thoughts captive and how to walk in faith. For many in this situation, counsel, teaching and resources can be helpful.

If someone is trying to walk the walk as outlined in the previous paragraph and is not able to sustain lasting freedom, this is an indicator (not proof) of one or more demonic strongholds, including a spirit of depression. If there are demonic strongholds present in a person’s soul, the solution is deliverance from them. Period. Some may get sovereignly delivered while others need to receive competent deliverance minsitry.

The secular press will never address the option of deliverance ministry. Unfortunately, it will not be offered by many churches either because they do not think it is necessary or for today, or that is necessary for believers. Fortunately both views are changing.

We were proud to be part of a recent TV show, “Fighting Satan,” done by Lisa Ling that focused on how deliverance ministries were helping people address emotional issues. The ministry of deliverance is gaining more visibility and popularity, and this is an encouraging trend.

I hope that Robin Williams is in heaven. I believe his life was cut short by demonic torment and that he did not have the revelation, knowledge or strength to make a different choice. The demons won a battle but I hope they did not get the victory for his soul.

If you, or someone you know, are battling depression, I strongly encourage you to seek spiritual rather than medical solutions only.

I’m not sure how much of this I would have had a chance to get out on the air, but I would really like to hear your thoughts on this whole issue, as it relates to Robin Williams, your family, friends or you!