There is a spirit of heaviness loose in America today. It is infecting much of the Body of Christ.

-There is a spirit of heaviness over the financial arena.

-There is a spirit of heaviness in relationships.

-There is a spirit of heaviness because of fear of the future.

-There is a spirit of heaviness that causes depression upon many believers because of their circumstances.

But we must ask ourselves, “What does the Bible say,” and “what are believers to do when a spirit of heaviness tries to impact us?”

Isaiah 61:1-3

“1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” KJV

VS. 3 – This verse tells us that the Lord will “appoint” some things for those who “mourn” or for those who have a spirit of heaviness in Zion.

Zion is the Church, the Body of Christ.

MOURNING in this verse refers to both death, calamity and various troubles.

APPOINT = to place or set as permanent.

The Lord has placed some things permanently within the Church that we will need in times of mourning, calamity, and various troubles. And those things which He has placed in the Church are essential when a spirit of heaviness tries to attach itself to you and me.

Nehemiah 2:1-2

“1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid…” KJV

There is a proper protocol in approaching the king. For example, you were never to approach the king with a sad countenance, or with a spirit of heaviness.

VS. 2 – The reason Nehemiah was “sore afraid” was because being sad in the king’s presence could cost you your life.

Even today if you went to meet the President of the United States an aide would meet with you and provide you with items of the proper protocol when being in the President’s presence and when speaking to him.

Here is another example of proper protocol that we find in the book of Esther.

Esther 4:1-2

“1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.” KJV

Mordecai and the Jews received a death warrant because of a twisted law that the king passed under deceitful counsel. Yet even in a miserable situation such as this, Mordecai knew that he was not allowed to even pass the king’s gate wearing sackcloth and ashes – or a spirit of heaviness.

COMING BEFORE THE LORD PROPERLY 

Psalm 100:1-5

“1 A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” KJV

This is the proper protocol when coming before the Lord, the King of kings. We are to enter into His presence with THANKSGIVING and into His courts with PRAISE.

This is the Law of God for approaching Him.

Too many Christians have come before the Lord wearing their spirit of heaviness, having more confidence in what the devil is doing and saying than in what the Lord is doing and saying.

You see, when your focus is on what your circumstances are saying, what people are saying, and what the devil is saying, you’ll have no joy whatsoever. Instead you will be weighted down with a evil spirit of heaviness.

Isaiah 35:10

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” KJV

This is the way we come into the presence of the Lord.

Notice that the spirit of heaviness that was on us like a cloak has to flee away when we come before the Lord with proper protocol.

Jeremiah 31:11-17

“11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. 12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. 13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. 14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD. 15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. 17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” KJV

We are to come to church singing and flow together in the goodness of the Lord.

VSS. 16 & 17 – If we refrain our voice from weeping and put off from us the spirit of heaviness: 

• our work will be rewarded

• We will be delivered from the hand of the enemy

• Our future will be bright

• Our children will return to the Kingdom of God

THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE 

Hebrews 13:15

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” KJV

When the hurt is intense in your life you don’t want to praise the Lord. I know that because I’ve been there. But that is why it is a SACRIFICE of praise that we offer unto God.

We are to offer this sacrifice of praise continually. We are to cloak ourselves with praise instead of being cloaked with a spirit of heaviness.

DELIVERANCE AND RESTORATION

Jonah 2:9-10

“9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. 10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” KJV

When Jonah offered a sacrifice of praise the Lord spoke and the fish vomited him up. When you and I offer a sacrifice of praise the Lord will demand that the devil release us from every bondage, every sickness, every fear and every form of lack.

Jeremiah 33:11

“The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.” KJV

When you bring the sacrifice of praise into the House of the Lord you are operating with proper protocol. And the Lord says that He will cause restoration to take place in your life because you do. So then that which the enemy has stolen or damaged in your life will be completely restored!

WITH THE SPIRIT – WITH UNDERSTANDING 

1 Corinthians 14:14-15

“14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” KJV

We need to be continually offering the sacrifice of praise to God both singing with our understanding as well as singing in tongues. This is God’s way. 

What you need right now is time in the presence of God. But come before His presence with proper protocol and watch how things begin to turn around in your life.