Psalm 31:23-24
23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Joel 3:16b
…but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
‘Defining the Desperate’
- The desperate feel HOPELESS
- The desperate feel HELPLESS
- The desperate feel HAPLESS
How Does God heal the Hopeless Heart?
GOD has other PEOPLE just like you.
1 Corinthians 1:8
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:9
1 Corinthians 1:8 AMP
….that we despaired even of life [itself].
Despair is the utter absence of any sense of hope, accompanied by a feeling of powerlessness. It looks at the world, notes its emptiness and concludes that life is not worth it. Despair leads to resignation and possibly even to suicide.
Dan Allender
“For more than a week I was close to the gates of death and hell. I trembled in all my members. Christ was wholly lost to me ….The content of the depressions was always the same, the loss of faith that God is good and that He is good to me.”
Martin Luther
“I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go through.”
…..I’ve got the blackest heart in Britain.”
Charles Spurgeon
He Sends us Hope Helpers
2 Corinthians 1:23-24
23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2 Corinthians 7:4-6
4 … I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. 5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2 Corinthians 7:7 NASB
7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
He Comforts us with the Scriptures
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
He Ministers to our REAL problem.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9
8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
In His Time He always Delivers!
2 Corinthians 1:10
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that HE WILL YET DELIVER US;
He Offers Hope to all who are Living!
Ecclesiastes 9:4
4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Psalm 103:6 MSG
6GOD makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet.