Christ As Healer- Helplessness and Hopelessness

CHRIST AS HEALER

Helplessness and Hopelessness

Acts 9:1-19a

Opening Prayer: Father, take me to the place where I am helpless and hopeless apart from You so I can know You as my All in all, my Perfect Provider.   Blind me by the light of Your love and make me wholly devoted to You.  I love You, Lord.  My life is in Your hands.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen. 

DRAMATIC LIVES 

When we receive Christ as our personal Savior, there is an exhilaration and peace that strengthens us in the beginning stages of our walk with Him.  However, as we grow in Him, our fellowship deepens and intimacy begins, changing our worldly lives into dramatic lives that are blessed by and used by the Lord in awesome ways.  Such was the experience of Saul, later known as Paul, and this can be our experience as well.  As we seek the Lord more deeply, He changes our simple walk with Him into a faith-filled journey that gets better, deeper, and richer every day.  By spending daily time with Him in His Word and in prayer, we are transformed by the power of His Holy Spirit into spiritual giants who are used mightily by the Lord.  We too can live the life of a Saul turned Paul. 

In what ways has the Lord changed your life recently?  

Consider these scriptures about dramatic changes in Christ:

Hebrews 4:12 

Acts 22:3-5

Acts 23:6

Psalm 51:17 

Colossians 3:2

Colossians 2:6 

Ephesians 4:1-2

Philippians 1:21

Philippians 3:16 

Colossians 1:10 

I Peter 2:16 

I John 4:13 

OUR PLACE OF HELPLESSNESS AND HOPELESSNESS 

In times of helplessness and hopelessness the Lord draws us closer as we enter His rest and seek His face.  No longer is He a distant, impersonal God but is now our up close and intimate God, the Source of all things, our Best Friend, and our closest Companion.  He becomes our All in all, the only One we truly need.  It is during these times that He prepares us for the tasks that He has chosen us to do, as we become less and He becomes more within us. Because our training is rigorous but necessary, we hang on to Him with greater tenacity, desiring all He has to give us, for we will need it all in the tasks that lie ahead. 

Where is your place of helplessness and hopelessness?  What task has He chosen for you to do during your time in this world?  As you abandon yourself to Him and begin the greatest adventure of your life, do it all for His glory. 

Consider these scriptures about preparation:

John 3:30

Romans 9:21 

James 4:8 

Jeremiah 29:13

Ephesians 2:10

Psalm 62:7 

Hosea 10:13

Jeremiah 17:5

Galatians 3:18 

Psalm 138:8 

THE BEGINNING 

Like Saul, our wholly devoted life to the Lord only begins when we receive Christ as our personal Savior.  Our adventuresome walk with the Lord commences quickly and grows day by day.  As we grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His light shines through us into the lives of others, drawing them to Him because it is all about Him!

From the time of your salvation choose to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and witness the transformation of your life in Him from a mild, self-serving life into a bold, yet humbled, life of service and servanthood to your Risen Savior.  Nurture an ever increasing intimacy with Him, because it will be more and greater than your eye can see, your ear can hear, or your mind can conceive.  

Consider these scriptures about our transformed walk with the Lord:

Luke 1:37 

I Corinthians 2:9 

Habakkuk 1:5 

Joshua 24:15 

II Peter 3:18 

Job 8:7 

Jeremiah 29:11 

Revelation 21:6

Revelation 22:3 

II Thessalonians 2:13 

I Timothy 1:9 

Colossians 1:15-18

I Timothy 4:11-16

REFLECTING ON GOD’S WORD- What does each scripture say to you? 

Matthew 19:26 

Deuteronomy 31:8 

Joshua 1:5 

II Chronicles 31:21 

I Chronicles 29:9 

Joshua 14:8-9

II Chronicles 19:9 

Romans 6:17-18 

Closing Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your good plan for my life.  I abandon myself and all to You so that Your will is done for my life.  Make me a noble vessel for Your use as You continue to grow up me in the grace and the knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I choose You, Lord, above all else and I will serve You with my whole heart all the days of my life.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen. 

Christ As Healer- Brokenness

CHRIST AS HEALER 

Brokenness 

John 20:24-29

Opening Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for my failure to believe.  I praise You for Who You are as my Lord and my Master.  Continue Your work in me so that I may become more like You.  Break me, mold me, and make me into the noble vessel that seems best to You.  I am Yours to refine according to Your will.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen. 

DOUBTING THOMAS

How many times we are like Thomas!  Despite the blessings and the manifestations of Christ’s power, mercy, and grace, we continue to choose unbelief.  Although He shows us, teaches us, and reveals His plans to us, we still do not believe.  How humbled we are when He is patient and longsuffering with us while gently but firmly showing us what we need so that we may believe.  As He challenges us to believe so that we can receive His best, we become less and can say thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We believe because He has helped us overcome our unbelief.  

Remember a time when you were confronted by the Lord with your unbelief and were then healed by Him.  What did you learn about the Lord and how was your relationship with Him changed through this encounter?

Consider these scriptures about being molded by God:

Philippians 2:17 

Jeremiah 18:3-4, 6 

Malachi 3:3 

Job 23:10 

Daniel 3:17-18, 25-27

II Chronicles 20:12, 17 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 18:20 

Isaiah 36:5 

Psalm 62:8 

Isaiah 56:4-5

Isaiah 54:5 

OUR NEED FOR BROKENNESS

Brokenness is God’s tool to deliver us from the hindrances that inhibit our greater intimacy with Him, for self-confidence says “I don’t need God”, idolatry puts other things before Him in our lives, self-sufficiency declares “God, I can handle this one”, pride keeps us puffed up and unrepentant, the vices of this world act as obstacles to our fellowship with Him, and addictions paralyze us in our walk with Him.  As God calls us to lay aside these hindrances to knowing Him in a deeper way, we are to surrender all to Him unconditionally, for His remedies lead to health, wholeness and freedom in Him. 

What hindrance to greater intimacy with the Lord has crept into your life?  Give it to Him and praise Him for His deliverance. 

Consider these scriptures about brokenness:

Psalm 20:7 

Philippians 3:8 

Matthew 6:33 

John 15:5 

Proverbs 11:22 

James 4:4 

Ephesians 4:27

John 10:10 

Hebrews 12:1-5

II Corinthians 4:7-12, 16-18

Psalm 51:17

Micah 1:7

YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE BROKEN 

Jesus once asked an invalid this question- “Do you want to get well?”  He asks the same question of you.  Do you want to get well?  Are you willing to be broken so that you may be healed?  Are you willing to do what is required for your healing?  If you are, then  surrender all to the One Who loves you with an everlasting love and gave His life for you.  The choice, as always, is up to you. 

If it is your desire to be broken and healed, write Matthew 6:10 below and surrender all to the Lord.  Declare your willingness to be broken and spilled out for love of your Savior.  Abandon yourself and all to Him and His ways. 

Consider these scriptures about God’s faithfulness and your choice:

Joshua 24:15 

I Thessalonians 5:24 

Psalm 37:5

Job 42:2

Jeremiah 32:17 

Genesis 18:14 

Psalm 72:8 

Joshua 1:5 

Exodus 15:26 

I Peter 4:3 

James 4:4-7

II Samuel 15:15

REFLECTING ON GOD’S WORD- What does each scripture say to you?

John 3:30 

Philippians 4:13, 19

Ephesians 3:20-21

Hebrews 13:5 

Psalm 42:8 

Jeremiah 33:3 

Lamentations 3:22-23

Psalm 34:18

Psalm 109:21 

II Corinthians 7:6-7

Isaiah 49:13 

Isaiah 51:3 

Closing Prayer: I am broken before You, dear Lord, as I have surrendered all to You.  Do with me whatever You think is good and right, whatever pleases You.  Make me more like Jesus.  In His Name I pray.  Amen.  

Christ As Healer- Your Identity in Christ

CHRIST AS HEALER 

Your Identity in Christ 

Mark 5:1-20

Opening Prayer: Teach me, Lord, who I am in Christ and how to resist the Enemy.  Take away my misconceptions and fill me with Your Truth as You empower me to walk in the light of that truth and in the authority You have given me to overcome the schemes of the Enemy that come against me.  By Your grace I will walk in the victory You have already given me because I belong to You.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen. 

THE BATTLE OF THE MIND 

The spiritual battlefield is in the mind of the believer.  Because of this, our obedience and continual surrender to the Lord is paramount in our walk with Him.  So that we do not give the Enemy a foothold in our lives, we set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.  We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and we stand firm in Him for He is our Protector, Guide, Deliverer, and Healer for the wounds we daily incur.  Because of Him, we can overcome the attacks of the Enemy every time.  He is faithful even when we are not and we can trust Him at all times.  

Though the battle rages against us, it is always won as we seek, trust, and obey the Lord.  Since no weapon forged against us will prevail, we need not fear but only believe, trust, and obey our Risen Savior.  Because He has overcome the world, the battle and victory belong to Him.

Consider these scriptures concerning the battle of the mind:

Ephesians 4:27

Colossians 3:2 

Hebrews 12:2

Matthew 6:13 

John 17:15

I Corinthians 15:58 

Isaiah 54:17 

John 10:10 

John 16:33 

Romans 8:37 

I John 5:5 

Revelation 12:11 

Isaiah 46:8 

Lamentations 3:21-23

Ask the Lord to reveal where the Enemy is attacking your mind.  Thank Him for revealing His Truth among the Enemy’s lies.

THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the full armor of God given to all Christians at salvation so that we are enabled to withstand the schemes of the Enemy in our lives.  By daily putting on and implementing the armor, we can recognize and overcome the temptations of our adversary who seeks to steal, kill and destroy us and our testimonies.  It is our battle gear in the fight against the Enemy’s intrusions in to our lives and consists of the following:

The belt of Truth- His holiness 

The breastplate of righteousness- a life of holiness 

Shoes of the gospel of peace- the gospel of Christ

Helmet of salvation- Christ as our Savior 

Shield of faith- believing Christ and His Word 

Sword of the Spirit- the Word of God 

Prayer- our hotline to the Lord for everything

When we put on the full armor of God each morning as our day begins, we are fully equipped to walk in victory day by day. 

Consider these scriptures concerning the spiritual battle:

Job 1-2

Ephesians 6:12 

II Corinthians 10:3-4

II Chronicles 20:15

Psalm 72:8 

John 3:31 

Colossians 1:16-17

James 4:7-8a

Exodus 14:13-14

II Chronicles 20:17

Re-read II Chronicles 20:15.  Thank God that your battle also belongs to Him.  Surrender it to Him now.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST 

Most Christians live with a misconstrued view of who they are in Christ.  Because of this, they walk in darkness and defeat, instead of the light and victory they have already been given in Christ.  However, the Word of God is clear about our position in Him once we have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  As we understand more about our identity in Christ, the more victoriously we will live.

Consider these scriptures about your identity in Christ:

Isaiah 43:4

Romans 8:37 

John 3:16 

Philippians 1:1 

Philippians 4:13 

Jeremiah 31:3 

Philippians 4:19

Romans 5:1 

Romans 5:8

Romans 5:6

Ephesians 4:32

Colossians 1:13 

Hebrews 13:5-6

Philippians 3:9 

I John 4:4 

I Corinthians 4:1

Galatians 2:20 

II Corinthians 5:20

I Corinthians 3:16 

I Corinthians 6:19 

I John 3:1 

Which of these identities in Christ means the most to you right now?  Praise the Lord for who you are in Him.

REFLECTING ON GOD’S WORD- What does each scripture say to you?

James 2:19

John 8:44 

Philippians 2:5 (New King James Version)

Philippians 4:8 

I Corinthians 13 

John 14:27 

Closing Prayer: Lord, may the mind of Christ dwell richly in me.  I praise You as my Protector, Warrior, Defender, and Victor.  By Your grace I will walk in Your victory won for me through Christ.  May I live in the light of who I am in Christ so that others will be drawn to You.  In His holy Name I pray.  Amen.

Christ As Healer- Salvation

CHRIST AS HEALER 

Salvation

Mark 1:21-28

Opening Prayer: Lord, it is by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we are brought to salvation.  As Your child I desire to be Your instrument to share the good news of Your salvation with others.  May my words be Your words as I speak Your Truth to those who still need Christ.  Use me, Lord God, to plant or water Your seeds in the unrepentant hearts of those who so desperately need You.  Bring them to Jesus, Lord.  Thank You for the privilege of sharing the greatest news ever heard.  Use it all for Your glory.  In Christ Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.  

UNBELIEVERS IN THE CONGREGATION

Not all who attend church services are believers in Jesus Christ.  There are those who sit in the pews, unaware that they do not have the Spirit of God indwelling them and wondering why they feel so empty inside.  Most do not know their lost estate but sit there knowing that something is missing in their lives, uncertain what it is.  As Christians we are to be Christ’s ambassadors to them, allowing Him to live through us, so that Christ will become irresistible to those who still need Him.

Welcome all who enter the doors of the church building and be willing to share the gospel with them when led by the Holy Spirit.  What an honor and a privilege to serve the Lord in this way.  As we follow His promptings to tell that glorious, old story that brings peace and joy to the lives of all who receive His gift of salvation through faith, lives are changed for all eternity.  The glory is all His when we share, for it is still His work, not ours.   

Consider these scriptures about unbelievers and our witness to them:

Matthew 7:21-23

Matthew 17:8 

Romans 12:14, 16a, 17-21

I Corinthians 3:6-8

I Corinthians 9:16

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

Although the truth of eternal salvation through Christ is not always welcomed by those who sit within the walls of the church and believe they are reconciled with the Lord because of their presence there, it is our delight to speak God’s Truth in love and, as is possible, to live in peace with them.  Standing firm in His Truth, we share belief in Christ and His atonement for our sins on the cross as the only Way to return to fellowship with the Father, speaking as the Holy Spirit leads us and leaving the results to God.  He will complete the work of salvation, not us.  Once again the glory is all His.  

Consider these scriptures about speaking the truth in love:

I Corinthians 13:4-8a

Romans 12:18 

Ephesians 4:15 

I Corinthians 15:58 

Ephesians 4:11-13

PRAYERS FOR THE UNSAVED

List those whom you believe still need to receive Christ as their personal Savior.  Pray daily for them and seek the Lord for His wisdom and guidance in sharing the gospel with each of them.  Follow where He leads and give Him all the glory. 

Consider these scriptures about salvation:

John 3:16 

Romans 3:23 

Romans 5:8 

Romans 6:23 

John 14:6 

Romans 10:9-10

Ephesians 2:8-9 

I Peter 3:9 

REFLECTING ON GOD’S WORD- What does each scripture say to you?

I Corinthians 15:50 

I Corinthians 6:9-11

Luke 18:17 

John 3:1-21 

Colossians 1:13-14 

II Peter 1:11 

Ephesians 5:20 

Closing Prayer: Lord, I pray for _______________.  They need Jesus.  Please unleash your Holy Spirit into their lives and bring to a saving relationship with You through your Son Jesus Christ.  Tell them how much You love them and how You showed that love on the cross.  Lord, use me, if You desire, to share the good news with them.  Order their steps in Your Word so that Your will is done and You are mightily glorified.  I abandon them to You, Father.  In Christ’s Name I pray.  Amen.