1 Thessalonians 1:1-10: Does your life show evidence of faith? When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus. Rest assured, God is on your side and you have nothing to fear. “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. And it turned out that way, as you well know” (v. 4). You are never alone no matter how you may feel. But you can control how you respond—in faith or unbelief, in humility or arrogance, in forgiveness or in anger, in hope or in despair. Explanatory note: the following Scriptures are not presented in “sermon” format. James 1:12 ~ Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. I have turned to the Bible many times when looking for support and hope, and I always found what I needed. I received a note from someone who found her way back to God after a long time in the wilderness: I felt I should tell you a little bit of a story in hopes it might help someone else. Revelation 3:7-13: Feeling overwhelmed or anxious? And those who are following ever so close to him. Know that you are not alone even though things may seem dark and overwhelming right now, and you may feel unsure of what’s coming next. They were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. The word of God is used to defend. Your life, actions, and words have power and purpose. 1 Peter 4:7-11: You are unique and God has a plan for you, but your days are limited. David, Paul, and Jesus each command us not to fret, not to worry. This short message from the heart is for you. Michael Thacker. Failure—yes. In the first four verses of Ps. Why? She then adds this P.S. Whatever you're experiencing, Jesus knows, and He’s able to deliver you. Genesis 50:19-20: The story of Joseph is a story of bad things happening to a good person. It shows you how you’re not alone, even if things seem overwhelming or you feel unsure of what’s coming next. Has duty, religious obligation, or hard work replaced your love for Jesus? It reminds us again that we grow stronger as we lean on each other. Paul Washer is founder of the HeartCry Missionary Society. He is all powerful, all knowing, and ever-present. Let the light of the Gospel shine in your heart. Mark 15:22-27, 33-37: If you’re facing an impossible situation or you’re just tired of the constant flow of bad news, this message is for you! He worried that under pressure these new Christians would crumble and give up on God. Listen to the Spirit of God and press in. 5. He is the final authority. Joyce Meyer - Encouragement in Difficult Times. Encouragement in Difficult Times | Everyday Answers - Joyce Meyer. Ephesians 1:15-16; 3:1; 3:13-21: Be encouraged! Even some mature Christians react this way, as evidenced by Paul’s words of reassurance to Timothy many years later. Living by the truths in this message will enable you to enjoy God’s peace while those in this world panic. I am so thankful that I am a child of the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed in the Spirit. Dear congregation, Have you ever noticed that sometimes trouble comes in batches? I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless” (v. 5). In my office we quoted Bible verses together. Faith in God’s Power—that he can deliver us from every temptation. Under pressure we begin to give in to bad habits, wrong attitudes, and then we begin the long slide in the wrong direction. Heartache—yes. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright © 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. When you find yourself in a valley or some dark place, such as a sickness or feeling depressed, a spiritual attack or a loss of some kind, it’s not the place you find yourself in that is important so much as the one who is with you. No, in the midst of the storm, I do not have to worry about my salvation, and for that I praise you, God. It shows you how you’re not alone, even if things seem overwhelming or you feel unsure of what’s coming next. In fact, a form of this word, parakletos is used for the Holy Spirit. We can chose to experience encouragement, joy, peace, confidence, faith and trust in God, etc., Bob Bodenhamer shares this experience: Saturday morning 4/8/2010, I received a call from Brisbane Australia. Live your faith so that others might see and know the joy, hope, healing, grace, and love of God. This message encourages faith over fear and helps you understand and apply some promises of God to your life. This message reminds us to remember the promises of God. How can we stand firm in difficult times? This and other sermons brought to you by Faith Chapel, an Assemblies of God church in Pleasanton, CA. I can think of three obvious answers to that question. I am glad to share it because it is truly encouraging. 3:12). Many years ago I learned an important truth from my friend Jim Warren. Faith in God’s Character—that he is good and makes no mistake. They want to know if what we say we believe is really enough for us in the hard times. When you are feeling down or depressed, look up and call out to Jesus. You may feel alone. The enemy must flee and death is swallowed up in victory. Sermons: TRUSTING GOD IN DIFFICULT TIMES. Psalm 23: God, Jehova-Rohi—the Lord is my shepherd, knows where you are, and he will answer you. Give Careful Thought to Your Ways and Be Renewed, Encouragement for Moms - Nameless Heroes With Hearts of Love, Faced With a Difficult Situation? That’s not possible as long as you focus on the trial itself. May these inspirational bible verses provide that same heavenly comfort to you in your difficult times. When trials come: pray, trust the Lord and walk in faith. With that being said, here's our selection of the best words of encouragement and strength we could find to inspire you. I will hold on! When he has tried me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). While we were preparing for the broadcast, he told me, “Ray, I heard something today that really helped me. Be victorious with El Elyon: There's power in the name! There is much fear and concern not only about the future, there is fear of the here and now. As I thought about the matter, I concluded that even if I had the power (which I don’t), I wouldn’t take the pain away or make the hard times disappear. Verses 7-8 reveal another way in which our trials are productive: “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. When difficult times come, some people are a little reluctant as to whether they can stand under such pressure and burdens of life. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10: Now, more than ever people need to hear there is hope. Don’t let discouragement choke you. In fact, this is the opposite of chance or circumstance. When God Almighty steps in, miracles happen. Were I to take away the pain, I might move too soon and block God’s work in your life. But what the enemy meant for evil, but God used for good. But accidents? If my experience can help someone else, feel free to use this information.” If you want hope to flood your heart, it starts with affliction that leads to endurance that produces proven character that results in the Holy Spirit filling us with hope. What can we do to keep our faith strong? Comforting Words of Encouragement in Hard Times. Sermon. Here’s how to find your hope in Christ. A student has learned through the problems of life that God alone is the source of all true happiness. Fretting—or worrying—is a sin. Faith in God’s Presence—that he is with us in the darkest moments of life. Paul is saying, “I can face my trials because I see how well you are facing yours.”. I don’t know what the future holds for Nabeel, but as I pray for his healing, I also pray that his faith might remain strong. The word of God and the Holy Spirit brings reassurance and peace to your soul. Search for: Recent sermon features. We are not stuck with only one emotional choice when we go through difficult times: Fear or despair or depression,. Usually they just happen without any rhyme or reason. Purpose: To encourage Christians when they face hard times by giving them truths that sustain. Not only is it full of wisdom and knowledge, but it also has words of encouragement and inspiration. Need a little pick-me-up? Then she walked out of my office. The words of encouragement can give true hope to someone and can make morale up. People would be lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasure instead of God; they would be abusive, unforgiving, and having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. We prayed, and I know it was a divine appointment. Find hope in El Shaddai: There's power in the name! I was able to share that no matter how things may look, we can know that God is looking out for His children. Disappointment—yes. So many words, so few study hours. The noun form of the word difficult is difficulty, which alludes to trouble. It means, exhortation, comfort, and encouragement. (He told his conversion story in the bestseller Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus.) Little by little we lose the joy we once had. We have a great God who loves us more than we know. We believe so much in the sovereignty of God that when hard times come, we know that God is at work for our good and his glory. There is one other kind of faith that will help us in hard times. The Spirit can strengthen us to give thanks in our difficult times. A touch from the shepherd’s staff and the presence of his rod is reassuring to the heart. Incidents—yes. You can have an easy life, or you can have a deep faith. Often we focus intently on the details of our difficulties as if the difficulty itself were the most important thing in the world. These are mainly short encouraging quotes, with the purpose of being easy to memorize or keep in place where you can read them daily. Or perhaps we’ve just gone through a divorce and we feel rejected and alone. 2 Cor. My parting words were the words of Jesus, “Go and sin no more.” She smiled and thanked me and said she needed to go and get some heroin or she wouldn’t make it through the day. The Greek word for “unsettled” actually means to “wag the tail.” It has the idea of being shaken by circumstances so that you fall away from the right path in life. God has ordained that your trials are part of his plan to make you like Jesus. As I am making notes to share with you, I received a call from a dear friend and it was a call of rejoicing even as someone we both know is walking through a valley. James 1:2 reminds us to “Count it all joy” when you encounter various trials. Our trials often come with very little warning. Devo. You may not see a way out of the situation you find yourself walking in today; but know this, you are not alone. Don’t fight the battle alone. As I survey the New Testament teaching regarding trials, two truths stand out. We never suffer alone. What Is Evidence of Faith? A victim looks at everyone else and cries out, “Life isn’t fair.” A student looks at life and says, “What happened to me could have happened to anyone.” A victim believes his hard times have come because God is trying to punish him.

We all encounter difficult seasons and circumstances in our life. Encouragement in Difficulties Genesis 17:1-10: In a difficult situation? Companies closing their doors and moving production to other areas or even foreign countries! Key Scripture: Psalm 91:1-6 Scriptures: 1 Corinthians, 2 Peter, Acts 17:27, James 1:5, Philippians 1:27, Proverbs 15:3, Psalm 139:7-12, Psalm 91, Psalms 91:1-6, Revelation 19:7 Let the Lord minister to you through the resources of the body of Christ. (From the Bible Knowledge Commentary). They offer an example of fighting through emotional and spiritual difficulty and will help you look to God for hope in hard times. I have compiled 30 Bible verses that have been helping me during my trials, comforting me, and giving me peace. Listen to the sounds around you. “Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers” (v. 16). But God never intended that you should walk through the lonely valley by yourself. For the last few years, he has served as a speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. First, he tempts us to doubt God’s goodness. A situation may look dark and the shadows of all the problems you are walking through might appear impossible to you at the moment. Nothing is impossible with God. At one point I told her that if she didn’t make the decision to come clean, it wouldn’t be long before I spoke at her funeral. Stop in your tracks and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Some people go through life as professional victims, always talking about how they have been mistreated. The Bible is a fantastic book! It’s a sin because God commands us not to do it. We live in difficult times today. But that’s how life is sometimes. Hard times eventually wear us down. No accidents! If you’re struggling, this short message from the heart is for you. Some of these times are emotional, some are spiritual, some are physical and some are financial. Faith in God’s Promise—that he will never leave us or forsake us. We need to remember that trials are not entirely negative. Look to Jesus and you will find the strength you need. MUTUAL PRAYER FOR DIFFICULT TIMES 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 In this brief letter to the young church at Thessalonica, Paul teaches about the last days or end times. Her story demonstrates that simply having Bible knowledge cannot save you from the consequences of wrong decisions. Troubles—yes. One day you are announcing a new book; a few days later you are fighting for your life. Located minutes from downtown Pleasanton, in the San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay. A woman sat in my office and told me a very sad story. Thomas Constable has a very helpful word at this point: When trouble comes, Christians often react by doubting that they are where God wants them to be; they often think that they have done something wrong and that God must be displeased with them. Life can be scary, especially during hard times. Many of them are unbelievers who wonder if Christ is real. A victim would rather complain than find a solution. Raised in a Muslim family, Nabeel became a Christian after reading the New Testament and encountering the claims of Christ. No one is exempt, no one gets a trouble-free ride to heaven. Life can go on smoothly for a … God gave us the Bible so that “through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Difficulty—yes. If you’re having a hard time keeping your head above water, tell someone else. Maybe you've lost your job, are battling a chronic illness or your marriage is falling apart. Try our selection of worship songs and sing along! But if you shift your focus to God, then you can find joy even in the worst moments of life. When that happens, everything we believe will be put on the firing line. As Tony Evans has pointed out, everything that happens in the world is either caused by God or allowed by God, and there is no third category.