Hope for the Discouraged
Hope is Here • Sermon • Submitted
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Hope is Here: Hope for the Discouraged
Hope is Here: Hope for the Discouraged
We have talked about:
Hope for the Weary
Hope for the Broken
[TODAY] Hope for the Discouraged
There are many today who are just trying to make it.
They are trying to:
Keep a job
Have a home
Raise good kids
Honor God
It is so easy to feel discouraged when so many things go against you. We see real-life accounts in the Bible about men and women who go through hard things and get discouraged.
In Genesis 30, Joseph was his father’s favorite. So much so, that his brothers wanted to kill him. The sold him into slavery. As a slave, his master is told that he tried to assault the master’s wife so he is thrown into jail. All this time, Joseph is doing his best to honor God even though these horrible things are happening to him.
In 1 Samuel 17, we see David. He was the youngest of his brothers and got stuck watching the sheep. His brothers go to join the king’s soldiers against the Philistine army. David is dismissed as being too little to make a difference.
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is on the run from Queen Jezebel. In just the previous chapter, God allows a drought at the word of Elijah, consumes Elijah’s offering without any fire and after pouring 12 pots of water over the offering. The same Elijah that prayed for God to restore the rain, and God brought back the rain - He is on the run!
He was honoring God, He was being obedient, but now the Queen is looking to kill him and he is discouraged. Enough to where he asks God to simply take him home.
In the new Testament, Paul and Silas go through some very encouraging times. Let’s read this one together:
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;
21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
16 Aconteció que mientras íbamos a la oración, nos salió al encuentro una muchacha que tenía espíritu de adivinación, la cual daba gran ganancia a sus amos, adivinando.
17 Esta, siguiendo a Pablo y a nosotros, daba voces, diciendo: Estos hombres son siervos del Dios Altísimo, quienes os anuncian el camino de salvación.
18 Y esto lo hacía por muchos días; mas desagradando a Pablo, éste se volvió y dijo al espíritu: Te mando en el nombre de Jesucristo, que salgas de ella. Y salió en aquella misma hora.
19 Pero viendo sus amos que había salido la esperanza de su ganancia, prendieron a Pablo y a Silas, y los trajeron al foro, ante las autoridades;
20 y presentándolos a los magistrados, dijeron: Estos hombres, siendo judíos, alborotan nuestra ciudad,
21 y enseñan costumbres que no nos es lícito recibir ni hacer, pues somos romanos.
22 Y se agolpó el pueblo contra ellos; y los magistrados, rasgándoles las ropas, ordenaron azotarles con varas.
23 Después de haberles azotado mucho, los echaron en la cárcel, mandando al carcelero que los guardase con seguridad.
24 El cual, recibido este mandato, los metió en el calabozo de más adentro, y les aseguró los pies en el cepo.
Have you ever been that discouraged?
Everyone of us have a story - or stories of things not working out, or hard times. Some of us are experiencing that hard time right now.
There is Hope in Jesus!
I want us to take a look at Paul and Silas and see a few encouragements through their encounter that we can use in our lives.
You will endure hardship - but God is with you!
When you’re down, Worship Jesus!
When someone wrongs you, keep doing what is right!
Watch how God uses your experience to benefit you - and glorify Him
25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
25 Pero a medianoche, orando Pablo y Silas, cantaban himnos a Dios; y los presos los oían.
26 Entonces sobrevino de repente un gran terremoto, de tal manera que los cimientos de la cárcel se sacudían; y al instante se abrieron todas las puertas, y las cadenas de todos se soltaron.
27 Despertando el carcelero, y viendo abiertas las puertas de la cárcel, sacó la espada y se iba a matar, pensando que los presos habían huido.
28 Mas Pablo clamó a gran voz, diciendo: No te hagas ningún mal, pues todos estamos aquí.
29 El entonces, pidiendo luz, se precipitó adentro, y temblando, se postró a los pies de Pablo y de Silas;
30 y sacándolos, les dijo: Señores, ¿qué debo hacer para ser salvo?
Through years, God blessed Joseph in prison and ultimately made him the second in command of all of Egypt.
David became the King of Israel and even more was called a man after God’s own heart.
Elijah experienced God’s presence in such a mighty way - and when God took Elijah home, He went in a chariot of fire and did not see death.
God used Paul and Silas being beaten and cast in jail to minister to the jailer and his whole family.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
12 Porque no tenemos lucha contra sangre y carne, sino contra principados, contra potestades, contra los gobernadores de las tinieblas de este siglo, contra huestes espirituales de maldad en las regiones celestes.
There is so much happening that we cannot see with our eyes. God is using you to bless someone else. God is going to take what the devil intends for evil and turn it for good.
This is not guaranteed. This is conditional. We see this in
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
6 Por nada estéis afanosos, sino sean conocidas vuestras peticiones delante de Dios en toda oración y ruego, con acción de gracias.
7 Y la paz de Dios, que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús.
In the name of Jesus - take all fear, worry, doubt, discouragement - and turn it into worship and prayer.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
9 No nos cansemos, pues, de hacer bien; porque a su tiempo segaremos, si no desmayamos.
The Bible is full of the Hope that is found in Jesus.