Victory over despair (Revised)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Faith is a victory!
Faith is a victory!
Our series is entitled faith is a victory. It is a specific faith, faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that can help us to properly approach hard things we may face as Christians.
Victory of Sin
Victory over Anxiety
Victory over Boredom
Victory over Depression
In this world while we have Christ Jesus and know our eternal home. We may face, many face one or some of these items we have previously covered in this series.
I truly believe that overcoming this world as Jesus said takes faith in Jesus and our participation in the victory.
Series passage (1Jn5:4-5)
4 because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith. 5 Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Depression/Despair picture here
I think that if anyone has, or is, suffering from despair, or depression it can be, is, a very dark time. Oftentimes we cannot even see the light. We think we are never going to get out of it, and feel guilty about having it since we are a Christian.
People with depression often are in a place of despair too
I will define it in a few minutes, please bare with me.
Despair can spark depression, or take depression and make it worse, even to a point of mentally crippling someone
Despair cannot, should not, be taken lightly.
Despair can be described as hopelessness and we will get into that more this morning too.
Despair impacts more than you mind and your emotions. It can impact your health, your relationship with God and with others.
Question to ask yourself, honestly to yourself. Have I, or do I suffer from hopelessness, from despair at times?
Do you think if you do that you can overcome it by yourself?
Do you have a way to deal with hopelessness, despair, depression?
These questions are personal. The intent of this series is to look at some topics that may be difficult to look at, much less admit to yourself.
(Insert personal illustration of despair)
This morning I would like to address.
Understanding despair
Overcoming, having victory over despair
Understanding Despair
Understanding Despair
While in this section there is little scripture, hold on and will have lot’s in a little while, in the mean time will give you some blanks to fill in.
Despair defined
To loose all hope; to be overcome by sense of futility or defeat. Complete loss of hope (American Heritage Dictionary)
Danger of despair
Takes a toll on society
Takes a toll on physical health
Detrimental to spiritual health
Makes ineffective to others
Danger of despair
It takes a toll on society
A lack of hope has been linked to poor behavior in children (Columbia University)
Youth/children are tended to engage in harmful or destructive behavior
Tend to be defiant, rebellious to rules.
This can also be an indicator for children/teens to be anti-social or have aggressive behavior.
It takes it’s toll on your physical health.
In recent study it is found that it has the same effects as smoking a pack a day
A high level of hopelessness has shown impact on exasperating plaque build up in arteries
And it can be detrimental to your spiritual health.
To be hopeless, in despair is a lack of faith in God, in other words a slap in God’s face
I know we have had a lot of information about despair, hopelessness and it should not be taken lightly. In all the quotes in all the explanations we have not looked at the solution, faith is a victory, and the scripture to back that up.
Faith in Jesus Christ give us victory to overcome
Faith in Jesus Christ give us victory to overcome
Jesus provides hope for the hopeless
Through His teachings
Through His promises
Through His actions
Giving us hope and faith in Jesus
Through His teachings (Mt7:11, Lk15:7; Jn3;16-17)
Teaching tell of his providential care
Mt7:11 “11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Teaching, telling us of God’s love
Jn3:16-17 “16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
Through His promises (Jn4:13-14, 6:35, 10:10)
Teaching us about abundant life
By his living water
By being the bread of life
By giving life, and life full
Promise of the resurrection offered
The promise and raising of Lazarus (Jn11:23-27)
Our resurrection now (Rom6:1-5)
Our resurrection future (1The4:13-18)
Through His actions (1Tim1:1)
His death on cross provides the way for forgiveness
His resurrection provides hope for ours!
For He is our hope
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
One more
Through faith in Jesus, we can:
Have hope regarding resurrection.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Rejoice in the hope of glory to come (Rom5:1-2)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Know scripture will replenish hope (Rom15:4)
4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
We can abound in hope (Rom15:13)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hope that can protect our salvation (1Th5:8)
8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
Ah all this hope, hope that can give us victory over despair, because, well look at this scripture, not on your outline
13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
“Life with Christ is an endless hope, with Him a hopeless end.”
In Christ you have reason for hope; even through despair/hopelessness
Outside of Christ one can understand why there is often despair
So, hold fast to your hope (Heb3:6, 10:23; 6:19)
Hold onto our confidence, firm unto the end.
Hold fast without wavering
Be anchored in Him for He is our anchor
Is Jesus the anchor of your soul?
(give invitation/encouragement) (song) (Prayer)