Cleansing Stream

HOPE AGAIN

Theme: Overcoming Disillusionment

INTRO: MY DISSILLUSIONMENT STORY: Hype over a movie that is suppose to be good but stunk!

INTRO: MY DISSILLUSIONMENT STORY

Disillusionment- a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.

Maybe recently or when you were younger you applied for a school that you hoped would help you reach your goals but got rejected.

Or you spent a ton of money on a degree and now it seems useless because you can’t find a job in that field.

Maybe the relationship that seemed like it would last forever fell through. You committed your heart but they turned away from you. They disregarded you, and you’ve been asking God why.

Or the ministry you were involved with began to have difficulties or you were wounded by someone you had been pouring your life into.

Maybe you were praying for healing for a loved one and you had all the faith in the world, but God did not heal them. It left you feeling like God had let you down again.

Disillusionment causes us to think in absolutes. When absolutes of hopelessness form we enter a place of depression.

___

40 million people in the US suffer with depression or an anxiety disorder.

40 million people in the US suffer with depression or anxiety disorder.

We use the word depression to express two kinds of situations.

One where you are just gloomy, and the other where you feel like you are in a deep pit with no way to get out.

When we are depressed we often say that we have, “lost hope” as if hope were something you could lose like your car keys or the television remote.

But The reality is that you don’t “lose hope”. You misplace it.

But the reality is that you don’t “lose hope”. You misplace it.

What happens is that you place your hope in things that do not guard and protect your hope. People, circumstances, past mistakes may abuse your hope, mistreat it, neglect it.

When it comes time to take your hope back you find that it doesn’t look like how you left it. You may even say, “surely this is not the hope I once had”.

It’s not that you don’t know where hope is. It’s that you have put your hope somewhere it God never intended it to reside.

It’s not that you don’t know where hope is. It’s that you have put your hope somewhere God never intended it to reside.

Misplaced hope is never working out and eating horribly everyday and expecting to lose weight.

When you place our hope in people or things or circumstances and those things let you down, you become wounded. It may be due to neglect, or abandonment, or from trauma from a parent.

In the middle of the pain you may have made an inner vow: You may have said to yourself:

“I will not feel anger” Because of the hurt you may have turned off your feelings in order to survive.

This is natural and healthy thing God has programmed in us to help us survive trauma, abuse or harmful situations

You may have said, “I’m no good” or you’ve believed other people when they’ve said that you are not good. That you have no worth.

The problem arises when we still operate in this mode of “safety” long after the trauma has passed.

You may have said to yourself, “It will never change. It will never get better.”

We are “surviving” in a time where God wants us to be thriving

Listen, it’s important for you to understand that depression is not a sign that you lack faith or that God is not near to you, or that when you asked for forgiveness and committed your life to God that you “didn’t really mean it”.

You may have said, “I’m no good” or you’ve believed other people when they’ve said that you are not good. That you have no worth.

It simply means that you have misplaced your hope.

When hope is placed in God we find the strength we need to move on, to press through, to believe that He is working on our behalf despite all evidence to the contrary.

You may have said to yourself, “It will never change. It will never get better.”

Listen, it’s important for you to understand that depression is not a sign that you lack faith or that God is not near to you, or that when you asked for forgiveness and committed your life to God that you “didn’t really mean it”.

says, I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It simply means that you have misplaced your hope.

You may say, but I placed my hope in God. But the reality is that you placed your hope in God until...

Here is something you need to hear. You can be a strong and mature believer and still experience deep moments of despair.

When hope is placed in God we find the strength we need to move on, to press through, to believe that He is working on our behalf despite all evidence to the contrary.

says, I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

tells us of the prophet Elijah’s great success story. Some of you know this story.

You may say, but I placed my hope in God. But the reality is that you placed your hope in God until...

He had confronted an entire nation of pagans in A contest between Baal and God. Two altars, two bulls, and the question of who would consume the sacrifice.

Here is something you need to hear. You can be a strong and mature believer and still experience deep moments of despair.

450 prophets of Baal were frustrated and humiliated

Turn to in your bibles

Baal could not, but the God of Israel consumed the sacrifice.

The prophets of Baal were executed

tells us of the prophet Elijah’s great success story. Some of you know this story.

He had confronted an entire nation of pagans in a contest between Baal and God. Two altars, two bulls, and the question of who would consume the sacrifice.

An even though short lived, the whole nation turned back to God.

You would think after an incredible victory like this that the prophet would be on cloud 9.

450 prophets of Baal were frustrated and humiliated

Baal could not, but the God of Israel consumed the sacrifice.

But if you read the next chapter you see how the voices around Elijah started impacted the victories done through him.

The prophets of Baal were executed

Read

An even though short lived, the whole nation turned back to God.

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.

You would think after an incredible victory like this that the prophet would be on cloud 9.

2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

But if you read the next chapter you see how the voices around Elijah started impacted the victories done through him.

Often after you experience your greatest victory is when you will encounter the most intense moments of spiritual warfare.

Read

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.

4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life…

2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

Often after you experience your greatest victory is when you will encounter the most intense moments of spiritual warfare.

Here Elijah has this incredible victory and now, now the only thing that is on his mind is ending it all.

This is often a struggle because we can't silence the outside voices that tell us we’re not good or tell us we’ve messed up or we can’t silence the voices within.

Those around us may even be telling us everything is ok and we will make it but we are believing the story we are telling ourselves. We are running from where God has destined us.

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beer-sheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

You’re not alone when you feel like you’re alone. God did not intend that we live our lives as the slaves of our emotions, but as the master of them.

4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life…”

Here Elijah has this incredible victory and now the only thing that is on his mind is ending it all.

You’ve got to understand that you are not defined by worst moments.

This is often a struggle because we can't silence the outside voices that tell us we’re not good or tell us we’ve messed up or we can’t silence the voices within.

You’ve got to be patient with yourself. A spiritual or emotional wound that has taken years to form is not always healed in a moment.

Your story, even one riddled with pain or mistakes or abuse is still YOUR story and it is those things that Jesus can redeem, forgive and even use as THE VERY stepping stone to YOUR freedom.

Those around us may even be telling us everything is ok and we will make it—but we are believing the story we are telling ourselves.

I promise you, that as you let God heal you of all the things that are stealing your hope, he will turn those events into a testimony that one day will give someone going through exactly what you did the ability to have hope again.

We are running from where God has destined us.

You’re not alone when you feel like you’re alone. God did not intend that we live our lives as the slaves of our emotions, but as the master of them.

To see it is possible to survive, thrive and hear God lead you again.

You’ve got to understand that you are NOT defined by your worst moments. (You are NOT defined by your worst moments)

Summarize the story from

Elijah ran 40+ days to Mount Sinai

You’ve got to be patient with yourself.

A spiritual or emotional wound that has taken years to form is not always healed in a moment.

As far as he could go to get away from everything

Your story, even one riddled with pain or mistakes or abuse is still YOUR story and it is those things that Jesus can redeem, forgive and even use as THE VERY stepping stone to YOUR freedom. (Your story can be the stepping stone to your freedom)

But the distanced wouldn’t matter

He was still worn out from despair and depression

I promise you, that as you let God heal you of all the things that are stealing your hope, he will turn those events into a testimony that one day will give someone going through exactly what you did the ability to have hope again.

Hopelessness will often take your strength, but God has the ability to bring relief, healing and restoration.

To see that it is possible to survive, thrive and hear the voice of God lead you again.

Summarize the story from

Look back at Elijah and what God spoke to the prophet:

So in Chapter 19:

Elijah ran 40+ days to Mount Sinai

9 “What are you doing here?”

10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

As far as he could go to get away from everything

But the distance wouldn’t matter

Hopelessness will often take you to places that God never intended you to go.

He was still worn out from despair and depression

To people God didn’t want a part of you life

To coping mechanisms that are literally killing you

Hopelessness will often take your strength, but God has the ability to bring relief, healing and restoration.

Look back at Elijah and what God spoke directly to the prophet:

To a secret place of despair maybe even the closest to you don’t know you are battling it

Maybe you have lost hope in God himself, maybe you have been through a season of not feeling the presence of God like you used to.

9 “What are you doing here?”

If you are sitting here today and only get one single truth then let it be this:

10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

We serve a God that doesn’t give up in walking with us through the process of our healing

This was something he has rehearsed—He would answer God in this way twice.

There is nothing you can do, distance you can run or depths you can fall that will prevent God from finding you, drawing you close and speaking to you.

God asked Elijah not once “What are you doing here?” but twice. God will always pursue us.

Have you ever found yourself rehearsing your responses to God instead of listening for his voice?

a. When we get stuck reminding ourselves of the hell we are in or the good things from our past—we can often miss the leading of God

And when we are looking for God in all the “wrong” things He is still pursuing.

b. I believe there are people whose prayers for freedom have been answered but they haven’t or can’t let it go

c. They are choosing—consciously or not to hold onto the very thing they are praying to be removed

d. God just might be looking down saying:

1. Son or daughter I have answered that prayer—when you are going to let go of it and walk in freedom from it?

Hopelessness will often take you to places that God never intended you to go.

a. To people God didn’t want a part of you life

b. To coping mechanisms that are literally killing you

c. To a secret place of despair that maybe even the closest to you don’t know you are battling

Maybe you have lost hope in God himself, maybe you have been through a season of not feeling the presence of God like you used to.

If you are sitting here today and only get one single truth then let it be this:

We serve a God that doesn’t give up in walking with us through the process of our healing

There is nothing you can do, distance you can run or depths you can fall that will prevent God from finding you, drawing you close and speaking to you.

God asked Elijah not once “What are you doing here?” but twice. God will always pursue us.

Are you here today and know that you are looking for God in all the wrong places?

That doesn’t always mean bad things—some good things may need to shift in order for you to receive what God whats to do in you.

If someone was to ask you to think of the things in your life that grieves Gods heart—what comes to mind? PAUSE FOR THEM TO THINK

Your mistakes?

Your sins?

Your anger?

Someone asked me that last year. And as i paused to think—in that silence Taylor thought of all those things to.

But you know what God showed me? PAUSE…

The thing that grieved his heart was the time all those years ago at age 16 when I lost a good friend named Gabe. In an instant he was gone.

It was the things in my life that caused me to hurt, to cry, the things that broke my heart was the things God looked to first.

He showed me that as I wept over the times of hell all around me, He wept with me.

You see—when we place our hope in things other than God or when we look for God or relief in the wrong things—we will miss Him every time.

The beautiful thing about it though—is even if right now in your life you aren’t finding him in the places your are looking—He is patient to wait for right time to whisper exactly what you need. To meet you wherever it is you have run to.

CLOSE BIBLE initiates start of VIDEO

CLOSING:

Right now, right here God wants you to start seeing you how God sees you. His beautiful child.

Because When you are unsure of your identity, you will have no hope in your destiny.

Close your eyes. Take a moment and in your own words tell God to speak—because your servant is listening.

Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal any inner vows you may have made that is causing you to lose hope. Pray that He will show you any lies that you are believing or have believed. Pray for truth about how God sees, not how you see yourself.

Invite the Holy Spirit to speak truth to your heart. What is the word specifically for you?

PRAY

PZ & PJ TAKE ALTAR

Cleansing Stream

CS