Healed Helpers - Healing the Broken - Part 8

Well, we have entered into a New Decade and Year this past week!

2020 has arrived!

I am so thankful for the many blessings and things accomplished in 2019. It was a crazy busy year for my family and I, and 2020 proves to be just as exciting. I remember marking this year in time back in 2002 when our daughter was born, as this would be the year she would graduate and go to college.

I hope you are looking forward to GOOD THINGS in your life this year, and God’s plans for you.

I am also hoping that as we closed 2019 you gained clarity over things in life that have held you back, or effected your emotional and inner man.

This morning I want to end that series with a NEW APPROACH for a NEW YEAR....

Closing out the cycle of healing for our emotions is allowing God to turn them into something positive!

When we go from VICTIM to VICTOR!!! From those needing to be HEALED, to those helping others to find HEALING!

When we come through emotional pain to the other side, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can begin helping others as we walk in the healing God has given us!!!!

Romans 8:26–28 NLT

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

We began our series with the first verses - allowing the Holy Spirit to pray for us and show us through to the other side --- but it continues on from there - after our pain and struggles comes GOD’s PLAN for us!!!

His accomplishing GOOD!

1. God Turns Tragedy into Triumph

Romans 8:31–39 NLT

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we have to come to that place where we realize NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST and that the tragedies and painful experiences of life can be turned to triumph -

we realize we are OVERCOMERS!

Paul understood in this passage that the sufferings of this life (v 18) cannot be compared with the glory we will experience in the next life --- and that our ultimate HOPE of eternity with Christ is the end result.

The Devil wants to rob this hope and steal the triumph of our healing —

Realize, Paul was a man in chains when he wrote this - imprisoned for following Christ. He had been beaten, flogged, left for dead on more than one occasion

Yet, HE WAS NOT BITTER - HE WAS AN OVERCOMER!!!

His eyes were fixed on Christ - the author and finisher of his faith...

Hebrews

Hebrews 10:1 NLT

1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Hebrews 12:2 NLT

2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Here is how tragedy becomes triumph...

We come to the place where we realize NOTHING WILL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST - not even the painful trial and hurts we have been through, and that we have an ultimate HOPE of being with CHRIST!

Realizing this great love of JESUS who experienced ALL OF OUR PAIN and then some - and knowing HIS LOVE can never be taken from us (You can let it go, but noone can steal it from you) WE FIX OUR EYES SOLELY ON HIM and the GLORY THAT AWAITS US!

That is true security!

That is TRIUMPH!

That is VICTORY!

2. Share the Victory

You know, so many our sooooooooooooooooo good at sharing our DEFEAT!

We are so quick to broadcast our pain, how someone has stomped down on us, and hurt us and defeated us...

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 NLT

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NLT

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NLT

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

That beating is not the end of us!!!!

If we have become an OVERCOMER we need to proclaim that VICTORY so others faith can be built and hearts healed!!!

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 NLT

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

2 cor 5.18-189

That is right, we have the message of reconciliation!!!

The WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY of how God brought us through is powerful!!!! It is hope that others in our frail state can also be victorious.

The church has been defeated because the Christian has stopped sharing the VICTORIES GOD HAS BROUGHT THEM THROUGH..

We are not overcoming, because we are not proclaiming our victory!

Revelation 12:11 NLT

11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

If the devil can keep you in defeat and in a place of emotional pain, he can cripple you from being the testimony God wants you to be!!!! That in turn leaves your spiritual walk incomplete as we are called to be a light and testimony of the power of God in our lives.

We have been reconciled in Christ - RESTORED to WHOLENESS - OVERCOMERS

God wants to then use us to help others be reconciled to Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

As ambassadors we can speak of the citizenship we have found in the Kingdom of God and all its benefits to those who are outside the Kingdom and suffering!!!!

Every day those around us are experiencing the same pain and tragedies and heartaches they we have experienced.

They are struggling with the same vices and bondages we struggled with - and they need to know there is hope and freedom and they too can be reconciled to Christ.

This is one of the reasons it is so important for the church to LIVE IN VICTORY over SIN --- instead of continuing in defeat. The world needs to see a difference!

Our lives become light that tells others YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS TOO!

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

It is not a cliche, but TRUTH!

OUR VICTORY helps us to see the hind sight --- to be able to look back and see how faithful God has been.

Hind sight is 20/20 vision with clarity.

Only after we come through do we realize that God’s grace is sufficient for those weaknesses!

Only when we have picked up that mat, risen and walked forward into NEW LIFE are we able to express the clarity of what God can do for others as well!

The cycle of healing becomes completed as we help others reconcile to GOD!

3. Healed Helpers MUST Go

Recognize something with me this morning...

We talked about Jesus being our WOUNDED HEALER! Having experienced all that we have gone through in being betrayed, lied about, abandoned, abused, etc.

Are you aware that JESUS IS OUR HEALED HELPER??????

That is why He wants us to share the compassion we have received with others, so they can be healed also!!!!

Matthew 9:36 NLT

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Christ wants us to share the compassion with others!

Compassion for those who currently stand where we have stood before!

Those desperately seeking for healing everywhere in everything, but missing Christ!

Don’t lead others to self help books, the created things of this world, or man’s ideas of healing ---

It is our responsibility to lead people to CHRIST!

Romans 10:13–15 NLT

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Speaking of feet....

Ephesians 6:15 NLT

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

Our feet spread the GOOD NEWS of Christ - it is part of our armor...

Helping people find peace through the GOOD NEWS that JESUS DIED TO MAKE THEM WHOLE!

It is the same feet that will see the devil defeated instead of us...

Romans 16:20 NLT

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Are you wearing the full armor of God -

If we are not witnessing and inviting the lost to find Christ - are we doing our part??? Is our armor complete?

We cannot hide the hope we found in Christ, but need to complete the cycle by helping others to find the same truth and healing we have found!

CONCLUSION

So, today I want to invite you to be a healed helper! To commit to sharing this hope we have found with others.

Today, I want to remind you that God can take your tragedy and turn it into triumph as you help others as Christ helped you!

Matthew 10:8 NLT

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

It speaks of spiritual and physical healing, but also applies to the emotional healing we have received through Christ when we forgive as we are forgiven!!!!

It is POWERFUL!

Let God work the bad in life together for good ---- IT IS YOUR PURPOSE!!!

Romans 8:28 NLT

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.