Desperation to Destiny

What a week we are experiencing in our land. It seems desperation is all around us.

Desperate times calls for desperate measures — an old expression that often bears truth!

Many are feeling life pulling them to the place of desperation ---

Well, I have GREAT NEWS - HOPE HAS A NAME - HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!!

What is desperation but lack of Hope. Not being able to see a resolution or answer. Feeling forced into a corner, and that you are buried beneath a circumstance.

Desperation is Christ’s specialty!!!! HE delivers hope to those who are desperate.

The way I see it right now, is that there are some rough times ahead, times might get way more desperate than they seem to be now, but sometimes it is in the desperation that people come to realize that the only hope is actually CHRIST!!!!

It is in the desperation that we find our DESTINY because we realize what the real truth actually is!

As a church we realize our purpose is to be a Hope Giving, Christ honoring Community of faith pointing people to their Destiny in Christ.... He is that hope,

When we look at the ministry of Christ we see He brought Hope and Destiny to those who were desperate.

1. Desperate from Sin and Wrong Choices

I want us to first consider Zacheus...

Luke 19:1–9 NLT

1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.

SInner by choice!!!!

Zacheus was a Jew who chose to work in an industry that extorted his own people so he could enjoy the monetary benefits and the sinful lifestyle it provided him — prostitutes, drunken parties and STUFF!

He was wiling to be an outcast to his own for his own pleasure.

However, where did that leave him? When all was said and done, his money, pleasure, partying all left Zacheus coming up empty!

He finds himself at a point of desperation --- he had created a hole for himself that no one was going to help him out of… they would just assume he die then help him.

I can only imagine the loneliness of being used for your money, but having no real friends, being isolated and looked down upon, and having a complete feeling of not being fulfilled. Then realizing the guilt and shame that your choices brought you to where you are.

Zacheus was such a despised person, everyone was really mad when Jesus went to his house. They called him a notorious sinner!

BUT THAT IS THE HOPE --- When Zacheus encountered and surrendered to Christ - his desperation became his DESTINY ---

Jesus said, SALVATION HAS COME TO THIS HOUSE!!!!

Restoration of reputation, connection with people, forgiveness and shame removed.

Destined for heaven - HOPE FOUND! His name is Jesus!

2. Desperation from Sickness

There is another story in Scripture we are familiar with, the woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years.

In her society, her condition rendered her unclean and isolated from connection with others. SHe had spent all her wealth on doctors and was utterly hopeless.

Matthew 9:19–22 NLT

19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

For 12 years she sought healing from whatever means necessary — this was a person in desperation.

Sickness leaves us depressed, feeling lonely, dependent on others, insufficient for life. It can be very frustrating and brings deep desperation to be well. When you have tried everything and nothing works, there is nothing but hopelessness left...

THEN JESUS!

The faith of this woman was, if I can just touch the hem of His garment… her despair so low that she would not bother the prophet, but faith that just touching him if it would work it would work.

What happened - her desperation met her destiny! HEALING!!!! She encountered Christ as a desperate sick woman and left His presence changed forever!

DO NOT THINK YOU ARE BEYOND BEING TOUCHED BY THE LORD!

Do not think that sick family member is beyond hope - in our desperation our humility and dependence - need of Christ becomes obvious, and with just a touch of faith is rewarded with Destiny in Christ!

3. Desperately Bound

I think one of the greatest points of desperation is bondage! Bondage to addictions, a behavior, having spiritual darkness dominate your life.

Many in drugs, alcohol, perversion, alternate lifestyles just want to be free, but feel it is not possible. Truly demonic forces have gained power in their lives, and they cannot escape the lies.

Many would rather embrace the lies of their bondage and fight for freedom to be bound than fail at a battle to be free.

Many today feel their loved ones will never overcome the bondages that are in the lives of their own family members.

Pornography

Homosexuality

Drugs and alcohol, nicotine

Foul mouths

Demon Possession

Chronic deception

Obesity

Criminal behavior

etc

When desperation from bondage exists it seems hopeless, yet there are powerful testimonies still today of how Christ has set people free!!!

In Scripture

Matthew 17:14–21 NLT

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” 17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. 19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” 20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Here a man comes pleading to Jesus for his son who is bound. This son unable to even seek for freedom on his own. Yet this man comes pleading the case before Christ - a parent for a child.

There are some parents in this room who feel that their children have gotten themselves into bondages, that there is no hope for their kids to serve Christ, that their prayers have not been heard.

NOT TRUE.

You may feel desperate today, but please note that the BOUND NEED AN INTERCESSOR!!! God wants to use you to be desperate for them! To come in faith and continue to plead your case before the King of the Universe for their freedom!

When this parent brought his child to Christ - that boy met His destiny and was freed from the darkness.

Don’t give up parent, don’t give up spouse, don’t give up child or sibling --- God still works miracles!! He still does the impossible.

HAVE FAITH and put your HOPE IN CHRIST - and KEEP PUTTING YOUR HOPE IN HIM UNTIL THE ANSWER COMES!

HOPE HAS A NAME - IT IS JESUS!

He has power over those bound by the darkness!!!!

CONCLUSION

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

You have tried all the rest, now try the best!

Hope has a name - His name is Jesus!

Sinful choices that left us alone, sickness in our body, bound by darkness and addiction --- nothing is too difficult for Jesus....

The hope that Jesus offers is to bring us into our Destiny as CHILDREN OF THE KING!!!!

In each circumstance FAITH turned the tide and released the Destiny, the purpose that God had for each life - salvation, healing, deliverance!

Today discover what God’s plan is for you, and encounter the one who brings hope.

Our world is coming to a place of hopelessness and frustration, but that does not mean hope is gone, just that we have not surrendered to the one who offers TRUE HOPE! JESUS. Will you surrender to Him today?