Road To Recovery - Help When You Hurt

07/01/07
podcast_listen

Road To Recovery - Where to get help when you hurt

Focusing on the Father
Luke 15:11-32

Principle #1 – Light
Principle #2 – Hope

I have seen how they acted but I will heal them, I will lead them and help them and I will comfort those who mourn. I offer peace to all near and far. Isaiah 57:18-19

God’s Great Promises
5 parts to recovery that God wants to do in your life.

  1. If you have been hurt, God says “I want to heal you.”
  2. If you’re confused, “I want to lead you.”
  3. If you’ve ever felt you were helpless to change anything, “I want to help you change that.”
  4. If you’ve ever felt no one understands your problem, “I want to comfort you.”
  5. If you feel anxious and worried and afraid, “I want to offer peace to you.”

Breakthrough
So how do we break out?

The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. I Samuel 5:20

We must get past denial!
Genesis 3 – Shifting blame
Antidote = PAIN

Pain removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.
-- C.S. Lewis The Problem of Pain

Denial Busters:
1. Crisis
2. Confrontation
3. Catastrophe

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
-- C.S. Lewis The Problem of Pain

The First Step to R.E.C.O.V.E.R.Y

  • Principle 1 - Realize I'm NOT God!
  • I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
  • Matthew 6:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
    • "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor"

The Second Step to R.E.C.O.V.E.R.Y

  • Principle 2 – Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.
  • Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
  • Matthew 5:4 “Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted

Three parts to taking step 2:

1. Acknowledge God’s existence.

  • Romans 1:20 “Since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen.”
  • Psalm 19:1“The heavens declare the glory of God.”
  • Psalm 14:1“The fool says “There is no God.””

2. Understand God’s character.

  • Colossians 1:15 (Phillips) “Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God.”
    • God knows about my situation
    • God cares about my situation
    • God can change me and my situation

3. Accept God’s offer to help me.

  • Philippians 2:13 (Phillips) “For God is at work within you giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose.”
  • II Timothy 1:7 (GNB) “The Spirit that God gives us … fills us with power, love and self-control.”

CCC Vision
At CCC our vision is stated in one word – Blessing!

It is the dream of a place once seen as cursed become a blessing!“
A place where the hurting and hopeless can find healing and the Living Hope. A place that is small in men's eyes used of God to touch the whole Kansas City metro area.
A safe place to grow and go!

How To Plug Into God’s Power:

  • Believe & Receive
  • Isaiah 43:2-3
  • Isaiah 43:2–3 TLB “When you go through deep waters and great troubles, I will be with you, … you won’t drown! When you walk through the fires of oppression, you won’t be burned up.”
  • Will power is not enough!
    • You need HIS WILL, HIS POWER!
    • Philippians 2:13 (Phillips) “For God is at work within you giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose.”

I have seen how they acted but I will heal them, I will lead them and help them and I will comfort those who mourn. I offer peace to all near and far. Isaiah 57:18