1. Help when I need direction in life
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land …” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).
2. Help when I am anxious
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Encouraging stories
> John – where will violence take me?
> ‘Sue’ – breaking free from witchcraft
> Jeff Harshbarger – ex-Satanist
3. Help when I am afraid of death
“Jesus too shared in our humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil — and free us who all our lives were held in slavery by our fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14,15).
“‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? … But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Corinthians 15:54-55,57).
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die'” (John 11:25).
“To Jesus who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood … to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Revelation 1:5,6).
4. Help when I need to stand my ground
Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.
Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay.
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:32-39).
5. Help when I think no one loves me
“This is how I know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for me” (1 John 3:16).
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1: 5-6).
“God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:16).
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Prayer: “Lord, you know my weaknesses. Set me free to love you.”
6. Help when I need comfort
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts me in all our troubles, so that I can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort I myself have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3,4).
7. Help to overcome temptation
“And God is faithful; he will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. But when I am tempted, he will also provide a way out so that I can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Encouraging Stories
> Guy – searching for the truth in the New Age
> Andrea – escaping from superstition
8. Help to understand hell does exist
(Jesus speaking) “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire'” (Luke 16:22-24).
Jesus says, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched'” (Mark 9:43-48).
Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Jesus says, “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:40-42).
9. Help when I start to worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” ” (Matthew 6:25-34).
10. Help when I am lonely
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5,6).
11. Help in times of weakness
(God said to Paul the Apostle) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
12. Help when I cry out
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:17,18).
Encouraging Stories
> Reality of living on the streets
> Steve Davies – overcoming anger
> Kate – overcoming sexual abuse
13. Help when I lack strength
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is my strength” (Psalm 73:26).
“The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
14. Help when I have done wrong
“If I claim to be without sin, I deceive myself. But if I confess my sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive my sins and purify me from my unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8,9).
15. Help when I am discouraged
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul … Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staff comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23).
16. Help when I need His power to overcome the devil
“They (Christians) overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
“… the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).
17. Help when I can’t find peace
“Jesus says: ‘Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also on me'” (John 14:1).
18. Help when I need to see that others also suffer
“Paul the Apostle says ‘I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked'” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).
19. Help when I need to pray
(Jesus says); “This, then is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one'” (Matthew 6:9-13).
“You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives…” (James 4:3).
20. Help when I need to experience God
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power” (Ephesians 3:16-18).
21. Help when your mind it is clouded with negative thoughts
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
22. Help when I am fearful
“I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from my fears ” (Psalm 34:4).
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. “ (1 John 4:18).
Jesus says; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).
23. Help when I doubt God’s power
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthews 19:26).
24. Help to remind me of what Jesus did
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
25. Help when I lack confidence
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14).
”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37).
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
26. Help when I need to slow down and listen to God
God says, “Be still, and know that I am God”. (Psalms 46:10).
27. Help to get back on track with what Jesus wants me to do
Jesus says; “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)
28. Help when I think things aren’t working out
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
Remember God is in control!
“Yet not one sparrow will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29,30).
Prayer
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”
GOD DID NOT DESIGN US TO LIVE WITHOUT HIS PRESENCE AND POWER!
Encouraging Words When I Need Help (part 1)
References
All verses except 2 Timothy 1:7 and Jeremiah 1:8-9 were taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.” 2 Timothy 1:7 and Jeremiah 1:8-9 were taken “The Holy Bible” (The King James Version © 1983).