Where do you find comfort?

 Life is hard. Whether you’re born again or not. Our whole world is built on people trying to be comforted. Whether with entertainment, food, sex, religion, hobbies, being controlling, social media, being purposely different than others, or whatever. 

Our political system is now looked at by most people as “if I vote these people in, they’ll fix all my problems!”

But One of my favorite sections of scripture is repeated in several places:

“It came to pass….” Luke 2:1

Good times are rolling? 

It’ll pass. 

Bad times are beating you up?

It’ll pass. 

The enemy wants to use our storms to push us deeper into our comfort zones and therefore, away from God. He says to us, “you’ll feel better if you do this.”

All the while knowing that if you give into the temptation, the storm is made stronger and longer! 

God allows good times to give us a chance to unwind, and most importantly, an easy time to pray and praise him. A time to build your relationship with him and your family. So that you are all more prepared for the next storm. Because storms will come. 

God allows bad times (storms) to first allow us to learn to “cast all our cares upon him.” A time for God to shine a light upon our own dross in our own souls. A time to bring us to repentance in those areas of our lives so he can change us into his image. 

So how do we find comfort, biblically. 

The Holy Ghost is the comforter

 

The Holy Ghost is the comforter but God uses people to do his work. 

Comfort ye my people Isaiah 40:1

The prophets and those in leadership are to help lead Gods people out of their sins and comfort them that they’re forgiven. 

Comfort one another with these words 1 thes 4:18 

When things are really rough, we are to remember that the Lord will come and carry the faithful away with him. 

Bear one another’s burdens physically and spiritually-Galatians 6:2 

On the rare occasion that this verse is quoted these days (many churches ignore or say the opposite of it these days), it is referred to as meeting physical needs. Food, clothing, shelter, bills, transportation, etc. These things we should do as God gives us opportunity. 

But the more important side here is the spiritual side. If we are engaged with God in prayer on a regular basis as we should, he will begin to give us burdens to pray for. Could be family, friends, neighbors, a specific area, spiritual warfare against the local principalities, etc. 

This is called intercessory prayer. 

As we are engaged in deep intercession, it actually is killing the flesh , quite literally. That’s why it’s so important to praise and worship the Lord because the joy of the Lord is our strength! It strengthens us. And praying in the hg in tongues renews us. 

But if we get deep into intercession without help from others to help “bear our burden,” then this can allow sickness and disease to happen to us over time. 

But if others are helping to bear the load of the burdens, this will help to prevent much breakdown of our bodies. 

Prayer warriors should not be rare. We are all called to be prayer warriors. Pastors should not carry the burden for the church and community alone. Others should share the burden. The four fold ministry shouldn’t be the only folks involved in intercession. All of us should be involved. 

Let’s all repent of our comfort zones and give Jesus all our cares! Let him fix them how he sees fit! 

Then let’s allow Jesus to give us his burdens, carry them together (like the priests carrying the ark together), and watch him bring down local strongholds, destroy principalities, and bring biblical revival and harvest in Jesus name!