Cheer Up (How God heal your wounds) Sermon Map teacher

Cheer Up

Part-3 How God Heals Your Hidden Wounds

March 13 2005

“God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”  Ps. 147:3 (NCV)

When people hurt deeply, they will do almost anything to stop the hurt.  Get stoned.  Get drunk.  Pop some pills.  Go to bed with somebody they don’t even know.  They’ll do almost anything to stop the hurt. 

How do you spell relief?  Sex?  Drugs?  Drink?  How do you spell relief?  Porno? 

I want to suggest you spell it, Jesus

STEPS IN GOD’S HEALING PROCESS

1.  REVEAL MY HURT

       “I kept very quiet… but I became even more upset.  I became very angry inside, and as I thought about it, my anger burned.”  Ps. 39:2-3 (NCV)

       “When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me.  I moaned all day long.”  Ps. 32:3 (NCV)

It’s amazing how people respond to abuse in different ways. 

                Some people try to respond to abuse by just forgetting it.  “I’ll just put it out of sight, out of mind, and stuff it.”

                Some people try to run from it.  There are many ways to escape – get drunk, do drugs, go to bed with people you don’t even know, get involved in work.

                Some people try to just ignore it.

                Some people try to pass it off on somebody else, blame others.

Reveal them to who?  Three different people:

First you have to be honest with yourself

Second you’ve got to be honest to God

The third thing you’ve got to do is be honest with at least one person you trust

2. RELEASE THOSE WHO HAVE HURT ME

you’ve got to let go of the right to get even

Do I want to get well or do I want to get even?

There is only one way to get rid of hurt in your heart, when somebody’s hurt you.  There’s only one way.

Forgiveness.  You say, “But they don’t deserve to be forgiven!”  I didn’t say they did.  You’re right.  They don’t.  Neither do you deserve to be forgiven, but God’s forgiven you.

“Never pay back evil for evil… never avenge yourselves.  Leave that to God, for He has said that He will repay those who deserve it.”  Rom. 12:17+19 (LB)

Why should I forgive those who hurt me?  One, God’s forgiven you.  Two, you’re going to need more forgiveness in the future.  Three, it’s the only way you’re going to get well.  There is no other way.  You’ve got to release your right to get even.

       “When Jesus suffered, He did not threaten to get even; He left His case in the hands of God…” 1 Pet. 2:23 (LB)

       “…  A bitter spirit is not only bad in itself but can also poison the lives of many others.”  Heb. 12:15 (Ph)

3.  REPLACE OLD TAPES WITH GODS TRUTH

       “…  Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”  Rom. 12:2b (NLT)

            “…Through what Christ would do for us, God decided to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault – we stand before Him covered with His love.”  Eph. 1:4 (LB)

First, you have to pray and say, “God, would you heal my memories? 

Second, you need to fill your mind with God’s word, the Bible. 

That’s why we say come to mid week Bible study

Then the third thing you do is you believe the truth about you.

4.  REFOCUS ON THE FUTURE

       “Put your heart right, reach out to God… then face the world again, firm and courageous.  Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more.”  Job 11:13-16 (GN)

       “Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don’t hang your head in shame.”  Pr. 4:25 (GN)

How do you know when you’ve been healed?  You just saw a great example in Frank.  You know you’ve been healed when you want to start sharing the cure with everybody else.  You’re not really healed until you come to the fifth step.

5.  REACH OUT TO HELP OTHERS

       “God comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us” 2 Cor. 1:4 (NCV)

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside.  He is not the same anymore.  A new life has begun!”  2 Cor. 5:17 (LB)

Some of you have stepped across the line.  You’ve accepted Christ in your heart.  But you haven’t revealed your hurt, you haven’t released those who’ve offended you, you haven’t replaced those old tapes with new truth, so you’re still living in your old life even though God’s given you the power to have a new life.  You need to appropriate that today by taking the steps of recovery.  You can begin today.