John 16:33 (NIV) 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Storming the Gates: ANXIETY ANGER REGRET PAIN ADDICTION DEPRESSION How Christ Sets Us Free

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Physical – acute/chronic, different intensities Psalm 102:3-4 (ESV) 3 For my days pass away like smoke,     and my bones burn like a furnace. 4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;     I forget to eat my bread.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Past events and grievances – still felt

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Past events and grievances – still felt I Kings 2:5-6 (ESV) 5 “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Past events and grievances – still felt I Kings 2:5-6 (ESV) blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Past events and grievances – still felt Psalm 6:6-7 (ESV) 6 I am weary with my moaning;     every night I flood my bed with tears;     I drench my couch with my weeping. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief;     it grows weak because of all my foes.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free The Stronghold of Pain Enemy’s goal … from pain to sin Self-focus Poor judgment Degrading relationships Despair

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • Pain reminds us that the world is fallen. Romans 8:19-21 (ESV) 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • Pain reminds us that the world is fallen. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • God will be present to give strength. Psalm 22:24-26 (ESV) 24 For he has not despised or abhorred     the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him,     but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;     my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;     those who seek him shall praise the Lord!     May your hearts live forever!

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • God is just … trust Him to avenge all wrongs. I Thessalonians 4:3-6 (ESV) 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • God is just … trust Him to avenge all wrongs. Romans 12:18-19 (ESV) 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” > Deuteronomy 32:35 > Proverbs 20:22

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • Jesus and suffering > Unusually sensitive to groans of suffering Matthew 20:30-34 (ESV) 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said,

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • Jesus and suffering > Unusually sensitive to groans of suffering Matthew 20:30-34 (ESV) “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • Jesus and suffering > Unusually sensitive to groans of suffering > Endured pain himself I Peter 2:23-24 (ESV) 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free God’s Word to the Suffering • In Christ, pain is temporary … suffering will end II Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV) 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Luke 10:36-37 (ESV) 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Psalm 119:49-50 (ESV) 49 Remember your word to your servant,     in which you have made me hope. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction,     that your promise gives me life.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Forbearance … patience … forgiveness until healing comes. Ruth 1:16-18 (ESV) 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die,

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Forbearance … patience … forgiveness until healing comes. Ruth 1:16-21 (ESV) and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Forbearance … patience … forgiveness until healing comes. Ruth 1:16-21 (ESV) 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Forbearance … patience … forgiveness until healing comes. Ruth 1:16-21 (ESV) dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

PAIN Storming the Gates: How Christ Sets Us Free What Can We Do? Seek to help those in pain. Remind them of God’s promises. Forbearance … patience … forgiveness until healing comes.