EXPERIENCING GOD’S SUFFICIENCY: OUR COMFORT AND STRENGTH (God’s Prescription For Depression) Isaiah 40:9-31

How are you today? Are you getting tired and weary? Are you in need of encouragement? Do you want to experience God’s comfort?

Good news! We don’t have to bear our burdens alone. We can find hope, encouragement and strength in God. We can know the reality of God’s comfort through the Scriptures.

But the encouragement of Scripture is not simply designed to make us feel better or just remove our pain.

God’s comfort is designed to give us wisdom to see the bigger picture, a better perspective on our circumstances; to understand His enduring purposes; and to know God’s sufficiency in the midst of our inadequacy.

1. HIS PRESCRIPTION ANNOUNCED (Isaiah 40:9c,10a) “BEHOLD, YOUR GOD!” ESB, NKJV

Isaiah is saying, “Think about the nature and works, the attributes and actions, of your God.” “Let your mind dwell on Him.”

Psalm 40:1-10 ALWAYS FOCUS ON WHO AND WHAT GOD IS AS YOU FACE THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE, WHATEVER IT MAY BRING.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Helen Lemmel, 1922) O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.

“GET YOUR EYES OFF ON THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. GET YOUR EYES ON YOUR GOD. BEHOLD HIM, YOUR GOD REIGNS!” HEBREWS 12:1-3 2 COR. 4:16-18

2. HIS PERSON PROCLAIMED (Isaiah 40: 9c, 10-11) a. He is a Personal God who cares - He is “your God” (vs. 9c). Phil. 4:19-20; 1 Pet. 5:7

b. He is a Deliverer and King - “who will come with His arm ruling for Him” (vs. 10a). Josh. 5:13-15 Matt. 16:27

JESUS WILL ONE DAY RETURN TO BRING PERFECT PEACE TO A SINFUL AND LOST WORLD (REV. 19:11, 15-16).

c. He is a Rewarder - “Behold, His reward is with Him …” (vs. 10b). Heb. 6:10 1 Cor. 15:58

d. He is a Shepherd who tenderly cares for his people - “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock …” (vs. 11). Psalm 23; John 10:11; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4

3. HIS POWER DECLARED (Isaiah 40:12-26) a. His greatness is limitless— God is omnipotent (vs. 12). b. His wisdom is unsearchable— God is omniscient (vss.13,14).

c. His authority is absolute—God is sovereign (vss ). Ps. 103:19; 115:3; 135:5-6

d. His being is incomparable— God is infinite (vss ). e. His might is unchanging— God is faithful (vs. 26).

4. HIS PEOPLE REBUKED (Isaiah 40: 27-28A) Question 1 (vs. 27): Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? (NIV)

THE TRIALS AND PRESSURES OF LIFE, NO MATTER HOW SEVERE, ARE NEVER AN INDICATION THAT GOD HAS FORGOTTEN US OR IS UNCONCERNED.

Questions 2 (vs. 28): “Do you not know? Have you not heard?” Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:8-9 Heb. 3:7-8

5. HIS PROMISE PROVIDED (Isaiah 40:28b-31) a. Know who is in charge - “The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth” (40:28b).

b. Rest in God’s Omnipotence - “He does not become weary or tired” (40:28b).

c. Trust God who knows what He is doing - “His understanding is inscrutable” (40:28c).

d. Realize that God cares and wants to strengthen us – “He gives (a habitual practice of God) strength to the weary, …” (40:29).

e. Learn to submit to the Lord – “wait on the Lord (40:30-31). “Wait” means “to trust, hope, or have confidence in.” Originally it meant “to twist, bind.”

Personal and Practical Implications of Beholding God: a. “We will gain new strength.” b. “We will mount up with wings like eagles.” c. “we will run and not get tired.”

Daniel 11:32b “…but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”