The Importance of a Right Spirit in Difficult Times

A central theme of this podcast episode revolves around the concept of maintaining a right spirit, particularly when faced with adversity or a wounded spirit. The speaker emphasizes that while individuals may appear fine on the outside, they can be suffering deeply within. Drawing from biblical examples, particularly the story of Caleb, the speaker illustrates how a positive and faithful spirit can lead to blessings and fulfillment, even amidst challenges. He points out that having a good spirit is not only vital for personal well-being but also impacts the broader community and can facilitate revival. The episode concludes with practical advice on how to nurture a right spirit, including seeking comfort in faith, connecting with others, and engaging in prayer.

Takeaways:

  • A wounded spirit is a heavy burden that many struggle to bear, and it requires attention.
  • Physical well-being does not guarantee emotional health; one can feel fine physically while struggling internally.
  • The concept of ‘spirit’ in the Bible can encompass various negative emotional states, including pride and self-righteousness.
  • Maintaining a right spirit is crucial for spiritual health and can impact one’s relationship with God and others.
  • God recognizes and rewards those who maintain a good spirit, as seen through the example of Caleb.
  • To heal a wounded spirit, one must seek the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, for comfort and guidance.
Transcript
Speaker A:

But a wounded spirit, who can bear a wounded spirit?

Speaker A:

You can feel okay physically sometimes, but you're wounded in your spirit.

Speaker A:

The devil knows that he wants to do everything he can.

Speaker A:

Jesus had to deal with this a lot.

Speaker A:

In fact, one time the disciples, he called them, they were arguing in, I think it's in Luke chapter nine.

Speaker A:

And they were kind of arguing over who's going to be the greatest.

Speaker A:

Believe it or not, it's in there.

Speaker A:

Can you imagine the pride and the arrogancy talking about, well, I'm going to be greater than you are.

Speaker A:

And further down in that same chapter, Jesus said, you know not what spirit ye are of.

Speaker A:

He had to deal with the disciples sometimes that got a bad spirit, they got an infected spirit, they got a wounded spirit, they got a critical spirit, they got a suspicious spirit, they got a self righteous spirit, they got a proud spirit sometimes, they sometimes would get a revengeful spirit, sometimes a sour spirit.

Speaker A:

You ever been around somebody that's just sour?

Speaker A:

They don't laugh or smile.

Speaker A:

And then you have people with just a careless spirit, just a blank, and you can't hardly get them to smile or anything.

Speaker A:

And maybe they're hurting, maybe they got a reason not to smile.

Speaker A:

I gotta learn.

Speaker A:

I've had to learn for years.

Speaker A:

You can't always judge a person by their facial expressions because they could be in a lot of pain and nobody knows about it.

Speaker A:

But keeping a right spirit is so very, very important.

Speaker A:

In fact, in Psalm 51, David said, Lord, create within me a clean heart and renew within me a right spirit.

Speaker A:

That's in Psalm 51, Lord, it Renew my spirit.

Speaker A:

In a couple of verses just past that it says, then shall sinners be converted unto thee.

Speaker A:

You might want to look that up.

Speaker A:

Some of you are looking like, is that in the Bible?

Speaker A:

I'm just kidding.

Speaker A:

But it is interesting.

Speaker A:

And I wonder sometimes if we don't see more people saved because we have a bad spirit.

Speaker A:

We don't mean to, we don't come to church planning to get a bad spirit, but things happen.

Speaker A:

Amen.

Speaker A:

And let's just be honest and not look like we don't ever have any problems with that.

Speaker A:

Sometimes our spirit can get wounded and we need to know how to treat it.

Speaker A:

And I'm gonna give you that at the end of the message.

Speaker A:

Just for a little thing, kind of like a prescription a doctor will give you.

Speaker A:

And Jesus is the great physician.

Speaker A:

But you have.

Speaker A:

There's so many wonderful things about the Bible.

Speaker A:

You ever thought when you hold your Bible that you're holding a Medicine cabinet.

Speaker A:

Any of you have a medicine cabinet at home?

Speaker A:

And sometimes they get so filled up.

Speaker A:

You gotta start putting them in boxes under the sink.

Speaker A:

And then under the bed.

Speaker A:

And then out in the garage and all that.

Speaker A:

But the Bible is kind of like a medicine cabinet.

Speaker A:

And the more you know your Bible.

Speaker A:

You'll be able to know where to go, what chapter, what verse.

Speaker A:

Where can I go to help my spirit?

Speaker A:

Lord?

Speaker A:

I don't want this kind of spirit.

Speaker A:

Some things have happened or some things have been said to me or about me or whatever.

Speaker A:

And, Lord, I just.

Speaker A:

I don't feel so good on the inside.

Speaker A:

And I need a right spirit.

Speaker A:

We're just.

Speaker A:

Just not very far away from revival.

Speaker A:

We're planning revival with Brother McCracken.

Speaker A:

I've never met him.

Speaker A:

We've talked on the phone recently.

Speaker A:

Last several weeks.

Speaker A:

But everything I've heard about him, they said, oh, Brother Weatherby, you are gonna.

Speaker A:

You're gonna be in for a blessing.

Speaker A:

He is such a great preacher.

Speaker A:

So I'm looking forward to it.

Speaker A:

But you know something?

Speaker A:

Revival has a lot to do with us getting the right spirit.

Speaker A:

When God's people get their spirit right with God and with people, a revival can take place.

Speaker A:

But you can sing, and you can sit and you can teach and even preach.

Speaker A:

You can do a lot of things and still have a bad spirit.

Speaker A:

And nobody may know that but God and you.

Speaker A:

But here in the scripture tonight, in the Book of Numbers.

Speaker A:

Are you still there?

Speaker A:

Numbers?

Speaker A:

Chapter number 14 is a great story of Moses and the children of Israel.

Speaker A:

Having all kinds of problems and murmurings and trouble.

Speaker A:

And it's pretty interesting.

Speaker A:

But he's talking to Joshua.

Speaker A:

He talked about Joshua and Caleb.

Speaker A:

You remember Joshua and Caleb?

Speaker A:

And it's very interesting to me that they sent out some spies.

Speaker A:

Anybody remember how many spies they sent out?

Speaker A:

12.

Speaker A:

And they came back and took a vote.

Speaker A:

And the majority said, no way, Jose.

Speaker A:

Well, they probably didn't say it quite like that, but they said it's impossible.

Speaker A:

We're like little grasshoppers compared to them.

Speaker A:

This is all in chapter 14.

Speaker A:

And Caleb and Joshua said, uh, wait a minute.

Speaker A:

Yeah, they're big, but God's bigger.

Speaker A:

And he's made a promise.

Speaker A:

And all we got to do is just keep doing what we're doing and trust God and go get the land.

Speaker A:

You remember that story?

Speaker A:

Well, the majority won, 10 to 2.

Speaker A:

Joshua and Caleb were voted down.

Speaker A:

Kind of interesting, isn't it?

Speaker A:

And God got so upset with them, he said, I made up my mind.

Speaker A:

None of these people are even going to See the promised land, much less get there because of the way the vote went.

Speaker A:

He said, these people won't believe me and they won't trust me.

Speaker A:

And they're murmuring and they're always upset.

Speaker A:

Da, da, da, da.

Speaker A:

They got a bad spirit.

Speaker A:

And God said, they're all going to die.

Speaker A:

Their kids will see the promised land.

Speaker A:

But everybody, 20 years and up, not going to happen.

Speaker A:

That's pretty strong stuff.

Speaker A:

But it's interesting.

Speaker A:

In verse 24, God says, But my servant Caleb didn't say Joshua.

Speaker A:

I'll talk about that in a moment.

Speaker A:

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit.

Speaker A:

Another spirit.

Speaker A:

Did you get that?

Speaker A:

With him?

Speaker A:

And hath followed me fully.

Speaker A:

Him will I bring and into the land whereinto he went, and his seed shall possess it all.

Speaker A:

Because the Bible says Caleb had another spirit.

Speaker A:

He had a different spirit.

Speaker A:

He had a good spirit.

Speaker A:

And God was impressed with that.

Speaker A:

God noticed the spirit of Caleb.

Speaker A:

Now you say, well, I try to have a good spirit, but I've just got.

Speaker A:

I don't know what to do.

Speaker A:

Well, I'm going to give you.

Speaker A:

I'm going to give you some things to write down in just a moment, but I want you to get this picture of Caleb.

Speaker A:

God notices a lot more than we think.

Speaker A:

It almost sounds like a compliment that he's given to Caleb, doesn't it?

Speaker A:

Does God give compliments?

Speaker A:

Well, I think he does.

Speaker A:

Will Rogers said I can live three months on a good compliment.

Speaker A:

God is no respecter of persons.

Speaker A:

There's not anybody in this auditorium that God likes a little bit better than you.

Speaker A:

According to the Bible, God is just and loving and kind and forgiving.

Speaker A:

And you're important to God.

Speaker A:

Nobody else may think you are.

Speaker A:

And you don't like to look in the mirror, but God died.

Speaker A:

He gave his son to buy you.

Speaker A:

And he watches you and he thinks about you.

Speaker A:

He watches every move.

Speaker A:

He watches your actions and your reactions.

Speaker A:

God's got his eye on you.

Speaker A:

Even when you don't see God or feel God or think God does.

Speaker A:

And.

Speaker A:

And many times in the Bible, he would single out people like Abraham.

Speaker A:

The Bible says that God said, he's my friend.

Speaker A:

I don't know anybody else.

Speaker A:

He said that about, he's a friend of God, David.

Speaker A:

God said, he's a man after my own heart.

Speaker A:

He knows what I like, what I like to hear, what I like to see.

Speaker A:

And he does all those things you say, well, he messed up.

Speaker A:

Yeah, yeah, we all mess up.

Speaker A:

I already told you a spurgeon thing that was on the screen a While ago, God uses failures because there aren't any other kind around.

Speaker A:

When I read that made me feel better because I fail a lot more.

Speaker A:

There's failures I've made and I don't even want to tell you about him.

Speaker A:

But God knows and God forgives and God restores and God says, let's try this again.

Speaker A:

Over and over and over.

Speaker A:

He's a man after my own heart.

Speaker A:

And so here, in the midst of all these problems, they're getting ready to wander around for 40 years.

Speaker A:

But God says, I've noticed Caleb has a right spirit, a good spirit.

Speaker A:

I don't know that he always smiled.

Speaker A:

I don't know.

Speaker A:

The Bible doesn't say, I don't know that he laughed a lot.

Speaker A:

I kind of think maybe he did.

Speaker A:

If he's positive about this, it was a lot to be negative about.

Speaker A:

But he's pretty positive.

Speaker A:

So he probably smiled a little more than the average.

Speaker A:

I don't know.

Speaker A:

And some people smile on the inside, right?

Speaker A:

But Caleb was in the midst of a lot of complainers and negative spirits.

Speaker A:

And by the way, bad spirits are contagious and so are good spirits.

Speaker A:

Yeah, they are.

Speaker A:

They're very contagious.

Speaker A:

You get around people with a bad spirit, you will get a bad spirit.

Speaker A:

It won't take long.

Speaker A:

You say, nah, not me, I'm strong.

Speaker A:

No, you will.

Speaker A:

You will be careful who you spend a lot of time with because if they don't have a good spirit, it could affect your spirit.

Speaker A:

Caleb, Joshua, only two that were excited and positive and ready to go.

Speaker A:

I'm going to say it again.

Speaker A:

I believe one of the greatest challenges for Christians is, is to have and to keep the right spirit.

Speaker A:

God singled out Caleb and he blessed him.

Speaker A:

He was 85 years old when he retired.

Speaker A:

And God said, what do you want me to do for you, Caleb?

Speaker A:

And Caleb said, well, there's a mountain over there.

Speaker A:

I've had my own for a long time.

Speaker A:

Can you imagine an 85 year old mountain climber?

Speaker A:

But he said, I want that mountain.

Speaker A:

God says, it's yours.

Speaker A:

85 Years old, but he had a right spirit.

Speaker A:

When they came back of being sent out to spy out the land, Caleb, the Bible says, stilled the people.

Speaker A:

He was confident and he was calm and he was courageous and he was committed.

Speaker A:

You know, a lot of times over the years when I need someone to do a particular job or help me or do something, a minister in the church or maybe at some position, I'm always interested in their spirit more than I am their abilities.

Speaker A:

Did you hear what I just said, not everybody may not have the same talents and abilities, but they got a lot better spirit than some people who have more talent and abilities.

Speaker A:

Maybe it's just me, but I like to be around people that has a positive, confident spirit that says, I don't know how it's going to work out, but God's in control.

Speaker A:

Let's just keep pressing on and praise God.

Speaker A:

I love to be around people like that.

Speaker A:

I'm not saying turn it on, it's easy.

Speaker A:

Just turn the knob, put it on.

Speaker A:

Happy spirit, and you'll be fine.

Speaker A:

No, no, I'll give you something here in just a moment.

Speaker A:

But Caleb stilled the people.

Speaker A:

They were ready to rile up.

Speaker A:

They were ready to take over everything and run Moses out of town and all that kind of stuff.

Speaker A:

And so there was a spirit of trust or faith in Caleb.

Speaker A:

This wasn't a self motivated positive thinking like that, which is replacing a lot of Bible preaching today.

Speaker A:

Did you know a lot of Bible preaching today is thrown into the wastebasket and they want preachers that are positive thinkers and make me feel better and I'll give more money and all that kind of stuff.

Speaker A:

And I think the Bible could and should and it ought to always make us feel better.

Speaker A:

But sometimes it hurts a little bit before it gets to feeling better.

Speaker A:

Am I right?

Speaker A:

I don't like to go to the doctor any more than you do, man.

Speaker A:

I went the other day for an adjustment at a, it's hard to say, choir practice, but chiropractor and man, I thought my head was coming right off.

Speaker A:

I was going to go home headless.

Speaker A:

I mean, he jerked and snapped that thing.

Speaker A:

But after it got better, I felt better.

Speaker A:

And sometimes we hurt for a little while before it feels better.

Speaker A:

Caleb knew God and Caleb had absolute confidence in God and he had the faith to believe in something he couldn't see.

Speaker A:

God had already told them that the land was theirs or all they had to do was go in and possess it.

Speaker A:

Wow.

Speaker A:

But the Bible says they would.

Speaker A:

Hebrews 3:19 says, we see that they would not enter in because of unbelief.

Speaker A:

There's a group of scientists that were searching for a certain type of plant and they found one, but it was off of a cliff quite a bit far further down, off the edge of the cliff, growing out of one of the crevices.

Speaker A:

And they saw this little boy and they said, son, would you let us put a rope around you and let you down over the cliff so you can pick that plant down there?

Speaker A:

And we want to study and we'll pay you for it.

Speaker A:

And the little boy thought for a moment.

Speaker A:

He said, yeah, I'll do that, provided my daddy holds the rope.

Speaker A:

There's nobody can hold the rope better than God.

Speaker A:

I don't like heights too much, but if I know in a situation God, you promise it's going to happen.

Speaker A:

It's just a matter of time.

Speaker A:

Let me down on the rope.

Speaker A:

You hold the rope.

Speaker A:

I'll be fine.

Speaker A:

Doesn't mean I get a little scared, a little nervous sometimes.

Speaker A:

If, if you preach the word of God faithfully, sometimes it gets a little scary.

Speaker A:

But God's holding the rope.

Speaker A:

When you lay hold of a promise in the word of God, on the other end is your heavenly Father.

Speaker A:

Amen.

Speaker A:

For all the promises of God, in him are yea, and in him, amen unto the glory of God.

Speaker A:

Of God by us, the Spirit of trust.

Speaker A:

Caleb said, God will take care of this thing.

Speaker A:

We don't have to worry about it.

Speaker A:

And they rolled their eyes, took the vote and began their long 40 year wilderness life.

Speaker A:

He also had the spirit of courage.

Speaker A:

Courage is a vital ingredient.

Speaker A:

I used to tell the guys out at the seminary, no matter how strong your conviction is, if you don't have the courage to stand by it, it don't do any good.

Speaker A:

How many people say, well, I have a conviction.

Speaker A:

The Bible's the word of God.

Speaker A:

But they don't have the courage sometimes to do what the Bible says.

Speaker A:

They don't have the courage to stand up or to speak up.

Speaker A:

Yeah, we need conviction, but we also need courage.

Speaker A:

And that only comes from God, the Holy Spirit of God.

Speaker A:

When you know you're right according to the Bible, not according to your opinion.

Speaker A:

But when you know this is what God says, there's no doubt in my mind about it.

Speaker A:

God will give you the courage.

Speaker A:

But again, you've heard me say it probably a hundred times since I've been here.

Speaker A:

Most people don't know their Bible.

Speaker A:

It's hard to have courage when you don't know what God said.

Speaker A:

It's hard to have faith when you're not sure what God said.

Speaker A:

And so the devil wants to keep people ignorant of the Bible.

Speaker A:

But courage.

Speaker A:

My servant Caleb, boy Joshua had a lot of courage, didn't he?

Speaker A:

As for me, in my house, we're gonna serve God.

Speaker A:

And boy, he just had a great time with God.

Speaker A:

Joshua, chapter number one.

Speaker A:

And then there was a spirit of submissiveness.

Speaker A:

I really, this is one that's, to me, that stands out the most, that causes me to admire Caleb so much.

Speaker A:

They're almost.

Speaker A:

Joshua and Caleb are almost all the time mentioned together.

Speaker A:

But God chose Joshua to take Moses place.

Speaker A:

He didn't choose Caleb.

Speaker A:

You think about that for a moment.

Speaker A:

Caleb was vocal.

Speaker A:

God can do it.

Speaker A:

Let's go.

Speaker A:

He honored God.

Speaker A:

He loved God.

Speaker A:

He was faithful.

Speaker A:

He was always where he's supposed to be.

Speaker A:

Him and Joshua together, what a team.

Speaker A:

But God said, joshua, you're going to be the man.

Speaker A:

What if Caleb would have said, what, are you kidding me?

Speaker A:

God, I've been there just as much as he has.

Speaker A:

Wrong spirit.

Speaker A:

He got a bad spirit right there.

Speaker A:

Things don't turn out the way we want them to turn out.

Speaker A:

Sometimes it can cause us to have a bad spirit.

Speaker A:

I'm just telling you like it is.

Speaker A:

I didn't say it was easy.

Speaker A:

I'm just saying that's the way it is.

Speaker A:

But Caleb kept right on going, had the right spirit.

Speaker A:

85.

Speaker A:

He got his own mountain.

Speaker A:

What a joy and blessing and what a good life he had after 85 years old.

Speaker A:

I mean, he's still going, growing and going strong.

Speaker A:

But that would have never happened, I believe, had he got a jealous, envious spirit toward Joshua.

Speaker A:

He waited for 45 years when he started following and came back from this thing that they were sent out to be the spy and get things moving.

Speaker A:

He was only 40 years old.

Speaker A:

He had to wait 45 years before he got a mountain.

Speaker A:

It's hard for me to wait 40 minutes sometimes.

Speaker A:

40 Years in the wilderness.

Speaker A:

Five more after they crossed Jordan and went into Canaan.

Speaker A:

Takes a lot of prayer in this Christian life.

Speaker A:

It takes some hard knocks.

Speaker A:

It takes a lot of broken hearts, a lot, a lot of tears.

Speaker A:

You know, I like what Jesus said.

Speaker A:

He said, the spirit of God is upon me.

Speaker A:

And he said, to heal the brokenhearted.

Speaker A:

That's what Jesus said.

Speaker A:

To heal the brokenhearted.

Speaker A:

He still does that, by the way.

Speaker A:

45 Years.

Speaker A:

George Mueller.

Speaker A:

Most of you know about George Mueller, who founded some of the greatest orphanages in the world.

Speaker A:

Never at one time wrote a letter or a card or talked to anybody and asked them for money.

Speaker A:

Had millions of dollars, but for the orphanage.

Speaker A:

Not for himself, of course.

Speaker A:

But he found them.

Speaker A:

And he determined to pray daily for the conversion of five men, particular men that he knew.

Speaker A:

Five men.

Speaker A:

It was 18 months before the first one was saved.

Speaker A:

Five years later, the second one received Christ.

Speaker A:

The third was saved six years after that.

Speaker A:

The other two were sons of George Mueller's close friend.

Speaker A:

And when George Mueller died, he had been praying for those two men for 52 years.

Speaker A:

And both of Them got saved right after the funeral.

Speaker A:

Do you know where Caleb went?

Speaker A:

He went to Hebron.

Speaker A:

That was his mountain.

Speaker A:

And the mountains, in fact, everything in the Bible is important.

Speaker A:

But the names are important.

Speaker A:

God just didn't throw out names and he named the mountain Hebron.

Speaker A:

And you know what that mountain Hebron means?

Speaker A:

It means fellowship.

Speaker A:

It means that Caleb wanted to go live on a Mountain at 85 years old.

Speaker A:

And who do you think he had fellowship with?

Speaker A:

Fellowship with God.

Speaker A:

That's the key to most everything I know of 85 years old fellowship with God.

Speaker A:

Now, what's the comfort for a wounded spirit?

Speaker A:

Because it says, a wounded spirit, who can bear.

Speaker A:

It's almost.

Speaker A:

It's almost a rhetorical question, you know, rhetorical means the answer is obvious.

Speaker A:

Who can bear a wounded spirit?

Speaker A:

Let me give you these real quick.

Speaker A:

Number one, because if you haven't gotten one, you will.

Speaker A:

If you serve God, it's just life in the world and all the things that go that we have to deal with.

Speaker A:

But when your wounded spirit, when your spirit gets hurt, get to the doctor as soon as possible.

Speaker A:

Who's the doctor?

Speaker A:

Right.

Speaker A:

There's only one, the great physician.

Speaker A:

Jesus Christ.

Speaker A:

He's the great physician.

Speaker A:

Don't wait.

Speaker A:

Don't wait a week, don't wait a month, don't wait six months, because it's not going to get better by itself.

Speaker A:

We think time heals all wounds.

Speaker A:

Well, it does.

Speaker A:

Time does have a way of revealing things and helping us to come to some conclusions that are good for us.

Speaker A:

Sometimes that's a good thing, but not all the time.

Speaker A:

And especially with a wounded spirit, the sooner you get alone with God, say, doctor, Jesus, I really need your help.

Speaker A:

I'm bleeding on the inside.

Speaker A:

I've got a wounded spirit and it's hurting.

Speaker A:

I doubt if there's anybody in this church that's not hurting.

Speaker A:

I doubt there would be one person.

Speaker A:

Because you care.

Speaker A:

Because you love.

Speaker A:

You're not cold.

Speaker A:

There's a temptation sometimes to get cold.

Speaker A:

But see the doctor, don't wait.

Speaker A:

Most people put it off and ignore it and hide it and dodge it.

Speaker A:

And then.

Speaker A:

This may sound a little strange, possibly, but in First Thessalonians, way back over on the other side of your Bible, first Thessalonians, chapter number five, in verse number 11, if you'd like to meet me there, chapter five, verse 11, it says, wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also you do when you get a wounded spirit, it's best to get with some other Christian people who understand who had A broken spirit.

Speaker A:

You know, the Bible tells us, and we know it and we believe it, but we don't practice it a lot.

Speaker A:

But can I remind you tonight that the Bible says we're to bear one another's burdens.

Speaker A:

He said, well, I got enough of my own.

Speaker A:

I know, but if you could bear somebody else's burden, God has a strange way of lightening you a burden.

Speaker A:

I know it maybe sound a little cold, and I'm not, certainly would not dare minimize your wounded spirit if you have a wounded spirit tonight.

Speaker A:

But I'm going to tell you something.

Speaker A:

Everybody has hard times.

Speaker A:

And when you can take it upon yourself, the ministry of trying to cheer up and encourage and edify, build up.

Speaker A:

That's what edify means, to build up a church family.

Speaker A:

That's part of the reason.

Speaker A:

I think there's a lot.

Speaker A:

I could give you a lot of good reasons that I think Jesus started his church.

Speaker A:

But there's one that's very important that we sometimes overlook, and that is the fact he wanted the family to help each other.

Speaker A:

We need each other.

Speaker A:

I need you, you need me.

Speaker A:

We need one another.

Speaker A:

We don't need.

Speaker A:

If there's ever been a time where we don't need to isolate.

Speaker A:

I told you the other day in Nehemiah, he says, we're too spread out here.

Speaker A:

We're too spread out.

Speaker A:

When you hear this trumpet, we need to pull it in together.

Speaker A:

People who understand bear one another's burdens and then keep praying, praying for one another.

Speaker A:

You know, you got a prayer list tonight, and it takes a lot of time to read all the names and let me encourage you to get one.

Speaker A:

If you didn't get one and look it over, get you a little highlighter and.

Speaker A:

And maybe someone just really needs prayer.

Speaker A:

But you know something?

Speaker A:

I don't even know how the church here handles this kind of thing, but we used to have people in the church where I pastored, we used to have a prayer list for those in the hospital and those that are sick.

Speaker A:

But we also had one for those who were spiritually ill, those that were struggling.

Speaker A:

We often think of putting someone on the prayer list because they got a back problem or they broke their leg or they got to have heart surgery.

Speaker A:

Well, of course we want to pray for that, wouldn't minimize that.

Speaker A:

But sometimes spiritual wounds can be even more devastating than physical problems.

Speaker A:

And I'm not suggesting that you change the prayer list.

Speaker A:

I'm just saying don't forget to pray for those that are wandering and falling by the wayside and discouraged what's the use?

Speaker A:

And instead of coming closer, they're getting further away.

Speaker A:

Who's going to go after them?

Speaker A:

Who's going to reach out to them?

Speaker A:

Just asking.

Speaker A:

You reap what you sow.

Speaker A:

You might need somebody to reap, somebody to reach out to you.

Speaker A:

One day you come back, it'll come back to you.

Speaker A:

But keep praying.

Speaker A:

The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Speaker A:

And it says, if there's any sick among you, it doesn't name the sicknesses.

Speaker A:

I think probably he meant physical sickness.

Speaker A:

But what about spiritual sickness or emotional sickness?

Speaker A:

Emotions, mental depression and discouragement.

Speaker A:

Those are real things.

Speaker A:

Very real.

Speaker A:

And people in the Bible.

Speaker A:

I was just reminded again this week reading about Elijah after that great showdown he had.

Speaker A:

You remember?

Speaker A:

That's one of the greatest stories of the Bible.

Speaker A:

And then, oh, Jezebel, the Queen said, you'll be dead by tomorrow, son.

Speaker A:

And the Bible says, Elijah ran into the.

Speaker A:

Ran into the woods.

Speaker A:

I mean, he running for his life.

Speaker A:

And he stops long enough to say, God, I don't want to be killed by some woman.

Speaker A:

You kill me.

Speaker A:

That's what he said.

Speaker A:

You kill me.

Speaker A:

I'm ready to go.

Speaker A:

I'm the only one left.

Speaker A:

God says, well, wait a minute.

Speaker A:

Wait a minute.

Speaker A:

I got 4,000 of them you don't even know about.

Speaker A:

And he said, I'm going to send you to a brook all by yourself.

Speaker A:

Won't anybody bother you.

Speaker A:

You'll have cool, fresh water.

Speaker A:

Boy, doesn't that sound good right now.

Speaker A:

By the way, the theme for our revival with Brother McCracken.

Speaker A:

The theme is going to be let it rain.

Speaker A:

That's the theme.

Speaker A:

Shower's a blessing.

Speaker A:

Let it rain.

Speaker A:

And God put.

Speaker A:

Told Elijah.

Speaker A:

He said, you go right there.

Speaker A:

He used the word there.

Speaker A:

If he'd have went somewhere else, the story would have changed.

Speaker A:

Are you where you're supposed to be?

Speaker A:

Are you there where God wants you to be, doing what God wants you to do?

Speaker A:

But he said, not only am I gonna give you water, I'm gonna even send the ravens to bring special delivery food.

Speaker A:

How about that?

Speaker A:

Ravens are scavenger birds.

Speaker A:

They eat food.

Speaker A:

They don't carry it to give somebody else.

Speaker A:

God said, I'm taking care of the ravens.

Speaker A:

I can control them, just like I can control anything.

Speaker A:

You remember that story?

Speaker A:

Boy, Elijah was really discouraged.

Speaker A:

Well, he got everything.

Speaker A:

Got well and got his spirit wounded, spirit healed, and God continued to use him.

Speaker A:

And then one day, God sent a chariot to pick him up.

Speaker A:

He didn't even die.

Speaker A:

Rode to heaven on a Chariot, swing low, sweet chariot Coming for to carry me home.

Speaker A:

And then number one, get to the doctor, get to Christ, get along with Jesus.

Speaker A:

The Bible says, consider him.

Speaker A:

Lest you become faint and wearied in your minds.

Speaker A:

You're not going to feel worse talking to Jesus.

Speaker A:

You're not gonna feel worse.

Speaker A:

And then find some Christian brothers and sisters and spend a little time with them and share your heart and pray with them.

Speaker A:

Let them.

Speaker A:

Ask them to pray for you.

Speaker A:

Thirdly, keep praying, don't quit.

Speaker A:

Number four, look up.

Speaker A:

Consider him.

Speaker A:

You know, in Psalms 3, chapter 3, verse 3, the Psalmist said, lord, you're the lifter up of my head.

Speaker A:

Every time I read that, every time I read that, I think of one of my granddaughters.

Speaker A:

And she'd climb up in my lap and I'd be looking down or reading or thinking, thinking or doing something, and she'd start talking and I'm not looking up.

Speaker A:

And she'd put her hand under here and says, look at me, Pee Paw, look at me.

Speaker A:

She'd put her hand under and lift up my head.

Speaker A:

That's exactly what David was saying.

Speaker A:

He's the lifter up of my head.

Speaker A:

Because when you get a wounded spirit, you usually.

Speaker A:

It's a temptation to look down instead of look up.

Speaker A:

And the Lord Jesus can put his hand under your chin and lift up your head.

Speaker A:

And could I mention something that again, we know it's in the Bible when we read it, but you need a wounded spirit is you're going to have to start thinking different.

Speaker A:

Say, what in the world are you talking about?

Speaker A:

Well, Paul put it like this.

Speaker A:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.

Speaker A:

You're not gonna find that on Facebook.

Speaker A:

If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

Speaker A:

You can't remember that verse probably right now again, but I just read it and you've read it.

Speaker A:

Put it up somewhere where you can see it and check it off.

Speaker A:

This is what I wanna think about today, Lord, I want to think about things that are true, not untrue.

Speaker A:

I want to know the truth.

Speaker A:

And whatsoever things are honest and whatsoever things are just and pure and lovely and of good report, think on these things.

Speaker A:

And can I say this?

Speaker A:

You need to have a hymnbook in your home.

Speaker A:

If you don't have one, you ought to buy one, a good hymnbook and lay it near your Bible.

Speaker A:

And some days when you're having your devotion and you have read and you're still not quite where you wish you were.

Speaker A:

And you're still struggling a little bit.

Speaker A:

This sounds a little oversimplified, but I'm going to tell you something.

Speaker A:

Get you a hymnbook.

Speaker A:

Because when we sing these hymns, we miss half of them trying to find the page.

Speaker A:

And then when we do, either it's too fast or this.

Speaker A:

I mean, whatever.

Speaker A:

I mean, everybody likes their own speed with music.

Speaker A:

My wife's a little more rock and roll.

Speaker A:

I'm country.

Speaker A:

Just kidding.

Speaker A:

But she does, like, speed up a little bit.

Speaker A:

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Speaker A:

Well, I'm slow.

Speaker A:

I'm a George Beverly Shea guy.

Speaker A:

And all his songs are slow and low.

Speaker A:

But what I'm saying is, what'll help you with a wounded spirit is to get a hymnbook and just start going through there.

Speaker A:

Because you sing them, but read the words.

Speaker A:

Make it part of your devotional.

Speaker A:

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus Just to take him at his word Just to rest oh, Lord, I'm so tired Just to rest upon his spirit Just to know Thus saith the Lord Jesus Jesus How I trust Him How I've proved Him O' Er and o' er Jesus Jesus precious Jesus oh, for grace to trust him more Today I was just reminded of some that I hadn't sang in a while in.

Speaker A:

I think it's.

Speaker A:

Yeah, 5:40.

Speaker A:

Listen to this.

Speaker A:

It's a hymn in your hymn book.

Speaker A:

It's called all youl Anxiety.

Speaker A:

Some of you may.

Speaker A:

Yeah, I think I heard of that, but it's not.

Speaker A:

Well, I don't hear it a lot.

Speaker A:

Is there a heart o' erbound by sorrow?

Speaker A:

Is there a life weighted down by care?

Speaker A:

Come to the cross each burden bearing all your anxiety Leave it there all your anxiety all your care Bring to the mercy seat Leave it there Never a burden he cannot bear Never a friend like Jesus it reminded me of.

Speaker A:

I know you know this one, but it reminded me of what?

Speaker A:

A friend we have in Jesus have we trials and temptations?

Speaker A:

Is there trouble anywhere?

Speaker A:

We should never be discouraged Take it to the Lord in prayer can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?

Speaker A:

Jesus knows our every weakness Take it to the Lord in prayer I thought today I went around the office there singing this one.

Speaker A:

O the pure delight of a single hour that before Thy throne I spend When I kneel in prayer and with Thee, my God, I commune as friend with friend Draw me nearer Nearer, Nearer blessed Lord to the cross where Thou hast died I'm almost through.

Speaker A:

Is that right?

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

I really am.

Speaker A:

Be not dismayed whate' er betide you know the rest of it.

Speaker A:

God will take care of you Beneath his wings of love abide God will take care of you through days of toil when heart doth fail God will take care of you when dangers fierce your path assailant God will take care of you no matter what may be the test God will take care of you Lean weary one upon his breast God will take care of you through every day or all the way he will take care of you One more.

Speaker A:

And I never even heard this one until just a couple of years ago.

Speaker A:

And preachers said, well, what are you, a Christian?

Speaker A:

Are you sure you're saved?

Speaker A:

I don't know, I said.

Speaker A:

I never knew.

Speaker A:

I just never sung it.

Speaker A:

And I heard it.

Speaker A:

George Beverly Shea.

Speaker A:

Okay, but it goes like this.

Speaker A:

Does Jesus care When my heart is pained too deeply for mirth and song as the burdens press and the care's distress and the way grows weary and long oh, yes, he cares.

Speaker A:

I know he cares his heart is touched with my grief when the days are weary and the long nights dreary I know my Savior cares.

Speaker A:

There's four more verses.

Speaker A:

But, man, it's.

Speaker A:

Does Jesus care?

Speaker A:

A wounded spirit who can bear.

Speaker A:

Lord, create within me a clean heart.

Speaker A:

Yes, of course.

Speaker A:

But renew within me a right spirit.

Speaker A:

Amen.

Speaker A:

Let's stand, please.

Speaker A:

Everyone standing together.

Speaker A:

I want you to pray and pray for those around you, those that are not here.

Speaker A:

I know you can't think of everybody, and you can't think of everything.

Speaker A:

And sometimes we don't know what to pray for as we ought.

Speaker A:

The Book of Romans, chapter eight says, but he maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Speaker A:

We'll have some music, and maybe you'd like to slip up to the altar and see the doctor.

Speaker A:

Lord, I've been to other doctors, and I'm not any better.

Speaker A:

But, Lord, you're the doctor.

Speaker A:

You're the great physician.

Speaker A:

I need help.

Speaker A:

I need healing.

Speaker A:

Come if God's lead you.

Speaker A:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the word of God and the Spirit of God, the people of God and Lord.

Speaker A:

I don't know where everybody's at, but I could make a pretty good guess.

Speaker A:

And I pray that you would Touch our hearts, Lay your hand on us.

Speaker A:

Whisper in our ear, Lord, that everything's gonna be all right.

Speaker A:

That you know.

Speaker A:

You know where we are, you know what we're dealing with.

Speaker A:

You know where it hurts.

Speaker A:

Lord, we need you'd every hour.

Speaker A:

Not every day, every hour.

Speaker A:

And Lord, I pray youy would lift burdens tonight In Jesus name I pray Our heads are bowed Now I belong to Jesus Jesus, my Lord will love me forever.

Notice a problem?

Our sermon archive represents hundreds of hours of cataloging and dedication by staff and volunteers, but we do not always get things right. Report wrong preachers, titles, or mismatched videos here.