Finding Comfort for Suffering

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Finding Comfort for Suffering
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Nowhere does the Bible teach that Christians are
exempt from the tribulations and natural
disasters that come upon the world. Scripture
does teach that the Christian can face
tribulation, crisis, calamity, and personal
suffering with a supernatural power that is not
available to the person outside of Christ. -Billy
Graham
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering Christians
respond to suffering in healthy and unhealthy
ways
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Two ways to respond to suffering and pain in this
world Escape Embrace
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Escapes from pain (unhealthy)
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter

• Escapes from pain (unhealthy)
• Substances (drugs, alcohol, pain meds, etc.)

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The Holy Spirit as Comforter

• Escapes from pain (unhealthy)
• Substances (drugs, alcohol, pain meds, etc.)
• Work

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The Holy Spirit as Comforter

• Escapes from pain (unhealthy)
• Substances (drugs, alcohol, pain meds, etc.)
• Work
• Pleasure (food, sex, etc.)

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The Holy Spirit as Comforter

• Escapes from pain (unhealthy)
• Substances (drugs, alcohol, pain meds, etc.)
• Work
• Pleasure (food, sex, etc.)
• Entertainment (gaming, TV, internet, golf, etc.)

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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering Christians
respond to suffering in healthy and unhealthy
ways
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering Christians
respond to suffering in healthy and unhealthy
ways Christians can find comfort for suffering
from the Holy Spirit
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John 1415-17 (NET Bible)
15 If you love me, you will obey my
commandments. 16 Then I will ask the Father, and
he will give you another Advocate to be with you
forever 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world
cannot accept, because it does not see him or
know him. But you know him, because he resides
with you and will be in you.
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John 1526 (NET Bible)
26 When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you
from the Father the Spirit of truth who goes
out from the Father he will testify about me .
. .
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John 167 (NET Bible)
7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your
advantage that I am going away. For if I do not
go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but
if I go, I will send him to you.
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Acts 931 (NET Bible)
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and
Samaria experienced peace and thus was
strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and
in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the
church increased in numbers.
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Romans 826-28 (NET Bible)
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness, for we do not know how we should pray,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with
inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches
our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because
the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints
according to Gods will. 28 And we know that all
things work together for good for those who love
God, who are called according to his purpose.
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Contrary to what might be expected, I look back
on experiences that at the time seemed especially
desolating and painful with particular
satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with complete
truthfulness that everything I have learned in my
75 years in this world, everything that has truly
enhanced and enlightened my experience, has been
through affliction and not through happiness. -
Malcolm Muggeridge, in Homemade, July, 1990
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The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Christians experience suffering Christians
respond to suffering in healthy and unhealthy
ways Christians can find comfort for suffering
from the Holy Spirit
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Finding Comfort for Suffering