Where is God when you need Him?
- Have you ever asked yourself that question? [e]
- I know I have!
- In fact, even as a minister of the Gospel, I have asked that question at times. [e]
- Perhaps, this sermon is so much more serious than last week’s one, but sometimes we need to get serious with God [e]
- So, is there anyone who can answer that age-old question: Where is God when you need Him? [e]
- We have heard many ask that question [e]
- In times of sickness….
- In times of poverty….
- When a loved one goes astray….
- When tragedy strikes…
- When we lose someone dear to us…
- The question arises: Where is God when you need Him?
- Lets look into the Word of God to find the answer to that question.
1. Where is God when it feels like we are falling into the pit?
- Our first Scripture for this morning is Genesis 37: 23 – 24 “So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colours that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.”
- We all know the background of this story of Joseph…
- He was his father’s favourite and therefore become unpopular because of hatred [explain]
- Satan will always hate you, because you are your Heavenly Father’s favourite [e]
- You are a child of God…and because you belong to God, the devil hates you [e]
- He hates you so much, he will try to drag you into a pit [e]
- Joseph was stripped of his tunic of many colours [e]
- Joseph was blessed by his father with a tunic of many colours [e]
- The tunic represented his importance to his father [e]
- The devil wants to strip you of the blessings Your Heavenly father has already provisioned for you [e]
- He wants to rob you of the importance that your Heavenly Father has intrinsically created you with [e]
- The last part of that Scripture tells us that the pit was empty and there was no water in it
- That pit was designed to be the end of Joseph [e]
- It was empty….there was nothing in it [e]
- The devil wants to drag you down into an empty pit where you have nothing [e]
- The wasn’t even water in it….in the hot and empty land, Joseph would have died of thirst [e]
- The devil not only wants to drag you into an empty pit, but he wants to separate from the fountain of living water that the song writer says “flows from the throne room of God” [e]
- But guess what, the pit was not the end of Joseph, but became one the stepping stone to his eventual greatness [e]
- The devil may be dragging you down into the pit, but God has designed you for greatness [e]
- Turn to the person next to you and tell them: “God has designed you for greatness”
2. Where is God in the time of imprisonment?
- Our second Scripture is found in Genesis 39: 20 – 21 “Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
- Joseph was accused of a crime that he did not commit [explain]
- Joseph ended up in prison for doing the right thing [e]
- We try to live a good life…a life pleasing to God…a holy life [e]
- And sometimes the more we want to please God, the more problems we encounter [e]
- I have come to the conclusion that the more you want to do for God, the more intense the attack the enemy becomes upon us [e]
- Sometimes things just seem to close in around us [e]
- Every side we turn we encounter a problem [e]
- And we cry out: “But Lord what did I do?” [e]
- “God where are you right now?”
- Joseph found favour even when locked up in prison [e]
- The devil may be trying to put the chains of confinement on you, but God has got other plans [e]
3. Where is God in the time of pain?
- Our third Scripture for this morning is found in Matthew 9: 20 – 22 “And suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of his garment. For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her he said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.”
- A deeper study into the life of this woman would reveal to us that she suffered much in 12 years [e]
- Physical pain [e]
- Emotional pain because she was for 12 years been classified as unclean and was cut off from society [e]
- Financial problems, because the gospels tell us that she had spent all her substance consulting doctors [e]
- She must have asked herself and maybe others the question many times: Where is God in the midst of my pain? [e]
- Some of you may have asked that question many times as well: “Where is God in the midst of my pain?” [e]
- Sometimes pain I not just physical [e]
- Many of you have been going through emotional pain as well [e]
- How many of you sometimes cry yourselves to sleep? [e]
- How many of you carry emotional scars? [e]
- Many of you, like this woman, have been carrying some pains for many years [e]
- Today, if you would just touch the hem of his garment [e]
4. Where is my God in the times of my suffering?
- Many people suffer in silence [e]
- Our aim this morning is to break that silence [e]
- We also want to attempt to answer that question: Where is God in the time of my suffering? [e]
- There is no person in the Bible that suffered more than Job did
- Job was an extremely wealthy man who had been blessed with it all:
• A lovely family
• Extreme wealth
• A good name
• Good health
- Then in the space of a day, he lost his wealth [e]
- Now many of us can handle that [e]
- Then the news came that all his children, not just one, but all had been killed by natural disaster [e]
- Remember, God controls the weather [e]
- How bitter Job could have been [e]
- Where was God in all this one could ask [e]
- To make matters worse, he was then struck with physical illness that left him covered with painful boils and sores from head to toe [e]
- His friends came over to sympathise with him, but ended up blaming him for his misfortune [e]
- Where was God in all this suffering?
- Sometimes we go through times of suffering in this life and ask ourselves: “Where is God in my suffering?” [e]
Conclusion
- So, you may be asking, where is God when I need Him?
- Let’s answer that question:
- My first point: Where is God when I feel like I am falling into a pit?
- Answer: God is already in the pit waiting for you [e]
- When you get dragged down into that pit, you may think that you are alone [e]
- God is already there waiting for you to deliver you [e]
- When Joseph was thrown into that pit, everyone thought that was the end of him [e]
- But God had destined that Joseph would end up in the palace [e]
- In the pit Joseph couldn’t see the palace [e]
- He couldn’t see beyond the situation he was in, but God had other plans for him [e]
- Maybe you may be falling into a pit like Joseph [e]
- Maybe you are already down there [e]
- Don’t worry God’s got a plan for you [e]
- Pastor, how can you be so sure?
- Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
- My second point: Where is God in the time of imprisonment?
- For those who feel trapped by the circumstances that life has thrown at you now [e]
- For those who are bound and beset by problems right now and you feel like the chains cannot not be broken….
- God is able to meet you right there where you are right now [e]
- God was with Joseph in that prison that he was thrown into [e]
- Joseph’s prison doors did not stop God from coming to his rescue [e]
- Whatever chains you may have that has you fettered
- Whatever is holding you bound
- Whatever circumstance has you trapped today
- God can set you free [e]
- God wants to rescue you today [e]
- Your circumstances are not impossible with God
- Romans 8:37 says, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
- My third point: Where is God in the time of my pain?
- God is your Healer.
- Not only does HE take away physical pain, but He heals emotional pain as well [e]
- Not matter what you go through, the Word assures us:
- Hebrews 13:5 “…For He Himself said, ‘I will never you nor forsake you.’”
- My fourth point: Where is God in the time of my suffering?
- God will always deliver you, no matter what you are going through [e]
- Yes, you may go through a time of trial and suffering, but God will never leave you there [e]
- Psalms 30:5 “…Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”
- [Pray for people]
