1. The Holy Spirit helps us to set our minds on things above rather than on things that bother us. Paul wrote, "Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Col. 3:1,2)
Application: Ask the Lord for the mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual discipline to focus all of your energies on seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness as an antidote to pain.
2. The Holy Spirit gives us supernatural empowerment to cope with our suffering. Paul wrote, "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love." (2 Cor. 6:4-6)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you experience more of His supernatural power to lift you above any pain, problem or suffering that is troubling you in the same way Paul experienced victorious empowerment.
3. The Holy Spirit lifts us above the attitudes of defeatism with His weaponry. Paul wrote, "In truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left." (2 Cor. 6:7)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you be more of an overcomer instead of giving into feelings of depression, defeatism or disillusionment.
4. The Holy Spirit shifts our attention to His glory rather than our own self-promotion. Paul wrote, "Through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report, genuine, yet regarded as impostors." (2 Cor. 6:8)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you shift more of your mental, social, cultural, economic, educational, physical, and spiritual energies to giving the Lord greater glory than yourself.
5. The Holy Spirit concentrates our focus on achieving God’s purposes rather than our own. Paul wrote, "Known, yet regarded as unknown; ;dying and yet we live on; beaten and yet not killed." (2 Cor. 6:9)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you be more interested in magnifying the Lord’s reputation than your own.
6. The Holy Spirit adjusts our perspectives toward the obtaining of His pleasures rather than our own. Paul wrote, "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." (2 Cor. 6:10)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you find your joy in serving Jesus rather than trying to satisfy your own appetites and pleasures.
7. The Holy Spirit changes our interests from our own needs to the making of others rich in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote, "Poor, yet making many rich."
Application: Ask the Lord to help you be willing to change more of your activities to the satisfying of peoples’ spiritual hunger with the riches found in Christ.
8. The Holy Spirit takes away the stigma of being poor in this world and honors us with greater identification with Christ. Paul wrote, "Having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (2 Cor. 6:10)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you thank Him for all the riches you enjoy in Christ Jesus. Remember, freely, we have received, therefore, freely give.
9. The Holy Spirit gives us sufficient grace to cope with whatever pain, discomfort or affliction. Paul wrote, "He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9)
Application: Ask the Lord to let you grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus enabling you to cope with the most difficult of emotional, physical or mental affliction. Do not be ashamed of any weakness since it allows the Lord a greater opportunity to shoulder more of our pain and burdens.
10. The Holy Spirit overshadows our feelings of distress with the power of His love. The angel answered a distressed Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you believe all of God’s promises. Allow His power to overshadow any anguish or remorse.
11. The Holy Spirit will endow you with the peace that is necessary to cope with all your anxieties as you wonder how to cope with pain. Isaiah wrote, "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge of the fear of the Lord..." (Isaiah 11:2)
Application: The Almighty God gives the Spirit without limits. Thank the Lord for His all sufficient wisdom, power and peace that surpass human understanding. He will give you whatever you need when you encounter various painful experiences, if you ask Him for help!
12. The Holy Spirit will encompass you with His love. Paul wrote, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38,39)
Application: Thank the Lord for His unfailing love that meets all of our needs during times of great anguish, heartache, & pain.
