What does Jesus do for you when you struggle?

John 20:19-21
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,[c] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

What did the Disciples' struggle look like?

They had just been told that Jesus was alive! But …
They were hiding, fearful of the religious majority
They had a whiplash of conflicting emotions – both
joy and fear!

What does your struggle look like?

A broken or strained relationship?
Marriage? Children? In-laws? Fellow-believers?
A life-dominating sin?
Chemicals? Pornography? Thoughts?
A troubling, persistent feeling of insecurity?
A physical illness or debilitating condition?
A family-destroying work/life imbalance
A nothing-but-trouble road ahead?
A persistent grief because of heart-breaking loss?

A struggle shifts your focus!

Trouble collapses your world
Pressures turn you inward
Fear changes your thinking
Trials test your soul
Distress limits your relationships

What does Jesus do for you when you struggle?

1. He Gives You Himself – His Presence
v. 19c
He shifts your focus from you to Him!

Some sample verses...

* … I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:20)
* Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? (Jer. 23:23)
* And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, (John 14:16)
* And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex. 33:14)
* … for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)

2. He Envisions and Offers Change (Shalom) for You v. 19d

Is this just “peace,” as in a cessation of conflict? As in …

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:1)

No, “shalom” is wholeness, completeness, soundness, health, safety and prosperity, carrying with it the implication of permanence.

3. He Prompts Joy in You
v. 20
Just imagine the satisfaction of the tree (See Jer. 17:8)

4. He commissions you. v. 21

He shifts your focus from you to others – for Him!

5. He Empowers You
v. 22

Can you do what God has commissioned you to do in your own strength? You shouldn’t even try! If you’re a believer, you have the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit to empower you to bring God glory in every circumstance of life.

6. He Gives You Confidence in the Power of the Gospel
v. 23

7. He Replaces Your Doubt with Certainty
v. 28

8. He Promises Blessings for Those Who Walk in Faith
v. 29

Why does your struggle exist?
One reason...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. – 2 Cor. 1:3-4

There is nothing - no circumstance, no trouble, no testing - that can ever touch me until first of all it has gone past God and past Christ through His love. If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause my heart to fret - for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is. That is the rest of victory! - Alan Redpath (1907-1989)

What is true in your struggle?

Jesus is there, envisioning change for you, bringing you joy, commissioning you, empowering you, giving you confidence in the gospel, replacing your doubt with confidence, and promising you blessing when you walk in faith.

So, where is your focus:
Your struggle or your Savior?

Sanctify them in the truth;
Your Word is truth.
John 17:17

So what?
1. Be alert to God's presence (the fear of the Lord) and God's promises even when - especially when - you struggle.
2. Radiate your satisfaction in knowing Christ and being known by Him or... be joyful!
3. Confidently share the gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to bring glory to God.

Discussion Questions

1. What difficult circumstances has God ordained in your life during which you struggled?

2. When, in what situation(s), have you most powerfully and personally sensed the presence of the Lord?

3. “Change is coming.” That’s good news! Had Jesus said that to you, what kind of heart-based change might you expect?

4. Would those who know you best consider you to be a joyful person? Why or why not? What causes Christians to exude joy?

5. What are the names of three people with whom you should share the gospel?