The God of All Comfort 7-7-24

2 Corinthians 1:3-11 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Romans 8:18 NASB For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.


Finding the Tension

· The Present Time is different.



· The Present Time is difficult.



· The Present Time is defining.



Finding the Context

· Mystery…Divine Comfort is beyond understanding and reason.



· Balance…God chooses to extend His comfort in various ways (ex. There are GIFTS of Healing. He is the God of ALL KINDS OF COMFORT.).



· Focus…on the God of comfort, not the comfort itself.


Finding the Principles

· Who God is (verse 3)

- The God and Father of Jesus

- The Father of Compassion

- The God of all comfort (relief; strength; coping; hope)


· What God does (verse 4)

- He extends this supernatural comfort to those of us who are hurting.


· Why God does it (verse 4)

- Of course He does it to give us comfort…

- but also in order for us to become channels through which comfort flows to others around us.

- We become “God with skin on” for others.



Christian Life Lessons

1. A priority for every Believer is to understand the heart of Father.

- We reject, rebuke and replace lies.


- We make a decision to trust when we do not understand.


- We make a decision to rest when we are overwhelmed.


- We make a decision to receive truth, even when it is not what we feel or observe.


- THIS IS NOT JUST POSITIVE THINKING - IT IS AN EMBRACING AND ENCOUNTERING OF SUPERNATURAL HELP.


2. We must learn to turn our focus outward upon others as God turns His focus inward upon us.