WEEK # 10 THE NEED FOR HOPE AGENDA: I. Opening Prayer II. Devotional - Looking At Life From the Wrong Perspective III. The Need for Hope IV. How Does a Biblical Counselor Raise Hope? A. Who Needs Hope B. Biblical Hope V. Devotional - The Challenge Let s Be Drastic Disciples! VI. Getting Ourselves Plugged into Ministry VII. Closing Prayer 93
II. Devotional.... Looking At Life From the Wrong Perspective The Counselee: A man named Solomon who says life is meaningless. Look at Life from God s Perspective- Because man s perspectives will always fail you No matter how much wealth, education, or social prestige you have life without God is futile! You are only chasing after the wind if you expect to find satisfaction and personal fulfillment in the things of the world What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 94
III. The Need For Hope One of the important factors in counseling is giving hope. Man in misery needs hope! One of the first things Counselees need is hope, but many come to the counseling session with little hope. Hope - To desire with expectation of fulfillment. - Trust, reliance that something hoped for will happen in the future. - A desire for something to happen in the future. Hope in the Scriptures is always a confident expectation!! In order to continue along the path of Biblical change, the Counselee must have hope. The word Hope never carries the connotation of uncertainty that adheres to our English term (as when we say cautiously, I hope so.) There is no Hope so about the Biblical concept. Hebrews 10:23 Hebrews 11:1 Hebrews 6:19 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised it is faithful. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. IV. How Does a Biblical Counselor Raise Hope? By taking people seriously about their sin. By not letting the Counselee s adverse evaluations of himself go by without comment. By being fully persuaded of the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises. A. Who needs hope? People with long-standing problems. 95
People with peculiarly difficult problems. People who are harassed by fear. People whose hopes have been dashed repeatedly in the past. Those who have tried and failed. Older people. Depressed people. Suicidal people. People who have suffered life-shattering experiences. Those who are without Christ. B. Some Comments About Biblical Hope Biblical Hope by its very nature involves much more than a mere desire or wish for something to happen in the future!! Biblical Hope Consists of a firm confidence about future things based on God s promises and revelation in His Word. Romans 8:24-25 Is linked inseparably with a firm faith. Romans 15:13; Hebrews 11:1 Is founded on a confident trust in God. Psalm 33:21-22 Is a hope that does not disappoint. Romans 5:5; Psalm 22:4-5; Isaiah 49:23 Is an anchor for the believer in the midst of life. Hebrews 6:19-20 96
Counselees bring to the counseling session their learned behavioral patterns. When they are struggling and feel hopeless, they will make one of the following comments: I ll never change. I don t see anyway out of this mess. I guess that s just the way I am. But I just don t have Where is God in all this... why isn t he helping me? Why can t you just accept me like I am? I was born this way and nothing can be done about it. My future is hopeless!! How should a Biblical Counselor respond to such statements? Don t be surprised by their protest. Remember that any attitude of the mind can be renewed (made new). Remember, Change is Hard. Introduce Counselees to Scriptures of Hope. This will assure them of the fulfillment of God s promises. Scriptural References: Jeremiah 29:11-14 Ephesians 3:20-21 Psalm 42:5-6 1 Timothy 6:17 Romans 5:1-5 Jude 24-25 Isaiah 40:28-31 Mark 9:23 1 Corinthians 10:13 1 Peter 1:3-5 97
V. Devotional... The Challenge Let s Be Drastic Disciples! Luke 9:1-6 Luke 9:23-24 Luke 9:57-62 98