Hopeless to Hopeful

Everywhere you look, people are struggling — with habits, addictions, regrets. They want freedom but feel trapped. They wonder: Is there hope for me? A judgmental world makes it hard for them to find their way back to recovery. They’re judged and stigmatized — and in many cases, the world doesn’t care anymore.

They slip in and out of depression — a dark dungeon filled with voices and fears. It’s dark and suffocating, as if they’re descending fast into a bottomless pit.

Is there a path to recovery?

I’ve always been moved to tears when I see people wrestling with their weaknesses but feeling powerless. In that compassion, many have received healing and accepted a new life into themselves — the life of Jesus. No condemnation. No judgment. Just the pure love and mercy of God! No matter how vicious the world appears, love still exists – I mean selfless love beaming out of human beings to others. It takes God for any man or woman to radiate this type of love – divine love of God!

Decades ago, I spoke many times with a young lady who had sunk deeply into substance abuse. The only hope was to remind her how much God loved her — how Jesus had paid the price for her healing. She asked me to pray for her recovery. We did, and God did His part. She was delivered and went on to live a joyful life.

Another case comes to mind from a visit I made to an orphanage a couple of years ago. (You can read the full story of God’s love at work here.) In short, we had gone to minister to them with gifts, but my heart couldn’t bear the hopelessness and pain I saw on the faces of more than twelve men, women, boys, and girls. Oh! What a sight!

My heart was stirred with compassion, and we offered to pray for them, one by one — standing on the assurance of Jesus’ promise in Mark 16:17–18 (NKJV): “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; [18] they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

My faith clung to those words: “They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Charged by the Word of God, I began to pray for them individually.

A few days later, many of them were discharged — healed and with their memories restored. They returned home to their loved ones, made whole by the loving God through the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Glory be to God!

The point is this: no matter how bad the situation is, God is full of mercy to rescue and restore anyone to a sound state. Why?

Psalm 145:8–9 (NKJV) says:
“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.”

It is who He is. He is full of mercy for all humankind. He showed it when He sent Jesus to earth. Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

If you’re battling life’s circumstances and feel helpless and hopeless, the good news is that God’s mercy can reach you and lift you up — no matter your tribe, race, or religion. He is full of mercy! He is the Father of mercy!

You can taste His mercy now. You’re entitled to His mercy by virtue of being His creation. All you need to do is ask Him: Lord God, have mercy on me! Lord God, have mercy on me! Have mercy on me, O Lord! Name the situation you want Him to address. If it’s healing, ask Him. No matter the sickness, disease, or addiction — ask Him.

I pray with you now: May the God of mercy heal you today in the name of Jesus. Amen! That is it!

But I also invite you into a relationship with the Lord of lords and King of kings. He can heal you out of His mercy — but you can also become a partaker of His very nature and receive power over sickness and disease. You can take the power He vested in Jesus into your own life. How can you do that without accepting the One who holds that power? To access God’s power, you need to receive Jesus. He has the power. He can lead you to God, so that you too can reign in life. You don’t need any sacrifice to reach God — the sacrifice has already been made. All you need is the desire in your heart to receive Him.

How do you receive Him?

By confessing this: Lord God, I want to have a relationship with You. I understand there is no other way but through Jesus. I accept Him as the Way and the Lord who can lead me to You. I accept Him today as my Lord and Savior. Accept me as Your child from today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. Praise God! That is it.

I urge you to click here to read more about what has just happened to you. Glory be to God! You will begin to encounter the great presence of the Lord, drawing you closer to Him. Don’t stop! Pursue this relationship with Him as He deepens your hunger for Him.