6. BINDING UP THE BROKENHEARTED

6. BINDING UP THE BROKENHEARTED

 Isaiah 61:1

The purpose for God, sending His Son, Christ; the fullness of the Godhead bodily; God fully divine and clothed in human flesh – He sent Him to beak His heart so that He could put ours back together again.

Jehovah Rapha – the Healer. “Rapha” means “to mend by stitching one stitch at a time.” Christ came to bind us and stitch us back together again.

John 4:1-6

When God took on human form, He took on the prison of man’s limitations.

John 7-16

Every time this woman came to draw water, she was reminded of who she was; because she had to come at a different time from the other women, because of her shame.

John 7:17-26

It is a wonder that the rocks beneath their feet did not shake!

This woman was looking to fill something in her, and nothing was working. When we have an insatiable need or craving for too much of anything, we have got an accident waiting to happen. Sometimes, there is a part of us that just cannot seem to get satisfied.

Three primary hands that carve empty places in life:

1. A hand withheld.

It is a situation where you did not get something you needed in life. If those things do not come to you, they are like hands that create empty places.

2. A hand lost.

We can have empty places that are created in our lives, deep down inside of us, that got there through losing something that was precious to us.

3. The hand of God.

It is not God’s will that any should perish, but for all to come to Him in repentance, and receive His salvation. Because He wants to make so sure that we come to Him, He created needs in your life that no one else can meet; and He does that on purpose.

Salvation does not equal satisfaction.

You can be a Christian and be absolutely dissatisfied. You can have everything in the world, and something inside of you just craves what you cannot get. You know you’re supposed to be satisfied with Jesus, and you’re not about to admit that to anyone. We receive salvation upon our asking, but we must seek satisfaction – two completely different things.

John 4:10

Christ always introduces Himself in context with the need – always in perfect context. He always represents Himself according to the need at hand. Living water is the only thing that does not leave a single bubble when its finally full – it fills every single empty place.

The key to finding satisfaction in Christ: the Living Water.

Finding Satisfaction in Christ involves:

1. Learning to identify and acknowledge every empty place.

We have to acknowledge that we have some unsatisfied things: empty places, secret places that are just driving us crazy. We have to identify them, so that they can become something that is out on the table with God.

2. Asking for any helpful insight from God concerning these empty places (Psalm 139:1-6).

Lord, teach me, want is this that keeps hurting me. If it is something that you need to know, God will bring it to you as you welcome Him to.

Psalm 139:1-6 – God knows far more about the secret abyss in your life that you or I could ever hope to know. He knows the details of why there is something in you at times that just cannot get satisfied.

3. Recounting the toll these empty places have had on you (Romans 6:21-23).

It is miserable being too full, and still being empty.

Romans 6:21-23 – some things that we have tried to fill the empty places in our lives with, we are now ashamed of. Those empty places cause us to be down in the bottom of the sticky trash can.

4. Confessing any sin resulting from these empty places (Jeremiah 2:13).

Because we want to blame someone else, we can’t be freed up. We still have to take responsibility for our own sin. God deals with those who increase others tendencies to sin; but when we sin, it is still our responsibility to repent. In Christ, we find that we are free through one-step repentance. If we stay in denial, we will keep on in the same cycle.

Jeremiah 2:13 – when you have a need, and you turn to anything else to fill it, it is sin.

5. Learning to dialogue openly with God about the empty places (John 4:39-41; Psalm 62:5-8).

God is not your enemy. He is the only one who can mend your broken heart. Until we let Him do that stitch by stitch, we are not going to begin to know what satisfaction is.

John 4:39-41 – even when Christ confronted this woman in her sin, she felt completely safe. He is the only one who can confront us in our sin and our shame, and still give us dignity. This woman knew if it was okay with Christ, she was going to be alright with everyone else. He forgave her and set her free.

Psalm 62:5-8 – be honest with God, and tell Him. He is your refuge. Talk openly about what your problem is with Him; dialogue with Him.

6. DAILY seeking the filling of His Spirit (Psalm 63:1-5).

I know that His love is better than life, because I did everything else, but go to Him for love; and then finally, when I was broken into pieces and found Him, I went “YOU ARE IT!” Your soul is where the craving is, and that empty place is our need for Christ.

Luke 11:13 – We need more of God’s Spirit. There is no greater need. We ask Him to come and satisfy the longings in our heart. God is the only one who is not intimidated by the depth and length of our need. You can be whole.