As a believer, how should you respond to help others, especially those who are in great difficulty? You should pray . . . but are you confident that your prayers are effective? You should communicate . . . but will your input be scripturally accurate or merely an echo of the world’s wisdom? You may need to ask others to assist you . . . but do you know whom to ask and are you sure their help will be scriptural?
All of the above responses are biblical and honor the Lord. They are most effective, however, when used by believers who have developed a habit of growing in Jesus Christ – the habit of thinking, speaking, and living according to Scripture. As a result, these believers are divinely equipped people-helpers who are God’s gift to those who struggle with life’s challenges.
Believers who continually grow in Christ demonstrate the practical benefit of, “It’s not what you know, it’s Who you know.” Yet, in the process of knowing Christ in an ever-deepening manner, they learn what they need to know to help others.
For example, believers who are growing in Christ know that they have been given everything they need to live a life pleasing to God (2 Peter 1:3-4). They know that the Bible is the authority and guide for every aspect of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17). They have experienced the beneficial refinement of trials (1 Peter 1:6-7). They cooperate with God in the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). They know that human wisdom is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 1:25).
Their ability to discern good and evil is growing as they consistently study and practice the Word of God (Hebrews 5:14). They avoid fleshly ways of living – manifested by desire for self-gratification and living by emotions – and, instead, practice Christ-honoring behavior (Ephesians 4:22-24).
They know the necessity of confessing their sins (1 John 1:9, James 5:16). They are ready to forgive and love, even in the most difficult of circumstances (Colossians 3:13-14). They demonstrate through thought, word, and deed the change Jesus Christ has made in their lives (Galatians 5:22-23).
If you are a maturing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have experienced His comfort in difficulties and have the privilege of assisting others (2 Corinthians 1:3- 4). By maintaining a habit of growing in Christ, you are acquiring increased confidence in the Lord and in the sufficiency of Scripture to address any of life’s challenges. Such confidence is not merely for you but is also for the benefit of helping others. You are divinely equipped to be a God-honoring people helper.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
2 Peter 1:3-4, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life an godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
1 Peter 1:6-7, In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Corinthians 1:25, For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Hebrews 5:14, But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Ephesians 4:22-24, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 5:16, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Colossians 3:13-14, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 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.
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The Habit that Makes You a People-Helper © 2008 WordTruth, Inc—http://www.wordtruth.net
Verses from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version © 2001Version by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers
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