Finding the Light in God's "No!"Sample

DAY 4 STRENGTH Welcome to day four of our study of God’s “No!” It’s never easy hearing a no from someone, but when the no comes from God, life can be difficult to move forward. This week we have learned that even Jesus struggled as He came to the end of His earthly ministry. He knew the pain He would encounter as He took on the world's sins. Yesterday, we learned he asked God to take the burden away, yet He still allowed God His authority. Today, we will learn God’s response to Jesus as we read Luke 22:43-46: 43 An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. 44 And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” God sent an angel to Jesus and strengthened Him. Jesus knew this angel was not sent to take His fate. Instead, He was supported, and Jesus must have known this meant the fate was His; He would take on the world's sins. Even after Jesus was strengthened, He struggled knowing the situation He was in. Scripture expresses Jesus struggled so much that He continued to pray so intensely His sweat was like blood. Once Jesus ended His prayer with God, He was strengthened to move forward with the fulfillment of prophecy. In verse 46, we see His disciples failed Him. The people Jesus surrounded Himself with had failed to support Him. Jesus knew He was about to be denied, betrayed, and given into the hands of the enemy. We will see tomorrow that God’s answer to Jesus’ request was finalized in a “No!” Come back tomorrow as we study God’s “No!” For now, I leave you with this: when you seek God, even if your desires do not align with His Will, He will always provide you with the strength to move forward. SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE: CALL OR TEXT 9-8-8