Scripture to Read: Luke 8:49–50
Jesus had just healed the woman, and then God tells us this in Luke 8:49, “While He was still speaking, someone *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, ‘Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.’” It’s hard for us to imagine what Jairus felt at that exact moment, for he had just seen a woman healed from a hemorrhage that she had been struggling with for twelve years. Also, Jairus may have even heard about what Luke recorded in Luke 7:11–15, where Jesus had raised the widow’s son in the town of Nain. This was one of the first instances in the Gospels in which Jesus performed a resurrection miracle, showing His compassion for those who had suffered loss and His authority over death. God does not tell us if Jairus knew, but the news of his daughter’s death still hit Jairus, because God had Luke record this in Luke 8:50, “But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, ‘Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.’” Jesus immediately spoke words of comfort to Jairus. When hard times hit us and seem to be defeating us, the best thing we can do is open God’s Word to remind us of His power, majesty, glory, peace, comfort, forgiveness, grace, mercy, compassion, kindness, etc. God speaks life into us through His Word because His Word is Truth. God uses His Word to defeat the lies that the enemy tries to get us to accept as our only option.
Challenge & Application
When you have hit hard times, how did God minister to you and how did you overcome the defeating lies of the enemy?
How has God used you to help others through hard times, and what Scriptures did you share with them and why?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!