DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!
(Romans 8:26-39)
Introduction: Many people who refuse to admit that there is a real, personal God, end up with a “defeatist” mentality. They see life as full of suffering and ending in nothing. These people usually spend their life rebelling against life itself. They live as close to death as possible so they can feel they “cheat” death, and therefore, they feel they control their own destiny. Some, like Ernest Hemmingway, even take their own life so they can maintain control all the way to the end. How sad to see the world, realize that suffering and general unfairness really happen, and then choose to ignore the hope that God offers. Paul shows us that, even though the world is a crazy mess, we can still maintain our joy. Let’s look at some areas in which we struggle, but then God has made a way to endure and overcome.
I. IN PRAYER (v. 26-27)
A. Our Intercessor
1. The Holy Spirit
2. The groanings => too deep for words
B. Our Intercession
1. The Spirit takes our groanings.
2. Jesus knows the mind of the Spirit.
3. Jesus “deciphers” our groanings into what we
really pray for.
II. IN PURPOSE (v. 28-30)
A. Our Promise
1. Divine purpose => everything in your life works
toward a good end
2. Conditional promise => if you love God
a. not just with your lips, but with your life
b. You can’t love God and live for the devil!
c. Two kinds of people this doesn’t apply to:
1) “to them that love God” => not backslidden
Christians
2) “to them who are the called” => not lost
people
B. Our Predestination => five links in God’s chain
1. “Foreknow” => God knows who will and will not
accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
2. “Predestinate” => God is willing and able
gladly to change every person who gets saved to be
like Jesus. Everyone who accepts Christ as Savior
is predestined to be changed (2 Cor. 5:17).
3. “Called” => God calls everyone to be saved
(Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9).
4. “Justified” => Whoever answers God’s call to be
saved by asking Jesus to be their Savior
immediately becomes justified (Rom. 5:1).
5. “Glorified” => The Scriptures explain this one
plainly (1 John 3:1-3).
III. IN PERIL (v. 31-39)
A. Our Security
1. God is bigger (v. 31, 33).
2. God is better (v. 32).
3. God is forgiving (v. 34).
4. God is stronger (v. 35-36).
B. Our Strength (v. 37-39)
1. Our victory (v. 37) => confidence even when
facing death (2 Cor. 5:6-8)
2. Our conviction (v. 38-39)
a. “persuaded” => to be convinced, not just an
assumed belief
b. inseparable:
1) from God’s love
2) from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
