The word of God (it was a word God had given me) - that word broke depression on him. He went home and shared it with his wife - it lifted the pressure off her. He shared it with the leaders, and got them all into a place of Faith - praying, and the whole atmosphere started to shift around their leadership. All it took was one word from God, one word of scripture. That's what comfort looks like - call the person near to God!
I've had three words for him - each one has put strength into him. So you have something, to put strength and encouragement into someone. You can do it. You can do it, you've just got to be willing to. Share how God has helped you. The comfort is not just for you - it's for someone else as well.
4) Reassure the person, that you'll stand with them. At the end of the day, loneliness and isolation is the biggest pain barrier that we face.
This situation related to staff redundancies is extremely painful to me, but I've come through the biggest part of it now. There was a couple in this church helped me, Dot and Lyn. I want to honour them, because of what they did - but I was really going through deep emotional turmoil over it all. I just had to pop into church for something, but Dot spotted me, and she intentionally with Lyn made their way to me. They did exactly what I've outlined for you, on how you comfort people.
First they came, and they were quite sensitive. They came with love and care, and hugged me; helped me feel connected, when I didn't feel connected. They gave me room to share also what I felt. They actually made leading questions, that helped me share what I was feeling, and they shared what had happened for them as well. Then Dot brought a vision that God had showed her in her distress. She said: I cried to the Lord because I was so troubled, and she said God gave me a vision. She said I saw this, and I believe this is for you - and she could not have known the significance of that vision, was so tied to another time in my life, when I was in distress, and God came and comforted me. It was the exact same vision. She couldn't have known that. It was just God gave her an answer, for her pain at that time; but when she brought it, it became such a strength in my soul, lifted me back up again.
They reassured me of their commitment to stand together with me. All the ingredients that were there with David and Jonathan; there with Jesus and how He comforts people, like His disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus came near, He connected with them, He opened up their heart. Then He began to share the word of God; and then He made commitment through covenant, the cutting of the bread, the bread and the wine, to be with them. That's what comfort looks like. It's not just all emotional; it's not just all about hugging. In fact, that can be helpful, or it can be harmful.
It's about actually drawing near, so someone feels they're not alone in their difficulty. Someone is with them, to strengthen them, and walk with them through it. Biblical comfort - it is wonderful.
It's sometimes called Exhortation.
Prophecy is to bring the presence of God to people. When you minister prophecy to comfort people, you don't have nice words: oh never mind, God's with you, it'll all work out okay and don't worry. It's not like that. Actually, when you comfort someone, you minister in such a way with reality, that God's presence comes. They feel: God is near me. That's what brings the exhortation - I'm not alone, I'm with God, who is near me.