How to Help Someone Find Hope and Healing, Part 1

“Therefore [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)

Do you know someone who seems like a hopeless case—someone who seems like they’ll never come to Christ? Maybe you once thought you were a hopeless case yourself.

I’ve found that a small group is the best place for a hopeless person to find healing. One of the parts I like best about being in a small group is that you can pray together for hopeless cases. And you can lean on the faith of each other when you start to doubt.

Luke 5 tells a great story of a small group of men who took a friend who was paralyzed and in need of healing to the feet of Jesus. Those men did what small groups of Christian friends still do today—they take you to Jesus when it feels too hard to get there by yourself.

In this story, you find seven characteristics of a small group that God uses to heal. Today we’re going to look at three of those characteristics, and tomorrow we’ll look at the rest. Here are the first three:

Compassion. This man was healed because his friends cared. It all starts with you caring about people who are hurting. Romans 15:2 says, “We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord” (NLT). God used these guys because they were sensitive to a friend’s need. And he’ll use you when you aren’t preoccupied with your own needs and when you start caring more about others than you do yourself.

Faith. The men believed God would heal their friend. Take a look at Luke 5:20: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven’” (NIV). It wasn’t the paralytic’s faith that made him well; it was the faith of his friends. How many people do you know who are so paralyzed they can’t believe in God? That’s when you have to believe for them.

Intervention. These friends didn’t just pray for their friend; they took action as well. They intervened! It’s not enough just to pray for someone who is hurting and caught in sin. You also have to do something. Jesus says in Luke 14:23, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full” (NIV). The Bible is full of examples of people taking others to Jesus.

So remember—when you’re with a friend in need of hope and healing, show compassion, have faith, and intervene on your friend’s behalf. No one was made to do life alone. God made us to need each other.

Talk It Over

  • What does it look like to have faith for another person?
  • Do you believe that no one is outside Jesus’ reach? If so, what are you willing to do about bringing “hopeless” people to Jesus?
  • What hurting friend have you been praying for? What can you do to take action and help this person find healing?

If you haven’t trusted in Jesus and committed to following him, why wait any longer?

Your sins separate you from God. And it’s only God’s grace that can get you back into right relationship with him.

The Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

If you’re ready to make peace with your Creator, then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. I’ve looked for the truth about my life in many places, but now I know the truth is only found in you. You have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. You have promised that if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I trust you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today, I’m turning over every part of my life to your management.

“I want to live the way you created me to live and use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at [email protected] and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.


Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.