01/01/2026
Comfort Yourselves Together
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)
Tonight, I want to talk about comforting and uplifting one another.
Not fixing one another.
Not shaming one another.
Not reminding each other who we used to be.
But comforting…
And building each other up.
That is the heart of recovery.
And it is the heart of Christ.
The Example of Jesus Christ
When I think about the greatest example of this kind of love, I think about Jesus Christ.
Jesus walked among broken people.
Addicts.
Outcasts.
The rejected.
The ones everyone else had given up on.
And He did not avoid them.
He moved toward them.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:10 (KJV)
Jesus didn’t wait for people to get cleaned up first.
He met them right where they were.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
Recovery starts there.
Rest for the weary.
Hope for the heavy-laden.
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Jesus and the Broken
The Bible tells us:
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.”
Isaiah 42:3 (KJV)
Some of us came in here barely standing.
Bruised.
Burnt out.
Almost done.
And Jesus does not break what is already broken.
He restores it.
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3 (KJV)
That is recovery.
Healing, not humiliation.
The Example of the Holy Spirit
παρακαλέω
Pronunciation: par-ak-al-eh'-o
Transliteration: parakaleō
Similar to the word comforter used for the Holy Ghost. The idea is that the Holy Ghost works through us to perform His ministry of comfort on other Christians. With these Words we need to read these words this chapter this book the Bible to people to bring comfort.
Outline of Biblical Usage:
I. To call to one's side, call for, summon.
A. The ministry of presence to come along side someone.
1. When someone is suffering or receiving bad news set next to them while they go through it or receive the bad news.
2. Don’t say anything just set there with them. 3. There is a comfort in someone being present. 4. It is much harder to go through something alone.
Recovery Is Not Meant to Be Done Alone
Recovery is not a solo mission.
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9 (KJV)
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)
We need each other.
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2 (KJV)
Notice it doesn’t say judge one another’s burdens.
It says bear them.
Sometimes recovery looks like:
• Listening without interrupting
• Encouraging without correcting
• Sitting in silence without trying to fix
II. To address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
Our sponsees and accountability partners need wise counsel. They need to be taught what we have learned so that they will not go through what we have gone through. They need help with their families with their finances with their jobs with their children and every aspect of life. They need to see the importance of studying the Word of God and Prayer.
A. Admonish, exhort
1. To counsel (another) against something to be avoided or warn (that something is dangerous).
Sponsees need to be warned about the danger of minimizing what they are doing. What they are doing is going to lead to death jail divorce homelessness some where they do not want to go. They think one drink one pill or being on social media won’t hurt them they need to see that one pill that one drink that social media profile as death.
2. To urge or exhort (someone to do something). Exhort may seem strange as exhortation is really preaching. It may come across as preaching to someone we just need to make sure we do not make the person feel guilty. Conviction is the ministry of the Holy Spirit so we are to convict the sponsees when they are doing wrong. So they will repent or change the direction they are going.
The Turning Point
When I finally found people who truly loved me…
People who didn’t excuse my behavior but also didn’t abandon me…
People who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself…
Something changed.
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
For the first time, I didn’t just want sobriety.
I wanted that life.
And more than that—
I wanted to be able to offer that same love to someone else.
3. To remind (someone) of something forgotten or disregarded, as an obligation or a responsibility.
Recovery might require selfishness when we begin and after we have become dependable we need to turn to those children or family we had to not be around until we were able to get help. This includes making amend or restitution for harm or hurts that we have made.
4. To incite by words or advice; to animate or urge by arguments, as to a good deed or laudable conduct; to address exhortation to; to urge strongly; hence, to advise, warn, or caution.
I love this word incite we are to incite or spur one another unto love and good works. “and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”
Hebrews 10:24 KJV. We are to lead by example. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 KJV. Let other Christians see your good works so they will do the same. Feeding the homeless going to the jail going to the nursing home giving your testimony getting out the Word of God Day Camps Going Door to Door don’t keep it secret shout it from the roof top let everyone know so they will do the same thing.
B. To beg, entreat, beseech
1. To strive to appease by entreaty
Try to come to an agreement. Have them promise you that they will call you before they take that first pill drink or get on line.
C. To console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort.
1. To receive consolation, be comforted.
Someone might need a shoulder sometime to cry on or a pat on the back. Maybe they need to hear that it will work out.
D. To encourage, strengthen.
People need to know they can do it. They hear from family and people around them especially their addicted buddies that they can’t do it. Assure them they can do it. If I can do it then you can do it. The reason we need testimonials is to show them they can do it. Give them scriptures to put in their tool box that they can pull up when they need it this will strengthen them.
E. Exhorting and comforting and encouraging.
Exhorting comforting and encouraging again. This much be important. Preaching can be comforting and encouraging. Encourage them to listen to the preaching of the Word as much as possible that is why I put so much content on line so you can stay in the word as you go through your day.
F. To instruct, teach.
We need to ask them questions to provoke their thinking and to make sure they are getting what we are saying. Teach them what we have learned.
III. KJV Translation
Count: 109x
A. Beseech (43x),
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:1-2 KJV
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
Romans 16:17-18 KJV
“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.”
1 Thessalonians 4:1 KJV
B. Comfort (23x),
“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4 KJV
“who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
2 Corinthians 1:4 KJV
C. Exhort (21x),
“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14
KJV
Becoming Safe People
We are called to be safe people.
Warn them that are unruly we don’t want to be unruly people we want to follow these commands of Jesus.
“Comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (KJV)
Everyone in this room is fighting something.
Some battles are loud.
Some are silent.
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
Romans 12:15 (KJV)
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do for someone in recovery is simply be present.
“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 3:13 KJV
D. Desire (8x),
“And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
Acts 8:31 KJV
The Ethiopian desires Phillip to set with him when Phillip explained what the Ethiopian was reading and led him to the Lord.
“where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.”
Acts 28:14 KJV
E. Pray (6x),
“And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”
Mark 5:18-19 KJV
F. Intreat(3x)
“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.”
Luke 15:28 KJV
The father has to intreat the prodigal son’s brother to come in the home.
“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;”
1 Timothy 5:1 KJV
The Power of Our Words
Scripture reminds us:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)
Words can keep someone stuck…
Or help set them free.
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)
Recovery meetings should be places where:
• Grace is spoken
• Hope is shared
• Failure is met with compassion
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Love Is the Proof
Jesus said:
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:35 (KJV)
Not by perfection.
Not by performance.
But by love.
“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.”
Hebrews 10:24 (KJV)
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Closing Encouragement
As we close tonight, I want to leave us with this:
You never know how close someone is to giving up.
But you might be the reason they don’t.
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)
Be the one who:
• Encourages instead of condemns
• Comforts instead of criticizes
• Lifts instead of labels
Because recovery grows best in an atmosphere of love, patience, and hope.
And sometimes…
Your compassion may be the very thing God uses to save a life.
