John 11:14-15 – Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him.”

• Joseph in Genesis 39 faced a desperate situation as Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him.  He ran and ended up in jail.  Yet in all his desperate situations – sold as a slave by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, in jail, he trusted God.

Genesis 39:2 – The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian

Genesis 39:23 – The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

• Paul and Silas found themselves in a desperate situation when they were beaten and put in jail in Philippi.  But they trusted in God and sang praises to Him.

Acts 16:25 – But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

• The three Hebrew children were in a desperate situation when threatened with the fiery furnace if they would not bow down and worship the image of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 3:17-18 – If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

• In Acts 27 Paul and those with him faced a desperate situation when they were shipwrecked.  But Paul had already prayed and had God’s assurance that all would be safe.

Acts 27:39-44 – When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.  And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.  But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.  And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.  But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.

• In Acts 28 Paul faced a desperate situation when a poisonous snake bit him.  But he knew that God had sent him on this journey and no snake could kill him.

Acts 28:3-5 – But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”  But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

• Lazarus and his sisters faced a desperate situation when Lazarus became sick – and died.  They wondered why Jesus did not come and heal Lazarus.  But Jesus had a better plan.

John 11:14-15 – Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

What is happening right now in your life?

• Are you facing a desperate situation?
• What drastic act do you need to take?
• Do you have loved ones who are not ready to meet the Lord?
• Do you have problems that you do not know how to handle?
• Are your children, grandchildren in need of making right choices?
• Are you failing to do what you know is right?
• Are you desperate enough to take those situations to God? 
• Will you be like Joseph and trust in God no matter what the situation?
• Will you be like Paul and Silas and praise God in spite of the situation?
• Will you be like the three Hebrew children and refuse to bow down to other gods but keep on serving the one true God no matter what difficulties may come as a result of that decision?
• Will you be like Paul and be prayed up before the desperate situations come and then trust Him in that situation?
• Will you trust that, like Lazarus, Mary and Martha, even though God may not seem to answer our prayers as want them answered, He is in control and He will make all things right in His time and in His way?  Are you willing to let your desperate situation bring glory to God?