You Caused the Problem — And He Helped You Anyway

I want to deal with one of the biggest things keeping people from receiving from God: the belief that if you caused your own problem, you've disqualified yourself from His help.

I know this well. For too long I was convinced that when I messed up, Jesus was mad at me — and that until I somehow cleaned up enough, He wasn't going to move on my behalf. That picture kept me stuck. And it wasn't true.

Let me show you who He really is. Because the way you see Jesus is the way you'll receive from Jesus. And if you've been handed a wrong picture, it's time to get the right one.

The way you receive Jesus is the way you will receive from Jesus.

In Mark 6, Jesus goes back to His hometown. People are astonished at His teaching. They acknowledge the mighty works done by His hands. And then they say — "Is this not the carpenter?" And just like that, they were offended.

Not would not — could not do any mighty work there. He wanted to. He marveled at their unbelief. But because they received Him as the carpenter, they could only receive what a carpenter could give them.

You are not the only one people have seen only through the lens of their past. Jesus had that same problem. And it cost the people of His hometown everything He had come to do for them.

How you see Him determines what you can receive from Him. That is not a minor point. That is everything.

"Yeah, but I caused my problem" — let's look at that.

Here's a passage I want you to sit with. Psalm 107:

Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 107:17–20 (NKJV)

Let me be clear about what this says. These people caused their own problem. Their choices — their transgressions, their iniquities — took them to the edge of death. God did not do this to them. They did it to themselves.

And when they cried out?

He did not say, "You've made your bed — lie in it." He did not say, "You brought this on yourself — figure it out." He saved them. He healed them. He delivered them from the very thing their own choices had produced.

This is Old Testament — before the Cross. This is the character of the Father before Jesus came to make it even clearer. God has always been this way.

And notice the Psalmist's response: "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness." Not "oh, that men would clean themselves up first." Just — give thanks. He was good to you. Receive it.

Jairus had probably sat in meetings where people plotted against Jesus — and Jesus went to his house anyway.

In Luke 8, Jairus — a ruler of the synagogue — walks up to Jesus. Now think about who this man is. Synagogue rulers were not the crowd cheering Jesus on. They were the crowd trying to trick Him, trap Him, and kill Him.

There's no telling how many meetings Jairus had sat in, silent while they talked ugly about Jesus. No telling how many times he'd consented by doing nothing.

And now he needs help. He falls at Jesus's feet and says his daughter is dying.

Did Jesus demand a confession? "Before I come to your house, I need you to publicly admit that I'm the Christ. I need you to go back to all those synagogue rulers and correct the record." Did He require a deal? A tithe? A promise? A credential?

No. Jairus said, "I need help." And Jesus said, "Let's go." That's it. That fast.

He does not clean the fish before He catches it. He wants you in the boat first. Then He'll help with the rest.

She lied to His face — and He called her "Daughter."

Now here's the one I really want you to see. On the way to Jairus's house, a woman who had suffered with a bleeding condition for twelve years pushes through the crowd and touches the hem of Jesus's garment. Power flows out of Him immediately. She's healed.

Jesus stops and asks, "Who touched Me?" And the woman — who by law should not have been out in public in her condition — denies it. Everyone denied it. She's one of the ones saying, "Wasn't me. I don't know what you're talking about."

So let's be honest about what happened: she lied to Jesus to His face.

Now watch His response. He doesn't say: "You lied to Me. You should have come to Me first instead of wasting years and all your money on doctors. You didn't even glorify My name. I'm taking the healing back."

He says:

"Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

Luke 8:48 (NKJV)

Daughter. After she lied to Him. After she used Him as a last resort. After she spent years and everything she had trying every other option before Him. He called her daughter and sent her home in peace.

That is who this Jesus is.

He doesn't accept you just as you are — He accepts you in spite of the way you are.

I want to be clear about something. There's a saying that "Jesus accepts you just as you are." That's not quite right. He accepts you in spite of the way you are. And how do I know the difference? Because from the very first day He met me, He was talking to me about changing.

If He truly accepted me just as I was — faults, failures, sin and all, no adjustment needed — He'd have never said a word about any of it. But He did. Because He wants better for you than where you are right now. He wants to take you somewhere.

But here's the thing: He will take you where you are. He's not standing at the door waiting for you to clean up before He lets you in. He wants you in the boat — and once you're in, He'll help with the rest.

God loves you more than He hates your sin. That's not a license to sin. That's the foundation of your ability to come to Him at all. Because if His love stopped at your worst moment, you would never be able to approach Him.

When were we in the best position to receive Jesus? When we were at our absolute worst. When we had nothing to offer. When we were in complete sin — that's when God said, "I will send My Son." John 3:16 didn't kick in when we got righteous enough. It kicked in when we had nothing.

Stop disqualifying yourself from the help He's already ready to give.

Here's what I know: the majority of people are not looking for an excuse to sin. They are looking for a way out. They want their lives to change. And Jesus is that way.

When I got saved, I didn't stop sinning immediately — because I didn't understand the power of the Gospel. I didn't know how to change. And part of the problem was that people had told me God was against me. So half the time I was convinced Jesus was mad at me, and I didn't see Him for who He truly was. That kept me stuck far longer than it should have.

When I began to see how much God loved me, I wanted to stop sinning. Not out of fear. Out of love. I didn't want to hurt the One who had given everything for me.

And that is where real change comes from. Not from being terrified of what God will do to you, but from being overcome by what He's already done for you.

Do you see Him as He really is? The One who said "I will come and heal him" before anyone asked if they qualified. The One who went to a synagogue ruler's house no questions asked. The One who called a lying woman "Daughter" and sent her home in peace.

That is the Jesus who is already ready to help you. Not after you fix yourself. Right now. Just as you are.

Stop disqualifying yourself. Stop telling Him you're not worthy when He's already walking toward your house. Cry out to Him — even if you caused the problem. Especially if you caused the problem.

He sent His Word and healed them. He will do the same for you.

Fight To Win.