Have you found yourself in a desperate place lately? Have you been faced with some type of desperate situation? IF so, you are NOT alone! Many people are there right now. The Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines the word “desperate” as: “being moved by despair or utter hopelessness; a state in which all hope is lost or absent; suffering an extreme burden or anxiety; extreme intensity, involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape frustration or defeat.” In the Webster’s New World Dictionary Of American English, “to be desperate” is, “having a very great desire, need.” I want to encourage you, that your great desire or need is not being passing over as though it is not there. Do not despair! Do not lose hope! Sometimes, life hands over some very stressful things that have to be dealt with. During that time, it can seem as though God is not hearing your prayers. You are seeing no change! The stress can seem to grow and be more overwhelming each day that passes! It is not pleasant to be in a place like that, because it causes us to have to experience some things that we would rather not face. Yet, I want to encourage you with something. Where you have felt you were in a hard place; a tough place; an overwhelming place; it actually is a good place for you! Why would I tell you that? It is a time when the Lord reveals to you who HE is by manifesting Himself in your situation. LIFE IS MADE UP OF: 10% WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU and 90% HOW YOU RESPOND TO IT! Did you conceive what was just said? 90% has to do with how you respond to the situation you are faced with! Allow your desperation to drive you to the Lord not away from Him! As long as you look at your situation as impossible to be changed, you will believe it is too hopeless to happen! All you will THINK about is how bad everything is; how hopeless if appears in your eyes; and that it cannot be changed! That alone will cause you to feel overwhelmed, devastated and hopeless about it ever changing. Many in their time of desperation: quit praying, seeking God, reading their Bible; etc. They isolate themselves from others. They start doubting God’s ability to bring change in their life. That might be where you are right now. Oh, but I got some GOOD NEWS for you! Psalm 17:6 says, “I will call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” Psalms 34:15-19 says, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”  Notice what this says: 1) The LORD’s eyes are upon you the righteous  2) His ears are open unto your cry 3) He delivers  4) He is nigh to you who are of a broken spirit and 5) saves you that be of a contrite spirit. What a word for the desperate! If you are in a desperate place, receive that word. It is a sure word of prophecy to you! If that is not enough encouragement to you, look at this! Psalms 145:18-21 (AMP) reads, “The Lord is NEAR to all who CALL upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth. He will fulfill the desires of those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him; He also will hear their CRY and will save them. The Lord preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked will He destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; and let all flesh bless (affectionately and gratefully praise) His holy name forever and ever.” The LORD says, 1) He is near you when you call upon Him  2) He will fulfill the desires as you reverently and worshipfully fear Him 3) He will hear your CRY and will save you and 4) He preserves those who love Him! What a word of encouragement! The Bible is FULL of examples where men and women cried out in DESPERATION unto the Lord and He brought CHANGE to them! Here is a few:

*God heard the desperate CRY of the Israelite’s as they were in oppression under Pharaoh! God sent Moses to deliver them out! (Exodus 3)

*A widow and her son was down to their last meal to eat. God saw the “desperation” of them. God sent a Prophet by the name of Elijah to release a word. Through her obedience to heed the word from LORD thru the prophet, a miracle was performed! The widow woman and her son had abundance of meal and oil that sustained them thru the time of famine. (I Kings 17)

*Hezekiah CRIED unto the Lord when he was sick unto death. The LORD added 15 years to his life. (II Kings 20)

*Hanna CRIED unto the Lord in desperation because she was barren! She was given a son who we know as the Prophet Samuel! (I Samuel 1).

**A woman of Canaan CRIED out to Jesus to have mercy concerning her daughter who was grievously vexed with a devil. Her daughter was made whole. (Matthew 15)

**Blind Bartimaeus CRIED out to Jesus to have mercy and restore his sight. Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. (Mark 10)

Your desperation can and will be a SHIFT CHANGER for your life! It will bring a transforming to your heart! It will shift you into a new place in your relationship with your God where you have never been! It can and will if you allow it to. You can get to know the King (Jesus) and HIS ways as you never have before! Besides all of that, your desperation can be the very “key” to get REVIVAL stirred up within your own personal life! Allow your desperation to drive you into the face of God! You have the opportunity to either lean to your own understanding of what is going on in your life or see it as an opportunity to believe and trust God to work the miraculous in your behalf! Take God’s word and pray, declare and decree what the WORD has to say about it. It will change your perspective about the whole situation. Your “desperation” positions you to come to an end of yourself and find God and His heart. Matthew 5:3 (Message Bible) says, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” When you are at a place where you do not know which way to turn, nothing seems to be working anymore and you are exhausted…It drives you to press into God! There is where your life is TRANSFORMED!