Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

WHAT IS GOOD COMFORT?

1. Comfort can be defined as a relief from pain, distress or anxiety; when someone or something provides relief from pain or anxiety.  As a noun comfort is to bring someone relief from distress, or anxiety or to make somebody feel pleasantly relaxed.

2. Good comfort is comfort that is exactly, and completely, what is needed both in the immediate and in the future.

FROM WHERE DOES GOOD COMFORT COME?

1. COMFORT FROM FAITH - Matt 9:22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Faith in what, you may be asking.  It is not faith in something, but faith in a someone, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Faith could be simply defined as the confident belief in the workings of Christ in our life, based upon the fact of His having done it before.  The Bible says in Heb. 11:1 that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Even though we can't see how something will be done, or know when it will come about, we can be confident in Rom 4:21 - And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Then where does this faith come from?  In comes from hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

As we trust God that what He says in His Word is true, and we exercise that belief (faith), we then have the comfort of knowing that God always keeps His Word.

2. COMFORT FROM PERSISTENCE - Mark 10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying  come unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 2 Cor 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. The blind man knew that his only hope was to be healed by this one who was called Jesus.  He did not quit in trying to get the Savior’s attention until he was told “be of good comfort … He calleth thee.”

The idea of persistence may seem odd to us as a source of comfort but it is true.  As we remain faithful, knowing that what we are doing comes from God, and knowing that those who are obedient in the smallest to the greatest task;  God will bless us and reward brings great comfort.

Obedience is the key.  Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15)  In 2 Thess 3:13 Paul said the key was to not grow tired of doing right.  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. At the end of persistent living is the comfort of reward. Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
           

3. COMFORT FROM KNOWLEDGE - Phil 2:19  But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.  Paul in his letters wanted to know how his “children in the Lord” were doing spiritually and physically.  
He wanted to know that they were in peace in their hearts, because of their knowledge of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  John summed up our comfort in knowledge well when he said in 1 John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

 
WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF COMFORT? 

1. THE HOLY SPIRIT  - Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Jesus told the disciples that when He left He would send the another Comforter.  The Holy Spirit came to be a personal indwelling comforter, leader, teacher, to convict us of sin, and lead us into paths of righteousness.  We have the comfort of knowing that God through His Holy Spirit will never leave us or forsake us.

2. THE SCRIPTURES - Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

For every need in our life God addresses it through His Word, either specifically or through deduction or implication.  It is a comfort to us to hear the Word and be taught, or reminded of the presence, power and purpose of God in our life.

3. PREACHING - 1 Cor 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Paul was addressing problems in the church at Corinth.  One of the statements that he made was that the purpose of preaching (prophesying), which was greater than all the other sign gifts was to bring teaching, conviction to change and comfort.  Getting one’s heart right brings comfort. Understanding the scriptures brings comfort.  

4. GOD THE FATHER (OF CHRIST, OF MERCIES, GOD OF ALL COMFORT)

2 Cor 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  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.

a)  God is the father and He always acts in the best interests of His children.  

b) God is the Father of Mercies. His mercies are new every morning, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22-23

c) God is the God of all comfort. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture and He meets every need. “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. Ps. 107:6

5. TRIBULATION - 2 Cor 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

           
6. BY COMFORT - 2 Cor 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

a) We can be of a comfort to someone else, and as we bring to them the comfort of God through the Word and experience, then we are comforted all over again.

b) When we know that a loved one is in, or has been comforted, it also brings comfort to us.

7. OF LOVE - Phil 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if and fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

a) Consolation is a synonym for comfort.  Consolation in Christ means that we are comforted of Him, by His presence, by His work, and most of all because of His profound love for us.

b)  Consolation, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit and mercy are all amazing resources that are free to the believer to be appropriated.

 
WHY SHOULD WE COMFORT OTHES? 

1. SO THEY WON’T BE OVERCOME:

        a) In Dealing with Sin - 2 Cor 2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should
       be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

b) In Dealing with Persecution - Eph 6:22 (Col 4:8) - Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

c) In Dealing with Death - 1 Thess 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

2. FOR THE SAKE OF THE MINISTRY - Col 4:11  And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

3. TO STRENGTHEN FAITH - 1 Thess 3:2  And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

4. TO EDIFY (BUILD  UP) THE BELIEVERS - 1 Thess 5:11(5:14) Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, 
even as also ye do.

5. TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND - 1 Thess 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

 CONCLUSION

When we are comforted in Christ, by God through the Holy Spirit, we can have peace in our hearts, 
power in our words and victory in our works.

2 Thess 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.