2023-11-05

John Smith

Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

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Overcoming Discouragement

Intro: Franklin D. Roosevelt, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”

Link: We must realize that at times we may feel like were at the end of our rope. We all get discouraged. Things don’t turn out how we had hoped and planned. So what do we do? We hold on. And a lot of times this is our time to refocus. Weather its something personal, job, family or even Church related.

In my life and ministry, Carrie and I have been at the end of our ropes on a few occasions. If you don’t hang in there you’ll screw things up. DON’T GIVE UP! God will help you.

As Christians, we do this by looking to God, read His Word, Pray, brainstorm ideas w/ other believers. But we must not give up, but we must look to God, more about this later.

Discouragement and Disappointment can often times be related to one another.

Discourage defined as: A sense of unhappiness arising from a loss of confidence in one’s own abilities, in the reliability of God or in the power of the gospel. Discouragement can occur in the Christian life, especially when there is resistance to the gospel or in instances of personal failure. Also: Defeat; Discouragement

Disappointment on the other hand is defined as: sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.

Background: Our word discouraged comes from the Hebrew word Bahal (baw-hal) which can even mean terrified, it also comes form the Hebrew Chathath (khaw-thath) meaning to fall down in a prostrate position, to break down by violence or confusion or fear.

Who gets discouraged?

OT people - Ezra 4:4–5 “Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

The time of Babylonian captivity was over and the Jews were heading back, making plans to rebuild the Temple and then Vs. 4-5 takes place. But it wasn’t the first of their attacks. Listen to what Warren Wiersbe says about all of Ezra 4. As soon as God starts to bless, the enemy starts to battle. Satan is a destroyer, and he gets angry when God’s people unite to build. He has three favorite weapons.

Cooperation (1–3). The people were descendants of the Jews who intermarried with the Gentiles the Assyrians brought to the land (2 Ki 17:24-26.). The “mixed multitude ” would have corrupted the Jews and interfered with the work (Ex 12:38; Num. 11:4). Beware volunteers; they may be working for the enemy!

Intimidation (4–5). Discouragement and fear are effective weapons, especially when the work is already difficult. When you start to experience fear, lean on Isaiah 12:2.

Legislation (6–24). The people of the world will use “official influence ” to hinder God’s work. From their viewpoint, Jerusalem had been a rebellious city, and the king would certainly be concerned about taxes. The tactic worked, and the construction had to stop. But God was still at work!

“There is no need to fear; if we keep within the moral frontiers of God, we can say boldly, “The Lord is my helper.’ ” Oswald Chambers

NT people - Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

If we as believers put off our old ways as you’ll see in Colossians 3:1-11 then you’ll learn that the HS who is in you can shine through, it will then allow you to act not as the world but as Christ does. How can a Father not provoke his child to wrath? By acting like Christ. So this to say, don’t be a discourager.

You & me today - although we would like to think and feel invincible, we are not. Not toward death, sickness or even discouragement.

Application 1: Sometimes you may get discouraged, perhaps by sickness or death. Maybe financially things get hard. Maybe a family relationship gets difficult. Sometimes discouragement can come from work, it can be in the church. Perhaps your discouraged by church family leaving. Not seeing many here on Sunday Mornings like we used to etc. But God doesn't want us to be discouraged. You know we tend to get discouraged too sometimes when…:

When do we get discouraged?

When things disappoint us, our hopes, dreams and expectations can lead to this.

Why do we get discouraged?

We listen to the lies of satan

We have an improper view of God

We make our plans rather then allow God to lead our lives James 4:13–15 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

Let’s look at the scripture reading we did earlier.

Isaiah 41:10–13 (NKJV)

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish.

12 You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.

13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Warren Wiersbe said this about this passage: As the exiles prepared to return to their land, they looked around, saw other nations, and were afraid (vv. 1–7). But God was (and is) in control of the nations, and He raised up Cyrus to do His bidding (vv. Is 41:2, 25). The false gods of the nations are no match for the true God of Israel.Then the exiles looked at one another and asked, “Are we able to travel to our land and rebuild our nation? ” (vv. 8–20). But God gave them assurance: “You are My servant! Fear not, for I am with you! I will help you! ” He can make a toothless worm into a sharp threshing instrument (v. Is 41:15)! He can transform the arid desert into a garden (vv. 17–20). Finally, they looked ahead and wondered about the future (vv. 21–29). God knows the future (the idols do not!) and has everything under control, so there is no need to worry. As you contemplate your situation and face an unknown future, are you trusting Him? God’s promise is still “I will help you ” (vv. 10, Is 41:13, 14), and He will keep it!

Application 2: God was there for them and He is there for you. When you feel discouragement coming on, stop and remember Gods faithfulness to the children of Israel, to men like Paul, your past blessings, etc. When a family member gets mad at you, finances get tight, your discouraged by the lack of folks in the church and or their spiritual growth, remember God is faithful and He wants to encourage you and He will.

Israel was being encouraged here to be not Dismayed & this is what God wants for you too. What do they find here for reasons of why they should not be dismayed?

God is their God. He was more powerful then the false gods who were and are none other then the forces of darkness, Satan, the demons, etc.

God promised His strength. 2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

He promises His help

He will uphold you with his righteous right hand.

God will shame & disgrace your enemies. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually He will take care of them.

His kind loving words reiterated with the last six words here in this passage: “Fear not, I will help you.”

Illustration: when we were moving out here, I knew we needed a second driver. I told God i needed help. This is where you want us to go so you’ll need to send the help. Within a few weeks, we had several folks say, I’ll help you. We ended up with more help then we imagined. We had just the help we needed. God is amazing.

How do we stay encouraged, How do we escape discouragement?

When as a child i was discouraged, I’d go to my parents or maybe you your grandparents, aunt, uncle, ETC. They would encourage you and strengthen you. God wants to do this for you too in a much greater way.

Illustration: CEF kids song, a newer one. “When satan tries to get you down, turn your eyes to Jesus, put on a smile take away that frown, turn your eyes to Jesus. Turn your eyes to Jesus He’ll see you through, turn your eyes to Jesus, He cares for you.”

As the simple song says, keep your eyes on Jesus. Its also like the old hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” So how do we do this, here are some ideas.

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” When satan tries to get you down, turn your eyes to Jesus, tell him all about your troubles. Satan will tempt you to stay and wallow there. “YOU must deliberately act, turn to Jesus, otherwise your refusal to act leaves you paralyzed, exactly where you were previously. But once you act, you will never be the same!” - Paraphrasing Oswald Chambers

Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” As we think about these Words from God, Oswald Chambers reminds us: His word come means “to act.” Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest: An Updated Edition in Today’s Language, ed. James Reimann (WORDsearch, 1992), 309.

Here are some practical ways in how to focus, turn your eyes to Jesus.

Keep in the Word of God.

Keep up a good line of communication with God in prayer and mediation on His word.

Get to SS, making it a priority.

Get to Evening service, make it a priority.

Get to Wednesday Night Prayer Time, make it a priority.

Sing, listen to Godly music, focusing on the lyrics and the truth they are based upon.

Closing Slide:

Last week we talked about seeing where God is working and joining Him there. I’ll tell you God is moving and working and we as individuals and as a church need to seek that out and join Him. This will help with us being encouraged. Even in the simple things, God is working at SS, Prayer Meetings, etc. But as we do these things, will better see what and where God is working.

Challenge: So when you find yourself discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Turn your eyes to Jesus He’ll see you through. Look to His Word and pray.

God has got this. Look to the Past to see the faithfulness of God and know, He has your future.

Make sure you are not causing to the source of the discouragement for yourself, your church or others.