“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness,” (Heb. 3:13).

In the world we live in, it is easy to become discouraged. In fact, listening to any of the news outlets can promote discouragement in the listener because most of it is negative and hopeless. That’s a good reason to stop listening to it so much. And with so much negativity in the world, it’s an opportune time to be an encourager.

Encouragement defined

Encourage: to inspire to fill with courage or strength of purpose— stimulate, embolden, reinforce, hearten, inspirit, reassure, bear up, buck up, strengthen, invigorate, assure, enliven, buoy (up).

The Bible states it this way

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Prov. 16:24)

Bible examples of encouragement

·      God encouraged Joshua

Moses had just died, and Joshua was about to assume the difficult role of following in Moses’s footsteps and leading the constantly grumbling group into the promised land. It was already occupied and had giants and many fierce battles ahead. He felt discouraged. But God encouraged him with instructions and strong promises.

“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. . . . Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:5-9)

·      Jesus encouraged His followers

Jesus did not avoid telling His followers the truth about the troubles they would face. He told them the world would hate them (John 15:18-21; see also Matt. 10:22-23 and 2 Cor. 2:15-16). But He followed His prediction regarding the negative things to come with a word of encouragement: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)

·       Joseph encouraged everyone

A man named Joseph was given the nickname “Barnabas,” which means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). He was a blessing to the believers of his day! Through the encouragement of Barnabas, the apostle Paul was first accepted by the church in Jerusalem (Acts 9:27). And Mark was given a second chance after an abject failure (Acts 13:13; 15:39).

Therefore

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11 ESV)

“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.” (Psalm 34:19)

Something terrible happened!

I remember enjoying the powerful and encouraging sermons from a fellow minister of God many years ago, when I was young and starting ministry. He, too, was young and filled with enthusiasm and infectious faith. Then something terrible happened in his life to change that. I don’t know what he did, but whatever it was, it caused him to lose his faith and quit the ministry in total defeat. I went to visit him. He sincerely believed he was no longer saved and was going to hell because of what he had done. He was greatly discouraged. I shared some Scripture with him and prayed with him. I have seen him a number of times over the years, but sadly, he never preached again. It was a great loss to himself, to God, and also to the many others he may have been able to reach with the gospel!

What to do when you’ve failed

·      First, repent from it (Acts 3:19). Repentance simply means that you turn away from sin.

·      Second, ask God to forgive you, and ask Him for help and for wisdom to deal with the consequences of your actions.

·      Third, fix anything that’s in your power to fix. If you hurt someone, seek forgiveness from them, then do what you must do to make amends, whether they’ve forgiven you or not. Do the right thing. 

Other things to know

Understand that God’s forgiveness is superior to your failure. The price that Jesus paid on the cross more than covers anything you have done. The Word of God is absolutely clear on the matter:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) 

Biblical examples

 If you believe that your sin—what you’ve done—is beyond what God can and is willing to forgive, think again! The following are just two of many people in the Bible who totally blew it and yet were forgiven and put back to work.

·      Peter: He had been very close to Jesus for three years. He was personally called by Him to be an apostle. He walked everywhere with Him. He ate meals with Him. He had many conversations with Him. He observed the many great miracles He had done. But, after all of that, when Jesus was betrayed, beaten, stabbed, humiliated, and nailed to a cross to die, Peter deserted Him, and denied knowing Him. Not just once, but three times! He even swore at one point and said, "I never knew the man!" Yet Jesus forgave him and told him to get back to work for Him.

·      Paul: Saul (later renamed Paul) was a very religious man and was at the top of his field (Acts 23:6 & 26:5). But he was on the wrong side of things. He hated Christians and went about destroying their lives in every way he could. He persecuted them greatly and even sought out and obtained official letters against them, enabling him to pull them from their homes and cast them into prison. He even held the coats of a group of people while they stoned Stephen to death. Yes, he was complicit in murdering an apostle of God! Yet Jesus forgave him and put him to work doing the right things for Him. (Acts 26:12-23)

Apply God’s promises personally

·      God is not willing for me to perish

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9)

·      God will return to me

“Return to Me and I will Return to You.” (Psalm 34:8)

·      God will NOT forsake me

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)

·      God will forgive me over and over

“Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” (Matt. 17:21-22)

·      God will rejoice at my return

“ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent..” (Luke 15:7)

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)

 The power to create

God, the creator, created people with the power to create. And He has given each person uniqueness with specific abilities, gifts, and talents to do what they were created for. When they discover and embrace God’s creativity and purposeful design for their lives, they find the most satisfaction in life.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

God has a wonderful plan for each one He’s made

Today, unfortunately, many young people don’t have a Christian worldview, only a secular and very ungodly one. They come out of learning institutions not sure what they want to do as a vocation. The problem is that they were not taught while growing up that God has a wonderful plan for their lives and that they need to continually seek His guidance to discover and prepare for it. And the sooner they learn to put God first in their decision-making plans, the happier, more productive, and more fulfilled they will be. Because most don’t seek Him at all, they flounder.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

The Creator and His design for things 

When God created people, He made them in His own image and gave them the power to create things themselves within the world He placed them in and for the time and circumstances that surrounded them. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27 ESV)

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze,” (Exo. 35:31 ESV)

Therefore

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” (Col. 3:23 ESV)

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9)

Your brain is engaged in conflict every single second of your existence

Right now, there’s a mental conflict going on! It might be a choice between what is good and what is bad, what is simple and what is difficult, or what is healthy and what is harmful. Your mind is where all of your personal battles begin. Stress, despair, anxiety, loneliness, fear, and jealousy are all negative emotions that you fight with mentally.

Evil desires at war within

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?” (James 4:1)

“I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” (Rom. 7:22-23)

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Gal. 5:17 NLT)

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:14)

You have the Holy Spirit to help you!

As a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is a part of your new self and there to help you. Satan cannot take control of your thoughts, but he can still make suggestions. The only power he possesses over a believer is the ability to implant ideas in their heads. He has the ability to grab your attention, which is a huge deal. Why? Because you become whatever captures your thoughts, what you think about and dwell on (Prov. 23:7). You must choose whether to accept or reject his suggestion once it has entered your thoughts. Your attitude and actions reflect all that is currently going on in your brain. Ask God’s for guidance to help you choose healthy over destructive, right over wrong, and God’s truth over the enemy’s falsehoods. Through the Holy Spirit, He is prepared to give you the strength you need!

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Cor. 19:5)

Therefore

“Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.” (1 Pet. 2:11)

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11 ESV)

Everywhere you look you see the glory of God

·      The heavens

“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1 ESV)

·      The animals, birds

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” (Job 12:7-9)

·      Every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the see

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13 ESV)

All things were created by Him and for Him

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Col. 1:16 ESV)

 Therefore

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Rom. 1:20 ESV)

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jer. 32:17)

 Don’t limit God with your limited understanding

“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5 ESV)

All things are possible with God

“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matt. 19:26 ESV)

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 ESV)

 Trust God, not your own understanding

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding,” (Prov. 3:5)

 Open the eyes of your heart

“I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. He displayed this power in the working of His mighty strength.” (Eph. 1:18-19)

Therefore

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,” (Eph. 3:20 ESV)

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 ESV)

 Achieving success in life

Everybody wants to be successful in what they do, especially our young people as they leave high school. But most don’t know what real success looks like or how to achieve it. So, they just head off to educational institutions, hoping that they will discover answers along the way. Millions are enrolled, but sadly, most don’t find it. Total U.S. College Enrollment Statistics In spring 2022, 17.9 million students were enrolled at a postsecondary institution. About 15 million students were enrolled in undergraduate programs. Roughly 3.1 million were enrolled in a graduate-level program. (Yes, that's over 17.9 million, and many of them go into tremendous debt as a result. And, most leave educational institutions still not knowing what they really want to do and cannot find jobs. It’s considered to be a national crisis. 

The answer is All Scripture  

The Bible tells you how to go about achieving success, how to be equipped for every good work, and how to be complete. It’s found in the above passage, which says the answer is to go into All Scripture, which is God-breathed, profitable, and will completely equip you for every good work.

All Scripture is Profitable for:

·      Teaching: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deut. 6:5-7 ESV)

·      Reproof: “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.” (Prov. 15:32 ESV)

·      Correction: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb. 12:11 ESV)

·      Training in righteousness: “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:7-8 ESV)

Therefore

The passage at top gives you the results: That the man of God will be complete, equipped for every good work!

“Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.”  (Eph. 6:20 CSB)

Feelings are interruptive

I think the hardest thing for most followers of Jesus to do is to be bold in sharing their faith. Maybe the main reason is just plain fear—fear of being rejected, feeling awkward, being unprepared, or just plain scared about what will happen if you speak up. But, all these feelings are just that—feelings! And feelings shouldn’t guide us or stop us from doing what we’re told to do as followers of Jesus Christ. We’re told to “be instant in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2) and to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone” (1 Pet. 3:15).

Ephesians 6:18-20 gives us some helpful instructions

·      Pray at all times in the Spirit

Verse18: “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 

·      Pray that God will give you bold words to say

Verse19: “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 

·      Remember you’re God’s ambassador and pray that you will be bold enough to speak

Verse 20: “For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” (Eph. 6:17-20 CSB)

Therefore

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 ESV)

“Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” (Acts 28:31 ESV)

“The Lord is risen indeed,” (Luke 24:34 KJV)

A traditional Easter greeting in many churches, is the exclamation “He is risen!” and the traditional response is “He is risen, indeed!” We happily do this in the church I attend.

More than just a custom

Saying, “He has risen!” agrees with the angel at the tomb who said: “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6-7).  Jesus had promised before his death: “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” 

Christians rejoice

Easter is about God’s redemptive power for all of humanity. It not only honors the Resurrection of Jesus but also the triumph of life over death and the promise of eternal life. Jesus’ death atoned for humanity’s sins, and his resurrection symbolizes the hope that believers can have in their own resurrected selves. 

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

Therefore

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3 ESV)