|
Does God want us to carry around a lot of weight? No, he doesn’t; he says lay it aside. We must make a conscious decision to lay it aside.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
The Devil will try to discourage everyone. It does not matter how close you are to the Lord, he will come and try.
Verse 8 in the Greek translation says, in everything we being afflicted but not being restricted. Life will not always be easy. Jesus said we would have trouble, but let not your heart be troubled. We need to keep the trouble on the outside. God wants us to have hope on the inside. We need not be restricted in our worship to God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
When discouragement comes, and it will come - you may be discouraged about your family, your kids, your workplace or your neighborhood. You must look and know that God still has everything in control. When we are despairing, it is because life is not going the way that we want. When the despair comes, we must look to Romans 8:28 and remember that all things work together for good to them that are the called according to his purpose. If you let discouragement grow into despair, you will lose hope. God promised never to leave or forsake us. God will always be there. Be cast down but not discouraged. God wants us to have the victory on the inside regardless of the circumstances. Our eyes must be on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. If you get your eyes on your troubles, you will get discouraged. We must keep our eyes on Jesus.
In the Old Testament, the people of God got discouraged. They were people who really loved God.
Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. Numbers 11:10-15
What was Moses’ attitude? He had a burden that he felt was too heavy. He was in charge of over one million people. He was telling God just how he felt. God didn’t rebuke him or condemn him.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. Numbers 11:16-17
When you get in a hard trial or discouragement comes, the best place to be is in church and say; I need help, please pray with me. God’s solution was to give Moses seventy men to help him. There are more than seventy people in our congregation. There are times when you should ask the congregation to help you carry your burden. There are specific times when we have a harder trial than usual, but if we say; please pray, we have the consent of the whole congregation to carry the burden with us. We need one another. When the enemy discourages a person, he wants them to be by themselves. He wants them to pull away from those that would be there to encourage them.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Psalms 42:5-6
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalms 42:11
Was David discouraged? He was talking to himself. Have you ever talked to yourself? He was telling himself to hope in God. David was encouraging himself. Sometimes you need to get the Bible out and read the promises of God, when you are in trials. Being able to recall scriptures you memorized is a way you can encourage yourself.
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Psalms 43:1-3
What is the holy hill? It is Mount Zion. The Church of God represents Mount Zion. The devil does not want us to go to church and uses many things to hinder our worship. A scripture that has always been an encouragement to me is Galatians 6:9, which says; be not weary in well doing you will reap if you faint not. When hard things come or when you are faint, go and do what God wants you to do regardless of how you feel.
And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:1-6
There will be times when you will not have anybody around to encourage you. The people were talking about stoning David. He was distressed but David encouraged himself in the Lord. Memorize the scriptures so you can lift up a standard when the enemy of your soul comes in like a flood. When trouble and trials come, get on your knees and ask God to help you. He may say wait. If he does, we need to be willing to wait. If you start acting by how you feel, it may not be what God wants. To get over discouragement, we need to be in the house of God. Many people, down through time, in this congregation, have gotten discouraged. They separated themselves from the saints. And eventually they separated themselves from God. The enemy wants you to do that. When the enemy works discouragement, lift up a standard and trust God with all your heart.
Trackback(0)
|
Mature Adult 
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
