Sunday January 27th, 2008 Series: the Fight part four
Scripture: Mark 9:23
Sermon: In the face of discouragement
Speaker: Pastor Michael West, River of Life
Discouragement. We all experience it one time or another. Discouragement can immobilize even the righteous people of God and hinder them or stop them in their tracks to the point that they stop working on their God given visions.
For instance, Israel, was in a state of rebelliousness for a long period of time against God, so God had allowed them to be defeated and taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. However, the Lord didn’t leave them without any encouragement. God had spoken in their hard years through the prophet Jeremiah that they would be free again after seventy years...Jeremiah 29:10
After that time, Israel was restored and their season of hardship was over, and as the Lord had promised, restoration was being fulfilled. In fact, initiated by the prophet Daniel, Israel entered a season of divine visitation whereby the Lord personally revealed Himself to King Cyrus, know as a gentle king, and appointed him to build a house for the Lord in Jerusalem...II Chron. 36:23
Cyrus responded by encouraging a national offering for Israel’s journey, restoring the treasures Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Israel. The display of divine grace created an atmosphere of excitement and awe among the people—the Lord Himself was causing the people to return.
It was a time of great grace and provision, but during that time something happened that the people allowed their attention to be diverted. They lost their focus. Ezra 4:4-5…
Incredible as it may seem, in light of all the miracles Israel knew and witnessed, all the signs and provisions they experienced, seemed to be no match to the discouragement that was neutralizing their progress. In fact, the discouragement and complacency stalled the restoration for twenty years.
Listen, discouragement is subtle in it’s attack and it has great consequences that will paralyze you. It is powerful and we must refuse to accommodate it’s influence when it speaks to us...why bother, who cares, what good will it do…
Like Israel, you and I have a vision. There is a dream that is real. There is a mission, a blessing to be that God has for us that will grow us spiritually, something that God has for you to help you grow strong in your spiritual authority. Whatever the case, God has provisions waiting to be used by us.
The vision can be for a personal transformation.
It could be for spiritual renewal for the church. Revival. For families, for ministry, but God will provide and meet the need as it arises, but we have to rise to meet the challenge of the need.
However, before a vision or a holy passion to see this nation turn back to God can be complete, you and I will have to face some serious opportunities to be discouraged.
This is why each of us need to build a fighting spirit. Isaiah 61:3 talks about the spirit of heaviness, the NASB calls it a spirit of fainting—passivity, fainting, heaviness, whatever name it bears today, it is an evil spirit and it will do all it can to render you helpless and keep you from exercising your faith!
How do we contract a spirit of discouragement and defeat? Disappointment in loved ones. Sin repeated over and over infiltrating into our souls. Not only will discouragement try to keep you down, it runs around with a couple other friends to help out, condemnation and fear. Whatever door this spirit has entered through to gain access to your heart, you will need to repent and renounce vocally. You will need to forgive and release any area of disappointment or discouragement you have in someone else. Renounce living in fear or condemnation.
What is it that God gives us for these spirits of heaviness? None other than the garments of praise. How can you praise when you feel down? Look back to where you have been and recall the blessings and miracles, recall what God has already done in your life and through your life. Then put on the garment of praise for those things and in a short period of time of praising and giving thanks to God, whatever ailed your spirit will be gone. It only takes a few minutes to make that happen.
Praise God and thank Him for the goodness in your life and watch what happens to you. Something else...listen close...this is not a time when you are to be quiet. It’s a time to shout it loud. It’s a time to pray with your eyes open. Can’t you say? Bet you can...how many have ever prayed while driving?
This is the time to speak loudly, to be serious and put passivity away. No quiet eyes shut prayer here and if you feel phony, it just a feeling. Remember, your flesh doesn’t want to submit to the Spirit. Any sense of being artificial and fake will pass and fade away with in a couple of minutes and when it does, you will know you are accessing your true spiritual self.
Be courageous. You need to use courage to face what seems to be impossible odds stacked against you. True faith takes courage. When Jesus often healed people, He would say to them, “take courage.” this courage will help you face your vision or dream, your potential that God sees in you.
It will help you focus in the middle of your quest and against human struggles, this courage as a companion to your faith, will help to see you through to the end.
Why do you think the church needs encouragers? In Acts we are told that when we gather together, we should encourage one another..
In Acts, there is a certain disciple, a Levite named Joseph, also called Barnabas by the Apostles. His name means “son of encouragement.” His calling was to encourage the hearts of the early saints. At one point, Barnabas takes his cousin Mark under his wing . Well, Paul and Barnabas go round and round about Mark, but Barnabas doesn’t give up and eventually Paul later on has heard of how Mark became stronger in his walk and started finishing the things he was called to do, and so Paul, when many had deserted him later in his life, calls for Mark to come and help. II Timothy 4:9-11
To conclude the first story of Israel...Ezra 5:1-2…
The vision was fulfilled solely because the prophets encouraged Israel’s elders in the work of the rebuilding.
Discouragement is the opposite of encouragement. Faith without courage will always falter.
How do we get discouraged? It happens when we start evaluating our negative circumstances based upon information supplied by our senses. This doesn’t mean live in denial or become oblivious to our problem or circumstance, or negative situation we may have to fight against, It does mean however, in spite of it, we put our faith in God. We trust Him. This is our antidote to discouragement, form your opinions of life based on the promises and goodness of God.
Romans 4:19
Without growing weak in faith, Abraham contemplated the impossibility. But he also thought about the greatness, goodness and the power of God. He considered his limitations, but believed that with God, nothing was impossible—this is what earned him the title of “friend of God.”
Romans 4:20-21
Discouragement comes only when we look at our circumstances without looking at the faithfulness of God and the integrity of what He promised. We grow stronger in faith each time we, in spite of our circumstance, give glory to God.
Lord you are great! I trust in You. I praise you, I believe in You. I believe Your Word and what You promised You are able to perform.
So, how does courage come? — Luke 18:1-8
She refuses to be discouraged.
Jesus tells his disciples this story so they would get immunized against discouragement. Jesus assures us that God will hear and the we sometimes need to turn to Him in persistent prayer.
Jesus is not only our Savior, but the author and perfecter of our faith:
Hebrews 12:2
Faith isn’t just about doctrine, it is the spiritual substance of things hope for, evidence of things not seen...Hebrews 11:1
This means for our faith to grow strong, to mature, we need the situations where faith alone can only sustain us. For this reason, God allows to go through some things where we have to let our faith arise because that is what touches God’s heart.
To win our fight of faith, we must not give into discouragement. Ask God for greater wisdom, adjust your attitude and become more flexible and wiser, moving forward with your assignment.. Into what destiny has for you.
Hebrews 10:37-38
Hebrews 11 is the hall of faith. Each one listed was a fighter. They didn’t allow discouragement to steal from them or diminish their faith. Their hearts were strong and they refused to shrink away from God’s promises, things were changed because of the power of their faith.
Hebrews 11:33-34
The enemy has been busy eroding the conscience of our society and will carry off sons and daughters into captivity...we must fight.
Yes, we all feel the heaviness of the battle, but God is with us...Isaiah 42:1,4
Who are you in Jesus?
There is a spiritual war going on over the future of our very souls. We cannot shrink back into unbelief. Let’s be strong and of good courage. Let us seek God and find new strength in prayer and let us never again give into the voice of discouragement.
