I Am Discouraged (Part II) (October 2020)

The September issue of our newsletter quoted from 1 Thessalonians 3:2, Amp., “…and so we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in [spreading] the good news of Christ (declaring the Word), to strengthen and encourage you [exhorting, comforting, and establishing you] in regard to your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these difficulties [to which I have referred].” The Word (the Promises of God) will encourage the discouraged. I am sure that some of those individuals were encouraged for a period of time but soon a discouragement made its way right back into their lives. Why would this happen to some; yet, to others the discouraged were encouraged with an encouragement that remained. Does that just happen for some and not for others? It does, but there are reasons for that.

Jesus said in Mark 4:15, “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” The Word that was heard encouraged for a while but because the Word had no root in their hearts satan was able to steal the Word. Discouragement soon entered back in. We also see that there are those who were encouraged by the Word but soon had afflictions and persecutions to come their way. Once again, the Word is stolen. For others, satan brought to them the cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things. These things choke the Word, and discouragement rushes back in.

Encouragement does come by the Word. It can abound to us as we hear and receive. It can abound thirty, sixty, or one hundred times towards us. Amen! (Mk. 4:14-20). So what do we do to guard the Word that we have heard? Jesus said in verse 24, Amp., “Pay attention to what you hear.” Write down the Scripture; speak it out loud over and over (Rom. 10:17); praise the Lord with that Scripture; and speak that Word against satan’s lies that attempt to bring back the discouragement.

David certainly experienced discouragement when he and his men came home to Ziklag. The Amalekites had taken their families, their goods, and burned the city. The men spoke of stoning David, their leader, for the evil that had come to those that they loved. The Bible says in 1 Samuel 30:6 that he was “greatly distressed” but “David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” How did David do that? He brought the situation to God; reminded the Lord of His Promises to him; asked the Lord if he should pursue the enemy; then he listened. God responded to David, “Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” Be encouraged by the Word of the Lord (to be continued).