Friday, June 19, 2015

Dealing with Discouragement

Last year, I experienced a very discouraging occurrence that made me feel as though the whole world came crashing down around me. Providentially, the situation turned out for my good. For instance, as I meditated on the Scriptures, I sought to apply God's Word to what I was facing. One of the ways I did this was developing a lesson on it and teaching it to a Sunday school class.

It has been a great privilege to share what I have learned about Dealing with Discouragement in a couple of other settings. What a joy to share the lesson outline below with you from this platform!  It is my hope and prayer that it will bless your heart. Please feel free to leave a comment or recommend it to others. Thank You!


Dealing with Discouragement
“…Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10, NLT)
Introduction
We all face discouraging situations in life from time to time. Since they are sure to come, we should be prepared to cope with them.
Discouragement is not a matter of “if” we will encounter it. It is a matter of “when” it will take place. We must, therefore, be well-equipped to deal with it when it knocks on our door. Oftentimes the thing that discourages us is a disappointment we faced in the past. Sadly, we don’t see beyond our disappointment because we don’t have the skills to defeat it. When disappointment is not dealt with, it breeds discouragement and leads to further disappointment. The following quote helps us see things from the right perspective:
Sometimes our greatest disappointments today will set us up for God’s greatest appointments tomorrow.”—Lysa Terkerust (Proverbs 31 Ministries).
This study will define the key terms, present seven examples of individuals who handled discouragement well and how their examples parallel or reflect that of Christ Jesus. Last, but not least, the study will close with a summary of the causes of discouragement and their cures or Godly responses.
Definition of Terms
1.      What is discouragement?
Discouragement is a state in which one’s stamina is weakened and his or her interest/zeal is lessened due to some circumstance or occurrence. Simply put, it is the opposite of encouragement.
2.      Why is the way we deal with discouragement crucial to our faith?
The way we deal with discouragement as Christ-followers should be different from the way non-believers do. By God’s grace, at all times, we must endeavor to address it in such a way that it does not inhibit or hamper our effectiveness as servants of the Lord. Here are two conditional responses to discouragement and their results:
a)      If we negatively respond to discouragement, our confidence in the Lord is eroded. We, therefore, must change the picture by looking beyond the discouragement (e.g. King Jehoshaphat demonstrated confidence in the Lord’s presence: “We don’t know what to do but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). 
b)     If we positively deal with discouragement, our effectiveness as the Lord’s servants is heightened.  For instance, when our faith is under pressure, it results in our spiritual development and maturity:
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (James 1:2-4, The Message—MSG—a paraphrase by Eugene H. Peterson).
Examples of Seven Excellent Encouragers in the Bible
There are a number of examples in the Bible of people who were discouraged but handled it well. I refer to each one of them as an “Excellent Encourager.” We will briefly look at seven examples from the Bible. Since the Excellent Encouragers mirror or reflect Jesus’ outstanding example, we will show their parallelism with Christ, our Greatest Example when it comes to dealing with discouragement.
1.      Joseph (Genesis 50:15-21)—convinced that God was with him, Joseph believed that God had a plan and purpose for his life. As a result, Joseph became God’s instrument not only to save the land of Egypt but also the whole nation of Israel, thus seeing a fulfillment of his earlier dreams. His being sold into slavery in Egypt serves to prove the reality of this saying:

In every pit of Satan, there is a caravan of the Lord on the way.” –Dr. David Seamands. 
In a number of ways, Joseph was a “type of Christ.” In other words, Joseph’s life of purity and integrity point to our Lord and Savior who is the greatest example when it comes to dealing with discouragement that diverse circumstances bring to our lives.

2.      Job (Job 13:15; 19:25)—acknowledged God’s sovereignty in his life and received back more than he had before his trials. His story of suffering answers the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” His response to suffering teaches us to wait upon the Lord and to persevere even though we may not understand what’s going on. Furthermore, the responses of Job’s friends, as well as that of his wife, miss the point in that they don’t rightly address what Job was going through in his life. Here are two verses that reveal Job’s heart: “Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him,” (13:15) & “…my Redeemer lives…” (19:25).  

Job’s way of dealing with suffering brings to mind how our Lord Jesus, the Pioneer and Finisher of our faith, endured the cross, and despised its shame (cf. Hebrews 12:2). Let’s emulate Job’s example and, most importantly, that of our Lord Jesus, our High Priest, who was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). 

3.      Elijah (1 Kings 19:18; James 5:17)—found himself very discouraged after the great contest at Mr. Carmel in which the true God of Israel undisputedly answered with fire and defeated the false gods of Baal. Elijah feared for his life, ran from Jezebel and wanted to die. In fact, he mistakenly thought he was the only one left in Israel that still feared God. He forgot there was God’s remnant and that God still had a plan to fulfill through his life and the lives of those he had mentored.  

Like our Lord Jesus Christ, we find in Elijah a man of fervent prayer and faith. While Jesus went to pray, his disciples went to sleep. Nevertheless, He encouraged them to “watch and pray” so they may not “enter into temptation” and reminded them that “the Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:36-46, esp. v. 41).

4.      Moses (Exodus 32 & 33)—sought to see the face of God not only physically but also in prayer. As such, Moses was a great intercessor in times of great discouragement. He must have faced a lot of discouraging moments and even felt lonely as a leader. However, he learned to pray and to seek the Lord’s face. Oftentimes, he would take Joshua with him to the Tent of Meeting where he offered most of his intercessory prayers.
Moses, when the Israelites were bitten by poisonous snakes in the desert, lifted a bronze snake and when people looked up at the bronze snake, they lived. Similarly, the Son of Man [Jesus] was lifted up and those who believe in Him have eternal life or live eternally (John 3:14-16). Additionally, Jesus helps us during our discouraging moments. If we turn our eyes on Jesus, as the song says, “the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of glory and grace.” 

5.      David (Psalm 42; Psalm 51:10-13; 1 Samuel 30:1-6)—talked about or revealed what was   going on in his heart during times of distress. Overall, King David encouraged himself on the Lord. 

In the Psalms, David detailed his personal walk with God. For instance, in Psalm 23, he wrote about the Lord as His shepherd. In John 10, Jesus claimed that He was the Good Shepherd who willingly lays down His life for the sheep. Unlike the hireling or false shepherds, Jesus lovingly cares about what we are going through as His followers and that includes when we are discouraged. We should fear no evil because the Lord is with us (cf. Isaiah 41:10).

6.      Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4:19-21; 8:10)—faced a lot of opposition as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. This led to his development of a strategy to deal with discouragement or counter the opposition he faced. Nehemiah’s example is worth emulating.  

One of things Elijah professed in the midst of his difficult situations was this fact: “...the joy of the Lord is my strength.” In the same way, one of the Apostle Paul’s exhortations on this, with reference to Christ, says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7, NIV)

7.      Paul (Romans 7:22-25; 8:29, 35-39; 2 Corinthians 4:8; 12:8-10; 2 Timothy 4:9-11 )—knew that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He was also convinced that nothing could separate Christ-followers from the love of God. No matter what the Apostle Paul went through, he was confident that the Lord was with him and would grant him grace, peace and joy!  

When the Apostle Paul’s friends such as Demas deserted or left him and he felt alone or abandoned, he drew strength from the Lord. Obviously, Paul also found encouragement from other men such as Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, John Mark, etc. It is the Lord Jesus who provides us with other friends while He remains our greatest friend who sticks closer than a brother. The hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God I prayer.” In John 14:6 Jesus stated that no one come to the Father except by Me. When we are discouraged, we can through the mighty name of Jesus ask for encouragement.

Points to Ponder [In Summary]
In order to effectively deal with discouragement, we must not only understand what discouragement is and look over some excellent examples in the Bible, we must also generally know its underlying causes and the Godly responses or courses of action we must take in accordance with God’s Word. 



The Causes of Discouragement
The Cures of Discouragement
(or Godly Responses to Discouragement)

1.      Loss (temporary or permanent, e.g. of a loved one, a job, a ministry opportunity, friendship   or   relationship, etc.)


2.      Unfulfilled Expectations (For instance, when things don’t work out as we had anticipated)



3.      Struggle with Sin (e.g. Romans 6:1ff; 7:22-25)


4.      Difficult Situations at work, family, or life in general.




5.      Frustration (esp. when you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall)

1.      Grieve with hope and be willing to receive and give words of comfort and encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:13; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; Acts 4:36; Phil. 2:4; Romans 14:7-8).

2.      Remember God’s faithfulness, Stand firm on His eternal promises (1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Matt. 11:28-29; Isaiah 40:28-31).

3.      Confess Sin and appropriate the Power of the Holy Spirit (1 John 1:8- 2:2; Ephesians 5:18; Zechariah 4:6).

4.      Rejoice always, Pray without ceasing, and in everything Give Thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you           (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

5.      Acknowledge that God is in control and practice His presence (Prov. 3:5-6).
   
Conclusion
Let us consider these two Scripture Passages as we move forward in victory:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV)

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14, NIV) 

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Stop Doubting and Start Believing!

“Stop doubting and believe.” This is what Jesus told Thomas in John 20:27 as He gave him an opportunity to verify the authenticity of His resurrection. After putting his finger in the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and placing his hand into His side, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). It was to this response that Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29).

A week earlier, Thomas had doubtfully said, “I will not believe [without proof]” (John 20:25), and in fact, in the Greek text, there is a double negative. In other words, he said, “I positively will not believe.” (The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, 2007, p. 314).  Even though he had seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, he expressed doubt and unbelief about the resurrection of Jesus by his words. To Thomas, “seeing is believing,” and so he sought for proof. Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s Commentary distinguishes between Thomas’ doubt and unbelief:
1.       In his doubt, Thomas was saying, “I cannot believe! There are too many problems!”
2.       In his unbelief, however, he was saying, “I will not believe unless you give me the evidence I ask for!” (p. 315)

Even though, He was not present when Thomas expressed his doubt and unbelief, Jesus as the God-man heard him. A week later, Jesus provided Thomas with the necessary proof he needed and hence his doubts and unbelief vanished. Jesus’ interest in and concern for Thomas in spite of his shortcomings lift our spirits:
“It is an encouragement to us to know that the Lord has a personal interest in and concern for ‘Doubting Thomas.’ He wanted to strengthen his faith and include him in the blessings that lay in store for His followers. Thomas reminds us that unbelief robs us of blessings and opportunities.” (The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, p. 315).

If we apply Jesus’ words to Thomas, we will move from unbelief to confidence in our walk with the Lord.  We will also grow in our faith in the Lord and we will not succumb to doubt and unbelief. The apostle James stressed why it is so important to believe and not doubt: “because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7, NIV). Another word for “believe,” is “trust,” and Proverbs 3:5-6 echoes it:
“5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and He will make your paths straight.” (NIV)
There are many circumstances we face these days and we are tempted to doubt the Lord’s plan or His presence in our lives. We must trust in the Lord and heed what He told Thomas, i.e. “stop doubting and believe.”

Friday, June 12, 2015

Your view of the Church will affect your vitality as a follower of Christ

IS THE CHURCH A PARKING LOT OR A LAUNCHING PAD FOR YOU? Your view of the Church will affect your vitality [strength, energy, life] as a follower of Christ! Some have viewed the church as a building, and hence it has become to them a place to visit once or twice a week. Such a view disconnects Sunday from Monday—leading to a bifurcation of reality. If one regards the church rightly as “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27), then there is a recognition that there is one body of believers in Jesus who seek to honor Him by our lives. Consequently, each follower of Christ has a dynamic lifestyle and service empowered by the Holy Spirit beyond the four walls of the church building. 

Following a life-changing encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), the Apostle Paul had a calling on his life to minister to the Gentiles. As a result, he planted many churches to which he visited and sent follow-up letters for their encouragement and equipping. The church that confirmed Paul’s calling, as well as that of Barnabas, was the church at Antioch. It was in this church, where the disciples were first called Christians, that Paul and Barnabas spent a whole year teaching great numbers of people (Acts 11:26). They also had a great ministry establishing new believers in Antioch. The church, then, confirmed their calling, commissioned them, and sent them forth as missionaries (cf. Acts 13:1ff). Antioch, thus, became like a base of operations for them.

Warren W. Wiersbe’s explanation of Acts 15, where we see more open doors for the Gospel, reveals that Paul had a high regard for the Antioch church. Paul’s view of the church had an effect on his sharing of the Good News [Gospel] wherever he went:
For the apostle Paul, the church at Antioch was not a parking lot: it was a launching pad. He could never settle down to a “comfortable ministry” anywhere as long as there were open doors for the preaching of the gospel (The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT, Cook Communications Ministries, 2007, p. 372).
This coming Sunday when you go to church (or rather the place where the church meets) remember that you are not simply going to park your car, go into the church building, and be entertained. Instead, you are going to meet other brothers and sisters in Christ, and, primarily, worship the Lord with them. Secondarily, you will seek to encourage others as they encourage you. Will you let the message being preached on Sunday launch you to the mission field outside the walls of “the church”?  
May you and I, as the church, become intensely evangelistic and not stop until we have made disciples of all nations. Discipleship is our Master’s mandate according to Matthew 28:18-20.