We Can Always Take Courage

So many Christian patriots are very discouraged by the election outcome. Many are ready to quit; many are ready to start a third party; many are just ready “to go home” (I can sympathize with the latter sentiment). Discouragement is one of Satan’s greatest weapons against God’s people. It can be lethal. He may use persecution, predicaments, or privation to bring us to our knees and shout, “I give up!” Satan loves defeated Christians because misery loves company.

Beloved, we are not defeated! Our foe has been vanquished and we already have the victory.

Nevertheless I understand how easy it is to become discouraged and even the sturdiest of saints became discouraged. To me the most stalwart servant of Christ was the Apostle Paul and Paul suffered from discouragement, so much so Jesus had to personally buck him up! While in Jerusalem Paul was facing a great trial from his own people. Don’t the arrows shot from loved ones and close friends’ bows hurt the most? Paul was definitely fretting and fearful. Look upon the words of Jesus:

    “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.’” (Acts 23:11)

The Lord Jesus Christ is telling Paul to not be afraid because He was not yet done with His servant. And this was not the first time or last time Jesus would do so. The great Bible expositor Warren Wiersbe gives these words of insight:

    The Lord’s message to Paul was one of courage. “Be of good cheer!” simply means “Take courage!” Jesus often spoke these words during His earthly ministry. He spoke them to the palsied man (Matt. 9:2) and to the woman who suffered with hemorrhage (Matt. 9:22). He shouted them to the disciples in the storm (Matt. 14:27) and repeated them in the Upper Room (John 16:33). As God’s people, we can always take courage in times of difficulty because the Lord is with us and will see us through.

I don’t know about you, but that brings me great encouragement! Oh Lord give me courage!

May I implore you to do the following Bible study? Read Matthew 9 and 14 and John 16 and also read Psalms 34 and 46. Our pastor preached a great message of encouragement from Psalm 34 answering the question, “What Do You Do When What You Dread Happens?”

I can tell you there are many things in life we have no control over, but one thing we own is our response. Always remember this truth from King Solomon:

    “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)

Be that good word that makes a man glad. Don’t be the one they call on for a word of criticism, as my pastor described last night. Let us be the light in this dark world, the light of true Hope and Change, where Jesus reigns in our hearts, minds, and lives.

If we will always do that, then we can always take courage.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2012 David Jeffers

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