Ever had a day or days when everything seems to go your way?

Ever had a day or days when everything seems to go your way? • God wants us to enjoy these times. Numbers6:25 “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”

Satan uses DISCOURAGEMENT.

God’s people became discouraged • Elijah, 1Kings19:3-10 • David, Psalm42:5-6 • Jesus even became discouraged, (Matthew 26).

Illness, handicaps or other physical hindrance. • Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” (2Corinthians 12:7-8). • Paul said it kept him humble. • Death of loved ones. • David mourned greatly and was disturbed over loss of his son What can cause discouragement in our lives?

Material loss. • Job lost 11,500 head of cattle all at once. A major source of income, gone basically overnight. • Loss of a sense of security. • Matthew 24:21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” What can cause discouragement in our lives?

Friends turn against us. • Hopes and dreams lost. • Letting ourselves get discouraged • With whatever… • Sometimes we may even feel that we are beyond God’s help. • Sometimes we may not feel that we should be given God’s help because we brought about our own sorrow. What can cause discouragement in our lives?

Get up and do something. • Elijah did, 1Kings 19:4,15-18 • Someone once said that most discouragements are found in an over active mind and an under active body. • Do something for someone else. • Someone also said that there are 10 tried and true rules that when applied, they get rid of the blues: • Rule number #1: Go out and do something for someone else • Rule #2: Repeat Rule #1 9 more times God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Jesus said that we will find our lives by losing them in (Matthew 10:39). How does that help? • “When you dig another out of their troubles, you find a place to bury your own.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Remember that things are always as bright as the promises of God. • 2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Psalm 42:5 “Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God, for I shall yet praise HimFor the help of His countenance.” • Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known?Have you not heard?The everlasting God, the Lord,The Creator of the ends of the earth,Neither faints nor is weary.His understanding is unsearchable.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

God’s promises are uplifting to Preachers and Teachers, working both publicly and privately, in their discouragements. • Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;It shall not return to Me void,But it shall accomplish what I please,And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” • 1Corinthians15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

...to Parents. • Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” • Proverbs 29:17 “Correct your son, and he will give you rest;Yes, he will give delight to your soul.” • Isaiah 54:13 “All your children shall be taught by the Lord,And great shall be the peace of your children.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

…to Elders. • 1Peter5:2-4 “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly,notfor dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

…any child of God with burdens who turns to Him. • 1Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Use your burdens as bridges • Philippians 1:12-14 “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

When you are discouraged, ask yourself “How can I turn this into something beneficial?” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Take a break. • God told the Israelites (Exodus 20:8-10 & 23:12) to work six days and on the seventh, let it rest. • Sometimes we need to say no, even to good and wholesome endeavors, for the sake of not burning out. God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Get up and do something, especially for others. • God’s promises shed light on any discouragement. • We talked about turning burdens into bridges, into opportunities to help others and ourselves. • We talked about taking a break. God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Talk it out with yourself. • Matthew 9:20-22 “And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Take a moment to talk out your situation, even write down some notes, maybe a pro/con list • Think about the ultimate, end result of your current course of action and the way you are dealing with the particular discouragement. God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Fight and conquer self-pity. • Self-pity is born of a focus on self. • Paul taught that self must be crucified, Galations 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Accept the fact that you are valuable and that you are needed. • You and I are important in God’s eyes, the Creator of the universe. • Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

You and I are so important that Christ died for us. • 2Corinthians 5:14-15 “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Even the one talent man in Matthew 25 was important in his Master’s economy. • In reference to the body of Christ, everyone is named as being important. • 1Corinthians12:15-18 “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Work on being a realistic optimist. • His brothers schemed to kill him. • They sold him into slavery. • They lied to their father about his plight. • He was carried to a foreign, pagan land • He was elevated into a position of power then was imprisoned due to false accusations. • Genesis50:20 “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Consider how useless you become when you are overcome by discouragement. • Acts 4:36, “…Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement)…” • Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Remember that you are never alone. • Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” • Psalm23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil;For You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Remember that God will not let anything come upon you that you cannot handle. • 1Corinthians10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Pray. • Philippians4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” • Hebrews 5:7 “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

1John 5:14-15 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” • Sometimes God says “Yes”, sometimes “No”, sometimes “Wait”. God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Then fill your heart, your mind with the right things. • Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Be a survivor, not a quitter. • Trying times mean we have to try harder. • Matthew24:13 “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” God’s instruction on overcoming discouragement.

Hebrews 12:12-15 “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;” Conclusion:

Ever had a day or days when everything seems to go your way?