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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode is: OVERCOMING WEAKNESS AND DISCOURAGMENT

We often come under the attack of discouragement. The enemy will try to distract us with spiritual discouragement. The google definition of discouragement is 1. a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness. 2. an attempt to prevent something by showing disapproval or creating difficulties; deterrent.

The enemy is out to try to get us to lose confidence in God. He will do all he can to destroy the enthusiasm of our faith walk. He will create difficulties to deter our progress. We often call them trials. As we grow in our faith walk, the enemy comes to a point where he knows he cannot stop us. Since he cannot stop us, he switches tactics to putting stumbling blocks in our way.

If we allow ourselves to become discouraged, we are not walking in the joy of the Lord. Which means we are walking in a time of weakness. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Without Joy we do not have strength. This is why depression and discouragement are two of Satan most used tools.

When the enemy tries to strip us of our joy by causing depression and discouragement, he wants to make us weak. If we are weak, we will not have the energy to press on and do God’s will. We will not be able to fight the good fight of faith against the spiritual attacks of the enemy.

Look at David at Ziklag: 1 Samuel 30—David had been at war and when he returned home to Ziklag the city had been burned to the ground and all of the soldiers families had been taken captive. The attack of their enemy was so distressing that David’s soldiers were talking about stoning him.

He felt discouraged for a moment, but then he realized that he had to encourage himself in the Lord.

I Sam 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

We can encourage ourselves too, by remembering all the times God delivered us. It is good to think of all the times things looked hopeless and God came through for us personally. It can be encouraging to read scriptures about how God helped others in his word. We cannot be too proud to reach out to someone we can trust for prayer.

There is no shame in having weak moments. We are human and will allow our emotions to take control from time to time. But even though we have fallen into discouragement, we have to be like David and pick ourselves up.

II Cor 12:9 — And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

One thing that is often hard to admit is when we are feeling weak. We think we have to have be strong and not show weakness. But we can find strength in our weakness. When we admit we are weak to God, He will come along side of us with the strength we need. As we learn to push through the attacks of the enemy and give God the glory we will find strength. We will be able to take the next step, walking in God’s strength.

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.

There are times when we are battle-weary and discouraged. We can rise above it, and we will reap a harvest for all of our faithfulness. The key is that we cannot allow the enemy to get us so bogged down that we can’t move forward.

Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

We have nothing to fear because God is with us. We have no reason to be stressed or discouraged because he will give us strength to pick ourselves up and press on in faith.

People go to the gym to gain physical strength. They push themselves to lift a little more weight than they did the day before. This consistency gives them muscle strength. We can gain spiritual strength by exercising our faith. We can find the determination to keep going. In pressing on, we will find that God gives us the strength we need.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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