DISCOURAGEMENT.

Source: www.appreciationatwork.com

You and I know that Satan , our enemy is not happy we left his evil kingdom to the Kingdom of light of God’s dear son Jesus Christ. He is attacking the saints daily with every weapon available at his disposal and discouragement is one of his weapons.

Some other of his weapons are subtle and so are ignored by his targets, the saints.
One of such subtle weapon is depression. It is God’s desire that we make use of we put Satan the devil down in every area he comes to us.

DISCOURAGEMENT:

Yes, it is being drained of courage; being weak in faith and in life generally, a sense of quitting.

Never you ever say; “Well I have done ALL that I know how
to and ALL that I’m told to do;yet things are not getting Better”. Do not be confused and frustrated. Hear what David got to ask himself:

Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted within me?
hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him,
who is the health of my countenance,
and my God”. Psalm 42:11 (KJV)

And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee;
he will be with thee, he will not fail thee,
neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)

CAUSES OF DISCOURAGEMENT:

• NOTHING WORKS SYNDROME.

Having tried many things and nothing seem to work. You tend to give up. May I ask you dear friend? How many times have you tried it out? I read that Thomas Edison, As an inventor, made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.
When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." Stay on dear.

• BAD HEALTH.
It hurts when you cannot take care of your children and loved ones as a result.

• CIRCUMSTANCES.
I do not know what you are passing through in Life but your father in heaven knows. Keep trusting HIM.

• PAST FAILURES.

Brothers, I do not count myself to have attained, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

• HIGHS AND LOWS, ON AND OFF

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1Peter 5:10 (KJV)

• LONELINESS.

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 2 Timothy 4:16-17 (KJV)

• UNANSWERED PRAYERS.

DEALING WITH DISCOURAGEMENT.

a. Recognize discouragement is of the Devil.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV)

b. See discouragement as sin. Confess it.
Discouragement provokes God.
For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Lord had given them. Numbers 32:9 (KJV)

c. Lean on God’s promises. Note God is dependable. Isaiah 41: 10-13

d. Realise the Power you have. Luke 10:19

e. Quit wrong ways of thinking.

f. Change your talking pattern.

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. 1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV)