Encourage Yourself

3. Believe that all things are possible: Jesus says that all things are possible to him that believes. Perhaps you have problems that seem to defy solution. You have come to your wits end. You have decided, “well, this place is my last stop. I am going to run away from God. No, all things are possible to him that believes.

The Bible does not say that all things are possible to him that worries. When we say things are impossible, it means that we have arrived at self-defeat. God is a gentleman, He will not grab the problem out of your hand if you do not hand it to Him. So, whatever the situation may be, believe that all things are possible. I remember the testimony of a six-year old boy who could neither walk nor talk. His mother was carrying him all over the place and brought him to our crusade. As the crusade was about to close, I said, “We have a project to do here and people should give to the Lord.” The woman cried and said, “I have been here for one week and nothing has happened and she took all the money she had and dumped it in the offering bag. It was then the word of knowledge came that the boy had been healed and right before her eyes, the first thing that happened was that the bent bone of the boy stretched and a cracking sound could be heard as it moved. By the time God finished with the boy, a medical doctor at the meeting could count 26 miracles performed on him. The enemy had finished his case completely but God turned it around. That God is till around. So, see that possibility and you will see what the Lord will do.

4. Do not give up: When the whole of your eyes are turning red, do not give up. When life is becoming disjointed and disorganized, don’t give up. When you feel you cannot take another step ahead, don’t give up. When trials surround you everyday and your enemies are showing themselves as friends, don’t give up. When you think that all is lost, don’t give up. When all things are moving up and the road is so rough and tiring, when you try to smile and the smile is hardwork or when the debts are so much, do not give up.

Many strugglers have given up at the edge of success. One sister was praying, “O Lord, give me breakthrough.” The Lord said, “You have already had it.” And still after five years there was no breakthrough. You know that God is a God of suddenlies. One morning, God sent an angel to go and give the sister what she wanted. The angel came to church before the service and waited for her to arrive, but that morning the devil went to her to give a satanic lecture. A certain pastor said that the devil is a great pastor. He knows the house of every member, he knows their names, he knows where they work, he knows everything about them. He is present at every table where they eat. He is present at all their family meetings. No pastor can do all these. The devil came to the sister and said, “Look at you, at your old age you are sweeping the floor of the church for the mates of your children, cleaning benches. Since you have been going there, what have you brought out of this place? Stop wasting your time." And for the first time in five years she listened to that lecture and did not go to the service that day the angel came for her. The angel waited in vain till the end of the service. Well, the Bible says, “The word which I have spoken from my mouth shall not come back to me void.” So after the grace was said, the angel gave the blessing to somebody else and departed.