Fighting Discouragement

Fighting Discouragement

Nehemiah chapter 4

Prayer-

Father, today would you allow us to sense your presence. It is what each one of us needs for our lives. In your presence discouragement, anger, loneliness, anxiety, they all leave when they are replaced with your Spirit dwelling in us. Help us today to see you do new and wonderful things in our lives. May we not leave today without you doing something amazing. In Jesus name Amen.

Introduction-

I want to look at what the Bible shows us about discouragement.

We immediately think of depression and that is a form of discouragement.

There are other ways that we also live with discouragement.

Prophet Nehemiah in the book of Nehemiah is proof that God desires to help us when we are depressed and discouraged, when the enemy seems to have taken control of every part of your life.

In the case of Nehemiah, he went before the Lord with fasting and praying for the nation of Israel.

He desired for them to repent of their sins and God would restore them back into a right relationship with Him.

He approaches the King that he would have favor on him and allow him to return and restore what has been destroyed.

“If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city of Judah so I can rebuild it.”

Nehemiah sets off with the blessing of the king, financial backing of the king, letter signed by the king that areas around Jerusalem must give him what is needed to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.

He goes to the people and tells them of all that is about to happen.

They appear ready to begin the long and dangerous process of rebuilding.

“Come let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and we will no longer bring disgrace. I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.”

“Let us start rebuilding” so they began this good work.

Question-

Anyone ever seek out the Lord, get direction from him, begin to work a plan, energize the people, only to find out as it begins the negative comes out in people, the devil kicks you in the pants.

You are too far in quit, but not far enough to keep everyone energized and on focus? Yeah me neither!

Nehemiah Chapter 4:1-14 Read from Bible

It does not take long to see here sources for discouragement

Ridicule- (Big source of discouragement)

What do you think you are doing Nehemiah?

The wall will never stand strong and the enemy will attack you and defeat you.

A negative mockery of what you are doing- attempting to destroy what they themselves have no investment in-

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors and to love our enemies,” said G.K. Chesterton, “probably because they are generally the same people!” That is a true statement right?

We are told to love the people all around us but most of the time, it is those around us that are the ones that are the most challenging in our lives.

In the case of the Jews rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, this was certainly true. In reading Nehemiah chapter 4, we come to find out that the people of Jerusalem are surrounded by hostile enemies on all four sides coming at them from all four directions—it is their neighbors who do their best to discourage them from continuing the work that God has called them to.

There is a good chance that you are discouraged if you find yourself beginning sentences with ”I am the only one doing what is suppose to be done.”

Moses did it

Elijah did it

Nehemiah did it, and you have done it or will do it in your life too.

What is discouragement?

“A loss of confidence or enthusiasm” - when we define it like that, we all have been discouraged.

We have all lost confidence in what we were doing and the energy level of enthusiasm is down to the bottom of the barrel.

How do we fix it? First as a believer, I do not think you fix that by yourself.

I know there are self help groups out there but discouragement is not something you fix by yourself.

1 Peter 4:12- “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

One way to fix it is to identify it- Identify it and then get good people around you that can help you as you seek the Lord and His direction.

(13) “Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your home.”