The Ministry of Encouragement
Introduction:
So here we are in week 6 of our series “Truth or Trash”
So far we covered:
1. The Power of Words
2. Taming the Tongue
3. Speaking the Truth in Love
4. Words of Gratitude
5. Guarding Against Gossip and this week
6. “The Ministry of Encouragement”
Your words have the power to build up or tear down.
Encouragement is more than just kind words—it’s a ministry God has given to every believer.
In the New Testament, the word most often translated “encouragement” is the word paraklesis.
It comes from two Greek words: para, “alongside of,” and kaleo, “to call.”
So the word encourager means “someone who is called to come alongside of you to help renew and comfort you.”
All Christians need encouragement… especially new Christians!
Encouragement instills courage, builds confidence, and fosters a sense of belonging in a faith community.
It helps individuals navigate their spiritual journey, reminding them they are not alone in their struggles.
By lifting one another up, we create an environment where faith can flourish, and believers can thrive as they grow in godliness.
However, we live in a world where people are quick to criticize, quick to tear down, quick to point out what’s wrong.
While encouragement builds up and instills courage… discouragement steals it away, tears down our spirits, and fosters an environment of division and disunity.
In such a culture, it becomes even more crucial for us as believers to consciously choose to uplift one another.
By actively offering words of affirmation and support, we can counteract the negativity that permeates our surroundings.
Instead of contributing to the cycle of criticism, we can create a community where love, grace, and encouragement thrive
Which in turn will allow each member to grow stronger in their faith and be more deeply connected to one another.
See, when you encourage, you do the work of Jesus, but when you discourage, you echo the enemy's lies.
Let me ask you a question: When people think about you, do they think of someone who builds them up or someone who tears them down?
I want to show you something incredible in Scripture.
In Acts 4, there’s this man named Joseph. But no one calls him that, instead, the apostles gave him a nickname: Barnabas.
Acts 4:36 NLT
36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
I love that the apostles gave Joseph a new name...
Think about that! The way he lived his life was so encouraging, so uplifting, so life-giving that the apostles literally changed his name!
You know what that tells me? Encouragement isn’t just something you do; it becomes your identity!
Barnabas had a ministry. He encouraged Paul when no one else believed in him.
And let me tell you something—without Barnabas, we might not have half of the New Testament!
We know that Paul wrote nearly 2/3 of the N.T. but someone had to encourage him into his calling first.
Imagine if Barnabas had stayed silent.
Imagine if Paul had never been encouraged into his calling—where would we be?
God is looking for some encouragers!
He’s looking for some Barnabases—some “Sons and Daughters of Encouragement” who walk into a room and shift the atmosphere!
That means your encouragement matters.
You may think it’s just a nice text message, just a small compliment, just a quick word—but you have no idea what it’s doing in someone’s spirit.
Think about it—how many of you have ever had someone say something encouraging to you, and years later, you still remember it?
That’s because words don’t disappear. They stay in people’s hearts.
Encouragement doesn’t just bless someone in the moment—it blesses them for a lifetime!
Let me tell you a story about a man named Edward Kimball.
Most people don’t know his name, but I guarantee you know his impact.
He was just a Sunday school teacher—nothing fancy, nothing famous.
But one day, he felt the Holy Spirit nudge him to go visit a young man in his class, a teenager working in a shoe store.
Nervous but obedient, he walked into the store and found a young man that some of you may have heard of, named Dwight L Moody.
He was in the stockroom of the shoe store arranging shoes.
Kimball hesitated outside at first, debating whether to go in.
But then he finally mustered the courage, stepped in, put his hand on Moody’s shoulder, and spoke to him about how much Jesus loved him and how God had a plan for his life.
At that moment, there wasn’t a dramatic conversion on the spot—Moody simply listened.
But that small, heartfelt encouragement planted a seed that took root.
Shortly after, Moody gave his life to Christ and went on to become one of the most influential evangelists in history, leading hundreds of thousands to Jesus.
Here is where the story gets good… D.L Moody’s preaching inspired a pastor named Frederick D. Meyer, who went on his own nationwide preaching quest.
Then a man named J Wilbur Chapman heard Fredrick Meyer preach and he got saved, and he went out and began sharing the gospel.
Chapman then mentored a young baseball player in the minstry named Billy Sunday, and he ended up being the greatest evangelist of his generation.
Sunday’s ministry influenced a man named Mordecai Ham, who was invited to come preach a crusade in Charlotte, NC,. by a group of businessmen who wanted to see revival in their city.
At one of Ham’s revival meetings, there was a tall, lanky boy who worked on the local dairy farm who walked forward and gave his life to Christ…
That man was named Billy Graham.
Who is in my opinion one of the greatest evangelists of all time.
So one ordinary Sunday school teacher’s obedience had a massive ripple effect, leading to millions of people hearing the gospel.
And it all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimble.
Here is what I want you to see from that story
Being an encourager is not just for pastors but for parents, coworkers, students, and every believer.
Encouragement is a ministry assignment for all of us.
Somebody in your life needs you to be a Barnabas today.
Somebody needs to hear, “You’re gonna make it!”
Somebody needs to hear, “God’s not finished with you yet!”
Somebody needs a reminder that “The best is still ahead!”
Somebody needs to hear, “Jesus loves you and God has a plan for your life.”
Because the truth is, the enemy is the ultimate discourager.
He whispers:
“You’re not good enough.”
“You’ll never get free.”
“You’re too broken.”
But when you open your mouth and speak life, you’re doing the work of Jesus!
You’re partnering with the Holy Spirit to remind people, that :
“You are chosen.”
“You are called.”
“You are loved.”
“You are an overcomer.”
What if someone’s breakthrough depends on the encouragement you give them today?
What if God has placed you in their life for this moment?
In a world full of critics, God is calling you to be an encourager!
So today I want to dive into three powerful reasons why encouragement isn’t optional—it’s essential.
1. Encouragement Strengthens the Weak
In Isaiah 35, it talks about “Hope for Restoration”, previously Isaiah delivered a message of judgment on all nations.
Now here Isaiah takes an opportunity to strengthen and encourage the people.
Isaiah 35:1–2 NLT
1 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.
2 Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the LORD will display his glory, the splendor of our God.
Isaiah 35:3–4 NLT
3 With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees.
4 Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”
1. Encouragement is like spiritual nutrition—without it, people starve.
a. Every one of us can make a difference for the kingdom of God.
b. We are called to be an encourager, and our words have the power to supply strength to those who are weak!
c. I believe one of the most overlooked ministries in the church is the ministry of encouragement.
i. It does not require a degree, you do not need a title, you do not need a microphone, all that you need is a heart that cares and a mouth that is willing to speak life giving words!
d. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24
Proverbs 16:24 NLT
24 Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
a. That means your words have healing power!
i. When someone is weary, broken, or discouraged, what you say can be the difference between them giving up or pressing on.
b. A simple word of encouragement can turn someone’s whole life around!
c. How many of you remember when Moses was at the end of his ministry, and he was about to hand off the responsibility of leading God’s people to Joshua?
i. Joshua no doubt was nervous, I know the Bible doesn’t say this but I can safely assume that Joshua understood what he was stepping into and he was humble enough to recognize how serious of an issue this was.
ii. Moses didn’t leave him with doubt— he left him with encouragement!
iii. He told him “Be strong and courageous...”
Deuteronomy 31:7 NLT
7 Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors he would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land.
d. Moses was a man very close to God, he knew that words shape destiny.
i. If you read through Deuteronomy, you will see God told Moses on a few occasions to encourage Joshua.
ii. That Joshua was going to lead the people after Moses, and he needed encouraged!
iii. Then in Joshua 1, God also repeated what Moses said to Joshua not once but 3 times more.
iv. If you’re wondering why God had to tell Joshua so many times to be “strong and courageous”, I believe it’s because he knew the human tendency to be afraid and discouraged when facing the challenges that life brings us.
v. I believe it is because, even though we have faith, sometimes in the moment of great trial our carnal mind can overwhelm us with doubt.
vi. Even the strongest believers can wrestle with fear when stepping into something new, something bigger than themselves.
vii. That’s why God didn’t just tell Joshua once—He repeated it, reinforcing the truth until it took root in Joshua’s spirit.
viii. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).
ix. God knew Joshua’s destiny required confidence, and confidence comes from hearing and believing the right words.
2. Your words can be a lifeline for someone!
a. Think about how a lifeline works— it’s something thrown to someone who is drowning, giving them a chance to grab hold and be pulled to safety.
b. Our encouraging words can rescue someone from despair.
Proverbs 12:25 NLT
25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
a. You never know what someone is going through—a single word or a single sentence could be the difference between hope and despair.
i. Sometimes it is just as simple as saying— “You’ve got this!” or “God’s got you!”.
ii. Your words can be the difference between someone giving up or getting up!
b. How many of you ever had someone at the right moment show up and start encouraging you?
i. When you were on the verge of giving up, throwing in the towel, and in the moment you needed it the most, in walks a “Barnabas” and they began to lift you, to encourage you, and to strengthen you...
ii. Maybe it was a pastor, or family member, a coach, a coworker, or a friend...
iii. I don’t know about you but I have had moments like this, where I was “done” I refused to go any further, life was overwhelming me and I was ready to give up...and out of nowhere came my Barnabas!
iv. They simply said: “Hey, I believe in you” … “I want you to know you’re not alone, God’s with you and he is going to carry you!”
v. I can remember how it felt, the weight that lifted off my shoulders.
vi. I felt strength rising within me.
c. I can remember many times this happened to me, but one that is very near and dear to me is the many times my lovely wife was my Barnabas.
i. There was this one time I was feeling the weight and pressure of ministry, nothing was going right, it seemed as if I had been attacked and overcome on all sides.
ii. I was frustrated, I felt alone, and I wasn’t sure what to do.
iii. In walks, my beautiful wife with a little reminder, and she said I was in the store and saw this, and I felt like you needed to hear this… “Don’t worry, God’s got this, he will work everything out, and he wouldn’t have led you here to fail... just trust in him!”
d. Men, you need to understand the gift you have if you have a godly woman!
i. Don’t take her for granted!
ii. At that moment, it was like her words sank deep into my heart, and all of a sudden… I felt like no army on the face of the earth could stand in my way!
e. That is the power of encouragement!
f. It may not seem much to you, but for me, it was the spark that I needed to keep going!
g. I am telling you a simple word can turn the tide in someone's day!
3. Encouragement Replenishes Spiritual Strength
a. Many believers are running on empty, many are physically, emotionally, and spiritually empty!
b. Your words of encouragement are like a refreshing drink on a hot day.
i. It replenishes them when they are feeling weak… it strengthens their faith!
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
a. See yourself as a runner nearing the of a long race:
i. Your legs aches, your chest burns, and your entire body cries out for you to stop.
ii. Then you round the corner on the last leg of your race, and you see your family and friends… and they are cheering you on… they are telling you keep fighting, keep digging, keep pushing!
iii. Then you see the grandstands full of fans cheering you on.
iv. Their encouragement helps to push you through the pain to the finish line!
b. In the same way we are to encourage one another!
c. In our churches, one of the great problems is burn-out.
i. The lack of help.
ii. The busyness of life piled on top of ministry.
iii. Quite frankly, people are just plain tired!
iv. The joy of ministry has left them, now it has become a dreaded burden.
v. Now, instead of being excited for Sundays, they are disgusted, frustrated, and burned out.
vi. So now it's a chore instead of a joy… but see… an encouraging word at the right moment helps people to feel valued and it helps them to now give up!
vii. It becomes what supplies the strength to press on when they feel like giving up!
d. Galatians 6:9 tells us,
Galatians 6:9 NLT
9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
a. It is discouraging to continue to do what is right and never receive any word of thanks or see any tangible results.
b. Paul is encouraging us, and we should also encourage one another...to not give up!
c. Encouragement is like oxygen to the soul—without it, people suffocate in discouragement.
d. Some people are running on empty—they don’t need your criticism, they need your encouragement!
e. Your words can be the difference between someone giving up or getting up!
f. Encouragement isn’t just about helping someone through a tough moment—it’s about calling out the God-given purpose inside of them!
g. When you speak life, you’re not just lifting someone’s spirit—you’re shaping their destiny!
i. That’s exactly what God did with Joshua.
ii. And we are about to see that's what Barnabas did for Paul.
iii. And that’s what YOU can do for the people around you!
iv. Because encouragement doesn’t just strengthen the weak…
2. Encouragement Calls Out God’s Purpose
Romans 9:25–28 MSG
25 Hosea put it well: I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved.
26 In the place where they yelled out, “You’re nobody!” they’re calling you “God’s living children.”
27 Isaiah maintained this same emphasis: If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered and the sum labeled “chosen of God,” They’d be numbers still, not names; salvation comes by personal selection.
28 God doesn’t count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus.
1. Encouragement turns nobodies into somebodies!
a. It is a reoccurring theme throughout the bible.
b. When God wants to use somebody, he typically turns to a nobody.
i. He is the one who changes the unlovable to the loveable
c. This passage reminds us that God specializes in taking nobodies and turning them into somebodies.
i. He doesn’t just count us—He calls us.
ii. That’s what Barnabas saw in Paul—purpose, not just a past.
d. God sees potential in people the world overlooks, and He uses encouragement—often through other people—to call that purpose to life.
i. People often feel unseen, unworthy, or like they don’t have a purpose.
ii. The world may label them as nobodies, but God doesn’t call people by their past—He calls them by their purpose.
e. See, it’s your encouragement that could be the push that launches someone into the destiny!
i. Encouragement helps people see themselves through God’s eyes.
ii. When we speak encouragement, we’re not just offering a compliment or a pat on the back.
iii. We are speaking life into someone’s destiny, calling out the greatness that God has placed in them.
iv. Our words of encouragement have the power to affirm and awaken God’s purpose in others.
f. When no one believed in Paul, when they were all afraid of him, Barnabas stepped in and spoke on his behalf.
g. In Acts 9, we see the radical transformation the apostle Paul went through when he encountered Jesus.
i. He was on the Damascus road, then he was known by Saul, and he was a persecutor and murderer of Christians.
ii. He was well known for his hatred of Christians.
iii. And on that road to Damascus, he got a visit from Jesus, and he surrendered and accepted Christ as his savior.
iv. He was stricken blind until a man named Ananias obeyed God and went to lay hands on him.
h. What makes this story so interesting is, Paul had a reputation.
Acts 9:13–14 NLT
13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!
14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”
a. Regardless of how he felt about Paul, Ananias obeyed and went, laid hands-on Paul, Paul was baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, received a miracle… his eyesight was restored.
b. Saul then immediately started preaching about Jesus powerfully the Bible says.
c. Then one night the Jews plotted to kill him so one night he was lowered out of a window, and he went to Jerusalem.
Acts 9:26 NLT
26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!
a. The church in Jerusalem was afraid of him, his reputation preceded him.
i. How many of you know what it is like to try and out run your reputation?
ii. No matter how hard you try, it always shows up!
b. It was the same for Paul, except God had another plan!
c. In walks the son of encouragement… Barnabas!
d. And he took Saul under his wing and began to disciple him and to encourage him and he vouched for Saul.
Acts 9:27 NLT
27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
a. Paul had the calling, but Barnabas gave him credibility.
i. Without encouragement, even the most called people can stay stuck in their past.
ii. Barnabas’ encouragement is what pulled him into his purpose!
b. See here is the thought, everyone needs someone who believes in them before they believe in themselves.
c. Encouragement is what draws out the hidden potential.
d. Many times, people do not realize what greatness lies within them.
e. They do not see the potential in themselves, but our encouragement can call it out.
i. It can draw out hidden talents, abilities, and gifts.
ii. It reveals things they may have forgotten or never knew they had.
f. Encouragement helps people see what God has placed in them, even when they don’t see it themselves.
i. It’s not flattery—it’s faith in action.
ii. It is seeing in others what God already sees and refusing to let them settle for less.
g. Today, there are so many people inside and out of the church that are broken!
2. Encouragement Can Restore the Broken
a. What Barnabas saw in Paul was not a past, but a purpose.
b. Don’t be a voice of condemnation—be a voice of restoration!
i. God created you to be a builder, not a bulldozer.
ii. God created you to be a bridge, not a wrecking ball.
c. You are called to be an instrument of restoration!
d. When someone is down, when they’ve made a mistake, the enemy wants to remind them of everything they’ve done wrong.
i. He loves to remind people of their past.
ii. His tactic is to keep us focused on our failures, to remind us of our past mistakes, and to keep us in bondage.
e. But as believers, we have the privilege of pointing people to their purpose!
i. So, encourage them with the truth that their past doesn’t define them—God’s grace does.
ii. Encourage them with the fact we serve a God who makes all things new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
f. We can be His mouthpiece, speaking restoration and hope.
g. You have no idea the impact your words of encouragement can have on someone’s life.
i. One sentence, one prayer, and one moment of belief —that’s all it takes to shift the course of someone’s destiny!
h. Maybe you don’t realize it, but a person’s self-worth is often shaped by the words spoken over them.
i. And right now, people are walking around wounded…
i. Because someone tore them down.
ii. Someone dragged up their past.
iii. Someone told them, “You’ll never amount to anything.”
iv. They’ve been labeled a lost cause, worthless, and hopeless.
j. But I’m here to tell you that failure is never final with God!
k. Your words have the power heal.
l. It’s time to speak life— to remind them:
i. God restores.
ii. God rebuilds.
iii. God redeems.
m. Encourage them that No matter what’s been lost, no matter how broken you feel, God promises to restore what the enemy has stolen.
Joel 2:25 NLT
25 The LORD says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.
a. And it starts with the power of encouragement.
b. You may be the only one who can speak life into someone today.
c. Your encouragement could be the key to their breakthrough.
d. Speak hope into their future, the broken don’t need more shame—they need restoration.
e. Don’t focus on what they’ve done wrong—focus on what God can do in their life.
f. Remember this, encouragers remind people of God’s promises, not their shortcomings.
g. So today, choose to be a voice that speaks life, that builds up, that restores.
h. You never know how much your words could change someone’s life.
i. There’s a Paul in your life right now—someone who needs a Barnabas to step in, believe in them, and call out their purpose.
i. And guess what?
ii. That Barnabas is YOU!
j. Encouragement isn’t just for a select few—it’s the ministry of every believer!
3. Encouragement is Every Believer’s Ministry
1. Encouragement is not a gift reserved for a select few.
a. It’s the ministry of EVERY believer!
b. When you became a Christian, you didn’t just receive salvation—you were enlisted in God’s ministry.
i. And part of that ministry is to encourage those around you.
ii. It’s not a “nice to do” when you feel like it—it’s a divine assignment!
c. In the Church, we often think that certain gifts are reserved for the “special” people—those who preach, teach, or prophesy.
d. But encouragement is not a special gift for a few, it’s a calling for everyone.
e. The world is full of discouragement. But YOU, as a believer, are the answer!
i. Everywhere you go, you carry the ministry of encouragement.
ii. You are the light that shines in the darkness!
f. The Church is not built on a few “special” people—it’s built on the encouragement that flows through every single one of us.
g. And every time you speak life, you’re reflecting the heart of God.
h. See, when you encourage, you mirror God’s heart for people.
i. You’re acting as His ambassador, His voice, His hands reaching out to the broken.
ii. We all need each other.
Hebrews 10:24–25 NLT
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
a. When you speak words of encouragement, you are literally building up the Body of Christ.
b. You don’t need a pulpit to preach from—you just need a heart to uplift!
c. Here is what is so amazing… it’s contagious!
2. Encouragement is Contagious
a. Look at Barnabas… His simple words of encouragement to Paul turned into one of the greatest movements of faith the world has ever known.
b. Paul didn’t just receive encouragement; it became his identity and part of his DNA.
c. Encouragement spreads!
i. When you lift someone up, they will turn around and lift others.
ii. It’s like a domino effect—One word, one act of encouragement can set off a chain reaction that changes the world.
d. Think about how Barnabas saw something in Paul that no one else did.
e. Because of his encouragement, Paul went on to impact the early church in a way that continues to shape us today.
i. One person encouraged, and an entire legacy of encouragement followed.
ii. It has a ripple effect; your words don’t stop with the person you speak to.
iii. They multiply in ways you may never see.
f. A single spark of encouragement can ignite a wildfire of faith!
3. But here is the key: Encouragement is a daily decision!
Hebrews 3:13 NASB95
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
a. Listen to me, church—this isn’t just a suggestion, it’s a command!
b. Encouragement is a spiritual shield.
i. And it’s not just something we do occasionally; this is a daily decision.
ii. A day-by-day commitment to speak life into each other’s hearts.
c. The writer of Hebrews didn’t say, "Offer a kind word once in a while."
d. No—he said, “Day after day.” — You have to make a decision every single day, today—right now—to encourage those around you.
e. Because if you don’t, your heart can get hardened.
f. And when that happens, sin sneaks in and takes hold of your life without you even realizing it.
g. When we stop encouraging each other, we begin to distance ourselves—not just from people—but from God Himself.
h. It’s dangerous to leave each other alone, walking through life without the strength and power of a word that lifts them up.
i. Encouragement is more than just being polite.
i. It’s a spiritual safeguard!
ii. Every time you speak life into someone, you are building up a wall around their heart—keeping the enemy out and God’s peace in.
iii. But here’s the thing: You have to decide to do it. You can’t wait for someone else to step up and encourage you first.
iv. You’ve got to be the one who makes that choice.
v. It’s an act of will—choosing to be the voice of hope in someone else’s life, even when you don’t feel like it.
j. I promise you, you’ll never regret encouraging someone.
i. But let me tell you this—you will regret the times you felt the Holy Spirit nudge you to speak a word of life, but you stayed silent.
ii. The enemy wants you to be quiet, but God wants you to speak out!
k. You have no idea what the person next to you is going through.
l. You may not see the struggles, the pain, or the doubt they carry—but your words of encouragement could be the very thing that shifts their entire day!
m. You could be the one to bring someone back from the edge.
i. What if, just what if, today is the day that someone needs your encouragement more than you know?
ii. It could be the phone call, the text, the prayer that gets them through.
iii. You may never know the impact you’re having, but you are a vessel for God’s love and grace.
iv. You are the voice of His encouragement in someone’s life today!
n. You’ve got the power to change someone's world by simply choosing to speak life.
i. That’s the power God’s given you! And just like Jesus encourages us every day, He’s calling us to do the same.
ii. To be His hands, His feet, His voice, speaking life into each other.
o. So think about it—what if today is the day you change someone’s destiny?
i. What if your word of encouragement is the spark that lights the fire of hope in someone’s heart?
ii. Could your words be the ones that lift them out of their brokenness and into the strength of the Lord?
iii. What if today, you make the decision to be that source of encouragement?
Conclusion:
Listen, encouragement is not just something we do; it’s part of who we are.
Remember these 3 powerful truths:
1. Encouragement strengthens the weak
2. Encouragement calls out God’s purpose
3. Encouragement is every believer's ministry
As believers, we are God’s mouthpiece—the ones who speak life and hope into the world.
Now, don’t wait another moment.
Right now, I want you to think of someone who needs your encouragement today.
Maybe it’s a friend, a family member, or someone sitting next to you in this room.
They need your words of life.
So let’s take a moment right now, right where you are, and speak life over them.
Encourage them. Pray over them.
Let’s be the church that builds each other up, and watch what God does in ways we can’t even imagine.
And if you’re here today, and you need encouragement—if you’re walking through a tough time and need someone to speak life over you—this altar is open.
We’re here to encourage you, and together, we’ll speak life into each other.
Come and receive the encouragement you need today.
