Acts 4:33-37
Acts 4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Acts 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.
His name was Joses = Exalted Which is a derivative or variation of the name Joseph = Let him add (The apostles named him Barnabas = The son of consolation,)
Consolation speaks of comfort, encouragement, exhortation, lifting up, cheering.
One of the greatest needs in the body of Christ is the ministry of encouragement
life itself has a way of draining you, and sapping you of cheer and joy,-thats before we even talk about the spiritual element of our warfare with the devil.
At one time or another every one needs encouragement, kings and queens, governors and presidents, Pastors, Sunday school teachers, District Officials, Even or General Bishop, needs encouragement from time to time.
If we are not careful in the church, we could actually count somebody out, when actually there just down and need encouragement.
2 Co 4:8-9 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
The ministry of encourage is a lifting ministry.
Jn 15:1-5 Jesus mentions 3 different conditions of branches
#1 The branch in him that beareth not fruit.
#2 The branch that beareth fruit
#3 The branch that abideth not in him.
There are 3 different responses to these 3 different conditions.
#3=Abideth not in him, (he is cast forth as a branch, withered, men gather them, cast them into the fire and they are burned.
#2=Beareth fruit (Purgeth, pruneth, that it may bring forth more fruit).
#1=In him but beareth not fruit (Taketh away).
This is where we must see The spirit of the encourager.
Taketh away does not mean, get rid of, destroy, cast aside, --It means (Lift up, to raise upwards, to elevate,
1 Samuel 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.
It is true that every one needs to know how to encourage themselves, but it is also true that we need to know how to encourage each other.
The ministry of encouragement is a ministry we are all called to.
The ministry of encouragement is something that will never expire.
Read.
Isa 35:3-7 3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Notice it’s encouragement and then healing, deliverance, spiritual renewal.
There was this outstanding characteristic in barnabas life that caused the apostles to think of him as the encourager In so much that they surnamed him or nick named him (son of consolation).
Remember his name (Joses)= exalted. A derivative of Joseph= Let him add.
Well that is the requirements of an encourager
#1 You have to have been lifted =(exalted) before you can exalt somebody else
2 Co 2:2-4
2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
#2 You have to have received something before you can give it.
Freely you have received, freely give.
Peter and John said to the lame man (Such as I have give I thee), In the name of Jesus Christ........
Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
The ministry of encouragement is a round the clock job
When you truly have the spirit of encouragement in your life, you do not wait for people to get down, before you speak uplifting words,
If we had more encouragers on the Job we would have a lot less despondent, discouraged, stressed out, depressed, oppressed, people in the church and in the world.
Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
If the Holy Spirit is anything he is The Comforter = Consolation, encouragement.
God wants to anoint you with his Holy Spirit to the ministry of encouragement.
