Encouragement: Making Others Strong
1. Why is it that many of us are into “approval addiction?”
2. Some of us need a lot of approval, whereas others needs less. But we all need it. Why?
3. The answer is simple: life is rough, and it tears away at our self-esteem. People, circumstances, our failures and inabilities, our sin nature, and the devil all accuse us of missing the mark, of being less than we should be.
4. In some ways, this is true. Missing the moral mark is one definition of sin. But there is nothing sinful about losing at chess, not getting that promotion, or being less than athletic.
5. No, life is filled with discouragements.
6. There is an old story about a pastor leaving a church. At his farewell dinner, he tried to encourage one of the pillar members, “Don’t be so sad. The next pastor might be better than me.” She replied, “That’s what they said last time, but it keeps getting worse.” (Source: John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, p. 159).
7. The world will look down upon us because of our Christian values and beliefs; we will be labeled narrow, escapist, non-intellectual, judgmental, and out of touch with reality – just for following the Scriptures.
8. But Christian families and churches need to be sources of encouragement, not discouragement, except when the shoe fits and we have to wear it.
9. For example, when Cain offered an inappropriate sacrifice to God, God confronted Him with the problem; this discouraged Cain, but it needed to be done.
10. Encouragement is artificial if it is not valid and sincere. We are dealing with persons, not projects. Encouragements when possible, but not at the expense of truth.
Main Idea: As long as the church of Jesus Christ has the potential to improve, we need to be serious about encouraging others.
I. Encouragement is Crucial to EDIFY and NURTURE Others
1. The OT word for encouragement means to STRENGTHEN.
Deut 1:38: “But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.”
Deut. 3:28 “But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."
Part of Leadership training is filling the “encouragement tank” of future leaders…
2 Sam. 11:25, “David told the messenger, ‘Say this to Joab: ’Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.’"
Is. 41:7, “The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer
spurs on him who strikes the anvil. He says of the welding, ‘It is good.’"
2 Chron. 30:22, “Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD . For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD , the God of their fathers.”
32:6-7, “He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.’”
Encouragement acknowledges the fears that people have as real, and emboldens them despite those fears.
2. NT word means to COMFORT.
I Thes. 5:11-14, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
3. Notice the INTENTIONALITY of encouraging words
If we are to accept that encouraging others is crucial toward developing God’s Kingdom, then how do we do it?
II. We Can Encourage People By Developing Encouraging HABITS
A. Begin with the People You Know BEST: Family and Close Friends
1. The principle of I Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
2. There is nothing MASCULINE about being NEGATIVE
--do not make your life’s mission to keep other people humble by being critical or withholding compliments…people with good self-esteem usually ARE humble…
3. If you compliment only perfection, you have PROBLEMS
There are many ways to divide people; one division is between those who withhold nurturing words and those who encourage and reward sincere effort…
B. The Bible Offers Us A NUMBER of Ways to Encourage
1. We encourage people by using PLEASNT words without barbs:
Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.”
2. We encourage people by recognizing what God has DONE through them
Galatians 2:7-9a, “On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.”
3. We encourage people with GRATITUDE for how they have blessed us
2 Thes.1:3, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.
4. We encourage people by BELIEVING in them
Acts 15:36-39, “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.’
“Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.”
2 Tim. 4:11, “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
5. We encourage people by speaking well of them to OTHERS
2 Corinthians 9:2, “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them.”
6. We encourage people by NOT discouraging them
Some people think that frustrating others will make them try harder, that saying, “You can’t do that” will challenge them to succeed. This is not typically true.
Prv. 16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.
7. We encourage people by listening to them, praying to them, and taking their concerns SERIOUSLY
Proverbs 25:20, “Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
8. There are numerous other ways to encourage people, anywhere from gifts to awards to cards, special events….
III. Where to Begin
1. At home
(1) express appreciation for a quality your spouse has; suggest no improvement
(2) compliment each of your children about something without an admonition to do even better…
2. At work
(1) encourage your boss by thanking him for handling things well (i.e., what he does well)
(2) express appreciation to those under you….recognize progress apart from ideal goals
3. Among believers
(1) pray for them, and mention, “I prayed for you”
(2) listen to them when they share; respond with a summary of what they said
(3) when someone does something well, let them know you noticed…
As long as the church of Jesus Christ has the potential to improve, we need to be serious about encouraging others.
CONCLUSION
1. A study was done by psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard, on energy levels in children.
He used an instrument he called the "ergograph." How he ever got some children to stand still long enough to connect them to the machine is a mystery. But he did, and his findings are fascinating.
He found that when tired children are given a word of praise or encouragement, the ergograph shows an immediate upward surge of new energy. When the children are criticized and discouraged, the ergograph shows their physical energy take a sudden nose-dive.
Those results could be probably be duplicated in adults. When we are praised our energy levels go up. When we are criticized our energy levels go down. (Source: Sermoncentral)
2. Become a life giver, not a life drainer.
