The Danger Of Discouragement #1 Of 2

Most of us will admit that we have lost that battle at times.

However, some are more easily discouraged than others.

1. Some get discouraged with their jobs and quit them, only to later regret it.

2. Some get discouraged with their churches and quit them, only to later regret it.

3. Some get discouraged with their marriages and quit them, only later to regret it.

4. Some get discouraged with investments they have made, and pull their money out of these only later to regret making such a decision.

But a good rule to follow as we face discouragement is, do not make life changing decisions when you are discouraged. If you do, you most likely will make the wrong decisions.

Some of the greatest men who ever lived have become discouraged.

• Martin Luther, the great reformer, went through some difficult times and often became very discouraged.

• Abraham Lincoln was known for his discouragement that led to deep depression.

• John the Baptist got so discouraged in a jail cell, that the Lord had to send a disciple to encourage him.

• Elijah, one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, was known for discouragement.

The battle of discouragement is a battle that we fight every day of our lives, and it is essential that we learn how to overcome it before it overcomes us.

Discouragement can do more to ruin our lives than anything on the face of the earth.

Some could have achieved greatness in their lives, but they allowed discouragement to stop them from achieving what they were capable of.

Everyone has gotten discouraged, but those who have been able to achieve greatness in their lives are men and women who learned how to OVERCOME DISCOURAGEMENT.

Illus: Zig Ziglar, who is known for his great motivational speeches to drive men to greatness said, "You don't drown by falling into water, you only drown if you stay there."

Illus: An ice skater caused people to look at him in pure amazement as he performed before them. A lady asked him one day, “How did you ever learn to skate like that? Do you ever fall?” He said, “Lady, I learned to skate like this, not because I have not fallen, I learned to skate this way because every time I fell I got up!”

But many in our society have gotten discouraged and wished they could be like the people on this television program that is called “Star Trek”, and when the times start to get rough they could say, “Scotty Beam Me Up!”

Let’s look at the scriptures to see how we can get “Beamed up”, and learn how overcome DISCOURAGEMENT IN OUR LIFE.

Elijah is considered by many to be the greatest prophet of the Old Testament. But what many do not know is that Elijah got so discouraged, that some think perhaps he had a minor nervous breakdown under a juniper tree.

Let me show you what I mean. There are several things we need to look at in the life of Elijah, such as-

I. THE PLACE

The year is about 870 BC, and Israel has been split into two kingdoms for over sixty years:

• The southern kingdom, Judah (Jerusalem)

• The northern kingdom, Israel (Samaria)

Elijah’s story begins in 1 Kings 17:1-3, we read, “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.”

Notice, Elijah not only said it would not rain for three and a half years, but also said, “…there shall not be dew nor rain these years...”

After he told King Ahab, then the Lord told him in verse 3, “Get thee hence….” I AGREE with God, THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO LEAVE, because this is not something Ahab wanted to hear.

We have looked at THE PLACE, but look also at-

II. THE PROBLEM

WHY WAS THIS A GOOD TIME TO LEAVE? Because Ahab was a very wicked king.

• Ahab imitated the sin of Jeroboam by permitting the worship of false gods

• Ahab married the Sidonian princess Jezebel, which was forbidden

• Jezebel actively promoted the worship of Baal, which involved (among other things) offering infant children on the glowing bronze arms of the idol

Some of the best things that have ever happen to some men are due to the wonderful women they married.

But you cannot help but wonder how some men can be so dumb as to marry some of the women they marry. Ahab made a lot of bad decisions, but the worst decision he ever made was when he decided to marry Jezebel. She was such a wicked woman.