David [00:00:01]:
Last week I began to share with you the four steps or four phases we go through so we can emerge and be all that God created us to be. And as we said last week, these four steps are to edify, to encourage, to equip, and to empower. Our focus last week was on that first step, edification. Today we’re going to discuss what it means to encourage or be an encourager. And this is a part of what we, as the church, does for one another.
David [00:00:59]:
It’s also a part of what the fivefold ministry does for believers. And so let’s jump into this and see how you and I can be an encourager today. Our key verse again this week is ephesians 411 and twelve. And it says this, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ. As a part of building up the body of Christ. We have the process of encouragement, and we find this throughout scripture. Encourage. The definition of the word encouragement is to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope.
David [00:02:02]:
Let me say that again. When we encourage one another, we’re inspiring one another with courage, with spirit, with hope. It means to give confidence, to spur on, to inspire fresh vigilance and faithfulness. It’s preparing them to know, obey, and enjoy more of God. Hallelujah. It means to strengthen, to make strong, to support, to sustain, to strengthen oneself, because you can encourage yourself. When we get into the word of God and we begin to clear the word of God, we’re encouraging ourselves. When we come into worship and begin worshiping the Lord, we’re encouraging ourselves.
David [00:02:53]:
When we rejoice and glad, and be glad, and we’re thankful and grateful, we’re encouraging ourselves. That spirit and power of encouragement works in us. Encouraging the word encouraging means this, that you’re doing something good, pleasant, agreeable, something rich, something valuable, that which affords comfort or refreshment. And so a part of encouraging or a part of encouragement is bringing comfort or refreshment. It’s strengthening. It’s a call to one’s side. Hallelujah. We come alongside someone or someone comes alongside us and we are encouraged.
David [00:03:45]:
So let me sum this up. Encouragement inspires and uplifts us. Scriptural encouragement is rooted in love, faith, hope, community, and we need all of those. We need God’s love. We need that measure of faith. He’s given us. We need hope, that active expectation, and we need community, that community of believers that surrounds us. God’s word challenges us to encourage one another as we stand together.
David [00:04:26]:
Now, there are three characteristics of encouragement that I want to talk about today and some other things we’ll add in here probably as we go along. But the number one characteristic I want to talk about is strengthen. And we’ve already seen in the definition of encouragement. A part of what it means is to strengthen or be strengthened. It means to make strong gods. Word reminds us that God is always with us, providing strength and comfort. He never leaves us, he never forsakes us. A key principle of encouragement is reminding others of this truth.
David [00:05:14]:
We are never alone. Deuteronomy 31 six says this be strong and have a good courage. Fear not nor be afraid of them. For the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And I referenced that verse just a moment ago. That’s deuteronomy 31 six. God is going with us.
David [00:05:46]:
He will not fail us. He will not forsake us. So what’s he saying? Be strong and of good courage be encouraged. Have courage. Have strength. Don’t walk in fear. Don’t be afraid, for the Lord your God, is with you. Hallelujah.
David [00:06:08]:
Glory to God. We can rejoice right there in that God is with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us. Psalm 20 714 says this, wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Now, as you probably know, I’m going to say this, but that word wait there in the Hebrew does not mean to sit around. It doesn’t mean to just be doing nothing.
David [00:06:44]:
Not expecting, but just waiting on something to happen. Waiting on the Lord is looking for the Lord is what it means. It means hoping in the Lord. It means expecting the Lord to move and work in your behalf, and so to wait on the Lord. This verse could be translated this way. Look for the Lord, hope in the Lord, and expect. The Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. Look for hope and expect, I say, on the Lord.
David [00:07:21]:
Hallelujah. Praise God. So this is an active thing we’re doing. We are encouraged and we encourage others when we challenge them to come on, press into the Lord. God has this. God has you. You know, I’ve taught on hope before we fact, we mentioned just a few weeks ago one of our messages. And so we know a part of the meaning of hope is active expectation.
David [00:07:52]:
That word hope in the Greek, there in the New Testament, is defined as expectation, and one of the expressions of that is active expectation. So encouragement inspires our hope, our active expectation. This verse is telling us not to be discouraged, but to sit around with good courage, to have good, courageous. Don’t be discouraged sitting around looking hopeless. Look for expect the answer. Be full of hope in the Lord, for he will strengthen you. Just what I’m sharing with you today, these verses I’m sharing with you, should encourage you. They should give you courage.
David [00:08:41]:
They should build up your hope and your faith in the Lord. So be strong. When we’re strengthened, we’re strong. The second thing here we want to note is when we’re strengthened is to display strength. Philippians 413 I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. All right, that, and you know this, I’m going to say this, all things means all things, so I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. Now, the word Christ, there just isn’t a name for Jesus. That word Christ there means the anointed one, or the anointing of the anointed one, so I can do all things to the anointing of the anointed one, which strengthens me.
David [00:09:39]:
The anointing of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit gives you strength to do all things. So encouragement inspires us to stand strong, to press forward, to know we have the strength of the anointing, strengthening us. What a promise. That’s powerful, folks. We had the anointing of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit living within us, strengthening us, working in us and through us every day. So be strengthened. The second thing we want to look at here about encouragement is encouragement means to give support. One of the things we saw in the definition, it meant to come alongside or have someone come alongside you.
David [00:10:33]:
And so we come alongside, just support. It’s kind of like a baby learning to walk. What do we do? We come alongside them to support them, to help them learn to walk and to be there for them. And so we know this, we just saw this in the verse we read previously. We know God will never leave us or forsake us. So that’s, we know that. We see that in the word. He is always there to support us.
David [00:11:04]:
He also works through us to encourage others and those around us. You see, encouragement involves actively helping others during difficult times. During difficult times. You know, a few weeks ago, the hurricane came through Asheville, and our daughter, one of our daughters, lives there, and she was so encouraged by the people who were coming to help them from different states, different agencies that came in to help encourage those and be there and support them and help them. So encouragement is simply that it’s coming alongside encouragement, actively. It means actively helping others during different difficult times, coming alongside and offering practical support, empathy and companionship. Sometimes we just need someone there to be with us, to stand with us, to know that there are people there with us. Family, a community of people, someone, a friend.
David [00:12:27]:
Hallelujah. So let’s look at this. Number one, come alongside. And I’ve already referenced this, but that’s just like the baby learning to walk. We come alongside someone. Galatians six two says this, carry each other’s burden, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ, because carrying someone’s burden coming alongside them is an expression of love. And the law of Christ says, to love others as you love yourself, love God and love others. That’s the law of Christ.
David [00:13:10]:
That’s the instruction of Christ. That’s direction of Christ. That’s what that word law means. It’s not talking about some ritualistic legal thing. It’s talking about the instruction and direction of Christ, our anointed one. So carry each other’s burdens. Romans twelve eight says, if your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously.
David [00:13:39]:
If God has given you leadership, ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Do it gladly, because all of these things that Romans twelve eight talks about here bring encouragement. They are encouraging to others and to us. Encouragement inspires us to walk in faith, to walk in confidence, to not let fear distract us and discourage us and keep us from trusting our father God. Now the enemy wants us to get twisted up and all, whatever you’re going through, and not be encouraged, but be discouraged. And that I’ve taught on this before too. But that prefix there, dis, it means to displace or take someone from their proper position, what’s rightfully theirs.
David [00:14:45]:
The enemy is always trying to displace us and keep us from all that God has brought and prepared and blessed us with through Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. Don’t let the devil dish you don’t let fear distract you take your traction away get you off tracked don’t let fear come in and discourage you rob you of your courage trust your father God he is there with you and for you. Isaiah 41 ten says this, so do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. There you go. Listen to that. I am your God.
David [00:15:47]:
Don’t even question it. I will strengthen you. My strength is here and available to you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Praise God. God is telling us right there, I’m here. I’m here.
David [00:16:06]:
Don’t let the situation, the circumstances, the voice of the enemy, or anyone else rob you of what I have given you. The second thing here that I want to talk about with support is support means to sustain someone. So encouragement is the sustaining force. It means to nourish. It means to supply or be supplied. So we come alongside someone to nourish them, or I to supply something for them. Or someone comes alongside of us and nurses us and supplies us in our time of need. Psalm 55 22 says this, cast your burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee.
David [00:17:03]:
He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. And so that word sustain their means to support, nourish, and be supplied. And so this could read, cast your burden upon the Lord and he shall support you, nourish you and be your supply. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord, for supporting us, for nourishing us and being our supply in every situation, every day along the way. Hallelujah. Here’s something to know.
David [00:17:43]:
Living out faith with love, integrity, and courage encourages others to do the same. When others see you walking in faith and demonstrating love and integrity and courage and encouraging others, it encourages them to do the same thing. Actions that reflect a godly life inspire others to follow. Let me say that again. Actions that reflect a godly life inspire others to follow. Hebrews 10 24 25 says this and let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up, stimulate, and incite to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together as believers as the habit of some people, but admonishing, warning, urging, and encouraging one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. Ha. Glory to God.
David [00:19:04]:
And that’s from the amplified translation, Hebrews 1024 and 25. And first, thessalonians. I really can say it first, thessalonians 511 from the NLT says this. So encourage each other and build each other up just as you are already doing. Don’t stop doing it. Keep doing it. Keep on doing it. Keep on keeping on.
David [00:19:35]:
What’s one way you can encourage and build those up around you? One way we can do it is simply praying for each other. This is a key form of encouragement we see throughout scripture, encouraging each other in prayer. Wow. When we encourage each other in prayer, it’s expressing trust in God’s power, his promises, and his willingness to intervene in our behalf. Paul said in Ephesians 618, and pray in the spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. There should never be a question. Pray for those around you.
David [00:20:33]:
Pray over your children, your grandchildren, your family, your friends, your colleagues, your church community. Pray over them, all over your leaders and your leadership. Hallelujah. Paul tells us in scripture. Pray over the leadership of the nation. Hallelujah. Pray for others. There are six key things that this verse I just read to you points out.
David [00:21:01]:
Number one, on all occasions, pray on all occasions. Pray with all kinds of prayers. It could be prayers of blessing, it could be prayers of supply, it could be prayers of deliverance. It could be prayers of healing. It could be prayers for salvation, for wisdom, for insight, for revelation. All kinds of prayers, with all kinds of requests. People come with all kinds of requests. So be ready to step in, take authority, take your place, and pray with them.
David [00:21:45]:
Agree with them. Where two or more are gathered together in my name, says the Lord, I am there in their midst. And when two or more agree as touching anything on earth, I am there. Hallelujah. He is there to work in our behalf. So be alert. Be aware when you hear someone talking about something. We’ve done this before, and I know other people who do this at restaurants, you know, and sometimes one of the wait staff will come to the table and I’ll go, how are you doing today? Oh, it’s okay.
David [00:22:20]:
It’s been a tough day, really? Well, can we pray for you real quick? Just say a quick prayer for you. We’ve never been told no. And wow how it encourages them when you just take that moment and say, okay, we’re going to pray. Always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people, for all the Lord’s people, those who are here, near those who are far away, even in other nations, we need to be lifting one another up. Another way we support each other by encouraging one another is reminding each other of God’s faithfulness and his promises. This inspires hope during challenging times. Hebrews 1023 says, this, let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful unswervingly. That’s not veering off to the left or to the right, staying straight on, staying focused, let us hold unswerving to the hope we profess, the expectation we have for he who promises.
David [00:23:49]:
Faithful, our God is faithful. Knowing this encourages and strengthens our resolve to trust in God in every situation. God is here to strengthen us. God is here to support us. And the third point I want to talk about today is God is here to refresh us. Hallelujah. So the Lord says, come unto me. Matthew 1128 says this, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
David [00:24:30]:
Now the word rest here in Matthew 1128 means this. It means to cease from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect strength, to be refreshed. Come unto me all that ye that labor and are heavy laden. And I will give you those times where you cease from any movement or labor so that you can recover and collect strength and be refreshed. God wants you to take time, spend time with him and be renewed. Be refreshed in his presence. Amen. God wants to refresh you.
David [00:25:16]:
He wants you to rest, recover and be strong. And then in the next verse it says this. Mark 1129 Matthew 1129. Forgive me. Matthew 1129 take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. Now the word translated rest, there is a totally different word in the Greek, and it means this, you shall find recreation. You shall find intermission.
David [00:25:50]:
You shall find cessation of any movement or motion. You shall find rest from business or labor. Now I always like to point out here, God is saying, take my yoke upon you and learn to me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find recreation. God is saying, take some time off. Let’s have an intermission here and go out and do something fun. Be refreshed and rested with recreation. Hallelujah.
David [00:26:28]:
Deceased from any of the laboring and toiling of business. Huh? Hallelujah. I’m just thinking about that. Rest. Rest in him. I paused there, Toby, because I felt that coming on. Here we go. God wants you to rest in him and have recreation.
David [00:27:04]:
Have a time away, take an intermission. The next thing we can do, the next way we can be refreshed is words of encouragement. Words have power. We talk about that a lot. Your words matter. And the Bible emphasizes using them to build others up and not tear them down. Because words can build people up. Words can tear people down.
David [00:27:33]:
So when we come with a heart to encourage encouragement involves speaking words that inspire hope and faith. Faith in God’s promises. Proverbs 1225 says, this worry weighs a person down. An encouraging word cheers a person up. Just one encouraging word can change someone’s day. It can make a huge difference. First, Timothy 413 says this. Until I get there, Paul is talking to Timothy.
David [00:28:09]:
Until I get there, focus on reading the scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers and teaching them. So he’s saying, declare the word to them, read the scriptures to them and teach them. This will encourage them. Encourage the believers through reading the scriptures and teaching them. Scriptural encouragement is rooted in affirming faith, offering support and speaking life giving words. It’s pointing others to God’s promises and his presence. That is where we are strengthened and refreshed in his presence. Through his promises.
David [00:28:56]:
Hallelujah. Through those words of encouragement that we offer to others, through the support, through the strength that we come alongside to give God’s heart and desire is for all of his children to be built up spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and practically. He wants that for all of us every day. And our heart here at emerge international church is to encourage you, to strengthen you, to support you, to refresh you as you step into all God has for you and all he has created you to be. I hope today these words have encouraged you and I challenge you. Go find somebody else you can encourage. In the midst of encouraging others, you’re encouraged yourself. I see that happen all the time.
David [00:30:03]:
Let’s bow our heads in prayer. Father, we thank you for this word that you’ve brought to us today. We thank you, Father God, that by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, we can bring encouragement to others. We can give courage, faith and hope. Hope to others by coming alongside them, speaking your word to them, Father God, reminding them that you’re always there and you never leave us or forsake us. And we thank you for being with us always. And so, Lord, we just yield ourselves to your holy spirit today and ask you, God, show us who to encourage, who to speak into. We will be alert and aware and listen to your spirit, Lord, as you direct us forward.
David [00:30:57]:
And we thank you for this privilege and honor we have to encourage one another. Amen. Pastor Conia is coming now with a closing word and a prayer. God bless you. Have a great week.
