Sermons from Good News: don't allow discouragement to stay

Church 7/15/2023

Offertory scripture:

Genesis 22: God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, to test his faith. Abraham does, and at the last minute God stops Abraham, seeing his faith, and offers a ram for Abraham to sacrifice instead.

God may not call us to sacrifice our “only child” but He wants us to give to Him out of our hearts.

Sermon message:

Discouragement is on the rise yet again.

Thesis: don’t allow discouragement to stay

Discouragement is very destructive.

It can destroy any area of our lives.

Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We are talking about supernatural and spiritual faith, not natural or human faith. This comes from the word of God. Get into the word of God and spend time listening to it. If you have discouragement, this is important.

You cannot stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair.

You cannot stop discouragement from entering you life, but you can stop it from making a home in your life.

God is an encourager, not a discourager.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me.

All things are possible with God.

Satan is a discourager.

1 Peter 5:8. Be vigilant, be sober. Your enemy the devil is prowling around like a lion looking for someone to devour.

Next verse is critical. It’s an instruction.
1 Peter 5:9. Resist him, staying steadfast and firm in your faith.

Let’s build our spiritual faith.

Point #1: Remember Jesus is more powerful than the problem.

Acts 10:38 God appointed Jesus with the power of the Holy Ghost…..

Matthew 14:20-21. Jesus fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, and they were satisfied and had leftovers. This is the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.

Matthew 17:27 Jesus provides when there is a problem. He is more powerful than any situation or problem.

Jesus is more powerful than any power of discouragement.

Point #2: Remember there is power in the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7 we have redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

The blood of Jesus brings victory if we acknowledge it.

Revelation 12:11. The believers overcame Satan by the blood of Jesus Christ, and by having spoken it over their lives.

Remind others of the blood of Jesus which provides victory and power over any sin, mistake, or pattern. If Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of the blood of Jesus.

When you make a mistake, respond like Peter, not like Judas.

Point #3: remember, there is power in the name of Jesus.

We Christians need to use the name of Jesus over our situation.

Philippians 2:9-10. God highly exalted Jesus and gave Him a name which is above every other name. Every knee will bow at the name of Jesus.

Point #4: Remember, because of Jesus, God’s power is in you.

Romans 8:11 the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in you, and by which will quicken your mortal bodies.

Acts 19:15 the demon refused to be cast out because the men who tried to cast it out didn’t have Jesus’s power. (They likely didn’t believe.)

Point #5: Remember to encourage yourself.

Encourage yourself in the Lord.

1 Samuel 30:6 David was discouraged and distressed; but he encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

There’s a point where you have to shift and encourage yourself in the Lord. We may need to rehearse the blessings and past victories given from God, as a means of encouraging ourselves.

Romans 8:37. We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us.