I am sure we have all been discouraged at one time or other in our lives. When we were younger we may have had more fire in our souls that gave strength to our actions; but with any laborious endeavour, if one persist without a rest, it can become draining. Even if the mind remains willing, the body gets hindered and the action non effective.  I am going to cover three sources or areas of blame people attribute to their discouragement which can lead to draining of their mental strength. Ourselves, others and God.  Discouragement is a state of mind attained when one has not achieved what they hoped. Reasons for such could be setting too high a goal, or misunderstanding of circumstances.

As regards ourselves; did we set too high a goal for our talents? Did we properly strive and apply ourselves to acquire the skills etc needed for that goal? Not all ways is it down opportunities. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. The pauper can rise to be millionaires, leaders or kings. Biblically we have examples as Samuel, Saul, David and Gideon. Kings and millionaires can become paupers and prisoners as the many examples in the bible and the world. A biblical one being Jehoiakim and worldly ones being former sports or Hollywood stars or lottery winners.

Sometimes it is the lack of opportunities, failure to take previous opportunities or to have made wrong choices. The bible gives a solution to all life’s sources of discouragement. Yahweh God our creator knows we live in a physical world with physical needs as well as a spiritual one.

When he set up this earthly habitation of ours He also gave us life sustaining fresh air, clean flowing water, variety of juicy and nourishing vegetation and even meat of all kinds. We did not even have to toil the ground for it to bring forth its produce. Sadly, due to Adam and Eve we now do. Yet in His kindness He gave us instructions and the strength to follow those instructions Pro 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: the same way He gave the ant the strength to carry much more than his body weight He also gave us the wisdom to produce and lift more than our body weight. Laziness is not of God Pro 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Neither is to desire and not produce Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Or one who seeks excuses Pro 20:4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. Pro 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. So sometimes when we, our children or nation are not prosperous, it is because we did not follow the right teachings of God. Or we suffer the consequences of our wrong choices. Even people blessed by God know to work hard.
Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: Strength and honour are her clothing; She .. eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
I have chosen a few attributes of this woman; but they equally apply to men. Work hard and smart. Train your children to do the same and trust in Yahweh to multiply your efforts. Do not count on your good looks, rely on favours of others; but your efforts and God’s blessings.

Gen 26:19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. Gen 26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. Gen 26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. Gen 26:22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. So the first place to start when searching for the reasons for any discouragement is with ourselves and our present or former choices and actions. Yet do not let our past control our future. Later we shall see, Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Is our discouragement a result of interaction with others? Firstly, do not let others control your mind, behaviour or destiny whether earthly or heavenly. Sticks and stones may break your bones; but words only affect your mind if you allow it. Though the bible says the tongue is very influential especially in James 3 where it says Jas 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. So remember, we nor they are perfect. James adds that the tongue can send one to hell. Maybe you by your speech or other action may cause either yourself or other person to go to hell. There is some truth in that; but I disagree with Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Remember, I can do all things through Yahshua who strengthens me. 1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

To achieve this we have not to do what the world teaches as natural. Become defensive, hostile in reply and justify our rightness. Instead Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor desires. So Pro 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Our discouragement may even come from those within our family even of those from within our bowels. Husbands, wives, children family and friends in whom we trusted or relied. Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Mic 7:5 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. Jer 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. That is not to say we are not to have or cleave to friends; simply be wise in our choosing. Have they proved their friendship or were they a friend in need or one who told you what you wanted to hear? Pro 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Even the world has a wise saying, keep or watch your enemies close and your friends closer!

There is nothing new under the sun. You will not be the first nor the last to trust in the wrong family or friend. 2Ch 32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.
Deu 28:53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
Deu 28:57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

Do not put all your trust in anyone as they cannot control events. Thus they may not be able to give you the assurance or security you require. However, I know one who can; God the author and finisher of all.

I hope you get the point, so I shall stop there. As regards controlling our tongue, this in no way is to say we are not to be wise and not get angry with those worthy of rebuke. One thing I learnt late in life is a strong rebuke or offence could have saved me a lot of repeat suffering by those who mistook softness for weakness.

Relationship with God.
I started by covering the right work ethics. Now let me put the same in context as relates to our duty to our creator, provider and saviour Yahweh God.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: Mat 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Solomon, the biblical wisest man, said all the chasing of wealth of man is vanity and vexation of spirit. The end of which is to die and leave it all to another who may be a fool and squander it away. It is a lesson of hard work yet contentment. Look at Para-olympics participants who have overcome what we call disabilities. As believers we should praise and bless God regardless of our or others circumstances. Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. As Job said at the loss of his children and all his wealth Job 1:21 Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 13:15 though He slay me yet will I trust in Him.

Pro 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Pro 30:9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

The first thing we need to know about God is Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

God says he did not give us the wealth of the earth and labour of our hands to make idols to worship. Psa 135:15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

The route God has made for us is not for everyone. Look what happened to the Egyptians who tried to cross the ocean in the route made for the Israelites; they drowned. Daniel and his 3 Hebrew friends had an evil route of a fiery furnace and lions’ den prepared for them by others, yet the God in whom they followed and put their trust saved them from the evil route of their enemies. Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Discouragement could leave you standing still, regressing and even doubting God which is exactly what the enemy of your soul desires. Discouragement comes to all of us. Even numerous times. If it has not happen to you yet. Get prepared it is waiting for a possible opportunity. God may not keep it from us; but use it to prove us. Time of sustained unemployment, death of a loved one, loss of all we acquired, illness or at death’s door. David was a man that underwent great persecution, yet out of his troubles came numerous words of encouragement to us. Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psa 115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. Psa 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

It came to all or almost all the prophets. Abraham with his son. Isaiah with Jezebel. Jerimiah in the deep muddy pit without food, Kings and invaders as Hezikiah. All had no apparent way out and some even asked for death. The secret is how to overcome it. The same way I mentioned of how curbing the tongue can change ones circumstances so can curbing ones heart towards God. Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
So never let the enemy use your discouragement to turn you away from God. That is his ultimate aim. God will never turn away from you he constantly holds out His arm to us. It is us who may turn from Him through being deceived or discouragement. Never doubt His faithfulness, power or your worth in His eyes.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Mar 3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith so ever they shall blaspheme:
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
You may think your predicament is unsurpassable; but it is not. Have confidence in your ability to endure and overcome. Little by little, moment by moment with a song of praise from your lips the time and event will pass.

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

In What did God say to Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
Isa 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

In times of discouragement we are to call on God. 2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

I said at the beginning that some of our discouragement we bring on ourselves from our choices regarding earthly things; but this is the same with the biblical commandments of God and we may not understand why. Sometimes He has shown us why or sent a Paul or Phillip to inform us, yet we form excuses of man’s theology. In Jos 7 we read how Achan committed a trespass against God by disobeying His commandment not to take any of the forbidden spoil of that war. As a result the whole of Israel suffered in battle and Joshua had to plea to God for the reason in verse 7. Asking why God brought them so far only to die. I fear it is the same that will befall some of us on our judgement day.

God may be pleased with your little steps and commitment; but now wants you to move from milk to hard food. From spirit to spirit and truth. From faith to faith and obedience. From your heart and soul to Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. As God said in Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? It is time we agree with Him that His laws inclusive of the keeping of His holy days are for ever.

Let us memorialise the days God took out of the world a people peculiar to himself. Israel’s or your personal calling after years in bondage.

Sincerely wrong does not cut it with God. Consider Moses and Arron with the rock from whence came the water.
2Sam 6:7 when Uzzah touched the ark to prevent it falling and God killed Him for breach of His commandment; but later when David saw how obedience brought blessings on Obed-edom, he went and got the ark. We cannot offer to God what we wish as did Saul in 1Sam 15:15 or how we wish as in 13:12. That is the lesson to learn from the Malachi 3 and similar scriptures quoted above.

Committing a sin and even suffering the consequences for years does not mean you are worthless or cast off by God. I have heard many testimonies of people who were given life imprisonment for murder, got converted in jail and miraculously were released to live a life in ministry to God. David, as we know, was an adulterer and murderer yet sincerely confessed and is said by God to have been a man after His own heart. So do not let the devil ever make you believe God has cast you away. He did not with Israel despite their repetitive history of sinning. Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. The earthly consequences of sin may or may not remain; but not the spiritual if we acknowledge and confess. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

People may come to God at a time of despair and discouragement in their lives thinking that it is not so as a believer. If so, that is good. It should mean we as believers have given them that notion because we have learnt how to deal with the same. Smile in the face of adversity. Yet we know, that many times we see the wrath of the devil when we are in the Messiah. Outside, he leaves us alone; inside he sends fiery darts.

Paul had apparent religious people making oaths to kill him. Something he once did himself. He was beaten, shipwrecked, in prison and more. So if God has thought you worthy to be a witness for Him, say alleluia Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God understands our despair. He is sometimes closest when we are on our kneels crying in despair and maybe on the brink of discouragement. It is ok to cry. Find a friend with whom to have a good cry.

I was confused; but what kept me was trying to understand and rely on God’s timing. ….. Then he would give me another way to try. ….. Now I have a personal testimony for myself and stronger faith. You have all heard the bigger they are the harder they fall. Well the lower the despair, the higher you climb when God is your saviour. At the end of our crying be assured, we shall come out of it. A war never lasts for ever. It is like those waiting to exhale.

Also remember, your faith in God is not based on any preacher or teacher; but the word of God himself. Many have walked with God and fallen away. Many have been deceived by man’s traditions, denominations, pride wanting to keep up with Jones etc. Do not let their fall also be yours because you focused on the wrong person; man or denomination instead of God.

So in conclusion, let us wholly follow God and reap the promise that comes with our obedience and adherence. Hold onto THE faith He teaches and never, doubt His word. Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. You will have discouraging times; but recall Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Call on the experience and accounts of our faithful ancestors as Noah, Abraham and Joshua who said in 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. Jos 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. Jos 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Lastly, brethren, I love you all dearly and my desire is for all of you to get to the promise made by Yahweh our creator even if I do not. Remember who God loves he chastises and faithful are the wounds of a friend. Cain hated his brother and asked if he was his brother’s keeper. Let us be each others keeper in good times and bad.

I will leave you with the same advice King David gave his son Solomon 1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

SHALOM.