Tag: Encouragement For The Downcast

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. ~ John 5:2-3, 5-9

The lame man had been lame for 38 years. The Bible doesn’t tell us how long he was at the pool for, but what we can gather is that it had been so long that the man had lost hope. His faith was almost completely gone, but something remained sparked inside of him. How can we be sure? He didn’t leave the pool area. He remained next to it. He didn’t leave the place where miracles happened. No, he stayed there whether he whole-heartedly believed one day he would be healed or not. He remained where hope was and where his best chance of healing rested.

By the time Jesus got there, the majority of his hope and faith had dwindled away. See, this lame man couldn’t walk, so he probably had to crawl to fight his way to get into the pool before other more able-bodied men and women could. Imagine day after day, year after year, fighting with all that you have within you to get to the pool first, but no matter how hard you try, you always fall short. Now, out of nowhere, a man walks to you and asks if you want to be healed. You don’t know who he is. You don’t know his power, so you just tell him that you can’t get to the pool. You’ve tried, and you’ve failed.

Sometimes, this is us. We have a heavy burden that we just can’t seem to carry anymore. We have a stronghold that just won’t let go. We have a spiritual enemy that just won’t relent. You have a sin that you just can’t shake. You’ve tried everything. You’ve been persistent, and now you’re at the end of your rope. Your faith is about done. Your hope is about dried up. I’m here to tell you to hold on. Remain in your place of hope. Remain in your place of opportunity because even if your faith is failing, that action of remaining in that place of hope will keep enough faith alive within you to catch Jesus’ attention when He passes by.

See, Jesus chose this man not because he had great faith. Not because he was a good man and deserved to be healed. Jesus chose him because he had been there a while but couldn’t get his healing. Jesus saw that the man couldn’t make it all the way, so Jesus carried the man. The man didn’t fall at the feet of Jesus and beg for a healing or reach out for a healing in faith as he touched Jesus. No. He didn’t even recognize Jesus. Jesus rewarded the man holding on to what little bit of faith and hope he had left.

When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on. Don’t let go. Don’t give up and leave. Stay in that place of hope. And if possible, keep fighting to get to the water. Don’t give up because soon, the Savior will be walking by, and He’ll be looking for someone to help. Don’t miss your opportunity. Don’t miss your chance at freedom.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remain Until The Savior Comes.

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⁵ For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. ⁶ Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars? ~ 1 Chronicles 17:5-6 ^KJV

Look at what God has said, I have not dwelt (I have not lived) in a house but have gone about with you, My people. I live among you. I move among you. I do not give Myself special treatment, but I dwell among My people wherever they go; I AM there with them.

Now, notice the next verse. I have walked with My people Israel. God did not mount up on Cherubim and fly. Neither did He just pop up to where they were going, but rather, He walked along with them, just like they walked. There is not one standard for His people and one standard for Him. God is a personal God. He will walk right beside you through the good times and through the bad times. He will not leave us, nor will He forsake us. But He will be right there beside.

So, the next time you feel like you are all alone. The next time the enemy tells you that there is no one there who cares about you, tell him he is a liar and the father of lies. Because your God is right there wheresoever you may go. God is both a Sun and a Shield. He is your rear guard, and He is your point guard, and He is your flank guard. No one can come against you except they first go through your personal God.

Jesus is our personal God. He gave His life as a ransom for many. Even for ‘whomsoever will come,’ therefore, let him or her who will come, come, and experience the up close and personal God, Who is always with us and is always for us.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are always there beside me. Thank You that You will never leave me nor forsake me. That You care enough to walk alongside me through the hard times and through the fun times. Help me to always remember that You are for me and not against me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. ~ Psalms 34:15

Do you sometimes feel like you are all alone in the world? Like no one sees you? Like no one hears you? Like there is no one you can turn to? Well, lift up your head and straighten up your back; there is good news. The LORD God said in His Word, “My eyes are towards the righteous.” In other words, He sees you right where you are. He sees what is being done to you, and He is taking note.

Then He goes on to say that His ears are toward their cry. Meaning, He hears you when you call to Him. Your prayers that you think are just going up and bouncing off of the ceiling, well, to put it bluntly, they are not. They are reaching the very ears of God. Not just the throne but the ears. Because your letters can reach the White House, you know, they could even reach the Oval Office, but they could stop right there and never reach the ears of the President. So close, but yet so far.

But the righteous are not like that; their ways are known to God. Their being is always before Him; their prayers and their cries are always heard by the LORD. There is not one prayer, one cry, or one moment of your life that your God is unaware of if you are a Christian following Jesus.

Verse 8 of the same Psalm says:

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalms 34:8

It is an invitation to come and test the LORD and see if He is not all that He said He is. You will be blessed and highly favored. Come to the LORD, taste, and see that God is good and that He loves you and cares for you. He hears your cries, and He sees you where you are at. So, the next time you feel down, remember you are never alone.

Father, we come in the name of Jesus, Your son, calling out to You. Provide our needs. Provide what is lacking in our lives. Touch our body and heal us, for by Your stripes, we are healed. It has been paid for. Calm our troubled minds so that depression, anxiety, or panic attacks may not come upon us. Help us to find strength in Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ~ Philippians 3:8-11

Today is Resurrection Sunday. The day Jesus rose from the dead with healing in His wings and salvation in His hand. He will give that free gift of salvation to whomsoever will come. If you’re thirsty, come. If you’re lonely, come. If you need healing, come. If you need freedom from tormenting spirits, come.

Whatsoever you need, come, and you will find it in Jesus. Is your marriage broken? Give it to Jesus. Are your loved ones strung out on drugs? Give it to Jesus. Is your spouse an alcoholic and despises church? Give it to Jesus. His hand has not shortened that He cannot save. Whatever your need is, come, and Jesus will meet that need. Maybe you’ve been having dreams about Jesus and His salvation; here’s what you do. Repent of your sins and ask Jesus into your heart. If you are saved, thank Him for His salvation and follow Him with everything that’s within you. There’s nothing like dwelling in the presence of God. Give Him all of your pain and stress, and He will take it from you and give you peace in return.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Cling To The Promise of His Resurrection.

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⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. ⁶ And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.” ~ Mark 16:5-6

The angel said to the women, “Do not be alarmed.” In other words, don’t be afraid. Don’t worry; Jesus has everything worked out for you. Just trust in what He said. The just shall walk by faith. Then the angel says these beautiful words, “He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”

Jesus is alive! He was crucified. He died and was buried. But on the 3^rd day, He rose to life again. The resurrection power was in Him, and He stepped out of that grave victorious. The grave could not hold Him, death could not keep Him, for in Him is the life and the light, and darkness can never prevail over Him. He is the everlasting God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Encouraged By His Victory.

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⁴¹As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it ⁴²and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” ~ Luke 19:41-44

All of this is happening on the first day of the week, a Sunday. It is the tenth day of Nisan. The High Priest is selecting the Passover lamb that will be slain on the 14^th. Now all of this is interrupted by the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. They were busy with the requirements of the law as it pertained to the instructions for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They were doing all the right things at the right time, but they did not recognize the day of their visitation. The day when God Himself would visit them, and they would have the choice to receive Him.

It was like when Jesus told Martha that she was anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing was necessary, and Mary had chosen the good portion, and it would not be taken away from her. It was Mary’s day of visitation. Like Mary, we must be vigilant; we must watch and pray so that we will not miss the Day of Our Visitation.

We cannot get so busy, even with church stuff, that we miss The Day of Visitation.

The day that the LORD Himself shows up on our own front door
Or show up in time of worship
Or when He comes to answer our diligent prayers
We must keep vigil

If the Jews had only recognized their Messiah, and if they had only chosen and accepted Him, they wouldn’t still be wandering the earth looking for their Messiah. Maybe they would have remained and not been scattered. Maybe their Temple would have remained and not been torn down. We have to be sure we don’t miss the visitation of our LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare For More Visitations.

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³⁷ As He was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” ~ Luke 19:37-40

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, on His way down from the Mount of Olives, when the Pharisees tried to condemn the disciples of Jesus to Jesus Himself. The book Revelation refers to Satan as the accuser of the brethren. In fact, it goes as far as to say that he accuses the Church day and night (Revelation 12:10). The Pharisees may not have been Satan himself, but they act on his behalf through the influence of his kingdom. Just as we, the Church, act on Jesus’ behalf with our actions.

Today is no different. You may not even get to your destination or even get to fully begin what you set out to do for God when a Pharisee who has been with you, listening to you, and following you tries to condemn exactly what God has called you to do. Don’t allow them to discourage you; hold to the promise and call you were given. Not everyone listening to you, surrounding you, talking to you, or conversing with you are for you. Be aware of them and seek discernment on how to respond. Jesus didn’t tell them to leave His presence or even rebuke them; Jesus instead corrected their rebuke with the Truth.

Seek the LORD earnestly for discernment, so that you may discern the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error (1 John 4:6). Root yourself in God, and then His call for your life will never be shaken, regardless of who tries to tear down all that you are doing. Don’t condemn, instead correct error with the Truth of our God in love because our God is love (1 John 4:8)

Dead LORD, please give me the Spirit of Discernment so that I might discern between the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error. Please continue to perfect me in Your perfect love so that there will be no room for fear, doubt, or discouragement when the enemy comes against me. Please give me the confidence of who I am in You and what I am to do for Your glory and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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¹ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. ² Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” ⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” ⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” ~ Isaiah 6:1-7

Isaiah was 700 years before Jesus came on the scene; nevertheless, the LORD God made a way for an unclean man to enter into His presence. Why? Because the dwelling place of God is with mankind. We weren’t created to be separated from God. We were created to dwell with the LORD, and He is with us always. Isaiah found himself in the presence of the Almighty, and he was afraid he would die because he knew he wasn’t clean, yet God sent one of his Seraphim to stop worshipping and cleanse Isaiah so that Isaiah might remain in the LORD’s presence in all of His glory and wonder.

Today, we still enter the throne room of Almighty God, except when we do, we don’t have a need for Seraphim to cleanse our lips with a living coal; we have the perfect, redeeming, living blood of Jesus Christ covering us. We don’t have to fear entering the throne room of God Almighty and dwelling with Him because Jesus, God Himself, came to earth and redeemed us with something stronger than a coal. He redeemed us with His precious, perfect blood that speaks louder than even that of righteous Abel’s.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Confidently Enter The Throne Room.

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⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. ⁶ My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. ~ Psalms 42:5-6

God doesn’t just send us straight to fight Goliath. He doesn’t just send us straight to face the Nephilim of Canaan. Before we face our biggest giants, first, God gives us the lion, the bear, and all the miracles and wonders of Egypt. In doing this, God builds our faith in Him, but it’s up to us to remember these victories. Right now, throughout the entire world, there are giants popping up everywhere. Giants of fear, rebellion, and darkness. And with each giant, hopelessness begins to spread. We’re becoming like the spies in Canaan instead of like the shepherd boy, David. We’re forgetting the victories God has brought us through, and we’re allowing fear and hopelessness to take over because we’re not even fighting anymore.

During the Let Us Worship movement, led by Sean Feucht, that started in San Francisco, California, with only 400 people and now has spread worldwide. And out of this movement came the spontaneous song, Stone in the Sling, that goes like this:

All I need is a memory
Of Your victory
Like a stone in the sling
Like every time that you’ve fought for me

This is the prayer we should each be praying. We should be seeking a memory of His faithfulness. There are so many victories the LORD has brought us through, each and every one of us; all we need is a memory of these victories to encourage us to stand and fight. To stand up and fight for our countries, freedoms, and our God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remember Past Victories.

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³¹ but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.~ Isaiah 40:31

The strength of the Church is fleeting. We’re tired and weary. It feels like we’re fighting a pointless battle sometimes. Obstacle after obstacle tries to slow us down and bring our run to a halt. And sometimes, our cross just feels too heavy to carry anymore. But here’s the thing, we don’t have to run the race worn out, struggling with all of this stuff.

God promised that if we spend time in His presence, He will renew us. So many of us Church folks are dying of thirst and exhaustion on the race set before us because we’re trying to run in our own strength and stamina. We aren’t strong enough to successfully run this race. We have to rely on God. We have to rely on Christ Jesus. We have to rely on His Holy Spirit. There’s no doing this alone. We’re too weak, but the LORD God is our strength. He is our strong tower. He is our Rock. He is our breath. He is our everything. Spend time with Him, and you won’t be weary or tired in this race we call life.

LORD God, please help me to desire to want to spend time with You. Help me to love You the way You deserve. Help me to be like David, who knew how to come in and go out. Teach me how to be renewed in You, LORD, so that I might hear, well done my good and faithful servant with whom I am well pleased, at the end of my race. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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