Text: Psalm 38 vs 6 – 22
It is a potent weapon of the devil against God’s elect and often times he uses it to make us feel we have not measured up to God’s Expectation of us. It is called DISCOURAGEMENT.
Have you ever found yourselves in moments when you feel down for no just reason? Or times you are in despair and you feel it is a punishment from God of your past deeds? It is the devil at work making you feel discouraged because He knows once he’s able to make you feel that way he can make you loose your trust or faith in God.
The Devil is good at bringing to us our bad pasts but one great weapon the LORD, our GOD has given us in such moments of discouragement or despair is to BURST OUT IN PRAISES, delighting ourselves in his presence knowing that HE is our FIRM FOUNDATION.
However, many Christians have backslid because of the devil’s discouragement because they have allowed it to linger in their lives for too long. It is important to note that when discouragement lingers in one’s life, it rubs us of heavenly blessings.
As Christians we need to know that our Christianity is not all about going to church (for some; Sunday tonic) and helping out in the activities but it is about growing in all Christlikeness so that we don’t fall prey of the devil’s vice – Discouragement.
2 Corinthians 2:11 implores us not to be ignorant of the devices of the devil and as such it is pertinent to know the ways the discouragement can creep into our lives:
Fatigue (sometimes the most spiritual thing to do is to go to sleep)
Pressure of Work
Frustration
Repeated Failure
Fear
Financial Pressure
Health Problems
Ridicules
These are some list of negatives that could cause despair, even to the most spiritual of Christians. But our victory lies in our knowledge that although these negatives may show up in our lives but we are to keep up or even intensify our Praises to God and our Faith in Him.
Psalms 27: 14 encourages us to “Wait upon Him” in such moments of discouragement.