Be
An Encourager
by
Gene Steiner
God has raised me
up to be an encourager. I Thessalonians 5:14 tells us that we all should
encourage other Believers....those who have had the spiritual wind knocked out
through adversity. Jesus even predicted
that the world would hate us Christ-followers. This has happened to many of us
- maybe to you as it has to me, for though we are in the world, we are not OF the world. Life can be difficult, and at times we can become
discouraged. Some get to the point where they even want to give up. Yet He who
calls us also sustains us. He is faithful, and He gives us the ability to be
faithful, too (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)..."Who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom
you were called into the fellowship
of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Then we go
through "stuff" we need other Believers to stand with us - not just
in empathy - but in FAITH. God will bring you through whatever you are
experiencing - and you WILL have the victory, for it is not how clever we are.
It is not a person's bubbly personality. It is God's Word that we speak that
encourages.
Before David
became King, in the Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 30 we find that he became
discouraged and dismayed because he lost a battle and his family and the families
of all his men were captured, all their belongings were stolen, and their homes
were burned. It got to the point where his men wanted to kill him. But David
was a man of faith. He knew his God. And we read in 2 Samuel 30:1: "David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each
man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from
the LORD his God."
What did he do? When there was no one
else to encourage him, he encouraged himself!
We need that today. Maybe no one else is coming to your rescue, you
seemingly have little hope. But when you
know God, you have the power to encourage yourself in Him in the power of the
Holy Spirit.
So, look around
you. Find someone who needs encouragement.
If it is yourself, become encouraged in the Lord first, then lift up
others. Pray for them. Speak the Word over them. Share with them that we have
the victory IN Christ. We must encourage one another to persevere in our
faith. We do this through our actions
toward one another, through our professions, and continually upholding others
in prayer. The Lord has called us to this ministry. We are paracletes called
alongside of others to lift them up and support them in Christian love. And when we see another Believe stumble, we
should be quick to forgive and restore - considering ourselves and how the
Lord has forgiven us.
Hebrews 10:24, 25 tell us "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good
deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another----- and all the more as you see the Day
approaching."
Do you see the Day approaching? I know I do. We are closer now than ever to
His appearing. All the more reason to meet together in prayer, in praise, in worship,
and to encourage others; for we need each other!
Copyright © 2015
Gene Steiner
