OVERCOMING

DISCOURAGEMENT

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST,

SANGOTEDO, LEKKI

A SERMON BY:

BRO. GODFREY NWOGU (DEACON)

11/23/2014

AIMS OF THE SERMON

To apply the solutions given in God’s word for overcoming

the foes of happiness and peace of mind.

11/23/2014

1. INTRODUCTION

♣A person is discouraged if the confidence or

hope of doing something is taken away. Is the

state in which one is being down or out. Some of

the very finest Biblical characters were victims

of discouragement.

♣Everybody at one time or another becomes

discouraged, like parents, teachers, preachers,

elder etc.

11/23/2014

1. INTRODUCTION

♣The graph of life is not a straight line. It will have

its valleys and peaks, its downs and its up, its

high and its low. The problem is getting down,

getting low, getting into valley and not getting

out. Thus depression sets in. in 2cor 2:11 we are

made to understand that we are not ignorant of

devil devices.

♣The device of the devil is to take away the

confidence or hope we have. This is done by

attacking the faith which is the victory we have

to overcome the world 1 Jon 5:4, through fear

anxiety, grief and gloom.11/23/2014

1. INTRODUCTION

♣God does not want us to become discouraged,

frustrated and despondent. His message is “Be

of good cheer” --- matt 14:27

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2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

i. Illness: Paul (2 cor. 12:7; Timothy (1 Tim 5:23)

Job (2:7), there is need for patience and prayer

James 5:14,15).

ii. The Death of Loved Ones: Because of the

certainty of death, we must all experience this

loss.

The Shunamite – (2 kgs 4:20); David (2sam 12:18)

marry and Martha (John 11:14). During such losses

we must remember that God is a God of comfort 2

Cor 1:3-5, He comfort us like mother Isa 66:13.

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2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

iii.Material Losses

Job lost 11,500 head of cattle, seven sons and

three daughters, yet, he said Job 1:21.

The loss of material prosperity will either make one

bitter or better. If, and when we most lose our

prosperity let us remember .

a. None of it was ours in the first place Hag 2:8

b. We are going to have to leave it all one day any

way 1 Tim 6:7

c. God will still provide for our material needs Heb

13:5.11/23/2014

2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

iv. A Sense of Insecurity

God has promised to provide for our every need

Phil 4:19

a. He provided for Elijah (1kgs 17:1-7)

b. The widow of Zaraphath (1kgs 17:8-16)

c. Christ (Matt 4:11)

d. Multitude (Jn 6:1-14)

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2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

v. Friends Turning on You

Christ’s own familiar friend life up his heel against

him (Ps 41:9) and Demas forsook Paul (2Tim 4:10)

but neither gave up in despair and despondency.

Remember that, in Christ you have a friend that

sticketh closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24)

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2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

vi. Blighted Hopes and Dreams

Your business may have failed, you may have lost

your job. Your college education may have eluded

you. You may have been studying hard to gain

admission to higher institution, but to no avail.

Consequently, discouragement, despondency and

despair set in. but have you ever considered that

you can turn disappointments into His

appointments Paul and his company assayed to go

into Bithynia, but were prevented to do so by the

spirit. Such resulted in the establishment of the

cause of Christ upon European soil (Acts 16:7-40)11/23/2014

2. THE CAUSES AND OCCASIONS

OF DISCOURAGEMENT

vi. Blighted Hopes and Dreams

Your business may have failed, you may have lost

your job. Your college education may have eluded

you. You may have been studying hard to gain

admission to higher institution, but to no avail.

Consequently, discouragement, despondency and

despair set in. but have you ever considered that

you can turn disappointments into His

appointments Paul and his company assayed to go

into Bithynia, but were prevented to do so by the

spirit. Such resulted in the establishment of the

cause of Christ upon European soil (Acts 16:7-40)11/23/2014

2. HOW CAN ONE OVERCOME

DISCOURAGEMENT

i. Remember that beneath your burdens and

causes of discouragement, there are blessings

a) Rolling a large stone away by a poor peasant

ii. You can use your burdens and causes of

discouragement as bridges

Paul (Phil 1:12; 2Cor 4:16-18)

A little ant carry a long stick

a) Paul (Phil 1:12; 2Cor 4:16-18)

b) A little ant carry a long stick

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2. HOW CAN ONE OVERCOME

DISCOURAGEMENT

iii. Be Perpetually Optimistic

Two shoe salesmen went to Africa one

discouraged wired back saying, No market. No one

wears shoes the other optimistically reported,

“Market unlimited. No one has shoes over here”

the difference? Optimitism!

Let us see opportunities and not obstacles.

Remember the report or the exploration of the land

of Canaan. Number 13:32, 33

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2. HOW CAN ONE OVERCOME

DISCOURAGEMENT

iv. Talk to Yourself

The woman with the issue of blood could have

said, I’ve tried hard. I’ve been deprived. Nothing

avails. There is no God. But instead of thus, talking

to herself she said. “If I may but touch his garment,

I shall be whole (matt 9:20-22). The point is this,

avoid talking to yourself discouragingly, telling

yourself that you are a failure, that nobody cares,

that you are not appreciated, that you are nobody.

Instead, tell yourself that you are not a failure, that

people do care, that you are appreciated and that

you have a vital role to play in life.11/23/2014

2. HOW CAN ONE OVERCOME

DISCOURAGEMENT

v. Consider how useless you are when

discouraged

We are to be encouragers of men – Heb 10:24

1thess. 5: 11-14.

VI. PRAYER

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God

1sam 30:6. Notice it was in the Lord. We must learn

to take our causes of discouragement to the Lord

in prayer (Phil 4:6,7). The psalmist, when cast

down, made his prayer into the God of his life Ps.

42:5,8.11/23/2014

CONCLUSION

Trying times are no time to quick trying.

Quitters never win and winners never quit

Jas 5:11.

11/23/2014