How to be Encouraged

Let’s talk briefly about encouragement

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What could we potentially be encouraged by in Christ?

Forgiveness of Sin (big one)

New Creation (big one)

Healing (physically & emotionally & spiritually)

This passage that we are looking at comes off the heals of Paul prodding the believer to imitate Christ, in fact we are commanded to live a life that is worthy of receiving the gospel.

Philippians 1:27 ESV

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

There is a clear command here, and if we have chosen to follow Christ, we do not have an option here, we are commanded to take control of our lives and live it in a manner that is worthy of the gospel.

How is that done?

This is where encouragement comes in, but not only encouragement, but also:

Comfort

Love

Participation in the Spirit

Affection

Sympathy

Joy to others

Same mind, same love, full accord and of one mind - UNITY

Galatians 5:24–26 ESV

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Gal.

Gal. 6:24-26

We are given the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:18–28 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:18–28 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Galatians 5:22–26 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Gal. 5:22-

Embrace Humility

We are reminded over and over again, to embrace humility

Interesting regarding the lie of the enemy, discussion from our addiction recovery meeting last night

The enemy continues to try to tell us that God has not given us what we need

We are left wanting

Reality is that we were created to be be dependent on God

Reality also is that God does have our best interest in mind

Genesis 3:1–8 ESV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

When God created man, He declared us very good, but the enemy came along and tried to sell us a bill of goods, he tried to sell us something that we already had. He said that Adam would be like God, but Adam was already created in the image of God.

The enemy tries to deceive us over and over again, with this same lie

Here is a reality that we need to embrace: There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more or less

Christ came down to rescue us

I get the idea that Christ was almost anxious to do whatever it takes for us to have relationship with the Father

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

If there is any encouragement found in Christ - this is encouraging

and this is the example that we have

death may not be required, but unity with your brother, unity with your sister that’s required.

I had to take couple of classes these past few months, so that I could pursue my credentials, which caused me to spend my quiet times in Paul’s letters. The theme that I found more and more, was unity.

We need to value each other. Look around, those of you that have made a decision to follow Christ, we represent Christ’s body here on earth, so we need to value one another all the more.

How much time do you spend in prayer for one another? How much time, do you spend serving one another? How much time do you spend building one another up?

Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers John Chrysostom (347–407)

Listen carefully to me, I entreat you.… [P]rocure books that will be medicines for the soul.… At least get a copy of the New Testament, the Apostle’s epistles, the Acts, the Gospels, for your constant teachers. If you encounter grief, dive into them as into a chest of medicines; take from them comfort for your trouble, whether it be loss, or death, or bereavement over the loss of relations. Don’t simply dive into them. Swim in them. Keep them constantly in your mind. The cause of all evils is the failure to know the Scriptures well.

We embrace humility by acknowledging that we haven’t arrived yet, by serving others, praying for others, building one another up, breathing life into one another.

Most of all, we learn to be like Christ by spending time in His presence. You cannot use Christ as your example, if you are not spending time with Him on a regular daily basis. When you start taking in the example of Christ and you then want to put His example of humility to work. When we are spending time in Christ’s presence, we are spending time the presence of the Holy Spirit, as well as the presence of the Father. When that happens, we can’t help but be changed. Not physically, well sometimes it is physical, mostly it is heart change.

Example of not touching, how I went through 10 months here of not touching anyone, or allowing myself to be touched...

Andy Stanley has a great practical way to walk this out. Start asking those that you do life with “What can I do for you?” and when people respond, ask yourself “What resources do I have at my disposal that can further your agenda?” I promise you, this will bring you encouragement, it will also conform you to the image of Christ.

Lord, give us Your eyes to see those You have placed around us. God, please use us to advance Your agenda in their lives, and please conform us to Your image. Please help us to embrace humility and find encouragement through loving others in this practical way.

How to be Encouraged

Encouragement

Scripture

Observation

Application

Prayer