A0342_Discouragement Robs us of Passion
Date: 17th October 2007 (Wednesday PM) Ref: A0342
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: Discouragement Robs Us of Passion
Text: & 1 Kings 19:4
Illust: Throughout my career in a number of different sales roles in IT I have accumulated a bookshelf of books on being a success, on selling techniques and strategies. In one Frank Bettger an Insurance salesman from the early 20th century tells a story in a chapter titled “How one idea multiplied my income.” In 1907 he was a professional baseball player on $175pm fired because he was lazy. – He wasn’t that was just his way of hiding his nervousness. – His boss said “Frank it will never work. That’s the thing that that is holding you down. Whatever you do after you leave here, for heavens sake, wake yourself up , and put some life and enthusiasm into your work” – Frank Betger then goes on to write how he started at a new club on $25 per month but the simple decision to be enthusiastic increased his income by 700% in 10 days as he was picked up by another club on $185p.m. – The whole chapter is on the power of enthusiasm.
I. Need for Passion
A. Zeal
i. Paul speaks to Timothy
2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (NKJV)
ii. Paul is exhorting Timothy to “stir up the gift of God” ~ this word stir up means to enflame. – when you are camping and you have some embers you fan them into a flame to get the fire burning hotly. – Purpose of bellows in a blacksmiths forge.
iii. Speaking of zeal, enthusiasm, passion – An essential ingredient in all success books. An essential ingredient in the Kingdom of God
iv. We serve a God of Zeal, of passion
Isaiah 59:17 For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak. (NKJV)
John 2:17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” (NKJV)
v. There needs to be some passion, some zeal in your life for the things of God
The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. James Whitcomb Riley
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (NKJV)
B. State of Slumber
i. Given that Paul is exhorting Timothy to Stir it up, the implication is that it can grow cold. You can start with passion and enthusiasm, as Timothy did, & then through the process of time or other factors your passion can grow cold. – You can lose your enthusiasm.
ii. This is a killer of destiny, of achievement, of success in your life. – If you don’t have that one essential ingredient, passion then you will not achieve anything in life.
iii. One of the factors / things that can rob you of your passion, is discouragement. – A common assault that can come against your life, drains you of energy, passion, the will to go on. – suffocate destiny
Discouragement is not the absence of adequacy but the absence of courage. Neal A. Maxwell
II. Discouraged Man
A. A Tool of the Enemy
i. In our text Elijah, is discouraged, he has been threatened by Jezebel and has done the runner into the wilderness. & Text ~ He is distressed, exhausted, physically and emotionally – He has lost all his enthusiasm for the Kingdom of God
ii. Discouragement has robbed him of his passion, the same can happen to you & I. – The Bible contains the stories of real people, leading real lives, facing discouragement and over & again we see that it is a main factor of robbing the people of God of all passion & zeal. – Israelite army facing Goliath, the Disciples following the crucifixion.
iii. Discouragement; one of the devils most effective tools.
B. Can strike you
i. If it can strike a man like Elijah who had just witnessed the fire fall from heaven, yet now he is in the depths of discouragement then it can happen to you
ii. Do you have a zeal, a passion, an enthusiasm for the things of God, for anything? – If not you cannot achieve any real goals or see real success and the entering into destiny.
iii. Is the problem discouragement. Have you been discouraged? Need to recognise that your discouragement has robbed you of your passion
Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacle s, discouragement s, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. Thomas Carlyle
III. Grace of God
A. Cry out to God
i. Truth is that we will all face obstacles things that could discourage us. Life is just not living on cloud 9 for all of your life; there are setbacks, obstacles opponents, trials. Listen to the words of Billy Graham.
The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.' Billy Graham
ii. An admittance that there can be discouraging times, but that there is a place you can go to find hope & rediscover the essential passion / zeal / enthusiasm – Go to God. – This is our text, Elijah cries out to God
iii. And God answers & v.s. 5. – In the place of his need as he cries out to God, God meets him, provides for him, brings direction, guidance, encouragement, renewed purpose and vision.
He who would valiant be against all disaster; let him in constancy follow the Master. There's no discouragement shall make him once relent; his first avowed intent to be a pilgrim. John Buchan
B. The Promises of God
i. Our God is a God of zeal, and he wants you to be zealous for Him, live a passionate enthusiastic life. Don’t let discouragement rob you of the passion. Stand up get enthusiastic. – Enthusiasm / passion / zeal something that you can acquire if you will take the promises of God and apply them to you life.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (NKJV)
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV)
ii. Passion is something that you can have if you will lay a hold of God, put down all discouragement and begin to act enthusiastic. – Frank Bettger wrote “I know this: when I force myself to act enthusiastic, I soon feel enthusiastic.”