Nehemiah 4:6-15:
The
Cure For Discouragement: 4:13-15
A.
Rest and Relaxation For Your Body and Mind: v13 Nehemiah had to move
some people around and in order to do that he had to stop the work. Sometimes
the best thing to do when you are discouraged is stop what you are doing to
rest your body and mind. Often after a little rest and relaxation you can come
back to the same task with a new approach. Just in case you are wondering if
this is biblical. Let me show what the word of God has to say about it. Psalms
127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to
eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Mark
6:30-31 30And the apostles gathered themselves
together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what
they had taught. 31And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a
desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they
had no leisure so much as to eat. Take some time off and get away from the things
that are bringing you discouragement. Take a break from the demands of life
once and awhile.
B.
Reorganize Your Life: v13
When you are discouraged, often it does not mean you're doing the wrong
thing. It simply means maybe you're doing the right thing but you're
doing it in the wrong way. The tendency when we get discouraged is to
give up on the dream and say, "Maybe I'm doing the wrong
thing." No, it may be the right thing but you may be doing it in the
wrong way. God doesn't want you to give up on your dream. He just
wants you to reorganize. Try a new approach. Try doing something
different.
C.
Remember The Lord.
He redirected their attention toward God. Stop looking at the rubbish and start
looking toward God. Remember we serve an awesome God. Remember the Lord.
Sometimes If we are not careful we will forget the Lord in our times of
discouragement. Three things you need to remember about God.
1.
Remember God’s
Goodness To You
2.
Remember God's
Presence Is With You. Jesus says "Lo, I am with you
always. I will never leave you or forsake you."
3.
Remember His
Promise For The Future. God’s word is full of promises.
God says, "As
your days are so shall your strength be. ... I will give you the power.... I
will help you."
Get
your mind off the discouraging circumstance and get your mind on the
Lord. Psalm 119:25 "I am completely
discouraged. I lie in the dust. Revive me by your word."
If you want the quickest antidote to discouragement get in the Word of God
allow it to become your companion.
In
Jonah
2:7. Jonah's at the bottom of the sea in the belly of a great
fish and it says, “When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD:”
D.
Resist The Discouragement:
Don't give into discouragement without a fight. Don't just roll over and
play dead. Resist it. Resist the discouragement. Remember why
you’re in this. You are in it for your family. You are not in this just for the
welfare of yourself: You are also in it for the welfare of your family and
home. James 4:7–8 James is saying surrender your life to God and then resist
the devil and he will flee from you. Then you need to draw near to God and God
will draw near to you. How do I draw near to God? James say’s by giving up your
sinful deeds and by getting your heart and mind right with God.
E.
Return To The Work:
They stopped long enough to rest, relax, reorganize, gain strength to resist
and then went back to work. They were only half finished; there was still
plenty of work to do. What God has called us to do He will enable us to do it
through the power of His Spirit. Don’t leave the job half finished or leave it
for someone else to finish. There is still plenty of work to do before the Lord
Jesus Returns.
We
are at war with these negative forces. You do not have to be discouraged.
It is a choice. If you're discouraged it is because you are choosing to
be discouraged. "I'm just going to give in. I'm going to have
a little self-pity. I'm going to choose to be discouraged."
You don't have to be discouraged.
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