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| Encourage Yourself |
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17 NIV)
Beloved, I want to ask a very personal question, and I want you to be absolutely honest with yourself— When was the last time you encouraged yourself?
Was it a few moments ago? This morning. Yesterday. A week ago, a month ago, a year ago... Never!
I ask you that, because I want you to get started on the journey of self-awareness. To be aware of how much you can be excited about being you!
I’m so excited about being me, and my excitement continues to grow and soar. I know this chapter will have you seeing yourself the same, and if not, I’m confident it will start you on the journey of getting excited about being YOU!
Joel kicks off this chapter with some words that everyone can attest to, in that he says, “One of the battles we all have to fight is the battle with discouragement.”
Joel goes onto say, “In those times, it’s good to have a coach, a teacher, or a pastor to cheer you on.
But one thing I’ve learned is that other people cannot keep us encouraged. Other people cannot keep us cheered up. They may give us a boost. They may help us from time to time. But if we really want to live in victory, that encouragement has to come from inside. We must learn to encourage ourselves.”
In chapter five of John Maxwell’s The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John Maxwell shares, “Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing. That is the Law of Consistency.”
Vince Lombardi, said, “Once you learn to quit it becomes a habit.”
Well, I’m here to declare that I can motivate you. Others can motivate you. But living a discipline life of encouraging yourself, will grow into a life of encouraging others in so many creative ways. And once you learn to encourage yourself and others, you will have made it into a lifelong habit. Amen.
When times are easy, isn’t it easy to be encouraged? But, when times are tough, as Joel puts it, ‘deep down in our spirit there has to be a resolve, a strength on the inside that says, “I refuse to settle where I am. I know God has a great plan for my life, and I’m pressing forward and becoming everything that He’s created me to be.”’
Beloved, here’s a note I made along side the above words once I finished reading them in Joel’s book:
“If you won’t encourage yourself, who will?”
Something to ponder...
I went on to write this note as well:
“If you won’t receive it from yourself how can you receive it from others?”
Could you imagine if you went out into a battle, on a trip or journey to accomplish something and upon your return, all your things and family were taken. What would you do? How would you feel? Wouldn’t you be filled with such a great sadness, the only word to describe it, would be— Grief.
That’s what happened to David and a group of his soldiers. Upon returning to their place were they were camped at, there camp was burned down, and all there belongings were taken, but even a greater sadness overtook them as their wives and children were taken. They grieved them to the point that they wept until they were week in the knees from weeping…
This is where the majority of us would be filled with such great discouragement and give up on life completely, but to my amazement and most certainly the amazement of countless others, “David encouraged himself in the Lord His God” (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV) and asked God if he should pursue those who took what rightly was theirs, and God said yes! So David and many of his army went and pursued the rebels who took their belongings and families and won because of his willingness to RISE UP and encourage himself rather than become consumed with a spirit of discouragement (see 1 Samuel 30).
What does it mean to encourage yourself in The Lord? I gave this much thought, and in doing so, I found myself being encouraged in The Lord because I kept thanking Him for His goodness and continuous faithfulness in my life!
Encouraging yourself in The Lord, is simply recounting the continual goodness of God in your life. Whatever it may be, believe me, all of us despite the surrounding, environment or medical report can recount; reflect on the goodness of God!
But the question may be asked, what about those places where there is poverty and people have very little to eat, nothing to wear, and there’s sickness and illness on the rampage?
The goodness of God can be seen and will be seen! Amen. In this very moment, God is orchestrating events none of us can possibly fathom where the hungry will be fed. The destitute will be clothed and comforted. The thirsty will have water to drink. The sick will receive help, and the dying will be mourned. But let us not lose hope, nor give into discouragement, for The Lord our great God is a faithful God to His Word and His Word will stand for all time and eternity! If the present state of this world is too much for you to bare, and you want something done, RISE UP and allow the encouragement to got from within you, and find a way to be a part of the solution. Whether it be giving of your time, talents or treasures from your home, your computer, or if you have opportunity in person... be that encouraging solution. Both here and abroad. Amen. Where there is God’s will, there will always be a way. Amen.
Beloved, an encouraging word from Joel, “As you remember the great things God has done, faith will fill your heart. Strength and courage will come from the inside. No matter what you’re facing, no matter how difficult it looks, you’ll know deep down, God did not bring me this far to leave me here. If He did it for me in the past, He’ll do it again for me in the future.” Amen.
Beloved, you cannot stay down and defeated as long as you’re thinking about the goodness of God, because as we take in from David’s life, it causes you to seek the Lord, RISE UP and take action! Amen.
The Word of God declares this generational heritage, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4 NKJV)
Beloved, I have determined, that I will play my part in this generational heritage and leave a legacy to this world, of how wonderful and great is my God!
My great God spoke into my life years ago, “You will not be a rich man, but you will be, a thankful man.” I often wondered why He said I wouldn’t be a rich man, although I was absolutely at peace with it. But now, Praise The Lord! As I declared today to be a day of Right Perspective, He has awakened in me the last portion of His declaring promise blessing into my life, in that He said, I will be a ‘thankful man.’
Beloved, no man can be a thankful man unless good things are happening to him. No man can be a thankful man unless he lived a blessed life. No man can be a thankful man unless he was surrounded by those who celebrate his life. No man is a thankful man unless the all knowing, all powerful everywhere at one time God declares him to be so. And my God, declares it!
My God shows off in my life. My God blesses me everyday. My God never leaves my side. My God, I can call on Him day and night and He will answer! My God celebrates me everyday! My God rejoices over my life when I triumph. My God consoles me when I’m down. My God protects me, provides for me and fills me with endless joy! My God, is the one true God, as my God is the only true God who loves me unconditionally and sacrificially and is willing to prove it! My God is compassionate towards me when I need it. My God is merciful towards me when I mess up. My God is patient with me when I don’t get it. My great God is always willing to show me how it’s done and then watch me do it just like Him. That’s my God! And I adore Him!
Beloved, my God is a celebrating God. He teaches us from the very beginning in Genesis, that what He did, He encouraged Himself and acknowledged what He did was good, so much so, that once God saw all that He had created, He said of what He created, “it was very good.”
Beloved, learn to celebrate yourself, even if others won’t!
Joel has this encouragement for us, “When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself. When nobody else compliments you, compliment yourself. It’s not up to other people to keep you encouraged. It’s up to you. It should come from the inside.”
Beloved, happiness as Joel says it, is an “inside-out proposition.” Be determined to see the best in yourself, and it’s guaranteed others will start to see the best in you as well. Amen.
Beloved, you were created for something significant. You are an answer to someones problem. You are of great worth and you are truly a priceless masterpiece. Your smile can brighten up someone’s life. You have talents, gifts and abilities that can revolutionize this world for the good. Be encouraged!
Beloved, if I can certainly celebrate you and I know very little if nothing at all about you, you can certainly find something to celebrate about yourself— So start celebrating!
Many times we may see the good and exciting life that awaits in others, but we say of ourselves, “I can’t do that.”
Many times we walk around, saying, “I can’t do nothing right. I’m always saying the wrong thing!”
“I have been there. I have walked around declaring myself unknowingly part of the generational curse that plagued my thoughts, my speech and my actions, but I declare, no more!” — F. Lugo
If those words of self-pity spoken in a spirit of discouragement is your current image you place on yourself, know and declare you were created in the image of God. You were given a spirit of thankfulness, power, love and a sound mind! Start to RISE UP and embrace the heritage and legacy you belong to. Grab a hold of it! Your inheritance is of royalty and blessing!
Speak life into your life and say with confidence, “I once walked and sat in discouragement before, but no more!” IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE YOU!
My Takeaway and Prayer:
Only we have the ability to encourage ourselves all the time. It’s an anointed blessing given to us by our Creator God. Whenever you feel down, be quick to recall the goodness of God and the past victories you have experienced. Be intentional about encouraging yourself even if others won’t!
Father God, I have to praise you right now! You are too amazing in that you placed the writing ministry in Joel’s heart. Thank You for His life. Thank You for being our eternal encouragement. Thank You for the anointed blessing of encouraging ourselves. I confess I haven’t always been successful about seeing the best in myself as You do, but no more! This I pray. Your eternal encouragement play a big role in the rest of our lives to pass on the generational heritage of encouraging a great many by telling them of Your goodness. In Jesus name I declare and pray. Amen!
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