Keep Pressing Ahead - Facing Discouragement, Part 2

Are you struggling with discouragement today. Or maybe your husband or wife, or when your kids is that a coworker that seems to be really down today I'm going to talk about the war because of the discouragement in God specific remedy to each one. Stay with thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with children Living on the Edge as an international teaching a discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching up shipping through this program Scriptures for really helpful ways to overcome whatever discouragement you may be facing. If you or someone you care about is facing a tough situation right message real after the teaching trip will be with us to share some specific next steps to be sure to stay with us for that ballots join them for part two of his message facing discouragement from Nehemiah chapter 4 you see for causes of discouragement.

The first is a loss of strength and just right next to that.

The problem is fatigue what to say.

It says the strength of the laborers is giving out you are vulnerable to get very discouraged and sometimes the problem is you're just the team it's too much. You're up early. You're up late you're doing a lot and you might've been doing a lot of the right thing. But you go and you go and you go and you go and when you get tired and when you get fatigued and you get emotionally vulnerable than you are prime for discouragement. That's why it's very counterintuitive to stop and take breaks is very counterintuitive to take care of yourself.

It's very counterintuitive to stop and do some things are renewing and fun when there's a lot to do, but if someone said this journeys a marathon not a sprint, and I will tell you of all these that's the one where I blow it the most. I try to do too much. I get really tired. I get overextended and it's just predictable. Discouragement comes in. So I have to.

This is are you ready for this is a slick bazaar. I have to structure in and plan fun. My life I mean is that sick.

I mean okay to discipline myself.

I'm really and have fun today it's me I'm serious. As part of it. I know that you know my workaholic tendencies part of it is I know deep down where I've come from that there's this identity issue of my work and my performance has something to do with what I'm okay and even when I'm doing things the right reason that is always in Achilles' heel and so I've learned for me to points really really important to take a full day off. The second is loss of vision noticed her focus. It says does it look at all this trouble coming in unit at all thing about that is, is the glass half-full or half-empty I make no way to second that I just heard Lissy Wallace halfway built another look at Milligan on this junk in the grill this jump in and look at how much progress you've made, but ask yourself, see the issue here is your focus. Are you focus on what is wrong are you focus on what's right.

Third is a loss of confidence.

The issue here is faith. Notice.

Notice what they say. Here, we cannot rebuild the wall.

Now when there was nothing done. They said let us arise and we can do it. They had faith the kings and materials are here. While now that there have none and all we can do this. Some of you made tremendous progress in areas and it is that I can do this I can do this. Stop and look in the rearview mirror and and part of looking in the rearview mirror. I'll show you a little tool I have is I I started keeping journals in college because I am so prone to see what needs to get done and all the time. You know what when you when you live off the to do list and you get 20 things done. Wake up the next day there's 24.

I'm telling you this discouraging so I just learned I started writing things down and I would write down what God is done and when I start to get discouraged. I look back and I begins it will that got done that… Did that guy did that that was a prayer for year that did that did and when you look back the get confidence because the God who was faithful yesterday and last month and you start reliving and telling stories need all this and I realize God's big but where's your focus. Where is your faith in and forth is a loss of security. You notice that you got the Jews you got the enemies and and and the key issue here is fear. You never know when it's going to happen, but the word is when you're not looking. The economy can go down again. You'll never find another job, your wife's going to leave you because you can't provide your kids are going to hate you and think you're nobody this whenever I meet right, fear, fear, fear, what if what about what if what about if so, what in fear is always projecting into the future and hypothetical grace does not exist. God is not in tomorrow every need. Sometimes I've have had times in my life where we've had absolutely no money at all we had was a roof and some food to eat for a couple days and I had to go back to what God promise roof protection and food for the day biblically. If you have food for tomorrow. Your rich and all the sudden we get totally are today gets completely ruined because my 401(k) wasn't what was supposed to and I had this plan.

I was going to retire this year and I can't retire at this church and I might have been at work and have like six or eight or 10 more years of productivity in life and joy. I certainly don't want to do that because I've been brainwashed to think that when you get 60 something I deserve a break today.

Just like the McDonald's kids and so I will have a break today and I don't keep working. I might have to work longer and you have all that money saved up just on paper just on numbers when the numbers came in, may be very happy when they went down to make me very very sad. Of course my securities in Jesus not in money of course not, except when I want to go to Jesus and seemed very big right, loss of strength, loss of vision loss of confidence, loss of secured okay. Nehemiah help us blaze the trail brother because we need help. Therefore, I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places posting them by families. So okay where we vulnerable get people they are getting with people that they are really to give their lives for with swords and spears and bows evaluation.

After look things over. I stood up and I said to the nobles and to the officials of the rest of the people.

Don't be afraid of them.

Why remember the Lord who was great and awesome. Where's your focus. Where's your faith this enough.

He spoke in the entire universe came into existence, but he couldn't protect you are right.

He spoke in the world came into existence when he can't meet the need, that your wrestling with no these awesome and then action fight for your brothers and your sons and your daughters and your wives in your homes.

There's a lot at stake. No time for pity party step up minutes is this is like the greatest coach in the world spiritually called the team together and said okay action plan. Here's where were vulnerable hear hear hear hear you guys get there.

Let's get in teams is getting families when our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot in the Godhead frustrated. We all return to the wall, each to his own work. Did you notice this guy just won't quit. It just keeps pressing ahead.

He just won't quit. He won't get distracted. He will get detracted and so now they're back on the wall. From that day on half of mine into the work while the other half were equipped with spears and shields and bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind the people of Judah were building the wall. Those who carried the materials did the work with one hand and held a weapon with the other. In each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked, but the man who sounded the trumpet stayed by me. Then I said to the nobles on the officials and the rest of the people.

The work is extensive and it spread out were widely separated from one another along the wall when ever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Join us here are God will fight for us to hear you got a strategy.

He's got a plan were spread out, we may be vulnerable.

The guy with the trumpets with me. When you hear it really gathered together were not going down people, God is bigger than this word in a fight so we continued the workforce 21 with half the man holding the spears from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.

At that time also.

I said to the people have every man is help her stay inside Jerusalem. Notice the paradigm changes.

He has a different plan.

The last plan was okay but the situation is different. Sometimes adversity calls us to think all we were doing this now there's a problem. Maybe we need to do it different sizes okay is what we can do everyone his work and nobody goes home anymore. You have a slumber party inside Jerusalem. Everybody gets to come every minute is help her stay inside Jerusalem the night so they can service as guards by night and working by day and here's here's the deal, especially if you're in any, influential position your single parent your kids look to you to the man of the house. People look to you. You're involved in ministry people look to you listen and to what Nehemiah does neither I nor my brothers nor my men were the guards with me took off their clothes each had his weapon, even when he went for water hear what he saying it's going to be tough. It's gonna be difficult to step up God's bid were to make and by the way, there are seasons when you get up at the crack of dawn and you go to bed when stark, you can't live that way all the time, but under pressure under stress you say were all in what ever it takes working to do it. So much so he models we didn't take her clothes off the end of the day my swords here will wash my face get little food and were not going to stop until we get this thing done 52 days and engineering miracle had a friend who is in charge of all the engineers of this large company from one side of the Mississippi to the other half of American and he told me study this extensively, and he was very kind of you to people that are like real detail oriented and figure out how big the wall was and what kind of things I had to do.

He says absolute miracle absolute miracle would occur for resources that I've pulled out of this text that have been helpful to me one. Be proactive might jot next to that yet.

Moving I get moving.

James 217 says in the same way, faith by itself, if it's not accompanied by action, is dead. They pray they act they pray they act. Second is remember who's for you get perspective. Just remember who God really is it what Mary little teenage girl said what when the when the angel speaking to work with God nothing is impossible.

Luke 137.

Let that sink in.

Okay, don't destroy though you can get that down my notes get your heart with God nothing is impossible to your facing right now. Do you believe it or not, are you countrymen save God. This is impossible, we intervene. I'll do whatever we intervene show up one get be proactive. Remember who God is, then fight in the next two words are hard fight fight this. This is when you face discouragement week we cave we start feeling like I'm a victim of victim, why, why, poor, poor me, me, and its death is like the gray mist of discouragement comes in. He start asking those questions and it just turns dark and black neophyte Paul said I thought the good fight, I finished the race of The faith. Now they're stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day not only me but all those who long for his appearing.

The reason he thought was perspective on hanging tough I'm hanging in and amok and opt out. I know that you know what, there is a reward for me.

Jesus is going to be enough that if we interview the apostle Paul in prison.

Half the time, houses can work out. Paul, I think that I don't have a clue. I think you said Paul here get discouraged you look you like are you kidding me will so are you to give up no way there is something a fiber as part of the capacity of the apostle Paul was forged and formed and birthed because of what he went through and you are now the proud possessor of 13 books because his adversity kept him in prison. Most of the time in his life. Here's a guy who writes about joy to a Philippian church wise in chains.

Finally, never fight alone. Get connected. Get connected. Hebrews 313 encourage one another, day after day as long as a still call today least anyone of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. If you just want to ward stick to get you focused. Okay, discouragement coming on number one get moving. Number two. Get perspective. Number three get mad fight fight fight. You get mad conceit. If you don't get mad, you feel sorry for yourself. I'm not let this happen not to let this attitude happen. I am looking with this loss of a job make me feel like I'm not a man not a woman I'm not can allow this person who said those things determine my future just because they said I can get that school is a lot of schools ought to fight and party need to get mad and say this is who I am gone you for me, give me strength. Give me direction and in the last one is you get connected before I go over there, just want to read this quote because business quote for me is just in a mysterious way. Our troubles allow us to discover and develop reservoirs of strength and perseverance that most of us don't realize we have when we lean on the Lord. He actually uses our struggles to expand our ability to deal with them.

It's a process that leads us to greater hope and deeper faith in terms of being proactive. As soon as I feel discouragement coming on. Here's a few things practical one. Write a note to someone, something I often do immediately get a workout. Those endorphins actually work do you feel like working out. Of course not, you don't feel go get a workout help someone take a walk, make a phone call saying but but you have to have to do something to to move you in the right direction because something sometimes to know are you ready like have some fun feel very spiritual when you're discouraged. Have some fun. Whatever makes fun for you to meet limited moral right good thing to make fun you do something because a lot of times you're right on that edge.

Another thing I do is I'll put on worship music and artistic my headphones on and find someplace I don't feel like singing but I do sing the second thing there is. Remember who God is. These are journals I probably have 50 or 80 of them. I don't know but what I'll do is I need to remember who God is. Psalm 103 says do not forget the works of the Lord. When you remember his works, it will cause you to remember his worth remembering his works and what he did, will lead you to who he is and so sometimes I'll pick him up just restoring I'll think aloud that's right.

It forgot my son was in ICU back then what we were lending struggles in a marriage that down just I just don't read him. Another thing I do is I'll pick up a classic book, JI Packer knowing God, you can almost open it anywhere or in my briefcase. I always keep a W toaster and I start reading about the goodness of God or the sovereignty of God or the omniscience of God.

What I know is I do remember who God is, or I'll take my little thing can Bo has little thing called handbook to prayer, and in it he just pray Scripture prayer back to God and I often start with God. I don't really feel like doing this and I do it out loud and I begin to pray these prayers out loud back to God and what I find is the discouragement begins to dissipate because one I'm getting perspective to I'm getting renewed instead of being fatigued and then fight fight fight on this one.

All I can say is I just often have to call someone that I know and say you just I'm really struggling right now I need someone to fight with me and here's what it is.

Here's why I think in and that's where you just have to get connected is gotta find someone somewhere who will you can be honest with share with they accept you as you are. You need to have a special friend or two that you can just open your heart and know that they're knocking to judge you because because the enemy wants to keep your discouragement or what you're discouraged about her the secret that you have as this thing and bombard you for ever and ever and ever and make you feel like you don't measure up. You'll never change. Nothings ever cut we long to obey what you said we want to be proactive. We want to remember who you are. We need this fire that you can put inside of us where we will fight instead of faint and lower wing we need one another and so in the name of the one who spoke in the world came into existence and in the name of the one who holds all things together by the word of his power in the name of the one who died for our sin and rose from the dead, and in the name of the one who caused your spirit to dwell inside of us as down payment for our own salvation. I ask you to bring breakthroughs in people's lives in healing and hope in Jesus will be right back just quickly this message. Discouragement is from his series pressing ahead using key chapters from the book of Nehemiah chip explains the truth about adversity where it comes from what to do when it threatens to bring you down and then how to keep pressing ahead no matter what Scripture calls Christians over comers but for many of us that just sounds like religious talk like spin too hard or too painful and we don't see how it's possible to rise above our circumstances which it reminds us with God nothing is impossible whether your adversity comes from circumstances, people, or even yourself with this series you will be encouraged to remember there's always hope to check out your resource options for keep pressing ahead. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org or tap special offers, discounts are available for a limited time, which report was the secret to Nehemiah being able to help this group that was very discouraged facing huge adversity to press ahead to really turn things around.

What what you see, was the real secret to success will Dave. Obviously there was the hand of God on them. He's a godly man but I think there's a key here and I think it's affirmation. I think all they could see was how much of the walls had fallen down and he helped them see how much of the walls were getting build up all they could see was all the adversity of all the people around them and all he could tell them was about the affirmation of the king and answered prayers in a new work that God wanted to do and so I think affirmation is going to be a key for those of us pressing ahead and coming through what we've been through in recent days, and whether that's a relational fallout of job loss, economic disaster, discouragement, we need to be able to affirm things that are true that anchor our hope not in how we see ourselves, not how others see us. Were not even how the world tells us things are, but we need to see ourselves first and foremost by how God sees us that were valued wanted that he's not given us a spirit of fear or timidity a bit of power and love and self-discipline and so we created a resource that is called affirmation cards and it takes the lies that we tend to believe this people lies about ourselves lies about the future lies about all kind of things that bring about us looking at the walls that are half built or the rubble.

That's everywhere and instead it it helps us affirm this is who God is. This is who we are in Christ. This is what he says and this is what Struve us.

Therefore it's in that that we begin to act. We act on the affirmation and the truth of God's word and I would encourage you to get a set of these affirmation cards. Some of the cards actually are geared very specifically because my wife taught me to use these first but I will tell you men, even though I've given them as gifts to women and women tend to really like them for two years. I reviewed these with my wife at a time when our marriage was in big trouble and her finances were in big trouble and we were deeply discouraged, and these cards help me see who I was in Christ, and it was through these truths that I can look back and say thank you God. We built on those and we more than made it through great encouragement. Thanks Chip well our affirmation cards are a great tool that can help you to still provide a solid anchor for hope because there the truth from God's word about who you are in Christ. This attractive set of hard stock cards is an effective way to renew your mind with Scripture to preview our affirmation cards online and take advantage of free shipping. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org order your sick today and maybe get a second set to give to a friend or to send as a gift affirmation cards you'll find them@livingontheedge.org special offers or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 as we close today's program and as we wrap up this message on facing discouragement. I want to go over the for very specific resources God has given us when you start feeling discouraged, or when you're right in the thick of it.

The first was be proactive, do not sit around. I mean get moving. Do something positive. Get a workout. Take a walk right in.

Note do something positive. The second is remember who is for you with God nothing is impossible. Discouragement starts really creeping down at the very depths of your soul and cause you to give up when you start thinking this is the way it is and it's never gonna change that's just not true. God is the God who created and spoke the universe into existence and he cares about you, he parted the Red Sea and he can part your red see you got a remember who is for you.

Third fight fight fight II just so fall into becoming a victim as it was, Sharon just yet. Even our last broadcast couple days ago I really in the middle of the afternoon started getting really discouraged and I started you know that all these thoughts about dinner. This isn't working out that's not working out and I have been very disciplined in this and into the condemnation I'm down on me and then after I got down on me. I started blaming other people in my mind and I just rails. I need to fight this is the enemy trying to take me down and I just needed to get mad and remember Teresa look at me and saying you know she asked those kind questions. At first, and then finally say no honey, I just think I'm struggling I'm going to go out to the garage right now.

I'm going to get a workout and I'm gonna pray out loud and that's what I did.

And you know what, 30 minutes later I was a new person but you got to fight. Don't sink you get a fight and then finally, never fight alone for some of you the will of God is to text a friend and say I am discouraged. Can we meet can we have coffee or to pick up the phone and say hey I'm really struggling today.

Could we just pray out loud on the phone for a one minute. Reach out and ask for help and by the way, if you know some of his discouraged God's will for you today. May be you email them you text them you call them and don't solve the problem, just say I sensed you were down and then do this. Maybe never done it before. I pray for you right now. I just pray for you right now and you will see the power of God come into human relationships. God bless you and keep pressing ahead Living on the Edge were happy to let you know about an easy way to listen to our extended teaching podcast your trip any time on Amazon's Alexa echo and echo.just say Alexa enabled the Chip Ingram podcast once Alexis enabled with that skill. All you need to say is Alexa played the Chip Ingram podcast you'll hear that there is extended teaching anytime you want will be sure to join us again next time, Mr. continues his series. Keep pressing ahead. Until then, for all of us here, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge