On Discouragement
There are certain things God cannot do. He's all powerful, almighty, but God cannot lie. God cannot go against who he is and his love. He doesn't want people that he will force. He doesn't want relationships based on fear. He wants those who will choose to some people say, oh, why doesn't God just make us born again? No, that's why he gave us free will, because of love. It's just God's plan. I don't know about you, but sometimes when I sit and think about you, I'm talking about this like this, it makes me want to cry because it's so gentle and peaceful and amazing, and people will sit tearing apart tearing it apart or debating about it. I'm just like, I don't understand. This thing is smooth. It's smoother than anything else. What you want God to do that he has not done. Imagine the glory of God. And he condescended through Jesus to wear this flesh that we wear. And it wasn't like God came down and just became direct. He was born as one of us. As a baby, he had to put his care in the hands of a woman just like the rest of us, to be raised to diapers or whatever they used back then, to be fed, to be taken care of till they grew up.
He went through all of that for us, they say approximately 30 years before the ministry actually begins. So he went through life. This is why the Bible says he understands. Jesus understands. I don't want to get weird, but don't think there weren't women or other temptations around Jesus's life. He understands. He he got to see it.
He pushed through by the Spirit. He overcame everything so that if he overcomes being a man, we can overcome to be sons of God and daughters of God. This is God's perfect plan based on grace, not based on paying through some works or some offering or tithes or whatever you have. Anything you have, he made. He gave somebody. Wherever you are. Praise God. He is our peace. Praise to God. Praise to God. Praise to God. Praise to God. Sorry, please. Go ahead. Sorry. Psalm 150, please.
Psalm 150. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise Him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise Him with the sultry and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance. Praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud symbols. Praise Him upon the high sounding symbols. Let everything that has breath everything that.
Has breath, praise the Lord.
Amen. Amen. Amen. Okay. Praise God. Praise God. Brothers and sisters, I want to talk to you about I don't want to talk to you about discouragement. I want to talk to you about overcoming discouragement. There's a lot of this around us. There's a lot of it around us. There's a lot of it around us, and we have to know that our being is not from what's outside of us. I keep saying this. It sounds too far fetched, but really who we are as believers in Jesus is not from what's on the outside. It's from what God has put inside of us. It's inside out by faith. Grace has put it into us. Faith pushes it out. I'm going to read from Psalm 119 to start. Psalm 119. I'm reading verses 74 through 79. It says, they that fear thee will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in thy word. Hoped in thy word. Interesting. Verse 75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness has afflicted me. In faithfulness has afflicted me a purpose. God has a purpose. Verse 76. Let I pray Thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort according to thy word unto thy servant.
Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live, for thy law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed.
I'll read from 77 again. I'm still in 119. Psalm 119, it says, Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live, for thy law is my delight. Verse 78. Let the proud be ashamed, for they dealt perversely with me without a cause. Later I'm going to be telling you the difference between disappointment and discouragement. Very briefly, I'll just tell you disappointment happens to everybody. Discouragement is a spirit like. There's no way to exist in this world without disappointment. But discouragement is something else. Discouragement is what can hold you down in the deep. And that's not okay. That's not our portion. Verse 79 let those who fear thee turn on to me and those that have known thy testimonies. Okay. I want to also read from verse I want to read Psalm 37. Just some words to encourage us before I get into the main part of what I have to share. Psalm 37. From verse 34 to 40, it says, Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Verse 35. I've seen the wicked in great power. Do you see? Like, you'd be asking, why is this person making it? Why don't I make it? Why does this one have a child or a husband or a wife and I don't have, and they don't even believe in God? Why, Lord? Why? David says, I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Verse 36. Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not. He was not meaning he disappeared. He's gone. Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Verse 37, mark the perfect man and behold the upright. For the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors excuse me. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together. The end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord salvation. There's a problem with that word. We have taken that word to only.
The day we arrive in heaven. It's not so. The kings of the Old Testament, I think even Moses called God the Lord their salvation over and over again when they had victories in battles. Your salvation is not just getting to heaven, the Lord is your salvation for every battle you face, including overcoming discouragement. Have that in mind as we go forward, because some of us is just get born again and wait for heaven. And it leads us to have very unhappy, unfulfilled lives. Paul said, I'm content in lack and in plenty. He was fulfilled. The contentment, salvation, peace. All these things we're mentioning is not in what you have. It is in the Lord, it's in God. This is why discouragement should have no place amongst us. But let's take it easy. Let's take it easy. I read from verse 39, I pick up from there. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength in the time of trouble. Verse 40 says, and the Lord shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they what? Because they trust in him.
I'm going to read verse 40 again. He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them. Why is he doing this? Because they trust in him. Conditional. Because they trust in him. Not because they attend church, not because of the size of their offering, not because they help the poor or the needy. Because they trust in him. Very key, very key. As we move forward, Sister Patsy, I'm going to ask you to please read for us. We're going to read just for 1 minute because I need to I'm sorry everyone, my power just went out, so I need to put on the backup. If not, you may lose me very quickly. So the reading, that was going to be for later.
Could you please read Proverbs eight and Psalm eleven? Proverbs eight and Psalm eleven. I'll be listening, but I just need to run to put on the backup power, please. Okay, but my mic will be closed, so proverbs eight and Psalm eleven.
Psalm eleven. Okay. Proverbs eight. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice.
Sorry, yeah. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice. She standeth in the top of high places, by the way, in the spirits of the paths. She cryeth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in, at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart here for I will speak of excellent things and the opening of my lips shall be right things for my mouth shall speak truth. And wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing furrow or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth and write. To them that find knowledge, receive my instruction, and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogance and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom I am understanding. I have strength. By me kings reign and princes decree justice. By me princes rule and nobles, even all the judges of the earth, I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honor are with me, yea durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold yea, than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there were no fountains abounding with water before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. While, as yet he hath not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there. When he set a compass upon the face of the depth when he established the clouds above when he strengthened the fountains of the deep when he gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment, when he appointed the foundations of the earth then I was by him as one brought up with him.
And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth. And my delights were with the sons of men. Now therefore, hearken unto me, O ye children for blessed are they that keep my ways hear instruction, and be wise and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth life and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul, and they that hate me love death. Amen. Okay. Psalms 1111 in the eleven in the Lord put I my trust. How say ye to the soul? Flee as a bird to your mountain. For lo, the wicked bend their bow. They make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men, the Lord tryth the righteous. But the wicked and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth upon the wicked he shall reign snares fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest.
This shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous. Lord loveth righteousness. His countenance doth behold the upright. Amen.
Okay, just let me know if it cuts out. I'm piggybacking on your WiFi. So just want to know. Thank you. Okay, brothers and sisters, let's call it what it is. There's a lot of pain and trouble in the world today. We're talking about overcoming discouragement. Lord gave me a word to share and I pray it helps someone. I believe it's the Lord. I am persuaded. There's actually so much to be discouraged, depressed and anxious about if we look at it by our eyes, just turn on the news. But all of that, all of those dark feelings, they belong to the world. I want to say that again. I said there's a lot of pain and trouble in the world, so much to be discouraged, depressed, and anxious about. But all of that, all of those dark feelings, they belong to the world. It doesn't belong to the church. It does not belong to the body of Christ, because Jesus owns the body. Jesus is the Lord of his own body. Jesus is not discouraged. But with that said, sadly, discouragement has come in amongst us and has even built a house in the lives of some of us who believe on Jesus.
A key question is this what Jesus wants for us? We've become comfortable with it, that we're like, well, that's just part of life. That's not the question. The question is, is this what Jesus wants for us? Because there are two possible answers. Yes, it's what Jesus wants for us. So, okay, that's fine. But no, if that's not what Jesus wants for us, then definitely Jesus has made a way for us not to be under that cloud. I say no, but don't take my word for it. Let's all turn to John 16. Let's turn to John 16 and hear just one verse, the word of our Lord Jesus himself. These are words, the words we're about to read were Jesus's last words before his great prayers, jesus's great prayer for himself, for the apostles, for the Church to come in John 17, the last words he says before he starts to pray for himself, the Apostles and we who will believe? And immediately after that we know he's arrested and crucified. What were the last words he says? My question was does Jesus want us to have discouragement living as a landlord or a co tenant or housemate in our midst?
Here are the words of Jesus I'm reading from verse 33 from John 1633 jesus says to you and me these things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace.
The world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world I'm going to read that again. We say we believe in Jesus, we believe in his word. How much do we believe? Hear the words of the one we believe in the one we believe on these things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. That's John 1633 so Jesus does not want us to have discouragement with us amongst us lifted up like it's meant to be part of us. Instead, what does he want for us? What did he say he wants for us? Peace. His peace in him. And he wanted us to have his joy. That's why he says be of good cheer, my friends let us not look on these words and just put them aside. Jesus spoke those words to all believers for all time. Yes, we turn on the news, we say the world is falling apart, wars here and there, all these things going on but Jesus spoke those words to believers for all time.
Jesus spoke those words for the benefit of all believers, including you and I of this time. Amen. But the first people who are going to have to live by those words were actually the Apostles and the early Christians early Christians who suffered unbelievable troubles and great persecution. You read some of the history books they say some of them were boiled in oil, cut down men, women and children who are constantly on the run for their lives hiding out because of their faith in the Gospel of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those Apostles, deacons, early Christians all pass through the flames of troubles and painful persecution to make sure the message of this Gospel did not die with them for the sake of we who would need the Gospel in years to come but were not yet born. Speaking of the Apostles, listen to this passage concerning the Twelve open your Bibles to Acts, chapter five acts, chapter five. I'll start from verse 17. In Acts chapter five, it says then the high priests rose up and all that were with them, which is the sect of the Sadducees, and were filled with indignation and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in common prison.
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors and brought them forth and said, go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. Verse 21 and when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest came and they were with him and called the council together. And all the Senate of the children of Israel are sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came in prison, they returned and told, saying the prison truly found we shut with all safety and the keepers standing without before the doors. But when we had opened, we found no man within. Verse 24 now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these words, they doubted them whereon to this would grow. Then came one and told them, Sounds like the devil. Then came one and told them, saying, behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and preach teaching the people. Verse 26. Then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
And when they had brought them as they set them before the council and the high Priest asked them, saying, did we not straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name? They're referring to the name of Jesus, of course. And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Verse 29. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said we ought to obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree, him as God exalted, him as God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things. And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him. Praise God. I jump forward to verse 37 37 after this after this man rose up Judas of Galilee in those days sorry, I'm going to read from verse 38. And now I say unto you from verse 38 I'm still in Acts five and now I say unto you, refrain from these men and let them alone.
For if this council or this work be of men, it will come to not. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it. Do you see? If you are of God, you cannot be overthrown. This is an unbeliever saying. It an unbeliever is saying, if it be of God, you cannot be overthrown. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it. Less happily ye be found even to fight against God. That man was not speaking of his flesh. He was God speaking through him. Verse 40 and to him they agreed. And when they had called the apostles and beaten them. This is the key part I wanted to get to. I just needed to give you the backstory, so it's not my word. I wanted you to hear how it got this far. So when they had called the apostles and beat them, they should not speak in the name of Jesus, so they beat them, then told them, don't preach in that name anymore and let them go. What happens in verse 41 and 42? Listen to this. And they that's the disciples, the apostles, departed from the presence of the council rejoicing, and they departed from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. They rejoiced that they were beaten. Wow. Don't get it twisted. They didn't have a savior complex. They didn't have a punishment fetish. They didn't go looking to be persecuted. They were taken, they were arrested, they were beaten, they didn't ask for it. And they came out rejoicing. Why didn't they come out discouraged? Why didn't they come out telling everybody, they beat us. Maybe we shouldn't be teaching, maybe we shouldn't be preaching, maybe we should just try and take this faith on the down low. Why didn't they go from house to house saying they beat us? It was so painful. See the marks over and over again? They came out rejoicing. Those were men who had every reason in that moment to come out feeling discouraged. But what did they do? They came out rejoicing just after taking a smashing. Most people on the planet would say, that's just crazy. These people are fanatics, they're insane. But we who are believers are meant to see the reaction of the Twelve for what it was. For what it is.
It is the culture of the kingdom. You see, the culture of the Twelve in that moment. And our culture, the culture of the kingdom is simply the character of our Lord Jesus, and the character of our Lord Jesus is simply the fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a slice of the fruit. They came out rejoicing evidence. We like saying, oh, by your fruit, by your fruit, you know them. By your fruit they showed fruit is our complaining and continuous discouragement. And the state of feeling downtrodden is that the culture of the kingdom? Is that the fruit? Okay, personally, to this day, I believe Jesus and the Father were looking down at the Twelve as they rejoiced after that beating. And in that moment, all God could truly see was twelve copies of Jesus rejoicing. The twelve of them. He could just see twelve copies of Jesus. Also hear this from the apostle James, who was pastor over, I believe, the Jerusalem Church from James, chapter one, two to four. James one, two to four. He says, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this that the trying of your faith, dear.
The trying of your faith. All of those disappointments that happen, it is the trying of your faith. James says it works patience. It worketh. Patience, verse four says, but let Patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Let Patience have her work, that ye may be perfect, entire, wanting nothing. Okay, listen to this again from the apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul. Second Corinthians Two Corinthians chapter Four I read eight to eleven. Second corinthians four. Eight to eleven. Paul says, we are troubled on every side. Listen to these words. It's not just poetry, people. This is real. These were their lives, and the Holy Spirit used it to pen to us so we know how to get through also without looking like victims. Two corinthians four. I'm reading eight to eleven. He says, we are troubled on every side. But what does he say next? He says, yet not distressed. You see, he's going through the situation. He's troubled on every side, but he does not accept the darkness that's trying to come in, which is distress. Troubled on every side, yet not distressed. Okay, next. He says we are perplexed.
Again, anybody can be perplexed. Believer on believer, you can be perplexed. It's a normal thing in this fallen world. But what does Paul say next? He says, but not in despair. You see, all of these extras are spiritual. There's normal happening there's spiritual attack, troubled on every side. Normal can happen. Feeling distressed, spiritual attack, perplexed, normal for a moment, despair, spiritual attack, trying to use the perplexed moment. He goes on in verse nine, persecuted, but not forsaken. Because if you feel forsaken, that's his spiritual attack, because God has told you, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. He says, Cast down but not destroyed. Destruction is not our calling, it's not our inheritance. People can cast us down, make fun of us, do whatever they like to us, but they cannot destroy us. Exactly the same thing with Job. God gave the devil permission. He said, do all of that, but don't touch his life. He was cast down, but not destroyed. Verse ten, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are going through those things, we are bearing the death parts of the death of Christ in our own bodies.
Then he goes on, that the life also. The same way we are bearing in our bodies the dying of the Lord. He goes on to say that the life also, that's the life of Jesus, the life of the resurrected Jesus also may ultimately be manifested in us. Sorry, 1 second. Okay, needed to switch something. What's he saying here? He's saying that we go through things, and on the other side of it, we're able to experience the life of Jesus resurrected. But the problem is, we just want to jump forward to experiencing jesus resurrected all the enjoyment. But we don't want to suffer for him the way he suffered for us. But we just read about the apostles celebrating. They were happy to be able to suffer for the Lord, but we don't want to suffer anything. We don't want to give up anything. Is that how it's meant to be? Are we creating a version of this faith that we are comfortable with rather than what the Bible says to us? Is that why we are over and over disappointed? Because you see, if I buy a television set, for example, if I read the manual and I accept the manual, then I accept what that television can do, what it would show me, what it would do for me.
I'm good. Like if I've seen the television is only going to give me black and white pictures, I'm good. I won't be disappointed when I see black and white. But you see, when you buy the black and white television and in your mind you create this image of it being colored when you put it on and you are seeing black and white, that's when you are disappointed. If you are deceived, that you are not meant to bear any troubles in your body. Your spirit has no trouble, you are at peace. But your body in this life can bear trouble, just as Jesus's body bore trouble at that time. That's what he's telling us. Verse eleven he says for we which live are always delivered onto death for Jesus's sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest through our mortal flesh. Do you see? Jesus comes alive in you when you go through troubles and respond in the spirit. Those are the words of Paul himself about how bad things were for him. And I can assure you that other apostles suffered similar troubles that most of us know nothing about because we're so pampered.
Paul said they were troubled on every side, perplexed, persecuted, cast down. And with that, my friends, you have to ask why did these apostles keep going without complaining all the time? Why aren't there letters in the Bible full of them complaining? Why did they keep going? Why did they keep moving forward in the faith without complaining and without allowing discouragement become the anthem of their day? I believe they were able to keep going because they trusted in Jesus. They trusted in every word Jesus taught them. The apostles remember Jesus had said the words I read earlier. What are those words? Jesus said these things I have spoken unto you that ye might have peace, that in me ye might have peace. Jesus said in the world ye shall have tribulation. But what be of good cheer. Why I have overcome this world for you and for everyone who will believe in Me. These words from Jesus gave these apostles and the early believers the peace and the. Good cheer they needed when they were troubled on every side. This is why Paul wrote troubled on every side, yet not distressed. Perplexed, but not in despair.
Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. Peace and joy in our spirits. We all have peace and joy in our spirits, but not all of us have peace and joy in our hearts. I'll say again, as believers, we have peace and joy in our spirits because that's where the Holy Spirit is. But not all of us have put that peace and joy in our hearts and so it does not reflect in our lives. We talk good game, but a magnifying glass will show the truth. You see, a heart that has true peace and good share from Jesus through the Holy Spirit simply cannot continuously entertain discouragement at the same time. I say that again. A heart that has true peace and joy from Jesus through the Holy Spirit simply cannot continuously entertain discouragement at the same time. Someone says james, how are you getting that from these Scriptures? Look to Galatians Five. Galatians, chapter five. I'll give you verse 16 and 17. Galatians 516 and 17. Application of the word. It says, this I say, then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lost of the flesh. It's crazy how when we hear the lost of the flesh we only think about fornication, money, adultery.
But wait. By the grace of God alone, I will teach you what I have learned. I repeat the Scripture and then I go to verse 17. This I say. Then walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lost of the flesh. That's 16 verse 17. Now for the flesh lost against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary one to another so that ye cannot do the things ye would. What does that have to do with what we are talking about? Listen to me now. The peace and joy of the Lord Jesus is of the Spirit. I say again, the peace and joy good share of our Lord Jesus is of the Spirit, but discouragement is of the flesh. So they are contrary to one another peace and joy from the Lord. Discouragement. They cannot stay in one place, they cannot coexist in your heart at the same time. The peace and joy of the Lord cannot be in your heart at the same time as discouragement. And it is you. It is you, james, it's you. Patties, you. Max, it's you. Kim. It's you. Diane, it's you. Kat, it's you.
Jill, it's you. Vanessa is you. Kelvin, it's you. November. It's you. Nick. It's you. Fanuel. It's you, Esther. Dr. Fauci. It's you. Frank, it's you. Ruth, it's you. Sean, it's you. Ruth, it's you. Sharon. It's you. Every single one of us. It is you who gets to choose by faith in the Lord Jesus or by lack of faith, whether you are walking in the peace and joy of the Lord Jesus, or in the spirit of discouragement ruling over your heart, because it's not Jesus's job. Jesus has already made his peace and joy available by his blood that was shed for you. Stop trying to crucify multiple times. It cannot happen. He did it. It is finished. Open the tap and drink. You choose. When it comes to these, you can decide for me and my own person, take responsibility to believe what's in the Bible. Well, I'm depending on Jesus. He's done it already. My brothers and sisters, listen. We've all been disappointed and discouraged. But I pray from today, maybe one person here or two will believe, understand and embrace the words of Jesus as the apostles did, such that they were able to overcome in their own time.
I pray at least one person here will particularly understand, believe and embrace that word from Jesus that I will repeat for the last time. These things have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the world, ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Amen. Amen. Amen. And amen. So if it isn't clear already today, we are talking about we as believers. Believers overcoming discouragement. If you are here or listening and you are not yet a believer, hopefully you will change your mind and choose to believe in Jesus in your heart by the time you leave here. But for now, I'm talking to my brethren in Christ. Brothers and sisters, the second word.
The message title is key for tonight. Excuse me, I meant to say the first word is key. You see, as believers, our lives should not be given to talking about discouragement and discouraging circumstances. No, if we have to talk about a situation to pray about it, so be it. But after that, let it be and leave it to God. Be anxious for nothing. Put it in God's hands by supplication. Then let God do the work. Trust him. Believers, our lives should be about overcoming discouragement, not talking about the discouragement. It's about overcoming discouragement by standing on the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross and by his resurrection from the grave. I say again, as believers, our lives should not be about talking about discouragement. No, as believers, our lives should be about overcoming discouragement by standing on the finished works of Jesus at the cross and his resurrection from the grave. With that said, allow me to introduce you to a man called Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man of God in the Old Testament who didn't start. He didn't start as much at the beginning of his story. He's living in exile from the homeland.
He's a wine serving servant to a foreign king. Wine serving servant? That comes across as a tautology, but forgive me. We'll look at portions of Scripture from Nehemiah and we will see his maturity, his growth from being disappointed because there are stages to this.