Love in Action through Encouragement:

Encouragement is about giving hope and consolation especially to those who are discouraged amidst much pressure in life. Encouragers are very few, and everyone is in need of encouragement in some way. It also entails encouraging  into faith in order to finish the race, remain in sound doctrine  and emphasizing on God’s promises.

What does the Bible say about encouragement:

Titus 2:15b –  As a young leader, and in keeping with the sound doctrine, Titus was urged to encourage and rebuke with all authority in keeping with the right doctrine.

Acts 9:26 – 27 – Barnabas [which means son of encouragement – Acts 4:32-36] is the one who  presented Saul to the disciples when others feared his due to his previous record of persecuting the Church.  In v31, we see the Church being encouraged by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:32-36 – Believers share their possessions. [Encouragers share with others and give towards ministry work  and a good cause]

Hebrews 3:13 – We are urged to encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today. Meaning, it is a continuous process ‘everyday’ because everyday we face discouragements which can easily pull us down.

Col 3:21 –  Fathers [parents] are instructed not to   embitter their children, lest they become discouraged. [Discouraged children cannot excel in their God given gifts and talents, and parents should not be partakers in that]

1 Timothy 5:1  – Gives instructions of how a young leader [Timothy] should treat the elderly.  “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort[‘admonish and encourage’] him as if he were your father”.

Qualities of an Encourager:

Acts 11:24 – Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and Faith. [When we have faith, the Holy Spirit empowers us and  helps us to become encouragers]

Acts 15:39 – Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company because of John mark, who had abandoned them in their previous missionary journey. Paul did not want to go in the next missionary journey with John mark, thus he chose Silas instead.

But instead Barnabas went with John mark [despite his weaknesses].  Encouragers push the weak into faith, good deeds and to the target, and  patiently encourage the weak.

Later Paul asks for John mark  to join him [ he must have heard how he had grown in faith under the mentorship/encouragement of Barnabas]  : Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11 (Mark with Paul).

Had Barnabas abandoned John Mark and not encouraged his to remain firm in mission hardships, probably we could not have the Gospel of Mark which he later wrote targeting the Gentile Audience.

1 Thessalonians 5:14b – We are commanded to encourage those who are disheartened.

Exodus 6:9  -Records how the Israelites failed to listen to listen to Moses because they were very discouraged due to harsh labour in Egypt as slaves. [It is good to encourage people who are going through turmoil and harsh conditions to stand firm in the promises of God]. Discouragement is a powerful tool that Satan uses, so that we can fail to hear him speaking to us.

What to do when Discouraged:

1 Samuel 30:6 –  ^“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God”. [When in distress, tears, sorrow and mourning, we should find our strength in the Lord, encourage ourselves in the Lord. He is the source of our strength]