The great deceiver - the devil- has his eyes on the church! Perhaps Satan has no more potent tool in his arsenal capable of "undoing" God's people and destroying their thrust than that of discouragement. Typically, things seem to go well for a while and then the sky falls in. That's the strategy of hell ... catch them with their guard down, undermine their efforts while "all is at ease at Zion." Moving forward, attaining, growing, prospering in the greatest cause on earth, quite naturally clutters our pathway with a host of things which need to be done, projects that must be undertaken, and opportunities begging to be accepted. However, for some reason we cannot seem to muster enough strength, rally enough people, find enough money to get the job done. Then there it is ... bold, blatant discouragement, staring down, daring us to make good!
Maybe the answer should be obvious to us. It is quite possible we have been depending on our own strength, on people, and on money, and showing little faith in that One who can speak the universe into existence, establish kingdoms and depose kings, stop the sun and dry up clouds, and who can raise the dead ... GOD! It is in times of discouragement when God should loom large in our lives, our hopes, our goals, our aspirations.
The Israelites faced tremendous odds and discouragement soon after the death angel made its last horrible pass over Pharaoh's defenseless Egypt. They hurried eastward in anticipation of that "promised land" that lay not too far beyond the desert. But, while the distance was not all that great, the trip, itself, was not to be an easy one, as they were soon to learn. With Pharaoh's army in hot pursuit and a vast, formidable wilderness to the right and the left, the Israelites were confronted with seemingly forbidding Red Sea waters. In their minds, there was no escape and among other things they cried, "For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14:12). Big time discouragement! Moses, in reply to their worry and fret urged, "Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:13,14).
Unrest, discord, indifference, and threats of many kinds ... there are times in the life of the church when "Pharaoh's army" is bearing down on us. But remember, the Lord will fight for us, He will show us a way if we will put our faith and trust in Him. It takes faith in God, a great deal of it, to accomplish the Lord's work. Discouragement suggests we have our ear bent toward the devil and our hearts not inclined toward God. There is so much work, so much good which the church needs to be doing. There are so many opportunities of which the church needs to take advantage. There are so many goals the church needs to set and reach after. Be not discouraged!
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Most recent revision Tuesday, September 23, 1997