Psalm 43:5 is an example of encouraging yourself in the Lord!
5Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my [sad] countenance, and my God.
We've read before (1 Samuel 30:6) that there were times when David had to encourage himself! The psalmist here did just that! He spoke to himself first asking WHY he was in that mindset! He knew he had so much to be grateful for, and you and I do, too! Let's encourage ourselves in the Lord so WE can help someone else do the same!
I really like the Amplified Bible for 2 Timothy 1:7:
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
The word "power" is the Greek word, "dunamis", which means: miraculous power or force! It is were we get the word dynamite! Remember that fear, if it does not come from God, and it doesn't, has only one other source possible and that is the devil! you do NOT want to receive anything that the devil has to offer, so don't even accept those thoughts of fear when they come. Notice that I said "when" and not "if"! Those thoughts WILL come because the devil will keep trying, but you and I have authority over our minds and what we choose to accept or reject. When those thoughts come, REJECT them as from the enemy and REPLACE them with 2 Timothy 1:7! Say it right our loud so that the devil hears it and YOU hear it! Remember that faith comes by hearing, so hear yourself speaking God's Word and faith will come and faith will grow! AMEN! I also like verse 14:
14Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth] which has been entrusted [to you], by the [help of the] Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us.
It is MY responsibility to feed on the Word of God as my vital food and then to guard and protect that Word in my heart so that the enemy cannot steal it away! How does he do that? He tries to get us to disbelieve the Word and to believe the evil report! DON'T DO IT! Keep the Word of God alive in you by mediating on it every day! Set a goal to learn something new about the Lord every day through His Word. That IS one of the reasons we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us! He wants to teach us the Word and make that Word come alive as we give Him the opportunity!
In Isaiah 3-4 we see the results of a nation that turns away from the things of God! We can see some of these things happening in our nation! When you are tempted to be discouraged by the things you see happening around you, remember Isaiah 3:10:
10Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
The word righteous is referring to those in right standing with God! Those who have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour! You are obedient to His Word and when you miss it, you confess it and get back on track! The promise to us is that it shall be well with us! "Well" is the Hebrew word, "towb", which we have looked at many times, and means: [good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, rich, appropriate, better, benefit, happiness, welfare and prosperity]. And we shall eat the fruit of OUR deeds! In other words, we won't have to reap the results that are surely coming to pass on those that do wickedly and contrary to God's Word. We shall have good and Godly results as long as we operate in obedience to is Word! Let's continue to do so! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
