As I reflected on this, I was so discouraged that I didn't recognize this attack and that I allowed it to interfere with how I wanted to present the message that God had been so faithful to lay on my heart. Yesterday, I decided to speak to a Pastor friend of mine that I went to school with and I asked him how he handled discouragement. He told me that as a Pastor he often battled discouragement and shared some instances in the Bible where he thought key people in the Bible may also have dealt with discouragement. As I looked at these instances, I can't help but think that our Pastor must feel discouragement from time to time as well. I mean just because they're a Pastor doesn't mean they're immune to these things. I would say that when they have earnestly sought God, studied all that they can study, prayed until they don't know how to pray anymore and poured their heart into a message and it appears to fall on deaf ears, surely they don't just jump for joy afterward. They have to wonder what they could have or should have done differently which is exactly where I was and exactly where the enemy wanted to keep me. When I look back on the very thing I was teaching about in Acts 26:24-32, Paul was sharing his testimony with King Agrippa and Agrippa rejected the gospel. He said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian" I have to believe that Paul got discouraged from time to time as well. Discouraged because he wanted so badly for King Agrippa to be saved and really know Jesus the way he knew Jesus.
Last night almost as soon as I walked in the door I was hit with one thing after another. This morning, God began showing me that when we let our guard down and submit to discouragement that we open the door for more attacks from the enemy because we are at a weakened state of mind. My whole mentality of thinking was completely opposite of what God desires out of me and that if I remained in this state of discouragement the attacks of the enemy would become harder for me to resist. So I had to make a decision to RESIST discouragement and stop SUBMITTING to it. I had to acknowledge that my feelings do not rule me. I have control over what I choose to think about and I will not meditate on the "what ifs" and discouragement any longer.
I'm saying all this to say that as easy as discouragement came on me I think it can easily come on our Pastor and even the people leading our Praise and Worship every Sunday. Let's pray against discouragement this week, let’s pray that God will help us to easily recognize and resist discouragement in our lives and to keep our focus on him, his Kingdom and his purpose.
Read for encouragement:
John 16:33
Romans 8:18
Romans 8:28
Joshua 1:5
Prayer List
1. Divine Protection for Pastor and Family
2. Holiness
3. Heart like Hur to pray through the battle/strength when weary
4. Revival
5. Steadfastness
6. Surrender/Church about our Fathers business
7. Discernment
8. Worship in Spirit and Truth
9. Trust
10. Pray to be led by the Holy Spirit
11. Resist Discouragement
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