Refuse to be Discouraged!
REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED! 1 Pet. 4v12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery trial you are going through as if something strange was happening to you, BUT REJOICE!” We are in a war zone when we are engaged in spiritual warfare. The enemy will do all he can to attack us, discourage us, and stop us praying!
View opposition rightly, if you are doing something right the enemy doesn’t like it. Do not be surprised if the devil uses problems to test your faith and courage. A soldier on the battlefield is not surprised if a bullet whistles past over his head. The important thing is not the opposition, even if it comes from friends, but your attitude to the attack. REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED! That’s what the devil wants. What is the answer?
Peter said “REJOICE”, even if it’s an unexpected fiery trial. When you do not know what to do, you DO KNOW WHAT TO DO — take it to the Lord in prayer, says the hymn. When you can’t reason with someone, this battle belongs to the Lord. The opposite of discouragement is ENCOURAGEMENT! When David was having problems, he did the right thing - he ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord. Get into God’s presence, start praising and rejoicing, and you’ll find the joy of the Lord will be your strength. You will find ENCOURAGEMENT and guidance from God’s Word.
Pastor John Morgan