Sunday, August 5, 2018 – Ephesians 6:22
The Encouragement of a Believer to Fellow Believers, Pt. 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZVArTPY6Co
Grace Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard
5. The Encouragement,
vs. 21-24.
Eph 6:22, “I have sent him to you for this
very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your
hearts.”
Principles of Encouragement, (continued).
Previously, we have
noted points 1-5. They are summarized below, and then we continue with point 6.
1. Many people associate encouragement with flattery, compliments,
or common little expressions like: “Oh you look nice today,” “Have a nice day,”
or “Take care.” That is not what encouragement is. Those expressions are fine,
there is nothing wrong with them, but they are not Biblical encouragement.
Encouragement means, “to put courage in someone; give hope or confidence.” It
is also a kind of support that inspires confidence in others and a will to continue
or develop that confidence.” That is a great concept!
2. God is the true comforter, and we can give encouragement or
affirmation from and based on His Word.
3. Christ is the master of encouragement. He is the most
encouraging Person Who ever lived. He was always saying things to other people
for the purpose of making their lives better. Even when Jesus was blasting the
religious leaders of Israel, He did it to correct their wrongs, but also to
encourage His followers by pointing to the truth. Jesus was able to take any
situation and use it for encouragement. He always found the best in any
situation.
4. Pastors are to encourage with the Word, Acts 15; Rom 15:4; 1 Thes 3:2;
2 Tim 4:2; Titus 1:9; 2:15.
5. All believers are
to encourage each other which has the result of edifying your neighbor, Eccl 10:12; Eph 4:29; 1 Thes 5:11; Heb
10:25.
6. We are to
encourage one another to serve, Acts
18:27-28; 1 Cor 16:12.
Acts 18:27-28, “And
when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him (Apollos) and wrote to the
disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who
had believed through grace, 28for he powerfully refuted the Jews in
public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”
1 Cor 16:12, “But
concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with
the brethren; and it was not at all his
desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”
7. There is a
spiritual gift of encouragement, the gift of
exhortation, PARAKALON, Rom 12:5, 8.
It is one of the permanent spiritual gifts that includes: 1)
Pastor-Teacher, 2) Evangelism, 3) Administration / Governments / Ruling, 4)
Ministering or Service, 5) Helps, 6) Exhortation, 7) Giving, 8) Showing Mercy,
and 9) Faith.
The one with the
gift of exhortation will counsel, comfort,
warn, and advise his fellow brethren, leading them into the
active realization of the will of God.
Rom
12:8, “Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he
who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Exhortation is the supernatural ability to
encourage, counsel, comfort, admonish,
warn, and advise others. This gift is also described as anyone who is honest
with you as if they were a friend. It is the special ability to minister words
of comfort, consolation, encouragement, and counsel to other members of the
Body of Christ, so that they feel helped and healed. Being different from plain
teaching, it is an appeal for action. It is the practical aspect of a preaching
ministry. It leads people into the active realization of the will of God.
Yet, as we have noted
above, exhortation is a part of every believer’s “General Service,” as noted in, Acts 15:36f, 2
Cor 1:4 ; Phil 2:1-8 ;
Heb 3:13; 10:25; 1 Thes
4:18; 5:11, 14; 1 Tim 4:13 .
8.
As we are instructed to comfort one another, we also see that we can do these
things for ourselves in spiritual adulthood. We have the permanent Indwelling
of the Holy Spirit, the Filling of the Spirit, and the ministry of the Spirit
in teaching, metabolizing, and applying Bible doctrine. Beginning with
Spiritual Self-Esteem, you counsel yourself; you comfort yourself; you warn
yourself; you advise yourself through application of the Word of God, John
14:26; Rom 15:4; Heb 6:18.
Rom 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was
written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of
the Scriptures we might have hope.”
9. On the flip side is Discouragement that we should not have in
our own lives and not project to the lives of others, because discouragement
is:
a. A thief: It steals your
vitality, your zeal, your joy, your peace, and your contentment. If
discouragement dwells long within you, its friends will soon join. Their names
are fatigue, hopelessness, despair, self-pity, depression, doubt, and
bitterness. Sometimes, discouragement can be so strong that you even do not
want to go on living.
b. It is dissatisfaction
with the past, distaste for the present, and distrust of the future.
c. It is the result of
blindness.
d. It is ingratitude for
the blessings of yesterday, indifference to the opportunities of today, and
insecurity regarding strength for tomorrow.
e. It is unawareness of
the presence of God, unconcern for the needs of our fellow man, and unbelief in
the promises of His Word.
Conclusion:
If we have nothing to rely on, or we forget our blessings and look
to our circumstances, then that is when discouragement begins to take hold.
Instead, what we need is encouragement. We need hope and peace, and the
knowledge that the Lord knows our troubles and has great concern and compassion
for us, and is not leaving us unloved or uncared for.
Keeping your eyes on Jesus is the best way to be encouraged, Heb 12:2. In Him, you can have comfort,
peace, and encouragement. You need to find Him and His words, and by faith rest
in Him.
Be encouraged, because God is a God of mercy and comfort, He is
called the “Father of Mercies,” 2 Cor
1:3.
2
Cor 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort.”
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