The Call to Encourage
by: Catherine Nichols
June 26, 2024
Exhortation, (Paraklésis): “to call to one’s side; to summon, encourage, admonish, entreat.”
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ”
I want you to think about a time when the Lord encouraged you.
Maybe you recently prayed and He supernaturally strengthened your weary spirit. Or, a time you worshipped Him on the way to work and His presence immediately filled your car. Maybe you were encouraged to read your Bible and the Lord opened your eyes to see your situation in a completely different way. How about a time when He fulfilled a longing in your heart with abundantly more than what you originally were expecting?
Now I want you to think about a time when the Lord encouraged you through someone else.
That random text from an acquaintance you hadn't talked to in forever who said "you've been on my heart lately" in a season you felt forgotten. What about that oddly relevant sermon a pastor delivered after you dragged your feet into a church in an unbelieving season? How about the new friend who unknowingly spoke a fitting word that brought clarity to a situation you desperately needed? Or maybe it was a word of affirmation spoken by someone you respect, imparting courage to your spirit and refreshing you with the renewed sense of faith that you needed to take that leap in your life.
We ALL need to be encouraged in the Lord! Young and old, new believers and seasoned vets alike.
Encouragement from the Lord
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
As long as your heart is beating, encouragement from the Lord is absolutely essential. In God's economy, encouragement is one of the most valuable currencies we can exchange. Why? Because we're promised 'in this world [we] will have trouble,' and we're encouraged to 'take heart' because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).
Encouragement in the Lord is available to you anytime - through His Word, His Spirit, His Son, Himself - and yes, even in His people! God is committed to encourage you. He wants to speak into that impossible situation you are facing. He doesn't want your heart to be troubled, or to be afraid (John 14:27). He wants to remind you of your identity as His child, to share of His unending love for you and the purpose He has ordained for your life before you were even conceived! He is at the ready to encourage, always! And we are a people forever in need of His encouragement.
Encouragement from the Citizens of Heaven
"Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just in fact as you are doing." 1st Thessalonians 5:11
If I had the rest of my life to tell of the incalculable amount of stories of times when I have received encouragement from the body of Christ - I would genuinely NOT have enough time. Most of these moments of encouragement didn't happen in a church setting. These moments include an encouraging text, someone showing up unexpectedly in a new season, or a friend teaching me to cook. It's an unwarranted stranger mowing my lawn (for free!!!). The friendly smile from the man working the car wash with one tooth saying 'God bless you, dear'. My mom driving to town to mop my floors. My mother in-law keeping my child. My husband cooking me breakfast. My sister challenging me. It is also the prayers of friends in house church - or text that says "we missed you guys" after missing a parenting class. It's the persistent people who don't give up on me despite the changing seasons.
I count this ALL as encouragement from the Lord. This list doesn't even include the prophetic words, deliverance received, the laying of hands, and church-setting types of encouragement - if we're going to be all religious about encouragement.
Encouragement from False gods: A Warning
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1
Be careful where you pull encouragement from. Are you encouraged by your latest paycheck? Does that new dress make you feel empowered? Are you dictated by your weight? Does money make you feel powerful? Are you finding freedom from pain in unhealthy coping mechanisms? Riddled in gossip? Pride? Unrighteousness? Where are you running to when you feel afraid? What are you taking solace in when times get hard?
I don't have time to list the many ways that false gods and golden calves are still operating in the world today, but check yourself - where do you draw strength, rest, and hope in? The world is GLAD to encourage you with that next purchase, doomscrolling, that vacay you've been eyeing, and whatever your mirror reflects. And don't EVEN get me started on the god we've turned food into... test the spirits! Is the encouragement in your life from God? Or are you receiving counterfeit encouragement from fake gods?
The Call to Encourage
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had." Romans 15:5
I want to call you into a lifestyle of receiving and giving Godly encouragement. This lifestyle has built me up in the Lord and has enabled me to be blessed beyond measure. It is truly far better to give than to receive! Encouraging others in the Lord is not only a call in our lives as believers, but it also has the power and ability to set us free from a spirit of poverty, unforgiveness, and bitterness. That is a blog for another time.
Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement? Is there someone in particular who has been on your heart? Even more difficult - someone who DOESN'T bless you, but could use some love? Pick up the phone! Coffee! A pen and paper! A meal! A smile! Imagine the revival an encouraged person can bring to a broken and desperately weary world.
When you are abiding in the Lord, you will be stirred to encourage others in Him, because, after all, when you receive encouragement from the King of Kings, you can't help but pass it on.
Who can you encourage, today?
Worship
Prayer for Today
Thank you Lord for the gift of encouragement! I open my heart to your voice today. Will you help me to receive all the ways you are encouraging me in this season? Search my heart and convict me where I am allowing false gods to encourage me! Today, I ask for the gift of encouragement! Soften my heart and make me sensitive to others. Help me be a spiritual cheerleader to those in my life around me. Amen!
Further Study
Isaiah 61
Related Posts
To love well as Christians, we must grasp the depths to which love went for us and understand how deeply we are loved. The Bible tells the story of a good Father who passionately loves His children, giving the most valuable possession of heaven to redeem us. Love paid a high price for us.