Biblical Encouragement

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Southeast Christian Church

Mar 23, 2021

We live in such a works-based world that even the way we encourage one another is backwards. We believe that everything we do is based on our own hard work, so we crave the approval of people saying, “Job well done!” But true Biblical encouragement is giving courage that points us to God before we head into the struggle, rather than pointing us back to ourselves after we’ve come through the struggle.

If sustained struggle leads to discouragement then it wouldn’t make sense to give words of encouragement at the end. If the point of encouragement is to give courage and avoid discouragement, we should follow God’s example and give courage to our brothers and sisters when they need it most: before heading into battle.

Think about the ramifications of the church making encouragement a priority for their brothers and sisters heading into battle. We would walk onto the spiritual battlefield armed with courage, fearless in our fight, and covered in the armor of God. Imagine a community that notices you’re having a hard time and immediately speaks courage into your life. If we commit to living in this way, we will experience the victory that God can have over every battle we face in our lives.

Reflection/Discussion Question: Who do you need to speak courage into in your life right now?

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