The
devil's tools are many, but one stands above the rest. The tool of choice is
not the expected vices like hatred, jealousy, envy, or murder. No, the
frequently used tool of the devil is discouragement and depression. It is used
often on account of its effectiveness on people, especially God's people.
I am
convinced that the devil's ambition is to discourage and depress God's people
so that he can go to the lost and dying world and say, "Do you want to be
like those Christians, all depressed and discouraged?"
In my
personal life I struggle with discouragement and depression. The greatest
solace I receive is from the word of God. In the Bible, you have men and women
of God who struggled with discouragement and depression. You can't read the
Psalms without seeing the transparency of the writers such as King David, who
cried out, "O My Soul, why are you in despair?" Peter was depressed
after he denied the Lord Jesus Christ. And even Jesus experienced anguish of
soul.
It should
be no surprise that one of the greatest prophets in redemptive history, Elijah,
battled with depression and discouragement. The super prophet was also human,
and I am glad.
Henry Ward
Beecher once said, "Half the difficulties that men and women suffer arise
from discouragement." I don't agree to that statement. I believe the
difficulties are way more than half.
I want to
invite you to spend the last two Sundays in October with me as we learn from
Elijah's life, how to defeat discouragement. The nineteenth chapter of 1 Kings
offers us great biblical principles for defeating discouragement. You want to
be a part of this study.
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