Fight Back!! discouragement (part 2)

I wanted to take the last post on discouragement a little further. And write about fighting back.

I believe that having a personal mission is critical to having the kind of life and career that you desire. Going through the process of creating your personal mission statement clarifies your values, and gives you a sense of purpose and direction and focus in your life.  Your personal mission is your foundation and the starting point for success.  However, I don't believe it is the primary driver; it is based upon the call of God and understanding who He created you to be. This is only obtained by spending time with God and learning more about yourself through prayer and reading the Word!

Your personal mission statement serves to focus your energy, actions, behaviour and decisions towards the things that are most important to you.

There are three things that stop us from completing our life mission.

 1. Procrastination: You know what you are supposed to do, but you keep putting it off. That is a deadly enemy.

2. Intimidation: Fear is used to keep you incapacitated.

3. Discouragement: becoming disheartened to the point of quitting.

I know so many people, including myself at times, who set out with great gusto and along the way become discouraged and then quit. This only results in a lack of confidence and feeling like a failure.

Procrastination, intimidation and discouragement are often interlinked and the result is a life debilitated from fulfilling its purpose.

When I was a kid my dad told me that when other children bullied me I should fight back! He explained that a bully would usually stop if I fought back and stood my ground. I did what my dad told me and it worked. Well, the same principle applies to discouragement. Think out about whatever has left you feeling discouraged, and fight back!

“Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your people, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14)

Nehemiah urged the people not to give up or give in but place their faith in God, resist those who opposed them and defend their loved ones and their homes.

“When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.”
(Nehemiah 4:15).

The very people who had earlier cried “we cannot rebuild the wall” did indeed rebuild the wall. How? Because they reorganized their work load, they remembered the Lord and they resisted their enemies. And the consequence? Despite further setbacks and yet even more opposition Nehemiah concludes:

“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

In 52 days they rebuilt the walls and discouraged their enemies. The Bible teaches that Christ-followers are in a spiritual battle too. In this supernatural conflict, Satan tries his best to bring us down.

So whatever the reason for your discouragement is, do not run away from the problem! Our response should be the same as Nehemiah’s. Fight Back!

1Timothy 6:12

Paul says “Fight the good fight of the faith”

 

 

 

Comments

[Ricky]

captain - i'm learning that fighting back need's to be part of my life in order to advance! rick