Encouraging The Saints, God’s Way
Encouraging The Saints, God’s Way
Tuesday July 29, 2025
Numbers 13:25-33 NLT After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned [26] to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. [27] This was their report to Moses: "We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country-a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. [28] But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! [29] The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley." [30] But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" [31] But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" [32] So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. [33] We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"
Numbers 14:1-10 NLT Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. [2] Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. "If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" they complained. [3] "Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn't it be better for us to return to Egypt?" [4] Then they plotted among themselves, "Let's choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!" [5] Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel. [6] Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. [7] They said to all the people of Israel, "The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! [8] And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. [9] Do not rebel against the LORD, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don't be afraid of them!" [10] But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.
To en-courage is to make bold.
The word encourage is a portmanteau word. It combines the word “courage” with the prefix “en.”
Courage is defined by the Merriam-Webester Dictionary as mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, withstand danger, fear or difficulty.
The prefix “en” is used in English to mean “put into,” or to “make into something.” :
Endanger… put into a dangerous position
Encircle… put into a circle
Ensure… make sure
Entrust… to put trust in
Encourage:
1a: to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Proverbs 18:14 KJV The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
When we are discouraged our spirit is weakened. Then discouraged has lost confidence, strength and even willingness.
1 Samuel 30:6 KJV And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
1 Samuel 30:6 ESV And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
We are called upon to encourage one another.
Since we have established that to encourage is to strengthen, to revitalize, to wake up, to infuse them with confidence and rekindle fire, it is necessary for each of us to both give and receive encouragement from time to time. We sometimes use words like exhort, edify, strengthen,
Acts 11:21-24 NKJV [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. [22] Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. [23] When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. [24] For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Acts 16:38-40 NKJV [38] And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. [39] Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. [40] So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-4 NKJV [1] Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, [2] and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, [3] that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. [4] For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
Acts 20:1-2 NKJV After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. [2] Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece
Acts 27:34-37 ESV Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you." [35] And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. [36] Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. [37] (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.)
We need constant encouragement because
Without encouragement, nothing good will ever get done.
All leaders are encouragers. All encouragers are leaders.
Moses had to encourage the people to leave Egypt for the promised land.
Until Nehemiah showed up, the walls remained in disrepair.
We are in the world but are not of the world.
Your adversary the devil
All men do not have faith
The work plenty but rubble is too plenty
We Must All Learn How To Encourage, God’s Way
While everybody tries to encourage, we don’t all know how to do so properly.
Some people try to encourage but end up irritating and annoying the person they are trying to encourage in addition to becoming frustrated and discouraged themselves.
The most difficult people to encourage are those who are natural encouragers themselves.
When done the right way, the easiest people to encourage are natural encouragers.
To encourage, we must start with telling the truth
Acts 20:27 NKJV For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
Acts 20:27 NLT for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
If we hold back the truth, we open ourselves to one of two accusations: ignorance or manipulation, neither of which is good.
We encourage by telling the whole truth
There are two aspects to truth: fact and potential, present reality and future possibility, the visible and the invisible, the temporal and the eternal.
If we limit ourselves to only one we cannot truly encourage.
Repent and be saved.
Work hard to have a good future.
Eat your veggies, so you can grow strong.
It is dry right now but there is a 90% chance of precipitation.
If we only state today’s realities while not accounting for tomorrow’s possibilities, are we to be trusted?
1 John 4:4 NLT But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Numbers 14:6-10 NLT Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. [7] They said to all the people of Israel, "The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! [8] And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. [9] Do not rebel against the LORD, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don't be afraid of them!" [10] But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle.
We cannot encourage if we do not know both sides of the truth.
A half-truth is often a lie.
If we tell of what God can do without first understanding what a person is really going through, we will appear insensitive and ignorant. We will be thus ineffective.
If we understand what people are going through without knowing what God can do, what God has promised, we ourselves run the risk of becoming fearful, discouraged and discouraging like the ten spies who brought a bad report.
Joshua and Caleb understood both parts but they were outnumbered by the people. God agreed with them though, which is all that matters.
Sometimes people have believed a lie for so long they are unwilling to listen to the truth.
Sometimes the most godly thing we can do is to discourage people.
[9] Do not rebel against the LORD, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don't be afraid of them!"
When people are scared of doing what is right, we must encourage them.
When people are being emboldened to do wrong, we must discourage them.
We must be willing to stand alone, on the whole truth.
True encouragement must start with the end in view.
A true encourager goes beyond people’s comfort and satisfaction. You want people to do the right thing. You want to give them the courage to face their problems and not hide from them or run from them.
A true encourager is focused on the future rather than the now, the eternal more than the temporal.
Jesus’ Method of Encouragement
Mark 10:28-31 NLT Then Peter began to speak up. "We've given up everything to follow you," he said. [29] "Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, [30] will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property-along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. [31] But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then."
Paul’s Method of Encouragement
Acts 14:19-23,25 NLT Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. [20] But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. [21] After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, [22] where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. [23] Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. [25] They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia.
2 Timothy 3:10-13 NLT But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. [11] You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra-but the Lord rescued me from all of it. [12] Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. [13] But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
Acts 20:17-32 NLT But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him. [18] When they arrived he declared, "You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now [19] I have done the Lord's work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. [20] I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. [21] I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike-the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. [22] "And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, [23] except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. [24] But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. [25] "And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. [26] I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it's not my fault, [27] for I didn't shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. [28] "So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock-his church, purchased with his own blood-over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. [29] I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. [30] Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. [31] Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you-my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you. [32] "And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
