Defeating Discouragement

Defeating Discouragement
Psalm 42:1-11


Intro: Discouragement is one of the devil’s most effective weapons. For a Christian to be discouraged does not require that he or she commit some horrible sin- some ethical or moral failure- some rebellious action.
Discouragement means to be deprived of courage and confidence; disheartened. To discourage someone means to hinder by instilling fear.
So the Devil does everything he can to Instill Fear in the heart and mind of the child of God, thereby hindering them from living a victorious, effective, successful Christian life. With such fear, he steals away our courage and confidence.
This Psalm was written when David was in exile from Saul and his men who were trying to kill him. David was running, hiding, barely escaping, running again, hiding, and in constant danger.
The way the Psalmist felt, his soul was “cast down;” and “disquieted.” It was cowering in fear; down in discouragement; disquieted; in turmoil; all calmness and tranquility had been taken away; fretting and worrying. We all know the power of discouragement, BUT it can be defeated.


I. Prove the Promises of God.
Two times David said to himself - Hope thou in God.
Hoping in God requires FAITH & TRUST. How do we build our faith and trust and defeat our discouragement? We PROVE the promises of God.
The Bible is filled with God’s Promises. Of course, if you don’t read and study the Bible you won’t even be aware of them. You need to READ them- Realize they are for YOU- Remember them- Rely on them.
2 Cor. 1:20- For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus Christ) are YEA- and in him Amen.”
- Albert Barnes- they are True and Certain.
- John Gill- God’s promises are unchanging and irrevocable; they are by Christ confirmed and ratified.
- JFB- The Yea is his Word given; the Amen is his Oath by which it is impossible for God to lie, making our assurance doubly sure.
- M. Henry- God’s promises are TRUE and in Christ they are Confirmed and ratified.
- Calvin- God’s promises are Sure and Well founded for they are Founded upon and within Jesus Christ himself. In Christ, God has confirmed the truth of all his promises, so now he teaches us, that it is our duty to acquiesce (agree with; to participate) in this ratification. This we do, when, resting upon Christ by a sure faith, we subscribe and set our seal that God is true, and WE in full confidence say Amen to his promises.
Prove the Promises of God.


II. Practice the Presence of God.
David said in verse 5- I will praise him for the help of his countenance. The Countenance is the FACE; you must be in the presence of a person to see their countenance, not far away; distant. This is not a casual acquaintance but someone you KNOW WELL.
Many of us have gotten into a Bad Habit: we have relegated being in the presence of God to being in Church, and even only certain kinds of services in church. “Out of church=out of mind”
There is a Classic devotional book written by Brother Lawrence who had been a cook in a French Monastery in the 17th century. He wrote that the key to Friendship with God is not necessarily changing What you do (in the way of everyday tasks) but changing your Attitude Toward what you do. He said that we need to turn even the most commonplace tasks of life like preparing meals, washing dishes, doing our daily job, working around the house into acts of Praise and times of communion with God.
In the words of David in verse 6- O my God, my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember thee.
He had been driven to the utmost borders of the land of Canaan, to shelter himself there from the rage of his persecutors; sometimes he fled to the country about Jordan, and then, when discovered there, to the land of the Hermonites, or to a hill called Mizar, or the little hill; but, Wherever he went he took his God along with him. In all these places, he remembered God, and lifted up his heart to him, and kept his secret communion with him.
After all, “Jesus said, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” “He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5
Practice the Presence of God.


III. Pursue the Peace of God.
In Psalm 34:14 David said, “Seek Peace and pursue it.” (Follow after it- lay hold on it- make it yours.)
In 42:8 David said, “the Lord commands his loving kindness in the daytime and IN THE NIGHT his Song shall be with me...” God’s peace is not just for the Day-times of our lives but for the Night times as well; Not just for the times when all is Well, but the times when all seems Lost.
Phil. 4:6,7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This doesn’t happen by accident; We must Pursue God’s Peace.
For a Sinner to have Peace with God- he must DO some thing- Confess sin- Repent of sin- Take Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
For a Saint to have the Peace of God, he must DO some things: Replace useless anxiety and Worry with PRAYER; Pray Earnestly, Fervently (supplication); Must be Thankful (Gratitude for what God has done- Praise for who God is.)
Pursue the Peace of God.


IV. Proclaim the Power of God.
David said in verse 5- I shall yet praise him. Again in verse 11- I shall yet praise him. In verse 9 he calls God, My Rock in verse 8 the “God of my life.”
We are so prone to proclaim our discouragement and the reasons why we are discouraged. We are too prone to express Doubt & Fear while keeping much too quiet about TRUTH and FAITH.
It does not matter what situation you are in- God is still All Powerful.
It does not matter how bad things seem to be- God is still All Powerful.
He is God and always will be God. Whether he changes everything that’s happening in your life or not does not change the fact that HE CAN and HE MIGHT and if he does not HE is STILL GOD.
The reason some people are constantly discouraged is because they are consumed with their Circumstance; paralyzed by their Problem; obsessed with their opposition; Its ALL they Think about- All they Talk about- Always on their Mind and always in their Mouth.
Why not make God, His Promises, His Presence, His Peace, His Power all that you Think about, All that you Talk about? I’m not telling you to Deny that you have any problems but I am telling you to stop denying the power of God. I’m not telling you just to practice “positive confession”but I am telling you to Practice Positive Proclamation. Tell yourself how Great and Good God is. Tell your children how Great and Good God is. Tell your family- Tell your Friends- Tell your enemies- Tell your Brothers and Sisters in the Lord.
In Revelation 12 we read of the Rage of the Great Red Dragon that hates God and his people; he fights with the angels of heaven and is cast down to the earth where he is said to have great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. AND Still there are over comers! They overcame the devil by 1) the Blood of the Lamb, 2) the Word of their Testimony.
You can Defeat Discouragement!