It’s sad to watch good people lose their courage, and sadder still to see fools gain it.  The twin commandments “do not fear, be strong and courageous” appear nearly 200 times in the Bible.  Evidently, losing one’s courage is a serious spiritual problem.  And the Bible delivers the antidote to loosing one’s courage.  It’s called encouragement.  It doesn’t cost a dime.  Anyone can give it or receive it, and it has great power in its working.  In fact, as a student of the Bible for many years now, I’m amazed at how prominent and effective this simple procedure can be for us to enact. 

A short digression for a moment.  In our western world evil is encouraged much more than the good.  It’s not enough that we simply tolerate what the Bible calls sin, evil is championed by its advocates making it increasingly difficult to discern between right and wrong.  God responded with a harsh judgment and a promise when this same scenario was repeated in ancient Israel.  Speaking to the “false prophets” who were misleading the Jews morally and spiritually, the Lord said, “Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination.  I will save my people from your hands.  And then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 13)

Now for the good news.  A simple, but ancient, idea can turn a fearful person into a courageous witness for what is good and right.  It’s called encouragement.  Before you dismiss my simple suggestion, hear me out.

Everybody needs encouragement on their journey of faith because there are so many burdens to bear and barriers to climb in order to live the life of faith.  We all remember the famous word that the LORD gave to His mighty military General Joshua.  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  If Moses’ protégé needed an encouragement boost before undertaking the giant task of leading the Jews into their promised land, all of us do.  God took a moment just to encourage Joshua.  What a cool picture. 

And that’s what the Bible commands every Christian to do for one another, “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3).  In the daily battle of the Christian life, we lose our courage.  We grow weary and weak.  And the Bible says that “en-couragement” has the power to give us strength.  I know you see the etymology of the word itself, “in – courage.”  To encourage is to put faith and courage into another person’s heart. 

In fact, in the wisdom of God, when He engineered the brilliant idea of the church, He planned encouragement as one of the tools believers can use to increase faith in one another.  All the way through the New Testament you will find that the early church relied on the ministry of encouragement to build the church up in faith.  As the apostles fanned out in the ancient world preaching the Gospel and establishing churches they would often circle back and check on the churches especially to encourage them.  Acts 14 records one of many such trips.  Luke records that the apostles were “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.  “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. (Acts 14)

Of the many ways that the Bible promises to encourage us (there are many) the ONE greatest encouragement any of us can receive is to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Hebrews Chapter 6 tells us that we can be “greatly encouraged because we have fled to take hold of the hope set before us.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  Greatly encouraged in Jesus! 

Do you need courage?  Have you lost hope?  Are you tired and weary of being fearful?  Jesus waits to forgive you, receive you and encourage you every step of the way home.