How to get out of discouragement
The word of God is our manual that lets us know as children of God who we are, our origin, our destination, how we are supposed to live, what we have available for our use…
Right?
But in reading our manual, do you sometimes feel like you are not any where near what it says about you? or is it just me? You know the parts that say things like:
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, Rejoice in the Lord and again I say, rejoice, But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, Jesus became poor so I may be made rich, I have the mind of Christ, etc.
What do you do when you read the word and you look at yourself or situation and it looks like the word/manual is talking about someone else but not you?
Here are three things that help me when I find myself in discouraging situations.
1. I disorganize my thought process. Words, emotions, actions, habits and eventually destinies are formed from thoughts. That is why the bible says that “As a man thinks, so is he.” Any time you find your self going in a direction you don’t want to go in in your life, work on changing your thoughts.
When you start developing this practice of disorganizing your unwanted thought process, you will discover that you will easily catch yourself when starting to doubt the word and will refuse to entertain the thoughts that are contrary with “the manual.”
2. I loudly maginify God. One of the things I have gotten into a habit of doing is, when I catch myself in a state of discouragement, fear, worry,doubt or any state/situation I know is contrary to what the word says, I speak out loudly saying, “God, I choose to magnify you above this situation. I refuse to magnify the situation. It is nothing before you. I Magnify you Father! You are a big God” I continue to do this for as long as I can and it works every time. Try it and you will be amazed. Also, listening and singing along to Praise and worship music will help chanhe my focus.
3. Listen to a sermon. One of the things that has been a blessing to me is, the men and women that God is using to preach the truth. I personally have favorite ministers that I like listening to. I have their messages easily accessible so that when I feel like I’m in a discouraged state, I know which minister and which message I might want to listen to for encouragement. This has always been another way to get myself back on track again. In addition to listening, reading is another thing that works for me.
4. Confessing the Word. There is no way you can think and talk at the same time. every time you open your mouth to speak, your mind has to stop to listen to what you have to say. This is a very good way of disorganizing your unwanted thought process. It works like the method in no. 2 (loudly magnify God). Start speaking what the word says about your circumstance. As you speak God’s word, the angels, your ministering spirits, hearken to God’s word and start acting on it. Glory be to God!
Of all that I have mentioned above, nothing will work if we are not spending time in “the manual.” The only way to conform to who we are as children of God is by spending quality and quantity time in ”the manual.”
Don’t wait ’til you need the word to start reading it. Like David, learn to keep the word in your heart. This will give the Holy Spirit something to bring to your remembrace when you need it.
Stay blessed & keep the faith!
Moses Kangave
