Russellville Christian Center

The Ministry of Encouragement Mark Evants RCC – 1-16-22   GOD PAID A HIGH PRICE FOR YOU!   Colossians 2:1 (NET) For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face.  My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings  in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.   God is a God of LIFE and wants his people encouraged.       MEANING OF ENCOURAGEMENT: -The action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.   When we come together CORPORATELY Holy Spirit brings a SUPERNATURAL ENCOURAGMENT to us the enemy does not want transmitted.     DIS / COURAGE – Cause someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm, persuade someone against an action, Prevent someone  by showing disapproval or creating difficulties     Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 4 Things that happen in an atmosphere charged with HS:

• Hope is stoked up and released.
• Spiritual power is released (the anointing)
• Deliverance from discouragement, heaviness and oppression occurs
• Joy is restored to the forefront of your life

  HEAVINESS: Having great weight”, Burdens / troublesome things

• Heaviness is often a precursor to depression
• “Satan Exhausts, but God Exalts”
• Joyce Meyer: God is not impressed with your tiredness

  4 Things I learned to deal with the spirit of Heaviness:

• Jesus took my burdens and heaviness at the cross
• I must realize I have spiritual weapons and a Heavenly Father that cares deeply about what I’m going through
• I must give permission to the Spirit of God to begin to work deep in my soul with His anointing (breaks the yoke) and ministering the love of Christ
• If I will put on the garment of praise…its Kryptonite against the spirit of heaviness.

Isaiah 61:1

1. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

  Barnabus  Acts 11:19-26    Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.   Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. Matt. 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Jeremiah 31:25-26  25 “For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”26 After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.       Weariness Is a Part of the Curse HEBREWS 4:9-10 AMP Gen 3:17 – under the toil of labor,  But under N Covenant we’re under the rest of God Gal 3:13 says we’re redeemed from the curse! Discouragement and the Soul

• Joyce Meyer said this, “God is not impressed with Your tiredness”
• I think this is what Martha thought when she came to JC
• “Satan Exhausts, but God Exalts”
• Peter says HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD THAT HE MAY EXALT YOU IN DUE TIME!
• He is impressed with those who will draw near to Him and wait upon God
• He will exalt you to inherit the land
• NOVEL IDEA: Instead of striving so much, how about waiting before his presence?  How about fasting and dedicating your life and works to Him?
• Fasting has an ability to open the Soul by exalting the spirit man

          The first time that we meet Barnabas, he is introduced to us in Acts 4:36, 37.  We learn that his name originally was Joses (or Joseph), but the apostles named him Barnabas, which means "Son of Encouragement."  Undoubtedly, this name was given to him, because he was an encouragement to others. Since he was "a Levite of the country of Cyprus," perhaps his priestly family background prompted him to move to Jerusalem to be near the temple.  It's quite possible that he was acquainted with Jesus when He was there.  We don't know when he became a believer.  We do know that he owned some "land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet." Next he is mentioned in Acts 9:26, 27.  He is still in Jerusalem, despite the chaos and mayhem caused by Saul, which caused others to run away.  It appears that he remained there with the apostles.  After Saul was converted on the road to Damascus he returned to Jerusalem, and "tried to join the disciples."  Would you have welcomed him into your fellowship?  The Christians in Jerusalem "were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple."  Understandably they wanted to keep their distance from Saul. One man stepped forward.  Barnabas, the son of encouragement, "took him and brought him to the apostles."  He testified on Saul's behalf of his conversion experience, and subsequent preaching endeavor at Damascus.  The apostles welcomed him, "so he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out." The third reference to Barnabas is found here in Acts 11:19-30.  A spiritual revival was breaking out in Antioch, so the church in Jerusalem sent out Barnabas to see what was happening.  "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.  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 11:23, 24. Barnabas left Antioch and went to Tarsus, Saul's hometown.  He went looking for Saul, found him, and brought him back to Antioch, where they ministered together for one year.  Hearing the prophetic word of a great famine, the disciples at Antioch decided to send relief to Christians in Judea.  Barnabas and Saul were chosen to deliver the relief goods, which they did.