I once heard him preach on a passage from 2 Samuel 19. This is the story of a great victory under King David. But instead of celebration the victory was turned into mourning – because the king was greiving for his son Absalom, lost in the battle. The picture is one of discouragement.

Discouragement hasn’t changed. Here’s what it does, what it looks like:
1. It demoralises people. It took away their pride of achievement and joy of celebration. (verse 2)

2. Discouragement stole perspective. It causes people to focus on things they hate and take it out on people who love them. Have you ever taken out frustration on your immediate family? Opposition and discouragement distorts our view of reality. (verse 5-6)

4. Discouragement devalues people. “they mean nothing to you” (verse 6).

4. Discouragement brings arguments and negative feelings to the surface (verse 9).

Building a culture of encouragement.

To counteract discouragement and all it’s effects, you need to take action – it doesn’t just solve itself. Joab knew that. (verse 7) In fact, Joab told David that if he didn’t go out and on purpose encourage then the results would be worse than anything else he had ever faced – and David had faced some pretty bad situations – like Saul trying to kill him for instance!

But all it took was just one word of encouragement – look at what just one word of encouragement did for David’s men;

1. Encouragement unites people (see verse 14 “the people were as one man”), it refreshes hearts. Philemon v7.

Don’t save encouragement for the worst of moments, let encouragement be a way of life for you! Be consistent. The best time for encouraging someone is right now. Hebrews 3:13 says the best time for encouragement is not when a person is depressed, but it is “today”. Encourage one another daily – make it a regular commitment. And continue to do it for “as long as it is called today”. Never stop encouraging! Encourage your spouse, your children, your friends, your co-workers.

2. Encouragement softens hearts – it softens arguments, confrontation and hard hearts. Don’t let an atmosphere of “hardness” prevail, attack it with encouragement. All hearts are longing for encouragement, people will absorb it like a thirsty sponge.

3. Encouragement is productive – it reproduces – Barnabus was called the “son of encouragement”.

If you want to change the results you are producing in your life, it might be time to start building a culture of encouragement around you. GreetingCardsFromGod.com exists to bring the lavish voice of encouragement from heaven into your world. Why not choose one of our designs to send a bit of mystery, surprise, love and encouragement to someone you care about today?

It’s interesting to me then, that the first use of the word “encourage” is purposed specifically to strengthen leadership. In particular, it was a command from God that the older leader encourage his successor, the next generation of leadership rising up to take on new tasks.

Deuteronomy 1:38 “But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.”
It can be easy to think that leaders don’t need our encouragement. In one sense they probably don’t “need” it. They don’t need encouragement to survive. But the Scripture indicates leaders do need encouragement to become strong leaders.
Deuteronomy 3:28 “But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.“

Encouragement seems to not only strengthen leaders, but also to empower them to do things they would not otherwise do.
Judges 7:11 “and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp…”
Encouragement puts leaders on the front foot, it puts the fight in them and allows them to ‘attack’ and be proactive. Encouragement literally pours in courage and a warrior spirit. It creates a brave heart.

Judges 20:22 “But the men of Israel encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day.”
Encouragement allows leaders to once again take up their position even after they have faced failure, defeat and humiliation. The Israelites had lost over 22,000 men in one day. But encouragement (not commands or orders or guilt or fear or intimidation or manipulation) allowed them to stand and fight another day. Encouragement elevates and edifies leaders, it refreshes those who feel burnt out and weary. Never underestimate the enormous power of encouragement to reinvigorate a team to attempt the goal again, to face the giant again, to believe again….and to see the enemy defeated and taste in the victory.

This week I was sent an email recommending that preachers preach sermons that are focused on a specific result eg. baptism, not “simply encouraging”. I think it is easy as a preacher, as a leader, to devalue encouragement.

But God doesn’t. It’s important to remember the value He places on encouragement.

Acts 9:31 “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.”
When the Holy Spirit interacts with the church, He could choose a number of functions. He could teach, He could burden them with prayer, He could heal, lead, guide, reveal and anoint. I’m sure all of those things were going on too, but the one thing He chose to highlight about His own ministry was that he “encouraged”. The results of that encouragement were a strengthening not just of leadership but of the whole church, and it grew in numbers as well.

I believe the church will reach its full glorious potential in strength and in numbers as we commit to a ministry of encouragement. And our family and business and community leaders are also strengthened and increased when we do what the Holy Spirit gave as an example of powerful and effective ministry; ENCOURAGEMENT!

How awesome are you?! Taking the time to read God’s word and explore His methods of strengthening leadership – we celebrate you and pray you’ll be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to encourage others!

GreetingCardsFromGod.com is designed to be a resource providing practical tools that build encouragement into the life of your family, business, church and community, in this generation, and those to come.

The story is told in Luke 1:39-41

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was  filled  with the Holy Spirit.” 

Wow! Isn’t that an amazing greeting!?! This is the first person ever to be  filled with the Holy Spirit. And it is also the first recorded in vitro leap! It was the sound of the greeting that triggered both events.

These two women weren’t just greeters, they weren’t just influencers, they were God-carriers. They brought so much of God’s presence and power that it filled one of them, and even influenced the not-yet-born generation. And all with “just” a greeting.

This is the inspiration for Greeting Cards From God.com . This is why we are so excited about today’s birth of the Greeting Cards From God.com web site. We believe it will bring the presence of God into the lives of the current generation. And spread so deeply, so personally, so powerfully, that it will set the not-yet-born generation leaping for joy!

If you want to help us create the kind of greetings that can do that, please send us your ideas, comments and suggestions. Let’s join together to bring the lavish voice of encouragement from heaven into our world.