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Adam Dragoon 11/10/25 Adam Dragoon 11/10/25

There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Encouragement

No one has ever suffered from too much encouragement, and every one of us, no matter how strong we appear, is in need of it.

Sermon Summary

Long-haul faith is not a sprint; it’s a daily, lifelong journey of following Jesus, even when the excitement fades and the challenges mount. To endure in this calling, one essential skill must be cultivated: encouragement. Not only must we learn to encourage others, but we must also learn to encourage ourselves. Encouragement is not just a nice gesture; it is a spiritual necessity, as vital as oxygen to our souls. No one has ever suffered from too much encouragement, and every one of us, no matter how strong we appear, is in need of it.

Encouragement comes at a cost. It requires us to risk vulnerability, to get close to people who may disappoint us, and to step out of our comfort zones. Yet, the return on this investment is always greater than the cost. A timely word, a gentle reminder of God’s faithfulness, or a simple act of kindness can change the trajectory of someone’s life. Proverbs reminds us that everyone enjoys a fitting reply; the right word at the right time can sustain a soul for weeks or even years.

The source of true encouragement is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Paraclete. When we are filled with the Spirit, we become conduits of supernatural encouragement, just as Barnabas was in the early church. Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” was known for his generosity, his willingness to include outsiders, and his ability to see potential in others—even those who had failed. His ministry of encouragement helped shape the Apostle Paul and restore John Mark, whose gospel we now read.

Encouragement is not just about looking back at God’s faithfulness, but also about taking courage in the present and looking forward to God’s promises. Jesus himself encouraged Paul by reminding him of past victories, urging him to take heart in the moment, and pointing him toward future purpose. In the same way, we are called to remind one another of what God has done, to strengthen each other in the present, and to point each other toward the hope of what God will do.

Encouragement must be continual, like breathing. We never outgrow our need for it, and we are called to be fountains, not drains—people who pour life and hope into others. The church is not just a place to receive encouragement, but a community where each of us is called to give it. Even a simple word can be a lifeline to someone in a dark place. Let’s be intentional, Spirit-filled encouragers, reminding each other of God’s faithfulness, strengthening one another for today, and inspiring hope for tomorrow.

“No one has ever suffered from too much encouragement, and every one of us, no matter how strong we appear, is in need of it.”

— Pastor Adam

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Message Study Guide

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[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - The Essential Skill for Long-Haul Faith
[01:41] - Where Does Encouragement Come From?
[02:12] - Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
[03:20] - The Cost vs. Return of Encouragement
[06:54] - The Power of a Timely Word
[08:12] - Abigail’s Encouragement to David
[13:10] - Discouragement: The Enemy’s Favorite Tool
[15:09] - Encouragement and the Holy Spirit
[17:03] - Barnabas: The Son of Encouragement
[18:54] - Evangelist Richard Brooks: A Living Example
[21:44] - Be a Fountain, Not a Drain
[23:39] - Jesus Encourages Paul: Three Moves
[24:14] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
[26:07] - Taking Courage in the Moment
[28:35] - Looking Ahead to God’s Purpose
[31:13] - Barnabas: A Profile in Encouragement
[33:56] - Barnabas Includes the Outcast
[37:08] - Barnabas Disciples and Redeems
[41:18] - Encouragement: Our Spiritual Oxygen
[46:16] - Responding to God’s Call to Encourage
[51:10] - Homework: Encourage Someone This Week
[53:33] - Live Example: The Power of a Word
[55:33] - Personal Story: Receiving Encouragement
[58:00] - Final Appeal and Closing Prayer

Key Takeaways

Encouragement is a spiritual investment with high returnsEncouragement requires vulnerability and effort, but the impact far outweighs the cost. A timely word or act can redirect someone’s life, restore hope, and even prevent disaster. Investing in encouragement is always a sure bet in the kingdom of God. [06:23]
The Holy Spirit is the ultimate source of encouragementTrue encouragement flows from the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. When we are filled with the Spirit, we become channels of God’s strength and hope to others. Our ability to encourage is directly tied to our relationship with the Spirit, who empowers us to see and meet the needs around us. [15:47]
Remember the past, strengthen the present, inspire the futureEffective encouragement looks back to God’s faithfulness, speaks courage into the present, and points forward to God’s promises. This threefold approach helps us and others persevere through discouragement, keeping our eyes on what God has done, is doing, and will do. [24:14]
Be a fountain, not a drain, in your communityWe are called to pour life into others, not to sap their strength. Like Barnabas, we can be connectors, includers, and redeemers—lifting up the discouraged, restoring the fallen, and helping others find their place in God’s story. Our presence should bring hope and courage wherever we go. [21:44]
Encouragement is a continual need and a shared responsibilityJust as we need to breathe continually, we need ongoing encouragement. The church thrives when every member takes up the call to encourage, not just the leaders. Even a brief, sincere word can be a lifeline to someone in need, and in giving encouragement, we ourselves are strengthened. [41:18]

Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (ESV) — > For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Acts 11:22-24 (ESV) — > The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Proverbs 15:23 (ESV) — > To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

Observation Questions

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, what are believers commanded to do for each other?
What qualities made Barnabas stand out in the early church, based on Acts 11:24?
In Proverbs 15:23, what is said about the impact of a timely word?
The sermon described encouragement as “spiritual oxygen.” What does this analogy suggest about how often we need encouragement? [41:18]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says encouragement is a “spiritual necessity, as vital as oxygen to our souls.” Why might encouragement be so essential for long-term faith? [41:18]
Barnabas was called the “son of encouragement” and was known for including outsiders and restoring those who had failed. What does this reveal about the kind of encouragement the church is called to give? [33:56]
The source of true encouragement is said to be the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. How does being filled with the Spirit change the way we encourage others? [15:47]
The sermon described three moves Jesus made to encourage Paul: remembering the past, strengthening the present, and inspiring hope for the future. Why is it important to include all three when encouraging someone? [24:14]

Application Questions

The sermon said, “No one has ever suffered from too much encouragement.” Do you find it easy or hard to give encouragement? What holds you back from encouraging others more often? [01:41]
Encouragement requires vulnerability and sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone. Can you think of a time when you hesitated to encourage someone because it felt awkward or risky? What happened? [05:10]
Barnabas was known for including outsiders and restoring those who had failed. Is there someone in your life or church community who needs to be included or given a second chance? What would it look like for you to be a “Barnabas” to them this week? [33:56]
The sermon challenged us to be “fountains, not drains”—people who pour life and hope into others. Are there ways you might be unintentionally draining others instead of encouraging them? What could you do differently? [21:44]
The pastor gave “homework” to ask the Holy Spirit to show you someone who needs encouragement and to act on it. Will you take up this challenge? Who comes to mind, and what is one specific thing you could say or do for them this week? [51:10]
The sermon described encouragement as a continual need, like breathing. How can you build the habit of encouraging others regularly, not just when you notice someone is down? [41:18]
When you are discouraged, do you find it easy to encourage yourself in the Lord, like David did? What practical steps could you take to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness, take courage in the present, and look forward to His promises? [26:39]

Ask a Question about this message

Cold open: Long-haul faith needs one skill

If you're going to live for God for the long haul, I'm not saying for six months to get excited about Jesus or a new church hobby that you might have on the weekends. I'm talking about the real deal of what it means to really serve the Lord, to take up your cross daily and follow Him. A lifelong commitment of enduring for the faith. That's what we're talking about tonight.

If you're serious about that calling, this is a skill that you must develop. It is the skill, it is the gift of encouragement. You must be able to encourage others and to encourage yourself. You must be able to spot excellence in the midst of a lot of failures. You must become aware of the beauty and the miracles of God.

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Title and setup: Why encouragement never saturates even when there's a lot of trash around you

You must be willing to be faithful to continue on going forward for God even when others are not, even when there are bad decisions being made around you.

I want to preach a message tonight about encouragement. And I want to begin by giving you the title of this message, and that is: There's no such thing as too much encouragement.

Have you ever thought to yourself, "I am just too encouraged today"? You've never had that thought. We are all in need of encouragement. Even if you're feeling good today, a little encouragement could still help, right?

And with that thought in mind, I want to ask you, where does encouragement come from?

With that question, I want to read the scripture with you tonight. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. I'm reading in the New Living Translation tonight.

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Scripture reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NLT), beginning with verse 9:

"For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us."

That is already encouraging. Christ died for us so that whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. That is also encouraging.

But verse 11 is our focus tonight:

"So encourage each other and build each other up just as you are already doing."

Let's pray for a moment.

Lord, we come in Jesus' mighty name tonight. I'm asking Your grace, Your revelation in this service tonight as we examine Your word. Lord, I pray that You would cause these people tonight, cause each one of us, Lord, to be encouraged, but also to be encouragers, Lord, to see the need of people around us. And God, to find ourselves in a place of encouragement. And I thank You, Lord, for all that You're going to do. Would You use this church, Lord, and these people for Your glory and Your purpose in Jesus' mighty name? God's people would say, "Amen."

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Cost vs. return of encouragement

Let's look first of all at the cost versus the returns. I mean, you know, we're looking for some good investments. You're looking in financial investments. You know, there's always stocks or mutual funds to look at. You maybe buy some gold. Bitcoin is a possibility. And you know, there's always a risk whenever you invest in something. The risk is that you have to buy something upfront and hope that it's going to produce a return.

But when it comes to encouragement, I want to make the case to you tonight that it is a worthy investment of our time and our energy. But there is a cost. There is a cost of encouragement. It doesn't cost nothing to encourage people. There is a certain cost.

The risk of getting close to people. First of all, it means that I have to be connected to people. And you know, being connected to people can be very disappointing. Being connected to people can be discouraging itself because people got problems.

If you've ever had a friend that didn't have any problems, you haven't had that. Nobody has ever had that. We all have friends. If we have friends, it means we have problems. Even in your family, even if you have a great marriage, even if you have great children, great parents, you know what? They're still going to hurt you sometimes. That's the nature of fallen life on this planet.

And so, the cost of encouragement includes I've got to be connected to people. And sometimes there's a danger there. You know, if I notice if I am moved by the Holy Spirit and I come over to my brother Carlos and I kind of sense that he needs a little encouragement, maybe I need to speak something to him.

You know, I might feel a little awkward about that. I don't want it to come off as phony or awkward or uncomfortable in some way. I don't want to offend him and think that I’m trying to correct him or bring unsolicited advice or something. Maybe I should just keep my opinions to myself and stay out of other people's business.

And before long, if we let those voices continue, we can tell ourselves, "It's just easier to stay quiet. Let me just stay in my lane. I don't want to ruffle any feathers. I'm sure they're doing fine."

The problem with that way of thinking is that nobody's doing fine. Can we be real? I mean, I get it. We're making it through life. But like I said, there is nobody here who has ever said to themselves, "I've got way too much encouragement on my table today. I can't stand it. There's too much encouragement."

Nobody's ever said that.

What that means tonight is that yes, even though there is a cost for you to be an encourager, the return is always greater than the cost. That means it's a sure bet tonight. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. You're not going to miss there.

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Right word, right time — Proverbs

Might be a little awkwardness. There might be a little bit of relational difficulty that comes along with the ride. However, that cost is so minor compared to the major returns that are possible if you would encourage somebody.

Proverbs 15:23 says, "Everyone say everyone."

Everyone enjoys a fitting reply. It is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time.

You ever got one of those words in your life when you heard the right thing exactly when you needed to hear it? And you can ride on that high for weeks or months at a time, can't you?

When God speaks the right scripture at the right moment, when you're feeling that right kind of way, when you come to the altar and you get that sense of God's provision and protection over you, man, we can ride on that for a long time.

Have you, husbands, have you ever been encouraged by your wife? Husbands can ride high on the encouragement of their wives for days, weeks, months, and even years.

Wives can be encouraged by their husbands.

Children need encouragement from their parents. They do. And when that encouragement is given at the right moment, I want to tell you the return can be supernatural.

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Story of David and Nabal — 1 Samuel 25

There's a story in 1 Samuel chapter 25. It's the story of David and the man named Nabal. I don't know whether his mother gave him that name or if that was just his reputation, but he truly was a fool.

David was on his side, trying to help him, protect his flocks. And one day David sends his servants out to ask Nabal. It was the day that they were shearing the sheep. They said, "Brother Nabal, we've been protecting your fields for all this time. If it's okay with you, we'd like to share in the harvest time that you're having. Can we feast with you?"

And Nabal says, "There's a lot of slaves who've run away from their masters these days," talking about David, and he shames him and talks bad about him and sends those servants back with a bad report.

David, when he hears what Nabal had said, you know the story, he says, "Put your swords on, boys. We're going to go remove his head from his shoulders."

David was on his horse on the way. And as he's going, he's filled with rage. He's ticked off. It's kind of like Monday morning on the freeway for most of us.

And along the road, a beautiful woman stops him and she's carrying gifts and snacks. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. She offers all these things to David and begins to reason with him.

She says, "David, I know that you are a man of good reputation. Why would you do this thing and kill a man who has not shed blood? Why are you going to do this and tarnish your reputation?"

Because of the way she approached him, his mind was changed. She encouraged him not to do something that later on he was going to regret. What a wise woman.

The Bible says this woman is Abigail.

In 1 Samuel 25:32, listen how David replies to Abigail:

"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today. Thank God for your good sense. Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands."

She encouraged him and reminded him who he was.

David, this is not you. You're a man of honor. You're a man of courage. You're a man of strength. You're not a murderer. You're not going to do this thing.

And he was able to listen to her and was able to make a good decision.

You know, this is a picture of what good encouragement looks like.

When people are stuck on stupid, when people are on the road to destruction, when people are stewing in their emotion, when people are thinking of making bad decisions, sometimes one conversation is all it takes to steer them toward righteousness.

It's all it takes.

God can use people who are sensitive. God can use people in an encouraging way. Not to be the replacement for the Holy Spirit, not to be involved in everybody's business. I get it. We don't need to be gossip and telltales, but there is a time for encouragement.

And I believe if we asked tonight, if we passed around a sheet that said, "Would it be helpful tonight if somebody could encourage you?" I think everybody would check yes. That would be helpful, including me.

And yet there is a difference between those who need encouragement and those who give encouragement.

And I'm believing God tonight that God would open up our eyes to the needs around us.

This is a great investment. You pay a low price for a high value. That's what encouragement does.

And if you just think with me for a second, how many people could benefit from just a little encouragement today? How many good people, how many godly people, how many people who are saved could benefit from just a few words of life-giving encouragement?

How many people are on the verge of making terrible decisions simply because they're discouraged? They don't see an answer to all their needs.

They say discouragement is one of the devil's favorite tools.

There's that old story how Satan was once having a yard sale offering all his tools to anyone who would pay the price.

There on the table was hatred, jealousy, deceit, pride, and all the rest. Each with its own price tag.

But off to the side was one tool worn from heavy use, more expensive than all the rest.

Someone asked, "Why is that tool so much more expensive?"

And Satan replied, "That one is discouragement. It's more useful to me than any other. With this one tool, I can pry open a heart and get inside when I can't get near with any other tool. Once inside, I can do whatever I want. It's so worn down because I use it on everyone and yet so few connect it to my handiwork."

Discouragement is one of Satan's most effective tools.

Why? Because it's able to stop spiritual momentum. It's able to isolate us when we really need community. And it distorts our view of God and His faithfulness.

Instead of leading us all the time into open sin and rebellion against God, often all he needs to do is just discourage us because discouragement can paralyze believers under the radar.

And that's also why encouragement is so important because it doesn't take much.

Only a few words, only a few conversations, only a short five or ten-minute conversation over a coffee can do so much to defeat discouragement and to get us back on track.

In our scripture, it says once again, "Encourage each other and build each other up just as you are already doing."

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Greek lesson on encouragement

I want to give you a little bit of a Greek lesson tonight.

The word encourage in the Greek language — I'm going to say it and some of you are going to recognize the Greek word. Are you ready?

The word that is translated into encourage is the Greek word parakaleo.

Now that is the verb form, right? Encourage one another. That's a verb.

So parakaleo is the verb form of another famous Greek New Testament word.

The noun of that verb is the word parakletos.

And if you've done any amount of Greek study in the New Testament, you will know immediately that that word parakletos is the word that Jesus describes the Holy Spirit.

He is called in the New King James Version that word paraclete is translated into what? The Comforter.

The Comforter.

We could also translate it the Encourager.

So that verb encourage people is the same as the noun the Encourager.

That is the definition of who the Holy Spirit is.

What is His role in your life?

Think of all that the Holy Spirit does for you. How He gives you strength.

Think of how the Holy Spirit enables you to supernatural life living.

The supernatural — the Holy Spirit is the one who enables us and unlocks life on another level.

The life of Jesus living through us, right?

That is the paraclete, the Helper, the Comforter, or the Encourager.

And so I asked the question at the beginning, where does encouragement come from?

Well, ultimately the encouragement comes from the Holy Spirit.

And you can really only be an effective encourager if you are filled with that same Holy Spirit.

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Meet Barnabas, the “son of encouragement”

It says about Barnabas — I'm going to look at him in just a moment.

But about Barnabas, it says in Acts 11:24, "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a great many people were added to the Lord."

Full of the Holy Spirit and full of faith.

He was the son of encouragement.

Have you ever been around somebody that just by spending time with them you feel closer to God? You feel like you could run a marathon for Jesus. You feel like you could take the world.

Don't you want to be like that for other people?

I want to tell you, one of the people like that in my life was an evangelist who's gone on to be with the Lord, and his name was Richard Brooks.

We came — he came to preach in our church several times and I think he died in 2019, went on to Jesus.

And man, I can't wait to see him again because every time I was around him, all I wanted to do was witness to people and pray for the sick and invite people to church and talk about the Bible.

That was everything.

I remember the first time I met him was in Romania.

I'll tell you this quick story.

The first time I met Richard Brooks, we were seated in a buffet-style restaurant during lunchtime after a morning seminar in a Bible conference.

So, we've got this big table filled with pastors and pastors' wives — got to be 20 pastors and 20 wives all around this huge table.

We're all eating our food, having a good time, catching up, talking.

"Pastor Brooks, so good to see you. You just come back after being gone for several years."

We're all having a wonderful time.

The waitress comes around to take everybody's orders and she's getting drinks.

He looks at her.

I just remember this so clearly.

He just looks at this waitress that had walked up and he says to her, "How are you doing, dear?"

And when I looked at her and when everybody else looked at her, all we saw was somebody who was taking the drink order.

But Pastor Brooks looked at her and saw somebody who needed encouragement.

And he began to tell her, "Oh, we're here. We're a bunch of pastors. We're going to this Bible conference and we're having such a wonderful time."

Sitting right next to Pastor Brooks was Pastor Christy Karamidu and his wife.

He says, "I want to tell you that Jesus can change people's lives."

One of those people's lives that was changed was this sister right here.

Would you tell her about what God did in your life?

Now the whole table, 50 pastors and pastors' wives, were looking at this conversation.

This pastor's wife is telling the testimony of how God rescued her from drugs, from an abusive household, and how God redeemed her and set her free.

Now she's pastoring, a pastor's wife, helping lead in a church and telling all the miracles that God has done.

What we thought was just going to be fellowship because Pastor Richard Brooks was there, this became a time of evangelism.

And I'll tell you, he did that everywhere he went. Everywhere.

What an encouragement.

I remember when we brought him in for revival, this is something he would do.

Later, I learned this is a practice that he had wherever he went, but I didn't know that the first time he came.

I picked him up from the airport. He's going to come and preach here.

I've got a stack of flyers in the car. We've been outreaching.

He says, "Brother, you got any flyers for our revival?"

I say, "Yeah, there's some right there."

We come to a stoplight and he looks to the car next to us and he goes like this, the windows go down, and he goes, "Hey, see this? You know why they call them flyers?"

He starts, "This is for a revival. Come to church. Jesus loves you."

Off we go.

Telling you, everything he did was about the kingdom.

And I want to tell you, there's a reason why we invited him back again and again and again.

Because you couldn't help but be lifted up spiritually just in his presence.

Where does that come from?

Be a fountain, not a drain.

The Holy Spirit.

You know, some people — there are some people that I don't want to be around.

They're more like a Holy Spirit drainage system.

It requires more to come out of me than to go into me.

I am endeavoring in my life, like in that movie — what was that movie? — to be more of a fountain than a drain.

When Jesus said, "When the Holy Spirit comes, it will be like a fountain within you that springs forth to everyone else."

This is what we are called to do.

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Encouragement in hard times — Acts 23

I want to look then at this practice of encouragement.

I want to focus in on a moment in the book of Acts chapter 23.

There's a moment where Paul is going through a hard time.

Paul had a few moments like that, you know.

In Acts chapter 23, Paul had been arrested for preaching.

Tensions were high and not everybody was on Paul's team.

But you know who was on Paul's team? God was on Paul's team.

While he's there in prison, the Bible says Jesus comes to speak to him.

Now, there are only a few times recorded in scripture where Jesus directly speaks to Paul.

We know about the road to Damascus, right? Jesus audibly speaks to Paul and he is converted there on the road.

Well, this is one of those other times.

It's in Acts chapter 23.

Jesus comes down from heaven for one reason: to encourage Paul.

Listen to how Jesus encouraged Paul.

Acts 23:11:

"Take courage. Be encouraged, Paul. As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

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Jesus encourages Paul — three moves that work

From that little verse where Jesus Himself is encouraging the Apostle Paul, I want you to grab a strategy for how to encourage people.

Say, "What do I do, pastor? What can I say to people if I see that there's a need for encouragement, and there is? And if I have a heart to encourage somebody, what do I actually say?"

Well, here are three things that we can say.

Number one: We can revisit past faithfulness.

When Jesus spoke to Paul, He reminded him of how he had been used in the past.

"As you have testified about me in Jerusalem."

You remember, Paul? You remember how you testified, how I used you, how I put words in your mouth, and how miracles were achieved, and how the kingdom of God went forward.

You remember that, Paul?

That's encouraging.

You know why we often get discouraged? Because we forget about the good things that God has done.

Isn't it funny how quickly the miracles of God can get erased in our memory?

Isn't it amazing the human ability to be so focused on the tragedies of the moment that it erases the miracles of the past?

So one good way to encourage people is say, "Man, do you remember? Mr. Stephen, can you remember when it was in the height of COVID and we were doing crazy things like having drive-in church services and you were right there in the front row with your lights on and your wipers flashing? There you were. I had no idea who you were, but you were right there in the front row. You were saying amen with the horn and everything. What a miracle that God brought you to us. What a miracle."

We can think back and be encouraged, can't we?

This is why we need community because often I remember things that you've forgotten and often you remember things that I've forgotten.

We need each other.

That's the power of community.

That's why you can't do this on your own, my brother, my sister.

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Number two: Take heart in the moment.

The first thing Jesus said to Paul was, "Take courage."

Take courage in the moment.

There is courage to be taken.

Some of the greatest discouragements meet us in the current moments.

When we receive hard news of a child who's not serving God, when we get a cancer diagnosis or a job loss or the unexplained darkness that descends on our minds.

David was a man who knew how to go through some dark times.

David was able to encourage himself.

Listen to Psalm 27:14:

"Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord."

Often the reason we get discouraged is because we want to see something happen and we want to see it now.

"Lord, I need more patience and I need it now."

We kind of have a funky idea about how this works, right?

Often in the discouragement of the moment, we don't see the hand or the strategy of God behind it.

There's a moment in Exodus chapter 33 when Moses got discouraged.

Yes, even Moses got discouraged.

Yes, the lawgiver.

God encouraged Moses by saying to him, "Listen, Moses, I am with you right now. Even in the middle of all this trial, even in the middle of this tragedy, even when other people are coming against you, Moses, I am with you. My promises have not changed."

Listen, can God say that to you tonight in the midst of the difficulty, the circumstances?

Has God's word changed? Has His promises changed? Has His presence changed?

He has not changed.

The only thing that changes is us in the middle of our discouragement.

What a difference it makes then to be surrounded by faithful believers during our hardest days.

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Number three: Look ahead.

The third thing that we can do to encourage is not just to look behind, not just to take courage in the moment, but also to look ahead.

When Jesus spoke to the apostle Paul, He also said, "As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

Now Jesus reminds Paul, "I still have work for you, buddy. Not done yet. There is still much work to be done for the kingdom."

As long as you're still breathing, I'm still using you.

And there are people that have not heard your story yet.

How encouraging is that? That it's not over.

You know, it's kind of like when you're a teenager.

Who here remembers what it's like to feel like a teenager?

When you're a teenager, it's like all the emotions are amplified, right?

It's like every problem is the worst thing that has ever happened to all of humanity and every joy is like the best thing that has ever happened and will never be like this again, right?

This is why you get teenage romances because the highs are really high and the lows are really, really low.

Okay?

So a good parent during teenage years, you know what we have to do?

We have to remind our kids — and they are still mostly kids, mostly kids in grown-up bodies sometimes — we have to remind them there is still a tomorrow coming.

The problem that you're in right now, it might feel like the worst thing that has ever happened and it might be the worst thing that has ever happened to you, but tomorrow is still coming.

You're still early in this journey.

You're still going to be alive five years from now and 10 years from now.

And the way you handle this situation is going to have an effect on the future you.

So be careful.

Don't let it carry you too far.

This is what people who are discouraged also need.

This is what you need.

If you're feeling discouragement tonight, let me remind you, the Lord is not done yet.

He didn't bring us this far to leave us.

There is a process and God is working His process.

And Romans 8:28 says God works together all things for the good of those who are called and according to His purpose.

He's still doing something.

I can't figure it out, but God is doing something.

Can you say amen?

---

Summary of Christian encouragement

Remember God's faithfulness.

Take a breath in discouragement and wait on the Lord.

And thirdly, remember that God is bringing us somewhere.

Nothing that we ever face will remove the glory that remains to those who persevere to the end.

---

Closing and focus on Barnabas

Let's close this out.

Bring us in for a landing tonight.

I want to focus in for a moment on this man that I mentioned in the book of Acts.

He is highlighted prominently throughout the New Testament.

His name is Barnabas.

Actually, that was not his real name.

That was his nickname given to him by the Christian community.

Who knows his real name before he was named Barnabas?

Does anybody know his real name? His given name?

Not Leroy. Come on, Bible scholars.

His real name before he was known as Barnabas was Joseph.

And that is a Greek form of the name Joseph.

Now, Joseph is not a bad name.

Joseph is actually obviously named after one of the sons of Jacob who became Ephraim and Manasseh.

The same Joseph who became the vice president of Egypt during that time in the book of Genesis.

So he's named after Joseph and the meaning of the name Joseph or Joseph is "God will add" or "God will increase."

It's a name about growth and blessing and multiplication.

Now, that would be a good name to have, right?

Joseph, I mean, multiplication, man.

Like, plant a seed and many things come out.

But the more they got to know Joseph, the more they saw the Holy Spirit in this man, the more they thought to themselves, "Joseph is not good enough for this guy. He needs a new name."

And we're going to call you Barnabas — the son of encouragement.

I want to just show you a little highlight of some of the things it says about Joseph, about Barnabas in the New Testament.

First of all, we are first introduced to him in Acts chapter 4.

The Bible says he is encouraging because he is generous.

Acts 4:36:

"There was Joseph, one of the apostles, named Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, from the tribe of Levi, came from the island of Cyprus.

He sold a field that he owned and brought the money to the apostles."

Hallelujah.

It is encouraging to find generous people.

The first thing we read about him is that when revival broke out, when there was a need in Jerusalem, he says, "Man, all I have belongs to the Lord anyway, so I'm going to bring it and lay it at the apostles' feet."

That is encouragement by himself.

What else do we learn about Barnabas?

Well, he is a man who includes the outcasts and the outsiders.

In Acts chapter 9, there's a story of Saul before he had been renamed the Apostle Paul.

In this story, Acts chapter 9, this is the story when the Jews are plotting to kill Saul and they have to let him out of the window through the wall in a large basket so that he can avoid being killed.

When Saul comes to Jerusalem, he tries to join the disciples.

This is Acts 9:26:

"He tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him.

He's knocking on the door.

'Hey guys, let me in. Can I worship? Can we take communion together?'

They're like, 'No, you're Saul. We know who you are. You're the persecutor of the church.'"

He was an outsider to them.

But watch this.

Verse 27:

"But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.

And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and how he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."

So here's Barnabas.

What was so encouraging about Barnabas?

He takes the guy that nobody wants to know, nobody wants to spend time with, and he puts his arm around that guy.

Barnabas vouches for Saul.

Says, "Come with me. Come with me, Saul. I'll tell them who you are. I know what happened. I was there."

And he's willing to stand up for this guy because he knows that this man is now saved and living for Jesus.

He's a connector.

He's the guy who knows the guy.

You know, that's one of the reasons I love Pastor Carlos Morales.

If I ever need anything, he knows the guy.

He's the guy who knows a guy.

If you ever need anything, ask me.

I'm the guy who knows the guy who knows a guy.

So, I can ask Pastor Morales because he's got a guy.

We were doing this building project.

You know, Brother Phillip, he's got all these little projects around the building.

One day he calls me and he says, "Hey, you know anybody that does parking lots?"

No, I've never owned a parking lot in my whole life.

So guess who I called?

Pastor Carlos Morales.

I said, "Pastor Carlos, you know anybody that does parking lots?"

He says, "Yeah, give me a minute."

He sends it to me. Text message with picture, phone number.

Got it.

So we may have a new parking lot in days to come because of a guy who knows a guy.

That's encouraging, a connector.

Bringing in the outcast.

There are so many people on the fringes.

So many people who lack important friendships in life.

You know, the kingdom is all about friendships.

The church is about friendships.

Also, Barnabas was a discipler.

He was a man who knew how to disciple undeveloped people.

Acts 11:25:

"Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.

And when he had found him, brought him to Antioch.

So it was for a whole year that they assembled with the church and taught a great many people.

And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."

What is that all about?

Well, Barnabas is further down the road than Saul.

He's been there from the beginning.

And so he sees opportunity in this man who's now been saved.

He sees that this man was a Pharisee of Pharisees.

There's opportunity there.

If I just give him a little encouragement, who knows what God could make out of this man?

Now, if you examine your New Testament, you will never find a book named Barnabas.

Barnabas disciples Saul at Antioch.

Nor will you find a book written by Barnabas.

But you will find a whole lot about the Apostle Paul.

And you're going to find two-thirds of the books written by the Apostle Paul.

How much does Barnabas have to do with that?

A lot.

Because Barnabas encouraged him.

This is why we have events in the church.

This is why we develop young men to lead outreaches and ministries.

Because we believe that there is untapped potential in this place.

Barnabas could also find failures and redeem them.

Lastly, there's the story of John Mark in Acts chapter 15.

Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's go back and visit our brethren in every city."

And Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.

Now, this John Mark was actually his nephew.

There's some family relation there.

When Paul and Barnabas are setting out to go visit the churches that have been planted, Barnabas says, "Hey, I got a guy that needs to be with us, John Mark."

You're familiar with the story.

Along the road somewhere along the way, Paul didn't like John Mark.

It said in verse 38, "Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them and had not gone with them into the work."

So there's some beef here between Paul and John Mark.

The contention became so sharp that they parted from one another.

They got in an argument over this guy, John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas.

What's so amazing to me is in 2 Timothy 4, now we're down the road.

Now Paul is at the end of his journey.

He's getting ready to face martyrdom.

As he writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, he says these words:

"Only Luke is with me.

Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry."

That's crazy.

So the one that he had beef with now later on as he's about to die, he says, "I need that guy. I need John Mark."

What do you suppose happened between Barnabas, John Mark redeemed and restored the son of encouragement?

He was able to work with John Mark.

Whatever flaws were in him that caused him to abandon and leave home, he became useful to the kingdom, useful to the apostle.

By the way, the gospel of Mark was written by that same guy.

So all of these are the results of encouragement.

Yes, it can be a little uncomfortable or awkward to intentionally give encouragement to people, to see a need for encouragement in others.

But when you become that kind of person, I want to tell you God will use that.

---

Oxygen analogy — why encouragement must be continual

Everybody take a breath and breathe all the way out.

Don't breathe back in.

You're wanting more oxygen now, aren't you?

Right?

You can take a breath, but you're always going to need another breath.

That's what it means to be alive.

It's not enough just to take one breath and then stop.

We need a continual breathing activity to supply oxygen to the brain.

And in a similar way tonight, we all need a certain level of encouragement.

You look around this room, there are people here that are discouraged.

Sometimes we carry it on our faces.

Sometimes we can deceive others.

But I want to tell you, there is never not a need for encouragement.

In a similar way, your encouragement could be a lifeline that helps somebody out of a deep and dark place.

It could be the thing that brings them to the next step of usefulness for the kingdom.

It could be the thing that advances us forward together, keeps us going another day.

So, let's remind people what God has done to give us patience in the moment and what God is able to do.

Let's bow our heads for a moment and close our eyes.

Be encouraged tonight.

God is not finished with us yet.

---

Invitation and altar call

So tonight, before we open this altar for prayer, we're going to ask God to help us to be encouraged and also to be encouragers.

But before we pray together, I want to take a moment to ask if there's anyone here quickly tonight that the encouragement that maybe you need here is the encouragement of a new life with Christ.

We come into this world on the default setting being enemies of God.

We are all broken.

We are all lost.

Our sins separate us from a holy God.

With eyes closed, nobody looking around for a moment.

This is an opportunity for each person to assess your own situation, your own standing before a holy God.

The Bible says we're going to stand before Him one day to give account for our life and even every idle word that we have spoken.

He is keeping track and He is keeping record.

And if we'd all be honest tonight, we have all broken His law.

We have all done what we're ashamed of.

And God is fully aware of our record of sin and rebellion against Him.

But here's good news for you this evening.

Jesus died so that sinners can be made right with God.

We sang it tonight.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life."

Tonight maybe you need that everlasting life.

Maybe you realize how far away from God you are and that no amount of religion is able to bring you closer.

Only Jesus can set the captive free.

You can go a thousand times to church and still not make heaven your home.

Church doesn't save you.

But Jesus, if you cry out to Him, if you would make Him your Lord and your Savior tonight, if you would ask Him to forgive you and surrender to His lordship, I want to tell you, you can have a new life with Him.

You'll be born again.

Old things pass away.

Everything becomes new.

And we will have a new life with Christ.

Maybe you're here tonight.

You recognize your great need.

There is hope if you will stretch out a hand of confession and repentance and God's hand of grace and mercy will reach down and take yours and pull you out of the trouble that you're in tonight.

If that's you, quickly I want to ask you to lift up a hand, an honest hand before the Lord and say, "Please pray for me, pastor. I'm not right with God, but I want to be."

Is that you?

Quickly, let me just see a hand tonight.

Thank you, young man over here.

Somebody else?

God's dealing with you, unsaved or perhaps backsliding in your heart.

You're wandering from the Lord.

And like the prodigal son, you're absent from the father's house tonight, but you're realizing how far you've fallen.

It's time to come home.

The father has not forgotten you.

Unsaved or wandering from the Lord.

That's you tonight.

Can I see your hand quickly here?

God's dealing with you.

The Holy Spirit is an encourager.

He wants to bring you close tonight.

You feel His presence.

Would you lift up a hand quickly?

Is there someone here with this on his heart tonight?

Thank God.

Thank God.

---

Altar prayer and worship

Church, could we stand up to our feet for just a moment?

We're going to come to this altar and pray.

Amen.

We're going to believe God.

This young man, you lifted up your hand.

We want somebody to pray with you.

Mr. Steven, would you mind praying with this young man right here?

God's going to help you.

Hallelujah.

Amen.

I want to open up this altar for the congregation here tonight.

I believe there are people that are discouraged.

If you're discouraged here tonight, you can find a place here of prayer.

God is able to encourage us.

We don't always need somebody else to encourage us.

The Holy Spirit can encourage us.

Let's come and meet with Him and get into His presence.

More than that, tonight, I believe there are people here.

God has called you to be a son or a daughter of encouragement.

God has called you in an arena of leadership.

Maybe in your family, maybe your job, maybe with the community of faith here in church.

You look around and you see people.

God's given you a sensitivity to know when someone's discouraged.

And God puts you in those positions because He wants you to represent His Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let's come before the Lord.

Let's pray for a few moments while we worship, while God's dealing with our hearts.

Let's pray.

Let's lift up our voices to the Lord.

Amen.

---

Worship song

As we're praying tonight, we want to sing a song of worship.

Can we stand up to our feet as we give God praise tonight?

Hallelujah.

Let's sing that chorus out together.

"Christ is enough for me.

Hallelujah.

Christ is enough for me.

Christ is enough for me.

Everything I need tonight.

Everything I need.

Lord, it's in You tonight.

Everything."

One more time.

"Christ is enough.

Christ is Christ.

Everything I need.

Everything."

Let's give the Lord praise right now.

Lord, we—

---

Call to action: homework to encourage someone

Man, I want to pray this evening before we close out.

I want to believe God with you.

Before we do this, I want to give you a little bit of homework.

Can we do that tonight?

All I want you to do is ask the Holy Spirit — we're going to pray in just a moment — but ask God by His Spirit to reveal someone in this room who needs encouragement.

And maybe God would give you a word of encouragement for somebody else.

You can look around.

You can see there's a wide variety of people here.

Maybe you would think about someone on your job.

Maybe you would think about someone in your family.

But my hope is, listen, you don't have to have a college degree to encourage somebody.

You don't have to have a doctorate in theology.

All we need to do is remind somebody the miracles God has done.

We can pray for patience, for strength in the moment.

We can think ahead to the promise of God for tomorrow.

Listen, every one of us can do that.

But maybe you could look around this room here tonight and find somebody that God would give you a word of encouragement for them.

And that's the hope.

Listen, the church is not just about the pastor preaching sermons.

The church is a body of believers.

And you, every individual here, you are able to encourage someone in a very unique way.

Nobody else can minister the way that you can minister.

Okay?

So maybe God would give you the perfect word at the right moment for somebody else.

The goal here is that we become more of a fountain than a drain.

We walk around mopey, head hanging low.

Man, nobody ever talks to me.

You know what I found?

The most encouraging thing I can do is to encourage somebody else.

It's good for my soul.

It's medicine for me when I can come over here to young Mr. Asher and tell him, "I'm so proud of you for the man that you're becoming.

God has great things for you."

I remember when you were about ye-high running around like a crazy man.

But God has brought you to a place of usefulness for the kingdom.

And the sky is unlimited for you, young man.

Live example of encouragement.

Keep faithful.

Be encouraged.

You're on the right track.

Keep going the right way.

Look at how good that made him feel.

How long did that take? 30 seconds.

Look at how good I feel.

That feels amazing.

And I'm saying that you could repeat that every single day to everyone around you.

You might not like somebody.

You might be annoyed by somebody.

You can still encourage them.

---

Closing prayer

Let's pray together.

Lift up your hands with me tonight as a sign of surrender to the Lord and say,

"God in heaven, I'm so grateful for salvation, for the blood of Jesus, and for the Holy Spirit who gives me strength to live for You.

Lord, forgive me for slipping into discouragement when I have so much to be grateful for.

All that You have done, all that You are going to do, the promises left unfulfilled are reasons for me to rejoice.

Help me to be encouraged and strengthened in my spirit by the Holy Spirit.

And help me, Lord, to be a fountain of hope and courage to people around me.

I thank You for the opportunity to encourage somebody.

Let me use that opportunity for Your glory in Jesus' name. Amen."

Come on, let's give Him praise right now.

Lord, we thank You.

---

Personal story: phone call that reset perspective

Amen.

I'll just tell you a quick story.

A couple weeks ago, there was a situation that happened which I'm not going to dive into, but the end of that situation resulted in me being frustrated and discouraged.

Ever happened to you before?

I was frustrated and I was discouraged and I was kind of ticked off at somebody.

And in that moment, there were a lot of people that I could have spoken to, but there's only one that I decided that I could be encouraged by, and his name was Pastor Jeremiah Wacker.

I've grown a good relationship with that man who's now a missionary in El Salvador.

So I texted him and I said — I forget exactly what I said — but I said, "Oh."

He texted me back immediately and said, "Oh snap, what happened?"

These are two 40-year-old men, okay?

But over the course of the next 30 minutes, I texted him a few things.

He called me.

We talked.

And by the end of it, thank God, my attitude was much better.

Praise the Lord.

You know why?

He gave me a different perspective.

He was able to remind me of a few things.

He was able to tell me, "You know, it might feel like it's something bad in the moment, but it's not that big of a deal, man."

Thank God to have friends like that.

Thank God to have somebody who can encourage you.

Thank God.

I appreciate Pastor Jeremiah Wacker, a man who can absorb my emotional outbursts like that.

Do you have somebody like that?

You don't?

You are in deep poverty as a believer.

You can let things fester and get worse and cause division.

It would be so much better if we could simply encourage one another.

Can you say amen?

---

Final appeal and prayer

So let's go from this place with a commitment.

Lord, I need to be encouraged.

Yes.

But I also need to be an encourager.

Make me a fountain, not a drain.

When I walk into the room, I don't want people to go, "No."

I want people to say, "Yes, I need some encouragement. Come talk to me."

Let's be that person, okay?

Let's be the bright shining light of the Holy Spirit for other people.

And you'll be amazed how God will use your life.

Let's close with a word of prayer tonight.

Thank God for all of you.

Thank you for your patience tonight.

We're looking forward to our Saturday and our Sunday ahead.

Let's close with some encouragement.

Amen.

Mason, would you close us in prayer tonight?

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David Smale 11/3/25 David Smale 11/3/25

Your Inner Prison: The Only Key That Sets You Free

Forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong or denying the pain; it is about refusing to let hate and bitterness take root in our souls.

Sermon Summary

Athena Strand’s grandfather explains why he forgives the killer of his precious granddaughter.

Forgiveness is one of the most challenging commands Jesus gives, yet it is also the key to true freedom. The reality of living in a fallen world means that every one of us will be sinned against—sometimes in small ways, sometimes in ways that shake us to our core.

The story of Athena Strand, a young girl whose life was tragically taken, reminds us of the depth of pain that can be inflicted by others. Yet, even in the face of such unimaginable loss, the call to forgive remains. This is not to minimize the pain or the injustice, but to recognize that holding onto unforgiveness is like locking ourselves in an inner prison.

The parable Jesus tells in Matthew 18 illustrates this truth. A servant, forgiven an unpayable debt, refuses to forgive a much smaller debt owed to him. The result is that he finds himself imprisoned, not just physically but spiritually. Unforgiveness is a poison that seeps into every part of our being—spirit, mind, and even body. It leads to bitterness, isolation, and ultimately, spiritual bondage. The consequences are not just future and eternal, but present and tangible, affecting our health, our relationships, and our ability to hear God’s voice.

We often think that by holding a grudge, we are somehow punishing the person who hurt us. In reality, we are only torturing ourselves, allowing the offense to take up residence in our minds and hearts. The story of Athena’s grandfather, who chose to forgive the man who murdered his beloved granddaughter, is a powerful example of the supernatural strength God provides to those who are willing to obey His command to forgive. Forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong or denying the pain; it is about refusing to let hate and bitterness take root in our souls.

Jesus Himself modeled this on the cross, forgiving those who crucified Him. If anyone had the right to hold a grudge, it was Jesus—betrayed, denied, beaten, and killed by those He came to save. Yet He chose forgiveness, and in doing so, opened the way for our own forgiveness and freedom. The key to escaping the inner prison of unforgiveness is to extend to others the same mercy God has shown us. In doing so, we honor Christ, protect our own souls, and experience the peace that only He can give.

“Forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong or denying the pain; it is about refusing to let hate and bitterness take root in our souls.”

— Pastor Dave

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