“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (2 Kings 19:18 KJV)

It’s easy for God’s people to look around at so much negativity in the news and get discouraged. You may be surprised to learn that feeling alone and discouraged is nothing new. The prophet Elijah thought he was the only one who had remained faithful to God. He went into a cave to sulk about it. But God found him there and asked him a question.

“What are you doing here Elijah?”

There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

God replied to Elijah

“And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!" (Rom 11:4 NLT)

The fact there were 7,000 other faithful servants had to be encouraging to Him! And, there are actually millions of God’s servants all around you! So be encouraged. You have a lot more brothers and sisters than you think!

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.” Rom. 11:5 NASB)

“So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure.” (Psalm 32:11 NLT).

The glad game

Hayley Mills won an Academy Award portraying the infectiously glad orphan in Walt Disney's "Pollyanna" (1960). She played a game called “the glad game” where she would find something to be glad about even in the most negative situations. Her attitude and game affected everyone in her town in many profound ways. According to Pollyanna there are 800 ‘rejoicing texts’ in the Bible. And she said that God must care an awful lot about being glad or He wouldn't have included so many verses in the Bible about it. I haven't counted them, so I don't know exactly how many glad and rejoicing verses there actually are in the Bible, but I do know there are a lot of them! And I do know it's very good to focus on the positive side of things. Here are just a few glad and rejoice verses. Of course, there are hundreds more.

Rejoice always!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again”: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4 NIV)

Serve God with gladness!

“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” (Psalm 100:2 NASB)

Rejoice in everything you put your hand to!

“There you and your families will feast in the presence of the LORD your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the LORD your God has blessed you.” (Deut. 12:7 NLT)

Rejoice in your salvation!

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5 NIV)

Rejoice in His Love!

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.” (Psalm 31:7 NIV)

Rejoice in His Name all day!

“They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.” (Psalm 89:16 (NIV)

Rejoice because the Lord comforts and is compassionate!

“Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.” (Isa. 49:13 NIV)

 “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:6-7 NIV)

Because we have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above!

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:1-3 NIV).

You have been brought to fullness!

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.” (Col. 2:9-10 NIV)

You are one with Him in Spirit!

“But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:17 NIV)

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” (Psalm 34:19 NIV)

He is faithful! 

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thes. 3:3 NIV)

He provides a way of escape!

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (2 Cor. 19:13 NIV)

So, do not fear!

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10 NIV)

Be strong and courageous!

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 NIV)

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:2-3NIV)

A twofold goal

This verse says the goal is twofold, first, to be encouraged of heart and secondly, to be united in love. Let's look at both of them.

1) To be encouraged of heart

To encourage, means to make someone more determined, hopeful, or confident. To give support, to hearten, cheer, buoy up, uplift, inspire, motivate, spur on, stir up, stimulate, invigorate, vitalize, revitalize, embolden, or fortify.

2) To be united in love

This kind of love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Which produces great results!

“So that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:2 NIV)

To recap

An encouraged heart, mixed with God’s kind of love, produces the following results.

• You will have full riches of complete understanding.
• You will know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.
• You will receive all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

And that is very encouraging! 

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”  (1 Cor. 3:1-5 ESV)

What lens are you looking through?

A man and his wife stopped to get gas at a full service gas station which included having their windshield cleaned. Afterwards, the man said to the attendant, “The windshield is still dirty, please clean it again!” The attendant dutifully cleaned the glass again as he was told. The man looked over the job and then said, “The windshield is still dirty! Clean it again!” At this point, the wife grabbed her husband’s glasses from his face and said, “Your glasses are dirty!” She cleaned them and handed them back to her husband. He put them on and exclaimed, “The windshield is clean!” The problem wasn't the windshield, but was the lens the man was looking through that affected how he saw things. In the same way, everyone sees the world through some kind of lens made up of their own world view, philosophy or paradigm. It may be worldly or Christ centered.

Don't be taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit!

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col. 2:8 ESV)

Words not taught by human wisdom

“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Cor. 2:13 ESV)

Avoid foolish controversies!

“But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.” (Titus 3:9-10 ESV)

Avoid irreverent babble!

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge.” (1 Tim. 6:20 ESV)

The hidden wisdom of God

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Cor. 2:6-10 ESV)

It seems foolish to the unbeliever!

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

The world didn't know God through wisdom but He saved those who believed!

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” (1 Cor. 1:21 ESV)

 “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him.” (Luke 5:27 NIV)

In the gospels we read about how Jesus spoke to certain ones and told them to “follow me.” And, they did! You can see Levi’s immediate response, below.

“and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:28 NIV)

What was an invitation to Levi is also an invitation to “whosoever”.

Today, because Jesus has died on the cross for the sins of the world, His invitation “to follow me” is now available to “whosoever”. And, yes, it includes you along with everyone else!

The most famous “whosoever” verse is this one

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV)

“Whosoever” calls on Jesus Name!

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom. 10:13 KJV). That’s the gospel, and it's good news!

"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” (1 Tim. 4:12 NASB)

The senior pastor at the church we attend is 24-years-old. He has experienced a bit of a pushback from some older folks in our congregation who believe he is not old enough to hold that position. But, to hear his Christ-centered, Bible-based messages, delivered with easy-to understand illustrations, conviction, passion and enthusiasm, there is no question that he is mature beyond his years and that God has placed an anointing on him! And, quite frankly, he is not the first to get this kind of criticism.

Timothy was also criticized for being youthful

The Apostle Paul met Timothy during his second missionary journey and he became his companion and co-worker. Paul told him, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness.” (1 Tim. 4:12 NIV).

All ages may serve Him! 

The truth is, God can and will use people of all ages, young or old. Moses served God to the age of 120 and Jesus “was going about his Father’s business” at age 12. (Luke 2:49). The apostle Paul told Timothy the important thing was, “in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” (2 Tim. 4:12b)

In terms of ministry, the New Testament doesn't specify an age, per se, but qualifications for elders & deacons can be found in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 & Titus 1:5-16. My young pastor does meet the qualifications. 

 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV)

In the above passage, Queen Esther had to decide whether to risk her life and do what God had positioned her to do, which was to trust Him for help in what looked like an impossible situation. Or, to fearfully do nothing in order to save herself. Thankfully, she trusted God, did the right things and therefore, experienced His victory and blessing. Not only for her people, but also for herself and her family. Esther understood the truth that God would accomplish His will, save His people through somebody, and If She didn't allow Him to use her, He would get somebody else to do it. Read the book of Esther for the full story. It is a wonderful picture of How God places people in the right place at the exactly the right time, to accomplish His will.

God has a plan for you!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

“The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” (Isa. 14:24 ESV)

Commit your work to God

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” (Prov. 16:3-4 NIV)

God establishes your steps

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Prov. 16:9 NIV)

He will not forget your work!

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Heb. 6:10 NIV)