Struck me while grading a spelling test on antonyms. The opposite of discouragement is courage!
Ps 27:14 – Wait patiently for the LORD; Be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD.
Ps 31:24 – Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in (wait on) the LORD.
Definition of Discouragement:
1) a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness.
2) an attempt to prevent something by showing disapproval or creating difficulties; deterrent.
Definition of Courage:
1) the ability to do something that frightens one.
2) strength in the face of pain or grief.
The key to staying in the place of courage during times of waiting for prophetic promises to manifest is to wait in the LORD’s presence and hear His voice and His perspective of the situation. The devil will attempt to wear out the saints for the purpose of getting them to lose confidence in the LORD and start tolerating a distancing from His voice.
A prophetic family that came through our hospitality home did a skit to get a point across to their children during their family worship time. The mom and dad were whispering in each other’s ears directly. Then a child squeezed in between…the mom could still hear the dad’s voice. But by the 6th child in between them, she could no longer hear and she missed the instruction that “It’s time to move NOW!” and didn’t act.
Sometimes our waiting is because we are being pruned and prepared for something greater, being trained in radical obedience and listening intently in the midst of chaos and confusion. Sometimes, it’s self-induced because we pulled away (or apathetically allowed life distractions or the devil’s constant painful buffeting to push us away) from His voice.
The reason these definitions leapt out is because the LORD gave me a vision that I was standing in front of Him with my hand on his chest but with a straight arm so that there was a measure of distance between us, even though my hand could still feel His heartbeat and I could still hear His. The buffetings have been so strong over the last year, that it has challenged my trust and also allowed a fear of more pain to creep into my heart. I knew the moment I would get too close to His embrace; I would get sideswiped yet again. Struggling to stand firm for the last 10 months as the buffeting was so strong it resulted in family deaths, and when we’ve done everything, we can simply stand, my strength was ebbing and I was developing a defensive posture.
Yet the LORD was showing me that this very defensive posture was the reason I was getting weaker, because it’s when His arms are wrapped around us that is when we are no longer relying on our strength but His arms will hold us up even when our legs have given out. This is what deep intimacy is all about. Trusting Him enough to hold us up even when we can’t go any further on our own strength.
Repent for allowing discouragement to get a foothold in and return to His sweet embrace where you will be able to hear not only His voice but also feel His heart beating for His bride as it becomes one with your own heartbeat.
Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (**Reading the rest of Isaiah 41 will explain WHY we need to not fear, but that’s a whole other topic.)
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