Discouragement

Discouragement

All discouragement and despair comes from only one source, and that source is sin. He who does not sin in any way cannot possibly become discouraged. However, it is not necessary to be discouraged, even if one has sinned. It is not written: “Discouraged is the man whose sin is forgiven.” On the contrary: “Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven.” Discouragement comes first from sinning and then from doubting. What do we doubt? That the sin is forgiven in the very second that it has been confessed; that it is totally forgiven and forgotten for all eternity; that God loves us just the same even though we have sinned; that after an innumerable number of failures we will gain the victory; that we have a right to be bold just the same; that it is profitable to pray; that we are worthy to testify; that it is still our business to come to the meeting, etc., etc.

Where does doubting come from? It comes from our adversary the devil, the liar. Why do you believe him? Do you seek him? Do you trust him? Is it his word that you hide and keep in your heart? Whom has he saved and made happy?

After you have become discouraged, then what? Then you have lost the rest of your power to resist. Consequently, sin has even more power over you. Although it was only the one sin that caused you to become discouraged, it becomes an entire series of sins—a period in which sin rules over you in various ways, one sin being added to another. So it is in the lives of many Christians. They do alright for a while; then they are down and thoroughly dejected.

However, not one single soul needs to live in this way. Everyone can learn to fight the fight of faith, to walk in the boldness of faith—and with good courage in all circumstances, even if he has fallen.

The fight of faith can be divided into two parts. The first part is to walk faithfully in the Spirit and by faith hour by hour, watching and fighting so that we do not give in to sin in any temptation, so that we do not fulfill any of the lusts of the flesh, so that no sin of any kind is conceived. Gal. 5:16; Jas. 1:15. Then we can rest assured that discouragement is kept away and that Satan is conquered. Consequently, he cannot gain entrance through a chink in the armor through which he can shoot his fiery darts.

The other part of the fight of faith is to overcome Satan, the accuser, and to drive him away after we have sinned. This last part is the most important part, as it is most common, and what we need in order to learn to resist Satan.

When we have sinned, Satan is there to accuse and reproach us. “So you have done it again,” he says. “Alas, it is so,” says the soul. “Aren’t you quite useless?” continues Satan. “Yes, it seems that way,” he says. “And you will never amount to anything,” Satan presses on. “No, I never will,” moans the soul.” “What business do you have going to the meetings?” he questions. “I guess it is quite useless,” he agrees. “Even if you should go, is it right for you to pray?” he says. “Yes, you are right.” “And don’t say anything, you hypocrite!” “Yes, it is better for me to keep quiet,” thinks the soul. “Neither can you sing out loud because then people might think that you have victory,” says Satan. “Yes, that is true,” says the soul.

The accuser speaks as though he were an apostle of the truth. Don’t you believe it! Was it not true what he said? No, far from it! First of all, what he said was false. Secondly, the essence of it was a lie even if it was true according to the letter; and thirdly, what about all that he did not say?

Then I would like to ask you this question: Didn’t you have any truth to tell him? Not a single Word of God? Didn’t you have a single weapon? No you didn’t! You were a poor warrior! You were no warrior at all! You surrendered to the enemy right away. You did not strike a single blow with your sword for the salvation of your soul or for your Captain! You willingly gave the adversary your hands and let him take your weapons and put handcuffs on you so he could do what he wanted with you.

We are not in this world to play “cops and robbers.” You must join up to fight on the front lines and fight until bloodshed against our wicked adversary, both for the sake of your own soul and that of others. We must put on the full armor of light and use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With it we can always drive back and conquer Satan.

If you have sinned and have fallen, then rise up immediately and confess your sin. Then you know that it has been erased according to the Word of truth. 1 John 1:9. If Satan accuses you, you can beat him off with this Sword. Give him a few blows with 1 John 2:1 and 2 as well, and top it off with Proverbs 24:16. Remind him that he has had the Just One crucified, that he has lost the war and has no claim on you. Give him a one-way ticket.

Christ loves you! He defends you. He gladly forgives you! Even if you should be pressed so hard by the enemy that you are forced to jump into the sea under heavy fire, take the Sword with you in your mouth. Be courageous; never surrender to the enemy! Say, “Not this time; no, never!” Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven. There is strength and courage in joy. The one, who has been forgiven much, loves much.

Love is as strong as death. S. of Sol. 8:6. With these words of truth we become strong and tough, so that only one sin occurs instead of a whole series of sins as a result of discouragement. Can you see the vast difference between these two ways of reacting? It is either a single sin or a whole period of misery.

Conquering and driving Satan (the adversary, liar, accuser) away after we have sinned is extremely important. The best thing, of course, is to be victorious in the temptations, so that we do not sin at all. But if you lose one round, it is all the more important to win the next one. The first round is usually about a sin in thought, word, or deed. If you have lost it, the war about being discouraged or being full of courage and boldness will immediately be on again. In each case it is either one or the other; either you conquer, or you are being conquered.

Satan accuses God’s elect day and night. Rev. 12:10. But Christ intercedes for us day and night. 1 John 2:1 (advocate=defender). Who is right? Who presents your case truthfully?

“And they overcame him [the adversary] by the blood of the Lamb [which cleanses from all sin] and by the word of their testimony [by their boldness] . . . .” Rev. 12:11. All speechless souls are conquered by Satan; they are discouraged and downcast and doubting instead of believing and bold. Satan is allowed to be their shepherd and advocate. They do not doubt his “truths.” They stay close to him without their knowledge or will, and he thankfully stays close to them. He pumps them full of unbelief and doubt. They have, without resisting him, given themselves into his care.

“We believe [in the Advocate], therefore we speak.” 2 Cor. 4:13. But those who are discouraged believe in Satan; that is why they keep quiet.

“A downcast spirit, who can bear it?” Prov. 18:14. That is heavier than any man can bear. Everyone will break down under such a burden. It is impossible to stand up or to open your mouth. Your lips are so heavy that you cannot even utter a word so others can hear you. Your chest is crushed by this heavy weight. The arms are without strength and the hands are too weak to swing the Sword; you cannot even hold it up.

“God has not given us a spirit of discouragement . . . .” 2 Tim. 1:7. From whom have you received your spirit? To whom have you listened and opened your heart? Whom have you obeyed? Whom have you trusted? To whom have you submitted? And whom have you resisted?

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Jas. 4:7. “Resist him, steadfast in the faith . . . !” 1 Pet. 5:9. To whom have you opened yourself? For whom have you made room? “Nor give place to the devil.” Eph. 4:27.

With all that is in me I exhort each soul who wants to be finished with sin at any price to be of good courage! Be bold! Endure! If mighty Satan is against you, the mightier Christ is for you! Thanks and praise be to God! Victory will be yours at last! The work of Satan is to accuse all those who fall. The work of Christ is to intercede and defend, to uphold and to raise up all those who fall. Ps. 145:14; Prov. 24:16; 1 John 2:1.

Be not superficial with scripture verses. Do not forget them! It is impossible to conquer Satan with feelings, opinions, intentions, wishes, and dreams! You have to give him blows with the edge of the Sword, with the exact words of God. You do not have time to run home in the hour of temptation to look up what the Word of God has to say, to get your weapons. Then it is too late! Arm yourself now with the Word of God which is the truth, in your heart and on your side. Always have your weapons ready! Fight as soon as you are aware of the slightest opposition against the truth in your mind; use the Sword at once! However, should you have sinned, and you hear the accuser’s voice accusing you for what you have done, you must answer him: “But I also know something that is true.” Then you can silence him with suitable scripture verses. Be not stingy! You can be sure that he will hurry out of your way. He will say, “Let me get out of here fast! I want to try my luck elsewhere! He is a radical one! He was a bad one.” Luther said, “One word of God can bind him.” One, two, or three words of Scripture can drive him far away from you, because he is the prince of darkness, and he cannot possibly endure light (the light of the Word of God)! It is the same for a fish thrown up on land; it cannot last long.

Thanks and praise to God! Our future is bright and long and full of hope. Forward, soldiers! On to the battle and to victory! Attack with swords drawn! Let the empty newspapers be. It is useless trying to fight Satan with newspapers, magazines, and sales catalogues. They don’t draw blood. But use the Sword of the Spirit, which is the living, true, and unchanging Word of God. That is the weapon that conquers! Then your adversary loses courage, and not you! Hallelujah!