This past Sunday our Fusion Kids performed a special song for the church. They did a fantastic job and were super cute in the process. Once they were finished, all the kids had to pass by me on my way to the stage. As they did, I told them what a good job they did and how proud I was of them. This was going on for a bit when one of the boys passing by looked up to me and said, “You did a good job, pastor!” Shocked and amazed, I said, “Well, thank you!”
Now truth be told, I hadn’t done a single thing. But for whatever reason, in the mind of this seven-year-old, I had done a great job. It made me smile and was just the amount of encouragement I needed right then. It made me even more excited to do my part in the service.
It reminded me that our words have power. The Bible says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
The question is, which fruit do you eat? Do your words bring encouragement or discouragement? I think we all would agree that we want to be encouraging people.
Here are six verses on the power of encouragement:
Encouragement wins over worry.
Proverbs 12:25 says, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”
Another word for worry is anxiety. I’m sure you’ve struggled with that a time a two, or at least you know someone who has. If so, encourage them. Speak positive, calming words into their life.
Encouragement wins over sin.
Hebrews 3:13 says “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
One of the greatest ways you can encourage someone is in their faith. So, keep telling them not to quit on Jesus and be faithful to his word and house. Don’t let them give up.
Encouragement wins over selfishness.
Hebrews 10:24 teach us to “think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”
The moment you start thinking of yourself is the moment you start serving yourself. Use your words to encourage yourself and others to do unselfish things for God. Unselfishness wins every time.
Encouragement wins over loneliness.
After the death of Moses, God encouraged a discouraged Joshua when he said, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Joshua was never alone, and neither are you. God is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you. That’s why the Psalmist wrote, “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” (Psalm 139:8) There is nowhere you can go physically or emotionally where God isn’t with you.
Encouragement wins over negative and perverse words.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Sadly, our sinful nature often thrives on cutting others down with our words. Don’t let that be you. Let your words be an encouragement to the people you talk with. Then if anyone is listening in, it will encourage them too.
Encouragement wins over hopelessness.
Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
There is hope in the word of God. That’s why it should be a part of your conversations. It gives hope to people who want to quit. Use it as a tool to encourage others through the hope that it teaches.
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