According to Wikipedia, “An Achilles’ heel is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common.” Discouragement is one weapon Satan uses to neutralize a leader. Not even Moses, […]
Breaking Barriers
DISCOURAGEMENT: SATAN’S WEAPON AGAINST BELIEVERS (5)
Many of David’s subordinates disappointed him at one time or another and brought much pain to him. Shimei was one of them; Joab was another. The act of treason from his own son, Absalom was even more devastating to the king. But among all these, none seemed to have hurt David more than the disloyalty […]
DISCOURAGEMENT: SATAN’S WEAPON AGAINST BELIEVERS (4)
It is not always easy to know exactly when David wrote some of the Psalms, but the words found in Psalms 61:1-2; 69:19-21; and 143:3-8 among others reveal a lot about the discouragement David experienced. For instance, in Psalm 69:19-21 he lamented, “You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; My adversaries are all […]
DISCOURAGEMENT: SATAN’S WEAPON AGAINST BELIEVERS (3)
David’s life is not only a good example of the study of leadership but also a good example of how a believer can cope with discouragement. Leaders by default face discouragements arising from their different experiences in leadership (See. Ex.32: 19-30; Num.14:4-6; Ezra. 9:1-4; Nehemiah 13:23-31). Like the Scriptures teach in 2 Cor.1: 4, those […]
UNDERSTANDING THE PAULINE CONCEPT OF HOPE (5)
It is not surprising why Paul spoke more about hope than anyone else in the New Testament. Hope for him was a strong conviction, an article of faith. He even stated that “Christ in us is our hope of glory.” He used the word hope nothing less than twenty-five times in his writings. (Romans 4:18; […]
EXPERIENCING STRENGTH IN HOPE (4)
As we said in our earlier series, hope makes sense only when it is reposed in God, in his word and in his promises. Again, we referred to Piper’s comment on what Christian hope means. Paul’s experiences in ministry illustrate how we can gain strength in hope. First, his voyage to Rome is a lesson […]
