Prepare your minds for action. I Peter 1:13

In meditating on this Preparing Your Mind for Action scripture I found myself struggling and struggling to break through into the truths I knew God was trying to reveal. I felt like the wall was soooo thick I could never breakthrough. There was a strong temptation to say, “Forget it.” Flooding thoughts of “why bother?” crashed over me, wave after wave. After all what is the point? Who cares?

Suddenly it dawned on me; I needed to Prepare my Mind! I had hit the wall of discouragement. So how do you prepare your mind for dealing with the discouraging wall?

First: Realize that the Wall of Discouragement exists. It is a given. Living in this life, we will always face discouragement. Somehow, accepting this wall as an enemy that I face helps me prepare my mind and makes it easier to cope with. Taking the time to examine where this discouragement finds an opening to our hearts is well worth the effort. Please understand opportunities to be discouraged abound. Receiving bad news, having people desert the cause, financial issues, working hard and not getting the promotion desired and trouble with spouse or children are definite things that bring discouragement. The question is: how are we going to respond to these discouraging situations?

Discouragement comes in many forms. It feels as elusive as a nagging dread or as obvious as a dark cloud on a clear day. It can show up as heaviness or anxiety. It can feel like an oppressive wind making it hard to breathe. Discouragement comes against your feelings to try and get to your faith. We must lead by our faith, and then our feelings will come along.

The goal of the spirit of discouragement is to cause us to lose our motivation to accomplish some valid goal. It aims to make us to emotionally fatigued and discouraged ultimately so we either slow down or completely stop any progress to the once purposed end. We begin to doubt if the cost is worth the effort; in short we lose sight of the objective.

The target of discouragement is our heart or our soul; that part of us in which our emotions, will and intellect abide. Hebrews 12:3 reminds us to consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart or as the New King James translates: For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. We must become skilled at guarding our hearts, our minds and our wills or discouragement will render our courage of none effect.

Discouragement would tell us we are weak, insecure and unable to accomplish our assignments; which without The Lord is true. But, sisters, we do have a Savior, who is alive and reigning over the whole earth. He is strong and powerful—and that power is available to defeat any strongholds that would assail our minds, our emotions or our intellect. The Walls of Discouragement are not so thick that they cannot be broken through. In fact; they must come subject to His Word and His Power.

In the gospels we find the disciples in hiding after they heard the most discouraging news possible. Jesus had been arrested, crucified and buried. They went back to their homes, huddling up in fear and discouragement. But then, the women came with an amazing story! He had risen. What looks like death can with God’s help can be the beginning of Life. God truly is working all things together for those that love Him and are called to His purpose, including the most discouraging things that happen to us. This is our hope; this is the main tool we can use against discouragement.

We fight discouragement by taking courage—by becoming confident and courageous in the face of real or possible danger. We “take” courage from the Lord. He offers it freely. 1 Thessalonians 2: 2 You know how we had already been ill-treated and insulted in Philippi before we came to you in Thessalonica. And even though there was much opposition, our God gave us courage to tell you the Good News that comes from him. God gives us courage as we look to Him. We gain courage from who He is. As we take the time to really “look” at Him, we are reminded of His Power, His love and His Authority. As we look at Him our mind shifts for our inabilities, to His abilities, from discouragement to courage.

When you begin to notice this evil force assailing you:

1. Stop what you are doing.

2. Look at Jesus. Begin to meditate on Him, what He has done for you. Remind yourself of answered prayers and testimonies of yourself and others.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit for Help. Pray in the Spirit. Take the authority given you by the Scriptures.

4. Do not isolate yourself. Develop strong relationships. We gain encouragement and courage from our brothers and sisters.

5. Take time to sing and worship Him.

6. Declare your intentions, with His help to breakthrough this wall of discouragement.

Remember, preparing your mind for action is a lot like the military preparing for war. In fact, one of the expressions used for combat is “action”. A common question for soldiers, “did you see any “combat’ while you were in Iraq?” If we are conscious that we are going to face the enemy of discouragement, then we must know we can and must defeat discouragement. We do not have to fall victim to its evil force. Equip yourself for victory!

Written by: Martha Rodman

In writing the above article, I went through some very discouraging times. I have had to put into practice the above suggestions, and I would be glad to report—they work! Taking the time to really look at Jesus and see Him, in His power and might made working through these discouragements so much easier. Faith was rising within me, even when the situations outwardly didn’t seem to be changing at all. But, I trust Him. He is so very faithful, dear sisters.