Encouragement is not just a nice gesture—it’s an essential part of our walk with Christ. Through encouragement, we help build each other up, strengthen one another’s faith, and remind each other of God’s promises.
[00:00:37] Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock.
[00:00:42] The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ,
[00:00:49] rightly dividing the word of truth, and learning how to apply it to our daily lives.
[00:00:55] You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast.
[00:00:59] And now, here's Elgin.
[00:01:02] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
[00:01:08] to another edition of Words of Inspiration, where we explore the profound impact of God's word on our lives
[00:01:16] and the gifts he has given us to serve his kingdom.
[00:01:20] And today we're continuing in our series, Spiritual Gifts, The Gifts of Grace.
[00:01:25] And in this episode, our title is The Power of the Tongue.
[00:01:31] We're focusing on the gift of encouragement and the vital role it plays in a Christian's life.
[00:01:39] Our inspiration comes from Acts chapter 14 verse 22,
[00:01:44] and reading from the New International Version, where Paul and Barnabas are described as
[00:01:51] strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.
[00:01:56] We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, they said.
[00:02:02] Encouragement is not just a nice gesture.
[00:02:05] It's an essential part of our walk with Christ.
[00:02:07] Through encouragement, we help build each other up, strengthen one another's faith,
[00:02:14] and remind each other of God's promises.
[00:02:17] So today we'll talk about how the power of the tongue can transform lives through encouragement
[00:02:23] and how this gift reflects the heart of God.
[00:02:28] The Bible speaks often about the power of our words.
[00:02:32] Proverbs 18 and 21 tells us, The tongue has the power of life and death.
[00:02:39] This verse highlights how the words we speak can either uplift or harm others.
[00:02:45] When we choose to use our words to encourage, we're participating in building others up,
[00:02:51] helping them to grow stronger in their faith.
[00:02:55] Encouragement is not just about offering compliments or making someone feel good in the moment.
[00:03:00] It's about speaking life into their circumstances.
[00:03:04] Whether we're offering a kind word, supporting someone through a difficult time,
[00:03:10] or reminding them of God's faithfulness,
[00:03:12] our words have the power to breathe life and hope into their journey.
[00:03:19] In Acts 14 and 22, Paul and Barnabas encouraged the early believers to remain true to their faith,
[00:03:26] despite the hardships they faced.
[00:03:28] This wasn't just casual comfort.
[00:03:32] It was a reminder of the internal hope they had in Christ and the strength they needed to persevere through trials.
[00:03:40] In the same way, our encouragement can strengthen others,
[00:03:44] helping them to stay grounded in their faith, even when life feels overwhelming.
[00:03:50] Encouragement isn't just about lifting someone's spirit.
[00:03:53] It's about strengthening their faith.
[00:03:56] When we encourage others, we help them see beyond their current struggles to the promises of God.
[00:04:03] Hebrews 3 and 13 says,
[00:04:16] This daily encouragement keeps our hearts soft and open to God's truth.
[00:04:21] When we face trials, doubt and fear creep in, tempting us to give up or lose faith.
[00:04:30] But the words of encouragement from fellow believers can remind us of God's goodness, faithfulness and power.
[00:04:38] Encouragement strengthens not only the individual, but the entire body of Christ as we lift up one another.
[00:04:46] The early church faced immense challenges, persecution, suffering and constant temptation to give up.
[00:04:55] But Paul and Barnabas reminded the believers that hardship was part of their journey toward the kingdom of God.
[00:05:02] Encouragement helps us keep our eyes on the bigger picture.
[00:05:05] God's promises.
[00:05:08] God's promises.
[00:05:09] In times of difficulty, we can easily lose sight of the promises God has made to us.
[00:05:14] This is where encouragement becomes vital.
[00:05:17] When we remind each other of Romans 8 and 28.
[00:05:27] We help each other refocus on God's sovereignty and his ability to turn any situation around for our good.
[00:05:41] Encouragement is like a compass pointing us back to God's promises when we feel lost or disoriented by life's challenges.
[00:05:49] It helps us stay on the path of faith, trusting that God is with us, even when we can't see the way forward.
[00:05:59] Ultimately, when we encourage others, we're reflecting the heart of God.
[00:06:04] God is the ultimate source of encouragement.
[00:06:08] 2 Corinthians 1 verse 3 through 4 tells us,
[00:06:11] Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
[00:06:20] who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any troubles with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
[00:06:30] As we experience God's encouragement in our own lives, we're called to pass that on to others.
[00:06:37] Encouraging someone doesn't require eloquence or grand gestures.
[00:06:41] It can be as simple as a timely word, a note of appreciation or prayer for strength.
[00:06:49] When we offer encouragement, we are channels of God's love and grace, allowing his comfort to flow through us to those who need it most.
[00:07:00] Brothers and sisters, as we've discussed today, encouragement is essential to the Christian life.
[00:07:08] It helps build others up, strengthens faith, and keeps us focused on God's promises.
[00:07:14] The power of the tongue can be used to speak life, hope, and trust into the lives of others.
[00:07:22] And when we do so, we reflect the very heart of God.
[00:07:27] If God has gifted you with the ability to encourage others, use that gift generously.
[00:07:34] Speak life into those around you.
[00:07:36] And if you're feeling weary yourself, remember that God is your source of encouragement.
[00:07:42] He's always ready to lift you up and strengthen you for your journey ahead.
[00:07:48] I thank you for spending time with me on today.
[00:07:52] And I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow.
[00:07:55] Until then, God bless.
[00:08:03] The Bible Speaks is sponsored by C Squared Realty and New Gen Construction Group
[00:08:10] to help spread the gospel to the corners of the earth.
[00:08:14] If anything you've heard poured into your life, please share it with someone.
[00:08:21] You can find The Bible Speaks on Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and many more.
[00:08:30] Follow us on YouTube at The Bible Speaks Online.
[00:08:34] You may contact Elgin at P.O. Box 5582, Ocala, Florida 34478
[00:08:45] or by email at thebiblespeaksonline at gmail.com
[00:08:52] Thank you for listening.