INTRODUCTION

What do you do when you feel like its no use ... like throwing in the towel?

--- commonsense, straight to the point advice from God

SCRIPTURE

Expository study of Joshua 7 ... with cross references for principles reinforcement from 1 kin 19, jer 15 and 1 sam

EXPOSITION

Discouragement often comes after victory

--- background from jos 6

--- why? ... why are we so prone to discouragement after victory?

--- cross-reference reinforcement: Elijah discouraged

Discouragement has a strong, relentless power to pull our focus in ourselves

--- what does God prescribe when that happens? ... focus on the Lord ... bring your lamentations to Him

--- cross references to Elijah, Jeremiah

--- discouragement is the time to come to terms with your practical atheism

Find someone to rally with

--- the rationale: to help you ... keep your focus, see clearly, keep your spirits up, on your toes, closely accountable for drift

--- cross reference to Elijah, David

Review of same principles from Nehemiah 4

DISCOURAGEMENT OFTEN COMES AFTER VICTORY

Background:

jos 6:27 a magnificent victory over Jericho

the Lord was with Joshua ... his fame was in all the land

jos 7:1-7 Discouragement ... an object lesson

why are we so prone to Discouragement after victory?

--- because we tend to become overconfident ... flushed with victory, we become complacent forgetting how we became victorious

--- to begin with

jos 7:2-5 overconfident Israelites ... flushed with victory over Jericho

--- their problem? ... vv3-4: need only 2 to 3 thousand ... they are few ... underestimated the enemy, overestimated themselves

--- see also: Elijah after battling with the high priest of Baal ... 1 kin 19:1-4

Applications

--- watch out ... keep your guard up ... especially so, after a victory ... that is when you are most vulnerable ... rom 13:3 ... think as to have sound judgment

--- in your quiet times ... do a post-mortem

how did you emerge victorious?

in what way was God's Hand evident?

what contributions of yours did He multiply?

recognize your part ... but be careful to acknowledge where the credit really lies ... God!

pro 27:21 a man is tested by the praise accorded him

DISCOURAGEMENT AS A STRONG, RELENTLESS POWER TO PULL OUR FOCUS IN ON OURSELVES

the natural tendency illustrated

1 kin 19:4 note Elijah's lament

--- enough Lord, take my life ... I am no better than my fathers

jer 15:10 Jeremiah at his lowest point ... discouraged over the fate that must befall Judah

--- note his lament: woe to me ... I have neither lent ... nor have been lent to ... yet everyone curses me

--- note God's prescription: vv15-16 take your eyes off yourself ... focus them on me

jos 7:7 Joshua tore his clothes ... fell to the earth on his face before the Lord

--- another godly prescription: bring your lamentations to the Lord

--- see also: David: ps 42:1-6, ps 31:7-10

Applications

--- Freud and Co. were on the right track ... we must not repress our negative emotions ... where they failed is in their solutions

the solution according to God ... vent your emotions Godward ... bring your sighs and despair openly and honestly to the Lord

--- Discouragement is the time to come to terms with your practical atheism

even if your feelings and emotions tell you otherwise ... act on your faith ... that God is alive and in total control

CHESTERTON:

Plato has told you a truth ... but Plato is dead

Shakespeare has startled you with an image ... but Shakespeare will not startle you anymore

but imagine what it would be like to live with such men still alive ... to know that Plato might break out with an original lecture tomorrow ... or that at any moment Shakespeare might shatter everything with a simple song

but God is alive

FIND SOMEONE TO RALLY WITH

the rationale

--- to help you keep your focus

--- to help you see clearly

--- to help you keep your spirits up

--- to keep you on your toes via immediate accountability

the principle illustrated

jos 7:6 Joshua tore his clothes, fell to his face before the Lord

--- note: both he and the elders of Israel

1 kin 19:17-19 Elijah in deep depression

--- God sent Elisha to encourage him

1 sam 20:1-2 when Saul tamed against David, pursuing him seeking his death

--- Jonathan used by God to help and encourage

Applications

--- who is your Paul? ... who do you open your heart to? ... who helps you keep your focus in times of Discouragement and Depression?

remember: it is the consistent counsel of scripture ... see it summarized in eccl 4:12

THE PRINCIPLES REVIEWED

Discouragement often comes after victory

neh 2:1-2 the impossible granted

neh 2:18 the defeated Israelites successfully rallied

neh 3 resources successfully gathered and deployed

neh 4:6 victory in the midst of opposition

neh 4:10 Discouragement after victory

Focus on the Lord ... bring your lamentations to Him

neh 4:4 Nehemiah under pressure

neh 4:14

Find others to rally to God with

neh 4:19-20 rally to us ... God will fight for us

neh 4:21-22 let each man with his servant ...