Set Your Focus On God

A. This morning I want to motivate and encourage you to always stay focused on the reality that you belong to Jesus. But, also be realistic and understand there will be times when you will be discouraged. Do you know why you will have times when you will be discouraged? You will become discouraged ever y time you take your eyes off of God and put them on yourself.
1. When I look at my self with all my problems, shortcomings, failures, inadequacies, and sinfulness I will become disappointed and discouraged. It’s easy to focus on health, financial, family problems and failed goals. And many things in life can discourage us. Question of the day is: “What is the best defense against discouragement?” We need a defense against discouragement.
a. For starters understand that discouragement is very dangerous. It is one of your greatest
enemies. Discouragement makes you more susceptible to Satan than any other time.
When you’re discoursed you'll say, think, and do things you would not normally any other time.
That’s when you need to understand that you’re not unique, not alone and you’re Not some kind
of freak. It happens to everyone. You are human and as a human you’re not so big and strong
that you cannot become discouraged. You and I are subject to all the frailties of humanity. And
we have a lot of Bible examples of what it means to be a frail human. And they illustrate to us just
why we need God in our lives.
(A) Remember 1 Kgs. 18? Elijah on Mt. Carmel and the battle between Jehovah and the Baal
worshipers. God used Elijah to call Israel back to God. Killed 450 Baal prophets. How do
you think Elijah is feeling? Good! Mountain top experience. God used him to win great
victory. It’s a time for celebration. Some of you have had that feeling. Experienced God
answered your prayers in a marvelous way. You have experienced in your life the truth of
Rom. 8:28, seen “God working all things together for your good.” You are feeling really
close to God. That's what Elijah is feeling In I Kgs. 18.
(B) But do you remember 1 Kgs. 19? Jezebel is mad and sends a messenger, "By this time
tomorrow you'll be dead." Elijah is scared out of his mind. Why? He focuses all attention
on his own safety. In doing so he forgets God. He begins to run for his life and ends up in
the desert under Juniper tree. Do you remember his prayer? "Lord, let me die." Elijah is
completely discouraged and goes and gets on his pity potty. Sees no hope in the Future.
(1) I've see people so Discouraged they wanted to quit and walk out of the door. So
discouraged they wanted to quit their marriage, job. Just leave town and disappear.
Seen some so discouraged they wanted to give up and die. End it all.
(2) Elijah is discouraged. He goes and hides in a cave for 40 days. That's a long time to be discouraged. That’s bordering on total depression. Three times God comes and says, "Elijah, what are you doing, why are you here?" Three times Elijah answers, "Lord I'm the only one left to serve you, and now Jezebel is going to kill me." "Oh, poor pitiful me!"
(3) Finally God said, "Get out of cave, I have 7000 who not bowed knee to Baal. Get up and do your job. Go preach the Word I give you. Stop looking at yourself and wallowing in your cowardice and self pity. Look beyond yourself. Elijah, look to me. Remember what I did on Mt. Carmel? Trust in Me and My power.”

What we learn from that? If Elijah can be discouraged, so can we. It can happen to
all of us. And it's an extremely dangerous time of life.
a. I’m not here to talk about discouragement, but about how to avoid it, how to overcome it. How to be encouraged. Before you leave here today I want you to leave here with two things, two ways how you can be encouraged. You and I have a responsibility to encourage ourselves.
Your responsibility is to and for yourself. When you take your eyes off God. It's your
responsibility to take your eyes off yourself and put them back on God.
(A) Remember the story about David in I Sam. 30? Had problems with King Saul. Jealous,
tried to kill David. Forced to leave Saul's house, city of Jerusalem and flee for his life.
David is at an all time low in his life. Takes his eyes off God and gets them focused on
himself. Like Elijah, David gets on his pity potty, gets in a depression and does something
he’d never do if he was in his right mind. David joins forces with the Philistines. Makes a
treaty with the heathen, enemies of God.
(1) They treat David well. Gave him the city of Ziklag. David and 600 soldiers and their
families dwelt there. But, one day the Philistines rise up against Israel and because
they’ve treated David well, they expect David to go with them and fight against
Israel. And David Agrees. How do you figure that? How explain that? When you
compromise with God’s enemies they have you over a barrel. They have treated David
well and call in the favor. If he refuses they will kill David and his men.
(2) Takes 600 men and goes. Before the Philistines get there they change minds. David
returns to Ziklag and finds it in ruins. The Amlikites sacked the city and stole
everything, including all the women and children. Talk about depression. David’s
men turn against him. I Sam. 30:6.
(B) Can you imagine how David feels? Now David's comes to an awful realization. Understands his terrible sin of compromising with God’s enemies. It’s here that we see the secret of David's strength When David realized his sin and the evil that came from his sin, he
immediately turns from self and his focus on self and he turns and puts his eyes, focus and
commitment back on God. That's the last part of Vs. 6.
(1) When we get discouraged. We have a responsibility to encourage ourselves. You begin by changing the way you think and what you think abt when you’re discouraged? I learned long ago from Prov. 23, "What you think about you become." Phip. 4, talks about the mind-set, the positive frame of mind that keeps the Christian psychologically and emotionally happy and stable. Phip. 4:4?9.
(2) Why should we do that? Rom. 8:31-35, gives the answer. That takes you attention off of yourself and puts it back on God. If you want to encourage yourself, change the way you think, pray read the Word and then count your blessings. You must believe and in that belief respond to the words of Paul in Heb. 11:6. Put you faith and trust in God and He will see you through every obstacle Satan and life can hurl at you.
(3) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 08/10/03