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The Remedy for Discouragement | Build It | Jentezen Franklin

Sunday, September 15



Key Scriptures 

Zechariah 1:16-21, Psalm 121:1-2, Matthew 9:37-38, Nehemiah 4:17, Matthew 13:55, 1 Kings 18:33-38, Jude 1:20, Nehemiah 4:6, 1 Samuel 30:6. 

Introducción 

Enemies of God have always threatened the church. In Zechariah, the four horns represent power, strength, and violence—the powers that scattered Israel and Judah. However, God sent His only Son to this earth, and He was a master craftsman, a carpenter in the business of building things. 

  • What sticks out to you about the message, “The Remedy for Discouragement”? 

The devil wants to scatter marriages, families, nations, and churches and take out your vision for the future. But God has a remedy. Lift up your head, look to God, and build back what Hell destroyed. 

Carpentry is the remedy to scattering. Jesus doesn’t want to demolish broken people but to rebuild them. Jesus, the Carpenter wants to rebuild broken places in your life. There is life beyond your pain!  

God wants people with tools in their hands, as an army of builders. 

From Critics to Carpenters 

In the message, Pastor Franklin said, “God needs carpenters, not critics.” Complaining can be easy or even come naturally. Start working on it through prayer and love. It’s time to quit whining and start working on your marriage, family, and ministry.  

It’s easier to point a finger than it is to pick up a hammer, but you won’t change anything by blaming others.  

  • How often do you find yourself complaining about your circumstances or the people around you? How has your complaining hindered progress or growth? 

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. (Philippians 2:14-15) 

Eyes on the Hills | Finding Help in High Places 

Three times a year, the Israelites journeyed to Jerusalem for major festivals, facing an uphill climb from any direction. Psalm 121, sung by these pilgrims, begins: 

I lift up my eyes to the hills.From where does my help come?My help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth.(Psalm 121:1-2) 

Discouragement can creep in when we lose focus. Remember, our help comes from our Creator. Focus on the supernatural aid from Jesus Christ, who rebuilds our lives. It's not our circumstances but our response to them that truly matters. Do you worry about your circumstances? Can you trust in God's help instead? 

As we navigate life's challenges, adversity might blur our vision. Instead of looking down, lift your eyes to the hills where your help comes from. 

  • Discuss how looking "up" or beyond our immediate circumstances can change our perspective on challenges. 
  • Often, it's our response to circumstances, rather than the circumstances themselves, that shapes our experience. How can one practically move from worry to trusting in God’s help? 

A Call to Harvest | Engaging in Prayer and Action 

Imagine a farmer with a field of ripe fruit ready to be picked and sold. The farmer only has a few days before the fruit rots on the vine. The farmer cannot find people to work in the field and harvest the fruit. He has tenderly cared for his fruit for many months. He fears all could be lost, and he needs some help.  

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV)

Jesus knows our earthly challenges and sees the great need in the world. He wants every person to return to His loving arms (1 Timothy 2:4). He needs us all to pitch in and labor on his behalf to bring His message and saving grace to the world. Each one of us has a crucial role to play in this mission. 

  • Jesus instructs His disciples to pray for laborers. Why do you think prayer is emphasized here? What role does prayer play in evangelism? 

Jesus calls us to pray for more to wear the "belt of love," bearing the tools of Scripture, Christ's sacrifice, and heavenly care. Stand up straight, look forward, be knowledgeable and courageous on behalf of our Lord Jesus. 

  • Are you prepared to take action and, with Jesus, tackle the challenges ahead? 

Action and Readiness | A Stark Warning 

Referring to the section above, it's not just about action of the laborers but about the heart's readiness to receive and respond to Christ. 

The church in Laodicea was wealthy and complacent, believing they lacked nothing, yet they were unaware of Christ's absence among them. In John’s Revelation, Jesus stood at their door, knocking, but they were too occupied in worldly comforts to heed His call.  

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)

If you feel a growing indifference towards spiritual matters, it might signal that you're gradually closing the door on God. Keep your heart perpetually open to Him, ensuring you never miss His presence, which brings true and lasting fulfillment.   

The Call to Rebuild 

In his message, Pastor Jentezen outlined three essential remedies to counteract the destruction wrought by the 'four horns.' He highlighted three critical actions we must take to rebuild:  

1. Rebuild an Altar - Reestablish our connection with God. Call on Him, and listen and obey. If the altar gets rebuilt, life can be rebuilt. See 1 Kings 18:33-38. 

2. Rebuild Relationships with Others – Unself yourself. Build others up, even if you've gone through hardships. The 12-step program of AA emphasizes that the 12th step is crucial. To avoid recidivism, you need to (step 12) get involved with someone who has a bigger problem than you. 

3. Rebuild Your Faith - Fortify your trust and belief in God's promises. Build yourself up in your holy faith. 

Let’s discuss these principles. 

Jude reminds us to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. Our "most holy faith" is a reminder of how we are set apart for God—holy and sacred, a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). 

 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21 

With the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we can look past what we see in the natural and look up to God where our strength comes from (Psalm 121:1-2) and praise Him no matter the circumstances. We can trust God during adversity by keeping ourselves in His Word which is where we will see His character and never-ending love.  

David often encouraged himself in the Lord and we can too.  

David acknowledged his feelings of sadness and despair, but urged his soul to put hope in God, making a commitment to praise God despite his struggles: 

  • Psalm 42:11 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” 
  • 1 Samuel 30:6 “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God”.  
  • Under what circumstances do you find it most difficult to encourage yourself in the Lord? 
  • How can we practically reestablish our connection with God in our daily lives? What steps can we take to ensure our altar remains strong and active? 
  • Share a time when helping someone else with a bigger problem than your own helped you grow or heal. How did this experience align with the principles of the 12th step in AA? 

The Heat is in the Tools 

The analogy of coal miners in North Dakota teaches us perseverance in faith and relationships. Despite the extreme cold, miners are advised that the "heat is in the tools.” Just as they find warmth by working, we discover spiritual and relational warmth through perseverance. By using the tools of faith—love, scripture, and prayer—we can overcome life's cold moments. Keep these tools ready, for in them lies the power to transform challenges into victories. 

  • Can you share a time when you felt spiritually or relationally 'cold'? How did using the 'tools' of faith (like prayer, scripture, or acts of love) help you find warmth or resolution? 
  •  How can we, as a group, encourage each other to keep using these tools even when immediate warmth isn't felt? What strategies can we adopt to maintain our readiness to work through challenges? 

Conclusion 

The Enemy wants to discourage, destroy, and scatter you. But God has a remedy. Get it in your mind to work, and in the coldest times of your life, the heat you need will be in the tools you use! When you start working, things start warming up; the heat is in the tools. Get a sword and hammer and get to work.  

Oración 

  • We learned that the horns “scatter”. What has the enemy tried to scatter in your life and how can we pray for you? 
  • Pray about the areas of your life (marriage, family, ministry) where God is calling you to "pick up the hammer" instead of pointing fingers.  

Circumstances scatter and distract. Ask God to guide your focus towards looking up to Him first. 

Commission: 

Build the altar in private so you can win the battle in public! Check out daily devotions based on Sunday’s message on the Free Chapel App.

Recursos: 

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