• Old Testament

    • Chazaq: חָזַק (ḥāz__ǎq) – to make strong, make to stand, cause to be firm
    • Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:28
    • Used twelve times, always this word (Isaiah 41:7)

  • New Testament

    • Verb
      • Protrepo: προτρέπω (protrep__ō)
        • To urge forward, persuade
        • Acts 18:27
      • Paramutheomai: παραμυθέομαι (paramytheomai)
        • Literally with (para) counsel or advise (muthos)
        • Stimulate forward; give comfort
        • I Thessalonians 2:11
    • Noun
      • Paraklesis: παράκλησις (parakl__ēsis)
        • Calling to one’s aid
        • With or beside (para) to call (kaleo)
        • A call to one’s aid
        • Beseechment or exhortation
        • Comfort or advocate
        • Hebrews 6:18

  • Christians will have troubles

    • Jesus: the world will hate you
      • John 15:18-21
      • Matthew 10:22-23
    • Jesus encourages: John 16:33; Revelation 1:17

  • Elijah discouraged

    • God encouraged him
    • I Kings 19:11-18

  • The Father and His Son actively encouraged

    • We are to emulate them
    • Encourage one another

  • WHY?

    • We’re told to
      • Isaiah 35:3
      • I Thessalonians 5:11
    • To counter Satan
      • I Peter 5:8
      • James 4:7
      • Hebrews 3:13
    • Coming difficult times
      • Hebrews 10:23-25
        • What day was coming?
        • Why would they need encouragement?
          • Temple and Jerusalem soon to pass away
          • Jerusalem was the center of everything to a Jew
          • Psalms 137:5-6
        • Can this idea apply to us today?
          • Did other difficult times come to other Christians?
          • Could they come again?
    • Second law of thermodynamics
      • People grow old
        • And are gone all too soon
        • I Peter 1:24
    • The end of time
      • Don’t know when
        • I Thessalonians 4:18; 5:2
        • Time of physical death is just as unknown to us

  • HOW?

    • Words
      • Spoken – Proverbs 12:25; 35:11; Ephesians 4:29; Acts 15:32
      • Written – Colossians 3:16
    • Togetherness – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Proverbs 27:17; Hebrews 10:23-25; Psalms 133:1
    • Example – Colossians 2:1-3
    • Love – I Thessalonians 5:11-13
    • Worship – Colossians 3:16

  • How do you encourage?