Throughout history people have acknowledged certain passages from the Bible as their most encouraging Bible verses, as they have found them to be both inspiring and refreshing during trying moments. Perhaps you may even have your own list of encouraging Bible verses. As for me, I have a number of Bible verses that I find to be encouraging. And with that being said, I’m going to share some of them with you now, but I will do it in the form of a devotional thought.
Encouraging Bible Verses from the Life Experience of Paul
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 NKJV)
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 NKJV)
One of the things that makes this verse so touching is that it was written by a man who went through some of the severest of trials. For he also said this:
“I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NKJV)
Without a doubt, Paul was a man who had great faith; he understood what it meant to go through hard times, and he knew God well enough to depend on Him to deliver him from the hand of the enemy and to meet all of his needs in Jesus Christ.
“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12-13 NKJV)
What does your life say about Jesus Christ? Are you really living in such a way as to give Him the honor and glory that He deserves in everything? What do you say about God when you’re going through hard times? Many people have given up on God for far less than what Paul went through. They went to the cross thinking that they could use it as a means for gain, but as soon as the road began to get a little bumpy and they discovered that they couldn’t keep holding on to their worldly things and still serve God at the same time, they turned away from Jesus just as quickly as they turned to Him. But Jesus made it very clear that we wouldn’t be able to keep it all when He said,
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV)
I think that rather than thinking about what we have to give up for Christ, we should be thinking about what He gave up for us. What He gave up for us was far more a significant sacrifice than anything that we could ever surrender to Him; He gave us His life for people who hated Him.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (John 1:10-11 NKJV)
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8 NKJV)
So why do people give up on Jesus so easily when He didn’t even let death stand in the way of Him expressing His love for us?
I think the best way to answer these question is with question: what were they really expecting to receive when they gave their lives to Him…an easy life…prosperity…power…popularity?
What are we really looking for in Jesus Christ? Do we see Him only for what we think we can get out of Him or do we see Him for what He has already given us? Do we love Him because we want something from Him or do we love Him because He first loved us?
Finding Encouragement in Jesus Christ
Listen, the Christian walk was never meant to be easy. In fact, Jesus made this very clear when He said the following words:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV)
Anyone who gives their life to Jesus Christ is going to face hard times, not only because the world hates what He stands for, but also because we are at war with an enemy who will stop at nothing to try to tear our faith in God to shreds. Nevertheless, just as Paul learned to trust in Jesus Christ, we too, must entrust our hearts to Him, even if that means we will have to lose our lives in the process.
“do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” (1 Peter 4:12-14 NKJV)
Perhaps you’re facing hard times right now, and you feel that you’re carrying a weight on your shoulders that is just too heavy to bear any longer. You might even be discouraged and feel that nobody cares enough about you to take the time to understand what you’re going through. If this is the case, then be encouraged by Jesus’ words:
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3 NKJV)
Do you believe these words? You should believe them, because they were spoken by He who suffered death so that they might be fulfilled in you. Not only does Jesus know you, He loves you enough to understand what you are going through. Therefore, don’t be discouraged. Instead, honor God by placing your trust in Him. Don’t give up and lose the fight to the enemy; rather, invite God into your heart and let Him transform the ugly situation that you might be encountering into something beautiful. The world might promise you many things, but it will never give you genuine happiness. Only God can accomplish that for you, and it is quite clear from what is happening around us that the world is not the solution to our troubles. God’s love is the solution, and the Bible has something wonderful to tell us about it:
neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NKJV)
Nothing can stop God from loving us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t deny His love, which is why we need to cast our cares on Him continually, praying without ceasing and upholding and living by His words. By doing these things we will not be deceived by the devil who wants us to believe that God doesn’t love us enough to be a part of our lives. Instead, we will embrace the Life that Jesus Christ has given us and be at peace with God and with ourselves.
Encouraging Bible Verses for Growth in Christ
Accept what Jesus wants for you. Let Him usher you into a brighter life. And when the devil comes knocking on your door and threatens to blow your house down, you can remind him that he has no power over you because you belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords–Jesus Christ.
whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV)
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”. Ephesians 6:11-18 NKJV)
An Encouraging Bible Promise for Hope and for Sharing
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4 NKJV)
One day this promise will be fulfilled, and we who belong to Jesus Christ will watch it unfold right before our eyes. May we continue to hold on to this promise and never let it go, and may we meet up with each other in the holy city, where we will see our Heavenly Father and be with Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.
For more encouraging Bible verses, presented in the form of a special message for you, click on the following link: Inspirational Bible Quotes
P.S. Have you read Jesus Wept?
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Links to things that you will likely find to be helpful: Inspirational Bible Quotes, Biblical Prosperity, Inspirational Thoughts
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