KEY SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 3:14
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away [in the vision], and I went in bitterness [of discouragement] in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

There is a parable from an unknown source that says a gentle man visited the devil while he worked at his workshop. There were countless tools.
He had various sicknesses, lust, envy, quarrels, idol worshipping, and what have you? He had one tool that he kept safely in a special security safe. Once in a while, he goes for it to polish, and then he would calmly place it in that safe. The brother asked him Why do you love this particular tool so much. He asked, What is its name ?. Satan answered him, saying this tool is called ‘discouragement’
I trust and appreciate it so much that, no matter the failure of any of my tools, when I have tried them on people, this one never fails each time I have the opportunity to apply it. It is so powerful. So long as it starts working, I am one hundred per cent sure of victory in the life of that individual. This was the devil’s testimony about discouragement. To be discouraged is to accept failure. It is a decision not to go ahead with God any longer. The moment a man accepts discouragement, he has decided to throw in the towel.

God does not work in our lives without our input. This input is called faith. Hebrews 4:2
“For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe).”
The scriptures said the glad tidings, that is the gospel, did not profit them, or better still, it did not yield any results because they did not mix the good news they heard with their faith. They could not possess the blessing God had for them. This is exactly what happens when discouragement sets in. The moment one gets discouraged, it becomes very difficult to get himself fighting to obtain what he decided to get from the Lord. Discouragement starts very subtly in the heart of the individual. It begins as a very insignificant or harmless thought, like, What if God does not answer? If this supposedly harmless thought is not refuted with all the anger in your heart. The enemy would keep repeating or showing you pictures of how bad things would turn out.

Discouragement finally sets in when the negative thoughts and images are finally accepted. At this instant, the individual has concluded that it is not worth sticking to the course he was pursuing. The only logical conclusion is to give up. At this stage, nothing will inspire the person to try again. Discouragement has totally derailed him. The bible warns us to guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (Prov 4:23. The scriptures further counsel us to give attention to the scriptures, inclining the ear, staying the eye on it and keeping it in the midst of the heart. In this way, the word would become life and even medicine to all your flesh( Prov 4:20-22). Discouragement is a complete poison to your soul and would paralyse your system from pursuing the righteous course. Give no place to it. Your ability to stay faithful is dependent on your discipline in not giving way to discouragement from setting in.

THOUGHT: TO STAY FOCUSED, DISCIPLINE YOURSELF TO BE FOCUSED.

FURTHER STUDIES

Pro 4:20-21 KJV “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

Pro 4:23 24 KJV “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”