Shalom and welcome once again to the last episode of Living Supernaturally in this series on encouragement. I hope that you have been able to look through God’s word and really apply some of these truths in encouraging one another and seeing the fruits of it. Today, we focus on the last aspect of why encouragement is necessary, good and important. We see that encouragement helps to uplift one another and we uplift with sound teaching. When we look at encouragement it is not just merely to make someone feel good but encouragement can also come when we guide, teach and uplift others with God’s word so that they will reach God’s best. 2 Timothey chapter 4, verses 1 to 2 says, ‘I charge you… Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.’ We see that this verse was written by Paul to Timothy. Paul was in prison in Rome at almost at the close of his life and he is giving Timothy practical guidance and encouragement as he is overseeing the church at Ephesus. At that time, the church was facing false teachings and Paul’s letters to Timothy is an instruction and a guidance on leading the church effectively. We see that Paul warns Timothy that a time will come when people would not endure sound teaching but they would turn away from the truth. In this verse, alongside with his directive with preach/ proclaim the gospel with sound doctrine, he encourages Timothy to correct, rebuke and convince and he says, do it with patience and careful instructions to the church. He puts that emphasis in addition to proclaiming the truth of God’s word and he says, guide and uplift the church with sound teaching. You will see a threesome instruction in this and in some versions, you will read, reproof, rebuke and exhort, this suggests a holistic approach. When you look at the first two words, reproof and rebuke- are addressing certain wrongdoings and incorrect beliefs. The third word exhort is a more positive and encouraging tool, it shows us it is not just enough to point out what is wrong but shows us what is right. So, Paul is showing him how to uplift the church with sound doctrine alongside with encouragement. He reads that Timothy needs patience in order to do this in his ministry, continuously teaching and encouraging the church even when results may not be evident. Paul advises Timothy to exhort because he recognizes the value of that encouragement and what it can do to guide and nurture believers. These are excellent examples of how sound teaching can encourage us as a community. So, in our walk with other believers, as we encourage, let’s encourage using the word, God’s commands and His teachings. Let’s pray together, Thank you Heavenly Father of this journey of understanding encouragement as a gift and ministry. Even as you have placed us in a community of believers, teach us to edify, encourage, uplift and build one another according to your word. Thank you that you have given us a community to do that, may we do it in every opportunity, we give praise and glory to you, in Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. Thank you for tuning in to living supernaturally, for more resources to strengthen your spiritual strengthen your spiritual walk, please visit apcwo.org.

Daily devotions to strengthen your faith each day. Daily Devotional for Spirit filled living. Each daily devotion is about five minutes in duration. These daily devotionals are centered around a weekly theme. So there are seven daily devotions that focus on the theme and bring you insight, understanding and revelation from the Bible. Each week’s theme is listed as a series. So you can listen to the current week’s devotions or go to any previous theme/series that speaks to your present need (https://apcwo.org/resources/daily-devotions ). Also available free sermons (https://apcwo.org/sermons), and free Christian books (https://apcwo.org/books) to nourish and strengthen your faith.