Christian Stress Management: How To Deal With Discouragement As A Christian

This blog post on How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian teaches you the Biblical steps you need to take to stop being discouraged.

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 1. Pray

The first thing you should do when you start to feel discouraged is to pray.

Therefore, pray and ask God to deal with the things that are discouraging you.

To pray more effectively over any situation, you have to use Bible verses since The sword of the spirit is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)

Therefore combine your supplication prayers with anti discouragement prayers which have been adapted from Scriptures like the following:

Heavenly Father I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me not grow weary while doing good because in due season I shall reap if I do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9)

Heavenly Father I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me not lose heart but instead believe that I will see your goodness O Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

Heavenly Father I ask You in the name of Jesus to help me remember that with men it may be impossible but not with You God because with You God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)

Heavenly Father I ask You in the name of Jesus to perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8) so that I stop feeling discouraged about this situation.

As you say these prayers. ensure that you do not just pray for one day and then give up on praying because we are told to Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 2. Have Faith

As you pray, believe that you will receive what you are asking for because we are told to Ask in faith (James 1:6)

Even if you think that your faith is weak or small, decide to believe that God will answer your prayers because Jesus taught us that faith that is as small as a mustard seed can move something that is as big as a mountain for He said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

Therefore, believe that your prayers will be answered and if you feel that your faith is wavering, pray "Lord I believe. Help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)

To learn more, read How To Increase Your Faith which uses examples from the Bible to teach you how to strengthen your faith in God.

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 3. Confess Your Sins

Confess your sins to God and ask Him to forgive you because it is written that The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save you and His ear is not heavy that He cannot hear you. But your iniquities have separated you from your God and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2) So confess your sins so that they can stop separating you from God.

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 4. Live Righteously

Ensure that you are also living a righteous life by doing the right things in the sight of God because it is written that The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16) So if you want your prayers to achieve a lot, pray fervently and live righteously.

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 5. Put On The Armor Of God

The Bible instructs us to, "Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the tricks of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)

This armor of God consists of the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the Gospel of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17)

Since you have already put on the breastplate of righteousness by doing the right thing in the sight of God and you are holding the shield of faith by believing that God will answer your prayers, put on the rest of the armor of God by doing the following:

Put on the helmet of salvation by saying with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and believing with your heart that when He died for our sins, God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Put on the belt of truth by being truthful in all your words and deeds.

Put on the shoes of the Gospel by reading your Bible every day.

Use the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17) by speaking Scriptures over your situation.

Click on the link to learn more about How to Put on the Armor of God.

Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the tricks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 6. Speak To the Situation

Jesus taught us saying, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

Therefore, every morning and evening, speak to the things that are discouraging you and tell them to leave your life. As you speak to them, believe that what you are saying will happen since you have to have faith as you speak to the mountain. (Matthew 17:20)

To make your words even more effective, use Scriptures since The sword of the spirit is the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) For example, you can declare over your situation:

I will not grow weary while doing good because in due season I shall reap if I do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9)

I will not lose heart because I believe that I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

I will not be discouraged because With You God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)

The Lord God is perfecting that which concerns me. (Psalm 138:8)

Go through your Bible to get more Scriptures to speak over your situation or get them from the book SWORD WORDS.

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 7. Fast

Jesus taught that some things have to be dealt with by combining prayer with fasting when He said, "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:21)

Therefore combine your prayers with abstaining from food for 1 day or 3 days or 21 days or 40 days. If you have never fasted before you can begin by skipping 1 meal. If you have any medical condition or you are taking medication, consult your doctor first.

As you abstain from food ensure that you are not engaging in other pleasurable activities or taking advantage of people because when the Israelites asked God “Why have we fasted and You do not see? (Isaiah 58:3) He told them, “On the day you fast, you find pleasure and exploit your laborers.” (Isaiah 58:3)

To learn more read How to Fast Effectively which uses Bible examples to teach you the things you should do to ensure that you get great results when you fast.

How to Fast Effectively uses Bible examples to teach you what you should do to get great results when you abstain from food for spiritual purposes.

How to Deal with Discouragement as a Christian 8. Thank God

The Bible tells us Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Therefore, since you have made your requests known to God through prayer, thank Him so that His peace can guard your heart and mind.

Thank God for what He has done for you in the past and thank Him in faith for what you believe He will do for you in the future.

You can also thank God because of Who He is. For example, you can say, "I thank You Father God because You are Jehovah Sabaoth the Lord of Hosts (1 Samuel 17:45) and You will fight for me in this discouraging situation."

To learn more read The Names and Characteristics of God.