When you don’t know how to handle discouragements you lose many battles. In this life you’re going to have discouragements: Learn to face them. At an early age I learned to face discouragements. We were not reared on a bed of ease in the Angley family. Those were the days of the Great Depression and times were hard, very lean. We could have found much to be discouraged about had we looked, but my family took seriously the words of Paul: I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content (Philippians 4:11).

Some of you are discouraged about things that others would count a blessing. You become discouraged because you don’t have this, you don’t have that. I learned as a child that if I got practically nothing for Christmas to be grateful for what I got, grateful for that little something. Mom and Dad had to sacrifice to get those little things for us. They did their best and worked hard; their love brought security.

We didn’t mope around discouraged over what we lacked; no, we had a lot of fun growing up. Although we had little money, we had much love. My sister and I talk about our good times, how we’d laugh, sing and just enjoy each other. We didn’t need visitors to entertain us. We were a big family, and we entertained visitors. They seemed to enjoy the Angley family because we generated much clean fun. Not fussing in front of company, we showed love, love, love.

The Encouragement of God’s Promises

Isaiah 51:11, Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. This wonderful promise of God gives us who are under grace great encouragement. Our Redeemer brought everlasting joy to pour on our head, so we can obtain the gladness and joy of Heaven.

Sorrow and mourning flee as we count our blessings and think how marvelous God is, how He walks and talks with us, how He blesses us. Jesus has gone away to prepare a mansion for each one of us, a place where there’ll be no sorrows, heartaches and tears, no hospitals, no doctors needed to operate on our loved ones, no cemeteries, no dying. Oh, what a place! 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:2,3).

Greatly Rejoice

Greatly rejoice when you’re having temptations and trials because you’re going to come through them; you’re going to be all right. Why? The Lord has promised you’ll be all right; He’s promised that He will bring you out.

First Peter 1:6-9, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. The Lord lets you know that what He gives you, that faith, love, and peace, has to be tested; we’re getting ready for the coming of the Lord.

The reason many so-called Christians feel they need cocktails, wine and so forth is that they don’t have Jesus. If they had the satisfying Christ they wouldn’t need anything to intoxicate them. I’m a happy preacher, a happy servant of God. When God saved me He made me that way, and if His joy has passed you by, it bewilders me. No, you passed Him by when you refused to accept His joy.

Have you refused to let the Lord make you happy and keep you happy? Do you think you must have a little sadness about you? If you become happy, do you wonder if someone you love is about to die or something terrible is about to happen? I’ve heard people say, I’m so happy it scares me. I’ve never been so happy that it scared me; I enjoy being happy. Who wants to be depressed?

A Happy Family

Had I not been born into a happy family, I probably would have tried to shake them up until they were happy. I like to make people happy. When I was just a boy I’d do little things for my mama to make her happy. If I were out somewhere and had a nickel, I’d buy some candy she liked so I could see her face light up. I wanted to make her happy.

If you have salvation, let it make you happy. It’s a disgrace to let some “down-and-outer” look happier than you and then tell people you’re on your way to Heaven. Get rid of discouragement. Don’t wait for someone to encourage you; encourage yourself. It might be a long time before someone will come along to encourage you. People may think you never need encouragement anyway; so don’t look for it.

Do You Need “Deflea-ing?”

Well, Preacher, I’m busy bringing my discouragements to you. Yes, and I’m busy trying to get you deflea-ed, trying to get those fleas of discouragement off you, trying to shake you up a bit with God’s love and joy to let you know who you are: a child of the King on your way to glory. Don’t you know it’s just one step from Earth to Heaven, that the angels of the Lord gather around us here on Earth? Don’t you know the Lord walks with us? Isn’t that wonderful!

Count your blessings. Look around and see what the Lord is doing, not what the devil’s doing. Praise the Lord and get happy; clap your hands! The Lord said, O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph (Psalm 47:1). Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Jesus Will Walk the Waters with You

Some of you say you’re happy, but you complain that people don’t understand you or all you’re going through. People don’t have to understand. It’s enough just to hold His hand in the reality that you’re with Him. Know everything will be all right because the One who walks the waters with you didn’t go down. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt (Matthew 14:25-31)? What great faith is available to us from the Lord is beyond the imagination! We have only to use it.

Believing in God Is Believing in Miracles

Jesus is the one who healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and He’s still in business today. And Jesus…came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel (Matthew 15:29-31).

Christians who don’t believe in miracles really don’t believe in God; they’re just pretending they believe in Him. You couldn’t believe in God and not believe in miracles because all of His works are miraculous works. He’s the miracle-working God. If you don’t believe in the virgin birth, don’t recognize that divine blood from Heaven, you’re never going to get anywhere with the Lord. It’s impossible for you to have salvation in this dispensation without accepting Jesus Christ and His divinity into your heart all the way.

Be Anxious for Nothing

Philippians 4:6,7, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Be anxious—careful—about nothing. However, some of you are anxious about everything. If you’d get happy about what the Lord is doing you’d be all right. Some of you wake up in the morning expecting the day to turn out bad. Don’t be anxious, don’t beg; just trust the Lord.

Ask, Don’t Beg

In my home my parents didn’t allow us children to beg; they didn’t like it. I’m glad they taught us not to beg. We’re not beggars in Christ Jesus. He said, Ask, and ye shall receive (John 16:24). All you have to do is ask, and if you ask according to the will of God, you can go on your way praising Him. If the answer doesn’t come, don’t be disappointed because it wasn’t the will of God.

Isn’t it foolish to be disappointed when God doesn’t answer a prayer? You say you want the will of God; you contend, Oh, Lord, I want your will; give me your will! But the spirit of some people is really saying: Make sure it’s the way I want it, Lord. The Lord knows whether or not you mean it when you say, Lord, not my will but thine be done. He knows what’s on the inside of you; He knows if you’re going to be disappointed in His will. When God disappoints me He does it for my own good, and when He disappoints you He does it for your own good as well.

Mom and Dad had to disappoint us kids a lot of times, but it was for our own good. Children who get everything their own way can be very spoiled, unable to function well in the real world when they’re grown. What we got as we grew up we had to work for. Our parents taught us to work. This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat (II Thessalonians 3:10). If you don’t work, you don’t eat: That’s the way the Lord feels about laziness in His Book, and His Book is right.

Peace That Passes Understanding

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Some of you don’t have much peace of mind because of the spirit of discouragement. Don’t you want to get rid of it today? The Lord wants to bless you. His peace passeth all understanding, so you needn’t try to understand how it’s going to work for you. Don’t think you have no peace because no one understands you, no one knows how you’re put together. If you’d let the Lord put you together you’d be put together right. He’s put a lot of people together right.

Preacher, I’m tormented in my mind. It’s because you don’t let the Holy Spirit deliver you from discouragement.

How does that work, Preacher? The Lord feeds you encouragement. The Holy Spirit never, never delivers discouragement to us; He delivers encouragement. He serves encouraging words with His encouraging Spirit, encouraging love, grace and determination. He encourages with the promises of God, saying, You can do it! He lets you know what’s in God’s mind and divine will.

Do You Really Want God’s Will?

Face yourself: Do you really want the will of God? If you do then you won’t be discouraged about what God is doing; you will be encouraged. If the Lord wants to change things for you, He can. He works the best way to help you, bless you so He can use you to bless others; He works for your good and His. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). All things work together for your good if you really love the Lord and you’re in His will. However, if you’re not in His will, He does the best He can, but you’ve tied His hands.

What should you think on? The Bible gives a clear pattern: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8). Do days pass by without your checking with the Word to see if you’re thinking right? You must think right in order to believe right. Wrong believing brings wrong results. If there’s any praise, any glory for the Lord, think on these things listed in Philippians, chapter 4.

What did you think on today? Where was your mind? What did you think about all week? Did you load yourself down with the heavy load of discouragement?

Noah Wasn’t Discouraged

When you’re discouraged go to the life of brother Noah. He preached 120 years without getting one soul saved. He had to separate from family—other than his three sons and their wives and his own wife—and friends, stay away from them. Not one baby was born in the Noah family for 120 years. Other kin were having babies and mocking the Noah family, saying they were crazy; but the day came when they decided Noah and his family weren’t crazy after all. They found themselves pounding on the ark door wanting to get in; however, God had sealed the door shut.

It’s the same way with many people today: They’re going to be pounding on the door, so to speak, screaming for the Lord to come back, but the Rapture door will be closed; the ark, Jesus, will have sailed. Those who have trusted the Lord all the way, received the born-again experience, the baptism in the Holy Ghost and were obedient in love to the will of God will be safe in Jesus, going up, up, up to that wonderful place called the city of God.

God Will Lift You Up

The Lord told people in Old Testament days to be of good courage. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (Deuteronomy 31:6). Don’t be dismayed; I the Lord thy God am with thee; I the Lord thy God will lift you up; I’m your help, your high tower, your strength. However, when you forget to use the great love and delivering power of the Lord, you discourage yourself. When you discourage yourself, you doubt the love of God. You’re hindered; God’s hindered: God can’t work with doubt; He works with faith.

Turn your life over to God. Have you prayed, Lord, I want a happy marriage; I want just the one you send me? But are you still running around trying to pick out your own mate? If you pick the wrong one and the marriage doesn’t turn out right, do you blame God? Blame yourself; you did it. You got in a hurry. The Lord said those who wait on Him will mount up with wings like the eagle. If you would wait for Him, He would move for you. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

Let the Lord Revive You

The sun’s going to shine sooner or later; remember, the Lord put a rainbow in the sky. There’s no need to get discouraged and think you have to build an ark or you won’t be safe. You don’t know how to build it, don’t have the materials. Where in the world will you find shelter from the storm? When troubles come, trust God and keep on praising Him. Praises multiply the blessings.

Psalm 138:7, Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. This Psalm was written by David who walked in the midst of trouble. If you walk in the midst of trouble you can get weak, but as long as you believe God’s right hand is moving for you, you’ll be all right. His left hand is the judgment hand, not the right hand. God’s right hand is the hand of love and grace, the hand that lets you know He will do anything for you. He lifted His right hand for you as high as He could lift it to give you Jesus, to send His only begotten Son. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). That whosoever includes you.

Discouragement Comes from the Devil

John 14:1, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. If you’ll believe in Jesus Christ that discouragement will leave you. Discouragement is not something you’ve inherited from Heaven; it doesn’t come from God. Discouragement comes from the devil to torment, to rob you of any of the blessings of God. Jesus said the devil was a robber: Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:7-10).

Discouragement keeps people sick and brings despair, oppression, depression. A home filled with despair, oppression and depression is more like a prison than a home. You don’t have to live in a mess like that, you can cast your burden on the Lord. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him (Acts 10:38). Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost.

The devil will oppress you, but you have the healing Christ to deliver you. I say again, discouragement is one of the greatest instruments the devil can use to rob. With it he can get inside your mind and grind you down to powder. No peace, no joy, your head is throbbing and your eyes are about to burst out of your head it seems. You can’t sleep; you’ve become a nervous wreck because of discouragement. You’re so discouraged you can’t even believe God—or you won’t. Loading yourself down with doubt, you think discouragement is the way of life for you, that you’re the only one of your kind on planet Earth. The curse is upon you and you just know you’ll never come out of it. That’s a lie of the devil.

Because Jesus walked out of the tomb, you can walk out from that deadness of spirit. Jesus brought you life, and He proved it by conquering death, hell and the grave for you. Holy Lord God Almighty! It’s time to shout His praises, to hold up the bloodstained banner. It’s time to march ever onward and not be discouraged, not let defeat take you over.

No Defeat in Christ

I remember some years ago when I had a whole jet loaded with hundreds of people on our way to the Holy Land. The Lord had prophesied of His greatness that would come while there. However, about an hour from New York, one of the plane’s engines caught on fire, and it looked to some that we weren’t going to make it. One man rushed to me scared to death. He wasn’t saved, although he claimed to be. “Don’t tell anyone,” he burst out, “but the plane’s on fire.”

“Why, even if the wings fall off we’ll be all right,” I replied.

“Don’t say that! Don’t say that!” he exclaimed.

Soon he was passing the information all around, causing panic. I thought this was a good time to confront him about his salvation, so I looked him right in the eyes, called his name, and said, “Are you on good terms with God?” That scared him even more, but it was a fine time to preach; I had a captive audience.

The pilot dumped tons and tons of fuel into the ocean as we turned back to New York. When we arrived, the airport looked like a movie set; it didn’t look real. Fire trucks were waiting and retardant material was down on the runway. Bumping this way and that when we hit the ground, it felt as though we had landed on flat tires. The firemen sprayed the plane all over with some kind of white, foamy stuff. Was I frightened? No. I just wanted to get another plane and go on with the journey. However, the fire had burned up our engine, and since it was a holiday weekend, a replacement wasn’t easy to find.

The man in charge of the airport didn’t think I could keep the passengers on the plane, but I said I would do it. He informed me that I needed to have someone from his staff stay on the plane with us, and he had no one available. But then a young man on his staff—no doubt sent from God—stepped up and said, “I’ll stay with them.”

I preached, I testified, I sang about every chorus I could think of. There was a drunk on board who had every intention of getting off, but I was determined to keep him on. That door wasn’t going to be opened, that drunk would not escape.

He told me, “Had I gotten off that plane, I was going to head to the bus station and get a ride back home.”

“Yes, I knew that,” I said, “but you were not going to get off that plane.”

No Defeat in Christ

There is no defeat in Christ Jesus: The Lord gave me a wonderful statement in that difficult time. I held to it, waved it like a bloodstained banner for sure.

“We’re going to be all right,” I told the people. “There’s no defeat in Christ Jesus; the Lord said so.”

I knew the Lord had prophesied over us concerning the tour before we left home, and when the Lord tells me something through prophecy, it will come to pass. If it doesn’t come to pass, He didn’t say it. I knew the prophecy was true; the Lord had given it and I was encouraged. However, I didn’t dare close even one eye as the plane sat at that airport, much less both eyes. No, I was staying wide-awake, and the Lord gave me the strength to do it. We were on the ground in New York for twenty-four hours.

During the last few hours of the ordeal they pulled the plane out where people couldn’t get off. I guess they decided that the preacher was going to keep them on board anyway. Now I knew they wouldn’t open the doors for sure and I could relax a little more. It was a fearful time for some people.

You’ve Been Promised Heaven

Why should you be discouraged? You’ve been promised Heaven where you will live forever. Had we gone down when the plane’s engine caught fire, my soul would have sailed away to Heaven. But I knew I hadn’t finished my work: I’ve got to get this Gospel to the world; I had to go on. God had told me things that would take place in Israel. There, many received the Holy Ghost; it was an Upper Room experience indeed. If conditions in Israel settle down, many people want me to take them back, enough to fill a whole jet or several jets. But things must settle down first, of course. People think if they go with Ernest Angley they’ll be all right, but the Lord expects us to use wisdom.

I’m Called of God to Help People

Are you discouraged? Do you keep looking all the time at those who are discouraged? Do you catch what they have? When you come around me I try to kill out all the discouragement you have. You may think I don’t understand you. Yes, I do understand you, but if you come to me for help, I’m not going to become discouraged with you. The Lord didn’t call me to be depressed. Some people complain that when they told me their worries I laughed. I wasn’t laughing at them, I was laughing with them. I thought maybe laughter could bring them out of the darkness and they’d rise above that old, discouraged spirit so I could walk them right out of that valley with the help of the Lord. Oh, I plot and plan to get people out of discouragement. That’s what I’m on Earth for: I’m called of God.

I preach because I’m called of God; I didn’t decide one day that I was going to preach; no, I could have named a thousand things I wanted to be before being a preacher. I’m not a preacher by choice; I didn’t choose to preach, the Lord chose me. He anoints me to preach. Now I’d rather preach than do anything else in the world; I love it. The Lord takes over my mind, gives me His thoughts, and I pour them out to the people; I pour them out in books, magazines, tracts and on cassettes to help others all over the world. The messages are coming from the Lord; God has given them.

Don’t Doubt God’s Love

Why should you be depressed? You may be in Heaven tomorrow. Wouldn’t it be a disgrace to have your last day on Earth be one of discouragement? I don’t know whether I’m going to make it or not. Wake up! You’re about to step into Glory! The Lord has given you old-time salvation and some of you let the enemy discourage you until you wonder at times whether or not you’re really saved. Am I really going to Heaven? Will I ever get there? Lord, do you love me? I’d be ashamed to ask the Lord if He loved me. I’ve never asked Him that because I’ve never doubted His love. Doubting His love is enough to discourage any heart.

Jesus loves you, the greatest one you’ll ever have love you. He loves you with an eternal love, a love for all time and eternity. You’re special to Him; He walks with you, talks with you and tells you you’re His very own. Encourage yourself in His great love.

Take the Book of Divine Encouragement

The Bible says to speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). What kind of music do you play? What do you listen to? What do you watch? If it’s the wrong thing, no wonder you get discouraged! Discouragement is a burden you don’t have to have. Take instead God’s Book, a Book of divine encouragement.

But, Preacher, you don’t know the condition I’m in!

I know God’s condition, and I know what He’ll do for you if you yield to Him. You may be dying from AIDS, but the Lord will heal you if you live for Him, serve Him, glorify His name, and live free from sin.

We read in John that the Lord healed a sinner who hadn’t walked in thirty-eight years. When Jesus met him later He said, Go and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14). Let the Lord know that you’ll obey Him in all ways.

Jesus Healed All Manner of Sickness

The blood of Jesus can cure all diseases, all afflictions. He heals people of AIDS as though it were a slight headache. Untold thousands have been healed, delivered through the blood of Jesus. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Matthew 4:23). Notice, He healed all manner of sicknesses and diseases, but not all manner of people.

You who are already saved, don’t let discouragement defeat you; don’t know any discouragement. Oh, discouragement may land on you momentarily, but cast it aside. Lord, I asked for your will, and this has to be your will so I’m not going to be discouraged. I know I have all the help I need. Lord, you promised to heal me so I know I’m coming out of this. The healing may take a little longer than you thought, but don’t give up.

In my long sickness I’m glad I didn’t give up although I didn’t understand why God wouldn’t heal me. I knew I was born new, that I was living free from all sin. Why would He let me die? It looked for such a long time as though He were going to let me die. I don’t know how many diseases and afflictions I had by the time He delivered me. My condition had been getting worse all the time—and then it happened: In a moment, Jesus healed me all over. That’s the encouragement I bring to people: God healed me, and He can heal you.

Know What God Can Do

Regardless of the condition you’re in, the Lord makes the difference. If you come out of that valley of discouragement, it will make the difference with you. You need to come out of the valley! However, as long as you linger there, the Lord is hindered in moving for you. It’s easy to give up. It’s easy to think God isn’t going to do it. Don’t ever think that. Don’t believe it; don’t accept it. I don’t give up on you; I just keep holding on to the horns of the altar because I know what God can do.

I don’t know what you’re going to do on tomorrow, but I know what God is going to do: the right thing. The Lord will still be the saving, healing God of tomorrow just as He’s been today and yesterday. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus is the same, and He’s ready to deliver you, ready to help you.

Come to Jesus!

Sinner, Backslider, no matter how wretched your life is, how deep in sin you are, you can be delivered from those devils. Jesus delivered the devil possessed, and He has given me that power to set the captives free. I’m going all over the world to help them be free.

If you’re unsaved, pray the sinners’ prayer. Oh, God, save my soul. I’m so sorry, Lord, I sinned against you; but I have come home. I’m going to serve you, Lord, the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all my sins, and I believe, Lord, you will deliver me from tobacco, alcohol and drugs! Come on in, Jesus! Come on in!

If you meant that prayer, you’re clean through the blood of Jesus. He’s washed all your sins away, delivered you from all demonic spirits, and from the powers of the devil, and made you a new person, born again through the blood of Jesus.

God Is the Healer

Untold multitudes have gotten their miracles through this Jesus ministry. I am not your healer; the Lord is your healer. But the Lord has endowed me with His gifts, and the Holy Spirit uses the gifts of His blood through me to manifest to the people. You with AIDS: Whole families have been healed of AIDS. Little babies at death’s door have been brought to life through the power of God. Are you ready?

Lord, I come with what they need: your mighty, divine healing power. Those with AIDS, the AIDS virus, cancer, TB, arthritis, paralysis, leprosy, or any kind of death diseases, heal! in the blood name of Jesus. Heal! in the all-powerful blood name. The blood, the blood, the precious blood of Jesus!

And now get well, knowing that in the divine blood name of Jesus there’s health, and whosoever will can come and receive. Healing is promised in the Word of God: Accept that promise.

God bless you as you turn all discouragements over to Him and live daily in His holy presence.