Scripture Reading: Ezra 4:4 -5

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Reflections: The Jews were free freed from Babylonian captivity through a divine intervention. God authorized Cyrus, the pagan monarch, to liberate them. Now back home in Jerusalem, they began the process of rebuilding the temple. This did not sit well with their adversaries. Among other, these enemies employed the weapon of discouragement by accusing them falsely. The Jews got discouraged and slowed down with the reconstruction work. Discouragement can be seen as a choice mechanism of the enemy to frustrate us. It crushes our confidence and enthusiasm to accomplish set goals. Don’t ever give in to discouragement of any sort. Learn to carry on with your plans to develop spiritually and to enhance your livelihood.

Prayer: Oh Lord, let me have the power to resist the spirit of discouragement all the time.

Confession: I have no place for the spirit of discouragement in my life.