Foundation Lesson 12

What is the Gift of Encouragement/ Exhortation?

He who exhorts, in exhortation: - Romans 12:8

Over the next few lessons we will be looking at the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, so we have a better
understanding of them, how they work and how we can from them benefit as a body. By the end of
the lessons we want to be driven to pray to ask for the gifts because we are missing out on so much.
Some of the gifts may use the same Scriptures in acting them out but each gift has its own working.
Please study them again and again we want the Holy Spirit to pour out the fullness of the gifts so we
can serve the Lord better and each other and be a better testimony to the lost.

What is the Gift of Encouragement/ Exhortation?

The word exhort means to encourage people to practice what they have heard in the Word of God
and to lead the Christian life. Teaching tells you what to do, encouragement says I will help you do
it.

How Does the Gift of Encouragement Work

Every Christian should encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ, but there are some Christians
that have been given the Spiritual Gift of Encouragement, other Christians want to be around those
who have this gift because the always encourage and build up, when brothers and sisters are down
they come up along side and lift them up, if someone is spiritually down they will encourage them
to pray and read their Bibles, they encourage people to be a doer of the Word, and there eyes are
always open for those who need to be built up, you are always left wanting to do what they have
encouraged you to do.

The Gift Of Encouragement In Scripture

Acts 4:36 calls Barnabas the son of encouragement we read of Barnabas in Acts 11:22-24, that he
encouraged those at Antioch to continue in the Lord. When those who did not believe that Paul was
a disciple Acts 9:26, Barnabas came a up along side Paul took him to the apostles, that
encouragement when a brother or sister are left along someone comes along side to encourage. In
Acts 13:43, he encourages Christians to continue in the grace of God. He also gave John Mark a
second chance Acts 15:36-41, after John Mark had left them before, encouragement gives second
chances, those with the gift will always want to encourage a brother or sister that has done
something wrong to them before, because they want to build them up and see the goal a head.

The gift of encouragement is also linked to prophecy, we will look at prophecy in another lesson,
those with the gift will also encourage in the Word about the coming of the Lord, fulfilled
prophecies how the Lord keeps His promise and does what He says, 1 Corinthians 14:3.

Questions

1) Read Hebrews 3:13. This talks about encouraging others daily. Do you encourage. Do you look
to build others up. Or do you think of your self and not to encourage your brother and sisters. Do
you see the need to encourage but think they will be alright or that someone else will do it. If you
are encouraging praise the Lord carry on. If not pray that the Lord will soften your heart and put
Foundation Lesson 12

your brothers and sisters first. Ask a Pastor for a better understanding and he will help.

2) Read 1 Timothy 4:13. Are you giving attention to encourage? This is a gift needed today, so
many brothers and sisters need encouragement in these last days. We need more with this gift to
give their full time to encourage. Do you want this gift? If so pray, ask the Lord that the Holy Spirit
will give you this gift to serve Him and others.

Things to do

Memory verse Hebrews 3:13

Find Someone to encourage and to build up

Any Questions please write them below.