Pastor Mac Hammond | February 20, 2022

Recap:
Disappointment can be deadly. That’s why Pastor Mac took time away from his current series to preach a message entitled “Managing the Deadly Force of Disappointment.” Too many people allow disappointment to steal their faith. They know that God can heal, but when experience doesn’t align with what they believe, they are disappointed—and if they don’t deal with that disappointment well, they will slide toward discouragement and eventually despair. That’s one reason why we must learn to keep our focus more on God’s Word than on outward circumstances.

Dive Deeper:
The enemy is after your faith. He will do whatever he can to get you to waver from your belief in God and His Word. That means if he can’t get you to stop reading the Word, he will work to ensure that disappointment is ever-present in your life. He will make sure that you are disappointed through people and negative circumstances time and again.

He knows that repeated disappointment that is left unmanaged will eventually become negative expectation. Negative expectation that is not properly dealt with will become discouragement and soulish weariness. Discouragement unmanaged will become hopelessness and despair.

You can, however, change this slide. When disappointment comes your way, don’t focus on it. Turn your attention back to the Word. Keep focused on who you are in Christ and what the Word says about the circumstance you are facing.

Do as the apostle Paul recommended in Philippians chapter 3: forget those things that are behind and press forward to what lies ahead. When you keep God as your focus and delight, He will give you desires that align with His will in your life. He will lay out for you His high calling on your life. Make maximum sustainable effort in that direction.

Know that you can’t do this on your own. Stay connected with the church family that God has placed you with, for encouragement is vital as we leave disappointment behind and stir our faith in Jesus!

Read More:
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Proverbs 23:18 KJV
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Philippians 3:13–14 KJV
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 10:24–25 Amp.
And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever had your expectation frustrated?
2. When you are weary, what do you do to stir up your faith?
3. How does redirecting our attention to the Word of God stir up positive expectation?
4. Why is church so important?
5. What is your favorite thing about church?

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