Biblical Encouragement

Today's post is more of a Bible Study or a word study than a devotion. I have listed the definition of exhort and listed most of the verses that speak of exhorting from the New Testament and made  brief comments on each verse.

Daily you are surrounded by people who need hope, direction and many even feel like giving up on God. My prayer is that this post will instruct, stir your heart and remind you to encourage others. 

Exhort- parakaleó: to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage

Definition (a) I send for, summon, invite, (b) I beseech, entreat, beg, (c) I exhort, admonish, (d) I comfort, encourage, console.

Encourage, give support, confidence, or hope to 

Can also be translated.

as appeal,   appealed,   appealing, beg,  begging,  beseeching, comfort,  comforted,  comforts,  conciliate,  encourage,  encouraged,   encouraging,  entreat, implore,   implored,  imploring,   invited,   making an appeal,  plead,  pleaded,  pleading,   preach,   requested,   urge,  urged,  urging  

Biblical References on Exhort.

Acts 2:40 NKJV And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”

Encourage/ Exhort  others  to be saved from a perverse generation.

Acts 11:23 NKJV When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.

Encourage / Exhort  others  to continue with the Lord or to cleave unto the Lord.

Acts 14:22 NKJV strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying,  “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Encourage / exhort  others to continue in faith even in the midst of much tribulation.

Acts 27:22 KJV And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

Encourage / exhort  others to be of good cheer because God will protect His people.

Acts 20:2 KJV And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much  exhortation, he came into Greece,

We must be willing to give continual/ much encouragement to those in need.

Acts 15:32 KJV And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. (Or strengthened their faith)

Encouragement should always confirm, build, and strengthen ones faith in God. Not saying every thing will always be perfect but that we serve a perfect God.      

Acts of the Apostles 18:27 NLT Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed.

We must encourage/ exhort others to GO share the Gospel and fulfill the great commission.

II Corinthians 9:5 NKJV Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you  had previously promised, that it may be ready as a  matter  of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

Encourage/ exhort others  to be prepared to generously give unto to the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;

Encourage  others  to grow in obedience to the Lord.

I Thessalonians 5:14 NKJV Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

Encouragement contains  warning,  comforting , upholding and is  patient with everyone.   

II Thessalonians 3:12 NKJV Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

Encourage/ exhort others to work...           

I Timothy 2:1-2 NKJV Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

Encourage/ exhort others to pray, intercede, give thanks, live in peace, godliness and to fear God.  

    

I Timothy 6:1-2 NKJV Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

Encourage/ exhort others  to preach and teach the truth.  

II Timothy 4:2 NKJV Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Gospel preaching should contain encouragement.

Titus 1:9 NKJV holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

Biblical encouragement includes encouragement and conviction.  And stays true to the Word. 

Titus 2:6-10 NKJV Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to  be  a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort  bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Encourage/ exhort others  to be sober minded, to do good works, and to have  integrity, reverence, incorruptibility and  sound speech that cannot be condemned. Exhort those who are servants to be obedient.      

Titus 2:15 NKJV Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

Exhort with all authority. Encourage others knowing God has your back.          

Hebrews 3:13 NKJV but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Exhort others to walk in holiness and not fall into the deceitfulness of sin. Encourage someone Today while there is still time.  

I Peter 5:1-4 NKJV The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

Exhort others to be faithful leaders and overseers.   

Jude 1:3 NKJV Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Encourage/ exhort others  to contend earnestly for the faith.  

     

Romans 12:4-8 NKJV For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let  us  use  them: if prophecy, let  us  prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let  us  use  it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one  another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Exhort others to love, do good works and be faithful to the house of the Lord. 

I Peter 5:12 NKJV By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

Exhort others to stand in the true grace of God.  

Encourage someone today. Use your words today to fill others with courage to expect and attempt great things for God. Your words of encouraging can change someones eternal destiny. In a world filled with negativity and complaining, people need to hear a positive word of encouragement. I encourage you to go encourage someone in the Lord.