How to be an
Encourager
Barnabas: Mr. Encouragement
• Acts 4:36 “Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot by birth,
whom the apostles named Barnabas, which is
translated Son of Encouragement…”
• “Son of encouragement” = Characterized by
encouragement
• Today: Mr. Encouragement
Acts 11:20-24
20. But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who
came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists,
proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
21. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who
believed turned to the Lord.
22. Then the report about them reached the ears of the church in
Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as
Antioch.
23. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and
he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a
firm resolve of the heart—
24. for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith—
and large numbers of people were added to the Lord.
25. Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,
26. and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a
whole year they met with the church and taught large
numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in
Antioch.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
We are Encouraged When…
• Our strengths are confirmed
• Our direction is affirmed
• Our hard times (sufferings & failures) are put into
perspective
• Our efforts are appreciated
• Our higher motives are inspired
Christians Have Spiritual Resources to
Draw On For Encouragement
• Romans 15:5 “The God of endurance and encouragement…”
• Romans 15:4 “The encouragement of the Scriptures”
• Acts 9:31 “So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and
Samaria had peace, being built up and walking in the fear of the
Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and it increased
in numbers.”
• Acts 11:24 “For he [Barnabas] was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and of faith…”
– He saw the grace of God and was glad
– He encouraged them all
Encouragement is More Relational
Than Informational
• 1st Thessalonians 3:2-3 “And we sent Timothy, our brother
and God’s co-worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen
and encourage you concerning your faith, so that no one
will be shaken by these persecutions….”
• Information alone will not change my life, since I won’t let
it in if I don’t trust the other person not to hurt me.
• “Maximum growth in Christian maturity occurs when truth
is presented in the context of relationships.”
- Larry Crabb & Dan Alexander, Encouragement: The Key to Caring
Encouragement Begins with Acceptance
• Acts 9:26-28 Barnabas Helps Paul
26. When he [Paul] arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate
with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since
they did not believe he was a disciple.
27. Barnabas, however, took him and brought him to the
apostles and explained to them how, on the road, Saul had
seen the Lord, and that He had talked to him, and how in
Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
28. Saul was coming and going with them in Jerusalem,
speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
Encouragement Begins with Acceptance
• Communicate acceptance of the other person regardless of
what he has done or could say.
• Listen until you gain a real understanding of the person’s
problem – before saying anything.
• Be slow to give advice; quick advice communicates, “The
answer is obvious, but since you’re too dumb to see it, I’ll
just have to tell you!”
• Don’t expect anything dramatic; most of the time
encouragement is the result of a lot of little things adding
up.
Encouragement Speaks to
Peoples’ Hearts
• 2nd Chronicles 32:6 “[Hezekiah] set military commanders
over the people and gathered the people in the square of
the city gate. Then he encouraged them…”
• Literally, He spoke to their hearts
– Same word for encourage in Ruth 2:13 and 2nd Samuel 19:7
• Ephesians 6:22 “I am sending [Tychicus] to you for this
very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage
your hearts.”
Speaking to Hearts
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Direct your words toward relieving the other person’s fear
Ignore the fronts people put up – speak to their hearts.
Use a tone of voice that says you’re safe
Speak sincerely – don’t feel you have to appear to have it
all together… that is merely putting up a front of your own.
• Encouragement is more about attitude than saying certain
words.
• Avoid sarcasm, cutting remarks, or making people the
target of your humor – that causes them to put up such a
defensive wall you can’t speak to their hearts.
Encouragement is About
Building People Up
• Ephesians 4:29 “No rotten talk should come from your
mouth, but only what is good for the building up of
someone in need, in order to give grace to those who
hear.”
• John Maxwell: There are….
• The Hiders – who ignore problems and hope they go away.
• The Hurlers – who throw truth at people, “only speaking
the truth”
• The Healers