Encouragement

1.To inspire with courage, spirit or hope;
2. To spur on or stimulate

Recognizing the presence of God (His Spirit) yields courage and abates fear and dread.

Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deut 31:23, Joshua 1:6, 9)

John 14:1,16,27
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
We must not quench the Spirit, if we desire the benefits of His presence.

When waiting and hoping in the LORD courage is found.

Psalm 27:14
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Psalm 31:24
“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

It is important to encourage one another to do right.

Hebrews 10:24
”And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:"
Hebrews 3:13
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

Beware of those that seek to lead us astray by encouraging us to do evil.

Psalm 64:5
"They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, “Who shall see them?”

Here we see that the Lord has words of great comfort and encouragement to His people Israel during their captivity in Babylon. (we all have our own versions of captivity…do we not?! Take comfort.

Jeremiah 29:11 (read 10-14)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end."