GIFT EXCHANGE

Discovering God’s Gifts at Christmas

Ryan Kelley (City Tweens Director)
citytweens@cityunited.church

INTRODUCTION

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! But let’s face it, it is one of the most stressful times as well. Many will wait with expectation to exchange tangible gifts from under the Christmas tree, but many will also miss the intangible gift that was given to us on THE TREE (the cross).

God is the exchanging God. He desires to exchange your imperfect feelings for His perfect “gift.” He takes those who have nothing and gives them everything. He takes your negative feelings and exchanges them for something far better. He takes your fears and exchanges them for His peace.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” —James 1:17 (NKJV)

In this teaching series you will discover:

Dec. 1          Exchanging Grief for Joy
Dec. 8          Exchanging Greed for Generosity
Dec. 15         Exchanging Hurts for Healing
Dec. 22         Exchanging Worry for Peace (Christmas Sunday)
Dec. 24         Exchanging Hopelessness for Hope (Christmas Eve)
Dec. 29         Exchanging Discouragement for Encouragement

TEXT: Nehemiah 4:1-23 (CSB, New Testament)

TODAY’S TAKEAWAY:

Discouragement is a personal belief that affects
your attitude about the power of God.

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GIFT EXCHANGE WEEK 6:

Exchanging Discouragement for Encouragement

I. THE

Reveal Answer

OF DISCOURAGEMENT (4:1-9)

A. You will

harassing

Reveal Answer

(v. 1-9)

will use the negativity to discourage you.

“… the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down.” —Revelation 12:10b

1. They made

   Reveal Answer
   of the vision. (v. 1-6)
   When people can’t convince you to quit, they will ridicule you.

   “In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” —2 Timothy 3:12

2. They

   Reveal Answer
   anew vision. (v. 7-9)
   Negative people gravitate to each other. Remember, birds of a feather flock together.

   “… If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you …” —John 15:20b (See also the full passage v. 18-20)

*LIFE LESSON: Nehemiah never answered the opposition; he

and

Reveal Answer

for it. *

“Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.” —Proverbs 26:4

B. You will

discouragement at the half-way point (v. 6)
The most common

Reveal Answer

for discouragement to occur is when you are halfway

Reveal Answer

anything.

II. THE

Reveal Answer

OF DISCOURAGEMENT (4:10-12)

A. When discouragement impacts you

, you feel

Reveal Answer

. (v. 10a)

B. When discouragement impacts you

, you feel

Reveal Answer

. (v. 10b)

C. When discouragement impacts you

, you experience

Reveal Answer

. (v. 10c)

D. When discouragement impacts you

, you face

Reveal Answer

. (v. 11-12)

LIFE LESSON: Never make a

Reveal Answer

when you are discouraged because you will almost always regret your decision.

III. THE

Reveal Answer

FOR DISCOURAGEMENT (4:13-23)

What did Nehemiah do … ?

A. He

the people for God’s work. (v. 13)

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.” —Ephesians 6:10-13

B. He

the people that God is bigger. (v. 14a)

“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” —Romans 8:31

C. He encouraged the people in the

. (v. 14b)

“And of some have compassion, making a difference:” —Jude 22

D. He encouraged the people to

on. (v. 15-18)

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” —1 Corinthians 15:58

E. He encouraged the people to remember

power.
(v. 19-20)

“Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth by your great power and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!” —Jeremiah 32:17

F. He encouraged the people to stay

to the finish.
(v. 21-23)

“The wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. 16When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God. —Nehemiah 6:15-16

LIFE LESSON: Focus on God’s power, not the
around you.

CONCLUSION:

Are you ready to exchange your discouragement for
encouragement knowing that God fights for you?

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