Winning the Battle with Discouragement

I once heard a story of how Satan hunts for the souls of people. With the story was a picture of a man going down a long dismal street. On his right shoulder sat an imp, apparently speaking into his ear. The street represented life. Just where the man was standing seemed to be the darkest spot in all the street, but far ahead of him light seemed to be springing up, which, however, was not seen by him at the time, for he was looking down. Often if we would look up, we should discover that just where we are is the darkest spot and that ahead the light of hope beams brightly, inviting us on to triumph and victory. The story ran about as follows:

Satan has many imps with which he hunts the souls of people. The most successful one of them he calls Discouragement. Once upon a time Satan saw a man passing down the way of life, and he said to his little imp, Discouragement, “Catch him.” Starting off with a bound, the imp soon overtook the man, and springing upon his shoulder whispered in his ear, “You are discouraged.”

“No,” replied the man; “I do not think so.”
“Yes,” said the imp; “I tell you, you are discouraged.” “Well,” replied the man, “I am not very much discouraged.” Again the imp repeated, “I tell you, you are discouraged.” Finally the man said, “Yes, I am discouraged.” The imp then went flying back to his master and said triumphantly, “I caught him.” Another man came along and Satan again said to the imp, “Catch him.” Leaping upon the second man’s shoulder, he began as before by saying, “You are discouraged.” This man answered firmly, “No, I am not discouraged.” But the imp repeated, “Sir, you are discouraged.” This time the man answered, “I tell you positively I am not discouraged.” But again the imp said, “Surely you are discouraged.” On this the man became angry and said, “You are a liar; I am not discouraged.” At this the imp left him and slowly returned to his master, and reluctantly said, “I couldn’t get him. I told him twice that he was discouraged, and he answered me promptly, ‘No!’ I told him the third time he was surely discouraged. At this he called me a liar and that discouraged me.”

Firm resistance to the accusations, discouragements, and attacks of Satan will put him to flight, and instead of being discouraged, downcast, and despondent, we can be victors in the name of Christ, and the instruments of Satan sent to cast down our souls will themselves give away under the pressure of firm resistance and faith in God. Finally, dear reader, let me say, or rather let me remind you, that Jesus said of Satan, “He is a liar and the father of it.” Though many traps be set along the way to ensnare the feet of men; and many imps be sent out to hunt the souls of those who would do right, no power or imp of Satan can stand before the soul of the least of God’s redeemed who resists Satan steadfastly in the faith and trusts firmly in the written Word of the Almighty power of the true and living God. “Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24).  

D. O. Teasley