#BeEncouraged - Bible Passages That Share Encouragement

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Isaiah 40:28–31 (NRSV)
²⁸ Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
³¹ but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 49:13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the LORD has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones.

Jeremiah 29:11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.

Romans 5:1–5 (NRSV) Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Romans 8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:38–39 (NRSV) ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (NRSV) ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, ⁴ who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. ⁵ For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NRSV) ¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, ¹⁸ because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Galatians 6:9 (NRSV) ⁹ So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

Philippians 2:1–2 (NRSV) ¹ If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (NRSV) ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

James 1:2–4 (NRSV) ² My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; ⁴ and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 5:8–11 (NRSV) ⁸ Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. ¹⁰ And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

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BIBLE PRAYERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
(Shared by Bro. Anthony Cummings, member of Thursday Night Bible Class)

PRAYERS FOR FEAR & ANXIETY

Philippians 4:6–7 (NRSV) ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 3:22 (NRSV) 22 Do not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.

Psalm 56:3-4 (NRSV) ³ O Most High, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. ⁴ In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can flesh do to me?

PRAYERS FOR PEACE OF MIND

John 14:27 (NRSV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

John 16:33 (NRSV) I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”

PRAYERS FOR HEALING (sickness & health):

Psalms 107:20 (NRSV) He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.

Exodus 15:26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Numbers 23:19 (NRSV) God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NRSV) ¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, ²⁰ loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Psalm 30:2 (NRSV) O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

Psalm 41:3 (NRSV) The Lord sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

Psalm 91:9–16 (NRSV): ⁹ Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
¹⁰ no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.
¹⁴ Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
¹⁵ When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.

PRAYERS FOR LIFE AND LONGEVITY

1 Chronicles 28:8 (NRSV) ⁸ Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and search out all the commandments of the Lord your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you.

Job 5:26 (NRSV) You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.

Proverbs 3:1–2 (NRSV) ¹ My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; ² for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.

PRAYERS FOR FORGIVENESS

Psalm 103:2–5 (NRSV)
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 147:3 (NRSV) He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.

PRAYERS FOR KNOWLEDGE

Proverbs 3:7–8 (NRSV) ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.

Proverbs 4:20–23 (NRSV) ²⁰ My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 16:24 (NRSV) ²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.