This word is submitted by Jackie Richardson (alivewordofencouragement@yahoo.com)

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              Arise And Encourage Yourself In The Lord

  "Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues?  
  Fix my eyes on God -- soon I'll be praising again.  He puts a smile on my 
  face.  He's my God."  Psalm 42:11 (The Message Bible)

Tonight I saw in my spirit, some people walking but they were stooped, bent 
over and even looked a lot older than they were.  They were walking slow and 
the thing that stood out was the fact that they looked so old.  No sign of 
newness or fresh life.  No sign of joy or hope.  I looked for just a few 
minutes and the Lord spoke to my spirit and said, 

"This is the condition of many of My children.  They are weighed down and 
burdened with cares.  They are not walking by faith, but by sight.  They are 
walking slow because they are taking steps according to what they see or 
don't see in the natural.  Some are giving up.  Some are walking in defeat.  
Some are talking defeat and confessing the negative things that they are 
seeing.  Some are allowing the cares of this life to rob them of their joy 
in Me.  

The sad thing is, I am depending on My children to share My word of hope 
with those who are lost. But how can they do this if they themselves are 
looking and acting as if they have no Shepherd and as if they are fatherless?  
Tell My children to arise, to lift up their heads and begin to praise and 
worship Me.  Tell My children to shake off the spirit of heaviness that is 
trying to overtake them.  Tell My children to encourage themselves in Me.  
Tell My children that I am not a Father who neglects His children; I take 
care of My own."