Run from Giant Despair and Doubting Castle, keep Hopeful, remember the Promise!

The enemy, who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us has a great weapon. So great a weapon that the 2nd best-selling book of all-time mentions it; Pilgrim's Progress.

The weapon?

Its the ugly Giant Despair!
He's so ugly- and cruel- and scary!
And he's so wicked and mean!
He will hand you a rope, poison, and a dagger and tell you how much better things will be, if you will just use them!

He will drag you to Doubting Castle and shackle you in a prison, and make you want to die. He will drag you through all the bad things in your life- and in everyone else's. He'll make you believe that your prayers only go as high as the floor. He may keep you from food and drink, or keep you from seeing the lovely light of day. He will make you believe that there will never be better days in your future and the misery that you now abide in, will be your permanent stay.

And if you think the ole Giant is something, you must meet the wife! Oh she is a terror! In fact, she's the Queen of Terror and Fear! She has a murderous heart that is very deceitful and evil. She will do all she can to ensure torturous imaginations! You know, the kind that keep you awake and far from peace, rest, and safety!

Now the mystery- Christian sat there- tormented by Giant Despair and his wicked Wife, with a great Promise in his pocket, the whole time! What made him forget it? What kept him from thinking of it when he needed it most?

I suppose it is the power of Despair. It can blind you and confuse you.

Its so important to constantly remind yourself that the Promise is right there- right at your heart- all the time. Listen to Hopeful: *Then said HOPEFUL, "That’s good news; good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom, and try."*

Don't let him beat you! You have a key! A precious Promise! But don't be defeated, don't give up, for even our Lord felt this heavy creature too. Remember; “My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?” As He cried to His Father, so can we cry to Him!

*'I will never leave you, nor forsake you,'
*For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to be, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
*"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil."
*Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
*Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

...Giant DESPAIR, who despises the King of the Celestial Country, and seeks to destroy his holy pilgrims." Many, therefore, that followed after, read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they sang as follows:
"Out of the way we went; and then we found
What ‘t was to tread upon forbidden ground:
And let them that come after have a care,
Lest heedlessness makes them, as we to fare;
Lest they, for trespassing, his prisoners are,
Whose castle’s ‘Doubting’ and whose name’s DESPAIR."