Powerful people are great encouragers. They know how to encourage themselves and how to encourage others. They not only know how to do this, but they prioritize it in their lives. It is something I am passionate about and put it as the first thing listed in my bio. 

Steve Backlund is an encourager, leader developer, joy activist, and a revivalist teacher. He has a unique gift to release hope and joy in his speaking, writings, and in his leadership. 

I jokingly say I'd rather be known as an encourager than an Intergalactic apostle. When I say this, I'm trying to jolt people into an understanding of the importance of learning the skill of encouragement - both to ourselves and to other people.

I want to always be an encourager, but there are times when I go on encouragement “rampages”. The word rampage means to “wildly rush about”. It is usually used in a negative way like “Rioters rampaged through the city,” but, in the positive, it describes an out of control encourager. 

I used to not want to be a great encourager because I thought the people around me would think they were okay and stop working on the things that they needed to work on. So I unconsciously withheld my encouragement and gladness as a type of punishment. Certainly, there are times when we need to speak directly to people about their behavior but it needs to happen in a culture of encouragement, not in a culture of disapproval. 

Here is a power verse as we consider going on an encouragement rampage. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). The questions to ask as we consider one another are:

• “What do I like about them? 
• What are they good at?
• What unique gifts do they have?
• What are they doing right?” 

These questions will position your heart to really help people. Most people battle self-doubt and have some level of insecurity. Let’s help people overcome the lies that are restricting them emotionally and in their experience. 

So who should be the recipients of our encouragement rampage?

1. Ourselves - The most important person to encourage is ourselves. David “encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6). One of the greatest skills we can learn is defeating discouragement in our own lives through self-encouragement.
2. Our family - Too often we allow disappointments in family relationships to dampen our positive words to our spouse, children, parents, siblings, and other family members. It is not a true encouragement rampage unless it includes family members. 
3. Those we spend a lot of time with - Whether it is at work, school, church, or some other group we frequently engage with, it is powerful when we truly consider these people to stir up their love and good works. 
4. Those who are actually leading or doing something - It seems too easy to criticize those who are stepping forward into greater influence. Leaders and influencers need someone to tell what they are doing right. 
5. Everyone else we can - Our thanks and appreciation to people will make a difference for them and in society as a whole.

“Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25 NASB).

One of main reasons we are to overcome isolation and gather with communities is so we can encourage others. And, we are told to encourage one another “all the more” as we see “the day” approaching. Well, whatever we believe “the day” is, it is approaching. We are to go finish our pilgrimage here on earth in an ever-increasing blaze of encouragement. The people in our lives need it and will be so grateful that we are an encouragement rampager. 

If you want to go deeper into this subject, read my book, The Culture of Empowerment.