It's hard to rise if you haven't died first.

Dr. Tony Evans says before God delivers freedom from discouragement, he wants us to learn from our trials.

We want to skip those passages that talk about the struggle and the trial and the pain and the pressure

and the brokenness that God often requires before he brings about the glory.

This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans.

Christ died to give us freedom, but some things can keep us from feeling or acting like we're really free.

Let's join Dr. Evans as he talks about a major one, discouragement.

Freedom is released from illegitimate bondage so that you can experience, enjoy,

becoming what you are created and redeemed to be. Two things have to connect for you to be free.

Truth, which is more than facts, and relationship, he who the sun sets free.

Information is not enough to free you.

It'll post bail for you, but it won't unlock the door.

So I want to talk to you about discouragement. I'm not talking about momentary discouragement. We all have moments of

discouragement, but I'm talking about where that has become more of the norm rather than the

exception. In Luke 24, we have two disciples who are on the Emmaus road. The crucifixion

is taking place, and they're on their seven-mile walk back home to Emmaus from Jerusalem.

Verse 13 tells us. They were discussing the weekend. They were discussing

what had taken place on this crucifixion weekend. And while they were trying to figure

stuff out, while they were trying to make sense of the illegal trials that had led up to the death of Christ,

the crucifixion, the nature of the crucifixion, while they were trying to figure this thing out.

It says Jesus himself, verse 15, approached and began traveling with them.

So Jesus kind of shows up and starts walking beside

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