Hundredfold Ministries, Int'l

Are you called to ministry? Before you answer, let me say that I believe every Christian is called to some kind of ministry. Often when we think of "ministry," the first thing we think of is the Ephesians 4:11 five-fold ministry list: the apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, and evangelist. But Scripture makes it clear that there are other ministry calls such as administrators, those who give, those who govern, workers of helps, dispensers of mercy and so forth. (See Rom 12:8.) And I also believe that every ministry must include regular prayer, continual Bible study, sharing Jesus with others, teaching Bible classes, and on-going involvement in Christian works.

So far this call to ministry sounds good, doesn't it? We are moving in our gifts, being a Father pleaser, and having good, on-going fellowship with other believers. In fact, it sounds great! But anyone who has served the Lord for a long period of time has already learned that there are pitfalls in our ministry walk.

It is easy to find those who have been set back or injured by some event or snare of life. I regularly encounter Christians who were once fully committed to ministry but who are no longer involved in any way. They are no longer following Jesus in the work of the ministry. They have been sidetracked. Usually these people can tell you why they are no longer in ministry. They can point back to some event or circumstance that knocked them out of the race. Most are still in the church. They are simply not moving in their call.

The object of this chapter is to identify many of the pitfalls that the circumstances of life, our own sin, and/or Satan uses to knock out God's ministers, as well as to provide the biblical basis for overcoming such pitfalls.

Entrance Into The Ministry

Entering into ministry can roughly be divided into three phases. They are 1) the call, 2) the preparation, and 3) the ministry. For most of us these phases overlap as we grow in Christ.

1. The Call

Sometimes the call to ministry is very specific and can be marked to a time or an event in one's past. I have known many whom God called to ministry during an altar call in a church service. I have known others to whom the Holy Spirit simply spoke. Still others began doing what they were called to do without even realizing "the call" at the beginning of their work. Their service just came naturally to them. Often these people have never thought of themselves as called ministers.

2. The Preparation

The amount of preparation varies with the call. For example, those who preach and teach must prepare more thoroughly in the Word than those who do not. However, all preparation for every Christian ministry involves gaining a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Bible. Sometimes this includes Bible school, sometimes not.

A diploma or graduate degree doesn't necessarily certify one for ministry. The Holy Spirit often certifies one for ministry before any such diploma is received. Only the Lord knows when each person is ready. Ministry and training can take place at the same time. There is no one correct way training takes place. But rest assured the Holy Spirit will train each person for ministry if he or she is willing.

3. The Ministry

As Christians begin to mature in their call, the Lord gently gives them opportunities to move using the gifts encompassed within the call. At this stage there is usually great joy in the hearts of the young ministers. Why? Because for the first time they experience the joy of "co-laboring" with Jesus. They feel the exhilaration of speaking or acting under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Often this exhilaration includes fresh new visions of the Lord's harvest by our new minister.

The Testing of Ministrers

But God tests all who respond to His ministry call. His reason for testing is not that He might then reject us, but rather that, like Apelles, we may be tested and approved in Christ. (Rom 16:10) The Apostle Paul mentioned this testing process in his letter to the Thessalonian church. He wrote, ". . . we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel." (1 Thes 2:4 NIV)

For most, little time passes before the testing begins. Perhaps at a Sunday evening service a young boy receives a call to preach. On Monday he works up enough courage to share God's call on his life with his friends. They respond to his "ministry" with laughter and ridicule. The testing has begun! The time comes for him to receive formal Bible training . . . and there is no money . . . the testing continues. Two years into his pulpit ministry a severe sickness lays him out -- the testing goes on. We have all heard the stories. And all who have responded to their ministry call can tell their own similar story.

If we are to stay in the race, then we must learn to pass the tests that come along. In order to do that, we must know 1) their purpose, 2) God's objective, and 3) the biblical principles involved in overcoming them. Let us first look at Jesus to see how His testing relates to these three points.

The Testing of Jesus

It is important for us to recognize that even Jesus, the sinless Son of God, underwent severe testing. Even He had to prove Himself able (the purpose) before the awesome task of the redemption of mankind (the objective) began. Let's look at Jesus' testing as recorded by Luke:

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here.

For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Lk 4:1-13 NIV)

Unfortunately, many of us look at Jesus' temptation as being unique to Jesus. We mistakenly think that His temptation has no relevance for us today. That is not so. We are also tempted by the devil. Let's examine the biblical principles Jesus used to overcome His temptations.

1. Turning Stones Into Bread

I have never been specifically tempted to turn a stone into bread. But I have been tempted by the devil using the same principle. The principle of this temptation is: To accept the devil's provision in place of God's.

Adam was tempted by the devil using this principle and he failed that test. God gave Adam the Tree of Life for food, admonishing him not to eat from the Tree of Death (the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the devil's tree). The devil succeeded in causing Adam to come to him for his food. The Bible says that the devil's fruit was ". . . good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom . . ." (Gen 3:6 NIV) Here is a very important observation: the issue is not whether something is "good" or "bad." The issue is always where did it come from? Yes, the devil's fruit can appear to be good. So "good or bad" should never be the test. The only valid test is to examine the source. Where did it come from? Did God provide it? Or did the devil?

Now let's bring this temptation down through the ages. Where is the pitfall for us today? It is simply this: any time we go to any source other than Scripture we are turning stones into bread! It is so significant that Jesus used the word of God as His response in all three of Satan's temptations.

I want to apply this principle specifically to the area of preaching. Any time we go to any source other than Scripture for messages to preach, we are turning stones into bread! Now I am not saying that we cannot draw from the writings or sermons of others. The Lord may well lead us to use them as a source of learning.

What I am saying is this: Satan has packaged the fruit of his Tree of Death as attractive loaves of bread. For example I am convinced that much of the "self-help" teachings used by many ministers today are the devil's bread. Most such teachings that I have heard or read are designed to assist the Christian in attaining some desirable goal without the painful trip to the cross. Put simply, it often teaches a crossless Christian life. But this is not possible in true Christianity, is it?

Yes, Self-help preaching may cause your church to grow. Self-help teachings on "how to have a happy marriage," or "how to control your anger" may bring more people to your church. Teachings on "how to increase your church's giving," and so forth will indeed increase the giving, but at what cost? Now, don't get me wrong. These are great topics and they should be preached. But the basis of every message must be solidly grounded in Scripture.

The best way to get a church to grow is to allow the Holy Spirit to control it. The best way to have a happy marriage is to make it Christ-centered. The best way to control your anger is to be crucified with Christ. The best way to increase your church's giving is to make the Holy Spirit the treasurer. Every self-help teaching that is not riveted to Scripture is a subtle substitute used in place of the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, my self doesn't need anyone's help. It is fully capable of managing my life apart from God. It is fully capable of guiding me firmly along the "broad road that leads to destruction." (Mat 7:13 NIV) But my Bible teaches me that my "self" has but one destiny from God's view, the cross. Did Jesus not say, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"? (Mat 8:34 NIV)

2. The Kingdoms of This World

What is the significance of Satan's offering Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if only He would bow down and worship him? God's will is to establish His kingdom on earth. Part of God's plan was that Jesus had to fulfill His destiny on Calvary to usher in the kingdom. Satan offered Jesus his kingdom in place of God's! It was painless, no Calvary! Had Jesus accepted Satan's offer, there would be no kingdom of God on earth today as we know it.

Satan is still offering earthly kingdoms to us in place of God's! All anyone must do to get his or her own kingdom is to do it the world's way. Use all the right techniques, the right music, make the church "seeker-friendly," and substitute good, soothing, ear-pleasing messages in place of preaching the cross on which Jesus suffered, bled and died.

And this illustration is only one example of how to have one's own kingdom. There are many, many ways to do it. Satan is printing new brochures almost daily. But the only way to enter into and possess the kingdom Jesus died for is through prayer, trials, heart-break and much pain-the same way Jesus ushered in the kingdom through the New Covenant. Of course, our Lord gives us great and wonderful blessings along the way. But our way, if it is also God's way, always includes the cross.

3. Throw Yourself Down From Here

When Satan tempted Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the temple Jesus responded by quoting Deuteronomy: "Do not test the Lord your God . . ." (6:16 NIV) Notice that Satan cleverly quoted Scripture in his attempt to lure Jesus. But Jesus saw that the real issue was testing God and He refused to do so.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid many of us "jump" not realizing that in so doing, we are testing God. In fact, I myself recently jumped from the pinnacle of the temple! But with the help of the Holy Spirit I finally saw my error and have received the Lord's forgiveness. Here is how it happened:

Some years ago the Lord promised to supply our ministry needs as we fully obeyed His leading to travel, minister and write. This worked well until we encountered a long period of financial shortfall. Funds began to decrease as our publishing expenses rose. The situation continued until we began to use some credit to fulfill the Lord's instructions to us.

One day I became quite angry over the situation. I told the Lord, "You said that if we obeyed, You would supply our needs. You never said that we would borrow money to do Your will! Now, God, where's the money?" Very shortly after that showdown with God, I was reading the Psalms when these verses leapt from the page to smite my heart:

But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High. They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, "Can God spread a table in the desert?" (78:17-19 NIV, emphasis added.)

I can assure you that when I saw these verses I was fully aware by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit that I had done precisely the same thing Israel had done. I had done what Satan tempted Jesus to do. I had put God to the test. Besides that I saw another, even more painful Scripture:

In the desert they gave in to their cravings; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. (Ps 106:14,15 NIV, emphasis added.)

After repentance and confession, it has now become my intent to apply another Scripture . . . "a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (Ps 51:17 NIV) I have resolved never again to jump from the pinnacle of the temple!

The Cross Versus The Comfortable Lifestyle

Every human being has a desire for comfort. I don't think this is wrong. Nor do I condemn comfort or those living in comfort. I enjoy comfort as much as the next person. But when this desire for comfort becomes a primary life concern or motivation it can quickly become a snare to our ministry call.

There are those in ministry today who have managed to hold a steady course through many of the pitfalls until the issue of creature comfort comes along. Then they become hopelessly ensnared. They have strayed from God's will in order to live a more comfortable lifestyle. Notice that I am not necessarily blaming Satan for this one. I view this pitfall more from our own flesh than as a device of Satan's.

Now I am not saying that if any Christian or any pastor/minister is living in comfort he is in the devil's snare or has somehow compromised his or her ministry. Here is the issue: Did he or she abandon God's will for the comfort he or she now enjoys? Or, if God wants to take away his comfortable lifestyle and place him in a hardship ministry, is he unwilling to do so? If the answer to either of these questions is "yes" our minister has traded his ministry call for comfort. I know a missionary couple who were living in comfort in an African nation when God called them to start all over in the austere, hostile environment of another country. They said, "Yes! Lord" without a moment's hesitation! They were not tied to a comfortable lifestyle. They passed the test with flying colors. But there are others who would remain in comfort rather than leave it for God's will.

It is our flesh that craves the comfort. The cross crucifies flesh. It puts flesh to death. If flesh is dead, the comfort it craves is also dead. Paul knew this for he tells us that he had ". . . learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. . ." (Phi 4:12 NIV) What he is saying is simply this: if you have comfort, be grateful for it and enjoy it. If not, make the best of what you have and keep the goal of your ministry call in full view. Paul was willing to suffer any discomfort, any hardship, or any indignation for the sake of Christ. We too, must be willing to give up any comfort to move in obedience to His will.

Satan's Big Guns

Now let's look at how Satan tempts each of us as ministers of the Gospel. I'm not sure it is possible to identify all of Satan's devices. I do think, however, it is fairly easy to identify the devices he uses most often to cripple or to render ineffective those whom the Lord has called to the ministry.

I like the analogy Reverend Costa Deir uses to illustrate the principles contained in this chapter. Costa says the devil has "big guns" that he uses to shoot at those in the ministry. If we learn about these guns in principle, then we will recognize them when they come along. Here are some of the guns Satan most often uses.

1. Discouragement

We are all aware that there are times when things don't go well in our ministry. In fact, there are times when things not only aren't going well, they are bad! These times are some of the devil's best opportunities to target you with his discouragement gun.

Here is how this gun works. When your ministry isn't going well the devil begins to relentlessly invade your thoughts. He usually fires these thoughts (Ephesians 6's flaming arrows) into your mind in the first person, making you think they are your own thoughts. He will cause you to think thoughts like, "I lost two families last month. The offerings are down." Through your thoughts he reminds you over and over of how bad things are.

Another way the devil aims at you is that he often sends his friendly messengers along. These messengers have traditionally been called "Job's friends." They come to you pointing out all your faults. They tell you what you should have done. Not only do they point out how bad things are, they often predict that it's going to get worse!

The devil fires this gun of discouragement at you again and again, day after day, night after night, until it has the desired effect - you become so discouraged that you lose hope. You may even stop praying. Maybe you start to believe that God has forsaken you. If you let this happen, the enemy has hit his target!

2. Self-Pity

After the discouragement gun has rendered us discouraged and maybe even hopeless, the devil then targets us with his self-pity gun. Here is how this gun works.

Again, the devil comes in a soothing, pitiful voice. "I feel so sorry for you," he will say. "You don't deserve this. You poor thing! You've done nothing wrong." Then he gets to his real motive, "If God really loved you, this wouldn't be happening to you."

He continues on and on until you are swallowed up in self-pity. Self-pity not only consumes you, it can also make everything God's fault! Satan certainly has succeeded if you start blaming God.

3. Fear

This gun can be used at any time, but the devil usually reserves it for those times when things aren't going well. He often uses it in relation to our health or finances. Here is how it works. Things are going well until one day you notice some discomfort in a part of your body. As the days pass it gets worse. Then comes the voice that says, "You've got cancer! You're going to die!" And the icy fingers of fear begin to grip your heart until that fear has paralyzed you.

Or, he may use fear concerning your finances. When things aren't going well financially the devil begins to taunt you with worries. You are awakened from sound sleep at 2 am with nagging thoughts like, "How are you going to make it? How are you going to feed your family? How are you going to pay the bills . . . ?" These worrying thoughts persist until fear consumes you. And again, the voice of the accuser always tells you that God has forsaken you and that He isn't going to intervene. If you allow this kind of fear to grip you, you will end up believing that you are all alone and forsaken by God.

4. Greed

Greed is one of the most effective weapons in the devil's arsenal. Greed usually takes the form of a desire for more and more money since it is with money that we try to satisfy our desire for things. The Apostle Paul recognized this pitfall when he said, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (1 Tim 6:10 NIV) In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus refers to this pitfall as "the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things." (Mk 4:19 NIV)

The devil's greed gun usually begins by convincing you that "you deserve better or even the best!" He will whisper in your ear, "God's servants shouldn't be poor. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He is rich. You're a child of the King. You should have more!"

Once the devil has convinced you of these things then he begins to tell you that the end justifies the means. You can "stretch the truth" a little here, "bend Scripture" a little there, "withhold a little information here" until you maneuver yourself into more and more money.

In fact he may even convince you to begin to take money directly from the church treasury! At first it starts out as a "loan." An emergency comes up and you haven't the money to meet a need. The devil says, "There's money in the church account. You could borrow some until next pay day. No one would ever know. You can pay it back. Go ahead, it's OK." Now he has a church official taking money from the church!

Soon this "borrowing" becomes a regular occurrence. And -- with the passing of time, the idea of paying it back has long since departed. The devil's greed gun has downed another victim. (Of course, this same principle applies to believers in a business setting too.)

5. Power and Control

Power and control work differently but are close cousins. One who covets power seeks to gain authority over others. One who seeks control strives to manipulate those under his power to force them to act according to his desires. The devil knows if he can hit Christian leaders with this gun then he has succeeded in terminating their effectiveness in the kingdom of God. If he can bring a leader under the power of this gun, he has made a little "god" of him. Once that happens God can no longer effectively use this person. Why? Because he no longer needs the Holy Spirit, he is his own power source.

Have you ever been in a meeting where it was evident that every decision was being controlled by one individual? No one said or did anything apart from the subtle directions given by the spiritual "master of ceremonies." Everything is under control. Even the Holy Spirit is shut out. Yes, we all have been in such meetings. The master of ceremonies has been hit by the control gun!

Or take the individual who is always saying and doing things to gain the favorable attention of his denominational leaders. He often orchestrates circumstances that tend to promote his own image, even at the expense of his peers. This is a leader who has been targeted and hit with the power gun.

6. Illicit Sexual Desires

The devil learned long ago of the power of sexual desire in human beings. God intended this powerful force to be used as a bond, holding husband and wife together. God intended it to be used with love and gentleness as a blessing to mankind as well as for reproduction. But the devil has perverted sex. In his scheme sex is "high entertainment." To him it is for all to use anytime, anywhere, with anyone, and in any manner. The devil has succeeded in selling this concept among many in the world today. The devil has learned that when he can contaminate a Christian leader with this lie he has brought down another of God's ministers.

Some years ago I sat in stark unbelief listening to a well known international evangelist who was accused of sexual misconduct with young women. He told the group of ministers who confronted him that, "Jesus was always accompanied by young women wherever he went, and He freely used them for His sexual gratification." Therefore it was OK for him to take young women with him as he traveled and used them for his own sexual gratification!

Is there no limit to the power of the mind to justify sin? I think not when one has been hit with the devil's illicit sexual activity gun.

7. Pride

Our Christian is now in a season of God's blessing. Things are going well. If he is a pastor, the church is growing. The messages have been good and well received. It seems that everything he or she does prospers. His family is doing well too, his children are serving the Lord.

The devil comes along to examine this minister and his work. He thinks, "well, my discouragement, self-pity, and fear gun certainly won't work here! I know . . . I'll use pride! Here is a perfect target for my pride gun."

Then the devil comes subtly to our minister telling him that all of these good things are happening because he is better that the other ministers in the community. "You are special," he whispers. "You are so good! You really know how to preach. There is a 'special' anointing on you. God is blessing you because you deserve it."

The victims of this gun often take on a sort of slick ministry image. Their ministry resembles a smooth-running business of the world. There are many, many casualties in today's church who have been shot through with the devil's pride gun.

8. Health

It is common knowledge world-wide today that certain foods taste good but can be damaging to our bodies. From time to time cultish groups arise who are extremely health conscious. They only eat certain foods prepared a certain way. Most often these cults are associated with demonic rituals and various forms of false religions.

Once I was traveling with a powerful brother in Christ. I observed that he was very particular about the food he ate. I thought, "Surely he isn't one of those 'health food' cult people!" I became so curious that I asked him why he was so particular with his food. His answer was direct, to the point, and still rings in my ears. He said, "If you lose your health, you lose your ministry. This body doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Jesus and He has made me the care taker of it."

I gained a whole new perspective on my health and physical well-being! The devil would love to trim ten to twenty years off your life, or he would love to give you a stroke and leave you disabled. But good eating habits are not the only things that contributes to our health.

In some of the nations I have visited, people love to drive fast. They drive far too fast for the road conditions. In so doing, they are opening the door wide to a sort of self or demonically orchestrated destruction. They are putting themselves as well as completely innocent victims in a position to be killed or maimed. I know of a number of pastors and missionaries who are either dead or unable to continue ministry because of auto accidents.

I realize this isn't a pleasant subject but we must remember my brother's words, "If you lose your health [or life!] you lose your ministry." This is one gun the devil loves to fire. It may take the Lord twenty to thirty years to produce a good, balanced, powerful minister. If the devil can trim a few of the last and most fruitful years from that ministry through sickness or accidents, he has won a great victory.

I believe that these eight big guns of Satan's have brought down countless ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news is that as we stay steady, and as we continually fix our eyes on Jesus and on His word, we can overcome every trap the enemy has for us.

Worries Of This Life

Another pitfall for our ministry is that of worry. When Jesus taught the Parable of the Sower to the multitudes, the disciples came to Him later and privately asked Him to explain it. The first two categories of seed do not generally apply to those well along in ministry, but the third category does.

This is the seed that fell among the thorns. Jesus said of this seed, ". . . but the worries of this life . . . come in and choke the word making it unfruitful." (Mk 4:19 NIV, emphasis added.) This is a genuine snare that all of us must be on constant guard against. Countless are the ministers of the Gospel who have had the power of their ministry drained away through worry and anxiety.

Some folks are born worriers. Their minds are continually projecting "worst case scenarios" into all of life's circumstances. "What if this or that happens?" (This could also be a ninth gun of Satan in that he can stir up these thoughts too.) The tragedy of this way of thinking is that Jesus has promised us that if we "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these thing will be given to you as well"! (Mat 6:33 NIV) It is a simple matter of priorities. If we put Him and His kingdom first, then He supplies all our needs. There are times in every Christian ministry when we simply must rivet our eyes on Jesus and keep on keeping on. We simply must discipline our minds not to worry. We must do what we are instructed to do in Philippians:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (4:6,7 NIV)

Persecution As A Pitfall

I know that it is difficult for some to understand why so many ministers are persecuted. But we must remember that Scripture makes it clear that ". . . everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Tim 3:12 NIV, emphasis added.) Let me identify and distinguish the causes of persecution. Sometimes we are persecuted because we have either sinned or made mistakes. This is not being persecuted for the gospel's sake. It's the natural consequence of our own sin or errors.

But there are other times when we are persecuted for adherence to and obedience to God's word. That's persecution for the gospel's sake. Such persecution can often easily be avoided by compromising our stand on God's word. But compromise is a very dear price to pay for avoiding persecution! Let's identify the sources of persecution. As I see it, there are three principal sources, 1) from outside the church, 2) from inside the church, and 3) from family and friends.

1. Persecution From Outside the Church

The church of Jesus Christ has suffered persecution in every age, at least somewhere in the world. For those Christians who live in countries where non-Christian religious leaders dominate the government, persecution comes from attempting to practice even the most fundamental tenants of our faith. For others who live in freer societies, the persecution may come from taking a strong stand on an issue, whether it be political, social or moral.

2. Persecution From Inside the Church

In the heart of every human is the capacity to rationalize. Often this human rationalization requires the twisting of Scripture. Then those who have twisted Scripture become self-righteous and convinced that they are in the right.

These situations occasionally exist within segments of a local church, sometimes even within the leadership of the church. With the passing of time their hearts grow hard. They become: . . . darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (Eph 4:18 NIV)

Then one day the pastor, or a prophet, exposes this situation and begins to shine the light of Scripture on the sin. The guilty parties may attempt to viciously persecute the exposer. This is persecution for the gospel's sake within the church. Bearing persecution under these circumstances is indeed sharing in Christ's sufferings! Jesus was persecuted when He spoke the truth about the Pharisees.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Mat 5:10-12 NIV)

3. Persecution From Family

Persecution can also come from our own family and friends. Unbelieving family members may persecute a member of the family who is a Christian because of his or her stand on sin. But believing family members may also persecute another family member who is a Christian and who takes a stand against them because of their sin. Jesus said,

"For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'" (Mat 10:35,36 NIV)

Let me conclude this section by reminding all of us of God's promise in Romans 8:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:35-39 NIV)

The Purification Process

I recently heard someone quote a study that has been done of Old Testament leaders. That study found that, of the dozens of Old Testament leaders, only about one-fourth of them finished well. Isn't that amazing? These men and women had been personally picked by God to accomplish His divine plan, and yet, they fell so short on so many occasions. I think that if we analyzed these leaders, we would find that they fell into many of the pitfalls we are examining in this chapter.

Some of the pitfalls involve sin, others do not. God will not tolerate endlessly those that involve sin, especially sin of gross immorality. Sooner or later He will deal with the minister who is enmeshed in gross sin.

But what about those of us who have read this chapter so far and believe that we aren't snared by any of the pitfalls? We think we're on top of things. We say to ourselves, "This is interesting reading but it doesn't apply to me."

Let's not be too hasty in that conclusion. As I see the condition of man described in Scripture, there are seeds of sin in every human heart. Some seeds take root early, others lie dormant only to sprout later in life. When the right conditions exist, the right soil and the right amount of sun and rain, the seed comes to life. So it is with the seeds of sin in the human heart.

God knows the seeds are there. In fact, He has a divine itinerary in which He, by His Holy Spirit, exposes those seeds. The Holy Spirit identifies them, digs them out, and destroys them through the process we call sanctification. This is a life long process. As long as we cooperate, the process continues smoothly, but not painlessly. It is always a painful process to have one's sin exposed, dealt with, and removed. But this process is one of the works of the Holy Spirit. He ". . . will teach you all things . . ." (Jn 14:26 NIV) "All things" include the sin in our lives.

As long as we do our part in not allowing the seed to develop, God keeps the enemy at arms length. He doesn't allow Satan to exploit the unexposed seed. The Holy Spirit exposes and convicts, we confess, repent, and forsake. . . one less seed. The process continues over the years.

But suppose one day the Holy Spirit exposes a seed and we refuse to deal with it. In such cases God invokes what I call the "Five-Step Plan."

The Five-Step Plan

Remember, it is God's unyielding will to have a pure church. Our unrepentant minister with the "seed denial" problem is part of that church. Here's how God deals with that person.

Step One-The Holy Spirit Speaks

God first sends His Holy Spirit to speak to our inner self. Again and again, we hear that voice pointing out our sin. If we refuse to hear Him, then Step Two begins.

Step Two-The Written Word

At this point every time our unrepentant Christian opens his Bible, it speaks of his sin! He is reading in Genesis, and there it is. He turns to the Psalms and there it is again. He looks in Revelation-again, he reads about his sin. Everywhere he looks the Bible speaks of his sin! If he refuses to yield to God's Word, then Step Three begins.

Step Three-Friends and Loved Ones Speak

By this time those who are close to our sinner are beginning to notice traces of his sin. God will use a spouse, friend, brother or sister, or pastor at step three. One day someone who is willing confronts the sinner and points out the sin she has seen. If our sinner repents, praise the Lord. This is the purpose of spiritual confrontation in the body of Christ, to deal effectively with sin. But if he does not heed that word, he may soon find himself facing Step Four.

Step Four-Church Discipline

Although the purpose of all church discipline is "to restore" those in sin to church fellowship (See Gal 6:1.), the process is so painful to all concerned that it is rarely administered today. And often when it is administered, it is improperly done, but that is another subject. If our unrepentant Christian has refused the correction of the first three steps, church discipline is the next appropriate instrument to be used to bring about repentance.

But if the church fails to administer discipline, or if our sinner refuses the church discipline, he is then scheduled for Step Five.

Step Five-Let's Go Public

Remember, the Holy Spirit's objective with our sinner is repentance. If he has stubbornly refused the first four steps, the Holy Spirit says, "Alright, since you won't repent, I'll tell the whole world about your sin! I'm going to expose your sin publicly."

In a few short days, or weeks, our sinner is caught in the act of his sin! "Did you hear about the pastor of such-and-such church? He was caught in adultery!" (or stealing money, or lying, or whatever.) It is in this manner that individual leaders in the church, and even whole ministries, are brought down.

One thing is certain; the Holy Spirit has worked for years before taking this drastic measure. When you hear of a public exposure of sin, you may be assured that the Holy Spirit has exhausted all previous means over many years to bring about repentance.

I have heard that many people confronted and warned American televangelist Jim Bakker before his public exposure. I personally know two people who confronted him with his sin as many as eleven years before his public exposure. God is indeed merciful.

An Awful End

This section applies to that very small percentage of church leaders who, even after public exposure, will not repent. When it finally becomes evident that there is no repentance despite public disgrace, the Lord then begins the process of purging the impure from His church, the body of Christ. I believe Genesis 6:3 is applicable here. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever . . ." (NIV) (Yes, I know this Scripture applies to the lost whom the Spirit is wooing, but I believe it also applies to the long-term unrepentant church leader.)

At this point in time, I believe that God finally withdraws His Spirit altogether from that person and a counterfeit spirit is sent. (2 Thes 2:11) It is at this point that these people begin to believe the lie. This is what happened to Saul. At the end of his life, Saul went to the witch of Endor seeking guidance. (1 Sam 28) He had given himself over that much to the lie.

I know of a man in America who, forty years ago, was a genuine minister in the church. He had a powerful television ministry. Yet during his adult life, he transitioned from a powerful Bible based preacher to a cult leader proclaiming horribly twisted false doctrines. He ended his public "ministry" denying the existence of sin or the need for repentance. Yet he had thousands of followers even at the end. I believe this man lost God's Spirit and embraced a false spirit.

The very thought of this is frightening to me. The idea that God's Spirit can be rejected to the point of abandonment of a man because of his sin is terribly sobering. I once heard a Bible teacher say that the worst thing God could do for man is to let him go his own way. I believe that is true.

How did this televangelist transition from a genuine man of God to a false prophet? James illustrates the basic principle:

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (Jas 1:14,15 NIV)

From this Scripture it is apparent that there was sin in this minister's life, sin from which he would not turn. When God cannot bring about repentance, He must purge the impure. Paul addresses this:

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thes 2:9-12 NIV, emphasis added.)

It seems to me that this Scripture tells us that God sends a powerful delusion that causes them to embrace Satan's counterfeit as truth while rejecting God's truth as a lie! Such delusion is indeed fatal. Yet, one may live and "minister" for years after receiving the delusion.

Why did they perish? The answer is found in the Scripture above: because they refused to love the truth. Now, before we get too comfortable complimenting ourselves for loving truth, let's examine this concept more closely. It's easy for me to love truth that isn't contradictory to my will. For example, Scripture commands, "Husbands, love you wives . . ." (Eph 5:25 NIV) It's easy for me to love that truth because I do love my wife very much. But what if the truth points to my own sin. Can I love that truth as well? Much more difficult, isn't it?

God's Word is truth. As Christians, we are called on to love that truth. Satan hates the truth of God's Word. The more we commit ourselves to loving this truth, the more immune we become to the father of lies and the more immune we become to his snares.

How Does Our Minister Get Out Of The Pit

All who purpose to follow Jesus in the ministry will face pitfalls throughout his or her ministry. When we fall into one of these pitfalls, we usually lose our orientation. The only thing we really know is that we have hit the bottom of the pit. We lose perspective and don't know what to do or how to go about recovery.

The question at this point is: What must one do when he or she finds himself snared in a pitfall?

I don't want to minimize the awful consequences of some of these pitfalls. Some of them are indeed tragic. I understand that. But I want to lay out certain general principles that will help us recover when we find ourselves in the pit. First, we need to recognize that the primary cause of the pitfall is spiritual. If sin is involved, we need to view the situation in stark honesty from a biblical perspective. What was the basis of this problem? Where did I go wrong biblically? What caused me to act as I did?

The second thing we need to do is to recognize that the consequences of these pitfalls are usually both spiritual and natural. This means that we must make sure we do the right things in both these realms.

Once we have understood our sin, we must 1) repent and confess that sin to God, and ask His forgiveness. If other people are involved, we must then 2) confess our sin against them and ask forgiveness of anyone whom we have hurt, wronged or sinned against. Once we have done this fully and completely, the spiritual basis for the continuation of the pitfall is destroyed.

Then, only the natural consequences remain. If you have stolen money, it must be repaid, and so on. Sometimes natural consequences diminish over time. However, sometimes they are permanent and cannot be removed. In such cases, God's grace enables us to live with them.

Concerning confession of sin to those whom we have hurt, let me remind you of some practical guidelines. If the people we have sinned against are aware of the sin, then full confession is a must. Their forgiveness is desirable. If one refuses to forgive, the burden then becomes his or hers, not yours. You are forgiven because you obeyed the word of God.

If the person you have sinned against is not aware of the sin, then seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to whether or not you must confess that sin to him or her. There are times when a full confession can be devastating to the one wronged without any real fruit coming from the confession. Of course, the Holy Spirit may modify these guidelines. In such cases, always obey the Holy Spirit.

Strength Of The Will

When one is a citizen of any given nation, he has the right to enjoy the privileges that nation has to offer. Strangers from another nation do not have the same rights that a citizen does. Scripture teaches us that we are citizens of the kingdom of God. Peter even goes so far as to say that we are "aliens and strangers" here on earth. (1 Pet 2:11)

God has secretly set a brilliant, powerful, invisible spiritual kingdom in the very midst of this natural world. Those who gain access and abide in this kingdom move in spiritual power and authority. They enjoy supernatural provision, supernatural power and supernatural authority.

Why then do so few Christians fully enter into that power and authority? Jesus gave a plain answer to this question in Matthew's Gospel:

"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." (Mat 11:12 NIV, emphasis added.)

Here Jesus clearly states that those who are forceful, deliberate, strong, and determined are able to enter into that spiritual kingdom. Please understand, salvation is not the issue here. The issue is entering into the invisible kingdom of God and its inherent benefits. So many Christians who have legal citizenship in the kingdom never enter it because they are not determined or forceful.

I am convinced that there are ministers of the Gospel in this category. They are good, faithful servants of God who day after day, year after year, labor in the Master's vineyard. Yet they never display enough force, energy or determination to enter into the kingdom where the full benefits are.

Is not this the proper meaning of the parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price?

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (Mat 13:44,45 NIV)

That is being forceful. That is determination. That is audacious. That is total abandonment. But what are these verses saying about the indecisive, the cautious, the fearful . . . ? I think this could be labeled as the sin of complacency. Jesus is telling us, "Wimps will never enter in!"

God, help us to see this and divinely energize us to be forceful enough to enter into your kingdom and it's benefits! And if necessary, help us to exchange all we have to enter in.

A Radiant Church

The Bible specifically describes the kind of church Jesus intends to have. Look at its description as found in Ephesians:

. . . Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph 5:25-27 NIV)

This description of the church Jesus intends to have is indeed pure. As I read these verses I am very aware of my own shortcomings compared to this radiant church. But I do not measure my shortcomings by my own abilities, otherwise I would become discouraged, even to the point of giving up. I have learned to measure my shortcomings by His ability to lift me above them. In this I place my hope. Christ Jesus gave Himself up to make the church, that's you and me, holy. His labor is never in vain! He will have a holy church.

The call to ministry is a sacred call. Human nature, sin, the flesh, and the devil have set many obstacles in the path of every minister of the Gospel. But God has, by His word and His Spirit, made every provision for the successful completion of the ministry to which He has called each of us.

None of us are perfect. If we begin to look back at our failures and the pitfalls that have snared us, we certainly will feel less than adequate. But Scripture admonishes us not to look back. God's grace and mercy are far greater than any of my failures. Not many in ministry today can claim a failure rate as high as that of King David - murder, adultery, failure as a proper father, etc. - yet God vouched for David by saying, "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart"! (Acts 13:22 NIV) This gives me great joy, peace and hope!