4 WriteStuff

If only people who had it all together were allowed to serve in ministry capacities, we would have so few leaders… I love reading the Bible, the accounts of real people who failed, and tried again, and often failed and tried again many times… I can relate to that.

I wonder… when we whine and “poor me…” is it like the hypocrital prayer? Have we received our reward from men instead of God? (“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Matthew 6:5)

When we keep it real – when people see us rise again, again, and again…
when they see we don’t have to be perfect to be God’s beloved child…
they see God’s amazing grace, mercy and forgiveness…
When they see faith
when they see joy
when they love
when they see that we trust God not because it is easier to be a Christian, but because of our heavenly hope – Jesus…
they see God’s strength working in us to give us the courage and power to rise again…
they see that evil does not win this battle…
they see that today, we are still standing – hanging on tightly to Jesus…

As Christians, we often weather some fierce storms this week.
Many ministry leaders arrive at Easter morning bloodied on the inside from the enemy’s attack… physically and emotionally exhausted… only to put their wounds aside to minister to the hearts of so many others…

Ministry leaders tend to treasure people – often at the expense of their personal needs. When those high maintenance people come, often with a heart that is full of themselves and their demands and their need for self-gratification, they can easily drain those who pour so much into so many. These people are plentiful during Victory week… and sometimes WE are these people…

When you are called to a ministry. You WILL face evil, over and over and over. This is the week that we especially need to pray for our pastors, missionaries and ministry leaders. This is the week that those in ministry face an out and out very personal, very fierce frontal assault… because this is Victory week!

The Bible tells us to resist the devil.
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

It does NOT tell us to engage an evil person.
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. Matthew 5:38

Many Christians and ministry leaders will face that evil person at least once this week… Turn away… You CANNOT reason with hate – evil cannot comprehend truth. When you are face to face with an angry, screaming person, their hearts are too full of anger to hear truth… it is exhausting and it takes away the ability to effectively minister to those who WANT to experience God’s presence, prayer, and healing…
Oh beloved child of God, walk away… pray… but do NOT engage!

This is the week for Godly counsel,
This is the week for prayer warriors to PRAY HARD,
This is the week to be extra diligent to choose our battles – we must, must, must only fight battles which God calls us to, and not those that are self-serving.
This is the week to remember this is not OUR ministry or OUR battle – it all belongs to Jesus – all the praise, all the glory, all the victory!
We are merely foot soldiers in the battle…
He has already won the victory over evil – and though evil continues to kick back, the victory is already written in Jesus’ blood.

Oh how the enemy wails and wants to take away the joy and fulfillment of that victory by reminding us of our past, by immersing us in self-pity, by assaulting us with personal attacks… but he only has the power over our hearts that we allow him to have.

We can choose not to be a victim of evil –
but a victor with Jesus…
We have the strength and the courage to rise again, to continue to minister to God’s people…
only because Jesus rose from the dead carrying all our sin – past, present, future and offered us forgiveness in it’s place.

… Victory week… a celebration that is not without cost… but the cost we pay is far less than the cost Christ paid on our behalf…

4 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Paul’s Valedictory
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4

Deeper Still:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6

An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression. Proverbs 29:22

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6