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It goes without saying that God’s men face tough times in ministry. Hard working pastors are confronted by grueling circumstances and “no win” situations rather frequently. There are seasons where every decision you make seems to bring increased heart aches. In fact, many times you see things that others don’t. Oh, how it breaks your heart! And I thought that preachers didn’t work? Who would figure?

Samuel’s Example…

Samuel was one of God’s choicest prophets in the Old Testament, and he faced seemingly insurmountable issues numerous times. Imagine having to share those words of judgment to Eli! (1 Samuel 3:11-18) What about having to deal with King Saul and his selfish attitude? A verse of Scripture jumped off  of the pages of my King James Bible recently! It was 1 Samuel 15:11.

(1 Samuel 15:11) “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”  (KJV)

Samuel’s Tears…

Many times the tears we shed are for some reason which is personal to us. In other words, our tears are usually due to something that concerns US! I do not mention that for a testimony against us, but to serve as an illustration of how grieved Samuel was that night!

Samuel was broken over another person’s sin. Yes, the ramifications of Saul’s disobedience would affect Samuel, but I do not think that was in view in Samuel’s mind, nor do I see it implicated in the Scripture we have referenced. Samuel loved Saul and hated to see how he turned out. He was broken over the fact that Saul lost favor with God. 

Think About This…

Samuel’s motivation for tears now raises an obvious, self examining question. What causes us to shed tears as a pastor? Are we only brought to the valley of tears when we are affected personally or our reputation as pastor is in jeopardy? Does it bother us to the point we lose sleep and cry a river’s worth of tears when someone has sinned and will likely bring the chastening hand of God on their lives… even when it will not affect us personally? Something to think about, isn’t it?

A Word Of Encouragement…

Whatever your reason is for shedding tears in the ministry, they will surely be noticed by the Lord! Rest assured that weeping may endure for the night, but JOY does come in the morning! (Psalm 30:5) God knows right where you are at and knows what you are facing, feeling, and frustrated about. Pastor, don’t let Satan blow you light out! Even though every step you take seems to cause you excruciating pain, in the spiritual sense, just know that God loves you and will see you through your storm!

Would You Consider Purchasing…

Life in the Spirit By A.W. Tozer / Hendrickson Publishers Hendrickson presents two classic works on the Holy Spirit by A. W. Tozer, together in one volume for the first time. A superb addition to the best-selling Hendrickson Christian Classics series, Life in the Spirit combines Tozer’s How to Be Filled with the Spirit and The Counselor: Straight Talk About the Holy Spirit from a Twentieth Century Prophet. In Tozer’s own words, How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit “was made available to the Christian public with the prayer that it may lead thirsty believers to the fountain of living waters.” Since its publication, hundreds of thousands of copies of this practical yet deeply devotional guide have been sold. How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit will refresh and open the reader to the filling of the Holy Spirit. In The Counselor, Tozer speaks to the current conflict and confusion about the Holy Spirit from a balanced, biblical perspective-not academic, but practical. Tozer promises that the Holy Spirit “is willing-yes, willing-to do for us all that Jesus would do if He were here on earth.” The chapters of this book were originally preached as sermons at Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Whether spoken or written, Tozer’s words were designed to “promote personal heart religion” among God’s people.

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Pastors are human like everyone else. They, like all church members, battle the world, flesh, and the Devil. If you are a pastor, then examine these topics and realize your are not alone. If you are a Christian, not holding an office, then grasp this list of issues and help your pastor work through them as they come to the surface!

Listed below are 10 serious issues that can destroy a pastor’s spirit. See if your issue is mentioned!

#1 – Lack Of Integrity

(Proverbs 11:3) “The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”  (KJV)

If a pastor lacks integrity, then he is well nigh gone! If he cannot be trusted, then he is useless in the hands of His Maker. He is like the castaways which lay behind the potter’s house that are worthless. It is best to guard against the slightest hint of dishonesty and any appearance of that which would rob your best ally: YOUR INTEGRITY!

#2 – Family Problems

(Joshua 24:15) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  (KJV)

Before God gave a man a ministry, He gave him family. Even if the pastor is unmarried, he has a mother and father, etc. The family should be a haven, better still, a Garden of Eden, where solace and recuperation can be had for the hard working pastor. Problems in the home will affect the ministry if not dealt with. A bitter or hurt wife/child will distract the man of God and retract from his effectiveness. Satan knows where to focus his attention!

#3 – Nobody Saved Recently

(Psalms 126:5-6) “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”  (KJV)

Just as natural as it is for a young couple to have children, so it is with a child of God to see others birthed into God’s family. This certainly is applicable to the pastor. There is probably no other person in the church who desires, or should desire to see someone saved more than God’s man. With this stated, it can kill a man when there is nobody “gettin’ in”!

#4 – Little Or No, Visible Growth In The Church

(1 Corinthians 3:5-8) “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”  (KJV)

One thing is for certain, God is always at work; even when we do not see it visibly. God gives the increase! Our biggest problem is that we are result oriented. God drives the “combine“, not us. When we focus our attention on His responsibility, then we are taking our eyes off of ours. Let God bring about the results. Just be a funnel through which God can channel his blessings to others. Fruit will soon blossom and remain!

#5 – Waning Compassion

(Jude 1:22) “And of some have compassion, making a difference:”  (KJV)

(Matthew 9:36) “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”  (KJV)

Compassion is like the fragrance of a rose. It makes a rose a rose! Compassion adds that fragrance to the influence and testimony of God’s people. Pastors who begin to lose their tenderness for people, will soon be destroyed. The battles of life’s experiences will tend to sap one’s compassion. If Jesus can ask His Father to forgive them, then pastors can follow His lead.

#6 – No Love

(John 13:35) “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”  (KJV)

The one thing Jesus said would be a defining characteristic of discipleship was that of their love for one another. As followers of Jesus Christ, all should show love, and pastor’s have to guard against losing this. It is so easy, especially in the midst of church-wide inner conflict.

#7 – No Vision/Goals For Future

(Proverbs 29:18) “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”  (KJV)

A big issue facing pastors, even seasoned men, is that of projecting a vision to the congregation. Moving from point A to point B is crucial. When things are going well it is rather simple to motivate people to do this or that, but not when things are up in the air! A preacher can really get discouraged when people aren’t motivated for the future!

#8 – Dwindling Offerings/Tithers

(Malachi 3:8) “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”  (KJV)

Pastors have to address the subject of money more times than they wish. You can tell a lot about an individual as to how they respond to this subject when preached upon. Some people get mad at the pastor for one reason or another and hold back their tithes. It is not so much that the money may not be found in the offering plate, but that people are hurting themselves. This can affect a pastor’s spirit very easily!

#9 – Few Helpers In Ministry

(1 Corinthians 3:9) “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.”  (KJV)

Trying to serve God alone can be done, but not very easily. D. L. Moody used to say that it was better to set ten men at work than to do yourself the work of ten men. Much wisdom there, but many times the pastor, whether true or untrue, feels like he is doing things by himself. This can weather a man over time! 

#10 – Destroyed Reputation By Gossipers

(1 Chronicles 16:22) “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”  (KJV)

Yes, God protects a person’s reputation, but people will do their dead level best to destroy a pastor’s name in the community. It never fails but that someone will get cross-ways at a pastor, and, in anger, seek to dismantle his character piece by piece. Sometimes, pastor’s get unnerved and quit for fear of the outcome and damage to his family. 

Conclusion

Pastor, you may have an entirely different list, but the issues mentioned above are all too often the source or beginning of sorrows for many men of God. If not properly dealt with, shipwreck is eminent! Maybe you are not a pastor, but just a church member. If so, then be sure to digest what you have read . It can mean the extension of your pastor’s ministry!

List An Issue That Has Burdened You Lately Below In The Comment Section!

Many years ago, I heard of a poll that was taken from numerous pastors. It asked the following question, “What was the most important thing in ministry?” Not at all surprising, the overwhelming answer was that of PRAYER. However, when asked about how much time was given to prayer in relation to everything else, the amount of time spent praying was at the bottom of the list. What a sad commentary! If the people who know with certainty of the importance of prayer are not spending adequate time facilitating the prayer closet, then how much worse it must be for the average church member!  The following sermon outline addresses this issue.

Title: “Get Back Into The Closet!”

Text: Matthew 6:5-6

(Matthew 6:5-6) “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”  (KJV)

Introduction:

•    We need to get back to secret praying!
•    A good way to measure our praying is how much time we spend in the closet praying!
•    Consider what Leonard Ravehill stated in his book Why Revival Tarries:

“Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.”

Proposition: There are five things I want to draw our attention to in this passage of Scripture concerning prayer!

I.    We Should Pray!

“ But thou, when thou prayest…”

A.    Jesus prefaces His statement about prayer with an assumption that people will pray!

B.    All children of God should pray!

II.    We Should Have A Place!

“…enter into thy closet…”

A.    We should frequent our place of prayer “physically”!

B.    I feel that having a certain place to pray helps me! – Jesus went to the Garden often!

C.    We should frequent our place “figuratively”! – We can take our position with Christ at the throne of God in holy intercession for our brethren!

III.    We Should Shut Ourselves In!

“…when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…”

A.    When we get down to business we need to do what we can to keep distractions from coming about!

B.    Jesus means for us to focus our attention on prayer and worship!

C.    This door is also referring to the fact that we should get alone and not always do our praying in front of others!
      
IV.    We Should Remember God Rewards Our Prayer Efforts!

“…thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

A.    Jesus promises that The Father WILL see us praying!

B.    Jesus said that God the Father would reward our secret praying!

C.    Jesus gives us some strong consolation to the fact that God will give us answers that others will see even though they may not have known of our praying beforehand!

Conclusion:

To The Sinner:

•    Repent and be saved!

To The Christian:

•    Get back into the closet!

Why Revival Tarries By Leonard Ravenhill / Bethany House Leonard Ravenhill’s call to revival is as timely now as it was when first published over forty years ago. The message is fearless and often radical as he expounds on the disparity between the New Testament church and the church today. This book contains the heart of his message, A.W. Tozer called Ravenhill “a man sent from God” who “appeared at (a) critical moment in history,” just as the Old Testament prophets did. Included are questions for group and individual study.