VICTORY IN MINISTRY

Stephen Olford reminds us in his book authored with his son, David, of the discipline required to finish our service for the Lord victoriously: 

“If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2:5). The key word in this example is nominos, which must be interpreted in light of the Olympic games. These rules extended not only to the race itself but also to the prescribed training. Indeed, one authority cites the fact that athletes had to state, on oath, that they had fulfilled ten months of training before they were eligible to enter the contests. The three objectives of an athlete were energy, honesty, and victory. First, there was energy. The whole point of disciplined training was to develop stamina, speed, and style. Even more important was the matter of honesty. Severe penalties were imposed on anyone who infringed the rules. Such honesty is also demanded in our day when it comes to competing in sporting events. The delightful and brilliant professional golfer Paul Azinger tells in his autobiography of an occasion when he was well on the way to winning a tournament when he inadvertently infringed a rule. The penalty for this was not one stroke or two strokes, but the entire tournament!1 What would happen to men in the ministry if the same standard of honesty were strictly applied. The apostle Paul took the athlete's type of discipline so seriously that he wrote, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). He carried this holy fear right through to his final days on earth: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). A preacher needs both physical and spiritual energy; and for this, he has to work out on his feet and on his knees!”  (Anointed Expository Preaching, p.51).

A PASTOR AND HIS PRAISE

 

There may be someone in your congregation who is designated as a worship leader, but pastor—you are the lead worshipper!  Someone may have the duty to direct the music, but the preacher needs to inspire others by his model of participation.

Heaven will be a place of praise. Songs of worship will fill the air. We see it in Revelation 15:2-4.  If we will do it in eternity, then why not tune up on earth?

The pastor should plan for worship. Spontaneity is fine to an extent.  Yet, we are not perfect; we are not in heaven, yet. Now, we deal with time and space, so to be most proficient, we ought to plan. Whoever directs the music ministry, the pastor needs to meet with them and be involved. I loved coordinating music with my message.

The pastor should prepare for worship. Our hearts should daily delight in God. If personal worship is the order of our week, then we will have no difficulty worshipping God with the congregation on the Lord’s Day.

The pastor should insist on principles in worship.  We are reminded here of the principle of the glory of God. Those who lead and sing are to magnify God, not seek applause from men.  Another principle is the Word of God. These sang the songs of Moses and the Lamb.  This suggests songs that are filled with truth from the Old and New Covenants—the entirety of Scripture. If the lyrics are not thoroughly Biblical and theologically sound, then it does not matter if they are popular or emotionally stirring—they are not worthy of being in the worship of God by His people.  No one is better positioned to give this oversight than the one designated overseer of the church—the elders who are called to promote sound doctrine.

Pastor, sing joyfully, enthusiastically, loudly.  Before a sermon is  spoken from your mouth, may there be a song that is sung from your heart!

THE PREACHER AS THE MAN OF GOD

 

The preacher is to be a man of God—a man obsessed with the person of God and possessed by the Spirit of God.  He is intent on proclaiming the Word of God and pursuing the will of God. Stephen and David Olford make this point, commenting on 1 Timothy 6:11, in chapter four of their excellent book, “Anointed Expository Preaching,” pp.43-44. 

A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS

 

I think of the words of the old hymn that call us to faithfulness:

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.
When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory! (E. E. Hewitt)

This anticipates the new song—the song of victory in glory mentioned in Revelation 14:2-3.  This celestial chorus arises in consideration of the faithful witness of the 144,000 and anticipates their heroic welcome to heaven at the end of the age. When the Lamb returns to earth and establishes His reign, these 144,000 will stand with Him on Mount Zion (14:1). 

Our purpose in this devotional is not prophetic, but practical. While I interpret these 144,000 to be Jewish evangelists during the seven years of tribulation—following the rapture of the church—there are principles that apply to every generation of Gospel preachers. The reality is that during the first century and down to our twenty-first century, there is a message for us in a call to readiness and faithfulness.  So, let me share some of these timeless truths to those who proclaim the Gospel as a model for to follow.

Note THEIR SALVATION,  “These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Rev.14:4c). Now, one might assume that every man in the pulpit has been to Calvary, but that assumption would be inaccurate. Judas Iscariot was a preacher, but a fraud who is in hell today. Demas gave appearance of being a true disciple, but he departed from the faith (2 Tim.4:10). Others could be named. Every Gospel preacher must look at his spiritual birth certificate and make sure God is his Father! 

It is good “to make your calling and election sure,” as Peter puts it (2 Pet.1:10). We should make regular trips to Calvary, even if assured of salvation. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a regular reminder. Sadly, we can get to a place where we are so familiar with the Gospel that it becomes a presentation without a passion. You are convinced of your conversion?  That is well and good. Does it still stir you?  Are you still amazed at the price Jesus paid to purchase you?

Then, we see THEIR SANCTIFICATION, “These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.” (Rev.14:4a). This cannot be used to promote celibacy among clergy as Rome’s false system does with its priesthood. It is likely that these 144,000 will be single, however, fully consumed with the work of witness in that future day. Yet, there are spiritual applications for us, whatever our marital status.

We are to be sanctified—set apart morally. These devoted disciples refused to hear the sensual Siren song of the age. May God keep us true and faithful, understanding that our culture is increasingly defiled. Many a preacher has stumbled here.

We are to be sanctified—set apart doctrinally. These 144,000 refused to bow to the Beast and be seduced by the deception of the False Prophet. They spoke the truth of the Word, “And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.” (Rev.14:5). In our days of doctrinal departure, may we abide in sound doctrine!  We are going to be subjected to increasing pressure from the anti-Christian world system to bow and bend.  Voices are rising in evangelicalism saying, “We need to be careful how the world perceives us. Let us not emphasize certain truths in order to reach people.”  This is folly!

Further, observe THEIR SERVICE, “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.”  (‭‭Rev.‬ ‭14:4‬‬b). All God’s people have been called to follow Christ faithfully. God’s shepherds need to be out front showing the way and setting the standard. Wherever Christ leads us, we are to follow, and summon His lambs to do likewise. May we walk so close to Jesus, that others can walk in our steps and it be as following Christ!  Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ,” (1 Cor.11:1).

Hear and heed the call to faithfulness as Gospel men.  “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” (Rev.14:12‬‬). It may be at any moment Christ could summon His saints to glory, translated into heaven!  We want to be doing His work should that be today. If that does not occur and we die, may we be as Paul, having fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith with a crown of righteousness awaiting all who loved His appearing. Here is the promise, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”  (Rev.‬ ‭14:13).

‬‬Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory! (Hewitt)

THE UNHOLY TRINITY

 

“So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’ 

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 

And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.”  (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭13:4, 11, 14‬ ‭NKJV)‬‬

Satan is a counterfeit. He cannot duplicate the unequaled God, but he seeks to imitate Him. Our God is Triune—Father, Son, and Spirit.  In the end times, a diabolical trinity of evil will arise: the dragon, who is the devil; the beast, who is the antichrist; and the second beast, who is the false prophet (Revelation 13). In this unholy trinity, the dragon is set over against the Father, the antichrist against the Son, and the false prophet against the Holy Spirit.

Although the final manifestation of the unholy trinity will occur, as I believe, after the Bride of Christ has been caught up, there will be those who have never heard the Gospel who will come to faith even in those darkest of days, and the unholy trinity will “make war with the saints…to overcome them,” (Rev.13:7a).

Yet, in every age, and increasingly so as we speed toward the consummation of human history, Satan, government, and religion has warred against the people of God. It was true of John’s day as he was facing these same foes.

The pastor is strategically set to prepare the saints to stand in this spiritual war. Let us dress in the armor of God and rally our troops.

We anticipate TEMPTATION, from the Dragon, as the world is said to have, “worshiped the dragon,” (13:4a). Moral compromise is ever enticing. Many of God’s men have been brought down by it. The sensuality of this age is pervasive in our culture and the church members are assaulted by temptation daily. May God help us to stand!

We expect PERSECUTION, from the spirit of the Antichrist, even now a spirit at “war with the saints,” (13:7a).  Legal compromise that leads people to bow to government idolatry is coming. While the church in the West has had an unrivaled period of freedom from government tyranny, we cannot expect it to last. Even now, the government is ramping up its plans to eradicate those who oppose their despotic agenda. How long before a “soft,” persecution becomes a “hard” reality?  Pastor, are you prepared to pay the price, and are you equipping your flock?

We fight DECEPTION, from the false teachers, whose zenith will be the False Prophet of the last days. Doctrinal compromise has been a battlefield for the church throughout the ages, and remains so. The antidote to the poison of false teaching is proclamation of the Scriptures. We must make a clear clarion call with the trumpet of truth!

I realize there may be some who disagree with my interpretation of end times events. Yet, there should be agreement with the underlining spiritual principles. Even those, who like myself, expect Christ to remove His bride before He pours out His wrath on a godless world, dare not think that the church will be sailing along on a calm ocean and suddenly be in the harbor of heaven. Rather, the storm that is brewing will intensify. We face ever stronger headwinds. The waves of wickedness will mount higher. Ominous clouds will be darker and descend about us.

Are you ready for what is coming, and in many ways already is?

COMPARISON, COMPETITION, AND COVETOUSNESS

 

The quotation here from the Olfords is a reminder of a cancer of the spirit that can consume a preacher with malignant thoughts. It is a viral disease of the soul, ever seeking an opening in our spiritual immune system whereby it can penetrate and destroy a man’s ministry.  I battle it.  Sadly, there are times I succumb to it. We must ever pray for God to deliver us from comparison, competition, and covetousness.

There is the cancer of COMPARISON. One of the first questions you will hear at a Monday ministers’ conference is, “How many did you have in attendance yesterday?”  The temptation then is to pout that we did not have more or to pride that we did. We may brand ourselves a failure and want to quit because others seem to be advancing while we are declining. Then, if we have the higher statistics in how many bottoms we put in a pew and how many bucks are placed in the plate, we may be headed for a fall that pride produces.  Let us just be who God made us to be—the best we can be—where He has called us.

Further we face the cancer of COMPETITION. This is where comparison becomes a passion to see others fail and a desire to see ourselves succeed. In competition, there are winners and losers. The winners are adding to their attendance and the losers are seeing subtraction from their flock. While it is important to be used to grow the church, it is God who gives the increase. Truly, He uses us, but only the Spirit of God can birth new believers. But, it may not be that we are seeking the lost sheep but stealing the sheep from others!  In a competitive spirit, we may profit by transfer growth while others are made poor from it. A test for us is, “How do you react when another church is reaching lost souls?”  Can you rejoice with them? So long as the Kingdom progresses, we should be glad for we are on the same team!

Comparison and competition are really the cancer of COVETOUSNESS. In the Mosaic code, expressing God’s fundamental laws, the sum of obedience to the other nine is in that of the spirit of tenth. Covetousness causes us to seek to supplant God with our own authority. We may covet our own ideas of worship that become idolatry. We want to promote our own name at the expense of bringing glory to His name. We covet the time for our own pleasure that should be devoted to the refreshment of worshipping God. You get the point. Preacher, do you speak against covetousness from the pulpit while harboring it in your heart?  It is such a subtle thing, and therefore all the more deadly.  It can lead a man to assassinate the character of another pastor, to open himself to immorality because of his egotism, to become a rustler of someone else’s sheep, to engage in slander of another brother.  Let us repent of covetousness!

May the Great Physician heal us from this cancer if it has invaded and strengthen our spiritual immune system with grace to prevent its incursion!  I pray that the scalpel of Scripture will cut out this malignancy from me and all God’s servants!