Churches
need intercessors that will commit to the church and not leave because of some
level of discontentment or disappointment.
The church is full of both and if that were reason enough to leave, we
would all just go home, from the headship, down.
The
job of the intercessors is not to see what the church is like right now, but
to see where it is going, by faith. That is how the prayers of an
intercessor are to be targeted and become effective.
“Romans 4:17….He calls those things which are not as though they
were. V. 20….He staggered not
at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God.” He was sent forth
only with the promise of God. He
did nothing by sight.
My
definition of faith is pretty simple: It
is taking a step into space, where no road exists, and believing that God will
place the road under your feet as you walk.
The
job on the wall is tough at times and, even those of us in the ministry have
to decide to remain when others are bailing out.
Pastors and their wives feel the weight of the responsibility and
criticism when people walk away. Intercessors
don't know the other side of the story of how pastors and their wives face and
deal with the departure of those that they placed confidence in. It is
very disappointing and discouraging. It is also hurtful to the Body of Christ.
Not
only have I talked with many intercessors about those who leave a church
"because…." but also to pastors and their wives who have felt
abandoned when ones that they loved and counted on just walked away, without
comment.
Another
impact that this has on the church, especially the small revival churches that
are struggling numerically and financially, they also remove along with their
physical support, the needed finances, walking away from pledges of support to
missionaries, church payments, and other responsibilities.
Intercessors need to come along side and stand in the gap for the
churches and actually take the position between the enemy and the church to
ward off the attacks of the enemy. We can, inadvertently sometimes, give
him a weapon to use against the church, even though that was not our intent.
We leave because of discouragement and leave behind people discouraged at
another loss.
I
am hearing of many who have abandoned the church that they were once committed
to and some have even gone into create churches of their own, taking others
with them, actually feeling that they could do this and still have God's
blessings on their lives. The intercessors really need to keep
their lives free of manipulation or control and just intercede the heart of
God for the church. I know that it can be hard at times, but there is a
price to pay and someone has to do it.
Intercessors
who are being used greatly of God are those that know what is required of them
by God and the headship of their church, and are willing to pay the price of
discipleship. Most of that comes
by hard knocks. They did not get to the place that they are by chance.
They have received the discipline of the Word and the correction of the
headship to help them keep aligned so that they do not move into being a rogue
intercessor. It is so easy for
that to happen because the enemy targets the intercessors for removal from
churches all over the nation. Unfortunately many of them are leaving
churches unguarded en mass, just walking off without a glance back at the open
place on the wall that they have left.
My
advice to those who have left a ministry, is to re-evaluate why you left, when
God had specifically placed you there. There may be a need to address
that issue so as to purify the water in your own personal well.
If your leaving was for the wrong reason, then repentance before God
and man is needed.
We
all need to remember that we were placed by God and headship in a place of
entrustment. Stay in your
“there.” The old saying that,
“the grass always looks greener
on the other side of the fence,” is true. The only problem is that the other
side of the fence offers no restraints for our safety.
We
have a tendency to think that, because our gifts are still flowing, that
God’s favor is somehow still upon us. That
is not necessarily so. Samson was
a man, chosen by God for greatness, and yet he used and abused his anointing,
until he ended up in ruin. Maybe
some can still shake themselves and stir up the feelings of being used of God.
Many notables from the past also flowed in the gifts but still reaped
the whirlwind.
I
would encourage you all, as intercessors who may be wandering or tempted to
leave, to evaluate some things and ask yourself why you have not yet found the
niche. Is it others, or is it you? Tough questions, but we must
all face honest evaluations before Jesus returns. I am not condemning
anything in anyone, but only putting some things out for prayerful
consideration.
Who
is going to stand in a prayer defense over the leadership in this day of great
attack upon them? Devoted intercessors. Who is going to stay in
agreement with others over the church and its outreaches into the community?
Faithful intercessors. Many are going through personal struggles right
now. The enemy is waging war on the saints. Who will stand in
faithfulness in prayer over each other? Committed intercessors.
Who will stand guard on the walls of the church? Watchmen who keep rank
and hold position. God is just looking for faithful people who will
remain when the going gets tough.
Believe
me, things are just now heating up. Everyone has a need to get
established, stay established and get ready. The challenge is placed
before all of us to prepare the roads of our own lives first, removing the
crooked places, the stones, the high places and all that stands in the way of
Jesus walking upon a pure road in our lives and then out into the city where
pure water is needed.
I
am seeing some that are just now getting the message of repentance.
That is the only position that intercession can be made from. The
price tag is getting bigger all the time. As God told me early one
morning a couple of years ago, "Who did you think was going to pay for
this revival?" Enough said.
I
love God’s Church and His intercessors, so, I
just want to challenge each one of you to ask yourself some tough
questions. We have all had to do this about many things, such as
motives, attitudes, pride (which has many faces), selfishness, control,
criticism, rebellion, the words of our mouths, and many other things that God
has placed before us for our consideration. This is the required road of
holiness that all must walk upon.
Questions
that I hear:
What
if things are really dead? Pray
What
if my church is not organized very well?
Pray
What
if people are already leaving? Pray
What
if the worship is lacking greatly? Pray
What
if the pastor is not moving in revival? Pray
What
if I have prayed and nothing is happening?
Pray
If
you can’t face these hurdles, how are you ever going to face the devil over
your city, the schools, the government, your family, and many other
battlefields that are outside of the church?
Some
may say at this time, “But what about me, I had no choice?”
I will say that this is not meant to address those who have left a
church because it was
*Teaching
false doctrine,
*
Adamantly opposed to revival from the pulpit to the pew,
*
You were driven out by great opposition,
*or
felt God call you to another harvest field in another city,
but
only to those who because of discouragement or personal reasons have left a
church.
