As mentioned last week troubles will always come across our pathway as born again Christians. There is no Christian and no person on earth, (rich or poor) who does not have problems. But it is often how we handle the process of coming out of trouble, that really determines our destinies in life.
For us as Christians we must never forget that, we were created in the image of Christ Jesus, to grow up spiritually as we overcome all troubles in life. God never planned for any of His children, to remain the same in the process of passing through troubles.
The spirit man inside of us was created by God, to grow stronger in the midst of troubles, and not to be drained out of power. Troubles are never meant to sap us out of spiritual energy. They are there to make us expand and increase, the potentials of God on the inside of us; with our spirit man through our ability to fellowship with the Holy Spirit during troubled times.
The troubles of life are meant to make us grow up maturely in Christ Jesus. They are not meant to make us remain as a spiritual infant or a baby Christian. When troubles comes, Christians grow up as we are passing through them.
The more troubles we face in life, the more our opportunities for spiritual growth and exploits increases. We grow up into spiritual maturity, until we begin to lack in nothing, to do the will of God here on earth.
That’s why James said:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4 NIV
Perseverance in trials and tribulations brings out the very best out of our lives as Christians. Perseverance in the midst of trouble, is just like one squeezing the lemon juice out of the “lemons” of life, which the enemy has thrown at us. We are squeezing the juice out of the “lemon” as we persevere, in order to make spiritual “lemonade drinks” with it. The spiritual “lemonade drink” is the blessing, that is produced through perseverance in the midst of trouble. Therefore remember that if trouble knocks on your door again, the blessing of the Lord is just around the corner as you persevere in pressing your pathway through it.
The squeezing of the lemon is the process of perseverance, whereby we apply pressure back on the enemy, with what he had designed to use in destroying us. No one squeezes the juice out of lemon, without applying pressure on the lemon itself. In the same manner, whenever the devil throws his lemon into our lives, we just need to begin immediately to squeeze the juice out of his lemon. And just like one drinking lemonade, the trials of our faith gives us access into the blessing of God, empowering us to enjoy it.
Faith is therefore our seed for increase and exploits in the midst of troubles. We need corresponding action to make faith work for us in the midst of any trouble of life (James 2:26).
The time of trouble is therefore very dangerous, for us to be walking in disobedience towards God. Disobedience to God kills our acts of faith and love before God. To see and enjoy the blessing of God in the midst of the trials and tribulations in life, we must constantly and instantly be walking in obedience to God’s commands. We must be quick to hear His voice, and prompt to obey Him (Hebrews 4:6&7).
We will then begin to lack in nothing in life, as we enter into His rest. His rest is our place of safety and prosperity, as we grow up spiritually in the midst of the troubles (Psalms 23). The manifestation of the blessing signals the end of sorrow to us in trouble. It is the blessing of the Lord that creates riches (Proverbs 10:22). Yes, it is the blessing of the Lord that causes us to prosper in the midst of troubles.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING THE SPIRIT MAN DURING TROUBLED TIMES
And very often some people will ask others to be praying for them, while they go about walking in the desires of their flesh, in resolving their spiritual problems carnally.
Others don’t even associate with any Church congregation at all. They do have no spiritual covering in their lives. This is how the enemy is able to gain access into the life of such believers. They are not in fellowship with the body of Christ. Due to the absence of fellowship with Christians, they don’t have anyone to stand in agreement with them, for spiritual strength and support. They often rely more on agreement and support however from the unsaved world, until trouble shows up in their lives which they can’t handle in the world. And since they had once experienced the miracle power of God to deliver in the past, they’ll run back again to God for help in the Church. Their spiritual life is therefore regressive. They are not growing up in Christ Jesus. In certain cases the havoc may have been done already, before they are able to receive real help.
That’s why we need to develop a strong spirit before adversity comes. A strong spirit prepares us for the day of trouble.
King Solomon once wrote that:
“The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?”
Proverbs 18:14 AMPC
The believers in Christ who are committed, and well connected with Church congregations in sound doctrines, often gets healed before others who are not committed. The strong foundation in Bible scriptures and teachings is what prepares such believers for trouble. They are the ones who have positioned themselves for the blessing of God. Their faith is always ready to receive from God. They are steadfast in faith on the promises of God for their lives.
A believer who has fully prepared his spirit man for the day of trouble, does has something inside of him in overcoming difficulties. A person who is not spiritually prepared, finds it harder to fight the good fight of faith against the evil one.
Solomon again said:
“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”
Proverbs 24:10 AMPC
The spiritual strength of the person who has done nothing in developing the spirit man is small. He has nothing to use in his spirit man to resist the enemy. That’s why many of them often fail, and are gone back into the world that Christ delivered them from. The stronger our spirit man is, the easier it is for us to say “No”; to the devil in resisting him in the times of adversities.
DEVELOPING THE SPIRIT MAN
We are able to build up a strong spirit by dwelling on the word of God, and by confessing God’s promises to us in proclamations. We don’t build up our spirit man, by being quiet about God’s promises to us. There are Christians who do think that they do need to be quiet about their faith in God. But faith is never quiet. Faith always speaks out what is believed.
The enemy likes Christians who are quiet, about what they are believing God for. If we are not making firm proclamations of our faith in God’s promises, we are not empowering the angels of Heaven to work for us. They are always waiting for our faith proclamations, in order to back us up with action on their side. Angels are ministering spirits, who are always available in ministering to us, what we proclaim with our mouth (Hebrews 1:14).
They are always working on the basis of our faith confession, to manifest in the physical world what we are proclaiming. And if we choose to remain quiet, they can’t do anything in helping us. Even though they are always there to help us. God’s promises are meant for us to proclaim, until it becomes manifested in our lives.
We don’t get healed (as an example) by just having thoughts of healing scriptures in the mind. It is good to know that we can be healed; but we will not be helping ourselves to get healed, by just the thought of it. We have to learn how to continually proclaim, what we believe in our hearts with our mouth.
Spiritual strength comes from God’s word to us, and not from our thoughts or opinions of those things, that we are going through. We build up our spirit man in strength with the word of God and with prayers.
Paul told the Ephesians before finally leaving them:
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Acts 20:32 NIV
It is the word of God’s grace that builds us up on the inner man. This is how the word of grace works, in getting us our inheritance in God’s Kingdom. The grace of God can only work, where faith in the promises of God is being put under pressure on the inner man, to manifest the blessing of God. The pressure has to be constantly applied on God’s word to us for grace to abound.
As grace abounds we will continue to expand and increase on the inner man. The expansion and strengthening on the inside of us, enables us to begin seeing the troubles of life in a new light.
Apostle Paul explains it again in this way:
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
The weight from the spiritual growth of the spirit man inside of us, fully outweighs the pressures from the troubles; because we are more focused on the glory, and not on the problems that are about to disappear.
So the stronger the spirit man is, the more we are able to accomplish for God in the midst of the troubles. We are able to do spiritual exploits, when our spirit man is strong. It is much more easier for us to help others, and pray for them when our spirit man is strong.
WHY WILL YOU BURN YOURSELF OUT OF THE CALL OF GOD?
That’s why I often pity those in the five fold ministries, who will rather spend so much time taking care of business as usual, instead of focusing on strengthening their spirit man on the inside of them. It is much more easier and we are much more effective, when as Ministers of the gospel we are able to hear God’s voice clearly, before going out to do anything in the Kingdom.
It is spiritually dangerous for any Pastor, to be running after Church members, who are unprepared and unwilling for spiritual growth. We will be better off by spending more time, in building up on the inner man by praying for such Church members. They do need our prayers and intercessions for them, much more than they do need our caring for them. We must never forget that they trust us, to be praying and interceding for them.
When we are able to listen to hear God’s voice concerning their problems, then we are better equipped in taking care of them. We need to be careful not to spend so much time, around the issues in people’s lives. We need to be more focused on the spiritual solutions, that God will guide us into as we listen to Him. We don’t ever form a personal opinion about people’s problems. The only opinion we have for them, is what God’s word says.
This explains why many Preachers had burned themselves out of ministries. They are not building up their spirit man continually, to listen in hearing God’s voice.
And they are definitely not spending much time in practicing God’s presence. They are so busy running around town in caring for the people, who are not even willing to obey God’s word. The enemy knows all of these, as he works around the Pastor’s life and daily routines, in sapping him out of spiritual energy until he is burned out.
Are you about to spiritually burn out now? This may be your best opportunity to turn a new leaf back for the presence of God. He wants to help you out. You probably are thinking that, you are doing too much right now, and you really do need some help from the inner man.
SOME TIPS IN PREVENTING SPIRITUAL BURN OUT
King David wrote these words as he faced the pressures of life upon him. He was where you are right now in ministry. See what he said:
“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice…
…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.”
Psalm 51:8, 10-13 NIV
Your real help can only come from the presence of God, as you:
1. DIET ON GOD’S WORD
Begin to feed your spirit man with God’s word by reading, studying and meditating on it day and night (Joshua 1:8). God’s word is spiritual diet to your spirit man. When we feed on it, we are feeding the spirit man inside of us. We are expanding and strengthening our spiritual capacity on the inner man.
The Psalmist said about God’s Word to him:
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Psalm 119:103 NIV
God’s word is sweeter than honey. It is a great spiritual diet to the spirit man. Just as a healthy balanced diet is good for the physical body; God’s word needs to be well balanced in teachings and scriptural promises to our spirit man.
The good thing about God’s word is that, you will never overfeed yourself with it. Unlike the physical food that we eat for the body, there is never too much of God’s word to your spirit man. The spirit inside of you can take all of God’s promises to you. So why not take advantage of it. Take as much as you can of it. God is always saying about His word to you; “Please, help yourself with it”.
Here is how the Prophet Jeremiah was able to prevent spiritual burn out, as he walked in the calling of God for his life.
He said:
“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.”
Jeremiah 15:16 NIV
God’s word refreshes, renews and strengthens our heart or soul. It prevents us from burning out, as we meditate on it day and night. Take some time out from running after the goose across town. It is time to start digging into your Bible, until your refreshment comes from God’s presence.
The Psalmist also said:
“My soul dissolves because of grief; Renew and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word.”
PSALM 119:28 AMP
Surely the Psalmist was about to burn out here. Experiencing grief is a spiritual symptom, which is closer to burning out. We can stop it from happening to us, by renewing and strengthening our spirit man in God’s promises to us. If it worked for the Psalmist, it sure will work for you also.
Don’t ever let the enemy get you to the point of being depressed. Fight him back with the joy of the Lord in your inner man.
Jeremiah said (Jeremiah 15:16) that God’s word was the source of joy to him. It can sure be for you also. Try it now!
2. GET YOURSELF WELL RESTED
This may be a good time for you to take some time out for rest in the Lord’s presence. Preachers who do not get good rest, can’t listen with their hearts to hear God’s voice to them.
A good rest helps you in relaxing your spirit man, even as you are being strengthened and expanding on the inner man. For your spiritual muscles to develop in a healthy manner, you need good rest.
The Prophet Elijah was close to the point of burning out, when Jezebel came after him. He had spent so much of his spiritual strength in fighting for the Lord, while slaughtering the fake prophets of baal.
He told God:
….“I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
1 Kings 19:10 NIV
There are times when the work of the Kingdom, may press in on any one of us, just as it happened to Elijah here. He thought that God’s people wanted to kill him. Have you ever felt this way with your congregation? Then you do need a break away from them to rest your spirit man in God’s presence. God’s voice will strengthen you and energize you again, to be better focused, as you rest in his presence. But as for Elijah, it was just Jezebel, who had sent threatening words to kill him. Elijah could had handled the woman very well, if he had gotten enough rest after slaughtering the fake prophets. Evidently he did not.
Eventually the Lord had to take him to a place of rest. Elijah was taken to the mountain of Horeb, in order to hear God’s voice again.
I spent some time fellowshipping with a visiting Preacher last month. He sure needed some rest, from the words that were coming out of his mouth about his Church members. I advised him to take two weeks off the Church with his wife.
They both came back well rested, and empowered in God’s presence to confront the problems in the Church. It was all a very small thing before God. All that they both needed was to hear God’s voice to them about the situation. They had been so busy for almost a year listening to Church members. When God’s voice came to them as they rested in His presence, they both discovered that they needed not to had gone through all that they went through.
A well rested spirit man is very sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit on the inside of us. A good rest prepares the spirit man to hear God. You can avoid burning out in ministry. God never called you to burn your spirit man out. That’s what the devil does. But you can stop him now by getting a good rest for your spirit man.
3. EXERCISE YOUR SPIRIT MAN IN FAITH
The best secret in developing the spirit man, to prevent a burn out is in our ability to engage in spiritual exercises, by acting on God’s word always.
James said:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
James 1:22-25 NIV
We become doers of God’s word as we practice what it says. We are engaged in spiritual exercises daily as we do this.
When we are acting on God’s word, we are also positioning ourselves in the blessing of God. Our spiritual muscles are enlarged, strengthened and receives proper empowerment from the Holy Spirit whenever we do this.
God’s word contains the best spiritual nutrients for our spirit man, that will eventually affect the physical body, as we engage in spiritual exercises.
We exercise on God’s word daily, just as we do bodily exercises also. It helps our spirit man in growing up. It is the proper thing for our spiritual development.
The stronger our spirit man is, the easier it is to receive from the Lord. Give spiritual strength to your inner man always. Make it more sensitive to God’s voice, vigilant and always ready to go on the offense against the devil.
We will be able to help others, when we are stronger on the inner man. Exercising your faith in God’s promises to you strengthens your spirit man. You will be stronger in helping others.
Paul told the Romans:
“Now we who are strong [in our convictions and faith] ought to [patiently] put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just please ourselves. Let each one of us [make it a practice to] please his neighbor for his good, to build him up spiritually.”
ROMANS 15:1-2 AMP
Our patience towards the people that we are helping comes from the inner man. When we exercise our faith by practicing God’s word, patience is being built up inside us. It will help us in being effective in ministering to others. We all need lots of patience in dealing with difficult people in ministry. And that comes when we are exercising our faith on God’s promises to us. Patience is necessary to prevent us from burning out.
If your spirit man is not strong, you can’t build other people up. You can’t teach them effectively to obey God. You will only find yourself running after them physically to care for their carnal needs. We are called to primarily take care of the spiritual needs of the people, through prayer and intercession.
The secondary need is to help the sheep of the Lord’s pasture in renewing their mind with God’s word, as we teach and preach God’s word.
Their physical needs are easier to meet, when the primary and secondary needs are meet. We will stop running after them around town. The easiest way to burn out of ministry, is for us to be doing ministry in this manner. Whereas we are called only to be listening to God, and to do what He says.
All other things are not as important as exercising your faith in God’s promises, getting good rest and good spiritual diet every day.
We will be better effective in helping people and serving them. And most importantly you would have saved your spiritual energies for the things that matters most before God. Your own salvation.
In doing these three things you will constantly be recharged, to go against satan and his cohorts, winning every battle for the Lord. You are a winner and not a loser. Begin to take time out now to develop your spirit man for the new things God wants to do in your life. It is time to grow up and stop being a spiritual baby. Till next week, you are beloved in the Lord.
