For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.—Ephesians 6:12 KJV
Can I share some encouragement for Spiritual Leaders & Christians who are engaged in Gospel ministry this week and are simultaneously experiencing spiritual battle?
Thirty-one years into ministry I can say, any time you tackle a big effort to lift up Jesus, you can buckle up for some spiritual opposition of some kind. It’s as predictable as the sunrise.
What It Looks and Feels Like
Sometimes it’s purely an internal, emotional, psychological weight or oppression. The sheer intangibility of this makes it hard to identify. In this case, you just feel in a fog, discouraged, or generally negative. (Paul called this “affliction and distress” in 1 Thessalonians 3:7 KJV)
Sometimes it’s tied to fatigue—as during a big ministry week you are expending more physical and emotional energy, making you more irritable or sensitive.
Sometimes it’s conflict oriented—bumping into others emotionally (perhaps also facing similar battles), or finding conversations more combustible, running thin, or generally “flaring up” more easily.
Sometimes it’s circumstantial—a car accident, a hard drive crash, a technical systems problem, an irritating or discouraging series of events—more than usual, indicating that’s its more than random. (Perhaps this is what Paul meant when he said “Satan hindered us…” in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 KJV)
Sometimes it’s personal and functional—this could be an amped up anxiety about your message, your cue card, your weekend events, the details or teams you are managing. It’s just an added layer of intensity to ministry that you’re carrying, and maybe tossing and turning over. This can also contribute to tension, stress, and inner turmoil or relational tension. Can we say “lost sleep?”
Ultimately only Jesus can relieve this, which is why we need to…
How to Deal With It
First, see it for what it is. At least for me, this is 99% of the battle. For years I would get neck-deep into this before realizing it’s primarily of a spiritual nature. Seeing it as deliberate opposition (as opposed to merely random occurrences) would immediately neutralize the vast majority of “its power” over me. James 4:7 KJV says, “Resist the Devil and he will flee…”— he’s all smoke and no fire. But he’s really good at smoke! (See Ephesians 6:12 KJV)
Second, deliberately reframe the inner narrative. The best way to do this is “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”(2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV) Cast down imaginations, and stand on truth.
Don’t allow lies, deception, and incriminating thoughts to win the day. Refuse to let the opposition win your attitude. Don’t let Satan kill the awesome joy that there is in serving Jesus and giving the Gospel to others. Decide you won’t allow your opposition to have the pleasure of robbing you of actually experiencing resurrection power as you celebrate the resurrection. Ironic isn’t it—we celebrate resurrection in a “living death” sort of way.
Third, breath, rest, and fuel up. Between now and Sunday it’s pretty critical that you rest well and have some down time. If you come into the weekend exhausted and depleted, so much for enjoying ministry and rejoicing in resurrection! You will barely remember it! Jesus counters this with His invitation in Matthew 11:28 KJV — “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
God’s people deserve the best you—the joyful, rested, un-anxious, gracious you. That you only emerges when you’ve rested properly, eaten wisely, and cultivated a healthy soul. Your best weekend isn’t a product of radical over-extension and personal depletion. It’s a product of resting in Jesus do the work you cannot do. It’s pretty hard to call people to the “joyful, abundant Christian life” from the prison-cell of frustration and emptiness.
Finally, link arms with co-laborers and friends—renew your passion for the gospel of grace, think for half a second about what it really means to celebrate the hope of resurrection, and enjoy giving the Gospel to hungry and hurting hearts this weekend. There’s no greater joy ever!
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”— John 12:32 KJV. The spiritual opposition of ministry is hard, hurtful, and just plain frustrating. The spiritual fruit of seeing hearts drawn to Jesus is worth it all! It’s a mind-game more than anything else, and Satan’s strategy is all built on lies. He only has the power you grant him by believing his lies. He fears you and your gospel message immensely! He fears what is unfolding this weekend at your church. Literally!
The Lion of Judah is about to roar!
Rest up. Fuel up. Chin up. Head up. Eyes up. Your best Friend rose from the grave, saved you, called you, enables you, goes before you, empowers you, and plans to use you. He’s got this, He’s got you, and He’s got someone in mind that you will reach!
The Power of the Gospel
A couple years ago, at our church prayer time during Easter week, a sweet lady raised her hand and said, “Pastor, I got saved three years ago at our Good Friday service!” Three years later, she’s loving Jesus, growing in grace, and serving with her church family.
My heart soared! (For two reasons.) First, I needed to hear that and rejoice with her. But second, that particular year, a carnal pastor publicly criticized me online for having a “Good Friday service.” I distinctly remember that year how discouraging that week was. One carnal man kicked me in the gut, but, three years later, fruit remains and speaks for herself! I was reminded all over again that the power of opposition and grumpy people is no match for the power of the Gospel.
Yes, in case your wondering, I’m preaching to myself (even 31 years in), but I thought this time perhaps it would encourage others to make my message public. Don’t let the spiritual battle get you down. Rise up! Jesus has gone before you.
God-speed in Gospel ministry this weekend, friends! We will spend all of eternity rejoicing in the hearts that turn to Jesus this weekend, and we will barely remember the fog in which we served!
P.S.—feel free to share, copy, paste, email this encouragement if you feel it can help someone in ministry.
For more from Cary Schmidt, check out his latest book Stop Trying: How to Receive–Not Achieve–Your Real Identity
From looking outwardly to please others to looking inwardly to define ourselves, we constantly try to cultivate or construct our identities. But guided by the whims of culture or the faulty advice of tradition, we often find identity collapses when life falls apart or change threatens that fragile structure. Is it possible to discover an identity bolstered with unassailable confidence, strengthened for the challenges of life rather than destroyed by them, and free from the whims of cultural pressure? Yes! It is an identity received, not achieved—an identity established in the gospel.
