Faith and Discouragement...

The following is an article I wrote for the SBTC this fall. Hope it speaks to your heart.
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While having lunch with a fellow pastor recently, I was asked an interesting question: “Do you see many pastors experiencing joy and victory in ministry?” Struck by the pertinence of his question, I began to reflect on my ministry as well as those I have encountered while traveling in Texas and beyond in 2010. With some hesitation I replied in the affirmative but I couldn’t help adding a footnote that “I don’t see many churches attempting that which requires great faith.” The ensuing discussion left me pondering faith and discouragement in ministry. I hope the following will be a help as we explore this topic together.

Faith is the central dynamic of the Christian life. It is not static but changes and fluctuates as we walk in fellowship with God. Sometimes our faith is strong; sometimes weak. It is an essential component of Christian living as any attempt to approach, serve, pray, or praise God apart from faith is futility of epic proportion. Without faith we cannot experience all God has in store for us or hear the still small voice of His Spirit whisper guidance in our heart. True faith is the primary means through which we deny Satan the glory he desperately craves and credit to Almighty God the glory He desperately deserves. It is true that nothing of eternal value can be accomplished apart from faith and equally true that nothing is impossible to him who has faith rightly directed in God. Faith matters immensely, even when weak and struggling.

Not long ago I was preaching a sermon on faith and I brought a cup of mustard seeds into the pulpit to make my illustration. There must have been 10,000 seeds in that one cup. Afterwards my wife asked to see the seeds up close and personal. I handed her the cup but she took only one tiny seed. She then taped the seed in her Bible next to Matthew 17:20 as a reminder of the quantity of real faith God is looking for in His followers. She is expecting mountains to move in her life as she understands faith to be the central dynamic of her walk with God.

Faith is particularly necessary when we come under trial and attempt to “count it all joy” as James implores. No person can look up from the bottom of a pit and praise God apart from a living faith that believes circumstances can change on-a-dime with the Lord. While corporate faith may be on the decline, discouragement is on the rise among God’s chosen leaders. Many of the pastors and church leaders I have crossed paths with this year as president of the SBTC face daily discouragement. These wonderful servants of Christ possess a deep passion for the things of God. They rejoice in their calling and daily seek to honor the Lord by faith. The pastors are men who desire their churches to grow for the glory of God and see the lost come to Jesus. Yet, like high blood pressure, discouragement is the “silent killer” of ministers, regardless of church size. At one time I thought only those serving God away from highways and high-speed internet, malls and movie theaters were the ones primarily subject to discouragement. Was I ever wrong! Satan has no respect for God’s minister regardless of whether he receives his mail on a rural route or while seated in a high-rise. So what is the answer? Let me encourage you with the following.

First, recalibrate your focus on “Who” matters most. Hebrews 12:2 tells us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Whenever discouragement seeks to replace faith in my life, I always know my focus has shifted not from “what matters most” but from “who matters most” – the Lord Jesus. God knows that all who serve Him have the propensity to be just like Peter when the wind and waves begin to roll and we take our eyes off Jesus. So fix your eyes on the Master and the faith you exhibit will conquer the discouragement you face.

Second, maintain a hope that refuses to doubt God’s power. When Satan attacks your mind by telling you that what you are doing for God does not matter, refuse to believe his lie and doubt God’s power. If you are praying and working as you should, you are making a difference regardless of what circumstances may say. A recent note on Twitter I received shared a quote from A.T. Robertson on difficult pastorates: “Young man, if you go to a hard field, stay by it. For, while you may not help the field, it will help you." My only addition would be to stay by that hard field with an expectant hope that God can transform even the most difficult circumstance for His glory. Place a mustard seed in your Bible if necessary.

Finally, maintain a faith that refuses to shrink back. Years ago I was struggling with discouragement in ministry on a supreme level. It wasn’t the first time; it will not be the last. On that day, I well remember driving the 45 miles to the hospital for visitation and crying out in desperation for God to move the entire trip. I felt I was nearing the end of my rope. Discouragement had caused me to lose my focus and doubt whether I was making any difference for the Kingdom. That afternoon when I returned to my office I did the only thing I knew to do – I poured over Scripture in prayer, seeking a word of encouragement from the Lord. While doing so the Holy Spirit brought me to Hebrews 10:35-38 NIV, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” Message delivered; message received.

Perhaps you are nearing the end of your rope, your grip is lessening and discouragement seems about to win the day. Stop what you are doing right now and take back the joy in serving Jesus that Satan is attempting to steal. Refuse to shrink back in defeat. Pray. Focus on your Master. Do that which you know God would have you do. Remain faithful and sooner than later a new day will dawn and the discouragement you feel will be replaced with a fresh expectancy that God is on the move. Be encouraged fellow servant of the Most High God!

I Choose the Roller Coaster...

Yesterday Andi and I were talking about life, kids, dreams, and the future. We do that quite regularly. While we talked she used the analogy of the life of faith we have been called to live as either a roller coaster or a merry-go-round. She contrasted the adventures of the roller coaster with its ups, downs and quick turns to the monotony of the merry-go-round. And then she said what I already knew to be true about her - "I choose the roller coaster!" What an incredible woman of faith God has blessed me with.

Faith is not easy. Why do we think that faith should come easy when it costs God so much? Why do we think that when we pray we should just automatically get an answer from Him without some hard-working, sweaty faith along the way? Why do we feel the need to help God out after we've prayed for a while, giving Him a back door exit just in case our prayers aren't answered like we've asked? Why do we feel the need to manipulate circumstances to aid God in His marvelous work? Why do we ever get the idea that living a life of faith in an unseen God, trusting Him completely and relying on Him fully is easy? We should be ashamed.

And yet, most never experience a roller coaster life of faith because they are either unwilling to persevere and believe or just simply give up and become hopeless. They saddle up on the painted pony of their choice and sit while the horse bobs up and down and the music blares in their ears. At first they grab the reins and lean forward into the ride but soon realize that little is needed to stay in the saddle because there is no adventure to be expected. They go round and round and experience a life of Christian monotony that never takes off to explore a new horizon. Many become so boring in their walk with God and then wonder why there is nothing contagious about their faith when they encounter those who need saving faith.

Well, Andi, I choose the roller coaster with you! I wouldn't want to ride it with anyone else. I want us to sit in the front seat, not the back, and I want to top the next hill with you, look down the rails and know that we may scream a little along the ride but the cars are intact, the rails are secure, the speed is not unmanageable, but the joy is unmistakable. I want to throw our arms up in the air and look up to God and laugh as we twist and turn along the route. I want us to lean into the curves together and experience the forces that propel us forward. I want us to arrive at our destination with a screeching halt and look at each other and say, "Wow! That was fun! Wanna go again?"

On the Importance of a Shield..

I have been asked on numerous occasions why I close most of my notes to the church with the phrase “Never yield your shield, stay in the battle.” My answer is multifaceted. First, I am convinced that Christians in America have been lulled to sleep by Satan and have forgotten a battle rages all around them. Their shield has been laid aside. They are not fitted for war. They are easy prey for the enemy who is ever-vigilant in his evil practices against them. Second, few have a full understanding of the purpose of a shield as noted in Scripture. God told Abram in Genesis 15:1, “I am your shield” for the purpose of calming his fears. God revealed to David that He was his shield of protection. One verse confirming this truth is Psalm 3:3, “But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” David knew that God was who protected Him from the lion as a shepherd, from Goliath as a young warrior, as an anointed servant of God on the run from jealous Saul, and as a King when forced to flee due to a coup attempt from his own son Absalom. David rested in the protection of God. He treasured the rock-solid belief that God had him enclosed from his enemies and that nothing could touch him apart from God removing His shield of protection. It works the same way in every believer’s life. We are encircled by God and protected on all sides. Nothing can harm us apart from God deliberately lowering the shield of His protection - which He sometimes does for His divine reasons. We’ll discuss this in a future note.

Solomon, King David’s son, understood the role of God as the shield of the faithful also. Proverbs 30:5 states, “Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” This verse transcends time, applying just as perfectly today as it did thousands of years ago when Solomon penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every believer can stand upon this truth that regardless of what is coming their way in life, God is their shield. He is their refuge. What a truth for living in 2009 with financial crisis, terrorism threats, apostasy rising, and morality plummeting. God is our refuge. He is our shield!

But finally, in the New Testament the Christ follower is told that “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). As stated above, the enemy is vigilant as he continues to fire his flaming darts our way intent upon destruction. He does not stop. He attacks continually with no regard for rules of war. No Christian can stand against the attack when he yields his shield of faith. We do not stand in our own strength, we stand in God’s. We do not endure with our own intestinal fortitude; we endure by faith in God. We are only able to stand firm when we take up the shield of faith, appropriate the Word of God, and stand believing God will deliver us.

So today, how are you being attacked? What are you facing right now in your life where you need to cling tightly to your shield of faith with full assurance that God will not let you down? What area of life are you waiting for an answer from God and it appears the heavens are brass and God’s not listening? Whatever you are facing, both known and unknown, take up your shield of faith and refuse to yield that which is part of your Christian armor. Stand firm Christian soldier God will not fail you!

Take a moment and read the words of this anonymous poem (my favorite by the way) and decide today to never yield your shield!

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
There are battles to fight,
By day and by night,
For God and the right –
And I’ll never let go.

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
I’m sick, ‘tis true,
Worried and blue,
And worn through and through,
But I won’t let go.

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
I will never yield!
What! Lie down on the field
And surrender my shield?
No, I’ll never let go!

I want to let go, but I won’t let go.
May this be my song,
“Mid legions of wrong –
Oh, God, keep me strong
That I may never let go!”

Remember… Never yield your shield, stay in the battle!

In Christ alone,

Byron