HEALTHY CHURCH: Seasons of Perseverance

         The keyword is perseverance when trials and crises occur in our lives and in our churches. Romans 5:3-4 (NIV) states, “Not only so, but wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Obviously, ministry can be very difficult. During the Apostle Paul’s first church planting journey, John Mark gave up and went home (Acts 13:13). But the Word of God reveals that trials are intended to lead, not to discouragement or resignation, but to perseverance. “…the testing of your faith produces (develops) perseverance” (James 1:3).

      Paul commended the new church at Thessalonica, which, in the midst of trials and persecution, displayed faithful perseverance. “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” (II Thess. 1:4). What does it take to persevere? How can you take the next step in your journey, and move into the Season of Perseverance? How can you take the better road of spiritual health and growth instead of the lower road of challenge and discouragement? Sometimes the road is chosen for you by circumstances, and you do not have a choice except to choose to persevere.

      Here are some principles to remember if you desire to persevere and remain faithful as they did in Rev. 12:11, “even unto death:”

      First, doing things for Christ should always flow out of your being with Christ. Who you are is of far greater importance than what you do. If you are not putting the Word of God in you every day, you are not giving the Holy Spirit of God much to work with. If you are not leaning into Christ’s presence regularly, you will be hard pressed to hear His voice. The Holy Spirit will not empower us if we are oblivious to what He is saying. You hear His voice in His presence.

      If your well runs dry, your chances of persevering are not very good at all, actually quite dismal. You cannot give what you do not possess. Be committed to being yourself and how God hardwired you for His purposes. Be careful to not use this as an excuse to not allow Him to work in your heart and life to transform you more and more into His image. It is easy to just declare, “That is just the way I am,” but Christ has better things for you. Romans 12 challenges us to “not be conformed to this world but to be transformed” and that is a daily journey of pursuing Christ and working out our salvation.

      Paul stated, in I Cor. 2:3-5 (HCSB), “I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.” If your spiritual “gift” is sarcasm (talking about a friend I don’t want to mention), there are times you will need to bury that gift and be surrendered to Christ. Do not fall victim to thinking that you cannot change because transformational change through the Holy Spirit of God should be ongoing and never ending in our lives.

      In order to persevere, you have to come to grips with your limitations. There are a lot of things you, nor I, will ever do and probably couldn’t if we tried, but that is okay. The one thing all of us can be is found faithful. God’s will can be revealed through our limitations, and we should be thrilled with whatever assignment He allows us to be involved in. Remember your calling and have a clear sense of God placing you where you are with a clear vision for the church He wants you to build, develop and pastor. In the hard times, it is essential that you knowGod has led you there and will continue to lead you. Do not question in the dark what God showed you in the light.

      Perseverance is driven by a desire and passion to continue well and finish well. This causes us to understand more every day the importance of prayer. God does things in and through our lives by prayer that He will not do and or accomplish any other way. Where are your prayers focused right now? Is your prayer life more a grocery list than a time to praise God for His attributes and goodness? In Matt. 6:9-13, the Model Prayer, we are told to pray, “Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy Will be done.” There are seven petitions in this prayer, but the first three are completely centered on Him.

      In Praying the Lord’s Prayer for Spiritual Breakthrough, Elmer Towns mentions several principles we need to never forget. “Prayer is not designed to change God; it is designed to change you… Prayer is not calling God in to bless our activities, our decisions or our agenda… Prayer takes us into God’s presence and shows us His will.” Towns states that the “Thy” name petition recognizes that God shows up when you worship Him correctly. The “Thy” kingdom petition is asking God to help you live by His kingdom rules. The “Thy” will petition is asking Him to help you find the best way to live and the best answers for every situation.

      Perseverance comes out of cultivating a close, daily, intimate walk with God. There is no substitute for continual intimate fellowship with Christ. The disciplines of prayer, Bible study, learning to wait on God, listening for His guidance, fasting and solitude, will strengthen you and enable you to walk forward in faith and perseverance.

      Develop a prayer team who can “fight on their knees” for you. Spiritual warfare must not be a solo experience. You need prayer warriors who will pray for you and for the success of your church. You need to have this team in place and remain in place as you seek to persevere in ministry (Eph. 6:18).