Weapons of War

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Today we continue our series on spiritual warfare that we began three weeks ago. If you haven’t read the blogs leading up to this I encourage you to do so.They can be found below or in the archives.

Let’s begin! So… because the Scriptures tell us that spiritual warfare is real and that we have a part to play in it you might be asking, “What weapons do I have in order to fight this war?” Do not fret. God has given us all we need to overcome the enemy; we need only to go to the Bible.

First, as Believers we are warned to be alert and to resist the devil. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says,

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

This passage, and those like it, is written for believers. Think about it… the enemy has little reason to attack those who oppose the church, either actively or through unbelief. It’s God’s work in restoring us to Him that Satan opposes. But, if you notice you aren’t alone! 1 Peter 5:8-9 tells us that, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”  The word “your” that the passage starts with is plural. The devil isn’t our personal enemy! He is the church’s collective enemy! He is one who ultimately wants to oppose the work of God in every church. He will harass, hinder, and bring division and persecution in attempt to hinder the expansion of God’s kingdom here on earth. We must be aware that every step that makes us closer to God or enables us to do more for the kingdom of God will be met with opposition.

When you became a follower of Christ, you made an enemy!

It has often been said that the lion roars to paralyze his prey. Because of that I find it interesting that Satan is referred to as a prowling and roaring lion in the above verses out of 1 Peter. I believe that Satan often uses the tactic of fear in order to intimidate us and make us ineffective as believers. Look at what Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7,

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self–discipline.

Timothy is probably struggling with fear about doing ministry, and Paul alerts him to the fact that, that spirit is not from God. Like Timothy we too face fear at times, look at the Parable of the Talents.

Matthew 25:24–25 says,

Then the man who had received the one talent came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”

The man in that story, whom the master had given one talent to utilize, did not do so because he was afraid! He was so afraid of failing that he didn’t even try. Does that sound familiar? How has fear kept you from doing God’s will? What “talent” have you been given that you aren’t utilizing out of fear or complacency? Satan, the “roaring lion,” works through fear. He desires to paralyze us with worries and anxieties about the present, the past, and the future. He roars to keep us from progressing in the things of God… in holiness and service. Let us remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but instead of power, love and self-discipline.

Second, we must understand the power of Christ. Christ’s position in the heavenly realms is at God’s right hand and he has all things in this world under his authority. Ephesians 1:16-22 describes this position of Christ… but also our position in Christ. It says,

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.

To be effective in spiritual warfare we must see and recognize our position in Christ. We must recognize that once we are saved we become seated with and united with Christ. Ephesians 2:1-10 says,

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Third, we must read and know the instructions we are given for standing against the evil one, his minions, and his schemes. Of course we all are familiar with Ephesians 6:10-18. It says,

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Now that we understand those foundations we must take note that spiritual warfare comes in two ways: offensive and defensive. Offensive warfare is tearing down the strongholds the enemy has already formed in your mind (or others minds) through deception, temptations, and accusations, and defensive warfare is guarding yourself against those strongholds, tactics, and schemes of the devil to begin with.

Let’s put it out there and make it clear that the difference between deliverance and spiritual warfare is that deliverance is dealing with demonic bondages, and getting a person set free, whereas spiritual warfare is resisting, overcoming, and defeating the enemy’s lies that he sends our way. Deliverance is offensive. Personal spiritual warfare is primarily defensive.

God was, is, and will forever be victorious over the evil one and He takes care of any obstacles in our lives as we abide in him. Our weapons of spiritual warfare are “weapons of righteousness.”

In 2 Corinthians 6:2b-9 Paul mentions these,

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

In the spiritual realm there is God almighty and his entire government of angels in their various roles and ranks, on the other spiritual realm side is the devil and his entire alliance of fallen angels in their various roles and ranks. It is important to note is that we have the entire heavenly government on our side including our Lord Jesus, who stands as our intercessor as Romans 8:34 says,

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

He is also our advocate in heaven’s highest court. 1 John 2:1 says,

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Job 16: 19 says,

Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high.

Our main concern here is the part we, as God’s servants, play in this war. The Scriptures have laid this out quite clearly. Most of what we see from the scripture is that the battle is Gods and our concern is to focus on Him rather than on Satan. The Bible tells us that we’re more than conquerors in any battle we may encounter. Romans 8:37-39 says,

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So we are in this fight, and if we remain on Christ’s side until the end we will be victorious. But… as soldiers what weapons do we have to fight with?

  • Truth

The Word of God is also known as the sword of the Spirit and the belt of truth. A sword as we know can be used as both an offensive weapon and a defensive aid and blocking tool. I find it necessary to begin our discussion about what weapons we hold and have in our arsenal with the Word, because all other weapons come from it and their instructions for use are inside.

Truth is our most effective weapon in battle against Satan.

In fact, Jesus stood on the Truth when he was confronted in the wilderness. Matthew 4:1-11 says,

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan He overcame the devil using the weapon of the Word of God rather than his own opinions, thoughts, desires, or excuses. Jesus knew and applied Scripture in his time of “need.” The direct use of God’s Word silenced the enemy and ended the discussion. Jesus used the Word of God once for each of the three temptations He faced.

The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:14,

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

Like Jesus, we should do the same in our temptations. Take time and find Bible verses that are particularly meaningful to you… allow the Holy Spirit to help! Lock those verses away in your mind and heart, repeat them often, and use them when fighting in spiritual warfare.

Satan is a master deceiver. Imagine a salesman who has been selling the same product for 40 years… they would probably be pretty good at it. Their skills would be honed, they would know what to say and what not to say, and they would know the right approach to take when dealing with people. Now apply that to Satan. He has been “selling” the same lies and deceptions for his whole existence. He does well at taking the baggage and wounds we all carry and planting seeds of lies and distortions in the fertile and vulnerable soil. In the absence of God’s truth, those seeds can take root and grow, spawning more lies, more deception, and ultimately more seeds. Interestingly enough, Satan’s deceptions and distortions of the truth work in the same way that many cancer cells do in the human body. Within the last few years a team of Swedish researchers have discovered how many cancer cells spread throughout the body: by masquerading as immune cells! They disguise themselves as healthy cells until often it is too late. Satan’s deceptions often mimic Biblical truths somewhat closely. Close enough that many Christians accept them as truth without thinking otherwise… then the vicious cycle continues. False teachings and truths can devastate a Believer and set them up for failure.

Biblical truth shines light into the darkness that is spiritual warfare.

  • Prayer

There is evil that we fight in our spiritual warfare. Jesus told us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. He told us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the work that God has purposed for us to accomplish, as His will is being worked out in our lives. But we do hit opposition. We need to understand that the battle is not against flesh and blood but against powers in the heavenly places.

The enemy hates intercession because we exercise our authority in Christ when we pray! It is one of the greatest things he will attack. The enemy is on an all out attack to stop prayer, because he knows that there is power in intercession. There is power in even one intercessor that knows his or her authority in prayer.

James 5:16 says,

The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

In John 14:12-14 Jesus says,

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Let’s make one thing clear right from the start. Prayer is not a one-time thing… we can’t do it once and check it off the list. Although Satan is a defeated foe, it doesn’t mean that he has accepted that defeat and stopped fighting. At the conclusion of World War II pockets of Japanese soldiers kept fighting unable to accept the defeat or surrender of their homeland. They engaged others in guerilla style warfare for up to 30 years after the conclusion of the war. In 1974, Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese army intelligence officer, finally was persuaded to come out of hiding by a former comrade on the Philippine island of Lubang. Mr. Onoda, then 83, wept uncontrollably as he agreed to lay down his rifle, unaware that Japanese forces had surrendered 29 years earlier. In 1972, Shoichi Yokoi was found on the island of Guam and returned to Japan. Like Mr. Onoda, he had no idea that the war had ended. These are just a couple examples of the large isolated pockets of fighters that held out after defeat. Like those pockets of isolated Japanese soldiers on remote islands in the Pacific at the end of World War II, Satan and his demons continue to fight on, oblivious to or in denial of God’s ultimate victory. You must fight through prayer for the entirety of your Christian life here in earth.

God has promised to help His people. But sometimes that help isn’t immediate. Read Daniel 10. Specifically in Daniel 10:10-14 we see this account,

And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

In Daniel we see that help was sent but delayed. We have to remember the different fronts that this battle is being waged on, and stay aware that we aren’t always seeing the realm in which the fight is taking place. Remember, we exist in a battle zone of multiple levels and realms. Another possible explanation to what we might see as a “delay” to our answered prayers is that God could standing to one side, watching, allowing the fight we’re in to strengthen us.

God has promised to be there when we NEED Him, not when we THINK we need Him.

Do not look at your prayer life as a small ministry of no importance. The enemy knows fully how mighty you are in pulling down his strongholds, and he will try to intimidate, discourage, divide, or defeat you. We must not accept his lies. We must continue to pray from a position of authority! Do not pray from a position of fear, understand and take to heart the truth that you have eternal life with Jesus. He is your strength, and with Him there is nothing to fear.

I also believe that it is important to state that effective prayer for spiritual warfare starts with prayer in general. We have to begin from the baseline of an active prayer life. All of us would agree that before we stepped into the cage for an MMA fight we would want to fight and maybe take a punch. The fight itself would definitely not be the best time to learn! In the same way we must be praying before engaging the enemy in prayer.

Like the military, we train in times of peace to be prepared for times of war.

Our prayer nurtures our relationship, and it’s especially important to draw on that intimate personal relationship with God when engaged in spiritual warfare. A prayer life filled with regular prayers of praise, thanksgiving, confession, supplication, and meditation are what nurtures and grows that close relationship.

We must not only pray for ourselves… but we must pray for others! We see an example of this in Luke 22:31-32 where it says,

Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Paul urges us to pray for others! It says,

I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quite and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men be saved and come to the knowledge and truth.

Take note, sometimes we may need to revisit the same prayer over and over… we may need to pray against the same sort of attack more than once! There are many demons, operating at many levels, using many different tactics.

As a child did you ever ask one of your parents for a piece of candy over and over after being told no? If you are like me you probably did in hopes of wearing them down with your nagging, and ultimately getting the candy. Like that pesky child nagging for candy after being told no sometimes we pray and deny the enemy only to have them return, often with their accomplices, and to try to wear you down.

It’s only through the strength of Christ Jesus that we can withstand. Romans 8:26-27 says,

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Imagine a trashed house full of garbage. What else is sure to be there? Flies. Sometimes of lives look a lot like that house. We get frustrated at the flies buzzing around and work against them. Sometimes we are successful and manage to shoo them all away, but as long as the garbage remains we are fighting a losing battle and those flies are inevitably going to return and multiply. So, in our spiritual warfare we need to be concerned with the flies (demons), but we also must work to remove the garbage. This might look like a lot allowing past wounds to heal, seeking to restore broken relationships, or terminating relationships that are unhealthy for us. It might mean stepping out of our comfort zone, getting connected with other believers, and renouncing sin in our lives. Every trashcan may be different… but we certainly all have one. Prayer is a good place to start, but it almost always invokes action on our part.

  • Fasting

The literal meaning of the Hebrew word for “fast” is “to cover the mouth.” Fasting humbles the flesh, and that is where we can draw power. Fasting puts us in harmony with an all-powerful God who demands humility from those who wish to be close to Him. When it is done for that purpose, it pleases the Spirit of God.

During a fast, you deliberately let go of that which binds you to this physical world (food) in order to receive all your sustenance from the spiritual world. You determine that for a period of time you will deny your physical cravings to focus on your spiritual cravings. You allow your spiritual hunger to become stronger and more focused. You feed your spirit with the same enthusiasm with which you feed your body. Spiritual hunger takes priority over physical hunger.

If you are like me then you enjoy food! For foodies fasting can be a real downer or struggle… but that is the idea. Food for your physical body sustains it and nourishes it. When we eat food, we literally take the earth and make it part of us. I am fully convinced that God intentionally designed our bodies to be nourished and fueled in this way so that we would have a picture of true nourishment that He speaks of in Scripture. Jesus made this clear when He told the devil in the wilderness in Matthew 4:4,

It is written, man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

God has represented His Word as food that nourishes our spiritual life in the same way that physical food nourishes our physical life.

Psalm 119:103 says,

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jeremiah 15:16 says,

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

Ezekiel 3:1-3 says,

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.

Just as food strengthens and maintains our bodies, the Word of God is designed to nourish, fuel, and strengthen us. You can go a certain distance in God, and experience many things, without fasting much, but the highest, richest and most powerful blessings always go to those who, together with other disciplines, fast. The most significant Biblical characters were all men of fasting and prayer. Jesus, the Son of God, was a man of fasting. Matthew 4:2 says,

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

The apostle Paul fasted. 2 Corinthians 11:27 says,

In toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

Moses fasted 80 days. Elijah fasted 40 days. The early church fasted before starting any major work. Luther, Wesley, Finney, Booth were all men of fasting.

Now… don’t get me wrong, fasting is not magic, nor does it twist the arm of God. A Fast doesn’t punch your ticket into the will of God. God wants to do many amazing things, but He looks for those willing to urgently make the corrections needed to come into line with him. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Psalm 138:6 tells us that,

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Proverbs 3:34 says,

Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.

Matthew 23:12 says,

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Proverbs 29:23 says,

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Fasting is not a way to influence, impress or manipulate God. It doesn’t prove anything to Him. It doesn’t show Him whether you are serious. In fact, He knows your heart better than you do. Hebrew 4:13 says,

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

A fast is not a hunger strike, like the ones abolished in India in 1861, designed to convince God for “more” or to release what He has “held back.” Also… Fasting is not a last-ditch effort to get through to God. Instead, fasting is an effort we make to allow God to get through to us! It is a means of sharpening our spiritual senses so that we can hear and discern the voice, leading, purposes, and direction of God. Fasting gives us Spiritual eyes to see God’s focus for our lives, and it can be a major key to hearing God’s voice. We need focus from God more than anything. The world we live in is working overtime to distract us, to entice us, to win our hearts and minds, our focus, and to determine our vision. Fasting cuts out the world so we can tune into God. In 2 Chronicles 20, we read the account of a fast King Jehoshaphat called for this very reason. He had received a report that his enemies were allied against him and were nearly at his borders, intent on destroying him and the nation of Israel. The earthly perspective was pretty grim… but Jehoshaphat was not willing to limit himself to Earth’s point of view. He knew there was more to the picture that what he could see.

Fasting has a way of revealing the bigger picture… the perspective of heaven.

In Ezra 8:21-23 we see Ezra the priest fasting for God’s protection while carrying valuable items for the temple. It says,

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Like Ezra, we too can fast for God’s protection.

Matthew 6:17-18 says,

When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

We are commanded to fast for God and God alone and that our fasting will be rewarded. Notice that verse 17 says, “when” we fast… not “if” we fast. Fasting can actually break barriers and strongholds that sometimes prayer can’t handle by itself. We see evidence of this in Mark 9:28-29 where it says,

His disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven  out by anything but prayer and fasting.”

If we desire to be successful and victorious in spiritual warfare then we must add the discipline of fasting to our arsenal.

  • Praise

I believe praise plays a huge part in our response to the attacks of Satan and his aids. In fact, did you know that there are more verses in the Bible that refer to praising God in some way, than there are that refer to praying! Therefore, I believe that praise is essential to success in spiritual warfare.

Praise takes our focus off our problems and places it where it should be: the Lord. Praise has a way of lifting our spirits and our confidence. Praise reminds us of what God has done for His people, and what He has promised to do for us in the future. And guess what? When you praise the Lord, you’re also reminding Satan and his workers of how many times they’ve been beaten before. Think about it! When I was a kid and I would wrestle with my friend, who was much bigger than me, I would get so frustrated at the lack of effort it looked like he was putting forth, and when he would laugh at my feeble attempts to take him down. In the same way Satan hates hearing about his defeats. How would you like it if, when you were about to attack someone, they started singing songs that reminded you of how many times you’ve lost similar fights? You wouldn’t, and neither does the devil! So make a joyful noise! Praise the Lord and His holy name!

My personal favorite reason that we sing is to silence the enemy. Singing throughout the centuries was used as a battle tactic or a way to prepare soldiers for battle. We see in the Bible that singers and musicians were just as big of a part of the army as the soldiers themselves. They led the fighters into battle! Tribes in Africa will often sing and shout before heading into war as a way of intimidating their enemies with the size of the army and the volume of their voices. In Korean and Vietnamese history soldiers would rush into a battle with loud shouts and songs to intimidate and overwhelm their enemies. In American history music played a large role in both the Revolutionary and Civil wars as both a moral booster and communication technique.

We can apply this strategy to our own lives. We enter into spiritual warfare each and every day. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior we basically put a target on our back for Satan and the world to shoot at. But, when the enemy tries to attack your life or church, the raised voice of faith in the promises of God will drive him away. Psalm 68:1-6 says:

God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy! Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Sing truths to yourself and to the face of the enemy. A simple reminder is often all it takes! 1 Samuel 16:23 says:

And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Refresh yourself and others. Sing to yourself and with others. Prepare yourself to fight and let the devil know who the victor will be!

My favorite song to sing in times of spiritual warfare in my own life is “Always” it goes like this:

My foes are many, they rise against me, but I will hold my ground. I will not fear the war; I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way; my help is on the way.

Oh, my God, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always. I will not fear His promise is true. My God will come through always, always.

Troubles surround me, chaos abounding, my soul will rest in You. I will not fear the war; I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way; my help is on the way.

Oh, my God, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always. I will not fear His promise is true. My God will come through always, always.

I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord. I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord. I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord. I lift my eyes up; my help comes from the Lord.

Oh, my God, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always. I will not fear His promise is true. My God will come through always, always. Oh, my God, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always, always.

Our song can be used as a sword as well! In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, we see the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the people of Mount Seir coming against Judah to destroy them. Jehoshaphat knew that his people could not defeat the combined armies of his enemies, so he went to the Lord for aid. Through Jahaziel, the Lord said, “Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” So when the morning of the battle came, what did the children of Judah do? They went to the field of battle and began to sing and praise the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20:22-23 says,

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

The people of Judah never lifted a weapon! As they were praising the LORD, He turned their enemies against each other, and finally against themselves!

Psalm 8:2 says,

Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of your enemies, that you may silence the enemy and the avenger.

Another example is found in Acts chapter 16. Paul and Silas have been beaten and thrown into prison because they cast out a spirit of divination from a young girl who was following them, thus angering her masters. In the middle of the night, in prison, this happened to Paul and Silas, Acts 16:25-26 says,

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

If we go on in this story though we can see the power of praise in the spiritual realm and in breaking down strongholds and throwing off bondages and chains. We see the lives and attitudes of inmates changed when Paul and Silas are in captivity singing and praying. When the doors swung wide open and the bonds fell off nobody ran away. Nobody even tried to escape! What changed their hearts? God did. Through what avenue? Most likely the truths being expressed through Paul and Silas. We see change not only in their testimonies… but also in the response of the prison guard ready to take his own life to avoid punishment and the disgrace to his family’s name.

Acts 16:27-34 continues,

When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Praise can change lives. We must strive to sing truths that will infiltrate hardened hearts, and sing challenges to those of us who already know Christ. We can worship, teach, and evangelize through the songs that sing on a daily and weekly basis to others and ourselves.

Philippians 4: 4-7 says,

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance.  The Lord is at hand.  Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:1 says,

I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men.

Psalm 95:1-2 says,

O come let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving.

God centered praise silences the enemy. How many of our problems would be solved if we could only drown out Satan and his demons.

So what weapons are you employing? God has provided and empowered us through His Son, call yourself equipped and wage war against the enemy!

Themes: The Gospel in Colossians

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

In this day and age the Bible isn’t held to the same “truth standard” that it was in generations and days past. Bizarre interpretations are accepted because people believe they have the right to decide for themselves what a passage means, or blatantly remove text from its intended context and twist it against itself or twist it to mean what they want for it to mean at that particular time or for that certain circumstance. In other words, many today approach Scripture with the idea that the meaning is in the eye of the beholder.

This ideology flies in the face of Christ’s example. In fact, Jesus routinely rebuked those who twisted the words of Scripture or misapplied them. The Bible is God’s message to man, and because of that we can have perfect confidence that God is capable of accurately relaying His Word to us, His creation, in a way that we can understand.

But… it is crucial that we do our part and we learn how to interpret Scripture properly so that we can determine the original author’s intended meaning rather than forcing our own ideas into the text.

Hermeneutics, which comes from the Greek word hermeneuo, means to explain or interpret. Hermeneutics is the branch of theology that focuses on identifying and applying sound principles of Biblical interpretation. While the Bible is generally plain in its meaning, proper interpretation requires careful study and is not always an easy task.

Did you know that the Bible was written over a period of roughly 2,000 years by 40 or more authors using three languages?

The Holy Spirit moved each of these writers to produce His inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word!

2 Timothy 3:16 says,

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

2 Peter 1:19–21 says,

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

So… how do we as “modern day Believers” properly interpret Scripture? Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to start into a new method of reading the Word of God and interpreting such powerful words and meanings. Below I will demonstrate how I go about interpreting Scripture in my daily reading by identifying themes and how they build off each other to display the Gospel.

Let’s begin with the book of Colossians. This book is a mini-ethics course, addressing every area of Christian life, and perhaps one of the most Christ centered books in the Bible. Although Paul addresses many areas, the basic application for us today is the total and complete sufficiency of Christ in our lives, both for our salvation and our sanctification. Paul progresses from the individual life to the home and family, from work to the way we should treat others. This book centers on the Head of the Church, which is Jesus Christ. The two major themes in this book are “the supremacy of Christ” in Chapters one and two and “the submission to Christ” in Chapters three and four. There is an overarching Gospel theme in this book that runs throughout as well, it is the sufficiency of our Lord, Jesus Christ in meeting our needs in every area.

The Gospel in Colossians is broken down and explained in several themes throughout this book which all expand upon each other. I will break down the Gospel themes, explain, and provide backing verses below. Let’s think together.

  • The Supremacy of Christ (Chapters 1-2)

supremacy

: the quality or state of having more power, authority, or status than anyone else : the state of being supreme

The first theme or display of the Gospel that Paul demonstrates or provides in Colossians is the supremacy of Christ over all. The reason this is of importance to the Gospel is that recognizing this is recognizing who holds the authority over all, and who we must serve. There is no way to Heaven except through Christ and the work of Christ, and as much as the world would like to tell us otherwise we cannot do it without His work.

Colossians 1:15-16 says,

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Colossians 2:8-15 says,

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

  • The Submission to Christ (Chapters 3-4)

submission

: the state of being obedient : the act of accepting the authority or control of someone else

The second theme found in Colossians after the recognition of the supremacy of Christ is what our response should be… a response of submissiveness. Paul offers up many examples of what it is to live as Christ, and all of these examples are completely unnatural for a human to do apart from Christ. All that we are called to do is to die to our old worldly selves, be raised with Christ, and submit to what He has called us to do. Full submission is necessary if we are pursuing holiness.

Colossians 3:1-3 says,

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:5-10 says,

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Colossians 3:12-15 says,

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Colossians 4:1-2 says,

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:5-6 says,

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

  • The Sufficiency of Christ (1-4)

sufficiency

:  meaning to meet one’s needs

Paul also laces a single theme throughout the entire book of Colossians. That theme is: the sufficiency of Christ. As believers we can have hope in the fact that Christ is more than sufficient to meet all of our needs according to His will. His will may not always be ours, but it is always for His glory and in that we can take part and have hope.

Colossians 1:21-22 says,

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

 Colossians 3:23-25 says,

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Overwhelmed? It isn’t as hard as we make it out to be… we just have to be willing to devote ourselves and our time to proper interpretation of God’s Word.

Tim Chaffey once said,

God is capable of accurately relaying His Word to us in a way that we can understand. It is crucial that we interpret properly to determine the intended meaning rather than forcing ideas into the text.

A person can spend his or her entire life and still never come close to mining the depths of Scripture. The Bible is written in such a marvelous way that a child can understand the basic message, and yet the most educated theologians continue to learn new things from the Bible as they study it. There is always so much more to learn, so we must humbly approach the Word of God.

 

Why Study the Old Testament?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Have you ever been watching a movie and felt completely lost?

I have.

I once made the mistake of allowing a friend of mine convince me to watch the second “Matrix” movie with him without having seen the first. He responded to my countless questions graciously… but in the end, I was completely lost with no hope of ever fully grasping what was going on due to missing context and foreknowledge of the plot. I would never understand until seeing the first movie in the series.

Don’t get me wrong… I did enjoy the movie and had basic knowledge of what I had seen in the context that I had seen it. But, I had no idea as to how what I ad observed and understood fit into the larger puzzle that was the “Matrix” series.

It seems as if one of the recent trends within the church is creating this exact issue for us as Believers. Many churches, denominations, congregations, pastors, and theologians have placed an emphasis on the New Testament alone.

Why is that?

I have heard things ranging from, “We are under the New Testament after the death of Christ” to, “the Old Testament is just too boring to read.” Both of these statements actually catch me off guard when thinking about them, but I have to admit that I am probably guilty of placing the New Testament in front of the Old Testament in importance as well. So why should we study the Old Testament as modern believers?

While it is Biblically accurate to distinguish between the testaments and between salvation by law (OT) and salvation by grace (NT), it does not in our wildest dreams mean that the first three-fourths of the Bible should be dismissed as obsolete and irrelevant for the “modern” Christian. In fact, if we read the New Testament fully and carefully we will see how closely tied it is to the Old Testament and how important the Old Testament was and is to the New Testament church. So… why should “New Testament Christians” read the Old Testament? Let’s think together.

  • It is God’s Word.

The first answer to our question is that the Old Testament is important simply because it’s God’s Word.

End of story. Isn’t that enough?

God’s word is eternal. God is a never changing God and in order to understand love and mercy we have to see both testaments for what they are. Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that,

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In the times of Christ the Old Testament was all they had and that seemed to be enough for them and they deemed it worthy to read and dedicate to heart and mind. In fact, the Old Testament was the Bible of Jesus. He read from it, quoted it, interpreted it, and declared Himself to be the fulfillment of many of its promises. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says,

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

The fact that the Old Testament is God’s Word, the same as the New Testament, should be enough to cause us to want to read it and hold it as important! If not, then surely the fact that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ deemed it as important should cause us to view it in a refreshed light. If we truly desire to be like Christ then we better get familiar with the Old Testament.

  • It helps us learn the character of God.

The Old Testament also helps us to learn the character of God. Scriptures found within the Old Testament do well to point us to Christ. I have found that the Old Testament reveals to us the nature of our hearts in comparison to what they should be, and tells us what our BIG problem is.

In a counseling session I was involved in recently the individual I was ministering to just kept repeating that he didn’t know how he had gotten the way that he is, and that he couldn’t understand what his problem was. He had no comprehension of the Old Testament or the curse of Adam that fell upon all mankind in Genesis. Ultimately, he had no context for individual sin and it caused him to repeatedly become frustrated.

The good thing about the Bible is that not only does it tell us our problem, but it also explains to us how we got this way. After giving us a pretense and context the Old Testament also helps to explain to us why God had to do what He did to redeem us! The Old Testament provides us context and allows us to know what God did and accomplished throughout all of Scripture including both the Old and New Testaments.

The story of redemptive history that culminates in Jesus Christ has its origins in the Old Testament. The Bible may have two individual testaments, but it tells one essential comprehensive story!

  • It is the first half.

Just like I struggled to understand the sequel to the first Matrix movie without context of the plot and characters we might find ourselves enlightened more if we read the Old Testament just like I was when I finally watched that first movie.

Did you know that there are more than 300 direct quotations of the Old Testament to be found throughout the New Testament? I actually read that if one counts partial quotations or allusions, the number jumps to more than 2,000, and that material accounts for about 10 percent of the New Testament, or about the same amount devoted to the recorded words of Jesus! Incredible.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. The Bible is a progressive revelation even if we don’t always view it in that way. If you skip the first half of any good book or movie and try to finish it, you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. In the same way, the New Testament is only completely understood when we see its foundation of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the Old Testament.

It is clear that the authors of the New Testament believed the Old Testament to be the word of God. Acts 1:15-20 says,

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

The writers of the New Testament used the Old Testament in their histories, sermons, letters, and even their prayers. They used it to prove that Jesus was the Messiah, to offer instruction, and to argue or defend theological points. In that time the Old Testament was the primary authority they cited in their declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the end, the New Testament is prefaced upon the Old Testament and without an understanding or grasping of the ideals and content of the Old Testament then the New Testament can’t be grasped or understood fully for what it is and means. The Old Testament is informative and is used to inform us on the ways and things of God, lots of passages in Old Testament speak to things that haven’t occurred yet and can be seen as prophetic and can even provide hope and reinforcement for believers in the context of the New Testament.

  • It deepens understanding.

Lastly, my favorite point is the fact that an understanding of the Old Testament helps us to ward off heresies. Many heresies begin like this, “Did God really say…(fill in the blank)?” We would be quicker to spot false teachings and prophecies with an understanding of both Testaments rather than only understanding one or the other.

Any informed follower or student would work to know all of the teachings and all of the material. When preparing for a comprehensive exam one doesn’t only study the latest material… you would fail. When preparing a legal defense a lawyer doesn’t just view the latest evidence… a full understanding of the case is necessary for receiving the desired results. When in boot camp one doesn’t just learn how to bandage and treat wounds… One learns how to fight and prevent them too. If we want to be prepared and fully equipped Christians then we should have a desire to know ALL of God’s Word. We are called to be faithful, and insight into the Old Testament helps in that endeavor.

We should have a longing to hear from Him and understand all of His Words. That longing will cause us to read all of what He has given us.

In summary, the Old Testament allows us to learn how to love and serve God, and it reveals more about God’s character. It shows through repeatedly fulfilled prophecy why the Bible is unique among holy books, and it alone is able to demonstrate that it is what it claims to be: the inspired Word of God.

Rejection: It hurts!

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

On February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, a young man named Michael was born. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when he was very young and he was one of 5 siblings. His father worked as a General Electric plant supervisor, and his mother worked at a bank. Young Michael, like many young men, loved sports but despite his attempts he failed to make his high school basketball team as a sophomore because of a “lack of skill.” Not swayed long by the rejection he continued to practice as if his very life depended on it and he made the team the next year.

His determination and resilience paid off. The same young man who “lacked the skill” to play 10th grade basketball not only finished out an impressive high school basketball career, but he also accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he played under head coach Dean Smith and became the ACC Rookie of the Year in 1982.

Obviously the Michael we are referring to is now acclaimed as the “best basketball player to have ever played.” He is Michael Jordan. He left North Carolina after his junior year and was selected by the Chicago Bulls as the third pick of the 1984 NBA draft. Before joining the Bulls, Jordan was a member of the Summer 1984 United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in Los Angeles, California. Michael Jordan would play 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association and win various titles and awards.

A man that could have let his rejection define him is now known as one of the most clutch and iconic basketball players ever. He turned his rejection and disappointment into determination and later success.

There are numerous stories that unravel just like this!

  • TV personality Oprah Winfrey was fired from her job as a reporter because she was “unfit for TV.” She later became the host of her own program “The Oprah Winfrey show” which aired 25 sessions before launching her own TV Network. Oprah Winfrey Network.
  • Author JK Rowling was sacked as a secretary because she was a “day dreamer.” 12 publishers then rejected her after writing her first “Harry Potter” novel. That very novel would later make her a billionaire.
  • Director Steven Spielberg was turned down 3 times by the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television. Undeterred he carried on and earned his BA and became one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema with Academy Awards for Best Director for “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” He also achieved Box Office records for “Jaws, E.T, and Jurassic Park.”
  • Musical icon Elvis Presley was told by the Grand Ole Opry manager, Jimmy Denny, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck.” Yet Elvis became an American singer and is now referred to as “the King of Rock and Roll.”
  • Lastly, composer Ludwig van Beethoven was referred to as “hopeless” in his early life by his music teacher. Beethoven would later become one of the most famous and influential of all composers whose best-known compositions included 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for piano, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets.

The point of all of those stories is to point out that we all experience rejection, and nobody is exempt or immune to it’s countless forms. I personally believe at the core of all rejection is a desire to feel valued. We can’t feel rejection unless we first want something that we feel like we don’t already have whether it is attention, success, achievement, praise, perceived worth, confidence, to feel connected, etc… At the core of our desires is a longing for a sense of stability or feeling of importance. Rejection keeps us from what we want. We can turn rejection is the enemy, or that obstacle we can’t move past. We can allow rejection to define us.

Rejection wants us to give up… and if we do then rejection has won. It has defined us.

I found it interesting that in a recent University of Michigan study they found that physical pain and intense feelings of rejection “hurt” in the same way. The study demonstrates that the same regions of the brain that become active in response to painful sensory experiences are activated during intense experiences of social rejection. This study went on to show that higher levels of rejection in a person’s life result in “more negative self-feelings and reductions of self-esteem.” Repeated rejection can literally change our brains. When we face rejection one too many times, our brain learns to protect us. How many of us have experienced this? We’re rejected and suddenly we’re afraid of trying again.

Everyone encounters rejection in this fallen world, and as painful as rejection can be, it doesn’t have to work against us. Rejection can actually work for us if we use the experience as a positive opportunity to create a new season of success in your life or allow God to speak to us through it. Our rejection, like our pain, is not meaningless. (You can find a previous blog on this topic here: https://tannerroyalty.com/2015/12/02/damascus/)

John Piper said this in a message on pain, but I believe it can be said about rejection as well. He said,

Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that. I don’t care if it was cancer or criticism. I don’t care if it was slander or sickness. It wasn’t meaningless. It’s doing something! It’s not meaningless. Of course you can’t see what it’s doing. Don’t look to what is seen. When your mom dies, when your kid dies, when you’ve got cancer at forty, when a car careens into the sidewalk and takes her out, don’t say, “That’s meaningless!” It’s not. It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory. Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart. But take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for.

So… as leaders, church members, and believers in general we are guaranteed to experience rejection in one form or another. Rejection isn’t always easy to deal with, here’s a few quick ways we can respond when we experience rejection. Let’s think together.

  • Ask the right questions.

Most of us are well-acquainted with disappointment. All of us, at some point, will battle feelings of disappointment when life goes wrong. I think it is almost natural for us to believe deep down that because of our faith and salvation we should have a special immunity against trouble.

We see an example of a version of this thinking in Mark 10:23-31 where it says says,

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Peter tried to remind Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you.” Peter was asking the wrong question.

After all, it’s hard to ask the right question when you’re feeling disappointed! It’s hard to ask “what now?” or “what else?” when your dreams have been shattered or your heart hurts from pain, disappointment, or rejection. But I believe that our lives will begin to change when we start asking God, “What would you have me do now?” when we come up short or something doesn’t come through like we feel it was supposed to. Now obviously the correct question or response doesn’t and won’t take the pain away, but typically we will find that God is eager to show is what He wants us to do next.

Sometimes we need to stop talking and just listen and obey.

If you are like me, my natural tendency is to complain when I feel disappointed or rejected. But unfortunately for me, complaining to other people never helps solve the issue… typically it just makes it worse and intensifies the pain. But, in His grace, God asks us to take our heartaches to him.

Matthew 11:28-29 says,

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 55:22 says,

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Philippians 4:6 says,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Casting our burdens on God is wise because He’s capable of doing something about it, while we are not. God has the power to change us, our situation, or both. He knows all the facts, He knows the future, and He has the perspective that we lack. When we learn to respond correctly and ask the right questions when rejected or disappointed we will begin to have answers revealed to us.

  • Don’t allow rejection and discouragement to define you.

Life is a journey. In the same way many of our ideas, goals, and relationships are journeys as well. Rarely do we end up where we saw ourselves being twenty years ago. The problem with long-term goals is that they can change.

Many things take a process to get it to where they need to be… us included! If you had asked me 10 years ago if I ever envisioned myself working for a church I would’ve answered with a bold “no!” Having an idea turned down, a vision rejected, or a goal changed doesn’t mean we have failed. Ultimately it means that we have received feedback, guidance, or correction and we now can adapt and overcome by approaching in a different way.

We mustn’t allow ourselves to be sensitive when we get rejected. We must learn to not place your identity in what you create, or goals, dreams, or visions and whether or not they turn out or happen according to plan. Here is an exerpt from a previous blog of mine (you can find it here: https://tannerroyalty.com/2015/05/13/who-are-you/),

Too often, people base their identities on what they do or in the acceptance of others, and the perceived expectations that come along with that acceptance… whether it is a job, hobby, relationship, or even positive or negative remarks from peers.

Traditionally, we’ve been taught to find the answer in one place…we are what we do. If I write, then I’m a writer. If I play music, then I am a musician. If I play a sport, then I’m an athlete. The world creates easy definitions of people and we look to those definitions far too often. We like to define ourselves based upon what we do. Somehow we have been deceived and allowed the things that, for the most part, we have dominion and control over to define us as people. We are allowing our identity and self worth to be found amongst the things of the world.

Are you being controlled or limited by the things that you allow to define you?

The truth is that God intends for all people to find their identity in Him alone. Our effectiveness as pastors and worship pastors is hinged upon us becoming comfortable with the people God has created us to be. Our identity is found and secured in Christ alone when we begin to follow him… we must simply accept that identity and pursue it wholeheartedly.

Ultimately, rejection is part of the process that we all go through in this thing called life. Don’t be discouraged when it happens. Understand that it’s not an attack on you personally, but use it as an opportunity to grow and develop. Allow God to guide and shape you. Don’t allow the things you control to define you. Take time to stop talking and listen to what He has to say.

Leading with Presence… with or without Position

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Are you a leader?

How and when do you lead? Let me rephrase that question… do you only lead when you have the position or are the focus of others?

Is your leadership dependent on position or place or are you a leader “on” and “off” the field?

Dave Jorn, Arkansas pitching coach, says,

A lot of your success and failure is going on in the locker room. Your leaders are key to managing the locker room.

“Locker Room Leaders” serve as the developers, models, and defendants of your “teams” culture. Through their words and deeds, on a daily basis, this type of leader can make or break a program. They can inspire others to achieve more or can deteriorate and undermine the team atmosphere. Effective “Locker Room Leaders” take pride in your program’s culture and do everything they can to enhance, protect, and preserve it. If someone acts in a way that is outside of what is considered appropriate, they will step in and set the person straight. They willingly and quickly confront those who do not act in a way that is aligned with your program’s vision, values, and standards. Often, effective “Locker Room Leaders” contribute more to your program’s success with their leadership than they do with their individual physical talent.

For example, just recently I was reading an article about the Philadelphia Eagles and their leaders. The coaches and players were polled about who they view as their leaders. Surprisingly enough, Carson Wentz their Quarterback and leader on the field was not who everyone viewed as their team leader. Instead, the safety Malcolm Jenkins was viewed as the most influential leader within the Eagles organization.

So let me ask you a previous question again in a different way… is your Christian leadership dependent on position, place, or ministry title or are you a leader at all times through word and deed?

In my particular area of ministry we can too easily have a mindset that if we are not the rostered “worship leader,” we can rest a bit and just quietly do our thing, and leave the “leadership” and “leading” to the worship leader position only. But… I think that problem exists across the board in churches. Think about it! How many times do we shrug off an opportunity to serve or to lead with the excuse that someone else will do it, or that it is the Pastor’s job?

What I typically tell my teams is that “everyone is a worship leader” and we lead from our presence instead of from our position.

I encourage my whole team, no matter what position they are serving from, to consider themselves as helping to lead the church in worship. The responsibility of leading worship isn’t limited to a rostered position; the responsibility is actually carried by the entire team. The same can be said about whatever area you serve in! The same can also be said about all of us and the way we live for Christ daily. We can lead others to Him and point to His goodness by leading “on” and “off” the field, “in” and “out” of the spotlight.

Every time you step into the world you have the privilege and opportunity to encourage and lead others to worship God, so use everything you have to point people to Jesus… whether that is a “high” exalted position or the lowest of the low. The Senior Pastor I serve under, Herb Williams, has always told me that if revival breaks out he wants to be a part of it… not necessarily serving in leadership, but he is okay with cleaning the toilets if that is what it takes to point people to Jesus. That should be our mindset.

Romans 12:1 says,

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.

You may not have a microphone to sing, but you have a voice. You might not have the position, but you have your presence.

In light of this, there are some things to keep in mind. Let’s think together!

  • Lead from wherever you are.

It is not solely up to the worship leader to lead the congregation, and it’s not just up to a Pastor to live like Jesus in the community! Each of us as believers have a responsibility to be leaders wherever we are, and from whatever position or ministry that we find ourselves serving from.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says,

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Maybe your gifting is musical and you find yourself on stage leading others, maybe you are serving behind the scenes with media or sound, maybe you are teaching a class or just helping someone supervise and chaperone children. In all things our first and foremost goal should be to bring God the glory and to serve excellently.

Just a side note for all my musical folks: We are all leaders. If we craft and perfect beautiful songs and compelling setlists, but fail to help carry and engage the church alongside the worship leader, we have missed the mark. You aren’t on stage because of your excellence… you are on stage to lead people into the presence of God.

  • Set the standard.

Being a leader is not limited to a schedule or place. True leaders step into that role and maintain it until they die. A good leader knows when to lead and when to follow, when to speak and when to listen. We set the standard for those around us. For me, that might mean leading passionately and genuinely from stage. For others, that might mean leading the congregation in response to my leading from stage.

As a leader you set the standard. We should have the same level of passion “on” and “off” the field! If we are only able to demonstrate leadership when we are in the front then we have missed the point. The leadership demonstrated in the spotlight should be a mere overflow of the leadership and passion for Christ that we demonstrate everyday. The standard should always remain the same.

  • Make the most of every opportunity.

Our posture is either inviting or distancing people. Whether we like to admit it or not, when we are labeled as “leaders” or as “Christians” people begin to watch us and take notice of even the things we may not be aware of.

In a blog by Autumn Hardman from Hillsong church she says this,

Our body language says more than we think it does. If we have our heads down, solemn faces, rigid bodies, while the worship leader is doing their best to engage and lift the congregation — there is disparity in our message. It’s all of our responsibility to be in unity in leading and encouraging the congregation through whatever position we are serving in.

There is no job too big or too small and we need to make the most of every opportunity placed before us.

Philippians 2:4 says,

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

All of us are actually leaders both “on” and “off” platform and “in” and “out” of the spotlight, and it’s our job to collectively be leading people into the presence of Jesus. All of us have something to bring to the table. Everyone matters. Everyone leads from wherever they are.

Proverbs 11:14 says,

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

How are you leading?

Common Frustrations Between Teams and their Leaders

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

If you have played in a church setting for very long you should be well aware of the things “left unsaid” or the little aggravations that come along with the territory. As a Worship Pastor I am well aware that many times those frustrations are pointed at me… usually rightfully so.

The church is unlike any other “business” model in the world. Now obviously we aren’t a business… but hang with me for a second. Week in and week out we “present” or attempt to facilitate something, in our case that “something” is worship. But, unlike most businesses 95% of out “staff” or help is unpaid and volunteering their allotted “extra” time out of their already busy schedules. So… there is no wonder why sometimes tensions can be elevated and frustrations can spill over the top and cause an issue.

So… as shepherds, pastors, and leaders how can our leadership help keep people “on board” and as frustration free as possible?

Let’s think together.

  • Learn to communicate in their language.

Have you ever been the victim of a language barrier issue? I’m sure many of you have. Something as simple as the words and speech we all take for granted can become SO frustrating when people just aren’t understanding what we have to say or we aren’t understanding what they have to say.

I believe this happens weekly in most churches in various ministries and it can build up over time and create frustration that will sooner or later spill over. So… as leaders we must take it upon ourselves to learn the vocabulary in which our people speak. Now… I’m not just talking about language here. I am talking about vocabulary specific to the job or ministry we are in.

For me as a Worship Pastor it means that I have to have a working knowledge of many instruments and musical terms. I must know the sounds that I want and know how to communicate them in an effective and clear way. That may mean we have to take some classes, invest some time, or at least have some sample stuff available.

It isn’t our people’s responsibility to know how to understand us… it is our responsibility to know how to help them understand.

  • Learn to instill confidence.

Samuel Johnson once said,

Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.

Nothing is worse than a leader that steals confidence from those on their team. Every good coach creates an environment in which their players know they can rise to the occasion, and through his coaching he enables them to do so. We as leaders should take note of that.

Vince Lombardi said,

Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.

We should be continually looking for ways to build up our volunteers. There will most likely always be mistakes and areas that can be improved upon… but there will also always be some good we can glean from every situation.

  • Allow and encourage creativity. 

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were trapped “in the box?”

I sure have… and it wasn’t somewhere where I wanted to stay. Hopefully none of our teams feel this way, but I have a sneaking suspicion that some of them probably do. This feeling typically comes along with doing the same thing, in the same way, every single time.

How much creativity and freedom do you allow?

Just as we are always looking for better and more effective ways of doing things we should encourage our teams to do the same. Creativity is a contagious thing!

In my particular field I have to face the facts… the genres of Christian music used in church nowadays are pretty narrow and can become cookie cutter, mass produced, or just “stamped out” week after week. This can be frustrating for my musicians. We must find ways to encourage creativity! For me, that may look like varying the intensity map, or coming up with creative song arrangements or transitions.

What do you need to do?

Let’s not be creativity Nazis… there is plenty to go around!

  • Share responsibility.

People have an innate desire to feel needed, and when that desire goes unmet for lengthy periods of time they get restless or even frustrated. We need to make our teams feel needed!

Now obviously God doesn’t NEED any of us to add to His glory… but He desires our workings and worship. Our ministry may not NEED anyone or anything to accomplish its purpose… but it is better with them. In fact, our mission of shepherding and discipling is in NEED of anyone we can get!

We can instantly create a more functional team by sharing responsibility and enabling those around us to be needed and rise to the task. Sometimes this is easier said than done! Just because we can do something ourselves doesn’t mean that we should do that thing alone or 100% of the time.

Let’s devote ourselves to producing leaders by sharing responsibilities and enabling people to rise to the task of fulfilling those responsibilities.

  • Invest.

Most pastors and finance committees would see this subheading and head for the hills! Unfortunately the need for investment into ministries and people is something that many churches don’t just shy away from… but wholeheartedly sprint the other way from.

Finances in ministry can be a touchy subject… because we are talking about God’s money and our stewardship of it. But… what good is a large bank account if our people are getting frustrated with not having the equipment or materials needed to present God with the best that we have to offer?

Often church musicians are forced to play on BAD or inadequate equipment, Sunday School teachers don’t have the supplies readily available to do what they need to do, etc… When we as leaders refuse to invest into ministries (with time and money) it communicates that the ministry isn’t taken seriously, and tells those volunteers that their gift or service isn’t taken seriously.

Here are my three take aways from this point:

  1. You are only as strong as your weakest link. It is the little things that get you. (Example: what is the point of nice speakers if you have the cheapest cable carrying the signal to them.)
  2. Maintenance is important. Be proactive instead of reactive… it will save your hind end and cut down on frustrations across the board of stuff breaking down when it is needed.
  3. When you invest in a ministry it enables and frees up the leaders to do their job to the best of their ability.
  • Encourage quality.

Frustrations quickly build in an area where quality isn’t encouraged or enforced. Like a basketball team a ministry team is only as good as the weakest link.

I am an avid University of Kentucky fan… every year I suffer through football and anticipate the coming of basketball season. It blows me away how good the players on the Wildcats basketball team are every year… but no matter how good they are in college the jump in ability and quality when they go to the NBA and begin practicing with the pros is very apparent. Our teams are like that. We become the average of the group we serve with most. If they are great it will elevate and encourage us to rise to that.

As leaders we must encourage quality and demonstrate excellence.

  • Be a leader that people want to follow.

In the bestselling book “Leadership and Self-Deception” by the Arbinger Instituate it says,

The leaders people choose to follow are the leaders who are out of the box. (154)

I think this idea is key… especially in a Gospel oriented and primarily volunteer environment. We have to be a passionate leader that people want to follow. We can’t be afraid to try things and to get “involved.”

The book also has this to say about our personality and charisma as leaders. It says,

We can always sense when we are being coped with, manipulated, or outsmarted.  We can always detect the hypocrisy.  We can always feel the blame concealed beneath veneers of niceness.  And we typically resent it. (27)

And,

People respond not primarily to what you do but to how you’re being… toward them. (43)

In order to be a good leader we have to be the type of person people want to follow. We don’t have governmental authority, we aren’t a ruler or a dictator, and we don’t have prosecuting power to make people follow us… so we have to lead in a way that makes people want to follow.

  • Create a culture focused on people.

We have all heard it said that, “ministry would be easy if it weren’t for the people.” I have been guilty of it myself. This to me is a prime example of self-deception. This statement communicates that as ministers we feel that we have to put up with people, this causes us see them as objects or problems rather than as valuable people.

Our goal needs to be to develop a culture where people are simply invited to see others as people, vs. objects or problems.

In “Leadership and Self- Deception” it says this,

If I’m not interested in knowing a person’s name, I’m probably not really interested in the person as a person. (41)

We are “ministers” not business people. We are not using people to accomplish an end goal or task… but rather investing in them as people. Who cares how many volunteers we have every Sunday if we are impacting and speaking into their lives on a personal level.

I pray for Jesus’ eyes in this area of my life. I desire to see people the way He sees people. As beautifully and wonderfully made. A creation of His own liking with value and worth.

Obviously this list isn’t exhaustive… but rather a starting point.

To all you leaders out there…

  • Thank you for serving the people of God week in and week out.
  • Thank you for the hours invested in making sure that the Gospel gets out.
  • Thank you for caring about the local church – loving what God loves and prioritizing His priorities.
  • Thank you for serving even when you don’t feel appreciated.
  • Thank you for graciously receiving more complaints than compliments.
  • Thank you for pointing people to Jesus and facilitating an environment where life change is happening.

You are making a difference! While others may not notice or see all that you do, God knows. You have His attention and that is all the attention or appreciation that you need. Don’t give up. Don’t allow frustration to overwhelm you. The work we are doing is important. The work we are doing is necessary. Let’s commit ourselves to leading well.

Pause.

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

Do you ever feel like the Energizer bunny?

Many, if not all, of us have been through a season where it seems like for every one thing we get off of our to-do list two more are added. Maybe you are in that season now.

What do we do when our work is piling up and there seems like there is no escape or plausible solution to free ourselves from the busyness? Have a breakdown? Work overtime? Well actually there really isn’t an easy solution here with a guaranteed outcome.

Below we will talk about the importance of remembering Jesus in the seasons of busyness and some important things to keep in mind when we are neck deep in piles of work.

  • Don’t get so caught up in your work that you miss His.

Psalm 37:7 says,

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Those of us who are work-driven suffer from the mentality or thought that we have to work more and harder in order to get the work that needs to be done accomplished, that somehow God’s work is dependent on our 8-hour workday. Now on a certain level we all know that we can’t be “lazy” and expect things to get done… but this idea of work-driven spiritual success can be harmful.

Psalm 46:10 says,

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

We see a command in the Psalm above: Be still. The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word rapa, meaning “to slacken, let down, or cease.” In some instances, the word carries the idea of “to drop, be weak, or faint.” Christians often interpret the command to “be still” as “to be quiet in God’s presence.” This idea is true… but not always a helpful interpretation. Quietness in order to listen to and for God is certainly helpful, but the phrase also means to stop frantic activity, and to be still.

Sometimes it would actually be better if we slowed down and allowed the Lord to guide our work instead of franticly doing every project or list item that we can think of just to get them checked off our list.

A thought that helps me to remember to be still and let the Lord guide my work is: Does God’s will require this to be done at this instant… is He guiding me to do it now or is it my will that it be done?

To “know that I am God” means to acknowledge and be aware of who God is and what He does. This should impact our work because if we know God then we know that He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), holy, sovereign, faithful, infinite, and good. Acknowledging God implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan because we understand who He is.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let go and let God work. We must remember that we don’t have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, we merely need to trust more.

Whose work is more important?

  • Presence is more important than position.

In times of busyness our relationships suffer.

Our families and friends know when we are busy, because our relationship with them is strained or suffers. The same goes for our congregations if we are ministers. Have you ever been working hard and someone shows up out of the blue “just to talk?” What was your reaction? This happens to me frequently in the office at church and I have to make a conscious effort to pry myself away from the task I am working on to be intentional with them.

After all, we aren’t called to get the lights programmed, the bulletins printed, or the website looking amazing. We are called to make disciples… and with that call comes an understanding that in order to do that we have to be willing to make an intentional effort to put people first before our “tasks.”

Relationships require a certain level of commitment… but at the very least you have to be present for them to work!

I’m not just talking about being physically present. I am talking about being intentionally present with more than just your body… your heart, mind, and spirit need to be there too!

We never know what someone really needs and what opportunity God is placing in front of us. We see a prime example of this in Acts 16:24-34,

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

In the story of the Philippian jailer we see that Paul fought the human tendency or urge to flee as soon as the prison doors flung open, and that unnatural response led to a life and a family being surrendered to Christ. Paul was intentional.

Paul cared less about his position as a missionary or apostle… instead he cared about being known for his presence when interacting with people! What good is a pastor who is always at church but who is unattached and has no presence among the people? What good is a parent who holds the position of authority but has no presence about them when they are home with their children? As a worship leader it does me no good at all to pick the best songs, rehearse diligently to a level of excellence, just to ignore those God has trusted me with and display no amount of presence when leading God’s people in worship!

I promise you that you lead more from your presence than you do from your position.

Let’s commit ourselves to being intentional and present with people because it glorifies God and honors the position He has ultimately given to each one of us.

  • Take the time to hear what He is saying instead of what you want to hear.

You may be saying, “I don’t have time to get done what I feel like God has already told me to do and now you are telling me to take more time out of my schedule!”

My response… yes.

We are all going to go through seasons of “busyness,” but in these times God isn’t silent. The season is in your life for a reason… what is God showing you, telling you, or teaching you?

Often the first thing that gets cut from a busy schedule is our own personal time of ministry. The time we take to hear from and speak to the Lord. We must minister to ourselves!

The best preacher you will ever have is yourself, so preach God’s Word to yourself everyday!

I think that the best example of surrendering to self is Jesus. We see in Scripture that the very night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan. Mark 14:35-36 shows us this,

And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.

We see in this passage, in this prayer, that Jesus surrendered himself to God’s will. He submitted Himself to God’s will even if it didn’t perfectly align with what He wanted. Let’s face it… we are all human and our will doesn’t always perfectly align with God’s, but way too often we get so caught up in doing our will that we neglect to hear or ignore the tender calling that accompanies God’s will.

Our time may be spent doing “good” things… but are they the things that God desires from us at this very moment? I do good things everyday in and around the church, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I am being intentional in accomplishing the will of God. Sometimes we can desire good things that take work and that isn’t bad at all! We just need to be careful to not ignore God’s work in order to accomplish ours. Not to ignore his will because we desire something else.

We must surrender ourselves and take the time to hear what God is saying to us instead of what we want Him to say.

Pause.

Be still and know that He is God.

Essential Relationships to Cultivate as a Believer

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus spoke what has come to be known as the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 says,

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Of course everyone who has read the Gospels has read this passage, and the majority of us have heard more messages preached on this topic than almost any other topic found in Scripture.

Typically, when we hear anyone speak on this message the emphasis is on missions… and it really should be! But, there’s quite a bit more than just that packed into Jesus’ statement. Let’s break it down. There are four main verbs in this commission or command. They are: go, make disciples, baptizing, and teaching.

Looking at the verbs individually we can see that they all are dependent off the one previous to them. We can’t make disciples without going! After we make disciples we baptize, then we walk alongside a new believer in their faith and teach them! It is a perfect process! In this commission Jesus is telling us that His church is meant to be a disciple-making body first and foremost.

So… what is a disciple?

The Oxford Dictionary defines a disciple as a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher. What I find even more interesting than the definition is the word’s origin though. The English word that we know comes from the Latin word “discipulus” which translates to “learner.”

A disciple is a learner. We are called to be disciples of Jesus and our relationships within the body of Christ should be geared so that all of us learn more and more about and from Jesus.

It is easy for us as believers to build a castle, surround it with a moat, and live isolated in our own “kingdom.” But… that isn’t how life was meant to be lived and ministry was meant to be done.

I was once advised by a professor to find a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy for my own life. At first I had no idea what that even meant. I knew a person or two-named Timothy… but finding someone named Barnabas was obviously going to be more difficult in my mind.

But… as time went on it clicked.

Each of these well-known New Testament figures represents a type of relationship that is essential in the discipleship process. This discipleship isn’t just for others! Discipleship is foundational to our own personal growth in faith. Having a spiritual advisor, an encouraging peer, and a new believer whom we mentor is crucial to a Believer’s spiritual health. Each of these three characters is important to nurture and mature us as followers of Jesus. That’s why we must cultivate these types of relationships. Let’s discuss them together.

  • Paul

The privilege of sitting under a believer who is far wiser than us in spiritual matters is a mighty blessing. Ultimately, God is our counselor, and the Holy Spirit will always teach, guide, and direct us.  But a person who has gained knowledge and insight through personal trials and victories is also crucial to our spiritual health. This person is definitely a tool that God uses to help us persevere in our faith.

A “Paul” is someone who will lovingly speak the truth to you, even at the cost of hurt feelings. We see that displayed in his letters to the different churches in the New Testament. Paul calls them out on things that they are doing that aren’t reflecting the attributes of the Savior who saved them. He does this with authority… but gentleness. In a way that builds up and enables Believers to pursue the purpose and calling that God has for them and the church. Paul was a spiritual father to many believers.

A “Paul” is a mentor, a guide, and a sounding board. We even see this type of relationship displayed in the secular world. We have counselors, trainers, and coaches who push us to achieve certain things and hold us accountable to that. They provide insight and encouragement while instructing us along whatever route we are on.

The thing we must understand about this relationship is that a “Paul” in our life will be a teacher first and a friend second. They are a mentor, and sometimes that means they have to say things to us that we don’t like.

First and foremost we have to find someone who will pour his or her life into us.

  • Barnabas

Barnabas was a companion of Paul on his first missionary journey after Pentecost. Paul and Barnabas were peers, and sent out from the same church ministry in Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas walked through life and served God together. They were friends and without a doubt, they were mutually edified by each other.

Do you have a companion? A partner? A personal support system?

We even see that when Jesus sent out His disciples throughout the Gospels, He sent them out two by two and not alone! It is commonly explained that Jesus knew they needed fellowship and protection. He wanted His disciples to have fellowship because He knew that they were created for relationships.

We aren’t meant to do life alone! We aren’t meant to do ministry alone!

So… we all need a “Barnabas.” We need to be able to share our lives with others in friendship. Biblical Christian friendship. Do be a lone ranger! When we are alone, we are more vulnerable in so many ways, but when we are in relationship, someone has our back. Many of us have seen an action movie where the main character looks at someone and says, “Watch my six.”

Find someone to do life with! To do ministry with! Somebody has got to watch your spiritual “six.”

We must challenge ourselves to find someone we can count on. Not only do we need a Paul, someone who will pour into us, but we also need a Barnabas, with whom we will walk through this life of faith. A “Barnabas” is our spiritual peer, a friend in the faith, someone we co-labor with and someone who will be a source of fellowship and protection. They will encourage us in the faith, and we will do the same for them.

  • Timothy

After we have established the above relationships and are living alongside them we must look to the future and find a “Timothy.”

Timothy was Paul’s son in the faith. We see historically that Timothy was considerably younger than Paul, but that didn’t stop Paul from making a substantial investment in Timothy. We can see that Timothy was the recipient of mentoring at the hands of Paul and it paid eternal dividends and carries substantial weight in the Kingdom of God. So not only do we need a “Paul” in our lives to pour into us, not only do we need a “Barnabas” to walk alongside us, but we also need a “Timothy” as well.

We must become someone else’s “Paul!”

What an honor that is! We need to be making and effort to be consistently pouring into someone for their benefit and growth… not for what they can do for us. If you are like myself previously you may be thinking that you have a lot of work to do on yourself before you can begin to mentor someone in their life and faith… but let me assure you that there is always someone who will be blessed by your intentional spiritual investment in their lives.

If we all grasp this concept then we will begin to create and develop a cycle that carries on and benefits the church as a whole in the years to come.

Finding a “Timothy” somewhat serves or can be viewed as our spiritual “paying it forward.” We have been blessed by our “Paul,” and encouraged by our “Barnabas,” and then in return we continue the cycle and seek out someone we can bless as we have been blessed.

Do you have a “Timothy?” Who are you pouring into?

Let’s concern ourselves with creating and developing healthy Christian relationships that encourage and push us on in our faith while we in turn pour into others.

Does your life reflect Thankfulness?

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

As a rollercoaster holiday season approaches one word gets tossed around quite a bit… thankfulness. What does it mean to be thankful? How does one live life thankfully? Is it a natural response or a choice? What are we thankful for?

Often times we dumb down a life of thankfulness to simply giving “thanks.” When in reality it’s so much more… a life of thankfulness is a behavioral style, a thought pattern and mindset, an attitude, and a choice most of all.

Psalm 107:8-9 says,

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Being thankful is something that’s always within our control.

Nothing turns us into bitter dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. We see it all around us! We live in an ungrateful dissatisfied society and unfortunately that spirit has made its way in and is prevalent in our churches. Nothing robs us of the joy of Christ and our salvation faster than neglecting to recognize and be thankful for the things around us.

We see in Romans 1:21 that when humanity rebels we neglect to recognize and give thanks to God. It says,

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Have we forgotten how dependent we are on God for everything?

Let’s not be foolish or ungrateful. Let’s give thanks.

Below I will offer some thoughts and applications on how we can develop, maintain, and nurture a thankful heart which is then exhibited through a thankful lifestyle.

  • Focus on Christ.

Psalm 103:1-6 says,

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

When we read this thankful Psalm it is necessary to notice that the first thing we must do is focus mind and heart on God! Looking at the passage we can see the priority that the Psalmist David places on recognizing that all we have to be thankful for comes from Christ. Everything within the Psalmist David, and hopefully us, should rejoice and say “Bless the Lord” first in all situations.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:19-20,

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

James 1:17 says,

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Let’s open our eyes to the glory of God! But, if that alone isn’t enough to spark your flame just count up the numerous undeserved gifts God spreads before each of us every day!

  • Remember how far we’ve been Brought.

This lengthy section out Psalms 107:13-32 recalls the numerous deliverances the Lord has provided His people,

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

We can also look into the Old Testament at the story of Moses and see how God used him to accomplish His task of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. Even when Pharaoh and his army pursued they were crushed by the sea at the hand of God.

So… let me ask…

How has the Lord delivered you?

What is your testimony? What did the Lord bring you out of? We all have a story, because we are all undeserving of anything expect a sinful, pitiful life that ends with us being in Hell.

But… God ransomed us while we were still undeserving sinners.

Isaiah 53:4-6 says,

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

We all have plenty to be thankful for. Give thanks.

  • Make the Choice.

Paul wrote in Colossians 3:15,

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

A spirit of thanksgiving is always the mark of a joyous Christian.

Colossians 3:15-17 goes on to say,

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

As believers we are called to be a thankful people! We have the most to be thankful for out of anyone… think about it, the riches of the earth are temporal but the gift of Heaven is eternal. So… we don’t have to be the richest, most successful, or popular people on earth to have a thankful Spirit. In Christ we have more than enough to rejoice over!

2 Corinthians 9:15 says,

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thankfulness is a choice.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says,

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It is the will of God that we live in a constant thankful attitude!

Choose thankfulness. There will always be hardships and trials but because of Christ we have hope and that is enough to be thankful for.

Psalm 106:1 says,

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

We Do What It Takes.

Posted on by Tanner Royalty

When the projectors aren’t working, when the sanctuary is too cold, when drama breaks out who are they gonna call? Unfortunately not Ghostbusters…

No job description can truly summarize the duties of a minister.

In John 6 we see a very familiar and well-known Bible story unfold. John 6:1-5 says,

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

Most of us recognize this story as one of the miraculous works of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and it is, but I also see this as a description of the life of a minister or disciple. Jesus, the Son of God, the miracle worker, the God incarnate feeds the crowd that was following Him! We know that the crowd obviously needed more than earthly bread and fish, but Jesus recognized a need and fulfilled it.

The job description of one in ministry is exactly that. The work is never ending, and the demands of ministry don’t conveniently fall into a 9-5 schedule. Like a doctor who is on call, ministers are merely between tasks… never really “off the job.”

Ministry is a 24/7 job because the needs of church or ministry remain constant.

We do what it takes to get the job done… regardless of what the job description may say. So… how do we maintain this lifestyle? We obviously aren’t superhuman. Below we will think together on how to be an effective minister, get the tasks done, and not kill ourselves in the process.

  • When possible leave work at work.

In some fields of work when you go home you are free from the duties that come with your job. You can’t really take a piece of machinery home or hold face-to-face meetings from the comfort of your bedroom. Ministry cannot be described in this manner. People have needs that arise at all times of the day and night and need your help “on-the-spot” without warning.

That is exactly what we signed up for.

Pastoral ministry is relational, and relationships are developed in and grown in times of need… and we all know that needs don’t arise according to our convenience or schedule.

However, some things just aren’t that urgent. Some things can be left at work until tomorrow. That bulletin can be printed 12 hours from now, and those lights can be adjusted and programmed another time. When possible leave work at work and allow yourself to rest and be refreshed.

Even Jesus needed some “time-off.” In Matthew 14:23 it says,

And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

  • Family first.

It is pretty well known that the families of a minister are often the one’s sacrificing the most. Often the needs of a minister’s family are the last to be taken care of. They usually receive the leftovers… however little that is.

But… we must work diligently to see that our family is prioritized correctly and not deserted for the church. In fact, we see in 1 Timothy 3:12 that part of the qualifications for a minister is to have a healthy household.

Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

All throughout Scripture we see the importance of family in ministry. In 1 Peter 3:7 Paul calls us to live in “understanding” with our families and to care for each other’s needs in more than just physical ways. 1 Peter 3:7 says,

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

For those of us who are married we are called to love our wives/ spouses like Christ loved the church! Ephesians 5:25 says,

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Lastly, Matthew 19:4-6 says,

He said, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

The ESV Study Bible commentary is very beneficial when interpreting this passage. It says,

From the moment they are married, they are unified in a mysterious way that belongs to no other human relationship, having all the God-given rights and responsibilities of marriage that they did not have before. Being “one flesh” includes the sexual union of a husband and wife … but it is more than that because it means that they have left their parents’ household … and have established a new family, such that their primary human loyalty is now to each other, before anyone else.

Our loyalty to our families is unlike loyalty shared with any other mortal being. We must place priority on those who help hold us up, who we come home to, who understand us, and care deeply for us.

We cannot forsake our families.

  • Do not over-commit.

This is a category than I myself struggle with in a very real way. How many times have you over-committed yourself to the point of breakdown? I have over and over again… in fact; I am over-committed at this very moment.

It never happens on purpose! We have an opportunity that arises that really is a good thing and we hop on board eagerly to offer our assistance. Boom! We have too much going on and things get neglected… for me the thing that usually gets neglected is my own physical health/ rest and my poor wife.

Busyness is a real issue!

The devil would love to take us “out of the game” by bogging us down and making it impossible for us to do exceptionally well in any area of our ministry.

This is where priorities are key… we must learn the art of saying “no.”

In ministry sometimes I think we are scared of saying “no” for the fear of letting someone down or missing an opportunity to further the Kingdom of God. But what we often forget is that we are meant to equip… not do ALL the work alone!

Ephesians 4:12 actually says what our ministry is…

To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

If we are spending our time equipping others then we should be able to share the workload! It is important for us to remember that it isn’t us that builds the church… it is Christ.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says exactly that to Simon Peter,

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

  • Make time to care for your own spiritual needs.

This should seem obvious, but unfortunately it is easier said than done. As ministers we are constantly pouring ourselves out and into others and if we don’t take time to be refilled then the supply is going to run dry. It’s not a matter or IF… but rather WHEN.

Even Jesus separated Himself from others to pray and refuel.

Mark 1:35 says,

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Matthew 14:23 says,

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

We must not sacrifice our own relationship with the Father to get a job “done.” In reality our congregations NEED us to be ever connected to the Lord. Take time. Get alone. Allow God’s Word to speak to you.

It is through the Father alone that we have the strength to handle the tasks of ministry. Rely on Him.