The F Expectancies of the Ministry 2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. When you were in school, you never wanted to get an F on your report card. That meant that you had flunked that class and would have to take it over again. However, in the ministry God expects you to get an F on one report card. This F doesnt mean that you have flunked; rather, it means that you have followed the LORDs commands. In the books of Timothy, Paul was training a young preacher boy what he was to do in the ministry and how he was to do it. He also explained to him what he was to expect as he ministered to others. As good as the ministry is, you cannot expect to help people get saved and come out of their destructive and sinful lifestyles without resistance from Satan. Satan is not going to let you pull people away from him without a fight. As you serve in the ministry, there are four Fs that you must expect. The first F is fighting. Paul said in verse 7, I have fought a good fight... Dont ever expect to get through the Christian life without having to fight. We live in times when many people avoid the fight not understanding that this is all part of serving God. If you are doing right, then you are going to find yourself in the midst of battles. These battles will not be of your choosing, but they will come. The second F is finish. A successful Christian will finish what they start. By the way, finishing in the Christian life will not be easy. As you fight the battles along the way, you will find yourself wanting to quit, but you must finish. Great Christians are the ones who finish in the Christian life. When they want to throw in the towel, they keep going because of the great need in the ministry. The third F is faith. One of the things you will have to be careful of in the ministry is that you dont leave the faith. Many people have compromised the faith for acceptance. Many people have compromised the faith because they could get a larger crowd. You are going to have times in your life when you will be tempted to compromise, but you must never lay down the faith. You will have to fight to finish with the faith. The fourth F is forsaken. As much as I dont like to say this, if you fight to finish with the faith, then you will be forsaken by many. Paul said in the previous verse, ...all men forsook me... Christianity is not a popularity contest. Yet, if you will fight to finish with the faith while being forsaken, then you can claim the promise from the verse above, Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me... The Christian life is a great life, but you will never get through it without these Fs in the ministry. Are you getting an F on this report card? If you are but you are continuing on, you can be assured that you are not alone for the LORD will stand with you to strengthen you to the end. ✞Start Your Walk Today✞
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:00:13 +0000
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