Maintaining Balance

On the morning of February 3, 2004, I was given a vision to help highlight a spiritual emphasis for this coming season. There have been a number of revelations coming that will be strategic for this year and the years to follow. This particular warning was also given on a previous Day of Atonement revelation. However, this reminder of a subtle ploy of the adversary is of great significance, particularly for pastors.

In a word, the Lord is reminding us to maintain balance in our ministries and lifestyles. It will be a deceptive strategy of the adversary to attempt to overwhelm pastors and leaders with issues of ministry that will drive them to the point of exhaustion and burnout. The Lord told me to remind the church that they are not equipped to carry the burden of lost humanity. Only He is qualified for that duty.

There is great pressure being released in the world. Our only refuge will be in Christ. As people become emotional both in the world and in the Church, they will increasingly turn to pastors and leaders for direction. Our directive is to point them to the Lord and not attempt to carry the burdens ourselves. It is the strategy of the enemy to create escalated anxiety opening the door to light strokes, Bell’s palsy, and stress related heart conditions. These plans are being brought into the light as a warning and also to identify diabolical ploys set against the Lord’s leaders at this crucial point.

There must be balance maintained in the lifestyle of leadership to jealously protect times of meditation and prayer as well as quality time with family along with the responsibilities of ministry. Furthermore, intercessors are given this clear charge for prayer covering for those to whom they are assigned.

It is those who possess the most compassion that the enemy is targeting with this strategy. The adversary will appeal to their tendency for compassion to drive them beyond the allotment of grace and provision from heaven that will pull upon their physical and emotional strength. Furthermore, we are also given the admonition to release the people and circumstances to the Lord and not carry them home. Naturally, this is not to indicate that we are to be calloused or uncaring. Rather, we are to commit the burden to the Holy Spirit and faithfully trust Him to intervene.

We must look at our call to ministry from a long-term perspective. We are encouraged to start well but also to finish strong. We must learn from the mistakes of prior leadership and alleviate the potholes and pitfalls that the enemy has employed in his attempt to steal, kill and destroy.

The Lord has actually been speaking to us very pointedly about maintaining a balanced lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, exercise and adequate rest. The Lord has put His treasures in earthen vessels. We must remember this reality. We are not the answer to lost humanity… He is. We are the carriers of the great message of the kingdom but in order to be most effective we must keep these directives in mind.

The following is the revelatory word that was given in the 2003 Shepherd’s Rod.

BLOWOUT-BURNOUT-BANKRUPT

These conditions will have a triad application within the spirit, soul and body of both those in the Church and outside, if we do not follow the Lord’s prescribed way.

We are given the admonition in this hour to learn from the mistakes made in prior generations. Grievous errors were made leading to the loss of the precious wine given to the Church during prior expressions of outpouring and revival. Many of the failures of those revivals can be attributed to “blowout, burnout, or spiritual bankruptcy” causing shipwreck and derailment of the divine purposes for that generation.

The people involved in those revivals were precious and Godly men and women. If that can happen to them, how much more to us in this hour when the distractions and temptations are even greater! It will only be according to great grace that we will be able to stand. However, we must do our part and diligently apply ourselves to learn all we can from the prior generations. That is the directive given to Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 32:7. Therein we will discover the things they did right and also discern many of the snares and traps of the enemy.

We must understand the dynamics leading to spiritual blowout, burnout and bankruptcy and alleviate them in our day. Much can be learned in this regard from the examples of Mary and Martha.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but {only} one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:40-42)

BLOWOUT

Many times the pressure placed upon leadership to continually expand, grow, and generate greater capacity can lead to a spiritual “blowout.” This can be characterized by leaders attempting to expand their ministry beyond the spiritual grace and authority allotted to them from Heaven.

It is imperative that we learn how to stay within our sphere of spiritual authority. We are given a grace from Heaven to sustain those areas for which we are assigned and equipped. Anything beyond that must be sustained through our own strength and abilities which can lead to a spiritual blowout.

This would be placing far more pressure on individuals and ministries than they are able to sustain. A blowout occurs on an automobile tire when areas of weakness began to be exposed; yet the vehicle continues at a high rate of speed until finally the pressure is so great the tire disintegrates. This can be both frightening and dangerous.

BURNOUT

The spiritual burnout occurs when people become so involved in doing things for God that they often forfeit the opportunity of doing things with Him. Very often, when the enemy sees that he can no longer withstand something, he then alters his strategy to get behind it and press it beyond its prescribed parameters. This can lead to a “works” mentality characterized by the Lord’s friend Martha. It emphasizes “DOING” at a time when the Lord desires us to have a “BEING” mind-set. That is, being the possessor of His nature and character through seasons of intimacy and fellowship. From that place we emerge with fresh anointing and minister from a place of rest.

BANKRUPTCY

It would be the plan of the enemy to have individuals so involved in ministry that they neglect the times of intimacy and prayer with the Lord that brought them to the place of anointing. Such a condition would lead to spiritual bankruptcy. When this occurs we inherently began to minister in our own strength and the gifts given to us, rather than the anointing.