(Excerpt from Pastor’s book, ‘How to Get a Grip on God’s Promises”)
Was there ever a time that you had greater joy in your heart about serving God? If so, the enemy has stolen from you. If there has ever been a time that you enjoyed reading your Bible more than you do today; if there was ever a time when you enjoyed spending a quiet time with God in prayer more than you do today; then the enemy has stolen from you! We need to be challenged to walk in our first love for Christ. Keeping our first love for Jesus is probably one of the greatest challenges that all of us have, preachers included. People need to be taught how to live. People need to be taught what is right and wrong and how to keep their purity; how to flee from sin and its consequences. Sin has no respect for anybody. It will steal, it will kill, and it will destroy.
The question then becomes: if God gives you a promise, how could Satan steal it? If you do not guard what God has given you, believe me Satan can take it from you. As a pastor, I see it happening quite often. I am constantly on the lookout for people that once had the fire of God burning in their hearts. I wish I could just shake them and command them to be on fire for God again. But I know it does not work that way. It is something that each of us has to choose. It has to happen on the inside first then it will manifest on the outside.
The story of the Shunammite woman is an intriguing story. The message comes that her child is sick and I look at this woman, and say, “Woman, what do you do now?” What do you do when the pressure is on? Where do you run when the pressure is on? What do you say when the pressure is on? Who do you turn to when the pressure is on?” I will tell you one thing I appreciate about this woman, she did not quit! She refused to grow bitter! She did not sit at home and complain. She kept a solid grip on God’s Word.