Dear Fellow-laborers in the Kingdom of God:

A couple of nights ago, I was lying awake in an attitude of prayer as my infant twins were not quite ready to sleep and I began thinking of first one minister with whom I was well acquainted who is no longer in the ministry or if he is, he is no longer walking in truth. And then I thought of one and another other ministers, some in genuine Apostolic ministry and others in other churches that at least the world considers Christian and therefore failures of the ministry bring a reproach on the cause of our Lord Jesus. 

As I thought about it, it seems that the more closely scriptural the doctrine of the individual preacher aligns with those doctrines taught, preached and practiced by the early Apostles of Jesus Christ and by Jesus, Himself, the more effort Satan will put into wrecking or damaging your ministry. 

The first minister I remembered was one who was really quite close to precise Bible doctrine but he belonged to an organization which forbids members and especially pastors and other ministry people to own or watch TV. One of the first areas of his failure was in living a lie because he did own a TV and watched it frequently, but it was kept hidden from the casual visitor to the parsonage. In time this lived lie led to other things and when his youngest son was almost an adult, he left his wife of many years and before long was married to a much ounger woman.  The last I heard of him, he was no longer involved in ministry of any type. Some of you may know who I mean because he did do quite a bit of evangelism, but I do not want to identify the man. He was a fine preacher and a good pastor for many years before Satan sidetracked him.

Of course things like Jim and Bonnie Bakker and their extravagant lifestyle and big fine home were a nationally reported scandal and Jimmy Swaggart's affairs with prostitutes also brought a major shame to the cause of Christ even though they were both far from real Apostles' doctrine and both taught various scriptural heresies. But the world still associated them with the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and what they did brought great reproach to all Christians. 

But there have been a number of true Apostolic ministers who have gotten discouraged and given up on ministry either because of unfair criticism by fellow ministers or members of their churches.  The world jokes about how the Christians are the only "army" that shoots their wounded instead of trying to help them.  But each of us in ministry need to remember that "Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world." We have the power to be overcomers if we don't allow Satan to defeat us in our minds. (See my Pocket Truths Psychological Warfare booklet.)

Yours for Jesus' sake,

Bro. Sam