Just Preach Faith, It Works!
Titus 1
In Titus chapter 1 we find a letter written by the apostle Paul to Titus.
Historians say that Paul was responding to a letter that Titus had sent to him.
Titus was the pastor of the church in Crete. And while pasturing this church he became discouraged so he sat down and wrote Paul a letter.
Dear Paul,
Greetings in Jesus name! I trust this finds you doing well. I just wanted to write a few lines to tell you that I really appreciate you. I am thankful for your leadership. I am thankful for your confidence both in me and in my ministry.
As you know, I am pasturing the church in Crete. And that’s why I am writing to you. It seems like pasturing is not as exciting as it use to be. There has been so many things going on in the church that I have become just a little bit discouraged.
When you came and preached to us a few months ago, you hit the nail on the head. And it seemed to help for a little while, but it wasn’t long until things begin to stir up again.
I have discovered that not everybody can be trusted. I have discovered that there are some folks who attend the church I am pasturing that are not saved and even some board members for that matter.
Paul, I am really concerned about this church. I preach the best I can and sometimes folks don’t even say Amen. And there have been a few times when not only did they not say Amen, but they didn’t even look Amen.
It seems like every time I get in the pulpit and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified that things get all stirred up again.
Folks are looking right through me, and they don’t seem to want to respond to the Word of God, but they would rather sit back and dwell on the negative and find fault with others in the church and especially with the preacher.
Paul, all I’m trying to say is that I’m frustrated , I am weary in well doing, I am discouraged and I sure could use a word of advice.
Sincerely,
Titus
I don’t know everything Titus went through while pastor in Crete but I do know that whatever he went through must have weighed very heavy on his mind and spirit. And it must have been a struggle from time to time.
He must have felt like the man who wrote, “what happens to a dream deferred, does it dry up like a raison in the sun, fester like a sore and then run or does it stink like rotten meat”.
What do you do when your dreams dry up like a raison in the sun?
What do you do when you’re doing the best you know how but nothing seems to get any better?
What do you do when you’re preaching the best you can, but things seem to get worse?
What do you do when you feel like the unknown but wise author who wrote; “to live above with saints we love, oh that will be glory, but to live below with church like we know, well, that’s another story”.
Titus must have felt like he was in a situation that just wasn’t getting any better.
There is not one minister who has not struggled to the point of frustration at one time or another. There is not one pastor who has not been through some difficult times while doing their best, that they have not battled with the spirit of discouragement.
Every preacher fights the spirit of weariness, discouragement, and frustration. Because we are in a battle for the souls of mankind.
We are forced to deal with negative situations that can lock us up and cause us to want to give up.
And the spirit of giving up comes with two symptoms.
1. We will either loose our perspective
2. Or we will lay our religion down
The Bible says that John the Baptist was locked up. He was locked up and he was ready to give up. And because he was ready to give up, he lost his perspective. He’s been doing his best to preach the Word of God, and now he finds himself sitting in jail.
The Bible says, he lost his perspective, and he sent two disciples to Jesus to find out if He was really the messiah or not or should we wait on another.
We can find ourselves locked up in a negative situation in our churches that can cause us to loose our perspective on the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and on the power of the Spirit of God.
Or, if we loose our perspective, it can cause us to lay our religion down.
In other words, it can cause us to become so frustrated with it that we become tired of it, and we walk away from it.
The Bible says that the Israelites were locked up in Babylon. [Psalm 137]
And the Bible says that the Babylonian captives came along and asked, why don’t you sing like you used to sing when you were in Jerusalem? Why don’t you sin the songs of Zion?
The Bible says that they had laid their religion down and they hung their harps on the willows and asked; “how can we sing the Lords song in a strange land”.
If we are not careful, we can get so locked up in negative stuff that we just want to give up. But I want to encourage you, don’t stop working for the Kingdom of God. Don’t stop preaching the message of mercy and grace. Don’t stop preaching - Jesus saves.
God’s anointing is still upon you! I understand how tiring it can become. I understand that we can struggle with weariness, because it seems like you have to do it by yourself.
I understand that there are problems in the church. I understand that there are folks who just come to church but never become like Jesus no matter how hard you preach. I understand that ministry is sometimes mistreated.
But whatever you do, don’t loose your perspective. Don’t hang your harps on the willows. But keep on preaching faith because it works. It will bring revival to your church.
Statistics say that the average pastor in America only pastors for 2 years because the stress level is so high. We have to deal with things that the average person doesn’t deal with every day.
But we need to be reminded that God is bigger than the stuff that we have to deal with. God is bigger than any circumstance. God is bigger than all of the opinions.
Just preach faith, it works! It will storm through the gates of hell. It will turn your city upside down. It will turn your church inside out. If you’ll just preach faith, it will work!
It’s run devil away. It will uproot spirits that are hindering the move of the Spirit of God. It will kill the spirit of divorce. It will destroy the spirit of adultery. It will completely remove the spirits of gossip, pride, and bitterness.
If you’ll just preach faith, it will fill the altars, it will fill the baptistery, it will bring the harvest that you’ve been trusting God for.
I encourage you preacher - preach faith - it will bring miracles, signs, and wonders.
Historians say that in the early part of the 19th century that archeologists discovered some remains in the city of Crete and in those remains there were great shrines, foundations of great churches, and guess whose name was at the bottom of those shrines.
It was Titus! You know why, because he wouldn’t give up. He would not hang his harp on the willows. He would not loose his perspective and God built a church.
So I encourage you preacher, go back to your church. Get back in that pulpit. God back and deal with all the stuff that you as a pastor have to deal with. And I dare you to preach faith. I dare you to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
It will crush the spirit of confusion.
God will give you a harvest.
Though you may be tired and weary, God has not forsaken you. He didn’t put you somewhere so you could struggle but He does have a plan and you are part of it.
Just preach faith - it works!
