Competing According to the Rules

When an individual or a Christian leader puts their trust in Jehovah and bases their life and actions entirely on the Word and the principles of the Gospel, their efforts inevitably prosper in the long run. This is the key to the growth and endurance of any spiritual journey, whether personal or ministerial.

If a ministry is to prosper and endure, it must be founded on sound biblical principles.

Throughout my ministry, I have had to resist, time and again, the temptation to use methods and styles that I have clearly discerned in my spirit are not of the Lord and do not follow the principles laid down by the Gospel. Perhaps this has meant that my church has not grown as quickly, dramatically, or spectacularly as I would have liked. Perhaps I have had to wait longer to see the fruit of my efforts and sacrifices in ministry. But after all, it is not about impressing people or showing the world how skilled we are as pastors or evangelists! What matters most is glorifying God through our service, imitating the methods and style of Jesus Christ.

Avoid Illegitimate Methods

I suspect that many pastors and evangelists often hear a subtle voice within warning them that the methods they have adopted to grow their ministries are not legitimate and do not reflect the principles of the Word. But even as they hear that voice of the Spirit, they file it away and suppress it time and again, preferring to ignore it because obeying it would be inconvenient and hard work. They prefer to go on imitating the illegitimate methods they see working for others, or simply using a style that pleases people, and they continue to disregard the Spirit’s prompting because they prefer popularity to faithfulness. Sadly, they do not understand that all they accomplish with this attitude is to deceive themselves. They are merely postponing disaster and undermining the spiritual foundations of their ministries.

Abraham tried to get ahead of God’s plans and produce a son prematurely, and succeeded only in binding his descendants to a violent and bitter conflict that persists in the Middle East to this very day, with disastrous consequences worldwide. Saul clung to his ministry long after God had taken the anointing from him and even tried to kill God’s anointed one, with terrible consequences for himself and his whole family. Asa, the father of King Jehoshaphat, handed over all the gold and silver from the temple and the royal house to ally himself with a pagan king, trying to escape an urgent military predicament (2 Chronicles 16:7–10). But all he achieved was an illusory military victory that proved extremely costly in the long run.

Time and again, the Bible reminds us that “an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Tim 2:5). As the spiritual athletes we are, if we abide by the rules of the game as Scripture defines them, no matter how burdensome and disadvantageous they may seem, then we can be “crowned” at the end of our race. When we pay the price, adopt a long-term outlook, and use the principles of God’s Word as the foundation for our ministries, families, finances, and social relationships, we will prosper and be blessed. God’s approval will be evident in a fruitful and enduring life.

I firmly believe in the profound truth contained in the apostle Paul’s words: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor 3:6). Our primary calling is to be faithful to the Lord. We must sow scrupulously according to the principles set forth in His Word. Once we begin serving God and do our part, we must get out of the way as soon as possible. We must then let Him take absolute control of our efforts. He is the one who must decide the style and details of our spiritual journey or ministry. To Him alone belongs the right to determine the degree or nature of the success (“the growth”) we experience.

Many people and circumstances will intervene and play a part in the development of our lives and ministries. We do not know how long the task God has assigned us will take. We do not even know whether we will have the satisfaction of seeing the results of our efforts here on earth or of fully enjoying the fruit of our labors. In the end, we must leave the final outcome to the Lord.

We must resolutely resist the temptation to try to produce the results ourselves—that is, the growth—using the techniques and stratagems that seem most convenient and economical to us. Our part is to sow humbly and obediently, following our Master’s directions and example. His part is to give the growth—in the time and manner that please Him! Only that kind of steadfast obedience will guarantee us a fruitful and enduring spiritual journey.