Pastoral Care and Spiritual Warfare

 Pastoral Care and Spiritual Warfare

I would like to speak on something dear to my heart and that is on pastoral care.  Pastoral work is a never-ending battle of spiritual warfare. There was a time in Protestant history when spiritual struggle was emphasized in Christian life and pastoral ministry was ordinary fare.

Deep study, protracted thought, and debate about Satan, devils, and spiritual combat were not uncommon among the Puritans. The level of knowledge they expressed in their works demonstrates how important this topic was to so many of our Reformed predecessors. Many Puritans were targets of intense theological and political opposition, and as a result, they were more attuned to the emotional element of spiritual battle.

We Are Under Attack

We must acknowledge without reservation that the church of our Lord Jesus is the target of the evil one's most severe and unrelenting attacks (Rev. 12:13). “Be sober, be vigilant,” the Apostle Peter advised church members, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. The church is called to not only admit the reality of Satanic attacks, but also to be skilled in deciphering the wicked one's schemes. Pastors, more than anybody else, should devote themselves to a thorough examination and meditation on this topic. Because of their office and calling, faithful Gospel preachers are the most vulnerable to the attacks of the wicked one in the congregation.

It is unavoidable from the moment a trained minister undertakes pastoral ministry. Shepherding His sheep will be one of the tasks that will take up the majority of his time, he has come to the conclusion. Shepherding is defined as tending, guarding, and leading sheep.

Similarly to how a shepherd looks out for his flock. Shepherding His flock is a difficult task for a pastor. giving spiritual guidance, emotional support, and financial assistance to individuals in need help, as well as physical assistance. If the pastor is competent and at ease in the caring and pastoral role, the experience of playing a nurturing role can be extremely rewarding.

Jeremiah 3:15 states, “and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”  Though there are hundreds of ways for Satan to exact his revenge on ministers of the Gospel, consider the following strategies:

 

First, Pride Is A Temptation              

The Apostle Paul argues that a man seeking the office of elder cannot be "a novice (i.e., a new convert), lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil" in the list of criteria for elders in the church (1 Tim.3:1 - 6). For ministers, this is a constant danger. Gifted ministers are a favorite prey of Satan. Because he hasn't had the opportunity to test and mature, a novice–a new convert–is more vulnerable. He hasn't had the opportunity to learn the grace of humility because he hasn't been in pastoral ministry for long enough.  Of course, even the most seasoned saints are vulnerable to this attack. Wisdom and humility are not always correlated with age and experience. The more clout a man gains–and the more people pay attention to him week after week–the more likely he is to be targeted by this attack. Man's pride is always on the verge of bursting forth.  Ministers must defend their hearts and minds against the evil one's common attack.

 

Secondly, Discouragement Can Cause Setbacks

Our adversary has a thousand various methods for accomplishing this. One of the most common methods is to utilize setbacks, schisms, and unhappiness in the congregation to discourage clergy. Often, preachers succumb to this type of attack without realizing that spiritual powers are at work in the church against them.  Because of the failures that ministers endure, Satan constantly tempts them to believe that they are ineffective. The Lord never guaranteed that a man who was called, endowed, and equipped for ministry would have a successful (by human standards) ministry for the rest of his life. Too many pastors forget that, while they strive to magnify the crucified Lord in their preaching and teaching, the one whom our Lord defeated on the cross is continually placing barriers in the congregation's or minister's life in order to lead him to discouragement. A preacher who is discouraged is spiritually immobilized.  The Apostle Paul had these feelings frequently (2 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 4:16), yet he persevered because he knew the Lord was with him (2 Tim. 4:17). Ministers must be on the lookout for satanic attacks that seek to sabotage ministry by dividing and dissatisfied members of the congregation. They must be willing to use the rod and staff, just like good shepherds, to safeguard the church and the ministry as a whole.

 

Thirdly, Satan Uses The Spirit of Fear

The biggest deceiver is Satan. He enjoys deceiving us, distracting us, and outright lying to us. Why? Because his main purpose is to divert our attention away from worshipping God. He never wants God to be the center of attention, and let's face it, when has God ever been exalted by our worries? Never. That is why Satan enjoys it when we are worried. It makes his job easy because we become so caught up in our own anxieties about what might happen when we worry that we overlook what the Lord is doing in our lives right now.

 

We utterly lose the opportunity to celebrate what is when we spend our time and energy worrying about what ifs. Worrying about the possibilities of what might happen takes you away from walking by faith.  Without faith it is impossible to believe God or to believe that God will reward you and take care of you.  Job 3:25 states, “for the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”  Satan wants to use fear against the saints. Fear is the opposite of faith and can only cause the thing you fear to come to pass.  Worry cannot solve the issue at hand and removes faith from the equation.  Fear takes your focus away from God and what God wants in your life today.  People fear what they cannot control.  Fear does not help you control a situation.  God is the only one who has ever been in charge and will ever be in control.  God promised to never leave or forsake us.  It’s a promise in His word. God’s promises will come to pass.  It’s a guaranteed promise.

 

Lastly, Satan Does Not Want The Message Of The Cross

“Far be it from you, Lord; this will never happen to You,” Peter remarked in response to Jesus' prophesy of His impending death. “Get behind me, Satan,” Jesus said, in response to this desire to avoid the cross's offense. Satan was attempting to persuade Peter to abandon the cross in favor of a less difficult route and a less offensive message than the message of Christ crucified for sin forgiveness. Satan tempts clergy to preach a message that is simpler, more uplifting, and more "practical." The message of the cross does not fit into our positive thinking mode is what Satan wants you to believe.  But the cross is the most loving story ever told.  It is the story of how God loved us enough to manifest Himself in the flesh of Jesus Christ and then die in redemption of Our sins. You noticed I put a Capital letter on the word our. He came from glory to redeem us.  We should take the same mindset as the Apostle Paul, “ for I determined not to know any thing among you, save, Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I Corinthians 2:2 KJV.

We must be aware of our own flaws and sinful tendencies; we must be adept at spotting our adversary's methods; and we must be vigilant and prayerful in our defense. We have the assurance that the Lord Jesus is erecting His church and that “the gates” or methods of Hell will not prevail against it. Thank the Lord for continuing to grow and bless you every day, in both good and bad times. Praise Him for understanding what is best for you, and don't be ashamed to admit your skepticism. God understands your heart and your faith, and if you ask Him to, He will heal and strengthen it.

Ask the Lord to show you how He is rewarding you and growing you in your current situation. Praise Him and remember yourself that the Lord wants to keep His wonderful work in you going for as long as you're on this planet.