2 Kings 6:1-7
I have watched over my years in ministry those who have been doing the work of God lose their zeal, excitement and enthusiasm along the way. Somewhere they lost their cutting edge. Somewhere they lost their passion, their "get up and go" left them. Their tenacity to go the distance faltered before the finish line.
How do you get it back? How does one who is in the will of God, doing the work of the ministry, fighting the good fight of faith, get up from their own doubts and discouragement in ministry?
Elisha, the man of God said to the young preacher "Where did you lose it? Show me the place that the ax head came off?" Where was it that you became weary, and said "I can't do this anymore, "I've had it, this assignment is too hard, I'm going under, I'm drowning in my pain." Do you remember the place that the waters took you under? Do you remember the place where you sank in your own dilemma and despair?
Seventy percent of pastors quit after seven years of ministry. Eighty-five quit after 25 years of ministry. Why is the percentage so high? How does one lose their cutting edge? How does one who knows they have a calling on their life, hit bottom? If you have been in the ministry very long, you know that hell hates the call of God on your life. Why did Elijah run from Jezebel and say, "I quit?" God had to take him back to the fact that it's not over till I say it's over!
Notice that these men were doing the work of God just as God had led them. Friend don't be surprised when something goes wrong in the midst of doing God's work.There will always be challenges, chaos, controversy and confusion in doing God's work. Hell doesn't just sit by in the rocking chair waiting to see if you're going to get discouraged along the way. Satan works overtime to discourage and deceive those who are doing the work of the ministry. Paul said to Timothy; "Fight the good fight of faith"
(1 Tim. 6:12).
(1 Tim. 6:12).
Each of us must have courage to keep going. One of the young men said when they lost the ax head, "Hey we can't quit now, where is the man of God?" They found the man of God and shared their loss. Did you know that God is interested in your loss? He cares when you hurt, when the pain is more than you know how to bear They showed Elisha the place where the ax head was lost.
When Elisha was shown the place, he cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Notice that Elisha did something tangible to get it back. He cut a stick and threw the stick into the water. Moses didn't just pray at the bitter waters of Marah, he cut a tree down and threw it into the water. That's when the miracle of sweetness came to the bitter waters.
You can't just sit and do nothing. Go back to where you lost it. Ask God what to do next. I have learned that getting a fresh supply of passion comes when I get a fresh connection with God in prayer. God is no respecter of persons. He knows we can't do this thing with our own might and power. We must have His cutting edge on our lives if we plan to finish His work. When Elisha threw the stick into the water, the ax head floated to the surface.
Have you gone back to the place where you lost your cutting edge? Have you ask the Lord to touch you one more time? Have you asked Him for fresh oil, fresh passion, fresh anointing? When Samson lost his cutting edge, even in his failures he said to the Lord, "Would You touch me one more time?" He killed more Philistines that day than in his entire lifetime.
Andre Crouch wrote a song many years ago, "Take me back; take me back, dear Lord to the place where I first received you." You have everything to gain by going back to where He called you and anointed you for the work and assignment that He gave you.
He never called you to just go, 45% of the way, 65%, 85%, but rather to have a testimony that says like Paul. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith"(2 Tim.4:7). Finish strong what He called you to do and you'll never regret it at the end on Judgment day. O, I want to hear him say, "Danny you did it just like I told you. Well done thou good and faithful servant."
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