by Susan Tang
The road to success for a man of God was mapped out by Paul when he penned these forceful words to Timothy, "O man of God, flee, follow and fight" (1 Timothy 6:11-13). A man of God! What a dignified and distinguished title. Paul said that such men will be marked by these three distinct characteristics:
(i) Flee! This word, 'phlego' means 'to run away from something with terror in your heart.' A man of God knows how to run away from evil with terror in his heart, the way Joseph fled from Popithar's evil and seductive wife. Joseph's story reminds us that sin is both violent and tenacious. There are times we need to stay and pray but there are times when we need to flee because this is the only way to be safe!
Joseph taught us that saying 'no' to sin verbally is not enough; there are times we have to get out of that situation because of the nature of sin. It is both violent and tenacious. Most anointed priests succumbed to sin because they did not flee in the first place. In fact, we are told to flee from the mere appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Since our anointing does not annul our humanity and our vulnerability, we must know how to protect ourselves by living with our spiritual antenna held high. Whenever something appears to be evil, we must run from it with terror in our heart in order to save our souls! (1 John 5:18).
(ii) Follow. This word 'follow' means to pursue relentlessly. A man of God is always marked out by what he pursues. It is sad to see so many prophets and priests not hungering and thirsting for things that will enrich their souls and deepen their relationship with God and not placing their values on things of spiritual and eternal worth. A man of God must truly pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. Then there will be fewer cases of sexual promiscuity in the priesthood. The appalling statistics of moral failures tell a sad, sad tale - priests are no longer pursuing what they should pursue. Like prophets and priests in the days of Jeremiah, many have gone after excesses and extortion. They live for materialistic rewards and worldly gains.
(iii) Fight. If we have first learnt to flee and to follow, we need not have to end up fighting all the time. We don't have to keep repeating, "I rebuke you, I cast you out, I curse you, kick you, slap you, etc." everyday! Evil cannot lodge within us so easily when God has put holiness within us. This is how powerful the Christ life can be in us. We may come into contact with evil daily yet we do not have to be connected with them. Jesus had constant contact with evil but He was never connected to it. Prophets and priests fall because they have not chosen to flee, to pursue things of spiritual value and finally, when they are ensnared by evil, they realize they have, like Samson, lost every ounce of their strength to fight. They want to fight and to end the illicit affair, but alas, they discover they have no inner strength to do so. Often they carry on until the affair is discovered by someone else. I have heard this sad, sad story too many times.
Too many prophets and priests have cultivated ungodly and deadly habits and tendencies. They run along with the wrong company, spend hours in front of the TV and Internet and get addicted to unhealthy and violent films, obscene pictures and pornography. We cannot nurture such appetites and then turn to the Bible and expect revelation knowledge to flow. Neither can we expect God to give us the victory over evil when we are running empty on the inside. This will never be.
As you rebuild your life, you will also need to restructure, realign and re-learn. Remember there is efficacy and complete sufficiency in the blood and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to take you through the process. Our prayers go with you. May the God who restored David greatly do the same for you.
The road to success for a man of God was mapped out by Paul when he penned these forceful words to Timothy, "O man of God, flee, follow and fight" (1 Timothy 6:11-13). A man of God! What a dignified and distinguished title. Paul said that such men will be marked by these three distinct characteristics:
(i) Flee! This word, 'phlego' means 'to run away from something with terror in your heart.' A man of God knows how to run away from evil with terror in his heart, the way Joseph fled from Popithar's evil and seductive wife. Joseph's story reminds us that sin is both violent and tenacious. There are times we need to stay and pray but there are times when we need to flee because this is the only way to be safe!
Joseph taught us that saying 'no' to sin verbally is not enough; there are times we have to get out of that situation because of the nature of sin. It is both violent and tenacious. Most anointed priests succumbed to sin because they did not flee in the first place. In fact, we are told to flee from the mere appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Since our anointing does not annul our humanity and our vulnerability, we must know how to protect ourselves by living with our spiritual antenna held high. Whenever something appears to be evil, we must run from it with terror in our heart in order to save our souls! (1 John 5:18).
(ii) Follow. This word 'follow' means to pursue relentlessly. A man of God is always marked out by what he pursues. It is sad to see so many prophets and priests not hungering and thirsting for things that will enrich their souls and deepen their relationship with God and not placing their values on things of spiritual and eternal worth. A man of God must truly pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. Then there will be fewer cases of sexual promiscuity in the priesthood. The appalling statistics of moral failures tell a sad, sad tale - priests are no longer pursuing what they should pursue. Like prophets and priests in the days of Jeremiah, many have gone after excesses and extortion. They live for materialistic rewards and worldly gains.
(iii) Fight. If we have first learnt to flee and to follow, we need not have to end up fighting all the time. We don't have to keep repeating, "I rebuke you, I cast you out, I curse you, kick you, slap you, etc." everyday! Evil cannot lodge within us so easily when God has put holiness within us. This is how powerful the Christ life can be in us. We may come into contact with evil daily yet we do not have to be connected with them. Jesus had constant contact with evil but He was never connected to it. Prophets and priests fall because they have not chosen to flee, to pursue things of spiritual value and finally, when they are ensnared by evil, they realize they have, like Samson, lost every ounce of their strength to fight. They want to fight and to end the illicit affair, but alas, they discover they have no inner strength to do so. Often they carry on until the affair is discovered by someone else. I have heard this sad, sad story too many times.
Too many prophets and priests have cultivated ungodly and deadly habits and tendencies. They run along with the wrong company, spend hours in front of the TV and Internet and get addicted to unhealthy and violent films, obscene pictures and pornography. We cannot nurture such appetites and then turn to the Bible and expect revelation knowledge to flow. Neither can we expect God to give us the victory over evil when we are running empty on the inside. This will never be.
As you rebuild your life, you will also need to restructure, realign and re-learn. Remember there is efficacy and complete sufficiency in the blood and the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to take you through the process. Our prayers go with you. May the God who restored David greatly do the same for you.
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