If people truly understand the warfare connected to those who are being used by God, they wouldn’t be so quick to wear these titles or operate in these gifting.

Those called to the front-line for real experience heavy spiritual, mental and emotional attacks, seemly on a daily basic. They are in a constant battle with the enemy, because of their mandate mission and purpose.

These men and women will have to be spiritually fully equipped to continue to operate in who they are called to be so that they won’t become a casualty of war. Having to fight off the tiredness, because many times they are left to pray and intercede by themselves

The fatigue, because of the constant fight to walk upright before people who don’t truly support them.

The anxiety, because they know God has given them a work and they are experiencing many times opposition in getting the work done.

The depression, because often their efforts to do right and to govern the people according to the way of God, are criticized by the ones they are trying to help.

The fear, because they don’t want to fail God or they look at their circumstances and see that they don’t have the resources to accomplish these goals.

Those in the five-fold ministries go through much turmoil great persecution and many attacks many times at the hands of the very people they are called and chosen by God to help.

Sometimes the disappointment sets in and causes mixed emotions. In this hour, because of the sabotage, backbiting and underhanded methods, those in leadership can’t trust other leaders. This causes leaders to carry a burden that can sometimes become overwhelming because of the seriousness of the attacks that come against them.

Being in leadership, I understand the betrayal that can occur when you embrace someone whom you think you can trust and you pour out your heart to them, only to have them use the information for their advantage against you.

There’s nothing like bringing someone who seems genuine into the intimacy of your life, only to find out that they take the intimate details they have heard or seen about you, to attempt to discredit and destroy you.

Learning from experience, I can tell you that when God gives you that check in your spirit and tells you that this person is gifted, but their character is messed up, trust Him.

I made a great mistake in ministry because I saw the good the potential the gifts of a person. I saw the signs that their character needed work, but wanted to believe that they would change that behavior, only to have them turn on me.

Listen, when you hear the rattle of the snake, just know it’s your signal that it’s preparing to strike.

I have learned well from that experience and that’s why I judge everybody now by the Spirit of God and I see through the eyes of God and no matter what they say or do I totally listen to the Spirit now concerning anyone.

Ministry burnout can be deadly and fatal, and it occurs often because of the inability to be able to trust people so that we can get the help we need. And people I know we can always go to God for help and talk to Him, but what happens when you do all that and you are still not getting a breakthrough?

I have been there in ministry where I have been so weighed down because I carry a lot of compassion for the people, or been in so much warfare, that even when I fasted and prayed, got into His word, the oppression and heaviness yet didn’t lift.

If I didn’t have somebody to help me war at that time and to encourage me until I learned how to persevere and walk in faith, I would had fainted and given up because at the time, it seem even God had shut His ears up to my cry.

Sometimes I hear these super deep folks talking and I realized that they have not been in a real spiritual battle when you’re fighting with everything you have to stand, and the more you fight, the more you are hit with trials, tests and persecutions in every area of your life.

I can appreciate Job and what he went through and how having the wrong voices can contribute to your burden. Leaders are talked about and criticized so much by persons who have never been in a leadership position to understand the pressures, opposition, circumstances and attacks sent continually toward a leader.

Until you have walked in those shoes and felt the fiery darts and experience the demonic attacks and battle blows stop talking about those in leadership.

Not every leader is the same and they all deal with adversity differently. Some can stand on their own feet; some can’t stand on their own feet, they need help until they mature.

I’m praying for leaders, because they do go through and it’s for our up-building that God will bring unity and trust so that we can be a help and support to one another!

 

~ Apostle Barbara R. Thomas

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Apostle Barbara R. Thomas is founder of I Come to Heal Ministries, A Woman’s touch Ministry, The Next Dimension Global Outreach Ministries and Spoken Word School of Ministry and is on a mission, traveling the world, proclaiming the Gospel, for souls to be won to the Kingdom of God. She has life mandate to help bring others to their divine purpose.

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