Fighting legitimately

SUMMARY: To have a successful spiritual or ministerial journey, it is essential to base it on solid biblical principles and trust in God. Illegitimate methods and styles that do not adhere to the Word should be avoided, even if they seem convenient or popular. It is important to be faithful to the Lord and let Him take control of our efforts, allowing Him to determine the success and growth of our ministries. We should resist the temptation to produce results using our own techniques and tricks, and instead sow humbly and obediently, leaving the end result to the Lord. Only this kind of obedience will guarantee a fruitful and lasting spiritual journey.

When an individual or a Christian leader places his trust in Jehovah, and bases his life and actions wholly on the word and principles of the gospel, inevitably his efforts are successful in the long term. This is the key to the growth and permanence of any spiritual journey, be it individual or ministerial. If a ministry wants to thrive and remain, it will have to be founded on solid biblical principles.

Throughout my ministry I have had to resist time and again the temptation to use methodologies and styles that in my spirit I have clearly discerned are not of the Lord, and that do not obey the principles established by the gospel. Perhaps this has meant that the growth of my church has not been as rapid, dramatic, or spectacular 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's not about impressing people, or showing the world our great skills as pastors or evangelists! The most important thing is to glorify God through our service, imitating the methodology and style of Jesus Christ.