While he is harboring a sexual sin, what benefit is there for the man of God to stand behind the pulpit to preach and sing? Nothing!

While a preacher/singer is a prisoner of adultery, porn and masturbation addiction, or prostitution and cyber-sex addiction, why does he still choose to stand behind the pulpit?

Many reasons!

His reputation! Many people may see him as an angelical being; a man who came down directly from heaven. How can he just let that go? His ego is on the line. Very tough!

Fear! If he decides to step down, he fears that everything he worked for will crumble and fall. If he confesses his sexual struggle, he thinks that people may not have mercy on him. That is a very justifiable fear!

What about the shame he is causing to his own family? Enormous!

He fears that the day he decides to confess will be the end of him, his family and ministry.

He is anointed to stand behind the pulpit. It is not like he chose to be there; that lot fell on him. He knows that standing behind the pulpit is where he finds himself. He flourishes when he preaches/sings but if he confesses his sexual problem, he fears that he may not get a second chance to get his call back again.

If the people he confesses his sin to are also caught in a similar sexual sin, he knows that they will play it all down and say, “Hey, take it easy! After all we all are sinners, saved by the grace of God. Just preach with all your strength and God will take care of you.” He responded back in this way to many people who came to him seeking his help for their sexual problems. So, he knows very well that those people who are leading a secret life like him won’t help him a bit.

Deep down, he asks, “Who has the knowledge to restore me back to my place?” He searches for spiritual people with a right biblical insight about grace, forgiveness, and restoration but looking around, he feels like there is no one and he gives up!

But what about God? If this minister of God takes a step to be free from the bondage of sexual sin, can’t God take a responsibility to take care of his future?

Oh, yes, He does!

God is a Restorer! God is a God of second chance! It is God who holds his tomorrow, not man! It is God who decides his fate not man!

That is what James is talking about when he says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

Who lift up the head of a man who is beaten down by a sexual sin? Man? Oh, no! Man doesn’t know how to lift up another man’s head! It is God who is the lifter of our head (Psalm 3:3).

If you are that minister (man or woman) who is caught in some form of sexual sin and/or addiction, take a risk! Step down trusting that God will lift you up! Don’t focus on what others will do or say about you. Focus on your God; a God who loves you more than you can ever know and understand.

Disqualify yourself from the pulpit! Confess your sin to few people who may help you. Trust God to use those people to restore you to your call. Don’t give your ears to the devil who says, “You are done! You are toasted! All of them will throw you out, blah, blah, blah.” Don’t listen to him! Ignore him! You have a divine ability to ignore him through Christ because the Christ in you is powerful! (Colossians 1:27)

Think about it! What do you get out of preaching and/or singing and wowing millions while you yourself are dying from the inside? Nothing! God is not after your preaching and singing but after you! God didn’t give His Son to die on the Cross so that you will preach and sing but so that you will be His alone; so that He lets His Son live in and through you!

Hear this please: Disqualify yourself from a ministry, from preaching and/or singing! Humble yourself before God and He will lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6). If you don’t, God will be forced to do it Himself because He loves you and wants to spare your life! (Hebrews 12:6)

Oh, and there is one important truth you and I always need to remember; and that truth is this: When God does the disqualifying and the humbling thingy, He rarely does it in secret. ///