Have you ever witnessed a reduction in a Ministry or Church that you knew was ordained of God?

They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.

So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit. In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel, Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory.  ~ 2 kings 10:26-32

 

At first glance it appears to be contradiction in this passage of text. How cn God be please with Jehu and displeased with Him at the same time? What's really going on is that God moved Jehu to rid Israel of Baal worship, which he faithfully did. However, as Jehu carried out God's direction in demolishing idol worship...Jehu cared more about accomplishing the tsk God gave him than his own personl walk with the Lord. Jehu neglected his own sin, continuing in a lifestyle in other areas that the Lord detested. So how can God reward this beahviour? Because God is faithful to Himself even when we are not faithful to Him. So because God had promised Jehu's descendants to sit on the throne to the fourth generation if Jehu did as he was instructed, and Jehu accomplished the task at hand, God kept His promise! But because of Jehu's personal lifestyle of sin, God started reducing the size of Israel and eventually Israel after the promise was fulfilled, Israel was overtaken.

 

How we often see this today in modern ministry. God gives direction to a Ministry Leader, Worship Leader, Pastor, or Evangelist, then the person carries it out, and with a zeal for God leads others in the way of the Lord, but all the while their own life is still unclean. The Lord fulfills His promise but then we start to see a reduction in the ministry and sometimes it is completely destroyed in the end. We must all, especially as leaders, be very careful to examine our own hearts first, and make sure we are aligned with the Word of God, then we can lead and have lasting godly changes in the hearts and lives of others as we complete God's assignments. Be diligent in carrying out the task given of the Lord, but do not make the task more important than the Lord Himself!