Finish the Race

It was amazing to be around someone who was so filled with God’s power.

Another time, Pope John Paul sent a helicopter to pick John up, so they could spend time together. When Billy Graham came to Amsterdam, he asked if he could spend the day with John. God was using him in incredible ways.

Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story. A few years after I had met him, John was a broken man. He was no longer receiving invitations to speak, and he was a shadow of his former self. His wife had left him, and his life had fallen apart.

I felt terrible for him and wanted to be an encouragement, so I invited him to speak at the bible study on our boat in Amsterdam. When I saw him, he fell into my arms and wept.

When John spoke, it wasn’t like before. The incredible anointing was no longer there. His words were the same, but the authority was gone. In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion looking to devour God’s people. In my experience, he especially goes after those in public ministry. In fact, the more prominent the platform, the greater the attack.

In Come&Live!, we want to raise up more Christian artists to boldly share the Gospel outside of the church, but when they do, they need to be prepared for the fight. We need to realize that we are entering a battle, and if we don’t take it seriously, we will lose.

One of the reasons John fell was because he lacked accountability. He didn’t have anyone who was speaking into his life or challenging him.

Before things went bad, I remember asking why he was so isolated. He told me that having others around him wasn’t necessary because Jesus was all He needed. He didn’t see the importance of being accountable, believing that because God was using him powerfully, he was immune to falling.

John allowed pride to come into his heart, and it made him vulnerable to attack. When the time of trial and temptation came, he didn’t have anyone to hold up his arms in the battle.

In over thirty years of ministry, I have learned that I cannot be in the fight alone. I have to find people that will support me and pray for me. Perhaps more importantly, I need someone that isn’t afraid to challenge me and ask hard questions.

If you want your life to make an eternal difference, it’s going to be a struggle, and you will need help. Don’t be a fool and think you can do this alone. Kill your pride, be accountable, and finish the race!

*John is not this man’s real name, but for obvious reasons, I am using a pseudonym.