Once, I was at this church where everyone was really pouring their hearts out in prayer for someone who was sick. They were going all out, praying hard and even fasting, but sadly, the person still passed away. Then, the following week, the church admin came up during announcements and nonchalantly expressed his “explanation” that totally caught me off guard. He said:
“It was God’s will for him to die. When it was his time, God called him.”
I was shocked but soon realized that this is something that is commonly said and understood in Christian circles. I wondered about faith. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. How can we have assurance if there is a possibility that it was his time? How do we know if the person whom we are praying for, if it’s God’s will that he should die? How do we know? We don’t. So that means the person who is praying doesn’t have any assurance, and hence cannot claim to have any faith.
There is a whole theology based on explaining failure. It says that the will of God is based on what happens, or basically whatever happens is God’s will. There are plenty of arguments to debunk that which I won’t discuss any further.
Ministering to others, whether through healing, prayer, or teaching, is a powerful way to demonstrate the love and power of God. However, there are times when our efforts seem to fall short, and the expected results don’t materialize. Understanding the reasons behind these failures is crucial for any believer who wants to grow in their ministry and be more effective in serving others. This article explores some key reasons why ministering might fail, with a focus on unbelief and the traditions of men.
The Bible gives reasons for failure in ministering. They are.
First: Unbelief, The Silent Saboteur
One of the most significant obstacles to effective ministry is unbelief. In Matthew 17:19-20, the disciples came to Jesus, puzzled as to why they couldn’t cast out a demon. Jesus responded:
“Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
Matthew 17:20
They brought the boy to the disciples, and the disciples tried, but they couldn’t heal. When they brought the boy to Jesus, He didn’t say: “You know, my Father and I sometimes play a game where we decide who gets a healing and who gets to remain sick, and today, it turns out only I could heal the boy!”. Jesus wasn’t wearing watch saying “Oh yeah, run the clock for a few more minutes and at 10 past noon, it will be time!”. Rather, when they brought the boy to Jesus, Jesus not only healed the boy, but rebuked the disciples for not having faith.
Unbelief can render the Word of God ineffective in your life or in the lives of those you are ministering to. Hebrews 4:2 reinforces this idea:
“For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”
Hebrews 4:2
When faith is absent, even the most powerful truths from God’s Word can fail to produce results. Unbelief acts as a barrier, preventing the promises of God from manifesting in our lives.
Second: The Danger of Traditions
Another significant reason for failure in ministry is the adherence to the traditions of men. In Mark 7:13, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, saying:
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
(Mark 7:13, KJV)
Traditions, particularly those that are not rooted in Scripture, can nullify the effectiveness of God’s Word in our lives. Traditions are handed over through culture, systems, denominations, that are not rooted in scripture. For instance, it’s a tradition to say “it was his time to die” or “God calls the best ones first”, or “God was testing this person”. All these are traditions, which somehow got into our understanding of God, but there are no scriptural basis for any of these.
These traditions can feel really comforting sometimes, but they can also end up killing the person you are ministering. I remember praying for a friend’s brother after he got into a horrible bike crash, and the doctors were pretty much saying there was no hope. I prayed, and yet he still passed away. It hit me hard. I asked my Bible school teacher about it, and she said that God is sovereign and makes the ultimate decisions. That kind of eased my mind back then, but looking back, I get what she meant, but I know now it doesn’t really hold true. If God is really calling the shots on who lives or dies, then why did Jesus ask for God’s will to happen on earth just like it is in heaven? I’m not trying to get too sidetracked here, maybe we can chat about this more later. But one thing’s for sure, this is a tradition that a lot of people hold super close to their hearts. It might comfort you, but it could also lead you straight to the grave.
There are so many traditions, and one of those is that God heals those who live a holy life, and afflicts those who don’t. After all, they say, God is interested in your spiritual condition and not your physical condition. Remember in Acts 3, when Peter healed the lame man, and he says clearly- It is not because of our piety or holiness that this man got healed. Healing is not a reward for a child, it is the right. If you don’t withhold bread from your child, and will feed him because you love your child, and also because it is his right, how would God who is far more loving than you withhold bread from his child, you?
When we allow human traditions to take precedence over the truth of the Bible, we limit what God can do through us. This is why it’s essential to continually examine and evaluate our beliefs and practices.
Paul emphasized the importance of sound doctrine to Timothy, instructing him to “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (1 Timothy 4:16, KJV)
Sound doctrine, based on the truth of God’s Word rather than human traditions, is vital for effective ministry. It’s crucial to analyze what we believe and why we believe it, ensuring that our teachings align with Scripture. By doing so, we protect ourselves from falling into the trap of traditions that can render the Word of God ineffective.
Conclusion
Failure in ministry often stems from two main sources: unbelief and the traditions of men. Unbelief can hinder God’s power from working in your life, but it doesn’t always prevent God from working through you for others. Meanwhile, the traditions of men, when placed above the truth of Scripture, can make the Word of God ineffective.
As believers, it is our responsibility to cultivate a strong, unwavering faith and to continually examine our beliefs and doctrines. By doing so, we align ourselves more closely with God’s Word and allow His power to flow freely through our lives and ministries. Remember, God’s power is not limited by our imperfections, but by our unwillingness to fully trust in Him and let go of human traditions that hinder His work.
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