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By Pastor Chuck Swindoll

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The Spirit of God Will Come to Your Rescue

“There will be occasions in your ministry when you will reach up because that is the only way you have to look. And the Spirit of God will rescue you, beautifully, and you may not even be able to explain it well to others, but it’ll keep you strong in the work of God, and you’ll stay at it. You’ll look back over it, over life and over your ministry, and realize it was those moments when the Spirit of God came to your rescue, as only He can, and as only He will.”

Jesus’ Victory in Gethsemane

“I think the victory was won in Jesus’ life before the cross. The victory was won for us at the cross, but it was won for Him at Gethsemane. ‘Not my will, but Yours be done,’ and He accepted the cup. And when you finally do accept it, it’s amazing what happens.”

God Will Use Your Story

“Your situation will be different. It won’t be a miscarriage. It’ll be something else, and it’ll be that that God will use to comfort others. And your ministry will be enhanced by that dimension that you’ll be able to communicate and to model. It won’t be theory because you will have been there. You will understand.”

A Treasure in Earthen Vessels

“Stay a student of the Scriptures. Dig into these things as deeply as you can during your years here, but remember, things will happen to you that will just cut your legs out from under you, and as Paul writes in this great fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians, verse 7, ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels.’ You’ve read it, haven’t you? The New Living Translation: ‘We are like fragile clay jars.’ That’s all we are. I’m just as fragile as I was when I started seminary. I’m just as human as when it all began. I’m just as given to discouragement as I was then. By the grace of God, I’ve been able to stay on my feet. But there have been times when I wondered if I could, and if I would. Because I’m an earthen vessel, and he says this so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.”

Three Words of Application

“Learn to just thank Him, even though you can’t unravel the mystery, that thanks may be given on our behalf for the favor bestowed. So I’ll wrap it up with these three simple words of application. When you suffer the unexpected and you want to press through it, instead of focusing on yourself now think of others later who are going to benefit from what you’re going through. It’ll give you hope. It will give you hope. Here’s the second: Rather than fighting, surrender. Rather than resisting, release. This will increase your faith as you, verse 9, learn not to trust in yourself. And the third, even though getting back at somebody or getting even at the moment may make us feel better, try giving thanks. This will bring peace. Rather than a fist doubled-up, open-handed, ‘Lord, I’m yours, and I want this to play a role in my ministry, in my life. I want to model this authentically.’”

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your finger tips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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