Creating a contemporary analogy, let’s think of mega ministry leaders as a type of “Supermen”. Then let us ask God to empower these men to both recognize what their kryptonite is and to fine-tune and customize their very own protective gear, namely, their Superman cape! We are all mere men, chosen by God and His grace to do the work of the ministry. As scripture states, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 (NKJV)
First and most importantly, brothers, we must humble ourselves in the sight of God and He will lift us up.”(James 4:10 paraphrased). Our pride in our accomplishments is no different than that of leaders in the corporate world who having somehow made the best choices and risen to the top, become arrogant about their success. We must give God the credit, thanking Him and handing Him all the glory for any kudos we receive for our seeming successes. Many do this mechanically in front of others but all too often see themselves as superior leaders, assuming that because God has elevated them to this level of success then He has their back and won’t let them get caught if they play around a little on the side.
Although they had great accomplishments in their reigns, two men stand out in scripture because toward the end of their lives and ministries their obvious pride led them to make grave mistakes. First Kings 4:30 states “Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt”.(NIV) Even though Solomon’s wisdom was so great, near the end of his life he went against his own writings and allowed his heart to be drawn away from God by foreign wives, obviously being deceived by their immoral sexual practices. King Hezekiah was used mightily by God early in his life to lead Israel into revival and was also heralded as one of Israel’s greatest kings, however, in his later years foolishly bragged about all the treasures of Israel to his enemies, even revealing to them how much treasure Israel had and where it was. Here also a once-great king in his pride made a foolish mistake, bragging about and showing off all of his gold and jewels. God’s judgment came through Isaiah in 2nd Kings 20,14-18 rebuking Hezekiah for his foolish choices and foretelling that even Hezekiah’s sons would become eunuch slaves of Babylon for this foolish act. From then unto now once very successful leaders continue to fall into the enemy’s traps.
Women who have been abused in their childhood are often drawn to men in positions of power. Sometimes a longing for security causes them to fantasize about having an affair that might develop into a permanent relationship. Others, having been powerless to stop the abuse of a bullying father, feel euphoric when they use the kryptonite of their beauty and seductive clothing style to bring down a “Superman”. They quickly learn that a smiles and winks from an attractive woman are kryptonite to almost any super main man of a mega ministry. An experienced seductress also knows how to move slowly enough to pull her targeted man into her trap. The scriptures warn, “For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men.” Proverbs 7:26(NKJV)
Man of God, recognize your kryptonite! Although your anointing can seem like Superman’s protective cape, supposedly made from impenetrable Kryptonian fabric, that will protect you from anything, beware! Remember that as Paul and other Apostles warned, you are in a constant wrestling match with your flesh. This is a subject that the Bible invests whole chapters to, allowing you to read graphic descriptions of sin’s destructive forces. Catastrophically, many powerful mega ministry leaders have been allured into the sin trap. Their powerful messages, books, tapes, and sermons have all been scrapped because of a first small sidestep which led to many more. Remember Solomon wrote, in Proverbs 4:23(NIV). “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it!” Tragically, then, he did not follow his own wisdom. Do you?
All wiles of the devil are predicated to the realm of the flesh. Femme fatales are tragically instruments of a lower base of lust that firepower the strength of man as in Samson and Delilah where his hair is shorn representing he has become a Phillistine. By doing so he loses his ego which dismantled his strength. His spiritual strength was the real casualty. His exchange from loyalty to his true God…he capitulated to a woman and thereby makes her his God through the flesh and his guilt dessimates his favor with God in his thinking. Guilt is a powerful enemy in Satan’s Arsenal. Forgiveness and repentance are key. Daily washing of the Word and embracing God’s forgiveness and grace guides our moral compass to believe another indulgence in the flesh can not erace our empowerment of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the realization that no sin can take away our strength and power given to us by belief and adherence to the Holy spirit. Where you trust your redemption dwells..no man…woman…or carnal pleasure can hold a torch to what Christ has given to us freely. It is not to be taken for granted..it is sacred and holiness and sanctification protects us from falling from this grace and dealing with the shame and guilt the devil enslaved us with. He is a legalist and through our flawed carnal logic..he will win in lying and condemning us to believe because we have sinned with a woman that our redemption is seared and forever corrupted. If you have strong faith..you are quick to repent and return to keeping your priority straight of always suppressing the flesh and dwelling in the safety of the Spirit. The apostle Paul wrangled constantly with this quandary of the flesh and commitment to Christ..but the war of the flesh is never truly won if we look at it as our victory..ostensibly it all falls back to our faith in the greater one who we give glory and honor to His being first in our hearts and minds. God is just in his correction and reproof if we choose to sin…the price is separation…and that can be torture to live even one day believing we have lost our favor and salvation due to our flesh which we are made of and fall to its weakness. The question we should always ask..is it worth losing our peace and joy for a tryst of fleshly indulgence?