By Thetus Tenney
Burnout and depression are not unknown among Spirit-filled believers. These can become very serious problems. Below you will read an interesting perspective on burnout, which often results in depression. (Thetus Tenney)
Some years ago a young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job.
“That depends,” replied the foreman. Let’s see you fell this tree.”
The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree.
Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, “Start Monday.”
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by, and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, “You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today.”
Startled, the young man replied, “I thought you paid on Friday.”
“Normally, we do,” answered the foreman, “But we’re letting you go today because you’ve fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you’ve dropped from first place on Monday to last place on Wednesday.”
“But I’m a hard worker,” the young man objected. “I arrive first, leave last, and even have worked through my coffee breaks!”
The foreman, sensing the boy’s integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, “Have you been sharpening your axe?”
The young man replied, “I’ve been working too hard to take the time.” How about you? Have you been too busy, too hard at work to sharpen your axe? Prayer is the hone that gives you that sharp edge. Without it, the more work you do, the duller you’ll get.
(By William D. Boyd in “Liberating Ministry From The Success Syndrome”)
Pray the Book of Acts over Your City
Day One: Pray, “Thy kingdom come” (Acts 1:1-14). Ask: Jesus to fill every ministry of your church with the power of the Holy Ghost.
Day Two: Pray for Power in Apostolic Preaching (Acts 2:1-4). Claim: Apostolic results of repentance.
Day Three: Pray for Boldness in Jesus Name (Acts 3:1-21). Praise: His name for signs and wonders to confirm the word (John 14:12).
Day Four: Pray for Deliverance from Evil (Acts 4). Bind: In Jesus name, the power of darkness resisting the gospel
(Matthew 18:18-19).
Day Five: Pray for Evangelistic Outreach (Acts 8). Intercede: That the gospel will be preached where it has not been heard (Acts 8:4; Matthew 28:19).
Day Six: Pray for Miraculous Conversions (Acts 9:1-31). Believe: God for sinners to be arrested with a “Damascus Road” experience (Acts 1:1-6: John 16:7-11).
Day Seven: Pray for a Harvest of Households and Families (Acts 10). Diligently: Ask for the Holy Ghost to draw whole households to the church (Matthew 2:2 1; Acts 10:44).
Day Eight: Pray for the Persecuted (Acts 12:1-17). Rebuke: In Jesus name, the oppression and persecution of suffering Christians in other nations (Col. 2:2-3).
Day Nine: Pray for Dynamic Worship Services to Convict Sinners (Acts 16:16-34). Expect: A spirit of conviction of sin and a desire for conversion to permeate every worship service (Acts 16:30; Romans 1:16).
Day Ten: Pray for your Pastor and church Leaders (Acts 28:1-10). Resist: In Jesus name, attacks on your pastor and church leadership (Acts 20:28-31; II Timothy 4:17-18).
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS TAKEN FROM THE WASHINGTON WORD, AND PUBLISHED BY THE LOUISIANA CHALLENGER, 2001, PAGE FOUR. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
