Avoid aborted success Week 23, 2026

 The church is doing very well now, sir. Our numbers are up..

Why do you say we are doing very well, is it just because our number has increased?

How many churches are experiencing any increase in number? We are definitely doing well.

Hmm. Be careful. 2Cor 10:12(ESV)  Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. You may say we are doing well but there is a danger, we must double down.

Welfare needs? Doctrinal soundness? We were taught growing churches must be careful about those. In the first century they caused problems, but the Lord is there to help us.

Can you not see what I am seeing? We are growing, but is this where God programmed us to be at this time? Have you heard of the Joash phenomenom? That is what bothers me more.

I’ve never heard of it. What has it to do with us?

There is a heaven ordained victory per time for everyone, every church, as was for King Joash: 2Kgs 13:17(ESV)  And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.” The tragedy is that he fell short of it. 2Kgs 13:18, 19(ESV)  And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped.  Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.” his true success in making an end of the Syrians was aborted

I still don’t get it. What has that to do with us? Where is the threat?

Three victories look like success, but the prophecy, the capacity and mandate was victory until he made an end of Syria. He stopped too soon. Yes there are clear signs of progress in this congregation, but we are far from the capacity, not yet within the mandate. The greatest tragedy now would be to relax in prayers and evangelism, saying “Yes we have made a mark, others are not moving so well”. If we stop now the prophesied mark for us may be lost.

Prophesied? I didn’t know there is a specific mandate for us in terms of targets.

Have you never read Eph 2:10(KJV)? For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. For each person, each congregation, in each season God has targets and divine expectations. That is what to focus on and compare with to know if we are doing well. We need more labour.

Why did Joash lose it? When  rebuked  he could have simply collected more arrows and shot!

In spiritual matters there are such things as times and seasons, certain opportunities are season bound. God made it clear to David in the Rephaim Valley battle. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines 1Chr 14:15(ESV).                                        Are you in personal danger of aborted success in life and walk?