Why would we need to put on spiritual armor or use spiritual weaponry when doing assessments? Aren’t we simply evaluating our ministry to see how well we’re doing? Yet, the assessment process can be wrought with trouble that may lead to a need for spiritual weaponry and not mere leadership skills.
Troubles in the Assessment Process Requiring the Use of Spiritual Weapons
Right from the start we might run into issues with people who disagree with the concept of doing assessments. Some may feel it’s a worldly practice and put up resistance, even though God did assessments (Gen. 1). Others just don’t like being held accountable. While in itself that doesn’t mean we’re in a spiritual battle, it can lead to one if complaining and negativity take root. We give the devil a foothold when we internalize bad feelings (Eph. 4:26-27).
As we examine the results of the evaluation, we might discover failures and other hindrances that stand in the way of progress. How we handle those results will take more than human effort if we want to avoid falling for the schemes of the enemy to discourage and defeat (2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 6:11). The context of those verses about the devil’s scheming shows that blame-casting (Eph. 6:11-12) and an unforgiving spirit (2 Cor. 2:10-11) lead us right into his trap. When assessments reveal results that came from poor leadership or other people’s failures, we need a Christ-like response of grace and truth.
Further, to keep problems we find through our assessments from escalating and becoming an inroad for the devil, we need to “put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:10-17). Only when we’re strong in the Lord will we be able to take our stand against the devil’s schemes to bring us down.
Sometimes the problems revealed in the assessment are already spiritual strongholds exhibiting themselves in dysfunctional attitudes and behavior. The solution can only be pulling on His “divine power to demolish strongholds”, not relying on our leadership skills to “fix” it (2 Cor. 10:3-6). We need the means God provides to disarm and defeat Satan’s attempt to stand in the way of progress.
For More on These Topics:
- Church Ministry Assessments, Audits, Evaluations Resources
- Resources on Divine Weapons for Spiritual Warfare
All Posts about Assessments:
- The Right Standard for Assessments
- Using Assessment Results in Ways that Line Up
- Guard Body Life When Doing Assessments
- Great Commission: Encompassing or Complicated?
- Assessment Questions from the Great Commission
- Christ-like Standard in Assessments
- Assessing Christ-like Character
- Assessing Christ-like Conduct & Conversation
- Assessments Leading to Eternal Results?
- Involvement of the Holy Spirit in the Assessment Process
- Pulling on Spiritual Gifting in the Assessment Process
- Alignment with the Gospel in the Assessment Process
- Prayer in the Assessment Process
- Do Assessments Really Fit into God’s Character and Ways?
- Concerned with His Name in the Assessment Process?
- Use of Spiritual Weapons in the Assessment Process
- Need for Grace in the Assessment Process
- Guide the Assessment Process
- A Leader’s Roles in Assessments
- Don’t Like the Results of an Assessment?
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