When Pastors Need Deliverance

Why do some Christian leaders--who appear to be pillars of strength--fall into sin? Here's a look at how pastors get caught in the enemy's snare, and how they can break free.
My husband, Peter, and I have worked together in ministry for more than 45 years. There's one thing that never seems to break our hearts as much as receiving news that a colleague has fallen into sin and has left the ministry. This kind of news came to us twice within the last few months, and it filled us with sadness once again.

Most of the time, these types of failures involve sexual sins--and they leave a trail of destruction behind. Marriage promises are broken. Wives or husbands are abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Nuclear families are blown apart, and children are left virtual orphans. The financial security once enjoyed has vanished.
Churches are wounded, and the flock is often scattered. And pity the next poor pastor assigned to pick up the pieces and restore order and faith and the Christian testimony to the community.
One could go on and on. Damage control is often impossible to accomplish. Trust is lost. Things are never the same again, even though in some happy cases repentance and a measure of restoration can occur. It seems, however, as though the status once enjoyed is never quite the same. People remember, and they become tentative instead of trusting, try as they may to fully restore the person.
I am thoroughly convinced the devil knows his time is short and, consequently, has sped up his assault on Christian leaders. After all, if a Christian leader falls, the devil has gotten a prize and a good deal more "bang for his buck" because so many others are affected, and the church or ministry has suffered a setback. How does this happen?
DANGEROUS LIAISONS
I have been involved in deliverance ministry since the mid-1980s, and through the years I have learned a good deal. The problem seems to attack male leaders more often than female leaders. The question I always ask is, "When did the problem begin?"
These people usually start out as wonderful, consecrated, enthusiastic Christian workers. At one time they had it all together, and they set out to serve the Lord with pure hearts.
But their stories have an eerie similarity: busy, overcrowded lives; some neglect on someone's part; the freshness gone from their devotional lives; perhaps a lack of accountability to close, same-sex friends; and a loss of passion for holiness. Then a wandering eye sets in, which often leads to an affair or a debilitating addiction to pornography.
Some of these situations evolve from very harmless beginnings. For example, a young pastor is often thrust into marital counseling situations. He may make a few unwise moves, such as counseling a person of the opposite sex in the church office behind closed doors. He may not think of having a mature person of the opposite sex sit in on the meeting to pray.
It is imperative that a pastor guard himself by taking appropriate measures to stop potential problems before they can start. If it's not possible to have a third person present in a counseling session, the pastor should meet the counselee only with a door left open and a secretary sitting just outside.
It is important that pastors be warned about some of the women who will come to them for counseling. Some women's motives, of course, are very legitimate, and it is up to the pastor or the counselors on staff to help them. But there are others who fall into the category of what I call very emotionally needy persons.
These persons are greatly in need of attention and feel as though they deserve it. They will strive to get that attention by various means. They will sap counselors of time, energy and attention in order to get what they want.
These folks need professional help, in my opinion, and the pastor does well to reassign their case to someone else, preferably of the same sex. Often those needs diminish and are ministered to rapidly when a woman is counseled by another woman.
So, we have the legitimate cases and the very emotionally needy cases. But there are at least two more very apparent categories I have discovered that can be used by the devil to bring temptation into the life of a pastor.
In many churches there are those--usually, but not exclusively, women--who have a spirit of manipulation and control called a Jezebel spirit. Let me say at the outset that I believe the term "Jezebel spirit" is grossly overused, and it is very hurtful to accuse a person of having a Jezebel spirit if such indeed is not the case. It comes down to the heart of the person. There are many good-hearted people with strong personalities, and if an impasse is encountered, this term can slip out to the harm of all concerned. Having said that, let me describe the true Jezebel spirit as I have encountered it numerous times.
This can evolve out of something very good in the beginning. Perhaps the person is a true intercessor or prayer warrior and spends much time in quality prayer and service for the church and its staff. Confidence is gained and often private information is passed along for prayer to that person.
Sometimes the intercessor feels as though they have received information from the Lord that would help in certain situations, so that information is given and is found to be "right on" and useful. This means that more trust is given to the intercessor. Often the intercessor feels they have been given prophetic gifts that will be of help to the church and staff. Sometimes their words are very true and encouraging.
But at this point, some intercessors go awry. The feeling of power can go to the intercessor's head, and a spirit of manipulation and control can be given a foothold.
The proper thing for an intercessor or prophet to do is to humbly submit information to the one in authority and let it go at that. It is up to the pastor or other person in authority to judge and act upon that information. If the intercessor shows signs of anger or disappointment that the information has not been heeded or acted upon as he or she thinks it should, I would strongly consider thanking and excusing that person from their position whereby they receive privileged information.