I Have A Leak

Ephesians 4:17-32

Leak:  an unintended hole or the like through which liquid, gas, or light enters or escapes; any means of unintended entrance or escape; i.e. gas tank; oil pan; toilet; sink exhaust; roof; furnace

A few months ago, I attended a church conference and heard a keynote speaker talk about “Apostolic Integrity.” In his message, he emphasized the fact that we have a problem in the pulpit that has trickled down into the pews. Here are just a few examples that should cause alarm:

• The hotel industry reports that after church sponsored conferences, regardless of the denomination, there is a noticeable spike in the ordering of pornographic films.
• Some pastors travel with their female personal secretaries and have adjoining rooms.
• Because many pastors and churches have poor credit and do not pay their bills on time, they have bad reputations in the community.

More than ever before, the church is being challenged with an issue of integrity. We say one thing, but we do something else.

I am not going to waste your time with depressing statistics like the divorce rate in the church, or the sexual harassment epidemic in the church. I am not going to weigh you down with my concern about poor church attendance or financial challenges brought on by members not supporting with their tithes and offerings. You are not blind and you see as well as I do that we have some issues that must be addressed. Rather than complain or point fingers, I sought God for an answer to what is ailing our church today. Well, the Lord used one of the missionaries at Holiness Tabernacle as His spokesperson.  She spoke a word to me and it hit me so hard I felt compelled to share it with you.

When I asked God, why aren’t we casting out evil spirits the way the early saints did? Why aren’t churches growing and winning souls to Christ? Why do we need to motivate people to praise Him, as good as He has been to us? Why do we need all of these self-help speeches and seminars for people who say they have been saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost? The Lord said to me through the missionary – we have a leak.

Here at Holiness Tabernacle, we have experienced a few leaks recently. We had a foundational leak and a roof leak. Note that the problem was only noticeable after a significant rainfall. As long as the sun was shining, there wasn’t an issue, but when it rained we had a problem. Remember, the definition of a leak is something that is not intentional; if not addressed, however, the results can be catastrophic. Our church Board of Directors told me that fixing the leak was a priority. Even though I was uncomfortable seeing buckets put out during rainfalls, I knew as soon as it stopped raining the problem would go away. In my mind, the problem wasn’t that great – but that was because I did not see the immediate detrimental effects.

Then, someone explained to me what was going on directly underneath the roof. Every time it rained, the wooden joists and beams were getting wet and expanding. After the rain, they would eventually dry and retract. Over time, the constant expanding and extracting was weakening the wood. While it was hidden from casual view, eventually those beams and joists would collapse under the weight. 

That same analogy can be applied to us. We’ll have a leak in our lives and allow stuff to get in that will start to weaken us. We do the minimal things to cover-up the “problems” that we can see, but there is something going on underneath that is eating away at our spirit man. Because we don’t see the immediate impact, we have numbed ourselves to the inevitable. Sooner or later our roofs are going to cave in under the pressure of the enemy’s attacks. We are getting weaker from the inside out. 

We also have another problem with leaks that is just as critical: not only does bad stuff get in, but good stuff leaks out. We come to church, hear an anointed Word and really plan on being a doer of the Word. But something happens and we don’t have the power we thought we had. Don’t you remember when you came to the altar and tarried for the Holy Ghost? Remember when He filled you and you had a zeal for God? Remember when you could not wait to come to church and praise and worship God? You couldn’t wait until it was your turn to preach or give your message? Remember when you wanted to save everybody and you wanted to dance before the Lord? Now it is a struggle coming to church. We need a two week notice before we can give a Word. We cannot remember the last time we danced and rejoiced. What happened?

At one time, when people were filled with the Holy Ghost it wasn’t long before you would see them bring their unsaved spouse, parents or siblings with them to church. Before long, that one individual would draw their entire family and friends. Today, we get filled with the Holy Ghost and we get worse. Our unsaved friends and family pull us away from church. What happened? We have leaks. That’s why we can tell one another off and keep on dancing. That’s why we can speak in tongues and not pay our tithes. That’s why we can say we love God and come to church when we feel like it. That’s why we can cheat on our wives and teach a class on leadership. That’s why we can lie to the pastor and not feel convicted. We have a leak!

The end result is that we lay hands on the sick and nothing happens. That’s why our churches are not growing and multiplying as the Word said it should. That’s why our children are turning away from the God we say we serve. That’s why demons are not being cast out. That’s why we are so burdened down. That’s why we struggle in worship and praise. That’s why our joy doesn’t last from one service to the next – we have a leak. The power we received has leaked out and we don’t notice. But God did not leave me without a word of hope!

We have a remedy – He is the Holy Ghost. In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he reminded them how they used to live. He also told them about the new and holy life they had been called unto. He then told them that the Holy Spirit would “seal” or keep them unto the day of redemption!

My friends and co-laborers, let us all pause and take a moment to inspect ourselves. Let’s do as Apostle Paul suggested and examine ourselves. Could it be that I have a leak? Is my prayer life where it should be? Am I holding on to things? Do I love my enemies? Am I on fire for God? Am I slow to worship and praise? It just might be that I have a leak that I need the Spirit and power of God to seal.

I bless you in the name of the Lord!

Eddie B Pruitte, Jr.
Pastor and Founder, Holiness Tabernacle COGIC