There's a Crack in Your Armor Perry Stone

gospel and a shepherd. They wear the bishop’s robe, exchange it for the shepherd’s robe, then for a pair of pajamas at home where the preacher is simply Daddy to his children. We expect the preacher to smile all the time, be patient without complaining, happy and never sad, and able to take criticism without responding. We want him to be like Jesus, and certainly that should be every minister’s goal. However, Jesus’s kindness was turned to anger when He overthrew the tables of the money changers (Matt. 21:12–13). His patience ran low with the Pharisees, and He chose such bold words as “hypocrites” to describe these snakes in the synagogues (Matt. 6:16). Critics were also confronted when they challenged Christ’s credibility. Believers must acknowledge that all soldiers of the faith— from the older generals who run global missions programs or megachurch outreaches, to the private first class who cares for the infants in the nursery—are vulnerable to tiredness, discouragement, illness, and satanic assaults. After many years of full-time traveling ministry to churches in thirty-five states and personally meeting ministers and members who were beat up from the battle, I found seven factors that wear down believers and can produce cracks in vessels of honor. BEWARE OF DISTRACTIONS The Roman soldier was vulnerable to tiredness, illness, and many non-battle adversities that could wear him down. The Christian soldier is also vulnerable to forces and situations that