Bringing Down Complaints

June Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|Dear Friend,

Today, I want to encourage and remind you that the devil has no power over us. If there is anything in your life causing worry, fear, or terror, be assured that it has no power. Our enemy may seem like a roaring lion, but he has no teeth because Jesus stripped him of his power. All he has remaining in his arsenal is deception and lies, but even though our enemy is powerless, that does not stop him from sending giants our way.

We are all confronted by giants at some time in our lives. Fear or a lack of finances could be giants confronting you today. Conflict in your family with no obvious solution could be another giant. Relationship problems or work challenges that you cannot control could be a giant in your life. Whatever you are facing, it probably looks like a mountain, like a giant staring you in the face and daring you to try to defeat it! I have had giants in my own life that needed to be destroyed, and the only way to defeat them was with the Word and Spirit of God. I have spent hours renewing my mind with the Word of God. His Word is alive and powerful and with it, we are able to take down the giants that try to confront us in this life!

Today, we will examine one giant that can open the door to many others giants, and that is the giant of complaining.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

Complaining Is a Giant

We live in a time when we have instant access to information and connection with people around the world, and sometimes, we take these modern conveniences for granted. We are able to quickly call or email our friends, drive a short distance for groceries or medicine, or push a button for entertainment. There can be a tendency to act entitled rather than being grateful. We can easily forget how blessed we are. When this happens, the giant of complaining rises up.

The Israelites were an example of this. They were God’s chosen people and had received so much from Him. They had observed the ten plagues in Egypt, watched the Red Sea split and walked through it on dry land, and watched as Pharaoh and his army pursued them on the same dry land only to be drowned when the waters crashed back down over them. The Israelites saw it all!

While traveling in the wilderness, God continued to provide for and protect the children of Israel. He fed them manna that fell from the sky every day. This bread-like substance probably contained every vitamin and mineral the body needed. The Bible records the amount of manna they received, and if we put it into modern terms, the children of Israel received 4,500 tons a day! That’s 65,700,000 tons of manna in 40 years!

The Israelites had such an abundance of manna that it would have been nearly impossible for them to consume it all, but after a while, they started complaining. They no longer wanted manna. They were bored of it and were craving meat. So God gave them quail, and like the manna, He provided an abundance for them. At God’s command, 90 million quail appeared! Imagine — 90 million quail every day! God is such an incredible giver, but the Israelites were such complainers. Both with the manna and the quail, God sent abundant provision, more than they could possibly consume in a day, but they still complained!

Because they had developed such a habit of complaining, when Caleb and Joshua returned from the Promised Land with a good report, the Israelites wouldn’t listen. The spies returned, and Caleb boldly declared, “We can take this land. We can defeat these giants!” But those who went with Joshua and Caleb to the Promised Land complained, “We’re grasshoppers in their sight.” They had forgotten how God had drowned Pharaoh’s entire army! Numbers 14 records how deep their complaining and ungratefulness went:

“And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’”

—Numbers 14:2-3

They were such complainers that they began to talk about Egypt, where they had been slaves, as if it had been better than God’s Promised Land!

Complaining is so dangerous because it can become habitual. Maybe you are only grumbling on the inside and think it isn’t affecting anyone, but if you get into the habit of complaining, you will start believing a lie and thinking that your thinking is accurate. You will begin complaining more and more with your words and eventually become deceived by that complaining.

Complaining Has Collateral Damage

When we complain, we are not merely complaining against our situation — we’re complaining against God!

In Numbers 14:27, God says:

“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.”

This word, “complain,” refers to an intellectual rebellion against God. My friend, we do not want this giant of complaining to have rulership over our lives because it will harden our hearts.

I have counseled many married couples, especially the wives, and I have seen how a wife, with her own attitude of complaining, can tear down her marriage. She might say she doesn’t like how her husband treats her mother. Maybe she complains that the children don’t receive enough attention from their father. She doesn’t like that the husband doesn’t make enough money or how he eats or that he leaves his socks on the floor. It’s nothing but complaints, and in a marriage, that can build a wall so thick that the sweet communication that husband and wife once enjoyed is absolutely broken. Over the years, in some marriages, I have seen that the husband’s heart has been so hurt by the complaining and criticism of the wife that it brought them to the point of divorce.

This giant of complaining is destructive and sneaky, and it will become habitual if we let it. If we allow it to stay, it will cause us to hurt God and everyone else around us trying their best to love us.

Fighting Back with Thanksgiving

So how are we going to escape from this giant of complaining? God provided the perfect weapon: Thanksgiving! I have seen thanksgiving annihilate that giant of complaining over and over again. The answer to eliminating complaining in your life is to start being thankful.

At the time Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was in a horrible prison. Historians record that he was being held beneath the palace. Sewage from the palace entered into the room where Paul and other prisoners were being held. In these inhumane conditions, Paul wrote the book of Philippians. This letter begins with a typical greeting in chapter one, but in verse three, Paul proclaimed:

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”

How incredible is that statement? Rats were crawling on the raw sewage that surrounded Paul. He was standing in sewage flowing from the palace, people were dying around him from the horrible conditions, but the very first words from Paul’s mouth were “I thank my God.” Later he says:

“Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”

—Philippians 4:18

How filled with thankfulness must a person be to say, “I have all and abound” while surrounded by such horrific conditions? There are times, by our own will, we must choose to say, “God, everything is not how I want it, but You are faithful. God, You love me. I have breath in my lungs, I woke up today, and You’ve given me a job and a home. God, You have given me food to eat, and I thank You. I thank You for the Holy Spirit that lives on the inside of me.” That kind of thankfulness will defeat the enemy of complaining. We don’t want to become habitual complainers — we want to be habitual thankers.

1 Thessalonians 5 says to be thankful in all things, not for all things but in all. I heard a story of a missionary who had given his life to bring the Gospel message to people in other countries. He had a wife and children who stayed in America while he had took a trip to serve in another country, but while he was there, he received news that his wife was killed in a car accident.

He returned to America and arranged the funeral and everything he needed to do, but he became so depressed that he could hardly lift his head. His trust in God was shattered, and all he could think was, “How could God have not protected my wife while I was giving my life in this other country?” Maybe in your own life you have had those kinds of thoughts.

That missionary eventually became so depressed that he went to another godly minister and poured his heart out. After their talk, the minister simply told him, “Brother, you’ve got to get some thanksgiving in you.”

The missionary took his advice and just sat there, trying to be thankful. He said it took two hours before he could get one tiny word of thanksgiving out of his mouth. He had such a difficult time starting, but once he did, it was like an untapped river of thankfulness on the inside of his spirit that flooded out of him. Through that Thanksgiving, the depression he had been under was absolutely lifted from him! That man of God got married again, had another baby by his second wife, and resumed traveling to other nations and sharing the Gospel with people around the world. This man died as a great example and victor in the faith. But what was it that brought down the enemies of complaining, depression, and oppression in his life? Thanksgiving.

God understands that complaining is not a blessing in our lives. He knows that if we complain, our hearts are not thankful. If we are not thankful, we cannot see the blessings God has given us. Complaining is almost like having blinders covering our eyes to God’s blessings. Instead of focusing on the blessings we do have, we focus on all of the negatives in our lives — what we haven’t received or what isn’t working out or what we think should be better. Complaining becomes a giant in our lives and blinds us to the reality of all of the good God has done for us. We must develop a heart of thankful gratitude to pull down the giant of complaining!

I am so grateful that I have been able to communicate this important and vital truth with you today.  I am always so happy to share with you. Please plan to join me for my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. It is such a special time. You can connect with me every Monday at 7:00 AM CT on Facebook or YouTube. You can also watch Wednesdays at 12:00 PM CT on Facebook. I hope you will make time in your schedule to come join me!

Before I close this letter, I also want to remind you that if you need prayer for anything in your life, our prayer team is here for you. You can call 1.844.473.6637 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org. We are ready to support and encourage you through whatever is happening in your life.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

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