Sometimes ministry can create a sense of isolation that produces feelings of loneliness. Isolation can be the breeding ground for self-deception. And self-deception, when fully grown, is a snare the enemy uses to sabotage the call of God on your life.

Some of the common fruits of self-deception include:

•  Comparison: Looking at other people’s ministry with envy.

•  Defensiveness: Reaction and resistance to ideas that are different from yours.

•  Blame: It’s the “system” or someone else’s fault.

•  Entitlement: “I deserve better treatment and recognition for what I do.”

•  Martyrdom: “Nobody cares how hard I work.”

At some point, every leader feels a sense of loneliness. But there are four things you can do to keep loneliness from turning into self-deception.

1. Encourage yourself in the Lord. In a moment of great distress, David “encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6, KJV).

How do you encourage yourself in the Lord? Shift your focus from the difficulty of your problem to the sufficiency of His grace. Take time to acknowledge God’s greatness, and let His presence remind you that He is more than enough for whatever you’re facing.

2. Discover the value of solitude. Theologian Richard Foster once said, “Our adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness,’ he is satisfied.”

People don’t always do solitude well. Yet in spiritual solitude, you can find communion with God. In those moments, solitude is intimate and valuable. It reinforces your calling and who you are in Christ. There are times when God simply wants you to be still and trust Him (Psalm 46:10).

3. Find strength in Scripture. There is no better replenishment for a discouraged spirit than the Bible. Meditation on God’s Word precedes transformation. The truths of Scripture bring joy (Psalm 19:8) that sustains believers through even the most trying times (Psalm 119:92).

4. Experience a refilling of the Spirit. God wants the indwelling presence of the Spirit to be a way of life.

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke said, “The baptism in the Spirit was not meant to be a single emotional event recorded in believers’ diaries. The Spirit is their environment, the air which they breathe moment by moment, providing the vitality of the Christian life.”

When I tell my grandson to be kind to his sister, I’m not suggesting that he do that once. I’m implying that he should continue being kind. Likewise, when Paul urged all Christians to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), he was speaking of a continual, ongoing experience.

The Holy Spirit can help deal with self-deception and the discouragement it brings. Energy spent beating yourself down is wasted energy. Energy spent pursuing God is transformational.

Doug Clay is general treasurer for the General Council of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri. This article originally appeared in the August/September issue of Influence. For more print content, subscribe here.