Christian Living

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It’s amazing how much literature there is on reaching the unsaved. Some is complicated. Pages of intricate strategies —often comprising more than a thousand words—as to how we should approach people.

Other literature is simple and direct, like the Six Steps of Campus Crusade for Christ. On a more subtle theme there is Friendship Evangelism, where we slowly try to gain someone’s confidence by befriending them before slipping in a sentence or two about Jesus.

Flicking through the Gospels and Acts we see the disciples and apostles telling the truth no matter what the reaction—and sometimes it was nasty! They preached what they knew, whether people liked it or not. They were bold and courageous.

Looking at Mark 16:15, Jesus didn’t put any conditions on his statement of “Go, and preach the gospel to every creature.” He didn't say preach it only in the church! He didn’t say preach it outside only if people appear friendly. Jesus just said—preach it!

Having decided to be a messenger, we can seek God as to how we get the gospel across, and ask Him for awareness in how to speak and answer. Acting solely in our own strength makes our effort humanistic.

We must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, but at the same time we need a thick skin like the old-time outdoor preachers. They weren’t much concerned at the reaction.

Many a person throwing tomatoes or eggs at the messenger has been saved after going home to think about what they’d heard. We should remember that apparent failure isn’t always what it seems. God promises His Word shall not return unto Him void (Isaiah 55:11) and those Bible words provide the basis for taking the gospel. We have to do it because people will not come to us.

Very often we won’t see the results, but results there will be.

Billy Graham held huge auditorium meetings, some in sports stadiums. He would ask people to get up out of their seats after his message. He didn’t have handlers going into the audience grabbing people. The Holy Spirit motivated them to arise to make a commitment. Billy was just the messenger, though a very gifted one at that.

In the words of the old song, if we are “ready, willing and able,” God will do the rest. Ways to be a messenger? Preach, wear a T-shirt, give tracts or leave them in trains, buses and phone booths, speak to people one-to-one. Put a Bible verse on your car.

After all our persuasive and elaborate tactics, none of us can convert anyone. The Lord does it by His Holy Spirit. Messengers. That’s surely all God wants us to be.

I'm not in Private Messenger. Contact me at [email protected]

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