Can you discuss how to truly win the lost when we see the world is getting darker and darker and Christianity is becoming more and more unpopular. How do we get out of our comfort zones and really reach people for and like Christ? How do we go from what we know into the unknown… from selfish to selfless. Many times it’s easy to get into the “Christian routine” of going to church on Sundays and living morally without actually living to make a difference in others’ lives.
Mark 16:15 (NASB)
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
This is a good question, one that I have asked myself. What people don’t realize is that while we have been given great instructions through God’s word, every detail isn’t spelled out. I believe this is purposeful, but I will get back to that. Often we will get a directive, whether by the Word or by the Spirit but not the exact steps to take. We can find ourselves in a place of confusion and sometimes people even give up.
I know people who were convinced they are called to ministry but then try and walk it out through what someone else has built. For example, they believe they are called to preach or teach and then expect that they should then be given a platform to do so. Is this right? My answer in short is no. God generally does not call people to take over what someone else is doing. How can I know this? 1 Corinthians 12:19, “If they were all one member, where would the body be?” God calls the body to function together but have different assignments. The hands do what hands do, the feet what feet do. If I have built a ministry, I build according to what God is doing in me in an area. If you are called, He will do the same for you. This may look different and what God will have one do He may not have another do.
Now, you are thinking, I wasn’t asking about ministry! You see, God does different things but with similar principles. What we have to know is, when God calls, He makes a way. If you think back to how you came to God, especially if you weren’t really raised to follow Him, it was probably an interesting process. I have learned that you could ask a hundred people how they got to where they got in Christ and you would have a hundred different answers. God’s pathways are infinite, but there are two things that never change. God requires faith (Hebrews 10:38) and God requires desire (Matthew 5:6).
“Ok, ok, we get it! But how do I reach people in this world?!?” The same way anyone ever did. It is a misunderstanding that the world is so much more evil than it ever has been. It’s not, there’s just more people in it. Let’s return to the scripture I started with, Mark 16:15. This scripture is known in Christian circles as the Great Commission. Take note of the first word in that verse, it’s the word go. Go is a definitive direction. It means go. It means do. It means if you stay put you are not going!
To a worldly minded person this is scary. To a person who lives by faith principles, this is all you need. I have found in my own experience and even very often in scripture (I could point to a lot) that people who did anything for God did so usually with no end in sight! Hebrews 11:8 tells us, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING.” We are naturally comfort creatures. We want it easy, this is why fast food became a thing. We don’t want opposition, we want sure investments, we want everyone to agree every time.
The only way to enact faith is to enact it. You may say, “But I don’t have faith!” You’re right, not until you enact it. Faith is not active until it is given action. Faith manifests as it is used. I again could go to so many scriptures but let me just name a few. Romans 10:8 says, “But what does it say? ‘THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART’—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching.” Also, Jesus instructs in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God.” The faith we need at any given time is already within the believer! However, not all believe!
Do you believe? If you believe then you can go. The great thing about all this is it doesn’t matter if you have been a believer for 60 minutes or 60 years, if you believe, you can go, and this is the basis for acting in faith. Faith is strengthened in us as we put it to practice. It’s like a muscle. We all have them but those whose are bigger and stronger have been worked more. A body builder knows how much they can lift. If you step out in basic faith, soon you will find yourself using it more and more. This is pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6), and He will instruct you further as you go.
Let me wrap it up here. Jesus said go, this is the first instruction. Until you start going, don’t expect more instruction. Have faith! Have it, it’s already given! Make yourself stronger by stepping out into even that which scares you but do so in faith. Go to God and say, “Father, I believe this is the direction I am supposed to go. I thank you that you have given me the Holy Spirit to guide and I believe He will. If I get off on the wrong path, I trust He will show me and I will listen and be correctable.” If you approach life this way you will not fail. Be confident in Him, trust God and do good!
Philippians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
To be continued next week.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
