Sharing the Gospel is a Worthy Cause

The Gospel is simple for us thanks to Christ. When we truly believe in Christ, He forgives our sins, saves by His graces, guarantees a place in heaven for us, and He gives us a new life by the transforming power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

When I realized the value of the Gospel at my father’s funeral, I was greatly encouraged. My father believed in Christ. He received a new home in heaven. I was able to move forward with blessed assurance of my father’s eternal happiness. I said to the Lord, “Lord, I want to share this Good News with others.”

The Gospel is simple, but sharing it can be complicated because, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” [1]

The devil does everything to keep people from Christ. He lies. He bribes. He exploits weaknesses. He urges people to be their own gods and saviors. He often attacks preachers of righteousness as he did Job. This is why Jesus told disciple wannabe’s to take up their cross and follow Him. Being His follower is costly.

The cross is a symbol of Christ’s obedience to the will of the Father. Jesus Christ is the Lamb that was “slain from the foundation of the world.” [2] Even as God created the world, He had a plan to give His Son for the fallen race of people who did not yet exist. Jesus submitted His will to His Father’s plan. He said that what He saw the Father do; He did in like manner. [3]

To follow Jesus is to be dedicated to our Heavenly Father’s will. The devil rages against obedience to God. He does everything within his power to destroy the person who lives to honor God.

For example, during the 80’s and 90’s, the Holy Spirit led me to preach the Gospel in the parks of Hong Kong. Once, at three in the morning because that was when the people that needed Jesus the most were outside. Once, He led me to a Buddhist temple on the side of a mountain. The only way up to the temple was to climb many steps. I had a 103° fever and dysentery that day. The Lord gave me faith that I would be healed as I went, and I was. I handed a couple of Buddhist monk tracts and told them that Jesus loved them and was offering to them salvation. I returned home healed. Praise the Lord!

During those days, the devil would use critical remarks of false brothers to dampen my zeal to save lost souls. Like David brothers, they suggested that I was arrogant. [4] Some called me a lone ranger. Others a Christian gunslinger! In fact, I was humbling myself to the will of God, which is to seek and save the lost.

The Gospel is simple, but the firestorm of opposition that comes against its proclaimer is complicated. Therefore, we need to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” [5]

Before we left for China, a sister in Christ prophesied over us that we would either receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit before we got to the mission field or on the day we arrived. By baptism of the Spirit, she meant the gift of speaking in tongues. I did not think I needed such a gift because I was well-versed in Scripture and was already born again. Sherry desired the gift and prayed for it.

The first day we arrived in a missionary boot camp, a couple named Keith and Shelley Snowden, convinced us to open our hearts to the gift and we did. We both spoke in tongues. I found myself saying, “I love You Lord, I love you Lord, etc.” The Holy Spirit poured God’s love into us as the apostle said He would. [6]

The Holy Spirit baptism helps us to be witnesses for Jesus. God urges us to be filled with the Spirit. [7] The way to dethrone the prince of darkness is to invite a stronger prince to dwell in one’s temple. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. His indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to discern and overcome the works of devil.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” “Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” [8]

Sometimes, the devil will use people within our ranks to betray us. The following verse applies to the experience of Jesus being betrayed by people: “’What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then He will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends.’” [9] The enemy sometimes turns brother against brother and sister against sister. The devil spreads lies. He misconstrues information to anger and embitter people.

We must submit ourselves to God. “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” [10] A house divided falls. We keep the unity by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is greater than unclean spirits. The Holy Spirit unify us by keeping the mission of spreading the Gospel to save souls as the burning passion of our existence. He helps us to set aside secondary differences to keep the ministry of spreading the Gospel as our primary objective.

In his commentary on the book of Galatians, Luther wrote, “Some of the old saints labored so hard to attain perfection that they lost the capacity to feel anything. When I was a monk, I often wished I could see a saint. I pictured him as living in the wilderness, abstaining from meat and drink, and living on roots and herbs and cold water. This weird conception of those awesome saints I had gained out of the books of the scholastics and church fathers. But we know now from the Scriptures who the true saints are. Not those who live a single life, or make a fetish of days, meats, clothes, and such things. The true saints are those who believe that they are justified by the death of Christ.

Whenever Paul writes to the Christians here and there, he calls them the holy children and heirs of God. All who believe in Christ, whether male or female, bond or free, are saints; not in view of their own works, but in view of the merits of God which they appropriate by faith. Their holiness is a gift and not their own personal achievement.”

The grace that we have received in Christ is a marvelous gift. Sharing the Gospel is a worthy cause despite the opposition. Let us keep our Gospel presentations simple, and trust in the Lord to provide victories for us when complications arise.

[1] 2 Corinthians 4:4
[2] Revelation 13:8
[3] John 5:19
[4] 1 Samuel 17:28
[5] Ephesians 6:10-12
[6] Romans 5:5
[7] Ephesians 5:18
[8] 1 John 3:8, 4:3-4
[9] Zechariah 13:6
[10] James 4:7; Ephesians 4:3