I love it when the apostle, Paul, says that he had fought the good fight and had finished the race. It seems so many–in life and even in God’s work–start well, but have a hard time finishing. Think of these words from the Holy Spirit to the Christians receiving the letter to the Hebrews:
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” (Heb. 10: 35-36)
So often, God’s ambassadors, who take seriously the mission that Jesus calls them to–to go into all the world and preach the gospel, get worn down. They get discouraged. They tire from the intense spiritual warfare involved in the “ministry of reconciliation.” Then they fade away…
How can we combat this tendency? How can we keep ourselves encouraged in the Lord when it comes to evangelizing? Here are ten practical suggestions.
1. Listen often to my heavenly Father’s words urging me to keep going:
Gal 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Heb 10:35-36 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
2. Read, think, speak the gospel to myself often. I must swim in the blessedness of the gospel and appropriate the benefits of the gospel in order to faithfully proclaim the gospel.
• Gospel Primer
• Comforts of the Cross
• Jerry Bridges—Transforming Grace
3. Quote these verses often:
Eph 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
4. Be quick, rather than slow, to request prayer. Ephesians 6:18-19.
5. Don’t get confused. Be steadfast in understanding that God’s objective is not to make you comfortable, but to comform you to the image of His Son.
1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Story of the silversmith
6. Know and meditate on God’s definition of successful evangelism—well-stated by J.I. Packer:
“If you are not, in this sense, seeking to bring about conversions, you are not evangelizing . . . but the way to tell whether in fact you are evangelizing is not to ask whether conversions are known to have resulted from your witness. It is to ask whether you are faithfully making known the gospel message.”
7. Memorize and meditate specifically on Scriptures dealing with the gospel, evangelizing, eternity, Hell.
8. Embrace (rather than shudder at) the hardship of warfare.
2 Tim 2:3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
9. Surround yourself with the words of gospel-preaching giants through good, strengthening books.
• Three-Fold Gold—Ray Comfort
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God—J.I. Packer
• Overcome Fear; Share Your Faith—Ray Comfort
10. Fellowship –in the work of the gospel with fellow soldiers of the cross.
May God grant us all the fortitude, the stamina, the determination, and above all, His abundance grace to finish our race well!
Pastor Chris