Deuteronomy 20:3-4
“Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
We are not fighting the same battles that Israel fought. Paul reminds us, we do not fight against flesh and blood, but we are engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12). We are not fighting for king and country, but for Christ and the furtherance of His kingdom. That being said, the principle found in Deuteronomy is timeless, and will apply to each of us as we seek to be involved in winning others to Christ.
When we stand on the verge of battle with an opportunity to share Christ with a family member, co-worker, or friend, it is common for our hearts to begin to beat frantically within our chest. At the same time, our minds begin to run wild with all the possible negative responses we may encounter. Mixed with this, is a sudden flood of all the possible questions that may arise, for which we do not have an answer. Allow me to remind you, the Lord is going with you, and He will fight for you. Never once, do we read of God sending His people into battle, physical or spiritual, and then leaving them to their own resources. Time and time again, God fights on behalf of His people.
When you step out in faith to invite others to church, or you attempt to share the gospel with them, and convince them of their need for Christ, you do not do it alone. The Spirit of God has been working in those individuals for a lifetime, preparing them for the very things that you will share with them. The same Spirit of God also empowers the words you say, so they will penetrate the hardness of heart, and impact their lives.
Instead of focusing on how weak you are, remember how strong God is, and in the day of battle you will not faint.
Mark 13:10-11
“And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”
Pastor Jim
As the world approaches the end times, difficulties will increase. The believer is reminded that these difficult situations are the perfect backdrop in which to share Christ with the world. This is a principle to live by. We do not need to wait until the end to have an impact upon the lives around us. The present circumstances which you face have been designed by God as the best conditions for you to grow as a Christian, and have an impact upon others for the kingdom of Heaven. In addition to reminding the disciples of the opportunities He will provide for them, Jesus also gives a promise of success:
Sadly, the world has no shortage of those who are in need of Christ. Our population has reached the seven billion mark. Seven billion souls walking this planet, many of whom do not yet know Christ. We recognize certain places in the world as being unreached. Places where many, or even most, of the citizens are yet to hear the good news of salvation, through faith in Christ. We need to pray, send, and provide for those who go to the uttermost parts of the earth with the Good News of Christ. However, we cannot neglect to remember the many unreached souls in our own backyard. Here, in Luke 10, as Jesus sends the seventy, we have some practical instruction on how to reach the lost.
In the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus encountered a man with an unclean spirit. While there is no way of knowing what lifestyle he had lived which led to his condition, we can surmise from other accounts of dealing with demons, he was living in great darkness and difficulty. Whatever turmoil he faced, the solution was encountering Jesus. What the world could not do, Jesus did with seven simple words,”be quiet and come out of him.”
Jim Gallagher 