A letter of encouragement to those who believe.
Sometimes it can be hard pouring into someone who doesn’t necessarily want to be poured into. Sometimes we as Christians get discouraged when a person who we’ve tried to present Jesus to isn’t responsive. Well let me encourage you my friend.
The bible has examples on how to deal with rejection.
1. God gives us Authority and Power.
Matthew 10 (NIV) is a great example of how God can empower us even when we feel unworthy to serve in his kingdom. In this story, Jesus equipped his twelve disciples verse 1 says, “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness”. This verse emphasized Gods authority to us all, Disciples.
2. God teaches us to have a servant heart!
In Verse 5, Jesus sent out the twelve with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is near’. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.”
In this verse we learn that God put aside his crown and came to earth to serve and save others. This is what he wants us to do under all circumstances. But what happens when we are scared of encounters and rejection?
3. God has our back and is omniscient
In verse 16 Jesus goes on to say to his disciples: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
In this verse Jesus is aware of the dangers and the rejection that was to come for his disciples and I think it applies to us Christians today. We are going to be tested and turned down, but we have to have faith in God and know that we’re covered.
I thank God for Revive Texas and what it has done for me. God has truly shown me his presence in every encounter I’ve come across. He has always given me the right thing to say to a person or the right thing to pray for. When I first went out to evangelize with the revive team, I was extremely nervous about the idea of going to a total stranger on the street and sharing Jesus with them. I’ve been a Christian for most of life and with that being the case, I thought it would be easy to go out and talk about Jesus to others. Well it was not easy and I was scared out of mind by the time it was actually time to do it. My team of four came together for a prayer and we went to a busy gas station in Ponder. We met many different types of people and attempted to pour into them the word of God and pray with and for them. Some were very positive toward the fact that we were actually at a gas station sharing Christ with others and those people allowed us to speak into their lives. Then there were those who turned us down, but seemed almost ready for the Gospel, so they didn’t allow us to even pray with them. Lastly there were those who treated us like we had a sickness and tried to avoid us in every way possible. This was a very difficult day for my group, but we didn’t dwell on the fact that some people rejected us, but instead we celebrated the lives that we were able to touch. What inspired me the most about that day was how I felt growth through my ministry one encounter at a time. It could not have been anything else, but the Holy Spirit working through me. I asked in a prayer earlier that day for God to make me bold and for him to give me the right words and he did just that. I’ve gone out several other times after and it has been a blessing to see some come to Jesus. Just the experience has set me on fire for God even more!
Revive Texas will go on for one more week and I want to challenge everyone to go out and allow God to use them. Men, Women and Children, no matter which category you fall under, YOU ARE CALLED BY GOD!
The Gospel is for everyone who believes, the Gospel Is for the Jew and the Gentile
Romans 1:16 (NIV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile”.
Let us not be ashamed. Let us go now! God has our back!
What we all must remember when we go out, is God provides what’s needed to be successful. We often cower when we feel what we are called to do is based on our ability to do it. But if God wanted us to use our strength, we’d most likely mess up, and He wouldn’t receive the glory! Paul tells us in Philippians 4: 15 “that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens, or enables us”.
Be encouraged!
