Title: Word, Prayer, Evangelism
Contents
1. Words that begin
It is a good thing to provide a job for someone who has been laid off from an unwanted voluntary retirement, and it is also good to heal someone who is ill to death. However, the most noble love that cannot be compared with any good deeds is to share the gospel with unbelievers so that they can enjoy eternal life. The fruit of this evangelical mission is the way to bring great joy to God. In Luke 15:7, Jesus said, “I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.”
In this way, in order to bring great joy to God and to show the noblest love to people, we must have the three elements of prayer, the Word, and evangelism.
2. Pray in the Holy Spirit constantly for spiritual warfare
Mission is to allow those who are led down the path of destruction under the control of the devil's weapons of sin and death to believe in Jesus the Atonement and to enjoy eternal life.
In that sense, mission is a spiritual battle to save those who have been subject to the power of the devil through sin to the Lord, the Son of God the Creator, and a spiritual battle against the adversary devil, who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. The Apostle John said, “He who sins is of the devil, and the devil sins from the beginning, because the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). The Apostle Paul said, “He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13).
Therefore, we must put on the full armor of God and pray for the spiritual battle to protect ourselves and the spiritual battle that follows missions.
In order to resist the devil who is constantly attacking us with supernatural wisdom and power, I hope that we too will always be awake and pray in all forms so that we can continue to be supplied with God's wisdom and power, and believe that we will be victorious only by following God's instructions. Also, in this spiritual battle, we will have to keep in close contact and cooperation with each other through prayer.
In particular, what we need to pay attention to here is the word that we should pray ‘in the Spirit’, not ‘in ourselves’. It means that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, just as the air is full inside and outside us. This “in the Holy Spirit” is the decisive element of answered prayer.
The reason why we must receive answers when we pray in the Holy Spirit is that we ask for God's will, not our own, and we seek God's will, not our own, and we will seek God's will, not our own. is. Another reason is that we can pray with confidence when we pray in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 says, “In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. You know, because the Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
Dear all! Please believe that God who hears our prayers will give us what is best for us at the right time.
3. Paul's Prayer Request for Evangelism
The Apostle Paul, who encouraged us to always watch and pray for the spiritual warfare and faith brethren through evangelism missions, continues, “What I ask for is, give me the word, so that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.”
The apostle Paul, who is serving a prison sentence, did not ask for his personal welfare and peace, but only to receive the word and boldly preach the mystery of the gospel. It is also a request like the apostle Paul. Like Paul, I hope that we too will have the amazing faith to carry out the Lord's will beyond our own life or death in any situation.
Paul's request for prayer is very unusual. The purpose is to ask God to open Paul's mouth, to put the word into his mouth, and to speak the word boldly. It cannot but be a request from faith that is not self-centered, but completely God-centered, not self-centered, but completely God-centered. In addition, it cannot but be an attitude of life that is completely obedient to God's will.
One late night, while riding a city bus, I was passing Cheonggyecheon while napping among the tired passengers. Suddenly, three strong guards got on the bus, drunk. The bus, which was quiet for a moment, became a mess due to the drunkenness of the three guards. They fell to and fro every time the bus stopped or turned left and right, and they chattered. People frowned and avoided themselves, but they did not try to restrain them.
At that time, the man in his mid-40s sitting in the middle seat finally spoke. “Hey, young people! Are you the only ones here? Can't you be a little quieter?"
At that moment, the inside of the bus became quiet. All the passengers looked nervously, taking turns staring at the brave man and the three drunken guards.
Then the guards shouted. “What, what are you, what are you talking about!”
I looked around, but none of the thirteen or four passengers seemed willing to step up and help the man. So I was thinking about how to help, and suddenly I said, “Civil defense. Hey!" I heard the bold voice of an uncle saying.
In the wind, all the passengers in the bus were on the man's side with the sound of laughter. And the three drunken guards, who forgot what to say, got off at the next stop like the remnants.
Aren't we all soldiers of Christ? We must boldly defeat the devil with the sword of the word and rescue the unbelievers under his rule.
He not only made such a request, he lived a life of evangelism. The significance and purpose of Paul's existence was, in a word, missionary work. Apostle Paul knew that evangelism was God's fundamental will, the purpose of the Lord's coming into the world, and the noblest work to give people eternal life, and he lived a life of doing it. Although he was imprisoned in chains while preaching the gospel, he did not give in to the slightest bit and boldly preached the gospel both verbally and in writing.
In the end, God gave the word to this humble prisoner, Paul, and in answer to prayer, he boldly preached the gospel and conquered Rome with the gospel.
In fact, there is no reason or condition that prevents us from fulfilling the mission God has entrusted to us, especially the mission of the gospel. The problem is that we ourselves do not engrave the Word, pray, or evangelize.
4. Conclusion
Finally, I would like to introduce you to Tori's article. “It is now known to everyone that the most extensive and enduring revival in American revival history was the result of Mr. Finney's work, and it was the result of a woman's hidden fervent prayers that brought about it.”
I hope that all of us diligently engrave the Word in our hearts, pray, and evangelize, so that we can experience the work of God's revival.
(Poongseong Methodist Church. Book: Complete Commentary on 27 New Testament Volumes/ Interpretation of Difficult Scriptures I, II/ Salvation Before Jesus Came/Paul’s Understanding of Man/ Prosperous Prayer/ Seasonal Sermonbooks/ Sermonbook 18. -3051)