Why Our Evangelism Efforts are Failing....

[Gideon]

 

 

I am sure that some here reading this will rise up with indignation. They will share all sorts of figures as to how many labor on the mission field, how many dollars have been shared to send those laborers into the field. They will recite how many have been reached and professed faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And all they share will be accurate and true. And yet I still stand by my statement. We as His church are failing in the one mission we have been entrusted with on this earth…. to spread the gospel of Jesus to the uttermost parts of the earth. 

 

Bear with me here. I do not dispute that through missions work, flyers, radio and tv ministries, multitudes have now heard about Christianity. But sadly, the truth is that how we as everyday beliefs are living out our faith is not matching up with what we say we believe. 

 

In other words, people are not being drawn to have what we have, because frankly, what we have is not doing what it promises to do, to set us free indeed, to make us overcomers, victorious over the world, the flesh and the devil. They see no joy, no passion for the one we say we love with all of our hearts. They do not see us walking as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

 

So what do they see? They see a people healed only slightly, a people who draw near Him with our lips, but our hearts, where our time and money hand hopes and dreams are invested, they are still ours. Self still rules. They see a people who try to gloss over their worldliness and lack of the fruits of the Spirit with excuses, like “No one is perfect” and “God is not finished with me yet.”

 

To us, they make perfect sense, because they ARE true. But if we are truly honest, we will admit, especially for those who have served God a long time, that we are not much closer to acting as godly, set-apart children than when we first were saved. In truth, many of us actually less on fire, less excited about Jesus. And that brothers and sisters should raise huge red flags. And the fact that it doesn’t reveals to us that something is wrong with our understanding of what the gospel promises.

 

The world looks on. Granted, some in the world have no love for the light, and love the darkness their lives center on. But make no mistake, there are multitudes out there who are searching for real answers in these troubled times, real peace, real joy. They have innately understood that things do not make one joyful. The best this world can offer is a happiness that is fleeting, leading one to seek for the next ‘high’, whether it be things, money, power, sex, self worth, whatever.  

 

They hear us. They understand what Jesus supposedly did with their heads. They are moved by His compassion and love even when He offered up Himself for a world that did not deserve it. 

 

But then they hit “the wall”.  Us. His followers. Those who say they love Him and believe in Him and have accepted His sacrifice. Ouch. They see us go to church on Sunday mornings. They hear the ministers on tv. They listen to us politely if we get bold enough to witness to them. But they do one more thing. They observe us. And what do they see? 

 

They see  a people whose actions contradict their words. They see our lack of real joy. They see us more passionate about our team or our favorite tv show than about Jesus. They see us love the things of the world, just like they do. In short, they see our hypocrisy, and that to our shame.

 

So what will it take for us to truly fulfill the great commission? How can we actually draw them to Christ?  In Ezekiel chapter 36, God shows us clearly in these last day what will move the seekers in the world to come to Jesus.

 

"....and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord when I shall be sanctified  in you before their very eyes."

 

 If the lives of those claiming to follow the Lord do not line up with how God says His followers who believe shall walk, let's not deceive ourselves. Danger lurks.

 

Do we not realize that holy hearts, lives that burn solely for Jesus, actions that are pure and full of love.....these are the real testimony that confirms to the lost that we are walking in the truth. Our lives are the Bibles they read. Are we truly giving our all, running our race as if there is only one prize? The answer is pretty self evident for the vast majority of the church.No, we are not..... at least not yet.  ☺️ Ah, but changes..... HUGE changes… are on the horizon. God is not finished with us yet. 

 

People think if we begin having miraculous signs and wonders, then they will come. But let us realize this. If we still are found living out our lives as compromised, worldly, one foot in-one foot out Christians, we will end up making our converts just like us. 

 

Listen, true revivals in the past have been spurred by holy leaders leading people onto the highway of holiness, where the joy wells up so easily, so powerfully, that men and women bound by sin want what we possess....or in truth want the one who possesses us.

 

Let us remember, in these last days, Satan will come with all sorts of lying wonders and deceive many. Those seeking signs rather than the giver of the signs will bite.... hook, line and sinker. The ultimate draw must be the goodness and love of Christ, and if our lives do not display it, our attempts at evangelism will fail miserably. 

 

So how can the lost know who they should believe? It is simple.

 

Good trees bear good fruit.

 

If selfless love is not present in those with signs following, God says "Stop! Run!" If patience, kindness and gentleness are not accompanying those who seem so doctrinally astute, close your ears. 

 

Was this not the case in the ministry of Jesus. He said as much. 'You seek me for the miracles” or  “You come because of the free loaves and fishes" Those followers  did not last. They were those who had the good seed cast on the hard ground of their self-centered and did not put down deep roots. 

 

Do we not think it is wise we checked the depth of the soil we are attempting to grow in? 

 

It was Christ's holy life and loving heart that drew the true believers. In the book of Acts, those outside the church said "Behold how they love one another!" Talk about the real tool for evangelizing the lost. Sadly, today we are content with a new mantra. "I am not perfect, just forgiven", and using it to somehow give validity to our secret sins and compromised walks, and you know what? Jesus weeps.

 

Holiness. Real spiritual fruits overflowing our of us.  That, guys, is what we need. But first we need to believe such a walk is even humanly possible. 

 

You see,  until it bothers us that our churches are satisfied with things just the way they are and put no effort on teaching holiness or even seeking God as to how to walk pleasing to Him (or in truth even believing it possible in this life), we will simply march on in our powerless take on what real Christianity is. Far too many of us are content to be half-hearted, lukewarm,  forgiven children, following Him, but at a comfortable distance, of course, and living compromised lives with the world.....and thinking nothing is wrong with it. 

 

Whether we care to admit it or not, we are fulfilling the characteristics of the Laodecian church almost line for line, content with being forgiven for our Achilles heel sins, yet often knowing we will do the same sins again with no guilt and worse yet, possessing no desire to really be changed. And all the while we reason as we have been falsely taught... "Thank God for grace that allows me to live like this!"

 

We have come to believe that living a life of holiness is hard......no, impossible. We are wrong. And why do we believe this? Because somehow, in our minds, we feel that our salvation was all the Lord, but holiness? That burden falls back on our shoulders. And who is sufficient for that? You and I agree here. No one........ unless.......unless we have missed the real key to living as overcomers.  God is even now awakening us and restoring to us the HOW of holiness and guess what, glory to God?  it is not hard. It is an easy yoke!

 

Is your appetite wet? Or are you chaffing inside at the audacity of saying sins that have bound you for years, even decades can be overcome? Here is the key question. Do you want to be free? REALLY free. If you were told how to change from struggling child of God to an overcomer, would you really want it? How many there are that picture living a holy life to be hard and restrictive and totally unpleasurable. Will it cause change? You bet. But know this. It may upend your life, but in a wonderful way, and the thought of going back to what you were content with before? Not a chance.

 

More to come. I pray you stay tuned.. I can promise you this. If your hunger or even your curiosity is pushing you to follow along, if you will take to heart what will be shared here in the coming posts, you will discover the Christian life you had hopes of when you first got saved...... before you got religious and lowered your expectations. Guaranteed. Bold words? No doubt. True words? You bet. Prepare to be amazed.

 

Many blessings and thank you for reading,

 

Gideon

[frienduff thaylorde]

An event is beginning in places like Denmark , I think Bulgaria ,   and this event will cause an even greater division and yet an even greater sharpening of the church .

And the event is an event that will come unto western churches and churches the world wide .

One man In particular has found himself in the cross hairs of an agenda .    But in his own words ,   as he prayed ,  he was given

great peace .    He even said This was a blessing .    He said this will cause many to sell out , but it will also cause many to be refined .

A hint .   Persecution may kill or imprison the body , it may cause the loss of all material things ,    But unto those who are excersied theirin and Lovethe LORD

it works wonderus patience and helps to perfect them . 

Due to the creation of an false all inclusive world peace unity GOD ,  in time all folks will turn on the true ones .   But as the threat of persecution increases

and persecution itself increases ,  The lambs will only prosper and though many will be killed , those who loved not their lives will reap the great reward .

In the mean time ,  BIBLE UP and be made wise unto salvation through faith in Christ .   Because this delusion is a nasty one .  very deceptive , very and highly deceptive .

For it focuses on LOVE ,    yet its love is not compatible at all with the LOVE THAT COMES FROM GOD .    It focuses on unity , YET its unity is in no way

compatible with the UNITY of GOD .   It speaks with a very seductive and silver lined tongue .   And its talking all groups captive more and more .

This we must avoid at all costs or go under the delusion many will .   The focus must be on the TRUE GOSPLE , that must be first and forefront .

Sound doctrine and correction are essential to be both taught and enforced .   The lambs must be made ready IN CHRIST and HE WILL make us ready every day .

We have all we need to overcome in CHRIST , but if we heed not Him , expect only to fall . 

[Neighbor]

Hi Gideon, seems  a strawman has been set up and then  knocked him down. 

Congratulations, I guess. 

[Gideon]

If you endured the OP and I have not totally demoralized you, praise God. You see, if our lack of victory, lack of joy, lack of fervency for the Lord who bought us is what is keeping the lost at arms length, we have to seek how to change that. If God tells us that it is when He shall be sanctificed IN US that the heathen will know we possess the truth ( or more accurately, are possessed by the truth), then should it not become obvious to us that it must be possible? 

Walking in holiness and righteousness is key to winning the lost. Being filled with love for one another, and even for those who hate us is what will draw those who want to come to the light, but up til now have not seen Christians display that light of life. 

Instead, We have succeeded in lowering the standard as unattainable, and been fed the excuse that this is why Jesus came, because we need forgiveness. True enough. At the beginning. But has He not promised to change us. To fill us with fruits of righteousness?  To set us free indeed as we learn to possess our vessels in sanctification and honor? He has indeed. Then what gives??

What gives is that we are walking in only half of the good news. Yes, Jesus died for our sins. Yes, if we confess  them and repent, He is faithful and just to forgive us. But we have been ignorant of the second part of that verse.... to cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness. 

Listen, all you who hunger for real victory in your actions and in your thought lives. God is even now taking off the blinders of His true saints, and those who are found hunger and thirsting not just for forgiveness that they commit again and again, but for true inner heart righteousness that expresses itself outwardly with holy lives, with loving actions, with a true hatred of the actions of their old nature, God is giving us what we desperately have needed...... the HOW of walking as holy, living sacrifices. 

 

To be continued......

Blessings, 

Gideon

[Jostler]

I'm not struggling to identify with  your posts at all.  It's describing a very real fight I'm in and deep dissatisfaction with some longstanding issues I used to feel free to make excuses for and I just can't do that any more.  A timely word at least for me.  He's calling me to a higher way of being and denying me the ability to excuse not letting Him take me there.

Edit to add:  and no, I don't find it demoralizing   I am gleefully aware that He who has begun a good work in me will be faithful to complete it   As much as my flesh may want to resist certain aspects and  cling to it's unholy desires, my heart is to obey Him and be found worthy to labor in His field.  It's harvest time.

Edited February 4, 2019 by Jostler

[Not me]

@Gideon

Very good. Looking forward to your words. 

Blessings;

22 minutes ago, Jostler said:

I'm not struggling to identify with  your posts at all.  It's describing a very real fight I'm in and deep dissatisfaction with some longstanding issues I used to feel free to make excuses for and I just can't do that any more.  A timely word at least for me.  He's calling me to a higher way of being and denying me the ability to excuse not letting Him take me there.

Edit to add:  and no, I don't find it demoralizing   I am gleefully aware that He who has begun a good work in me will be faithful to complete it   As much as my flesh may want to resist certain aspects and  cling to it's unholy desires, my heart is to obey Him and be found worthy to labor in His field.  It's harvest time.

Jostler, what a heart! 

May God enlarge Himself in you above all you can ask or think. 

Keep that heart! 

Blessing;

Much love in Christ, Not me   

[Jostler]

16 minutes ago, Not me said:

@Gideon

Very good. Looking forward to your words. 

Blessings;

Jostler, what a heart! 

May God enlarge Himself in you above all you can ask or think. 

Keep that heart! 

Blessing;

Much love in Christ, Not me   

Thankyou very much for the prayer, I'll take all that I can get  

[Not me]

6 minutes ago, Jostler said:

Thankyou very much for the prayer, I'll take all that I can get  

Anytime and always. 

A heart that sees it’s own need. 

Blessings, 

Much love in Christ, Not me 

[frienduff thaylorde]

2 hours ago, Cletus said:

something not taught in churches these days is how to depend on God.  many churches teach we are doing it for God.  Even in churches that teach "sound doctrine"

there are so many false teachings out there its pathetic.  false teachings will not bear fruit... God will not bless it.  and I am not just speaking to the obvious ones such as prosperity and word of faith doctrines.  we got to get back to the gospel... which does indeed include repentance and not just defined as changing your mind.  its time for christians to start taking gods word more seriously, especially on the basics. 

another problem is no teachings can be found on how to depend on God... reliance on the Holy Spirit.  Jesus told us He would send another in His place, a Comforter.   The Book even says when The Holy Spirit comes upon us we would receive power... and how many churches now preach the gifts of the Spirit are no more?  I have experienced 7 of the nine gifts personally.  I have no reason to make this up... and even more if I had not experienced them would have no knowledge of this topic at all.  people are not prepared, not taught to pray for God to send us where He needs us to go, or to be sincere in asking this, people are not taught to pray for those on their path, that their hearts be prepared to hear and receive The Word, and they would want to repent... people are not taught to pray for God to put His words in their mouth to speak to the lost because we do not know what they need to hear... BUT God does!  i hear missionary stories of saints in china persecuted and hunted so heavily they have to have the Holy Spirit tell them each day where they will meet in secret to assemble together and worship God and that no other way is safe for them.  we honor God with our mouth... but our heart is far from Him.  we do not draw near to Him.  many of us get so close and become comfortable... but Gods Spirit is a consuming fire... mere christianity is My life for yours... we die to ourselves and He lives in and thru us... we become more and more like Him. 

there is one more aspect though... we are at a war and the spirit of antichrist is trying to overwhelm the church in every way.  many are not going to change or desire God.  many are going to go away from God farther.  But i know one thing for sure... God is going to use those who are available.  those of us who clean the inside of the cup.  He will use those to do His will.  He is going to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. even the little ones will prophecy.  and for a while it will appear we are loosing... but i read the end of the book.  We win... We win.  until then if the world vexes your spirit Then God is drawing you closer and we need to respond appropriately. 

That's right Cletus , let those who love the LORD , charge full force into the trenches fearing no man , no loss , but following only CHRIST and His SPIRIT .

Those whose eyes the LORD has opened,   THEY KNOW what days we in .  THEY KNOW for THE LORD has given them grace to see clearly .

And we RUNNING out of time .    As that nasty delusion builds it will suck up everything not in the lambs book of life . 

FOR NOW we must sound that alarm , and preach sound doctrine , instruct in righteous living , expose the evil and false ways .  AND STAND ON THE STONE

and fear not a thing man can do , no loss, no suffering , no not even death .   ARMOUR UP that ye can withstand the evil delusion and expose it and warn as many as you can .

[Wayne222]

I think the church has always been this way. Read Pauls letter to corth. There always been a struggle with holiness and fervent living for the lord. It's always the few who are fervent. Jesus said to the churches in Rev buy gold tried in fire. He said he was watching us. There is nothing different or new. We are told to en courage each other as we see the day approach.