Warfare by Witness

6 Amens

Amen

Warfare by Witness

Mark 16:14 Later He (Jesus) appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 

19So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

 

This I believe is a most powerful weapon against the devil. I have been a Christian long enough to see people chase the devil from pillar to post casting him this way and casting him that binding and loosing him till he doesn’t even know which one he is. These fanatics love a good manifestation and love a show. The louder the scream the better the bigger the engagement the better and many neglect one of the greatest weapons we have against the devil and that’s to win the lost.

 

This is what I want to speak about tonight.

 

Charles Spurgeon gives this chilling statement “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself, be sure of that.”

 

John Wesley says: “Evangelism is the one business of every believer on Earth.”

 

Jonathon Edwards remarked “Preach abroad? It is the cooping yourselves up in rooms that has dampened the work of God, which never was and never will be carried out to any purpose without going into the highways and hedges and compelling men and women to come in.”

 

Oh God forbid that this should be the generation that goes down without a care for the lost world. I pray so hard and fervently that God will stir us up into a Holy boldness and fire that gives us no lack of courage to shout His word from the housetops to a sin soaked and hell bound world.

 

We need a church of desperate people who are willing to pay any price for a burden for the lost. It can’t be good enough to just keep going at the rate we are going. I have been caught several times just walking through shopping malls and city streets and my eyes start to fill with tears at the thought of all the people who surround me loosing my soul into eternal damnation and yet there is a church on every corner that has the answer…

 

Do you weep for them?

 

Do they mean anything to you?

 

.........................................................................................................

 

I Got Off At
George Street

 

This all started a number of years ago in a Baptist church in Crystal Palace in South London . The Sunday morning service was closing and a man stood up at the back and raised his hand and said: "Excuse me pastor can I share a short testimony?" The pastor looked at his watch and said "You have three minutes". The man proceeded with his story: "I've just moved into this area. I used to live in Sydney Australia. Just a few months back I was visiting some relatives and I was walking down
George Street
. A strange little white haired man stepped out from a shop doorway, put a pamphlet in my hand and said: "Excuse me sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?" "I was astounded by these words. No one had ever asked me that. I thanked him courteously and all the way on the plane back to London this puzzled me. I called a friend and thank God he was a Christian and he led me to Christ." The Baptists love testimonies like that. Everyone applauded and welcomed him into their fellowship.

 

This Baptist pastor flew to Adelaide, Australia the next week and 10 days later in the middle of a three day series in a Baptist church in Adelaide , a woman came up to him for some counselling. He wanted to see where she stood with being saved. She said "I used to live in Sydney and just a couple of months back I was visiting some friends in Sydney doing some last minute shopping down
George Street
. A strange little white haired man stepped out of a shop doorway and offered me a pamphlet and said "Excuse me madam, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?" "I was disturbed by those words. When I got home to Adelaide , I knew this Baptist church was on the next block form me. I sought out the pastor and he led me to Christ. So I am now a Christian."

 

The London pastor was now very puzzled. Twice in two weeks he had heard the same testimony. He then flew to preach in a large Church in Perth . When his teaching series was over the senior elder of that Church took him out for a meal and he asked the elder how he got saved. "I grew up in this church from the age of 15. I never made a commitment to Jesus, just hopped on the bandwagon like everyone else. I was quite successful in business and I was on a business trip to Sydney just three years ago. An obnoxious spiteful little man stepped out of a shop doorway, offered me a religious pamphlet - cheap junk - and confronted me with a question: "Excuse me sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?" I tried to tell him I was a Baptist elder. He wouldn't listen to me. I was seething with anger all the way home from Sydney to Perth . I told my pastor, thinking that he would sympathize, but he agreed. He had wondered for years about my relationship with Jesus, and he was right. My pastor led me to Jesus just three years ago."

 

This London preacher than flew home and was soon speaking at the Keswick conventions in the Lake District and he spoke about these three testimonies. At the close of this teaching series, fours elderly pastors came up and explained that they too had been saved between 25 and 30 years earlier through that same little man on
George Street
, offering them a pamphlet and asking that same question.

 

The following week he flew to a similar Keswick convention in the Caribbean to missionaries. He shared the same testimonies. At the close of his teaching three missionaries came forward and said that they had also had been saved between 15 and 25 years earlier by that same little man's testimony and asked us the same question on George Street in Sydney.

 

Next he stopped in Atlanta, Georgia to speak at a Naval Chaplain convention. Here for three days he spoke to over 1000 Naval Chaplains. Afterwards the Chaplain General took him out for a meal and the pastor asked the Chaplain how he’d became a Christian. "It was miraculous. I was a rating on a Naval battleship and I lived a sinful life. We were doing exercises in the South Pacific and we docked at Sydney harbour for replenishments. We hit Kings Cross with a vengeance. I got blind drunk, stumbled on the wrong bus and got off at
George Street
. As I got off the bus, I though I saw a ghost, as this man jumped out in front of me, pushed a pamphlet in my hand and said "Sailor, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?" The fear of God hit me immediately. I was shocked sober, ran back to the ship and sought out the Chaplain. He led me to Christ. So I soon began preparing for the ministry under his guidance. I am now in charge of 1000 chaplains who are bent on soul winning today."

 

Six months later that very London pastor flew to a conference for 5,000 Indian missionaries in a remote part of India . At the end of the conference the head missionary took him to his humble little home for a simple meal. He asked how he as a Hindu came to Christ. "I grew up in a very privileged position, I worked the Indian Diplomatic Mission and I travelled the world. I am so glad for the forgiveness of Christ and blood covering my sin. I would be so very embarrassed if people found out the things I used to get up to. One period of diplomatic service took me down to Sydney . I was doing some last minute shopping, laden with toys and clothes for my children. I was walking down George Street when a courteous white haired little man stepped out in front of me and offered me a pamphlet and said "Excuse me sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven?" I accepted it and thanked him very much, but this really disturbed me. I got back to my town, sought out our Hindu priest. He couldn't help me, but he advised me that, to satisfy my curious mind and for no other reason, I should go and talk to the missionary in the mission home at the end of road. That was good advice because that day the missionary led me to Christ. I quit Hinduism immediately and began to prepare for ministry. I left the Diplomatic Service and here I am today, by God's grace in charge of all these missionaries who have together led 100,000 people to Christ.

 

Eight months later that London Pastor was preaching in Sydney . He asked the local Baptist Minister if he knew of a little elderly white haired man who handed out tracts on
George Street
. He replied "Yes is do, his name is Mr. Genor, although I don't think he does it any more because he is so frail and elderly." Two nights later they went to meet him in his little apartment. They knocked on the door and this tiny frail old man greeted them. He sat them down and made them tea. He was so frail that he was slopping the tea into the saucer as his hands shook. The London preacher sat there and told him of all these accounts from the previous three years.

 

This little man sat with tears running down his cheeks. He told them his story. "I was a naval officer on an Australian warship. I was living a very sinful life. In a crisis I really hit the wall. One of my colleagues, to whom I gave literal hell, was there to help me. He led me to Jesus and the change in my life was night to day in 24 hours. I was so grateful to God; I promised God that I would share Jesus in a simple witness with at least 10 people a day. As God gave me strength I did that. Sometimes I was ill and couldn't do it, but I made up for the days I missed it at other times. I wasn't at all paranoid about it. I have done this for over 40 years. In my retirement years, the best place was on
George Street
where I saw hundreds of people a day. I got lots of rejections, but a lot of people courteously took the tract.

 

In 40 years of doing this, I have never heard of one single person coming to Jesus until today."

 

You know, I would say that he has to be commitment. To show gratitude and love for Jesus to do that for 40 years and not hear of any results. That simple little non-charismatic Baptist man witnessed to perhaps 147,000 people. I think that what God was showing that Baptist pastor from London was only the tip of the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Goodness knows how many more had been arrested for Christ. Doing huge jobs out in the mission fields.

 

Mr. Genor died two weeks later. Can you imagine the reward he went home to in Heaven? I doubt his face would ever have appeared on a world popular Magazine. I doubt he was ever going to be interviewed by Oprah or even speak at the world’s biggest conferences. No one except a little group of Baptists in Sydney knew about Mr. Genor, but I tell you his name was famous in Heaven.

 

Heaven knew Mr. Genor and you can imagine the welcome, the Red Carpet, and all the fanfare that he received when he went home to Glory. Can you imagine heaven standing and applauding as he arrived home to his reward?

 

And most important of all just imagine hearing those words that are worth spending a lifetime to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

 

.........................................................................................................

 

OS if it’s that easy, why don’t we just go and do it?

 

Our greatest enemy in declaring the gospel and telling others about the saving grace of God is FEAR!

 

This is going to be too hard hitting for many of you:

 

The reason we won’t evangelise to the lost people in your world is because we’re ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

If you were truly baptised in the Holy Spirit, and many of you claim to be, than you would have absolutely no issue with boldness!

 

Jesus said to the disciples: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem , and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8

 

Acts 4:29-31 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

 

Ephesians 6:17-20 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

“I don’t care how many tongues you speak in, how many prophecies you’ve had, how many signs you’ve wrought: If you have no boldness than you cant be filled with the Holy Spirit…

 

Boldness is not a lack of fear and dread as you open up to perhaps a complete stranger. It’s inner power to go beyond weakness and trepidation and preach the gospel anyway.

 

Boldness is not a complete calm and indifferent mindset when you’re attempting to relay the mysteries of the eternal gospel to someone who has never heard them before it.

 

It is a sense of strength, power, ability (Dunamis) to go beyond what you might be feeling at the point of fear.

 

Jesus Christ Himself had a Gethsemane experience where he was freaking out at His time of duty and by the looks of most believers asking them to evangelise and witness to the unsaved seems a scarier prospect than being crucified.

 

We’re so worried the world is going to hate us and reject us yet we forget Jesus Himself said that we should take heart when they despise us because they despised Him 1st. But take heart/courage for I have overcome the world”

 

Look at Peter who was completely reduced to an impotent little child in front of a slave girl around a fire while His Lord and Saviour was suffering the pains of death for him. She asked him: “Hey, weren’t you one of them.”

 

“Oh No” he replied. And she pressed him harder and said: “Yes I'm sure of it; you were with that man called Jesus.” And he completely buckled under the pressure and swore just to prove he wasn’t a believer.

 

Does that seem vaguely familiar to any of you tonight?

 

Weeks later he was standing in front of a crowd of multiple thousands and BOLDLY said; “This Jesus Christ you took by sinful hands and killed; God has raised Him from the dead!”

 

We Must Preach The Gospel To All People!!!

 

I remember walking through a toilet block at the local shopping centre and I was with a friend who seemed so ashamed of the fact that he was a Christian that I had to show him that it’s ok to be bold and speak the truth no matter what people say. As we were at the hand washing basin I noticed a guy at the hand dryer and I turned and looked at my friend and smiled and turned back and said: “Hey mate, did you want to know how to get to heaven?”

 

You’ll never believe what came out of his sinful, rotten, and defiled mouth: “Yes, I would like to know.”

 

So I told him right there in a toilet block.

 

.........................................................................................................

 

Hell is a great motivator for evangelism and I have preached, of recent times, some searching messages on the topic in order to stir the hearts of people to go and witness to the lost and its powerful stuff.

 

§     Hell should be as much a torment to Christians alive as it is to the unbeliever dead!

 

§     Until our prayer meetings here on Earth match the intensity of those in hell right now than we'll have to be satisfied with the petty progress we make and indeed we are petty in comparison

 

§     Just imagine Jesus’ face at the judgment when He asks you for an account for the life you were supposed to spend saving sinners from their sin, and your reason for the negligence you've shown is “Oh sorry about that Jesus, I much preferred to use the life you gave me to: eat, drink and party while your dear children must suffer eternally to pay for my irresponsible philandering.”

 

I was thinking about it and tried to come up with a real life comparison that would help me to understand the scenario were in and I started to think of my lovely sister. I absolutely love my sister and her family especially her two little kids. They’re complete angels and they love their uncle Craigy.

 

I pictured my sis asking me to take care of the young kids while she and her husband go out for diner and a movie. “Just a few hours.” She says and I nod in complete confidence. Only a couple of hours and it will be their bed time anyway so I can just sit back and watch the tele.

 

So she and her husband leave the house and drive out of the driveway I turn the tele on grab a flask of bourbon and raid the fridge (This is just an illustration). Meanwhile one of the darling kids lights a match in the bedroom and that entire end of the house burns down in a matter of minutes with those children stuck inside. They scream for help and my reply is: “Would you stop misbehaving I'm trying to enjoy myself here and I want no distractions!”

 

Tell me what you think my sister’s reaction would be when she returns home to see not just her house destroyed and her children lost in a preventable fire but I'm still sitting in ease enjoying my fleeting time there.

 

And why would you expect God’s reaction to be any different when He returns and sees the church that has endued with all the power they need sitting at ease while His children who don’t know any better burn to death screaming out “save us, save us, save us!”

 

.........................................................................................................

 

Even knowing all this you must understand the greatest motivator to get out there and evangelise isn’t hell…

 

Please listen to the most offensive scripture in the bible by a man who I believe was 2nd in godliness only to the Lord Himself.

 

Rom 9:1-3 “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh…”

 

I have read that and preached on it and read it more and prayed about it and I feel I understand it less now than I ever have.

 

The greatest motivator for wanting to win the lost is LOVE. Paul here states that he would gladly, not begrudgingly but if he was offered even a smidgen of a chance he would throw himself at it.

 

He says that he would endure the eternal consequences of hell that others (his countrymen) might inherit heaven.

 

Try and comprehend that coming form a man who had seen the glories of heaven and when he tried to describe it he simply said. Words are insufficient and he still choses to say the he would in a moment choose hell if it meant others wouldn’t have to go there.

 

Does that sound vaguely familiar???

 

Didn’t Jesus also demonstrate His love for us when he endured the agonies and torments of God’s judgment for the sake of a people who hadn’t even decided to accept Him yet???

 

Read More

Comments:

Craig C. Ireland

Feel free to contact preacher or ministry through: craig@impactcc.com.au

Blessings