Running Counter-Culture

“Finally, my brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it also is with you.” (2Thessalonians 3:1)

Paul asks specifically that the Word of the Lord, the Gospel, may have free course and be glorified. The reason for this is because there are many hinderances to the Gospel. These hinderances may be demonic hinderances that keep the Gospel from being shared and hinderances that keep us from sharing. We miss many opportunities due to life itself, our responsibilities and personal doubts. The timing may not be right. The circumstances may not be convenient for an opportunity to share. It may be that we feel we lack the ability to make a connection from real life to the Word. Our minds may not be attentive to what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. It may be a lack of prayer, specifically for opportunities. Not only should we pray specifically for opportunities of an open door for the Gospel but also for the hearer. There are many hinderances that life presents to the hearer also. And there are demonic hinderances as well.

“Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:38) When we pray, we must be ready to say, “Send me.” Paul wrote to the Colossians the following: “Continue in prayer and watch in it with thanksgiving, praying together about us also, that God may open to us a door of the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I also have been bound, that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those on the outside, redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4:2-5) Pray for open doors for the Word. Pray that wisdom and the right words be given to those sharing the Gospel.

Paul set out clearly how to pray intentionally about encountering an opportunity to testify on the Lord’s behalf. “And pray 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 bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20) Pray for utterance to speak the Word boldly as is needed. And as he mentioned to the Colossians, “... to speak the mystery of Christ... that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.” So, our prayer should be for boldness in our utterance and clarity as we speak.

Paul also asked that the Thessalonians pray that the Gospel “...be glorified even as it also is with you.”  When Paul and his collaborators wrote the second letter to the Thessalonians, Timothy had no doubt brought the news of how they accepted the Gospel, how their faith and love had grown and how they were hopefully and patiently enduring the persecution that they were going through. “We are bound to thank God always for you, my brothers, as it is right, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of you abounds toward one another; so much so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you endure.” (2Thessalonians 1:3-4) The Gospel was being glorified in their lives in the midst of a culture that rejected and persecuted those who lived righteously.

Today the Gospel clashes with culture throughout the world. We see persecution of Christians not only in nations that are restricted and hostile to the Gospel, but in nations that formally followed Christian principles such as London, Canada and the United States where arrests are done if we pray in public or exercise our right to free speech. Pastors are harassed by depraved and deviant immoral perverts in their very homes. When Christians are wronged and complain, authorities look the other way. But we are not surprised by any of it. Jesus told us these days were coming. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept My saying, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”

(John 15:18-21)

Although these days are coming and will become even more difficult to worship and to be obedient to the One True God, Jesus warned us of the consequences of denying Him. “Therefore, do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and nothing hidden which shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows. Then everyone who shall confess Me before men, I will confess him before My Father who is in Heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:26-33)

Fellow believers, do we then not obey the Lord, knowing the consequences of proclaiming the Gospel which saves souls from the fire of hell? We will be accountable for not taking the opportunity in the face of persecution. We must declare the salvation that the Lord offers or be accountable for their eternal death. We’re afraid of ridicule, scorn and rejection. Will we also be afraid of persecution? The Lord warned Ezekiel about not warning the wicked. “When I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. And when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and when I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous so that the righteous does not sin, and if he does not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.” (Ezekiel 3:18-21) Surely, we will suffer the consequences of not sharing the “Better than Good News,” the Gospel with the unbeliever. We have to speak, even if it offends them. That’s what Charlie Kirk was doing. And they killed him for it. Hatred of God killed him. This world killed him.

It goes without saying that we must do it because we love them enough to speak salvation to them who are perishing and don’t know it. We must tell them about the Gospel in spite of the consequences it may bring us. If they don’t receive it at least, they cannot say no one warned them. I suggest that if you don’t have love for the wicked don’t share the Gospel because God’s motive is love. The Lord offers salvation to us all, even in our sin. “But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He doesn’t want anyone to suffer the destruction that is coming. “The Lord is not slow to do what He has promised, as some think. Instead, He is patient with you, because He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.” (2Peter 3:9 GNB)

Concluding, pray for the spread of the Gospel and for those who share the Gospel daily despite persecution. We need to pray to have a love for lost souls so that we can pray for them and so that we can share God’s love for them. Sharing the Gospel is not an argument. It’s not to say we’re right and you’re wrong. We know that if someone doesn’t repent of their sin and receive the Lord, they will perish. Allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does, convict people of the Truth. We cannot do it, especially when we get into an argument. We are to present the Truth and testify by our life, not expert knowledge of the Scriptures and arguments. If we pray like Paul instructed the Thessalonians, the Word will have free course, will be honored, received and accepted.

Let us pray:

Father God, I am so grateful for Your gift of salvation. Thank You, Lord, for the abiding Holy Spirit Who guided, revealed and gave me understanding of the Truth of the Gospel. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace and mercy which You freely give me daily. Father, I pray for a heart that loves the sinner like You love. Give me the right words to speak to those who are seeking. Help me to explain the Gospel in such a way that they will understand. Make my entire life, speech and heart exude Your love. I pray Lord that the Gospel will be unhindered in every corner of the world where Your children are witnessing and doing the work of evangelism. Protect them Father from evil men. I thank You Father that You work miracles every day in the lives of people. You wisdom is far above all the wisdom on earth and in the spiritual realm. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.