Throughout our lives, we all encounter situations where we believe it is better to hide that we are Christians or followers of Jesus Christ. Behind this fear lies the fear of rejection, ridicule, not being accepted, losing a job, suffering persecution, and so on. Even Peter faced the same problem in a dangerous situation.
“Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” Matthew 26:75
1. Mandate to preach the gospel
“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.'” Mark 16:15
In the four gospels, the Lord gives us the “Great Commission” to preach the gospel to everyone. It is necessary for us to have this as something constant and daily, as the apostle Paul indicates:
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2
To preach the Word, we must read it, study it, gather, and be in communion with the Lord. We must always be prepared.
2. God will put the Words in our mouth
“For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:20
When we preach the gospel to someone, whether known or unknown, we must be clear that the Holy Spirit is the one putting the preaching words in us.
Remember how Moses was also a fearful person, but he let God always guide him to speak to Pharaoh, and always in the name of God.
“Then Moses said to the Lord, ‘Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.’” Exodus 4:10-12
3. Denial is not pleasing to God
“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33
The word of God is clear in telling us that we should not deny Jesus. Those of us who know the Word of God understand that if we do not do the work of God, if we do not preach the gospel (and this applies to all Christians), we cannot be rewarded. A true Christian puts Christ first with their testimony, deeds, example, and preaching the Word of God.
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'” Matthew 25: 41-43
4. We are the light
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
The Lord desires us to preach our testimony, the miracles He has done in our lives, our trials, victories, and how He has brought us out of the life we were leading.
However, if we hide all the work of God within us, how can we preach the gospel? How can He continue to manifest Himself in our lives?
If we are dim Christians not preaching the word of God, are we truly light, or are the darkness invading us? Ask yourself these questions and say yes to preaching the word of God.
5. We must put God first above all things
“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'” Luke 9:23
Therefore, we must put God first and then ourselves with our fears, weaknesses, and all things. The moment we do that, we are denying ourselves to let the Creator take the reins of our lives. If we continue to prioritize “ourselves,” “our friendships,” “our boss,” “our job,” “our family”… we will never be instruments of God to spread the gospel.
6. We should not fear mockery
“You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.” Jeremiah 20:7
The enemy desires that we do not preach the Word of God. That’s why it’s normal for someone we try to preach to deny us and even mock us. However, the promise is always there in the Bible.
Referring to the biblical case of Jeremiah, the people were deported to Babylon in chains, and he was respected by the soldiers and set free, given the choice to stay in Jerusalem or go to Babylon, while all the people who mocked him were deported to Babylon. (Jeremiah 40)
7. God is with us like a mighty giant
“But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.” Jeremiah 20:11
We are children of an almighty God. The moment we feel fear or fear of persecution, we are minimizing the power of God. We are making God small and our fear great. This should not be the case! Our God is mighty, and nothing can prevail against us.
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
8. God will always give us victory if we exalt Him
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.” Daniel 6:10-11
When in the time of Daniel they passed a law that no one could worship any god, Daniel continued to put God above all things. He was arrested and thrown into a den of lions. But God always protected him:
“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God. And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.” Daniel 6:22-24
9. No one can accuse us or do anything against us
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies”. Romans 8: 33
No one can accuse us, no one can do anything to us, since all power comes from God. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself told us:
“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10: 26-28
Indeed, preaching the word of God should not be a fear for a Christian. If we look at the consequences of preaching, we will see that they are all positive for both the person we preach to and in our own lives, so let us rid ourselves of all fear because nothing and no one has authority over us.
10. There is a need for preachers
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” Matthew 9:37-38
Indeed, there are many people who do not know the Word of God or Jesus Christ, and few are the workers who preach. Always remember this, that God has called you to preach in your home, at your workplace, school, university, among acquaintances. Those people do not know God, and you are an instrument of God to preach to them.
11. Even if you think they don’t listen, the seed is planted
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it produce and sprout, yielding seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
Sometimes we preach the Word to someone, and we feel they are not listening or not interested, or not completely convinced. Don’t worry, the seed (the Word) has been planted in that person, and God is the one who will do the work.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God [all the while] was causing the growth. So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
12. God’s Reward
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” John 15:16
Many times we ask God for work, money, health, etc. but do we do the work of God? Do we go out to preach with our church? Do we talk about Jesus to every person we can? It is important that we answer these questions because if they are negative
