Chapter Eleven
Stripped To His Armor

"Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation"
(Habakkuk 3:18).

The Land of Uz

A man once challenged Charles Spurgeon to give him one scripture against infant baptism, and he would give one to Spurgeon which supported the practice. The man said, "Suffer the little children to come to Me." Spurgeon looked at the man and said, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job...(Job 1:1)." The man protested, "That verse has nothing to do with infant baptism!" To which the wise preacher answered, "...And neither has yours."

There are certain doctrines that are built upon very feeble foundations. There are one or two scriptures to support a particular interpretation, but when it comes to our responsibility to reach out to the lost, there stands before us a great concrete infrastructure to build upon.

The reason Jesus came to this earth was to save sinners from Eternal Justice. The solid steel-enforced framework of many foundational scriptures support our evangelical obligations. When you break out from your securities and seek the lost, even if it's dropping tracts on seats at an airport, you are in the front line of the battle.

We need each other, so link arms through the Spirit with your brethren throughout the world. Determine to take advantage of every minute of the day to reach this world while there is still time. When you are not witnessing, be in an attitude of prayer, praying that God will make you effective, that He will give you wisdom, and the motivation to break free from the fears that hinder you from reaching out to the world. Keep yourself always ready to share your faith, so that you will never be caught off-guard.

Years ago, someone told me that a new convert was about to have an abortion. When I enquired as to when, I found out that the operation was about to take place that very afternoon at two o'clock. It was already one o'clock as I sped into the hospital parking lot. I ran through the hospital and up to the second floor, praying that God would give me the words, the wisdom, and the discretion to stop this young woman taking the life of her child. When I entered her room I found her sitting on the bed. She had already had her pre-operative medication. I looked into her eyes and said the only thing that came to mind -- "Please...don't do this thing." She smiled warmly and said, "It's alright. I'm not going through with it. I have just finished praying, "God, if you dif you don't want me to have an abortion, make Ray Comfort come in and speak to me." I left the hospital walking on air. God had just used me in the saving of a human life. He didn't use my words or my wisdom, he just used me. It gave me a warm feeling to know that God would take the time to do such a thing.

Yet, I never really realized what God had used me for until about two years later at a church picnic, when I saw a cute little girl playing by herself on the grass. As I bent down to her, I realized that this was the same child that was going to be aborted. It was then, as I looked into her little face, that I fully understood what God had used me for that day.

The most zealous of us hasn't any real depth of understanding as to what God is using us for when we are involved in evangelism. We have a measure of appreciation that God is using us to plant the seed of the Gospel in the hearts of those who are in the shadow of death. However, I don't think it will fully dawn upon us as to what God is using us for, until the Day when a vast sea of billions of humanity stand before the Judgment Throne of Almighty God. The Great Shepherd stands from the great white throne, and separates the sheep from the goats. Suddenly, we see someone to whom we passed a tract or someone we witnessed to, separated to everlasting life! Perhaps then, and only then, will we fully comprehend what God is using us for, but it is my prayer that He will give us understanding now as to the privilege we have, in being entrusted with the Gospel of everlasting life.

Back to Evangelism page

Messages | Revivals | Evangelism | Growth | Quotes Bookstore | DCD | "Do You Need God's Forgiveness?"