Sermon Title: Are you Gospel-Ready?
“… and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Good footwear is very important.
Regardless of the activity, it is imperative that footwear be hard-wearing, well fitted to your feet, comfortable, firmly secured, offer ample protection and support for your feet and ankles, and provide stability while you are on the move.
Choosing the wrong or ill-fitting footwear will result in painful blisters, unnecessary injury or in some extreme cases, chronic harm to your back, created by stress on your muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Good fit, Firm grip – The Caligae
The Roman soldier’s footwear that would come to Paul’s mind in this passage would be the Caligae – a tough, light sandal with thick leather soles embedded with nails; and bound to the feet with numerous leather straps.
The Caligae is designed to provide a good fit for the feet, firm grip on the ground; and is meant to take the Roman soldier over great distances and keep him dexterous on the battlefield.
This is a light, flexible unrestrictive but tough footwear – built for speed and endurance, with adequate ankle support; so well-built, in fact, that there are quite a few that have survived the test of time and are displayed in museums all around the world.
The Apostle Paul tells us that our feet must be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Understand this well.
The footwear of the Christian warrior does not simply represent the gospel; it represents the highest degree of readiness and preparation for the Spiritual battle at hand – the readiness and preparation that comes with being:
(i) Deeply believing of the Gospel (Good fit) ,and
(ii) Deeply well-versed with the Gospel Message (Firm Grip).
Are you fitted with the Christian warrior’s footwear known as “readiness for the battle at hand”?
Do you truly believe in the Gospel?
Are you absolutely familiar with the message of the Gospel?
Do you think you are ready for the spiritual battle that is under way?
To be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) is to be ready to share the Gospel as Christ’s witness through the deepest conviction that the Gospel is life-changing and life-giving, and in an unreserved commitment to live out the Gospel in word, thought, heart and action.
The key to mastery is training.
An effective soldier is one who is trained, and continually training.
To be ready for spiritual battle is to conscientiously train, train and train - to the deepest degree of dedication and familiarity.
To attain mastery as Christian soldiers is to train through learning, memorizing and applying the Gospel Message categorically and utterly in our lives.
Be fitted well with readiness that comes with the Gospel!
Do you wear your faith willingly and well?
Do you absolutely believe the Gospel Message?
Do you have any discomfort, doubts or issues with the Gospel message; issues that would disrupt your readiness to bring the Gospel message to who and where God has deployed you to?
Do you wholehearted embrace your faith in Jesus - having the deepest belief in, and utter need for, Christ’s Salvific work of atonement for your sins?
Do you have a firm grip of the Gospel Message?
Are you intimately familiar and well-versed with the Gospel message?
Have you built your life on the Gospel to the point that it is the only necessary traction you need in your life; that though the terrains through life may be tricky, challenging or even heart-wrenching, the Gospel keeps you on your feet and moving resolutely and victoriously from battlefield to battlefield?
To be Gospel-Ready – Patterns from the earliest disciples
Like the earliest disciples, we need to be Gospel Ready: (i) In Total Adversity, (ii) In Supernatural Reality, and (iii) In Life’s Uncertainties
To be Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity! (Acts 4:1-14)
“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them:
“By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel:
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 Jesus is“‘ the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
After healing the lame man in the Name of Jesus - at the temple gate called ‘Beautiful’ (Acts 3:1-10), Peter and John were immediately faced with total adversity; persecuted by their own kind.
They were seized and thrown in jail – because of Jesus.
In the face of such egregious injustice, Peter and John was conscious to remain close to Jesus and was thus, filled with His Holy Spirit.
When questioned by the authorities, they boldly declared that this man was healed in the Name of Jesus; of whom “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
To be like the earliest disciples, ever-ready to declare the Gospel of Peace; is to address and face every need – yours and others around you – with the Presence, Purpose and Power of Jesus Christ.
Every outcome of our lives – as Christians; and every engagement with those around us must lead to the declaration that Salvation is found in no one else!
Do you have the insight to see that: every need in this world is due to Man’s utter need for Christ; and that every cry for help is a cry that can only be answered and satisfied by the Saviour of the World, the Lord and Saviour, Jesus?
To be known as one who persistently and unyieldingly brings all things to Christ is to open your life to total adversity, persecution from the world and oppression from the forces of darkness.
And yet, to be ready for persecution as a Church family is to be ready for multiplication.
The Apostles Peter and John was uncompromising in their bold declaration of the Gospel and was blessed with many who heard the message and believed. (Ref: Acts 4:4)
The Apostle Paul forewarns and exhorts in 2 Timothy 4:
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep y our head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
Are you Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity? Are you Gospel-Ready in total rejection?
Are you prepared to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be led into extremely adverse circumstances empowered by God to proclaim His Gospel of Peace?
Are you willing to bring all your conversations, relationships and endeavors to the feet of God in proclaiming that Salvation is found in Christ alone?
To be Gospel-Ready in the Supernatural Reality! (Acts 8:26-40)
“26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,
“Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”).
This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?”
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
37“He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’
38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot.
Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Every moment in Christian ministry is supernatural; just as every moment in the Christian life must be supernatural.
There is no mundaneness when you serve the God of Miracles!
Signs and wonders of God followed Philip when He served the Lord.
His life is our pattern for Christian living and ministry.
He heard the very voice of God and availed himself to the Ethiopian eunuch.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Philip knew the heart of this particular sheep and brought the Gospel – “the good news about Jesus” – to bear into his life.
Supernaturally the Lord guided Philip to meet the Ethiopian, supernaturally the Lord took him away – suddenly – to a town some 30m away.
This supernatural entrance and supernatural exit speaks directly to God who as the sole covenant maker and covenant keeper of all divine relationships.
Philip was Gospel-ready - used by God in the Supernatural reality.
Are you ready to be used by God - as Philip – in the Supernatural reality? To hear from the Holy Spirit, and be led in and out of every ministry engagement?
Apart from the supernatural reality, there are no other realities in which God works in and through us; granting us the most profound of privileges to participate in His work of Gospel evangelism.
Are you ready, preparing yourself to hear from the Holy Spirit?
Do you intimately know the details of the Gospel message?
“Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35)
Are you able to begin where the human heart seeks a truth of God and from there, lead them to the central truth of God’s Salvation plan through Christ?
To this, we are all unable; but the Holy Spirit is able!
Prepare yourself to listen and follow closely as the Holy Spirit supernaturally leads, guides and sometimes, brings you personally to the place of ministry.
Embrace the supernatural reality of worshipping and serving the supernatural God!
Familiarity of the supernatural reality comes only with time spent in the Holy Presence of God, the Spirit, learning about Him, remembering every encounter with Him, listening and memorizing His every word, and praying unceasingly for His infilling Power to live and to enliven!
Be ever-ready to share the Gospel in the knowledge that every opportunity to witness for Christ is divine, and every circumstance highly supernatural – for such is the divine reality.
To be Gospel-Ready in Life’s Uncertainties! (Acts 9:3-14)
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.
So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name”
Life is uncertain.
This we know.
But are we prepared for the uncertainties of life?
More importantly, are we prepared to be Gospel-Ready in life’s uncertainties?
It is noteworthy particularly that for Christians, that our unyielding faith in Christ and unreserved obedience to His Commission prepares us precisely for the uncertainties of life here on earth – for what we are certain of, is His Salvation that guarantees our citizenship in the Kingdom of God.
Nevertheless.
We live each day – never really knowing how the day would turn out; nor the circumstances surrounding every moment, nor the outcome of every encounter.
To be the Lord’s witness for some: means the necessary loss of identity; to others, it may result in the loss of relationships; and then to others yet, it may hold the threat of bodily harm, and even death.
For Ananias, everything - his identity, relationships and life - was immediately endangered as he received the Lord’s instructions to meet Saul – the chief persecutor of Christians everywhere.
It would not be difficult to imagine that Ananias would so badly will himself to snap out from this particular vision.
If he had any control over his response, it would certainly be something like: “Aw man… whhaaaat…? Sorry… Wrong number, Lord…. You got the wrong Ananias… Please give me another vision? One that does not require me to possibly die!”
When the Lord grants you a burden for an unsaved friend or loved one, He desires to save both the evangelizer and the evangelised.
You must endeavor to be so sensitive to Him that you would readily hear Him in a vision or in a dream. Anything less, and you should doubt if you truly are a Christian.
God speaks to us. There can be no doubt.
Question is: are you prepared to listen? Are you prepared to obey?
Are you prepared to deliberately spend time seeking, and then, fulfilling His Will?
Are you ready to face your greatest fears?
Are you prepared to be God’s agent of Salvific Love in total adversity, in supernatural reality and in life’s uncertainties?
Well.
Here’s the reality.
We face our greatest fears whenever we share the Gospel; but it is never about how we face our fears, but who we bring our fears to.
“Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” (Ref: Acts 9:13-14)
Ananias was Gospel-Ready only because he faced his greatest fears by bringing it before Jesus.
And when he did, this was what Christ said to him.
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.
He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” (Acts 9:15-19)
Nothing – not even Saul’s suffrage – would have allayed Ananias’ deepest fears except his unshakable faith that the voice he heard was truly the Lord’s.
Nothing could have prepared Ananias to be the agent of God’s anointing over His “chosen instrument to proclaim” Christ “to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”
The Lord used Ananias to fulfill a key role for Saul to become Paul.
And it had to everything to do with the heart, prayers and priorities of this disciple.
Ananias was simply and completely preoccupied – obsessed even - with the mind and heart of Christ that the Lord would speak to him in a vision; and because his mind, his heart, and his life was fully focused on Christ and thus, he was Gospel-Ready.
What a privilege; but what a daunting privilege!
Ananias’ relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ was so authentic that he heard His voice; and his deepest prayers and desires were centred on the work of God.
Do you have a relationship with Christ as intimate; or a heart for His Kingdom as aligned as this disciple, Ananias?
Are you focused on Christ? Is your heart centred on the work of God?
Is your faith so authentic that you are prepared to face life’s uncertainties; and even, risk your life – for the sake of the Gospel?
Are you ready to be obedient – just as our Lord Jesus Christ – be obedient till death?
In closing… Are you Gospel-Ready in Adversity; in Supernatural Reality; and in Life’s Uncertainties?
For the earliest disciples, there was only one way to prepare and be ready for life; and that was to be Gospel-Ready.
As Paul alluded, their feet were “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
And if we do indeed, profess the same faith in Christ, so must we.
Get into training – learn, memorize and live out the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit; understand that every action, thought, and endeavor in life can, and must, be brought to the reality that salvation comes from Christ alone.
Be ready for the battle at hand – the battle to in-break the Kingdom of God through your readiness to share the Gospel of peace – one that is part of the ultimate war in which Christ already has the victory!
Indeed.
Our Lord Jesus tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
If you choose to be on the side of victory, you must choose Christ – and you must ensure that your feet is fitted well with readiness that comes from the Gospel!
Under every circumstance; in Total Adversity; in Supernatural Reality; and in Life’s Uncertainties – train yourself to absolutely believe in the Gospel, and be deeply familiar with the Gospel Message.
Be Victorious in Christ; Be Gospel-Ready!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, may my feet be fitted “with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Lord, prepare me – and grant me the deepest desire to be prepared – for the Spiritual battle at hand; the divine readiness and preparedness that comes with an intense belief of the Gospel and the intimate familiarity with the Gospel Message.
Grant me the readiness to share Your Gospel through the deepest conviction that it is life-changing and life-giving, and grant me resolve to be unreservedly committed to living out the Gospel in word, thought, heart and action.
Train me, O Holy Spirit – that my life may be established on the Gospel, and keep me forging ahead in Your Victory from battlefield to battlefield.
Just as You empowered Your earliest disciples, empower me – empower Your Church – to be Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity, in Supernatural Reality and in Life’s Uncertainties; that we may be ever-ready to declare Your Gospel – to address and face all of life’s challenges in Your Presence, Purpose and Power!
May every outcome of my life, and may all my conversations, relationships and endeavors be brought to Your feet in the declaration that You alone are our Salvation.
Fill me, and lead me, into adversity empowered by God to proclaim Your Gospel.
Teach me to embrace Your Gospel work in and through my life found in the Supernatural Reality.
Teach me to face my fears by bringing them to Your feet, Lord Jesus.
Where You sent me, I know that I never go alone.
Open my eyes to see You, O God; open my ears to hear your voice; open my heart to obey Your Will! May I be ever so sensitive to You – that I would readily hear You in a vision or dream. Help me know You more; help me love You more; Lord, capture my mind and my heart – that I may be deliberate in spending time seeking and fulfilling Your Will.
Prepare me, O God – for the battles at hand; and establish with me the divine reality and truth of Your Victory in this war!
May I live in Your Victory! May I ever-be Gospel-Ready!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“… and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Good footwear is very important.
Regardless of the activity, it is imperative that footwear be hard-wearing, well fitted to your feet, comfortable, firmly secured, offer ample protection and support for your feet and ankles, and provide stability while you are on the move.
Choosing the wrong or ill-fitting footwear will result in painful blisters, unnecessary injury or in some extreme cases, chronic harm to your back, created by stress on your muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Good fit, Firm grip – The Caligae
The Roman soldier’s footwear that would come to Paul’s mind in this passage would be the Caligae – a tough, light sandal with thick leather soles embedded with nails; and bound to the feet with numerous leather straps.
The Caligae is designed to provide a good fit for the feet, firm grip on the ground; and is meant to take the Roman soldier over great distances and keep him dexterous on the battlefield.
This is a light, flexible unrestrictive but tough footwear – built for speed and endurance, with adequate ankle support; so well-built, in fact, that there are quite a few that have survived the test of time and are displayed in museums all around the world.
The Apostle Paul tells us that our feet must be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Understand this well.
The footwear of the Christian warrior does not simply represent the gospel; it represents the highest degree of readiness and preparation for the Spiritual battle at hand – the readiness and preparation that comes with being:
(i) Deeply believing of the Gospel (Good fit) ,and
(ii) Deeply well-versed with the Gospel Message (Firm Grip).
Are you fitted with the Christian warrior’s footwear known as “readiness for the battle at hand”?
Do you truly believe in the Gospel?
Are you absolutely familiar with the message of the Gospel?
Do you think you are ready for the spiritual battle that is under way?
To be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) is to be ready to share the Gospel as Christ’s witness through the deepest conviction that the Gospel is life-changing and life-giving, and in an unreserved commitment to live out the Gospel in word, thought, heart and action.
The key to mastery is training.
An effective soldier is one who is trained, and continually training.
To be ready for spiritual battle is to conscientiously train, train and train - to the deepest degree of dedication and familiarity.
To attain mastery as Christian soldiers is to train through learning, memorizing and applying the Gospel Message categorically and utterly in our lives.
Be fitted well with readiness that comes with the Gospel!
Do you wear your faith willingly and well?
Do you absolutely believe the Gospel Message?
Do you have any discomfort, doubts or issues with the Gospel message; issues that would disrupt your readiness to bring the Gospel message to who and where God has deployed you to?
Do you wholehearted embrace your faith in Jesus - having the deepest belief in, and utter need for, Christ’s Salvific work of atonement for your sins?
Do you have a firm grip of the Gospel Message?
Are you intimately familiar and well-versed with the Gospel message?
Have you built your life on the Gospel to the point that it is the only necessary traction you need in your life; that though the terrains through life may be tricky, challenging or even heart-wrenching, the Gospel keeps you on your feet and moving resolutely and victoriously from battlefield to battlefield?
To be Gospel-Ready – Patterns from the earliest disciples
Like the earliest disciples, we need to be Gospel Ready: (i) In Total Adversity, (ii) In Supernatural Reality, and (iii) In Life’s Uncertainties
To be Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity! (Acts 4:1-14)
“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them:
“By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel:
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 Jesus is“‘ the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
After healing the lame man in the Name of Jesus - at the temple gate called ‘Beautiful’ (Acts 3:1-10), Peter and John were immediately faced with total adversity; persecuted by their own kind.
They were seized and thrown in jail – because of Jesus.
In the face of such egregious injustice, Peter and John was conscious to remain close to Jesus and was thus, filled with His Holy Spirit.
When questioned by the authorities, they boldly declared that this man was healed in the Name of Jesus; of whom “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
To be like the earliest disciples, ever-ready to declare the Gospel of Peace; is to address and face every need – yours and others around you – with the Presence, Purpose and Power of Jesus Christ.
Every outcome of our lives – as Christians; and every engagement with those around us must lead to the declaration that Salvation is found in no one else!
Do you have the insight to see that: every need in this world is due to Man’s utter need for Christ; and that every cry for help is a cry that can only be answered and satisfied by the Saviour of the World, the Lord and Saviour, Jesus?
To be known as one who persistently and unyieldingly brings all things to Christ is to open your life to total adversity, persecution from the world and oppression from the forces of darkness.
And yet, to be ready for persecution as a Church family is to be ready for multiplication.
The Apostles Peter and John was uncompromising in their bold declaration of the Gospel and was blessed with many who heard the message and believed. (Ref: Acts 4:4)
The Apostle Paul forewarns and exhorts in 2 Timothy 4:
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep y our head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
Are you Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity? Are you Gospel-Ready in total rejection?
Are you prepared to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be led into extremely adverse circumstances empowered by God to proclaim His Gospel of Peace?
Are you willing to bring all your conversations, relationships and endeavors to the feet of God in proclaiming that Salvation is found in Christ alone?
To be Gospel-Ready in the Supernatural Reality! (Acts 8:26-40)
“26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,
“Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”).
This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
“Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?”
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
37“He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’
38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot.
Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Every moment in Christian ministry is supernatural; just as every moment in the Christian life must be supernatural.
There is no mundaneness when you serve the God of Miracles!
Signs and wonders of God followed Philip when He served the Lord.
His life is our pattern for Christian living and ministry.
He heard the very voice of God and availed himself to the Ethiopian eunuch.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Philip knew the heart of this particular sheep and brought the Gospel – “the good news about Jesus” – to bear into his life.
Supernaturally the Lord guided Philip to meet the Ethiopian, supernaturally the Lord took him away – suddenly – to a town some 30m away.
This supernatural entrance and supernatural exit speaks directly to God who as the sole covenant maker and covenant keeper of all divine relationships.
Philip was Gospel-ready - used by God in the Supernatural reality.
Are you ready to be used by God - as Philip – in the Supernatural reality? To hear from the Holy Spirit, and be led in and out of every ministry engagement?
Apart from the supernatural reality, there are no other realities in which God works in and through us; granting us the most profound of privileges to participate in His work of Gospel evangelism.
Are you ready, preparing yourself to hear from the Holy Spirit?
Do you intimately know the details of the Gospel message?
“Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35)
Are you able to begin where the human heart seeks a truth of God and from there, lead them to the central truth of God’s Salvation plan through Christ?
To this, we are all unable; but the Holy Spirit is able!
Prepare yourself to listen and follow closely as the Holy Spirit supernaturally leads, guides and sometimes, brings you personally to the place of ministry.
Embrace the supernatural reality of worshipping and serving the supernatural God!
Familiarity of the supernatural reality comes only with time spent in the Holy Presence of God, the Spirit, learning about Him, remembering every encounter with Him, listening and memorizing His every word, and praying unceasingly for His infilling Power to live and to enliven!
Be ever-ready to share the Gospel in the knowledge that every opportunity to witness for Christ is divine, and every circumstance highly supernatural – for such is the divine reality.
To be Gospel-Ready in Life’s Uncertainties! (Acts 9:3-14)
3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.
So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name”
Life is uncertain.
This we know.
But are we prepared for the uncertainties of life?
More importantly, are we prepared to be Gospel-Ready in life’s uncertainties?
It is noteworthy particularly that for Christians, that our unyielding faith in Christ and unreserved obedience to His Commission prepares us precisely for the uncertainties of life here on earth – for what we are certain of, is His Salvation that guarantees our citizenship in the Kingdom of God.
Nevertheless.
We live each day – never really knowing how the day would turn out; nor the circumstances surrounding every moment, nor the outcome of every encounter.
To be the Lord’s witness for some: means the necessary loss of identity; to others, it may result in the loss of relationships; and then to others yet, it may hold the threat of bodily harm, and even death.
For Ananias, everything - his identity, relationships and life - was immediately endangered as he received the Lord’s instructions to meet Saul – the chief persecutor of Christians everywhere.
It would not be difficult to imagine that Ananias would so badly will himself to snap out from this particular vision.
If he had any control over his response, it would certainly be something like: “Aw man… whhaaaat…? Sorry… Wrong number, Lord…. You got the wrong Ananias… Please give me another vision? One that does not require me to possibly die!”
When the Lord grants you a burden for an unsaved friend or loved one, He desires to save both the evangelizer and the evangelised.
You must endeavor to be so sensitive to Him that you would readily hear Him in a vision or in a dream. Anything less, and you should doubt if you truly are a Christian.
God speaks to us. There can be no doubt.
Question is: are you prepared to listen? Are you prepared to obey?
Are you prepared to deliberately spend time seeking, and then, fulfilling His Will?
Are you ready to face your greatest fears?
Are you prepared to be God’s agent of Salvific Love in total adversity, in supernatural reality and in life’s uncertainties?
Well.
Here’s the reality.
We face our greatest fears whenever we share the Gospel; but it is never about how we face our fears, but who we bring our fears to.
“Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” (Ref: Acts 9:13-14)
Ananias was Gospel-Ready only because he faced his greatest fears by bringing it before Jesus.
And when he did, this was what Christ said to him.
“Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord - Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.
He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” (Acts 9:15-19)
Nothing – not even Saul’s suffrage – would have allayed Ananias’ deepest fears except his unshakable faith that the voice he heard was truly the Lord’s.
Nothing could have prepared Ananias to be the agent of God’s anointing over His “chosen instrument to proclaim” Christ “to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”
The Lord used Ananias to fulfill a key role for Saul to become Paul.
And it had to everything to do with the heart, prayers and priorities of this disciple.
Ananias was simply and completely preoccupied – obsessed even - with the mind and heart of Christ that the Lord would speak to him in a vision; and because his mind, his heart, and his life was fully focused on Christ and thus, he was Gospel-Ready.
What a privilege; but what a daunting privilege!
Ananias’ relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ was so authentic that he heard His voice; and his deepest prayers and desires were centred on the work of God.
Do you have a relationship with Christ as intimate; or a heart for His Kingdom as aligned as this disciple, Ananias?
Are you focused on Christ? Is your heart centred on the work of God?
Is your faith so authentic that you are prepared to face life’s uncertainties; and even, risk your life – for the sake of the Gospel?
Are you ready to be obedient – just as our Lord Jesus Christ – be obedient till death?
In closing… Are you Gospel-Ready in Adversity; in Supernatural Reality; and in Life’s Uncertainties?
For the earliest disciples, there was only one way to prepare and be ready for life; and that was to be Gospel-Ready.
As Paul alluded, their feet were “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
And if we do indeed, profess the same faith in Christ, so must we.
Get into training – learn, memorize and live out the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit; understand that every action, thought, and endeavor in life can, and must, be brought to the reality that salvation comes from Christ alone.
Be ready for the battle at hand – the battle to in-break the Kingdom of God through your readiness to share the Gospel of peace – one that is part of the ultimate war in which Christ already has the victory!
Indeed.
Our Lord Jesus tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
If you choose to be on the side of victory, you must choose Christ – and you must ensure that your feet is fitted well with readiness that comes from the Gospel!
Under every circumstance; in Total Adversity; in Supernatural Reality; and in Life’s Uncertainties – train yourself to absolutely believe in the Gospel, and be deeply familiar with the Gospel Message.
Be Victorious in Christ; Be Gospel-Ready!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, may my feet be fitted “with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Lord, prepare me – and grant me the deepest desire to be prepared – for the Spiritual battle at hand; the divine readiness and preparedness that comes with an intense belief of the Gospel and the intimate familiarity with the Gospel Message.
Grant me the readiness to share Your Gospel through the deepest conviction that it is life-changing and life-giving, and grant me resolve to be unreservedly committed to living out the Gospel in word, thought, heart and action.
Train me, O Holy Spirit – that my life may be established on the Gospel, and keep me forging ahead in Your Victory from battlefield to battlefield.
Just as You empowered Your earliest disciples, empower me – empower Your Church – to be Gospel-Ready in Total Adversity, in Supernatural Reality and in Life’s Uncertainties; that we may be ever-ready to declare Your Gospel – to address and face all of life’s challenges in Your Presence, Purpose and Power!
May every outcome of my life, and may all my conversations, relationships and endeavors be brought to Your feet in the declaration that You alone are our Salvation.
Fill me, and lead me, into adversity empowered by God to proclaim Your Gospel.
Teach me to embrace Your Gospel work in and through my life found in the Supernatural Reality.
Teach me to face my fears by bringing them to Your feet, Lord Jesus.
Where You sent me, I know that I never go alone.
Open my eyes to see You, O God; open my ears to hear your voice; open my heart to obey Your Will! May I be ever so sensitive to You – that I would readily hear You in a vision or dream. Help me know You more; help me love You more; Lord, capture my mind and my heart – that I may be deliberate in spending time seeking and fulfilling Your Will.
Prepare me, O God – for the battles at hand; and establish with me the divine reality and truth of Your Victory in this war!
May I live in Your Victory! May I ever-be Gospel-Ready!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.