Sent to the Sinner’s Door (excerpt: Follower – Part 2/Chapter 3)

A great release comes to every saint when they understand God’s heart for people – both saved and unsaved, but especially when they see how God sees every sinner, and what God feels for every broken relationship, and every sick person! It causes them to align their bodies to fulfill God’s desire to reach them, to save them, to rescue them, and to invite into the eternal dwellings all that would welcome and hear the message that the kingdom of God is near. Bringing the kingdom near is tied together with the choice to “go and make disciples,” since to tell them “the kingdom of heaven is near you” is also a request that we be the ones to go and tell it. Paul explains the need for our ready sacrifice to “go” as follows, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Saints are being awakened out of sleep all over the world, as fresh fires are being stoked on knees everywhere. A new sense of urgency has gripped the hearts of many toward work produced by faith; labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ!
I have set out some keys of that evangelistic journey as follows:

• The fire of evangelism is the Holy Spirit’s compassion released into the world. Jesus explains compassion at work in the parable of the Samaritan, Levite and priest, where the Samaritan was commended for his compassion.. God’s love is stunning. He heals all those who come to him, and He reserves the works of Christ for those who walk in Him (in purity; have clean hands, and are righteous in Him).

• No one has to perform for God’s love – He freely gives himself to all who will choose Him. As a song says, “What can I do for you beautiful King, coz I can’t thank you enough… (Jesus responds) you don’t have to do a thing, simply be here with me, and let those things go… this moment is too sweet, stay here with me…”

• God’s anointing is contagious – it will cause a person not to want to take their eyes off Him. God loves to use those who have caught the fire of His love. People on fire for God, are the best evangelists – they do not fear men, and will go anywhere to find a lost person who needs Christ. Elisha refused to take his eyes from Elijah, and received a double mantle. It is the same today for those who will not allow their situations to remove them from God’s presence. It is that relationship that pulls heaven’s jewels down – someone said that God does not hide them from us, but for us!

• There is no hard ground that cannot be overcome by a soft heart. Those who meet hard ground, learn to go deeper into God. Jesus went in (led by the Spirit) different to how he came out – “in the power of the Spirit!” We each learn to mine the fruit down from the father’s lap. We take responsibility to set aside our distractions, to press in, and not to be content to live off the ‘grapes’ of others! The first idol that probably has to go for each of us is the “clock” idol!

• The waves of God’s revival fires that are sweeping the globe will include both wine and wineskin before the bride can be prepared for Jesus’ return – in other words, the wisdom of the wineskin (God’s family) melded together with the wonder of the wine (God’s fire)!

• When we experience breakthrough, we should not build a “booth” there, but we should keep pressing forward to the next and to the next victory… and let us testify to someone about what God has done, because when we do we establish a lifestyle of the supernatural.

• We should not fear the pressure of the call, for the fruits of the kingdom are made available to those who forcefully lay “hold of it.”

• All that we need in order to do our work in God’s field is received in prayer and in the Word of God. I have set out some keys that I find helpful, as follows:

i) Begin the day in the Word of God
ii) Write down the ideas and thoughts that come to mind, and the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit highlights
iii) Expecting God to speak will create anticipation for what God is planning for you for that day. It will make you eager to see all that God has, and provide direction for your steps.
iv) Take what God has told you into your prayer time. Let it fuel the passion in your heart
v) Take what God has spoken into action that day. Remember that if you keep what God gives you for others inside you, it may die there – so, give it away! It is better to risk making a mistake than never to try!
vi) Do not give up as you seek God. Someone said that one person and Jesus are a majority. Keep going, and you will break through a little more each day… God waits full of wonderful things for each of us.

• Always prepare for more than you think is possible. Remember that God exists beyond the realms of our prayers and imagination. If you have faith for one, trust God for 10, if you have faith for 10, trust God for 100, if you have faith for 100, trust God for 1000 and so on. Ask God for an increased “measure of faith.”

• Ask God for boldness in the face of every situation. Remember that the fear of man is a snare, but those who trust in God are kept safe.

These principles are not conditions – they are divine instructions designed to make more certain our walking. God does not speak them to us at the heat of the day (in anger), or in the dead of night (in guilt), but, as He did to Adam, in the cool of the afternoon (in grace).

Click here for a short clip from Bethel Church, Redding, CA