INFLUENCE BELONGS TO THE BOLD; by PASTOR EMMANUEL IREN
INFLUENCE BELONGS TO THE BOLD
“But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord.
Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15 AMP
Adolf Hitler, one of the most well-known figures in history is believed to have said “if you tell a lie big enough and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed”. Armed with this strategy, he went on to lead one of the most horrifying acts of inhumanity while being supported by many followers. It is said that some people were simply drawn to his charisma.
This is the reality of the world we live in. People peddle lies without shame or fear and the world happily buys in. If you look around you, in the media, arts, film, in schools and even in governmental policies, anti-Christ and anti-gospel agendas are being pushed and sponsored boldly and without restraint. Every day, the limits of what is acceptable are pushed and exceeded more and more. Yet, when Christians stand up to say the truth, they are shut down. Don’t be surprised, Apostle Paul warned us about it:
“But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce.”
2 Timothy 3:1 TPT
He goes on to list these signs of the last days, many of which we can recognize in our society today. Again, in 2 Timothy 4:3, he tells us that men will have itching ears and will not want to hear the truth. But should that stop us from heralding the truth of the Gospel? Emphatically No! Don’t play small when it comes to the Gospel.
For an idea to thrive, it needs to be repeated so many times that it is ingrained into the hearts of the listeners. This is why Paul said that he was not afraid to repeat teachings to the early church (Philippians 3:1). He understood that he was competing with the ideologies of the world and to gain the mindshare of the church, he had to clearly, confidently, and consistently write to them and teach them the word of God.
How intentional are you about boldly representing the interests of the gospel? You are in a race, a competition, and the prize is souls, so run to win the prize! (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
If you don’t speak the truth, someone else will fill up their ears with lies! So speak the truth and be bold about it. Nothing deserves more attention than the Gospel.
Bible Reading Plan: John 12:37-50, 2 John 1-13, Job 19, Daniel 3-4
Picture Credit:
1: https://web.facebook.com/PastorEmmanuelIren/?_rdc=1&_rdr
Content Credit:
