Philemon 6 Paul writes, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”
What’s this fear many have about sharing their faith? I believe there are three primary reasons: first, many maintain wrong thinking about God and His Great Commission; second, many have not understood what is available to them in Christ Jesus; third, many are more concerned about preserving themselves against rejection.
Jeremiah received word from the Lord that he was ordained to be God’s prophet. God said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer. 1:5) It seems that all Jeremiah heard was the last phrase, “I have appointed you a prophet to the nations” and his response was anything but enthusiastic. He said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth.” (Jer. 1:6). He missed the first part, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.”
We would be tempted to say, “Well, that’s a conversation between Jeremiah and God. What’s it got to do with me?” Remember the first reason I said that many do share their faith is because many maintain wrong thinking about God and His Great Commission. God has attributes that include omniscience and omnipresence, not to mention sovereignty. God began his call to Jeremiah with words that sound very much like Psalm 139.
God told Jeremiah that He had a purpose (be a prophet to the nations) and Jeremiah was set aside to accomplish that purpose. Jeremiah says, “I’m too young and inexperienced.” God says, “I knew you before you were young! As for experience, I will put my words in your mouth.” (1:5, 9). This ties to the second reason people don’t share their faith: we don’t speak of ourselves and of our own volition; rather, we speak God’s word according to His purposes! Also, if we are not sharing the gospel, there is no way we can fully know and put to use everything Christ Jesus gives us for life and godliness! Look back at Paul’s words to Philemon, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”
So Jeremiah had the wrong understanding of God and His Commission, the wrong understanding of what was available to him and was worried about being rejected! Look at God reveal what only Jeremiah knew was in his heart in 1:8, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord. And notice God reminding and assuring Jeremiah with His presence, just like Psalm 23 speaks of.
If you fear sharing your faith, you are not alone. Moses did it. “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex 3:11); and, “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.” (Ex 4:10). Almost seems like Jeremiah was quoting Moses!
And note God’s responses to Moses: “And He said, ‘Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” (Ex 3:12); and, “The Lord said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or 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.” (Ex 4:11-12)
Gideon told God, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15)
Note the TIME OF DAY of God’s response and Gideon’s response to God and what it entailed.: “Now on the same night the Lord said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it; and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.’ Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night.” (Judges 6:25-27).
A fire at night is a hard thing to hide, especially when it is on top of something, like a stronghold.
I love Judges 6:25-27: “The Lord looked at him [read that again!] and said, ‘Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” and “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” The strength that Gideon had to go out was the presence of God!
THE PRINCIPLE: when we are weak, we cry out to God! Weakness causes us to pray and depend on Him and He answers with His abiding presence!
Check out Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
Do you know why God calls people like Moses and Gideon and Jeremiah and you and me to evangelize and preach the good news of Jesus Christ to every creature? Look again at Paul’s words—I will amplify it from the passage above: “and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
Camp out on these for a while:
Prov. 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”
Deut 31:6, “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Is 41:10, “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,”
If we are not doing “all things,” like pointing people to Jesus, then we have the wrong idea about God and have created a God after our own likeness, in our own image, breaking the second commandment. We are failing to believe Him and are stealing glory from Him that rightly belongs to Him (and thus breaking the 8th commandment).
So what is the fear? If it’s rejection, remember that people are rejecting God and His Word, not you.
Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:11-12)
