Saved7

Over the last four or five years, I have been praying that God would bring me back to where I was in the beginning of my walk with Him. I know that probably sounds strange to you all, but there's a reason I've been praying for that. You see, in the beginning of my walk, all I knew was that if I obeyed Him, regardless of how people reacted to what I had to say, He would justify me simply because I obeyed Him. For example, if He wanted me to apologize to my enemy for the way I treated them, even though I was their victim, it didn't matter if they accepted my apology, got angry and yelled at me, or apologized too, I had done what He expected me to and I was justified. If He was leading me to go to my enemy and preach the gospel to them, no matter how they reacted, whether they were offended or repented, I had done what He wanted me to do and I was justified because of my obedience to Him. I trusted Him to justify me and didn't look at the negative reactions of those I spoke to, I didn't excuse or apologize for offending those who were offended. I just trusted God to do what God does and believed that He knew how the people would react and sometimes the things He had me say and do, were simply so He could free me from something that was dragging me down, and other times it was to reach a lost soul.



After the first few years of being a Christian, and being very bold, though I didn't know much, someone said to me, that I am turning people off from God. That really made me put the brakes on. From that point I started to use my own wisdom in trying to figure out how to reach the lost and thought that if I could make them like what I had to say they would be lured into liking God enough to have faith. So began to leave out some things I felt I should say that I knew would turn people off. In the end what I found was that many of those same people regardless of the message I delivered, would always be offended at the harder truths in the Bible, regardless. As of late, I've begun to realize that if someone is going to believe, it doesn't matter how hard a truth is, they will accept it. They might not like it right away, but they will come to understand and accept it. And the rest, which is the majority, will be offended and there is nothing I can do to change that. Some will simply reject God because they don't like certain truths in the Bible, and they will either reject God outright, or they will twist God's Word to their own liking; just like Satan did in the garden, to their own destruction.


So with this renewed sense of understanding and trusting God, I have found myself being more bold and straight forward. No, I don't mean being harsh, but I am not afraid to speak the truth anymore, hallelujah! And what I am seeing is exactly what I expected to see, some very negative reactions, some positive, and others remain silent for one reason or another. The thing is this, the apostles did what they needed to do, they went into cities and openly, in the city square and in the synagogues, where they knew they would get negative reactions, but they knew there would be some who belong to God and believe. They did this same thing in gentile nations, and often were arrested, beaten, crucified and stoned. This was the way of the prophets in the OT as well. But still some were saved! I've realized something through this, that our western mindset says "don't rock the boat" or if you are speaking about something that you know is going to upset a lot of people, though not ALL the people, then you are being antagonistic, or simply being mean; or "it's dangerous, if you get hurt, that's your own fault". But that's simply not biblical, look at the apostles and how they got their messages across, they didn't worry about if the message was offensive, they knew they had a job to do and it was going to offend, but the truth had to be put out there so those who would repent and be save, could know that they needed to repent. They literally laid down their lives to deliver this saving message and knew that the majority....the majority....would be offended, but they knew God would justify them for their obedience.


I've recently read an article in "The Voice of the Martyr's" magazine about how certain Christian men, who some once were muslims, went out and preached the gospel in a muslim nation, I think it was Syria, and they did this openly in front of a mosque! Were they "asking for it" or stirring the pot, when they got arrested, or were they being bold and courageous, and laying down their lives to reach those few, trusting the Lord to reach those who will come to faith in Him. They are now in jail in Eritrea, and I dare say God has justified them. I believe that what they did was not in vain, and if these men are killed for this, God will give them a crown of life! Hallelujah!

I have recently spoken a few things that have been hard to do and I've watched the reactions of some. I've gotten both positive and negative feedback, as well as silence. But yesterday as I was thinking on these things that I have done recently, wondering if I've been wrong, the Lord let me know that I have been obedient and because of that I am justified in my works. It was in that moment that a wave of peace washed over me and through me. I remembered the first time I felt that peace in years, was when I first stepped out and spoke boldly, a few weeks ago and delivered a personal message to someone I know, she didn't react well but it was intended to free her. I didn't understand that peace I felt then, except to say that I had obeyed God; but yesterday was when the Lord revealed to me that because of my obedience, I am justified in what I have done; regardless of how I may have offended some, and that peace stayed with me all day.

I pray I may be that bold and trusting of the Lord again, and feel so blessed that I have been stepping out there in boldness, trusting God to do what God does. All we can really do is plant and water seeds, it is the Lord that gives the increase and He will, if we will trust Him to justify us and obey Him.



Learning to trust and walk boldly again,