Difference Makers Never Quit
Sometimes it hard for us not to be discouraged when it comes to items like evangelism. We don’t see results for all of our efforts, and we begin to wonder if we are making a difference. In the movie “Facing the Giants” young David Childers asks his father “Why did God make me so small and weak” to which his father answered “To show how mighty He is.” It is all in God’s timing and by His power.
Zech 4:6 says
Not by Might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
In this passage we see how easily the missionaries could have been discouraged and even give up. Before going Iconium, after seeing Jews and Gentiles come to the Lord. They saw persecution, they saw dissension, and they saw rejection.
Whenever we are doing well for the Lord the devil will do what he has to in order to stop us.
Illustration: Man pushing against the rock
a. God said push
b. Devil tells us we failed
c. God says “all I said was push against the rock” I will move it if you obey.
On to Iconium
When we are at our weakest, He is at His Strongest.
1. WE CANNOT GIVE UP BECAUSE THE WORD WE PREACH IS ANOINTED
a. Jesus tells us, when they reject us they are rejecting Him, we have to keep pushing against the rock.
b. The continued to bring the word
i. A great number of Jews and Gentiles believed
ii. There will be those who reject
iii. Jealousy raises its ugly head.
c. God’s grace enabled them to continue
d. They learned of the evil plot.
When God opens a door we have to walk through, not by our strength but by His might.
2. WE CANNOT GIVE UP BECAUSE THE HAND OF THE LORD IS UPON US.
a. They continued because they were anointed (set apart) by the Lord
b. When we came to Christ we were set apart.
c. God’s Word enables us to preach.
Two farmers prayed for rain. Only one went out and prepared his field to receive it. Which one received the blessing? The one who prepared his field. Which one are we? God will send the rain, when He is ready, all we need to do is prepare our field to receive it.
3. WE CANNOT GIVE UP BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HEAR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
a. There are those who will reject, that is part of life, but there are those who will accept
b. There are those who are testing us to see if we are for real
i. Do we really care for the lost?
ii. Do we really love the LORD?
c. I want God to bless this community and this congregation that people will notice what God is doing.
d. I want God to bless this congregation that people talk about what God did here.
e. God did miracles in Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, to substantiate the message and to bring people to talk about what God is doing.
Do we want people to come to the LORD?
Do we want people to talk about the LORD?
Do we want people to talk about what the LORD is doing in Morgan and Hampshire county?
Then we cannot give up! We have to prepare our fields for rain.
