Gospel Preaching - Hopeless?

It is always a heart-wrenching experience to have to stand up and preach the gospel.

On the one hand, you know you're preaching to deaf, blind, dead people... on the other hand, the Word of God says to proclaim the gospel to all... for it is the power unto salvation.

Oftentimes I do not know who to be more frustrated at, God, the people, or myself.

"God, why don't you move... you're not honoring your Word. I know YOU know that I know that salvation is supernatural, and that I am completely hopeless in bringing these people to a saving knowledge of you lest you move in the power of Your Spirit."

"Why are you people so blind, look unto Jesus, He is glorious beyond all things..."

I feel like I am often beating blind people with a stick for not being able to see. STOP BEING BLIND, *BAM BAM*

An then when it's all over, you sit down and feel like a failure because lives aren't changed, and they go on with their religion, headed for hell.

How do you know it's time to give up on a group of people and move on?

IWantAnguish,

Sometimes I wonder why God has chosen these last days as the time for us to live our lives. It seems like almost any other time period would have been easier to live in. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:12

We do always need to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us as to when we need to "shake the dust from our feet" and move on. Sometimes he does lead us that way, but I am reminded of David Brainerd who ministered to the North American Indians in the colonial days. He was so discouraged after several years of ministry and no fruit. He went back to the one tribe for a last visit before giving up and the Spirit of God fell powerfully when he preached. There was great conviction falling on the Indians. They would ask him to share againt he next day, and they would bring friends and relatives from farther away to hear him. Great revival broke forth.

I also think of Jeremiah. He was called to prophesy to the Israelites. God let him know that the people would not repent and change their ways. God made him to be a brasen wall (He needed to be a brasen wall, because he got beat on a lot). He kept prophesying, because it is what God called him to do.

We are living in days that are very similar to what Jeremiah went through. God has called forth ministers to call out to the people to turn from the ways of this world and embrace Him, but we know from scripture that there will not be great revival in these last days. These are the days of the great falling away. He is pouring out His Holy Spirit in a last call before He calls His servants home.

We need to be obedient to His voice, but remember the words of Jesus: "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." Luke 17:10

I feel like I am often beating blind people with a stick for not being able to see. STOP BEING BLIND, *BAM BAM*

Perhaps you should stop beating the sheep and start leading them.

In Christ,

Ron

Charles Spurgeon once talked about this issue in some manner. I remember him saying you must preach, and you must preach in faith. That is, you need to preach believing your preaching will save some one. If you preach doubting whether your message will save some one, or if you do so out of a cynical spirit, your preaching will save no one.

" Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
2 Cor 2:14-17 (KJV)

We triumph and are victorious in our preaching despite the outcome...why? Because God is glorified in the preaching of the gospel whether none respond or 100 million respond. We plant, another may water, but it is only God who gives the increase. We may not always know what position we are in while we are preaching as well. To one we may be confirming the work of God already beginning upon their heart; to another, we may be planting a seed of the gospel which they have never heard before - and to another we may be witnesses of the harvest that God has brought forth unto salvation.
Bottom line, keep preaching....set your face like flint..why? it is producing a savor, good or bad. God will be glorified in displaying His justice upon the one who heard the gospel and rejected it(death unto death), and God will be glorified in the salvation of sinners who believe (life unto life). So, dont corrupt the message, dont beat the sheep, just exalt Christ.

Preach the Word of GOD. It is anointed, living,
powerful !! Preach with authority, with boldness,
with conviction !! Preach Christ and Him
crucified; this is the testimony of truth and the
witness of our salvation !! The gospel is hope
and saving grace !!

Here's a few scriptures to encourage you. Meditate on these to strengthen your spirit.

1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Phil. 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

2 Cor. 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

1 Thess. 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Heb. 12:3-4 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us...
(Remember many fruitful missionaries began their overseas work with periods of no fruit whatsoever:
-William Carey: 7 years, no conversions
-Adoniram Judson: 7 years, no conversions
-Robert Morrison: 7 years, no conversions
-1795 London Missionary Society in Australia: 7 years, no conversions
Let their testimonies inspire you to press on in spite of 'seeming' barrenness!!)

For me I had to get to a place where I realized that I planted and sometimes I watered and was blessed to see the results or the fruit sometimes. But I had to trust the Lord that He would bring others to water and that God Himself would give the increase. This helps me a lot and allows me to keep my joy. Of course I will pray without ceasing and thank Him that He is true to His Word and His timing is perfect. It is hard to labor so long and see no results but when they come it is so very rewarding and my faith increases so much. Bless you!

It would seem that you are striving and not resting. You are trying to force a result, but as already mentioned it is God that gives the increase. You plant seed and water, but you don't keep digging up the earth to see if something is growing.

It is by leading that others follow. When they see you pressing in to your relationship with the Lord, loving God and your fellow man they will follow.

The body of Christ has become so works oriented. God has called us for fellowship with Himself and when we rest in Him and love on Him others will want what we have and we will walk through this life accomplishing the Father's will just like Jesus did.

Am I saying this because I am walking it, not even close, but I have been reading books by George Warnock and they are impacting my life with the truth that we are worshipping ministry rather than God. I would suggest you get some of his books or check him out on this site. You won't regret it, and you will find peace for your soul.

If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.
John 12:32

How do you know it's time to give up on a group of people and move on?

Take a sabbatical from any form of sharing the word for about six months seeking the Father through Jesus about revealing the contents of your heart to you; [b]how does God view you?[/b] He will show you with much love but for the sake of those you minister to, please do this.

there is no frustration in love. If we go and preach the gospel, first we must do it God's way. I mean by that we must go not as a bride goes but we must also have the groom. Talking spiritual , but will explain. The bible says the Spirit and the bride say come.

The gospel is not for results only, it is a testimony to the world that Jesus was calling and knocking on the door of hearts. Someone said to me I read your posts and all I see is that no people comment.

I do not love in order to get something in return. I also don't plant money seed to get much money back. That isn't love, that is selfishness to get something for me. We are told in Isa. freely you have received freely give.

I hope you see me as helping you, I am not criticising. I felt the way you do several years ago.

if we go fishing we may say, I'm going for a bass today. We may only go home with a bream fish. or a crappie fish. If you eat those other fish than the bass, you still know you caught fish. When we go fishing for men we don't know what our catch will be for today.

Here is a testimony-- 34 years ago I went fishing for men. I was careful to do it God's way. I was not going to win them to a church but to Jesus. If they came to me I would personally show them the word of God myself and then they would be grounded in truth to protect them from deceivers.

One day I shared with a man and his 2 lady friends going into a store. It turned out they were all Christians. They invited me to their church. I had none at that time. The very same day a woman was also being invited to that church. We both were youth, and we were both invited to a hayride.

I went and felt good there, they preached the truth. Little by little the Lord drawed the girl and I together. we fell in love, and I married her. That was 34 years ago 2 weeks from today. I now have 2 sons 2 daughters 4 grandchildren. My wife's mother is still living. we talk about Jesus. All of these see Jesus in me.

This was a reward to me for being (--God's--) fisherman, I let Jesus do it through me. I have seen many miracles. I was just a jar of clay. May God's perfect ill be done through you I promise you , he alone is the comforter who will minister abundant grace if you do it his way. and for his glory. love.

Brother Anguish,

I fear I might have been too straightforward with you. I meant everything I said but perhaps I could have said it MORE with a grain of salt, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or worse yet, discouraged you in the Lord.

There is truth in seeking God to see how He views you and what you are doing for Him.

Additionally, the Lord spoke years ago through my pastor, "[b]Are you doing 'God's will' for you or are you doing 'your will' for God?[/b]"

It's our motives brother. I do not know you nor do I know your motives, I only know what you post on here. If I have erroniously misjudged what you wrote, I apologize.

I only end with this... "Are doing "YOUR WILL" for God or are you doing GOD'S WILL for you?

God bless you,

Psalm 74

1 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.

5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.

6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.

7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?

11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.

13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.

16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.

22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

In the words of David Legge, "It is a time to cry."

And in the words of Ravenhill, "Try Tears."

Other than that I am praying for you.

Typed a long response, but internet farted.

I'll take that as a sign to keep my mouth shut.

Thanks for all your replies.

hi,in 45 years i have found my testimony w/o glorifying the before part to be what God used the best.jimp