Part 4: Renewing Our Minds About Winning Others In A Way That Pleases God
“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lampstand may be kept burning.” Exodus 27:20
“And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. With it you shall anoint…the lampstand…the altar of incense…the altar of burnt offering. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy.” Exodus 30:22-29 [abridgment added]
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:14-15
So for part four, we are back at the altar…adding oil to the lampstand! As the scripture in Matthew highlights, we are God’s lampstands, bringing the gospel to the whole world! I hope that this message will help us renew our minds on how to share the gospel in a way that pleases God. Because the gospel is consecrated and holy, it has been bought with a price! So we have to handle it carefully as not to inadvertently lead others away from Christ. In Leviticus and Exodus, the priests are instructed to add oil to the lampstand. Oil often signifies the holy spirit. As we see from the scripture above, in Exodus 30:22, we share the gospel with the help of the Spirit[I will explain this more]…just as the spirit assist should assist in our incense [our prayers] and burnt offering [devotion]. In part 3, I also mentioned that the oil was presented with the bread sacrifice [ our service].
So, we can’t just share the gospel in any kind of way! Our object is to get the unsaved and backsliders to the throne of grace! We can not share the word in our flesh (the way we deem fitting), but we need the spirit to help us to do it. We cannot merely preach of his Love without addressing sin–because none but the rightous will see God (Hebrews 12:14). Some preach a fire and brimstone gospel, that is so harsh and abrasive that it actually pushes people away from Cross! No one should think that this is the way that God wants to win others either. Because one day, those of us who serve Christ will have to stand before a righteous God and have to give an account of not only IF we served him but IN WHAT SPIRIT we served him. Far be it from us, that God had an opportunity to get that person to the throne of grace…through your preaching…your singing…your dance…your writing…but they were turned away from the message because of they spirit that we presented it in. If we sing, we need to hit that note to the glory of God to get that person to the throne of grace…Not for self glory, lest the person be turned off. We must not do things in the flesh, but by his Spirit! Judgment alone will not save. Love without knowledge of the truth, will not save. But if we share his word correctly and in the right spirit we can win some for Christ!
So, let’s first talk about what not to do, and I’ll share the revelation at the end. 2:Timothy 2:23-23 says that when sharing the gospel: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produced quarrels. And the Lords servant must not quarrel, instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach and not resentful. Those who oppose him must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance, teaching them the knowledge of the truth, that they will come to hear.” Listen, God’s teaching should not promote quarrels and foolish arguments in the Body. We should try to listen to what people have to say and treat them with respect. If you do this, they will be more likely to listen to what you have to say. Remember, we have to get the to the throne of grace! Combative defense of the word may cost you the opportunity to win others into the fold. Instead, Paul tells Timothy to gently instruct!
1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer[share your faith] to anyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope you have. But do this gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” How do you know that you that you have done this in the right spirit? Your conscience is clear! And further, if we share the message in the right way, we keep ourselves above criticism for having appropriate conduct.
So we must therefore, add the oil when we allow our lamps to shine! We must add the holy spirit. We know the nine fruits of the spirit…love, kindness, gentleness….yes gentleness! We must ask the holy spirit to help us to share the word in such a way that will allow others to reach the throne of grace. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brother, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” The spirit of gentleness is how we win some for Christ! Patiently instruct until the person is able to receive…we know that one of the fruits of the spirit is longsuffering!! And this by no means, means soften the gospel message or soften the truth. BUT its the SPIRIT you do it in. We have to operate in the spirit, and not in the flesh! Paul was preached the word uncompromisingly. He said this to the Corinthian church, ” I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat while absent. On my return will I not spare those who sinned earlier or any others.” 2 Corinthians 13:2. In 1 Corinthians 4:21, he says “What do you prefer, shall I come to you a whip or in love with a gentle spirit?”
So, there is a such thing as righteous anger. It’s hard to forget the image of Jesus, turning over the tables of the money changers in anger who were conducting his business in the temple with the wrong spirit [greed]. Matthew 21:12-13. In fact, John 2:15 says that he made a whip out of cords and drove them out of the temple! Yes, the same man who said he was meek and lowly of heart. Matthew 11:29. We also know that he called people dogs, vipers, and snakes! Matthew 23:13-33. BUT…this is not the way we should operate…we are not God…and we are not righteous…we are flesh! Listen, the gospel is offensive enough…we don’t need to add additional offense with our words. We must operate in a spirit of gentleness.
God’s gospel is sacred, it must not be shared in the flesh, but in his spirit! Let me end with the scripture…I just found out about this scripture when someone shared it recently…but it exemplifies the revelation received in a dream about how to share the word of God’s judgment…although I still don’t get it right all the time. Jude 1:22-23 says this, “Be merciful to those who doubt, snatch others from the fire and save them, to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” The revelation I had is that God’s word will pierce their hearts with truth but his love will be operating at the same time to draw them in. This is the best way to win others for Christ! As Jude says, the mercy will draw some in! These are the people whose hearts have already been made ready to accept the truth. But whenever his judgment is preached, it must be mixed with mercy!! Don’t assume people know God’s love just because you have received revelation of his love. This is how God brings salvation to his people, and if we want to share his word, this is how we should do it…in the spirit of gentleness!
So…add the oil…which is the spirit of gentleness to your lamps…be blessed! Ask the holy spirit to help you as you speak [or type] and give you the words to say and the ability to say it in the right spirit. I pray God gives you a double anointing to reach the unsaved and the backsliders!
