“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves: if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth: And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” – 2 Timothy 2: 25-26(KJV)
I am most perplexed when I see the extent to which the devil has taken humanity captive. Every day I go out for evangelism I get more and more shocked at the level of satanic veil covering and clouding human mind. You experience different levels of snub from the perishing crowd you are out to help rescue from the iron claws of Satan. You witness the suffering masses reject the gospel of Jesus Christ which is God’s solution to the suffering humanity. You watch with astonishment seeing the poor and downtrodden push Christ aside while accepting their fate. Most times this pitches my heart like a shot arrows of pain. It becomes clearer what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 4:4(KJV), “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine unto them”. This is exactly what I see in the evangelism arena. The youth behave as if they are doing you a great favour accepting your tracts, some even treat you with so much disdain and scorn as if you are crawling asking for their favour. Some even start laughing and making jest of you as if you are a clown. For a man who is not actually dead to self the flesh can rise with pride to hinder the glorious gospel of Christ.
It is the truth that the god of this world has blinded or twisted the mind of men that believe not. The appropriate reaction to all these rebuff is meekness which is based on the love of God and a strong passion for souls. It is only a genuine love for God which transcends to man that can withstand the humiliation at the evangelism field. We must also realize that we also would have behaved in such manner in time past when we were in the world of sin. The bible says in Ephesians 2:2(KJV); “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”. This is the reason why we must fast and pray for soul winning activities. They actually oppose themselves to their destruction, hence the need to approach them in meekness peradventure revealing of the truth will bring forth repentance that will lead to their salvation. The power of the flesh should not be underestimated in our pursuit to rescue souls from satanic grip. The bible says in John 8:32(KJV); “And ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free”. It is the knowledge of the truth and the entrance of it into their heart that suffocates the demons out their lives. The world is light, Jesus is the word and light, so the entrance of the truth, which is Christ, immediately drives out satan which is darkness, because the light shines in darkness and darkness comprehended it not (John 1 :5). Therefore the entrance of the word causes deliverance to take place. Hence Paul the Apostle made this exertion, “if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth: And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will”
Dear reader peradventure you have treated preachers and God’s messengers as described in this write-up and you are yet to repent, kindly seek God today for tomorrow may be too late. Don’t procrastinate this decision of life. Urgently run to Christ now before it is too late seeing that there is no repentance in the grave.
Prayer: Father give me the grace to overcame the mockery of men in order to gain you glory.
Bro: Joel Ezeugo