COMPELLED TO PREACH

 

COMPELLED TO PREACH

I Cor. 9:16 For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t do it! NLT

One of the most essential qualifications there is for a true disciple of Christ is a compelling drive to share the Gospel message with the world. The work of Christ in us is so powerful and life changing that we want others to experience it too. Words spoken without substance are just words. The world needs to see what difference Christ makes in the soul of man.

When the Lord has hold of us we no longer see ourselves, we see Him. We no longer want others to see us; we want them to see Christ. Life is no longer about self; it is about Christ. We are compelled by God to tell others about Him.

The need to proclaim Christ is so strong that we become miserable if we don’t do it. As a preacher, I understand this truth. During those times in my life when I wasn’t in the pulpit, I could take it only for so long. The urge to preach was so strong that I became restless and miserable until I was once again in the pulpit. This compelling drive has held true in my life over and over again.

It is a terrible thing when we don’t tell others the Good News. We are miserable because we are not living in obedience to the Lord. We are depriving others of the Good News when we remain silent. There are those who you are uniquely gifted and prepared to reach that perhaps will be in hell if you remain silent.

I am convinced that if we are not driven to share the Gospel with others we are not living rightly in Christ. His presence in us is so overpowering that we must tell others. If we fail to be witnesses for Christ, we will answer to God for it. What a terrible moment that will be when we have to stand before God and give an account as to why we didn’t proclaim the Word when we had the opportunity to do so.