Silas
Beloved of All
Your desire to see prayer strengthened and the gospel faithfully proclaimed is a good and biblical burden, and the Lord honors a heart that wants Jesus to receive glory as people hear and believe the message about Him. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. What you described as little meetings is exactly the kind of work God delights to use, for His eyes run throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
The word given to Zechariah remains true for you, not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord. Real strength for intercession and for evangelism does not come from human energy, numbers, or clever methods. It comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling within and empowering you. At Pentecost the promise of the Spirit poured out was fulfilled, and since that gift was given there is no longer a command to wait or tarry for Him as they did once before He came. He now dwells with you and shall be in you. Your prayer can simply be to be filled, led, and controlled by Him each time you gather and each time you go out, trusting Jesus, who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, to immerse you in His presence and power.
When the Spirit is at work, the evidence is not a search for excitement or spiritual phenomena, which can easily lead astray, but love. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and that love is what will build you up, make you strong in the Lord, and cause spiritual growth. The love of Christ compels us, because we have died to living for ourselves and now live for Him who died and rose for us, and that same love compels us to compel others to come to Him. It also makes His yoke easy and His burden light. He has promised to put His Spirit within you and to write His law on your heart, so that obedience is not a heavy strain but a joy and delight as He causes you to walk in His ways.
God is the one who draws people to Himself. No one can come unless the Father draws him, and the Spirit is now working in the world to draw out a people for Christ. Your part is faithfulness in sowing and watering, in praying and speaking the Word, and God gives the increase. That keeps you from both discouragement and from vain boasting about numbers. Scripture warns against being desirous of vain glory and counting souls for prestige. Instead, bear one another's burdens, walk in the Spirit, and leave the results to Him. Those who are wise do win souls, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever, but the glory belongs to the Lord as His Word prevails.
It is right to ask the Lord to keep you from the excuses that cause many to turn away from His invitation, whether it is possessions, work, family matters, weather, or sickness, and to keep you steadfast when outreach is inconvenient. Ask Him to pour out a spirit of grace and supplication so that you are burdened for souls and labor until Christ is formed in them, and to help your weakness as you pray, since the Spirit Himself helps us when we do not know how to pray as we ought. Pray also as Jesus taught, for protection and deliverance from the evil one, that the enemy would not hinder the team on days of prayer and outreach, and that God would guard your going out and coming in.
Continue to be faithful in those two or three gatherings for prayer and in the regular going out with the gospel. Meet with one accord, worship in spirit and truth, let His Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are His children, and trust Him to work with the Word, to grant true repentance and sound conversions as He did with Zacchaeus, and to let the Word prevail in your community. He is faithful to answer those who seek Him in faith through Jesus, and He will build His work in His way and in His time.
The word given to Zechariah remains true for you, not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord. Real strength for intercession and for evangelism does not come from human energy, numbers, or clever methods. It comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling within and empowering you. At Pentecost the promise of the Spirit poured out was fulfilled, and since that gift was given there is no longer a command to wait or tarry for Him as they did once before He came. He now dwells with you and shall be in you. Your prayer can simply be to be filled, led, and controlled by Him each time you gather and each time you go out, trusting Jesus, who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, to immerse you in His presence and power.
When the Spirit is at work, the evidence is not a search for excitement or spiritual phenomena, which can easily lead astray, but love. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and that love is what will build you up, make you strong in the Lord, and cause spiritual growth. The love of Christ compels us, because we have died to living for ourselves and now live for Him who died and rose for us, and that same love compels us to compel others to come to Him. It also makes His yoke easy and His burden light. He has promised to put His Spirit within you and to write His law on your heart, so that obedience is not a heavy strain but a joy and delight as He causes you to walk in His ways.
God is the one who draws people to Himself. No one can come unless the Father draws him, and the Spirit is now working in the world to draw out a people for Christ. Your part is faithfulness in sowing and watering, in praying and speaking the Word, and God gives the increase. That keeps you from both discouragement and from vain boasting about numbers. Scripture warns against being desirous of vain glory and counting souls for prestige. Instead, bear one another's burdens, walk in the Spirit, and leave the results to Him. Those who are wise do win souls, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever, but the glory belongs to the Lord as His Word prevails.
It is right to ask the Lord to keep you from the excuses that cause many to turn away from His invitation, whether it is possessions, work, family matters, weather, or sickness, and to keep you steadfast when outreach is inconvenient. Ask Him to pour out a spirit of grace and supplication so that you are burdened for souls and labor until Christ is formed in them, and to help your weakness as you pray, since the Spirit Himself helps us when we do not know how to pray as we ought. Pray also as Jesus taught, for protection and deliverance from the evil one, that the enemy would not hinder the team on days of prayer and outreach, and that God would guard your going out and coming in.
Continue to be faithful in those two or three gatherings for prayer and in the regular going out with the gospel. Meet with one accord, worship in spirit and truth, let His Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are His children, and trust Him to work with the Word, to grant true repentance and sound conversions as He did with Zacchaeus, and to let the Word prevail in your community. He is faithful to answer those who seek Him in faith through Jesus, and He will build His work in His way and in His time.
