Hearts Melting Like Wax and the Triumph of the Gospel
In Joshua 2:11 Rahab, a converted harlot, tells of why she came to faith in the God of the Bible. She'd heard of the works of God which proved that He is Lord of heaven and earth, and her heart melted like wax. The undeniable presence of God with the people of God led to a heart-melting fear of God on the earth. And in her case, it led to her conversion.
There are NT parallels to this phenomenon. Acts 2:42-48 and Acts 4:29-33 and Acts 5:12-14 and Acts 6:7 and Acts 9:31 and 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25 and 2 Thessalonians 3:1 and 2 Timothy 2:8 all recount how Jesus' prediction of the triumph of the Church and the gospel (Matthew 16:18) would unfold in this age. Fearless preaching married to godly living and anointed by God's powerful Spirit made for an unstoppable gospel. People heard, feared, and believed.
When the invincible Word of God is proclaimed by the holy people of God through the living church of God accompanied by the mighty works of God, the hearts of men and women will melt like wax, and wherever we set the soles of our feet we will gain new spiritual ground and win new people to Christ (Joshua 1:3-9). To be sure, as in the day of Joshua, there will be much opposition to the undeniable reality of God. But at the same time, many Rahabs will be saved and the gospel will triumph.
What we need today is for local churches to rise up as battalions of faith, enflamed by the glory of God in the gospel, amazed at the wonder of grace, transfixed by the face of Christ and the beauty of The Holy, surrendered to a life of love, uncompromised in the pursuit of godliness, and gifted and empowered and filled by the Holy Spirit--to proclaim a triumphant Savior. This is that "something bigger than us" that I referred to the other day. To it we are all called, and in it we will all find the greatest of joys.
The world simply cannot stay neutral in the face of such a force. It's heart will melt like wax. It will know that the Church is a divine force to be reckoned with. But I should warn you: when this happens we will see both the winning of many converts to Christ and the increase of much opposition to Christ. Mark these words: when the Church rises up like this it will not be irrelevant. Nor will it go unnoticed. People with melting hearts before the reality of God will either join us or fight us. One thing the gospel will not let them do is ignore us.
O Lord raise Your Church to join the great cause of God and Truth, and may the world's heart melt with fear mixed with faith for Your everlasting praise.
There are NT parallels to this phenomenon. Acts 2:42-48 and Acts 4:29-33 and Acts 5:12-14 and Acts 6:7 and Acts 9:31 and 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25 and 2 Thessalonians 3:1 and 2 Timothy 2:8 all recount how Jesus' prediction of the triumph of the Church and the gospel (Matthew 16:18) would unfold in this age. Fearless preaching married to godly living and anointed by God's powerful Spirit made for an unstoppable gospel. People heard, feared, and believed.
When the invincible Word of God is proclaimed by the holy people of God through the living church of God accompanied by the mighty works of God, the hearts of men and women will melt like wax, and wherever we set the soles of our feet we will gain new spiritual ground and win new people to Christ (Joshua 1:3-9). To be sure, as in the day of Joshua, there will be much opposition to the undeniable reality of God. But at the same time, many Rahabs will be saved and the gospel will triumph.
What we need today is for local churches to rise up as battalions of faith, enflamed by the glory of God in the gospel, amazed at the wonder of grace, transfixed by the face of Christ and the beauty of The Holy, surrendered to a life of love, uncompromised in the pursuit of godliness, and gifted and empowered and filled by the Holy Spirit--to proclaim a triumphant Savior. This is that "something bigger than us" that I referred to the other day. To it we are all called, and in it we will all find the greatest of joys.
The world simply cannot stay neutral in the face of such a force. It's heart will melt like wax. It will know that the Church is a divine force to be reckoned with. But I should warn you: when this happens we will see both the winning of many converts to Christ and the increase of much opposition to Christ. Mark these words: when the Church rises up like this it will not be irrelevant. Nor will it go unnoticed. People with melting hearts before the reality of God will either join us or fight us. One thing the gospel will not let them do is ignore us.
O Lord raise Your Church to join the great cause of God and Truth, and may the world's heart melt with fear mixed with faith for Your everlasting praise.
Labels: Evangelism, Mission
posted by Tim Shorey at
5:42 AM
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