We are told to take the whole armour. Not just a sword. The spirit is associated with the sword, “salvation” is associated with the helmet. Our minds and our heads must be protected. It takes our minds to win the hearts of a lost destitute soul. Without a sound mind one cannot have sound doctrine. If a man does not understand salvation he cannot be saved, nor lead others to salvation.
We often forget about the shield. Funny how we are told to take this above all isn’t! Our faith, surely, will be tested in this life as a Christian. The world and the devil have been at it for a long time. Long before any of us showed up. We are in the most corrupted age, well beyond Genesis 6 in my view! The only reason we aren’t drowned again is because God promised he wouldn’t do it! Fiery darts of the wicked stick into things. We need that shield.
Arrows go into our shields, mingle with our reason, cloud our faith. Our faith is our protection. What we can’t see with our eyes is our power. Our shield of faith is to quench not to deflect. We are to stand, having done all to stand. It needs to be mentioned here as well, that the sword of the spirit is the only offensive element. One offensive item listed in six. Loins girt about with truth; the Breastplate of Righteousness; our Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; the Shield of Faith; the Helmet of Salvation; and the Sword of the spirit.
Our feet need to be preaching the gospel of peace. How can we give peace to others, by going for the execution stroke at first contact? The fatal blow to the neck with our big 66lbs broadsword. Our authority and our training in the book can be our downfall through pride and arrogance. With all this in mind, let me talk to you bold Bible Believing preachers out there.
We are to use the word of God carefully. Not “handling the word deceitfully”. Approaching sinners with the truth and not pride. This should be our manner. We are ambassadors to the world. We should be well versed in how we conduct ourselves in every facet of life. The servant of the Lord must not strive. It carries with all men. Especially so; if one is going to attempt to “suit up”, play the part, and preach the gospel to the masses at the town square.
There are many of men in a pulpit and on the streets today that literally all they can do is swing a big sword. Much like bullies in school or pit bulls dogs in a fight, many have a big bark, and even a bigger bite. The old saying is true, the bible certainly makes rugged individuals. But unfortunately, most would rather carry the shiny KJV and show people their skill in using it instead of actually being compassionately concerned for the souls they are slicing!
You can have a big sword, and not know how to swing it. You can wear it loud and proud, but still lack the swordsmanship of a veteran, tactful warrior. Through all our boastings of spiritual warfare, (fighting the devil), in the trenches, the Lord’s elite, God’s green berets, etc, they forget some of the basic principles of warfare for any age.
Lessons of warfare/tactics, patience, opportunities, circumstance. Does our confrontational actions give away our position? Do our actions when we bellow “Repent” on the street corners with megaphones automatically set up a perimeter of partition with your “sounding brass”? Do we even care about these questions before you guys go on the offensive.
Do we really interest the sinner ear and heart by pridefully proclaiming our presence with an obnoxious megaphone surprising those who aren’t facing you. Doing so on purpose for shock value at that! You know how you secretly laugh when people shockingly jump at your cruel words and loud demeanor!
The militant street preacher, God’s bold green beret, God’s elite street preacher, God’s SWAT officer. What does an enemy do when surprised, they freeze or they attack? And in todays world, most will attack. The mentality in the crowd has already been set. The defenses are now up. Reinforcements may even be inbound.
Why don’t we as “street preachers” ask questions in our preaching anymore? Why are we not compassionate? Why do we control the entire dialogue? Why do we relish in our appearance as fools for Christ, or glory seeking, attention-crazed-flesh-seeking maniacal preachers (you WILL get turned off).
Most of you relish in this description because it further adds to the illusion of “BOLD STAND in their face street preacher. America is so sick of hearing about backwoods crazy people.
These soldiers of the Lord put their women standing around in their potato sacks and rude signs with a list of damning sins, or children in front of the preacher protecting the him. It’s warfare right? Preachers need to be dealing with these people not children or the women! You guys bark of having your women right, and in subjection, you say they are not permitted to usurp authority over any man, what happens if they are approached by men on the streets jackasses?
Oh, I know, you will then intervene. What if you can’t? What if you are talking with another dear soul that you care so much for? What if they don’t want to talk to you, because you have been a rabid junk yard dog railing away the whole time? What if the reason they are talking with your wife is because you called their wife a whore? Vlid question. I have seen this happen. And why would you step away from your important message to not allow your wife to usurp authority over man in a debate? Would you not permit them to speak? You guys are blatant hypocrites. You make it up as you go, change with the wind, and pat each other on the back in your complicit unorthodoxy thinking you are doing much labor for the Lord. Fools.
What do people associate with cults? Women and children, and a dogmatic leader who is unquestionably inherent. How do we appear now collectively? You could care less about how people perceive you as “an appearance of evil”. You don’t care! I know. You have a unction, a call. Oh yes? What was it again? You have a “obligation to tell the truth, a call of God?”
If you are preaching to the world with your wife, other wives, youth groups, your own children, and others, while traveling to events such as Gaspirilla, Mardi Gras, Gay Pride Festivals, Sporting Events, why would you place your wife and children before the unpredictable, drunken masses to begin with. Your children and wives will hear such vulgarity and witness such actions that you preach against others witnessing pn their TVs. Hypocrite. At least the TV can be bridled. At least a TV has a OFF button!
What about the actions of drunk, drug induced, belligerent, immoral, and lascivious people? But I know your sort. Your tough. You can take the ridicule and punishment can’t you?
If you really have a burden for the porno shop owner or the sodomite, try simply talking with them. You won’t do it will you? Try writing a letter if you are so burdened. Explain who you are and ask them to join you for some coffee.
We may use “abstain from all appearance of evil” to weasel our way out of this one. This action is never done. We make excuses on why they won’t listen. It’s easier to get the “sword of the Lord and Gideon club” together Saturday night to go down there and blast em with the book! It’s much easier to just “Tell them Thus saith the Lord” while interjecting our own hobby horses and rabbit trails. Shame on you men!
“Write letters? Who does that anymore” God didn’t call me to write letters bless God, he called me to preach thus sayeth the Lord, Repent!” If they act on their burden, and write a letter, no one could see them. It has no fanfare. It’s easier to set up a battle formation in front of the place of business and rain down fire for an hour against their establishment showing their concern, instead of dealing with the soul who is responsible for running it.
I mean you guys love knocking on doors right? Have you ever knocked on the door of the establishment that you rail against each week? Have you ever written a letter to the owner, requested a coffee date, explained in a well thought out letter him how the shop is wicked. Not in front of his employees so you can embarrass him. Not in front of your friends so you can seem to be a prophet!
Heres a scary thought, but practice presenting the offence of Christ, without giving offence. Anything would be better then calling them names and accusing them of specifics. We are scared of this. We think it to be ecumenical or Charismatic.
Open the scriptures to him. Invite him and his family over for dinner if you can endure such sinners in your house. Even if he didn’t get converted, and he wasn’t fully persuaded, and threw off everything you said, he wouldn’t forget the Christian who appeared to have a genuine concern for his soul. The same way he won’t forget the Christian who says to him, “You bunch of God depraved heathen you need to repent!!!”
What about being hospitable with your time instead of always looking for occasion to open your mouth. Do you not think you will get by with the fact that you hailed them coming and going with great swelling words of vanity and clamor, but never would go out of your way to talk with them. You give God one hour for the sinner to hear the gospel of Christ somewhere amongst your railing and ranting on wicked establishments, sodomy, adultery, fornication, paganism, and witchcraft, and you wonder why they don’t respond to the sweet spirits call?
They don’t care, they don’t know what pagan is, they are ignorantly blind to these things. These things are not spiritually discerned in them. They are not hearing any plan of salvation, they are not hearing any gospel of grace, they are not hearing any 50 verses that are directing them to the Blood of Christ, or the gospel. They are getting wrath, “repent!”, hellfire damnation, your gonna burn, your going to hell friend.
They don’t care or they are clearly distorted in vision and purpose. Stupid ignorant blind men. Don’t treat the lost as if they know nothing. Don’t arrogantly boast that your “8” year old preacher prodigy knows more bible than they. Why does it matter and who cares. Your kid grew up with a dad who believed a bible, others didn’t. You can’t pigeonhole everyone like that!
Don’t bash their education that they worked 4 to 8 years for just because you know it may be irrelevant to eternity. It may be, but maybe show that they are uneducated in spiritual things with compassion. Don’t have bodyguards standing around with their arms folded like you are some celebrity, renown Christian warrior that needs to be protected.
What have we done to “open air preaching” is the same thing we do to everything else, totally corrupt it, and pervert it so it mirrors absolutely nothing that the body of Christ resembles or should be focused on. These sort are false prophets. Yeah, you, you sons of thunder...
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