We Don’t Need A New Approach, We Need The Spirit
Have you ever run across videos or “sermons” that try to use worldly vernacular to get their message across? Ever thought that you had to package The Word of God to fit popular culture to reach those outside of the body of Christ?
The truth is you do not. Doing that you become like the Sadducees and Pharisees, leading people away from The Lord thinking you are leading people to Him (Matthew 23). Let me explain why.
Whenever someone is ministering or sharing the word of God, it must be done by the Spirit. We do not need the world's lingo, we do not need to make it meet today's standards (as it already does; remember there is nothing new under the sun Ecclesiates 1:9), we do not need to make it worldly, we need The Spirit. He and Him alone gives the revelation of Scripture and has the power to convict and move us to repentance (John 16:7-11)
Let's see what the Apostle Paul says about this.
1 Corinthians 2:2-5
2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
See Saints, to share the Gospel, you must have the attitude of Paul which was given to him by Christ. He did not go to the church of Corinth with this fancy language he learned in seminary or in a way that he thought would fit the times… he went with The Spirit, who wins everytime! He did not want the people to mistake the move of God with his own ability to share The Word. He knew what was required of Him to truly win souls, because remember, there is a wisdom for doing so (Proverbs 11:30). You know why? Because he knew The Gospel alone and the work of the Holy Spirit would be enough!
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
There is much in these 7 verses. First we are taught that The Lord is not mysterious. Yes, His ways are unsearchable and higher than our own, but that does not equate to mysteriousness, instead to The Lord’s wisdom. His wisdom is only known and taught to us by His Spirit, Holy Spirit. Remember Jesus would tell the disciples to rejoice that He was going away so a Helper (Holy Spirit) can come (John 16:7-11). With our own intellect and thought we could not fathom the things of The Lord that is why those who truly believe and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior, the only way to eternal life, have done so by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3)
See we can not possibly understand spiritual things using worldly wisdom or what seems right in this world. Trying to repackage or rebrand the Gospel to make it attractive to unbelievers and even those who call themselves Christian is a no-go. 1 Corinthians 1:27 tells us that He uses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, that means His Ways will always seem foolish to someone who only thinks with their natural mind and won’t perceive things spiritually. People in this world can not fathom the plans of The Lord because they do not know Him so trying to utilize worldly methods and wisdom just won’t work.Think about Jesus if you need an example. When He was getting crucified, the guy next to Him said “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” (Luke 23:32-43 NIV) See they could not understand that Jesus had to get on that cross and stay there for them and the people who would come after them. They perceived things with their natural eye (and influenced by the enemy of course) and thought it was foolish that Jesus, as the Savior and Messiah was up on that cross.
I also might add that the term spiritual used does not mean religious. Those who are spiritual means those with the Holy Spirit and not one who thinks and acts carnally (Galatians 5:16-26). To have the Holy Spirit, one must be born again by His Spirit as Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3:21). Apostle Wendy Connor once said that The Lord is an experience and not an explanation. We are connected to Him with our spirits and we experience Him by first becoming a new creation. This is all the work of The Holy Spirit who works within us by The Lord’s grace.
See people will either get it or they won’t. It is our job to do The Lord’s will in His Way, but let The Holy Spirit do the convincing. That's why Apostle Paul says it is The Lord who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:5-9) and Jesus would say let everyone who has ears hear and let everyone who has eyes see (Matthew 11:15). Those who are blind to The Gospel are blind because they choose to be. Not because they need a new approach but because they refuse to submit to The Holy Spirit because they are too comfortable in the world (Steeped In – JITA Publishing & Ministries).
Scriptually speaking, there is no need for the church to get complacent and try to fit in with the times. Remeber we were called to be set apart and our conduct must reflect that. Get in tune with the Holy Spirit and watch Him change your life for the better. He will change your desires so you will desire to do what pleases The Lord. He will go before you so that you will not need the things of this world to spread His message.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the gift of salvation through Your Son Jesus Christ. I thank you for pouring out Your Spirit to dwell in me so I can do the good plan you purposed for me. I repent of my sins and the ways I have fallen short. I ask that you show me any areas in my life that are not pleasing and give me a heart of flesh instead of stone to receive your correction. I ask that you help me block out all of the things in this world and grant me the desire to follow your guidance as you order my steps. I believe that you have given me all the things that I need to accomplish Your will for my life.
In Jesus Name,
Amen