FEAR TO SHARE THE GOSPEL

Pastor Maselo Mosomane

"But Moses protested again, 'What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?'” Exodus 4:1

How many times have you felt inside that people will not believe you when you share with them what you believe God is urging you to do so? How many times have you called yourself to order and said; "it's just me?" 

Each time you say its just me; deep in your heart you know it's not just your thoughts. You know it is something bigger than your thoughts. It is God wanting to speak to someone though you. God wants to reach out to someone through you. God wants you to be the prophet of the moment today.

"What if they won't believe me or listen to me?" See how Moses extended his list of excuses when God sent him to king Pharaoh? God met with him at the burning bush when Moses was shepherding his father-in-law's sheep at the slopes of Mount Sinai. Then the Lord told him, "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.... Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”" Exodus 3:7,10

Although Moses was convinced it was God who was speaking to Him, nonetheless, due to fear he advances one excuse after the other. But God was patient with Moses. He handled every objection; from "who am I" to "who are you:" from "I can't speak well" to "what if they won't believe."

Haven't you realize how hard it is to satisfy someone who has a hidden problem? When you thought you have remove the main obstacle, he comes up with another. If fact, he does not have any obstacle; he puts obstacles in his way by himself. So was Moses.

The actual reason Moses was reluctant to go back to Egypt was that he was afraid. I don't know whether he was afraid of the pending murder case that led him to exile or the whistle blower among his own people who saw him commit the very act. But Moses was afraid.

For all the years I have been a Christian and have read through the Bible several times, I was shocked to see this verse in the same chapter. Verse 31 says "and the people believed and when they heard that the Lord visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped." And the people believed. People are ready to believe - especially when they are afflicted. This is why if they do not get the truth they will believe a lie. 

When God impresses upon you to share the good news with someone; instead of thinking about what the person's reaction will be, think about what God's reaction will be if you won't. Let what the person might say weigh less than what God said. God will never change His mind about what He said to you but he (the person God wants you to speak to) may change his mind. 

It does not matter how fearsome someone looks like. If God sends you to him with the gospel do so and do not be afraid - go ahead. His response is not what directs your course. You see God is different from people. With Him the outcome is not as important as OBEDIENCE. May the same be true with us today. As servants, we are called to carry orders with complete obedience and the outcomes we leave to God. Good day