4 REASONS WE HOLD BACK IN SHARING THE GOSPEL

READ PSALM 40

PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE TRUE GOD

Psalm 40:9-10

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance

in the great congregation;

behold, I have not restrained my lips,

as you know, O Lord.

10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness

from the great congregation. 

David has been a vocal testimony of what the Lord has done in his life.

Romans 10:15b

…As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 

Telling others of what God has done in our lives should be the natural outcome of our salvation, for those who know God can daily see the outpouring of His grace.

We live in a world of lost people who are continually masking their utter hopelessness with distracting activities. They live without eternal values and without eternal hope. Our testimony about Who God is should be loud and clear, like David’s: he did not restrain his lips.

1 – Often we are holding back because of fear.

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

We tend to forget that it is God’s plan that those who have true faith are the ones whose lives should be displaying that faith, and whose tongues should be speaking about our Savior with clarity. The results are not dependent on our ability to convince people. Our responsibility is to share the true gospel clearly, and then God will produce the results He intends it to have.

2 – Other times we hold back because of lack of urgency.
Hebrews 9:27

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 

This week, I was speaking with an older gentleman who reminded me that we are all “terminal”. He was so right, but seemed totally oblivious of the gravity of that truth. Too often, we also go about our daily lives, forgetting the reality of this statement. We leave the opportunity to share the Gospel with someone for “another time”. We are looking for “the right opportunity”, presuming that there will be more. It is normal for the unbelievers to live that way, but for us, this should not be so.

3 – We also hold back, not realizing our privilege and responsibility.

Romans 1:14-15

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 

Paul looked at all people as those to whom he was a debtor. It was his opportunity and responsibility to share the truth of the Gospel. Do you and I look around to see whom we are responsible to speak to? Whom has God placed in your particular sphere of influence?

4 – We tend to forget that the Bible call the Gospel, “The Good News”. 

We have a message that is crucially needed and that transforms lives from death to life, from condemnation to forgiveness, from darkness to light!

David’s testimony also reached other believers. His praise for God was of an encouragement to those who were going through difficult times. His testimony of deliverance and hope was of great help to those who, for a time, had lost sight of God. God’s perfect, unending love and faithfulness should be our daily song of praise.

We need to live our lives in constant dependence upon God, and with great awareness that the way we live and what we say must point people to Christ. May God help us to never become so self-absorbed that we lose sight of His wonderful works. May each of these remind us of our privilege to be a vocal testimony of His grace.