Acquiring God’s Heart for the Lost
By Kevin Miller
“The most often repeated commandment in the Bible is ‘Do not fear.’ It’s in there over two hundred times. That means a couple of things... It means we are going to be afraid, and it means we shouldn’t let fear boss us around.” — Donald Miller
The reason that Christians give most often for not sharing their faith is fear. Fear of not saying the right thing, fear of pushing someone farther from God, fear of rejection, fear of – fill in the blank. Fear has even turned some Christians into “secret believers” who are too timid to share their faith.
Much of this anxiety comes down to what the Bible calls “fear of man.”
The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.
- Proverbs 29:25
What does the Bible say about Fear of Man?
The fear of being true to your faith and sharing it with others is a common malady, but if we understand it and give it to God, it doesn’t have to rule us. John 12 teaches that fear of man is really just seeking the approval of men rather than God.
Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
- John 12:42-43
Jesus says that confessing Him (telling people who He is and what He has done for you) is eternally important.
Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 10:32-33
So what is the answer? The antidote that the Bible prescribes for fear is love.
Freedom from Fear
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
- 1 John 4:18
In the same way that the love of Christ casts out the fear of eternal punishment, it does a real job on our fear of rejection when sharing the Gospel with others. When we have an understanding of the love that our Father has for us, we will realize that receiving that love always includes the honor and responsibility of passing it on.
As our understanding of God’s love deepens and matures (is perfected) we will find sharing it becomes a more natural (often supernatural) part of our lives.
But how do we acquire this kind of love for the lost - the type that Jesus walked in?
Jesus’s Example
When Jesus was faced with the lost and hurting, His response was compassion.
When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.
- Matthew 9:36
When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.
- Matthew 14:14
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
- Mark 10:21
Jesus told us clearly that we were to love just like He loved us. (It worked on us, didn’t it?) He said that people would know that we were connected to Him by the way that we loved them. And, by the way, love can’t keep silent about a life-changing, soul-saving truth.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
- John 13:34-35
Acquiring the love of Christ for those far from God
Love is a gift from God. The love that only He can give us is the supernatural kind that conquers our fears.
We love, because He first loved us. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
- 1 John 4:19, 21
It’s easy to love the people in our lives that love us, but God has called us to even love our enemies – a very big task.
The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:5-8
By dying for us, Jesus demonstrated that love is not an ooey-gooey feeling – it’s a dynamic verb. By our actions we are sharing that very real love that God has available for everyone – even the ones in our lives that might seem very hard to feel ooey-gooey about.
Be assured, since Jesus commanded that we love like He loves, if we ask Him to put that ability in our lives He will surely do it. John 14 applies to this type of request.
Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- John 14:13
Today, ask God who He would have you share His love with. Write their names down and commit to praying for opportunity and courage to step into it as He leads.
