Could You Use a Good Sting?

A bizarre remedy. Seated in her motorized wheel chair, Bette gazes through her living room window. Over the years multiple sclerosis has progressively attacked her nervous system, restricting her mobility and almost paralyzing her limbs. Two years ago she had to give up walking with a cane and accept the assistance of her mobile chair.

With difficulty Bette lifts her arm. She senses her strength waning. If she doesn't act soon, she won't be able to manipulate the controls of her wheel chair. From her pocket she lifts a vial. It seems to be buzzing. Carefully, she removes from the vial a honey bee pinched between her thumb and forefinger. Then she intentionally allows the bee to sting her on the forearm.

Ahh. Now Bette feels better. All she needed was a good sting.

This bizarre remedy actually works. Bee venom counteracts the debilitating symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis and arthritis. When sufferers feel their mobility diminishing, they grab a bee and give themselves a good sting.

If you fear bee stings, this remedy might make you cringe. However, if you were barely able to move, you probably would appreciate the benefits of a good sting.

A divine remedy. God has a vision to reach a lost world with the gospel of Christ. However, most Christians have difficulty witnessing even to their own family, good friends, and neighbors. Evangelizing a spiritist, a Muslim, or a Buddhist can seem nearly impossible. Such challenges often leave us paralyzed by outreach doubts, fears, and discouragement. We need a good sting.

Wouldn't it be great, if God--knowing our reluctance and discouragement--had assured us repeatedly he would bless our efforts to proclaim the gospel to our neighbors and all the world? He did! In the Bible He gave us hundreds of outreach promises. These often-overlooked promises are "good stings."

For many believers, their attitude and motivation regarding evangelism is command-oriented. "Christians should witness and do mission work," they say, "because God told us to. So let's get moving!" But what would happen if our attitude and motivation were more promise-oriented? To inform us what to do, God gave us outreach commands. To encourage and empower us to obey them, He gave us outreach promises.

Would you like to use them as God intended?

Paul the Missionary understood outreach promises. As he strove to shine the gospel light in dark places, he clung to this promise: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand" (Rom. 15:21). This promise is a quote from Is. 52:15. Isaiah also understood outreach promises. In fact, by the Holy Spirit's inspiration, Isaiah authored more outreach promises than any other Old Testament writer.

Jesus also knew the power of God's promises to encourage our compassionate service and witness. That's why He assured us with statements like, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden" (Mt. 5:14).

The theme of this book is this: In the same way that gospel promises contain the power to produce faith in Christ and convert us, so God's outreach promises create within us faith in God's ability to carry out His mission through us.

The goal of this book is to teach you how to recognize outreach promises and put them to use as you share your faith.

Discovery. What is your reaction so far to this new idea?

__ a. What in the world is this guy talking about? I don't get it.
__ b. It sounds good, but to be convinced I need to hear more.
__ c. This speaks to a hunger I've felt, but never could satisfy.

Prayer: Lord, help me grasp hold of Your outreach promises.
Action: Tell a person or two about the healing power of bee venom. Ask if they could use a good sting to help share their faith.

Outreach Fear

You love Jesus because He gladly gave His life for you. And yet your fears may prevent you from saying the name "Jesus" outloud. Outreach fear is familiar to Christians everywhere.

Germany. All the way home from work Gertrude scolded herself, "Here I've been praying for an open door to witness to Herr Lochner. When he began to tell about his friend's funeral, that was the opportunity. But then I fretted, 'He might become angry or laugh at me. Maybe he'll fire me.' Gertrude, you coward, your fears slammed the door God provided. And you did the same thing last year with Aunt Diedre. Hopeless! That's what you are."

What is the state of your confidence in regard to witnessing?

Uganda. Bakojja is a Christian in this East African country where one-third of the people have died of AIDS or developed its symptoms. Recently, the Holy Spirit has been tugging at Bakojja's heart to minister to AIDS victims. "Lord," he prays, "I've kept myself pure for you, and now you ask me to associate with sinners. What dangers for my soul. For my health too. This can't possibly be your will!"

What difficult situations freeze you with outreach fear?

Venezuela. Like many in Caracas, Marisela lives in a high-rise apartment building. Two months ago, her next door neighbors Rómulo and Isabel began to respond positively to her witnessing. Then one night while sitting on her balcony, Marisela overheard her downstairs neighbor chanting loudly, inviting three powerful spirit-gods to rule over the entire building and its occupants. Tobacco smoke used in the occult ritual drifted up and choked Marisela's apartment. After that night Rómulo and Isabel cooled toward the gospel. Now, whenever Marisela thinks of witnessing to someone in her building, she shrugs "Why bother? The devil rules this turf."

How fearful are you about the spiritual warfare of evangelism?

Place a check where you stand on this scale.

Good stings. The Great Commission appears to be a foolhardy task until we notice its pre-promise and its post-promise. Here is the entire passage with the promises in italics.

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Mt. 28:18-20).

How might Christ's promises about His universal authority and enduring presence transform outreach fear into outreach courage for Gertrude or Bakojja or Marisela or yourself?

Medicine for the mugged. We, the church, are like the traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho who fell among robbers in the parable of the Good Samaritan. En route to share Christ in our community or on distant shores, we have been mugged by outreach doubt, fear, and discouragement. Stripped of hope.

Wouldn't it be great if God, foreseeing we might lose heart, had promised us His global task could be and would be accomplished? HE DID! Just as the Good Samaritan poured oil and wine on the wounds of the beaten traveler, so God repeatedly promises that our witnessing and mission efforts will bear fruit.

The purpose of this book is to introduce you to dozens of outreach promises and teach you how to apply them to yourself and your church.

Prayer: Father, help me trade outreach fear for outreach courage by trusting in Your outreach promises.
Action: Ask others if they have outreach fears. Listen with care.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.