When the Lord first used a broken fountain in Detroit to stir my heart to share my faith, fear paralyzed me for a season. But the hope of Christ burning within me overcome my fear. However, other fears quickly replaced the first and for a while halted my willingness to share my faith. If you have ever struggled with sharing your faith, I’ve been there way too long. Here are a nine reasons I didn’t share my faith. My hope for you is that you may not linger long in some of the briery paths I stumbled into.
Go into the world and preach the gospel. Mark 16:15 NIV
Excuse Number 1: I don’t even know what the Gospel is exactly, so I can’t preach it!
Christ commissioned the apostles to go into the whole world and preach the gospel, but what exactly does the “gospel” represent?
According to Martin in his sermon, Christ’s Commission to the Apostles, the gospel “represented facts in the eternal past and in the eternal future — promises, predictions, His (Jesus) own history, dispensations of the grace of God, and certain aspects of the government of God.”
Any facts you discover in the bible about God’s promises, predictions, the life of Jesus, and God’s grace is all part of the “gospel.”
So, if you share what you know….that Jesus, God the son, came to earth as a baby, lived a sinless life, willingly sacrificed his life on the cross, so that we could be forgiven, and rose on the third day, and still reigns in Heaven…that is the gospel.
Excuse Number 2: I still can’t preach the gospel, after all, I’m not qualified like the Apostles were! What if someone asked me a question I couldn’t answer?
Christ himself came to this earth to fulfill the divine work that God himself began. In today’s world if I were to select men who would fulfill divine work, I would certainly look for well-educated ones who have the finest seminary degrees. I would be extremely impressed by those who could answer all the tough questions.
But that’s not who Christ chose!
Christ chose men who did not already possess much education at all.
In fact, their jobs weren’t even related to ministry work. But Christ chose them anyways. And he chose you too!
Excuse Number 3: There are so many people already preaching the gospel, they don’t need one more!
The interesting thing is that all the apostles were chosen to continue the same divine work. They all had different backgrounds, personalities, and did not all present the gospel in the same way. But Christ chose them because they had compassion for people with different backgrounds, personalities, and who need to hear the gospel presented in different ways.
So, whatever your background, your personality, and the way you present information to others…there are people who just may connect with you in a way they can not connect with me. And that’s why we are ALL needed!
Excuse Number 4: I can’t preach the gospel because my faith is not strong enough!
It makes sense to me that the perfect man was called into the world to preach the perfect message. Christ fulfilled this work, but then he called the apostles to continue the divine work that he began. And despite what you may already have heard about the apostles, in the beginning of their service the apostles did not have a strong faith. I know this because right before Jesus sent them out into the world to preach, He had “rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen (Mark 16:14).
So obviously these apostles who Christ chose clearly weren’t as strong in faith as I previously believed them to be. They were people perhaps a lot like you and me. Someone who isn’t in ministry. And even if you have struggled with believing that Christ was risen, apparently that doesn’t disqualify you either. Even the apostles, struggled in the beginning with believing that Christ had risen after dying on the cross.
But God did rise Jesus Christ from the dead and in his tender loving kindness, Jesus extends grace to those who struggle with unbelief.
Excuse number 5: I just don’t have enough energy, I’m wiped out!
Although the apostles were far from having a STRONG faith, they had received “promises of power.” They received the presence of Christ himself and the Holy Spirit remained with them as they continued their divine work.
And dear one you have received a “promise of power” too. Every time you bow your head and invite Christ into your daily life, you receive his presence. And the Holy Spirit works in you as you continue the divine work that began so long ago.
Excuse number 6 : But I can’t preach!
And did the apostles really preach? Or were they called to repeat what they seen, heard, and experienced? The essential message that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners like us (Martin).”
I may not be able to preach, but I can tell everyone what I’ve seen with my own eyes, heard with my own ears, and experienced within my soul.
I have seen God change people’s minds, heard Jesus saves, and experienced how he removed my anger, fear, and unbelief.
Excuse number 7: But I’m too scared to try!
There have been many courageous men in history who overcome perils and dared to do the impossible because they believed they were part of a “Divine Call.” Think about the dauntless pilgrims who braved unforgiving seas to sail to a new world.
They were victorious because they encouraged themselves with the words, “I am here because God commanded me to be here and the Lord Jesus Christ is my hope!”
This same hope burned in Jeremiah’s soul as he stood against furious opposition as he rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall (Nehemiah 4:1 NIV). It comforted Daniel as his actions defied the King’s wrath. This same hope gave Elijah strength to stand fearless before a murderous King.
Excuse number 8: But I don’t know what to do!
If you have viewed a military movie on Memorial Day, you have seen how every soldier, every brigade, and every regiment remains vigilant until they receive the commander’s orders to move. If one battalion moved without orders, this weakens the line of defense. It may even thwart the future actions that the General has so carefully planned.
In the same way we need to wait until we hear God’s command to move.
By day we train our eye to watch the pillar of cloud and by night we follow the fire that leads.
Although we agree it is disastrous to lag behind the regiment’s movements. It is foolish and equally disastrous to run ahead. We may unknowingly run into danger. Or even worse our own eagerness may even spoil a blessing the Lord has planned for us. Instead remain with the troops and wait for God to move (The Presbyterian).
Excuse Number 9 : But, what if?
What if you are rejected? Well, even Jesus was rejected. But what if your obedience to Christ changes a person’s life?
You may never know if the seed you plant ever grows to bear fruit, but your obedience will forever change your own life!
With the Lord Jesus Christ firmly planted in your heart as your hope, hurricanes may blow, but you will remain standing firmly upon the rock. By grounding our feet in the hope of Christ, our soul anchors to the firm rock that guards the seashore. No matter how long the Tsunami may roar, our souls are secure in the arms of Jesus (Martin).
May I pray for you?
I praise you, Christ, for anchoring our soul to you, the firm rock that guards us. I thank you for being our hope so that we can withstand all fear to share our faith. I confess this fear to you, forgive us for our unbelief. I ask that you train our eyes to look to you as we await to see you move in our lives. In Jesus name, I pray Amen.
May I offer you a gift?
I’m a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m married to a firefighter, am a mother of two college age sons and one lovable rescue pup. My new day job is as an Instructional Designer but my background is teaching Elementary school. I love learning and sharing with my friends.
So, I’m looking for online friends to grow spiritually alongside me. As my online friend, I spend time praying for you everyday. My goal is to specifically design encouraging gifts to help you know deep in your soul just how dearly loved by Jesus you are.
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- Feel free to comment below about what may keep you from sharing your faith. Or share how you have overcome one of the above reasons.
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Abide in Christ's Love 
Good post April. You bless many with your writings.
Sent from my iPad
Thank you Mary Lou, You bless me with your kind words!