Sometimes, when we think about evangelism, we believe it is a service that can be started at any time. We can wait until there is grace or we are well-equipped before preaching. Actually, preaching the gospel is more like a spiritual battle where both God and Satan are competing for souls. If a certain opportunity is missed, one may no longer have the chance to meet Jesus.
Not long ago, a pastor shared that he had missed the opportunity to preach the gospel, which made him feel guilty for the rest of his life.
Over a decade ago, he took a train to preach in another place. A woman opposite him stared at him blankly from the minute he sat down. At that moment, the pastor had an idea to share the gospel with her. But because of the woman’s eccentricity, he was afraid that she might not accept the gospel, so he buried this thought and closed his eyes to fake sleep.
Suddenly, that woman stood up and pulled up the window, then jumped off the train. The woman's husband reached out to catch his wife but turned out to fall off the train together. Looking at the empty seat opposite, the pastor shed tears of regret. He could have prevented the accident from happening, but because of the human perspective, he did not obey the reminder from the Holy Spirit, causing irreparable regrets.
Some may only have one chance to meet Jesus in their lives; others may find it easier to know Jesus at a certain stage of their lives. If at the wrong moment, it will be difficult for them to accept the gospel. In preaching, we are actually working together with God. Our efforts and prayers can shake God’s hand and bring people to the Lord earlier.
There is a female believer who has believed in the Lord for four or five years. She returned to her hometown some time ago and was determined to preach the gospel to her nephews and nieces at home. Telling stories from the Bible, she taught them the simplest prayers.
She was surprised that when she referred to "God created heaven and earth," they didn't object but rather said, "Oh, it turns out that God created this world!" Among them was a naughty nephew who kept making trouble and noise when seeing his aunt reading the Bible to others.
At this time, this female believer went over to pray for him and kept telling him, "Jesus loves you; He loves you very much." The troublemaker gradually became quiet and finally cried. From then on, he was willing to listen to his aunt teach the Bible. There is also another nephew who has just learned to pray but gave testimony that he got better after praying for his stomach ache.
I also have regrets regarding the timing of preaching the gospel. In the past, when my younger brother first entered the workplace, I tried to pray for him and preach to him. For a while, my brother's heart opened a little, and he expressed that he did not reject faith. Moreover, the leader of his office, who is a Christian, even preached the gospel to him.
It's a pity that I didn't continue to pray for his faith. A few years later, when I decided to preach to him again, I noticed that, with a hardened heart, he was unwilling to believe anything easily. When it came to faith, he repelled it and just intended to make more money.
When we think that there is still plenty of time for us to preach the gospel gradually, Satan has already built a high fortress in one's heart, binding the heart with deeper control. Let us speak to the people around us as soon as possible, pray for them, and work with God to win back the lost souls from the power of Satan.
(The writer is a Christian from Shaanxi.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
有时，我们想到传福音，会觉得这是一个可以随时开始的侍奉。等有恩典，有装备了再传也可以。实际上，传福音更像是一场属灵的争战，神和撒旦都在争抢灵魂，错过某一个时机，可能这个人，就不再有机会遇见耶稣了。
不久前，听到了一个牧者分享他曾错失传福音的时机而一生愧疚。
十几年前，他坐火车去外地讲道。从他落座起，对面的一个女子就直愣愣地盯着他看。当时，牧师心里起过一个念头，要去给她传福音。但想到对方怪异的神态，可能不会接受福音吧，于是按捺下这个想法，就闭眼装睡。
突然，对面的女子起身拉起车上半敞的窗户一头跳下火车，女子的丈夫探头去抓妻子，结果一同栽下车。牧师对着对面空了的座位，流下后悔的眼泪。他本可以阻止意外的发生，但因为牧师用人的眼光来看对方，就没有顺服圣灵的提醒，造成了无法挽回的遗憾。
有的人，也许一生只有一次遇见耶稣的机会；有的人，却可能是在人生的某一阶段更容易认识耶稣，错过合适的时间，他们就很难接受福音。 传福音，其实我们是与神同工。我们的努力、我们的祷告都可以摇动神的手，把人更早的带到主面前。
教会有个姊妹，信主四五年了，前段时间回老家，决心给家里几个侄子、侄女们传福音。她给他们讲圣经里的故事，教他们最简单的祷告。
让她很惊讶的是，她向他们讲“神创造天地”时，他们竟然毫无反驳。他们说，“哦，原来这个世界是神造的啊！”有一个小侄子非常调皮，看到姐妹给其他朋友讲圣经，他就前后捣乱，制造噪音。
这时，姐妹过去为他祷告，一直告诉他：“耶稣爱你，非常爱你……”，这个捣蛋鬼渐渐安静，最后竟然哭了。此后，愿意一起听姐妹讲圣经。还有个小侄子，刚学会祷告，就有了祷告的见证。有一回肚子疼，说祷告后就好了。
在传福音的时机上，笔者也有一些遗憾。以前，我弟弟刚进入社会工作的时候，我也曾为他祷告，给他传福音。有一段时间，弟弟的心松动了，表示不排斥信仰。他单位的基督徒领导，还给他传福音了。
可惜，后来我没有继续为他守望。过了几年，等我再决心给弟弟传福音时，发现他的心已经很刚硬，不愿轻易相信什么。一谈到信仰，就反感排斥，现在就只想多赚钱。
当我们以为，还有大把的时间可以容许我们慢慢传福音时，撒旦已经在一个的心上筑起了高高的营垒，用更深的辖制捆锁住人心。让我们向身边的人尽早开口，为他们守望祷告，与神一起从撒旦的权下，夺回失丧的灵魂。
（本文作者为陕西一基督徒。）
抓住时机见证福音
Sometimes, when we think about evangelism, we believe it is a service that can be started at any time. We can wait until there is grace or we are well-equipped before preaching. Actually, preaching the gospel is more like a spiritual battle where both God and Satan are competing for souls. If a certain opportunity is missed, one may no longer have the chance to meet Jesus.
Not long ago, a pastor shared that he had missed the opportunity to preach the gospel, which made him feel guilty for the rest of his life.
Over a decade ago, he took a train to preach in another place. A woman opposite him stared at him blankly from the minute he sat down. At that moment, the pastor had an idea to share the gospel with her. But because of the woman’s eccentricity, he was afraid that she might not accept the gospel, so he buried this thought and closed his eyes to fake sleep.
Suddenly, that woman stood up and pulled up the window, then jumped off the train. The woman's husband reached out to catch his wife but turned out to fall off the train together. Looking at the empty seat opposite, the pastor shed tears of regret. He could have prevented the accident from happening, but because of the human perspective, he did not obey the reminder from the Holy Spirit, causing irreparable regrets.
Some may only have one chance to meet Jesus in their lives; others may find it easier to know Jesus at a certain stage of their lives. If at the wrong moment, it will be difficult for them to accept the gospel. In preaching, we are actually working together with God. Our efforts and prayers can shake God’s hand and bring people to the Lord earlier.
There is a female believer who has believed in the Lord for four or five years. She returned to her hometown some time ago and was determined to preach the gospel to her nephews and nieces at home. Telling stories from the Bible, she taught them the simplest prayers.
She was surprised that when she referred to "God created heaven and earth," they didn't object but rather said, "Oh, it turns out that God created this world!" Among them was a naughty nephew who kept making trouble and noise when seeing his aunt reading the Bible to others.
At this time, this female believer went over to pray for him and kept telling him, "Jesus loves you; He loves you very much." The troublemaker gradually became quiet and finally cried. From then on, he was willing to listen to his aunt teach the Bible. There is also another nephew who has just learned to pray but gave testimony that he got better after praying for his stomach ache.
I also have regrets regarding the timing of preaching the gospel. In the past, when my younger brother first entered the workplace, I tried to pray for him and preach to him. For a while, my brother's heart opened a little, and he expressed that he did not reject faith. Moreover, the leader of his office, who is a Christian, even preached the gospel to him.
It's a pity that I didn't continue to pray for his faith. A few years later, when I decided to preach to him again, I noticed that, with a hardened heart, he was unwilling to believe anything easily. When it came to faith, he repelled it and just intended to make more money.
When we think that there is still plenty of time for us to preach the gospel gradually, Satan has already built a high fortress in one's heart, binding the heart with deeper control. Let us speak to the people around us as soon as possible, pray for them, and work with God to win back the lost souls from the power of Satan.
(The writer is a Christian from Shaanxi.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Preaching the Gospel, Now or Never
