READ: 1 CORINTHIANS
9:19-27
“Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and
longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved” (Philippians 4:1).
If there was one person who had an objective and followed a plan to accomplish a given task, it is Paul. Some of us never strategize for souls but Paul did. There are some people who would never want to fail. It is in their nature a part of their upbringing. It is either they are doing something to succeed or they will not even try. Paul was like that. In soul winning, he sat down and analyzed the situation, doubts and fears of those he wanted to preach to, and why they will not to receive the Gospel message. Paul considered all the barriers – spiritual, intellectual, financial, moral, and socio-cultural factors and dew up a plan that will adequately subdue each of those barriers.
Paul strategized for souls because he carried out some thorough environmental scanning and therefore knew sinners’ needs and how to meet them. Have you done any research on those you hope to preach the gospel to? Have you identified the barriers to their salvation? What strategies are you putting in place so that you can realize your goal? Do you have a soul winning goal in the first place? What pressure is the determination to win souls putting on you? There is a brother who is aiming at a doctorate just because like Paul, he wants to be able to reach out to the highly educated, not for better pay. He already has two masters’ degrees yet still working towards his Ph.D for the kingdom sake. Have you drawn your strategy for souls?
If you cannot nurture your converts until they get to heaven then why bring them to Christ in the first place? Parents who bring a child into the world and refuse to cater for that child will face God’s wrath. You know how much some people are looking for just one child. Some of them would even pay millions just to bear their own child, yet some are busy aborting babies. In Philippians 4:1, Paul, after making all the necessary sacrifices was begging his converts to stand fast in Christ. Why? So that all this efforts at receiving the soul winners crown and having his crown decorated with stars would not be wasted. He won souls that would go to heaven. Where are your souls heading?
If there was one person who had an objective and followed a plan to accomplish a given task, it is Paul. Some of us never strategize for souls but Paul did. There are some people who would never want to fail. It is in their nature a part of their upbringing. It is either they are doing something to succeed or they will not even try. Paul was like that. In soul winning, he sat down and analyzed the situation, doubts and fears of those he wanted to preach to, and why they will not to receive the Gospel message. Paul considered all the barriers – spiritual, intellectual, financial, moral, and socio-cultural factors and dew up a plan that will adequately subdue each of those barriers.
Paul strategized for souls because he carried out some thorough environmental scanning and therefore knew sinners’ needs and how to meet them. Have you done any research on those you hope to preach the gospel to? Have you identified the barriers to their salvation? What strategies are you putting in place so that you can realize your goal? Do you have a soul winning goal in the first place? What pressure is the determination to win souls putting on you? There is a brother who is aiming at a doctorate just because like Paul, he wants to be able to reach out to the highly educated, not for better pay. He already has two masters’ degrees yet still working towards his Ph.D for the kingdom sake. Have you drawn your strategy for souls?
If you cannot nurture your converts until they get to heaven then why bring them to Christ in the first place? Parents who bring a child into the world and refuse to cater for that child will face God’s wrath. You know how much some people are looking for just one child. Some of them would even pay millions just to bear their own child, yet some are busy aborting babies. In Philippians 4:1, Paul, after making all the necessary sacrifices was begging his converts to stand fast in Christ. Why? So that all this efforts at receiving the soul winners crown and having his crown decorated with stars would not be wasted. He won souls that would go to heaven. Where are your souls heading?
MEMORIZE:
PHILIPPIANS 4:1 –Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy
and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
