Preaching the Truth in God's Power
Matthew 3:1-2 ...'In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Friend, we are living in a time of great peril. We are living in a time where the vast majority of the world has forsaken their Creator. We are living in a time where the world is uniting under Satan's banner! This is the time for powerful preaching of TRUTH. Truth that is found in Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist in his desert life was taught of God. He studied the revelations of God in nature, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he studied the scrolls of the prophets. By day and by night, Jesus Christ was his study and meditation, until mind, heart and soul were filled with the glorious Saviour.
John looked upon the King of kings in His beauty, and self was lost sight of. He beheld the majesty of holiness and knew himself to be inefficient and unworthy. It was God's message that he was to declare. It was in God's power and His righteousness that he was to stand. He was ready to go forth as Heaven's messenger, unawed by any human, because he had looked upon the Divine. He could stand fearless in the presence of earthly monarchs because with trembling he had bowed before the King of kings.
John did not declare his message with elaborate, complicated arguments or finespun theories. No, John declared the message with simplicity and truth! Startling and stern, yet full of hope, his voice was heard from the wilderness: 'Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' With a new, strange power it moved the people. The whole nation was stirred, and multitudes flocked to the wilderness to hear the truth.
Today, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, such a work as that of John the Baptist is to be done. God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. As a people who believe in Christ's soon appearing, we have a message to bear - 'Prepare to meet thy God.' (Amos 4:12). Our message must be as direct as was the message of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. And even though his life was imperiled, he did not hesitate to declare the truth as is found in God's word. Our work and message today must be done just as faithfully.
Now in order for us to be able to give such a message as John gave, we must have a spiritual experience like he had. The same work must be wrought in us. We must behold God, and in beholding Him, lose sight of self.
Friend, the world is uniting under a message of 'love'. But it is a false love. A worldly love that is not of God. The ecumenical movement is growing and gaining strength. Satan is uniting the churches and religions and world leaders under the direction of the Roman Catholic Church. The man of sin (the pope) is being hailed as the only one who can lead the world out of it's troubles. So now is the time for God's true servants to stand in the righteousness of Christ and give the direct, final warning to the world, in the power of God.
(This article is based on the chapter: 'Preaching with Power', from the book 'Maranatha')
