....and the gospel advanced

So in church there was a guess teacher/preacher and he spoke out of acts 16 for the message for the day. He pointed out that through some untimely circumstances and opportunities opening and closing; the gospel still advanced in spite of all that was happening outside of Paul's control. Paul was hindered by the holy spirit not to go into a certain city but the Lord showed him to go to jail for an unjust crime against him. Why? To all advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel must and will always be advanced. It's the point of everything. Think about it for a second. Had the Lord God not made the advancing of the gospel priority one, you and I would never know nor understand what the gospel is and who is it about and why it should matter to everyone. The bible says, and I'm paraphrasing, that no matter what...my word will not come back void out well do what I set out out to do. God's word must go forth and he will use us to do it. But think about it. If Paul had complained the entire time circumstances interrupted HIS plans the gospel going fourth would be hindered and tainted.  We are so prone to get caught up on our agenda that we forget whose agenda matters over all. The advancing of the gospel must be priority one for all of us.

So if we ate in perilous times and the rain just seems to stay coming down; we need to say no matter what the gospel of Jesus Christ must advance beyond my wants. Our heart should be HIS heart.  How can the gospel be advanced? By doing things God's way in every way. Trouble comes, don't cuss; pray. Bills and your children and car trouble just keep boarding you, don't get anxious and worried; pray and reflect on the promises of God from the bible.  Always always always, the gospel must advance. Should hang in the balance and depending on how you handle things and yield to the spirit may determine if someone comes to Christ.  I've been struggling personally and I got worried and frustrated and fearful. But then the spirit reminded me that I've been here before and he brought me out then. So why is my faith shaky, simply because the enemy is trying to break my spirit. I need to recognize the enemies attacks and also that we don't fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and the forces of darkness.  So I fight back by giving thanks and praising God fir his faithfulness. I had to do this fir several days because the devil was pressing upon my heart to "curse God and die". But the gospel must advance. If I lose my cool and my faith I also lose my witness. Losing my witness is more important than losing my sanity because if I lose my witness then the gospel does not advance. And that my brothers matters more to me and should matter more to you. If it doesn't yet then seek the spirit to give you a heart for the advancement of the gospel. A fighting spirit to have the gospel in front of you so that people see it first instead of you.  -be blessed and a blessing