Let us remember that God assures us He will be with us in the work of leading souls to Him. In his instructions to his apostles in Matthew 28:20, he reminded them, “lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Mark even tells us how God worked with them: “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” (Mark 16:20). Paul and Barnabas reported to the church at Antioch and mentioned what God had done for them. “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). They did the same thing in Jerusalem: “And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them” (Acts 15:4). And in Corinth God assured Paul, “Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10). Was He not also with Moses, Jeremiah, and Jesus? (Acts 10:38).
In the activity of teaching others, we are “workers together with God” (I Cor. 3:9). Could one have a greater helper? We are also assured by God that we shall reap. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6). Through Isaiah we are told, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11). This same assurance is given by Paul to Christians in Galatians 6:9 and I Corinthians 15:58.
Sometimes the results are immediate, and at other times the results come later. These results can be far-reaching. The conversion of a lone Jew who was rebelling against the gospel and persecuting the church resulted in many churches being established through his missionary journeys, and through his writings millions have been saved.
God assures us that we shall be rewarded. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3). The parable of the talents also shows that those who faithfully carry out their duties will be rewarded (Matt. 25). How wonderful it will be to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:23).
Every hindrance must be overcome, and obstacles must be tackled. With God as our helper and the Bible as our guide we can and we must overcome all hindrances to carrying the gospel to the lost. When we do this, the gospel will cover the world as the water covers the sea! And “Heaven will surely be worth it all.”
Paul M. Wilmoth
