Struggle Not

Whenever there is an air of gospel preaching, there is an innate sense of realization for preparation. This has become the normal mundane experience. All these are signs of immaturity. In reality, gospel preaching is just an overflow of the daily experiences and enjoyment of Christ. If this crucial element is absent, every gospel work is just a "work"-- a physical and mental struggling to achieve something. This is far from what the Lord wants.

The Lord Jesus lived a life and His living is the gospel; His person and work were one. His living was His working and His working His living; the two was never separated. Such is the living needed for the spread of the gospel. God does not need us to do anything for Him, He just wants us to live Him and through this, He will carry out His work.

This time too, the Lord reminded me again and again NOT to STRUGGLE for the gospel nor for increase. Instead He reminded me again and again of my need to live because of Him by eating Him and drinking Him; experiencing and enjoying Him in every little thing, here a little and there a little. This is the new way of gospelization: a gospelization by living our the gospel, not allowing an iota of the natural man to participate, lest he dilute the purity of the gospel.

Every time I come to the word and spent time with the Lord in prayer, praying for growth and increase, the Lord's one and only constant reminder is, "STRUGGLE NOT", but "LIVE CHRIST." Though I knew this long time ago doctrinally, only recently I have been practically experiencing the reality of it. But I am also aware, this is much much higher as it entails one's life and living before God and man, daily, hourly and moment by moment. Sufficient growth in life and maturity is required to come to this level. O may the Lord grace me more to be as He so desired in the matter of the gospel preaching.

All natural scheming, though with utmost good intent and purity, is still the natural man. Sometimes out of mercy, the Lord do bless such natural labor as an incentive for all the zeal, labor and struggle; lest we fall. But that's not His heart's desire. All the saints of ancient days had all preached the gospel by their living testimony; foremost of all was apostle Paul, whose serving was in spirit and whose living was Christ. So should our living be such. 

Gospel preaching is a living and is a day to day matter as long as there is breath in our nostril. Anything that arouses the natural man must be dealt with thoroughly whether for good reason or not, the natural man is the natural man. Any spiritual activity of the natural man is at best "strange fire" offered to God that invokes God's judgement to death. 

Lord, have mercy on us and grace us to live out the Lord Jesus Christ as the gospel everyday of lives.