There’s a great movie from the early 80’s called, “My Body Guard.” It’s a story of a teenaged boy named Clifford Peache who moves to Chicago and begins getting harassed by some bullies. He makes attempts to work things out, but it isn’t until he’s befriended by an outcast named Ricky Linderman that he’s able to walk home from school without being beat up. Whenever the bullies confront Peache, Linderman (who is huge) emerges and stands right behind him. The bullies soon learn not to mess with either of them.
This story has a several paralells with our Christian walk: how the devil loves to bully us, and how on our own we’re defenseless. But there is one part of this story that especially applies to our walk.
We are called to share our faith with others, however the fact is most of us are intimidated to do so. George Barna reports that although there over 100 million Christians in the USA, the average Christian in American today will die without ever having shared his/her faith in Christ with another person. This not only reveals the level of our intimidation, but it shows we have a poor understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role in evangelism.
Here’s a familiar verse…
“The Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Pe 3:9b, NIV)
Now contrast that verse with this verse…
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (Jn. 6:44)
In other words, because God does not want anyone to perish, He is drawing people by His Holy Spirit. When you and I share our faith in Jesus Christ with someone, we maybe intimidated, but God is right there standing with us. God’s Spirit has been working, is working, and will continue to work on the listener, softening their heart, pushing back hell’s influence, and bearing witness of the truth.
We have more than a body guard, we have the backing of all heaven whenever we go to do the Father’s bidding!
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