As a followers of Jesus we are commanded to make disciples. The Lord commanded (Mt 28:19-20) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit, (V20) [teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and, I am with you always, even to the end of age". Amen]
Many believers has interpreted that a real victory and success has to do with the amount of work and people they can either witness or win and baptize. The bible teaches that a real victory and success by God standards has anything to do with the amount but by the quality of the presentation of the gospel, and the command to obey all of His command. In (V20) we can see that Jesus did not just commanded to believe in him and be baptize, but to obey all of His command. Why it is so important to comprehend this true? because in Jesus time, the exact problem existed, in (John 3:25-27) Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and Jesus about purification. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!" (V27) John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
There was a dispute among them because the Jews was concern that the Lord Jesus was baptizing and getting followers. Their jealousy was not base into agreement to get people to follow Him, but the competition or a concern that the people began to follow Jesus teaching instead of the Jews teaching. It is obvious that their concern was to make numbers of people and become successful by the amount of people they can witness and baptize. The biblical successful fishermen are clear, that not always it is easy to make disciples. The command of making disciples in (Mt 28: 19-20) it is not only to make believers and baptize them, but to teach them to observe, obey, keep all of His commandment. In (V20) Did Jesus said some or all of His commandment? It is clear that He said all of His commandment.
During the time I was able to witness to people, with the group in my previous church I was fellowship, I was able to see contentment in their faces when they were getting results of souls they won for the Lord. Other time, there was some experience ,were people was not sure of their salvation. Other time was experience were people, were not ready to make any decision to accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior. When there was no results of people not coming to Christ, I was watching their faces without not many joy, hopeless and not much contentment. I can guaranteed that there was frustrations, and hopeless feelings, because they have interpreted or define that victories or success has to do with the amount of people they can witness or win for the kingdom of heaven.
The Scriptures never guaranteed that as followers of Jesuschrist, we are going to be successful or victorious by the amount of souls we can gain. The true successful biblical fishermen understand that there is four type of ground recorded in (Mt 13: 1-23), and that there is no guaranteed that everyone will hear the voice of the Lord for salvation. We are to understand that every soul has a freedom of will, when presenting the plan of salvation, we must do it with a humble heart and fill with the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, when there is no results to win souls, it could be an opportunity to plant the seed, and not necessarily to reap in the harvest.
The most important part of this teaching is that the biblical victory and success has not anything to do with the amount of people you and I can gain, but the quality of the presentation of the gospel by obeying and keeping Jesus teaching. The Lord said in (Mt 7: 21-23) "Not every one who says to Me, 'Lord,'Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord', have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? (V23) "And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! In this particular text, it is indicating that there was an amount of group of people who will claim, their attendance, proclaiming the gospel, casting out God's enemies spirits, doing good deeds of healings and wonders, However these group of people their names are not written in the book of life, and has not follow and obey Jesus command by receiving Him as their Lord and savior.
The biblical successful fishermen understand that no one come to Christ unless it is been draw by the Holy Spirit to Christ for salvation. In (John 6:44-45,65) No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (V45) "It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught by God". Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Fathers comes to Me. Again Jesus repeated Himself in His teaching, (V65) And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father. This is one of the reason why as a followers of Jesus, we are commanded to be fill with the Holy Spirit.
The biblical successful fishermen understand that the work of convicting the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment according to (John 16:8) it is not ours, but the Holy Spirit job. Our work is not to convict, but to plant the seed of the gospel. Weather we have results of people getting save or not, it is not our responsibility, but to obey the Lord command. Many believers have define victories and success by the amount of work they do, however we can do a lot work and still not give the proper interpretation of the quality of the presentation of a true followers of Jesuschrist. The Lord Jesuschrist was not able to make more disciples in the amount of attendance after all the energy, time, and sacrificial efforts He maded to teach the path of salvation and His command.
After Jesuschrist die and rose from the dead, only a total of hundred and twenty persevere in His teaching. In (Acts 1:14-15) Listen to what it is written in the word of God: These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (V15) And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty,and said. A very important question should be arise out, Where are all the large crowd, or great multitudes that followed Him at? Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing all kinds of sickness, (Mt 4:23-25). Where are all the people that came to hear His teaching at, that He also fed? In the first one there was 5,000 people (Mt 14:21) this is not including women and children's. The second multitude Jesus fed was 4,000 people recorded in (Mt 15:38) not counting women and children's. Where are they? and I can continue to mention more, but this should be enough to demonstrate that the command to make multitude, it is not necessarily the biblical success and victories of the church of Christ, but of those who truly want to keep His command just like the rest of the a hundred of twenty people did in the past.
The biblical successful fishermen understand that if they are able to reap during the harvest time, is because it cost someone else persecution, suffering, mistreated. In (John 4:37-38) "For in this the saying is true: "One sows and another reaps", (V38) " I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; Others have labored, and you have entered into their labors". This is the biblical victory and success by obeying and keeping His commandment. Before Jesuschrist die on the cross, He mentioned many time that even then He was going to die on the cross, He also mentioned His victory because He did what His Father commanded to do. The biblical successful fishermen understand, that neither the one who labor, or the one who reap is anything, but the Lord.
Dear Friend:
The Lord Jesuschrist is coming soon! Are you ready to be with Him forever? He is knocking at the door of your heart, and He is giving you an invitation. The first step for salvation is to invite Him to come into your life, to save you, and forgive you from all of your sins and be your Lord for ever. Then the second step is to find a church, be baptize and follow Jesus instructions in the bible.
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