Inside Out: A 40 Day Journey to Transforming Your Heartنموونە

Under Fire

“Under fire” literally means to be attacked with guns or with severe criticism. Those who have fought in combat best understand what it is like to be under fire. They have a heightened awareness that an attack can happen at any moment. They are trained soldiers, yet they cannot plan with certainty what may happen next.  They move cautiously and with courage. They risk their lives so that we can experience freedom. 

Many followers of Jesus worldwide understand what “under fire” means also. They are unashamed of the gospel in places where the gospel is criticized and where their faith may lead to death. They, too, move cautiously and with courage. They also risk their lives so that their people might hear the gospel and experience freedom. 

I experienced being “under fire” when I visited a missionary team in the Middle East. This country is 100% Muslim. We couldn’t find a single secret church of believers. Even as foreigners, we had to wear an abaya, a long, black covering, like a graduation gown. We wore a niqab, a veil, to cover our hair. Since we were not Muslim, we were required to wear colorful veils, not the traditional black niqabs worn by women. 

One evening, as we were on the busy streets in the capital city, a jeep full of military men with machine guns started to pass us slowly. Their foul language and criticism were intimidating, but it was when they shot their machine guns off into the sky that our knees buckled and we collapsed to the ground.  They were making a point. Foreigners are not welcome. Our faith is not welcome. One of the missionaries said to me, “Every day, we wonder if we will make it out of the country alive. We choose to stay, praying that our presence here will lead at least one person to faith in Jesus.” My friends bravely lived out 1 Thessalonians 2:4, which says, “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

Proverbs 17:3 says, “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” God allows our faith to go “under fire” to see if it is real.  We may not have to fear a gun pointing at us for our faith in the United States, but we may fear criticism. Having a Biblical worldview is no longer popular in America.  It is seen as antiquated and archaic. Our faith is under fire, and we must decide if we will stand as soldiers for Christ and be unashamed of the gospel, or if we will shrink back, fear what people think of us, and become useless in bringing others the hope and freedom of the gospel.

God has approved us to be His soldiers.  God is entrusting us with the eternal gift of the gospel. The question is, do our hearts care to share it with others? Do we grasp what freedom we have through Christ in such a way that we want to bless others with the same freedom? Sharing the gospel is a risk, but so is fighting in a war. What better battle to be a part of than for others’ souls?  God wants to see if we are ashamed of the gospel or if we grasp that it is the most fantastic news we could share with our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. 

Sharing the gospel may be intimidating at first. We may not know how to bring up spiritual things.  Thank goodness, God does. He knows what people need to hear to consider Jesus. When we invite God into our conversations with others, He will guide us on what to say.  He’s just waiting for us to be courageous and enlist as His ambassadors.  

When we take steps of faith to be unashamed of the gospel, something new is created within our hearts. We gain a deeper heart for the lost. We have eyes to see the lives around us and how to enter in to care for them and bring them the hope of the gospel. When we see a person experience freedom from receiving the grace of the gospel, we can’t go back. Our hearts will no longer fear man but will please God by publicly living out and sharing our faith. Will we be courageous even when our faith is under fire and share the gospel? We can’t transform from the inside out until we allow God to test our hearts and begin to be unashamed of the gospel. 

Take a Moment:

• What fears do you have in living out your faith publicly? 

• Why is it worth the risk and criticism to do so?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the amazing gift of the gospel. I know You want me to share it with others, even if I feel under fire and am criticized for my faith. Please give me the heart to care for the lost people around me. Give me the courage to step out in faith to talk to them. Give me the wisdom to know what to say. I want to be Your ambassador and be unashamed of the gospel. Help me to keep my eyes on You. Amen.