“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
The ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ involves a spiritual battle in which the evangelist is nothing more than an ambassador. Whether a person responds negatively to the “glorious gospel of Christ,” or whether he believes and is given new life, the battle is fought on a spiritual plane outside the control of the messenger.
Why do some people reject the gospel? Satan has blinded their minds so they cannot see. Why do other people accept the gospel? “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 348 For this reason “we faint not.” 349 Paul faced persistent opposition and rejection throughout his ministry. He stayed in the battle, refusing to quit, because he knew that in the final analysis the struggle did not involve him personally.
You can easily misunderstand your task as a witness for Christ and take it personally when people reject your message. Conversely, you think too highly of yourself if you take pride in your ability to win others to Christ. In either case you fail to grasp that you are limited to merely sharing the good news. Beyond that point it becomes a spiritual struggle over which you have no control. Once you assimilate the significance of this you will not be timid in sharing the gospel nor lose heart when people reject the message.
You do not preach for temporal gain. In sales, you only get credit for what you sell. With the gospel, you get credit for proclaiming the gospel, irrespective of the response. For these reasons “we faint not.”
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