A Lo-Carb brand of personal religion is disastrous to the world.
Have you been to a grocery store lately? Seems like everywhere you go for food–supermarkets, restaurants, wherever–you see advertising that promises Lo-Carb, Less Fat, Lite, Reduced Calorie or NonFat on an increasing number of products we eat or drink every day.

Actually, with these new types of foods (and I’ve tried my share) I have not been full in a while. Much of this stuff leaves me wanting something else–like a New York sausage-and-pepper pizza.

Before you start wondering if I’ve overindulged in a health-food craze, I’ll zero in on my point. The apostle Paul said to believers, “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, NKJV).

Physically speaking, yes, eating the right food is without question essential for good health. But spiritually speaking, having a Lo-Carb, less-filling, Christianity-Lite brand of personal religion is hazardous to you and disastrous to the world.

If Christianity Lite were packaged and carried an ingredients label, the list might read: minimal church attendance; spiritual psychobabble; no turning from or forgiveness of sin; passionless preaching; microscopic mention of the blood, cross and supernatural power of Jesus Christ; no altar calls; and absolutely no witnessing.

This easily could be called the Pablum-Driven Life.

All of it takes us another step backward when it comes to reaching our world with the gospel. The weight-reducing spin on spirituality today possesses only enough power to give one a temporary sense of acceptance and well-being. It does not have enough Holy Ghost oomph! to sustain a full-blown commitment to Jesus Christ that not only can weather the storms of adversity but also advance this cause worldwide.

Paul held nothing back in communicating all the truth of God’s Word to believers. The reason seems incredibly obvious: We need everything God can give us to live in today’s world with any degree of spiritual victory.

We need peace in our hearts, power to resist temptation, strength to overcome sin, and an active and contagious spirituality. There is a very real place on the table of 21st century life for more of “the whole counsel of God.”

Paul knew the full power of the good news firsthand because he had been transformed by it. He also knew that people who have allowed themselves to be drastically changed by the entirety of the gospel were more likely to reach beyond themselves to touch others with the love of Jesus.

Effective evangelism has never been merely about programs, materials, machinery or clever presentation, although these are tools we’ll continue to use. In fact, isn’t it marvelous that God went outside the established church box to create The Passion of the Christ, an evangelistic tool that witnesses to Him?

Nonetheless, this doesn’t take away from the fact that effective, contemporary evangelism is about men and women personally and practically committed to the Great Commission, yielded to and empowered by the Holy Spirit, and spreading the message through whatever means possible.

If we present the whole gospel for the whole person, then we might begin to see the Holy Spirit work in our families, lives, businesses and ministries in a much greater way than before. The baptism of the Holy Spirit gives a believer a full measure for full power.

The clearly stated, primary purpose of the charismatic distinctive–the baptism of the Holy Spirit–is not simply to manifest spiritual gifts. It is to empower the church to evangelize the world through word and deed. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8).

When I gave my life to Jesus as a young, unchurched, Jewish heroin addict, I wanted everything God had for me–a new life, healing, deliverance and tongues. If it was from God, I wanted it. How about you?

Let’s not fall short.

If we want to make a difference, let’s ask the Holy Spirit for all that He can give us and then get busy living and telling His message.

Let’s concentrate on what any and every one of us can do to pull others from the flames.

Have you ever felt as if you were standing in the middle of a forest watching a rapidly spreading fire consume everything in the vicinity? I feel that way watching the flames of sin seemingly overtake our country. At times it feels nothing less than overwhelming.

Leading an evangelism team to Mardi Gras in New Orleans again this year, in February, as well as constantly ministering in towns and cities across the country during the last year, I had opportunities to gaze often into the flames. What “flames” am I talking about? They include the fires of murder, same-sex marriage, political mudslinging, all kinds of crimes–even terrorism–that are spreading from coast to coast.

As a Christian, I have wondered how I can stop the fires before they destroy everything. Fortunately, there is an answer. The Holy Spirit speaks to this very question.

“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter” (Prov. 24:11, NIV).

The other morning as I was thinking about this verse, the meaning of it hit me like a gale-force wind. It altered my perspective about what my primary role as a follower of Jesus should be.

As a Christian, my main purpose is not as much to put out the flames of hell as to pull people out of those flames.

Make no mistake–as opportunities arise, believers should be involved in dealing with the social and political issues that tend to fan these flame. There is much good to be accomplished by Christians’ working in these realms of society.

Nonetheless, Proverbs 24:11 tells us that, as Christians, we should be focusing more on rescuing those being led away to death than on quenching the flames that would destroy them.

Throughout the 20-plus years we at Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries have gone to New Orleans to tell people about Jesus, I’ve seen the rampant sin, immorality and perversion of Mardi Gras stun many a Christian worker. Unfortunately, the character of our nation as a whole isn’t that much different from the character we witness at Mardis Gras. Yet instead of being distracted by the intensity of the fires of sin, let’s concentrate on what any and every one of us can do as Christians to pull others from the flames.

I will never forget the man during Mardi Gras who was on his way to the Mississippi River to take his life because he had been diagnosed with cancer and AIDS. Simply put, he felt hopeless.

By the grace of God, one of our workers intercepted him, led him to Christ and aborted the man’s personal suicide mission. This man was pulled from the flames.

Every time you or I pray with someone to receive Christ, whether it is during a Bible-study class, on a street corner, or at a coffee shop or church altar, that person is pulled from hell’s flames of eternal destruction.

The Bible says all of heaven rejoices when one person repents! “‘There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who do not need to repent'” (Luke 15:7). I want to rejoice with heaven, don’t you?

Don’t give up on trying to make your community a better place to live, but at the same time don’t become frustrated by trying to quench all of America’s unholy fires. Remember to snatch people out of the flames one at a time.

Introduce them to the same Jesus who has changed your life. Then you will become a real-life, Holy Ghost “flame-puller”–pulling people out of destruction and into life.

By the way, during the last day or two of our Mardi Gras outreach in February, New Orleans was drenched with heavy rains. It most definitely had a diminishing effect on the partying crowd.

Since that happened, I have realized that if I do my part of Proverbs 24:11 by pulling people from the flames, then God will do what I cannot do. He will dampen the flames.

Gratitude for God’s forgiveness will “send you back” to help others.

Do you know that the devil makes mistakes–and big ones at that? The diabolical efforts of this enemy of our souls to steal, kill and destroy can at times seem overwhelming. But his efforts can at the same time create a phenomenon that works to our advantage.

The name I’ve given this phenomenon is the “Boomerang Factor.” The Australian boomerang, which may be used as a weapon, is designed to soar or curve in flight and return to the thrower.

The Boomerang Factor occurs when God’s forgiveness couples in us with a deep gratitude to Jesus for wiping away our spiritual stench and stain. The resulting phenomenon is that people who were once lost in sin rebound with a grateful zealousness to spread the same gospel that changed them. Our gratitude empowers us, and like a boomerang we come full circle, returning to the kingdom of darkness to do damage to it by spreading the good news of God’s love and forgiveness to others still trapped there.

Have you ever listened to young people exuberantly share their personal stories of coming to Christ? So often I’ve heard young men and women from ministries such as Victory Outreach, Teen Challenge and Master’s Commission testify about the positive difference in their lives after receiving Christ.

One evening I was participating in an inner-city pastors conference held at Angelus Temple and the Dream Center in Los Angeles. One by one, teenagers told what Jesus had delivered them from and how they now wanted to reach others with the gospel.

At times they were almost shouting their testimonies (so much for a laid-back, latte-filled, seeker-sensitive service!). They expressed a remarkable passion not only to know Christ, but also to make Him known.

Listening to them, Jesus’ statement about the woman who lived in sin came back to me: “Her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47, NIV). In other words, a person who has been forgiven much loves much.

That’s why God’s forgiveness of our sins is one half of the power that makes the Boomerang Factor weigh in heavily against the kingdom of darkness. The Pharisees recoiled at the thought of interacting with this woman. They never would have considered allowing her to wash and anoint their feet with her tears, hair and expensive oil, as Jesus had. But she had received forgiveness for her sins and was deeply grateful.

Just like her–and those young men and women I listened to in Los Angeles–I too am grateful to God for forgiving and delivering me. Aren’t you ever so grateful to the Lord for taking you out of whatever He has rescued you from and bringing you to where you are today?

Whether we were drug-addicted, tattooed, smelled like a sewer and drove a motorcycle or are sophisticated, squeaky-clean, smell like Chanel No. 5 and drive a luxury car, each of us ought to consider himself or herself the chief of sinners who is in desperate need of God’s forgiveness. Sin–regardless of its level of social repugnance–grieves God and was the reason Jesus gave His life for you and me.

That’s why our gratitude for being forgiven is the other half of the power that makes the Boomerang Factor weigh in heavily against the kingdom of darkness. Gratitude for God’s forgiveness will propel you to greater action–and “send you back” to help others.

Unfortunately, when we take our Christianity for granted, we lose our sense of gratitude to Jesus. When this happens, it’s usually accompanied by a diminished desire to reach out to others.

Can you imagine how awesome it would be if this Sunday in your church or fellowship there were a host of young, just-saved believers exuberantly declaring their devotion to Jesus and their burning desire to reach others? Their attitude might just spread.

Pause right now and tell God how thankful you are for the new life He has given you. Live today with an attitude of gratitude, and while you are at it, try to spread it around. People might get saved. It would be the Boomerang Factor at work.

Scott Hinkle is founder of Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries in Phoenix. A veteran evangelist, he regularly leads street-ministry teams during Mardi Gras and other major events. He also sponsors evangelism-training conferences.

Strangely enough, Jesus’ associates could not see the potential for ministry right in front of them.
What interesting times Jesus must have had with His disciples. Sometimes these hand-picked associates just did not get it. Take, for example, the well-known and often-preached story of John 4:1-38 about the Samaritan woman, aka, “the woman at the well.”

In it we find Jesus breaking through cultural, religious and gender barriers to talk with a woman who would have been the target of gossip in plenty of today’s churches. She had been married five times, and at the time she met Jesus she had a live-in lover. Any Christian in his or her right mind would have seen that she was an awesome candidate for God’s redeeming love.

Strangely enough, Jesus’ associates didn’t. They could not see the potential for ministry right in front of them. They lacked a vision for the likely transformation of this Samaritan woman’s life.

In the midst of their apparent cluelessness, Jesus issued this clarion call: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35, NKJV). With that statement, He was nailing His trainees’ lack of vision for the lost right between the eyes, so to speak.

Vision–without it we perish, Proverbs 29:18 says. Must be pretty important. Yet what does it mean to have a “vision” for people who don’t know Jesus?

Well, first, it does not mean that you have to break out in hives and sob uncontrollably when an unsaved person walks by (although a little brokenheartedness over people wouldn’t hurt). Rather, it begins with making God’s heart your heart.

To have God’s heart includes having God’s desires in your heart. And one of His desires is for no one to perish but for all people to repent (see 2 Pet. 3:9).

So how do you develop your own vision for the “harvest”? It’s not as difficult as you think. Here are a few practical steps you can take.

Pray. Everything starts, continues and ends with prayer. Prayer always changes things. How and what you pray is important.

Ask God to help you “lift up” (or “open”) your eyes to see that many people you come in contact with daily are in desperate need of Jesus. Do you pray for unsaved people? Repent, if you need to, for not caring about the lost.

Soak it up. Vision can rub off on you. Proverbs says the righteous should choose their friends wisely (see 12:26). If you want a vision for reaching people for God, hang around people who are upbeat, enthusiastic, positive and involved in winning the lost (remember the effect Jesus had on His own disciples).

Try it. You won’t have a vision for seeing lives transformed if you live like a spiritual couch potato stuck on a church pew. Don’t be afraid to tell others about your experience with Christ. Try different types of evangelism. If you try something and it doesn’t seem to work for you, try something else. You can develop vision while doing.

Change your diet. God has two primary “food groups” for believers: the Old Testament and New Testament. It is our supplementary diet that affects us more than we realize. There are two that most believers choose from. Both will affect your vision for harvest.

One is self-help books, even religious ones, the so-called how-to stuff–how to look better, feel better, lose weight or get more. If all you read, watch or listen to is this, then your vision extends no further than you.

The other is a passive rather than active faith. This is exemplified in the question asked of the disciples in Acts 1:11: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?”

It was another instance of Jesus’ associates not getting it. They were trying to figure out how Jesus would return, but they had already forgotten what He had just told them about receiving power to become His witnesses (see Acts 1:8).

If we are self-absorbed or craning our necks skyward in an attempt to figure out some superspiritual thing, then we cannot experience the joy of sharing God’s vision for those who might be right in front of us. Like He did with His first disciples, Jesus wants to show you the incredible possibility you have for touching someone with His love.

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Scott Hinkle is founder of Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries in Phoenix. A veteran evangelist, he regularly leads street ministry teams during Mardi Gras and other major events. He also sponsors evangelism training conferences. For more information, visit his Web site at .

Paul was willing to be stretched … so that he might win some for Christ.
Recently I was asked to speak at a conference and address the topic of “being relevant” to the needs of this generation. The more I thought about it, the more distracted I became. Relevant has become a buzzword, and buzzwords can be a nuisance because they draw our attention from the crux of an issue to the “buzz” surrounding it.

Being able to relate to people calls for more than having trendy clothes, hair and language. Whereas change, even on the surface, sometimes might be helpful, to be effective in our witness we must go deeper.

The apostle Paul’s words about this are classic. “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak,” he writes. “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I might share its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:22-23, NIV).

Keep this passage in mind while we take a look at what I call flashpoints–or what Webster calls points “at which someone bursts suddenly into action.” The following igniters will spark you “into action”–they’ll connect you with people outside your own social, cultural, ethnic, generational or religious sphere.

Pray for a desire. In reading through Paul’s letters it appears quite clear he was interested in reaching anyone and everyone with the gospel. Whether or not the people he reached were like him made no difference to him. Without a desire propelling us to reach others, we may as well stop now. I have found that the Holy Spirit will cultivate a desire in us if we ask Him.

Refuse to fear. Do not be intimidated by the buzz of buzzwords–such as postmodern; Gen-X,-Y,-Z or -G (for Geriatric); Muslim, Jew, drug addict, culture; and so on. Remember, all of us have similar basic needs because we all were made the same–in the image of God.

Never forget the gospel is the power of God to all people (see Rom. 1:16) and that the power of the Holy Spirit can supercede our polished apologetics if necessary. Always refuse to allow fear to restrain you from reaching out to people you know nothing about.

Value what God values. This one’s simple. It’s all about people. More than ideals, philosophy or style, God values people. He wants none to perish. After all, God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son for the world (see John 3:16).

Loosen up. Ever heard, “Blessed are the flexible, for they won’t get bent out of shape”? Paul was willing to stretch and be stretched–for the weak, for his fellow Jews, for religious people who strictly obeyed Moses’ law–so that he might win some for Christ. He left us a good example.

Tommy Barnett, the great soul-winner who pastors Phoenix (Arizona) First Assembly of God, always says: “It’s the message that’s sacred, not the method.” If we value what God values, then we should be willing to give of ourselves and to stretch and be stretched. I had to learn this truth after growing up in a New Jersey neighborhood where everyone was Jewish, Catholic or religiously weird. When I moved to the Bible Belt, I had to learn to connect with people who grew up in church.

Stretching includes rethinking our way of communicating. I absolutely believe it is possible to be uncompromising yet relevant.

Get around people on their turf. Jesus said for us to “‘go into all the world'” (see Mark 16:15). To do this, we have to connect with people where they live–in their environment–and break out of the Christian bubble. Serving people and helping to meet evident needs they have can often build a bridge between you and them and will help you relate to someone who seems different from you.

Yes, some folks have gone to extremes in their stated attempt to “win some” to Christ–to the point of losing credibility as His witness. But my question is, Are you winning some? Any? Are you getting close to winning some?

If not, you should take some time to rethink the Great Commission.

Surely Jesus would never have given us that commandment if He knew we could not fulfill it.

So, come on, let’s go tell someone–anyone–about Jesus.

Reaching the unchurched … is the responsibility of every follower of Jesus Christ in this country. Period.

A hazard of being a traveling evangelist is coming home to the sight of a pile of unpaid bills. While I’m gone they stack up on my desk. If I were to let them go unpaid (which I don’t) the debt would just accumulate until, sooner or later, I would be forced to pay what I owe.

On an entirely different front, America is not meeting its obligations. It is drowning in an ocean of ignored, unpaid bills. Congress has no power to pay this debt; these bills are spiritual. Call it the American church’s “national debt”: the mushrooming unchurched U.S. population that the Spirit-filled church has mostly ignored.

Our church leaders have repeatedly made us aware that we have rapidly become a nation of unchurched people. Even in many Bible Belt communities the influence of Christianity is in marked decline. The “bills” are stacking up.

Sooner or later we must pay this growing debt. Why? Because reaching the unchurched and lost people in America is the responsibility of every single follower of Jesus Christ in this country. Period.

Before discussing how we can address this burgeoning spiritual debt-load, let’s look at two factors that are adding to it.

1. We have turned away from the harvest. People in our country have become devalued, not only by society but by the church as well. When we talk of receiving a harvest, our thoughts often race to material blessings (yes, hallelujah, God does bless us in this way). But Jesus also speaks of harvest in terms of people exiting darkness and entering the kingdom of God.

2. Our focus isn’t on the main thing. We often substitute prayer for action. Prayer is incredibly vital, but to pray only and not act is pure spiritual laziness (see Ex. 14:15; Matt. 9:38).

Ever heard of the church’s “MapQuest trap”? That’s what I call it when we must map out and identify spiritual strongholds as a prerequisite to evangelism. Try telling Philip that was necessary after his preaching experience in Samaria (see Acts 8:5-7).

What about our tendency to “tarry” until all the fivefold ministry gifts are lined up? While preachers try to figure who they are and what they are supposed to do, who is obeying the Great Commission? Are we supposed to procrastinate about that? Why is it that gatherings of apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers rarely include evangelists?

As believers, we Spirit-filled, charismatic or Pentecostal Christians are the most exuberant at expressing our faith. We are also the most easily distracted and gullible–how often we fall prey to subtle spins on genuine Christian practice!

When it comes to taking the gospel to the unsaved, we’re like people who run everywhere or vacation all the time–doing anything to avoid taking care of their obligations. We must understand that America’s unchurched are the unpaid spiritual bills we must pay.

Now let’s discuss a few ways to address this spiritual debt.

Take responsibility. Become accountable to the Great Commission. Have you ever been with a group of people at a restaurant when the check arrives at the table and everyone ignores it? Let’s you and I reach out and pick up the tab.

Cry out to God. Get down on your face and pray. Repent if you need to, but pray in faith. Believe that God wants you to pray this way and know He is listening. By faith, see both the action and the answer, but also be ready to be an answer to your own prayers to reach the unsaved. Jesus said: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24, NIV, emphasis added).

See the harvest. Wake up to the fact that the possibilities of reaching people abound even more during times of adversity. The time is not coming; it is here.

Just do it! Gird up your mind and get the information you need to become one who reaches the lost. Change whatever you have to so you can expedite paying the “bills”! God has provided every heavenly resource we need to pay these unpaid bills. Let’s go and do it!

Scott Hinkle is founder of Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries in Phoenix. For more information, visit his website at .

We are the light of the world. So, Christians of the world … ignite!
The term three-ring circus is something most of us are familiar with. It’s simply a circus with simultaneous but separate performances occurring in three rings. While viewing the unfolding of present-day events, I have often felt like I am watching three rings with separate yet connected events playing out before my eyes. (By no means do I feel that current affairs across the world even remotely resemble a circus. They are far more serious and important than that.)

I think these three rings are pretty easy to recognize. Let’s take a look.

Ring 1. Life in America. A non-Christian man, who is now deceased, once noted what he called the “seven sins of a dying society.” They were wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, business without ethics, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice, politics without principle.

It’s interesting that as a nonbeliever he had this point of view. But he recognized that these sins, like a cancer, could destroy a nation from the inside out.

They all sound very dangerous to me. Every time I watch a TV program or read a newspaper I feel that the sins of a diseased society are being paraded before me. Hell is obviously attempting to drown this nation in a baptism of absurdity, perversion, stupidity and filth.

The latest trend of “reality show” television reflects not only the insane perception Hollywood producers have of the American viewer, but also the sad appetite of Americans who play along with that perception and watch these programs. We, unfortunately, must wake up to the fact that this is the world God has placed you and me in.

Ring 2. The Church. Similar to the list of “seven sins” just noted is American revivalist Charles Finney’s list of “seven signs of a needed revival.” Although written more than 100 years ago, these observations are as relevant today as this morning’s newspaper.

Finney said revival is needed when the following circumstances are true: there is a lack of brotherly love and confidence among those who profess to be Christians; there are dissensions, jealousies and backbiting among those who profess Christianity; a worldly spirit is in the church; church members are falling into gross and scandalous sin; a spirit of controversy is in the church or the country; the wicked are triumphing over the church and reviling it; sinners are careless and stupid and sinking into hell unconverted.

Praise God for pockets of Christian stirring, revival and renewal in the United States that sprang up a few years ago. Unfortunately, the American church as a whole remained unfazed, let alone changed. Our return to “normal” after September 11 included a return to a near-comatose state, and we never altered our own actions to reach the lost.

Ring 3. The Future. When the world around us looks like it might be “down for the count” and the church appears to be weak–or in some cases asleep–then the present as well as the future might look cloudy. We must understand that if God’s people fall short of their destiny and mission, then people will suffer. The repercussions are often tragic.

But when God’s people rise to the call, fulfilling their individual and collective destinies, the future gets brighter. In a sense, our world is waiting for Christians to come out of the closet and fulfill our God-given mission. As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:19, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (NIV).

Consider–when you are watching the events in the world’s three rings playing out before you–that darkness sets the stage for light, despair for hope, poverty for provision, tragedy for triumph.

Is it possible that we can play a part in influencing–for the better–the future of those around us as well as our own? Of course. It is everyday
followers of Jesus who hold the key to the future.

Can we literally brighten the future? Yes. After all, Jesus was blazingly clear when He said we are the light of the world. So, Christians of the world … ignite!

For Christians, “war” means gaining victories over the kingdom of darkness.
Every day from every direction the winds keep blowing. The continuing possibility of a war with Iraq coupled with the ongoing global war on terror threaten to disrupt the peace and calm so many of us have taken for granted. Since 9/11, it has been easy to see that we in America were not prepared for this period of instability.

Often there is a parallel between the natural and supernatural realms. In the supernatural realm today, the winds of war are blowing as well. The church in America needs to be prepared for the spiritual challenges that lie on our very doorsteps. But are we?

In Judges 3 we read how a generation of Israel was somewhat oblivious to what war was really about. The Lord remedied this situation by allowing some enemy nations to exist so that “the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war” (see v. 2, NKJV).

For Christians, learning to do “war” means gaining measurable victories over the kingdom of darkness. Think about it this way: When a thief gets saved, stealing diminishes; when a wife-beater gets saved, a family might be restored; when a drug dealer gets saved, drug dealing decreases in one neighborhood. As James 5:20 says, “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

There are five primary ways for us to effectively fight the good fight of faith–the kind that changes lives for Jesus.

The will to work, fight and win. Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, “It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” The Bible says that the Jews in Nehemiah’s day “had a mind to work” when it came time to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in the face of their enemies (see Neh. 4:6).

Knowing and having faith in Jesus’ victory at Calvary and how it has changed countless situations, lives and families through the ages ought to provide plenty of motivation for pressing through to victory.

Righteous living. A clear heart and life allow us to stand in the face of adversity as well as to draw inner strength and stamina for undertaking spiritual action. Without righteousness, the devil can rightfully accuse us of attitudes and actions we have not repented of.

If our lives are not right with God we can pray the prayers, sing the songs and yell the formulated declarations but our voice is a shout with no clout. The condition of our heart matters: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

Prayer. So much can be said about praying, but I like what James wrote best: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). The “much” it avails includes the power of God being loosed in us and through us as we fight for the lives of our family, friends, cities and nations. I have watched it thwart the works of darkness and help open the doors to evangelistic ministry.

The Word of God. God’s Word ought to be stored up in our lives so that when we need it, we don’t have to run to a bookshelf to find it. The Word is to be hidden in our hearts where it is available to be brought to our minds by the Holy Spirit on a moment’s notice. In this way, Scripture becomes “the sword of the Spirit”–ready to be used when we face a situation in our own life or in another’s. Is your ammo ready?

Winning people to Christ. This could be the most underused or even forgotten weapon of spiritual warfare, especially when influencing families, neighborhoods–even cities. There is no spiritual weapon that can replace evangelism. There is no spiritual substitute for evangelism, for it is the primary way of actually reaching out and touching another person with the life, love and gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the easiest ways to measure the victories of our war is with this question: Are lives being changed and people getting saved? People coming to Christ and lives being transformed are a sure way to measure if our ministries or churches are effectively waging war in our communities.

Let’s not be like the Israelites in Judges who knew nothing of war. Every day gives us great opportunities to make a difference. Let’s move to the front lines.

Though it feels like everything is crumbling around us, we have a choice; we can watch from the sidelines or be used as God’s vessel in the midst.

The times you and I now live in could be lumped into categories ranging from “unsure” to “unsettling” to “unnerving” to flat-out “frightening.” One great positive during these days, however, is the fact that God is not the least bit nervous about what’s happening.

He, in fact, told us there would be periods like this. Living our lives from God’s perspective allows us to share one of many distinct advantages with Him–we can have peace while troublesome times are brewing all around.

Some passages in the New Testament provide us with a parallel to current world affairs. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 24. His disciples asked Him, “‘What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'” (v. 3, NIV). When I think about how Jesus answered His followers, it seems as if He had been watching today’s CNN Headline News reports. He said:

* Many would come in His name and deceive many. That was true in Bible times and, unfortunately, is still true today.

* We would hear of wars and rumors of wars. That is the essence of terrorism, isn’t it? Are we or other nations at war, and if so, where and against whom?

* Nation would rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. “Once an ally, now a foe” is the story of relations between many countries. Tomorrow could always bring a role reversal between peaceful nations.

* Famines, pestilence and earthquakes would occur in various places. Even in the United States we have hunger, AIDS, cancer, Ebola, hepatitis C and earthquakes–not just in California, but also in the Midwest and along the East Coast.

* Persecution would arise and many would be offended because of the gospel. Seemingly over nothing we will split marriages, friendships, relationships, even churches. I have met people who become offended at the drop of a hat.

The list continues with lawlessness abounding (often evident in the church as well as the world) and love growing cold (toward God and others). This could get downright depressing. But take courage–causing fear is not the Lord’s purpose in these verses; neither is it my purpose in this column.

To these disastrous yet prophetic truths Jesus adds words of instruction, encouragement and exhortation. In them lie liberating truths that are applicable to our lives, whether we are living in the actual end times or not.

Liberating truth 1. “‘Watch out that no one deceives you'” (v. 4). How? Get solidly grounded in your everyday walk with Christ. Become deeply rooted in God’s Word. Some clear-cut contributing factors that can lead to deception include having no knowledge of Scripture, patchwork theology, unrestrained pursuit of carnal appetites and a know-it-all spiritual attitude.

Liberating truth 2. “‘See to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come”‘ (v. 6). The good news is, we can do something about what troubles us. When you live with a solid assurance of who God is and what His Word says, your trust will be in Him and not in the circumstance du jour.

Liberating truth 3. “‘But he who stands firm to the end will be saved'” (v. 13). This is probably not a favorite sermon topic (for a pastor or for his flock), yet Jesus wouldn’t speak of it if it weren’t a necessary element of personal end-time victory. The message of enduring hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is probably not the most popular way to recruit workers for ministry either, but the Scripture says, “We count them blessed who endure” (James 5:11, NKJV).

Liberating truth 4. “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come'” (v. 14, NIV). God will make sure that in good times, bad times or end times, the gospel will be preached. The question is, will He do it with us or without us?

You and I have a choice of either being on the sidelines watching or being in the middle of it all as a vessel of love, life, healing and salvation.

Let’s not wait until the end times to allow Jesus to use us to bring others into the kingdom of God. Let’s start today!

God wanted the disciples out of the comfort of Jerusalem so the gospel would spread.

Growing up on the famed Jersey Shore, I spent all my summers on the beach. Music, friends, hot dogs, french fries, fun and the ocean–I loved it all, especially the ocean. Even today–though I have much less opportunity because I live in Arizona–I could spend all day at the beach.

Consider the Christians of the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit performed signs, wonders and miracles among them. Fellowship and a sense of community arose quickly. People immediately were swept into the kingdom of God.

They had great revelation and teaching; they could worship like they never had before; they could give and receive prophecies; and they could be blessed, blessed, blessed.

That could’ve gone on forever! Kind of like living by the ocean and soaking up the music, food and fun–why would you want it to stop?

All of what those early believers had sounds great to me. But if that move of God had not eventually changed, it probably would have imploded, become very ingrown and weird–or simply dried up.

Why? Because God knew the human tendency–even of the early believers–would be to hang out in Jerusalem and just soak up the blessings.

But in Acts 7-8, everything seemed to change overnight. “At that time a great persecution arose against the church… and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1, NKJV).

It looked like the party was over. It really wasn’t–but the imperative from the King had changed. It would no longer just be about receiving from heaven; it would be about sharing heaven’s life with the world.

Fortunately, the early believers did what God intended, even though the way His will came to them–through trouble and persecution–was not the means they would have chosen. But the results were terrific: “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:4,8).

Today we are plagued with violence, terror, an unstable economy and church scandals. Could it be that once more God is using the “stir stick” of adversity to get believers and the gospel beyond our Jerusalems and out where the lost and suffering live?

If you believe this is even remotely possible, then consider a simple three-word strategy drawn from Acts that will work for any Christian who will dare to think along these lines.

1. Saturate. Seek to immerse yourself in God’s presence–be filled with the Holy Spirit, renewed through God’s Word and walk every day in the Spirit. But don’t stop there. Instead, saturate your home, school, workplace and neighborhood with prayer.

Try walking through your own neighborhood while praying. Where you live may become an attractive-looking mission field that calls for greater personal action from you.

2. Infiltrate. Go beyond your comfort zone. God wanted the disciples out of the comfort of Jerusalem so the gospel would spread throughout the earth. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable unless it keeps you from fully obeying the Lord.

Jesus likened His followers to light and salt. Both infiltrate. Light works best where the darkness is deepest. Salt works best on things that are tasteless (and it’s of no use if it merely sits in a salt shaker or cupboard).

3. Proliferate. There was a great harvest on the day of Pentecost. More important, however, adding new people or members to Christ’s body became an everyday occurrence.

I don’t think the early church took the time to go to seminars (although today they do help). They just quickly began to declare the gospel and saw immediate results.

If you feel as if you might have spent a little too much time on “the beach” and have become spiritually waterlogged, then the best thing I can suggest for you is to get into action–now!

After all, who would want all the great things God is doing to end with us? They won’t, if we spread the gospel everywhere we go.

Scott Hinkle is founder of Scott Hinkle Outreach Ministries in Phoenix. A veteran evangelist, he regularly leads street-ministry teams during Mardi Gras and other major events. He also sponsors evangelism-training conferences. Visit his Web site at for more information.