July 2020 | Page 09
God in Him” (2Cor 5:21).
The death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the
cross expelled the entire sin-virus of the world.
When there is no vaccine found for Coronavirus,
this vaccine, the Blood of Jesus was made
available 2000 years ago. Now, His virus-free
blood is available for everyone to be freed from
sin-virus. It is priceless because it cost the life of
God Himself. This vaccine is available at anytime,
anywhere and to anybody, rich or poor. This is the
Good News of God. This is the GOSPEL. All those
who claim this vaccine by believing the Gospel are
freed from sin virus. The Gospel also is like a
virus. It spreads from person to person, covering
the whole world (Psa 147:15). Sin-virus brings
suffering and death, but the Gospel virus brings
peace, joy and prosperity. Having been freed from
sin virus through the vaccine, that is, the Blood of
Jesus Christ, we Christians have a great
responsibility to help the world, suffering with
this sin-virus.
Let us see how to proceed with this rescuemission.
1) Agonising Prayer (Matt 9:36-38)
Jesus was moved with compassion when He
saw people straying from the way. They were like
sheep without shepherd. The first thing that
Jesus told His disciples was to “Pray to the Lord of
Harvest.” When we see the sin-sick world and its
consequences, we come to realize that we are
powerless to do anything. The only way out is to
fall before the One who alone can help us. Pray to
God before preaching to the people. Prayer is first
priority in the Lord's service. Leonard Ravenhill,
in his book, Revival Praying says, “I would appeal
for more preparation for the pulpit, particularly
the preparation of prayer.”
During these days, we organize fasting
prayers, all-night prayers, chain-prayers and so
on (even through online). We carefully and
sincerely prepare prayer plans and prayer points.
It is all fine. But that is not enough. We also need
to agonise. When Jesus saw Jerusalem, “He wept
over the city.” He agonized over people's sin and
sickness. Do we experience the same?
Ravi Zechariah, an apologetic preacher said,
www.bymonline.org
“Unless you feel the pinch of others pain in your
own heart, you cannot lift an inch of the burden of
their soul.”
This is done in prayer. Look at Apostle Paul's
burden for Israel: “great sorrow and continual
pain!” (Rom 9:1; 10:1). Moses, Hannah,
Nehemiah, Jeremiah and a host of others had this
experience. We need more of agonizing prayer
than an organized prayer. Jesus agonized in
prayer in such a way, that His sweat became like
drops of blood. As I pen this, I realize how I lack
such a prayer! Lord, help me!
“It is my solemn conviction that the Lord put
the Church to groan in the groaning creation
(Rom 8:26) that she might reach millions who
would otherwise groan for eons(eternity) in a
devil's hell”- Heart Breathings by Leonard
Ravenhill.
2) Power from Above (Lk 24:49; Act 1:8)
After the resurrection, Jesus did not tell His
disciples to go straight away to preach. But, He
gave His disciples another important assignment.
He commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the
power of the Holy Spirit. True oneness in the body
of Christ is wrought not by human efforts. It is
purely the work of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:3). That
is why He asked them to wait for the Holy Spirit
that their nature may be transformed in terms of
unity. Jesus knew that His disciples have a
competitive spirit. He knew that after His
departure, they will struggle for position and
power. Even in His high priestly prayer, He prayed
five times for oneness (Jn 17:11,21,22,23).
That became an occasion for change among
His disciples. Those ten days of waiting must have
been a great time of reconciliation between them!
It was on the day of Pentecost, when they were all
in one accord in one place; the Holy Spirit came
upon them. The immediate result was, when Peter
preached the Gospel, all the other eleven apostles
stood with him to affirm his message (Act 2:14).
No more competition, but they all stood together.
Again, Peter and John who were of different
personalities went up together to the Temple (Act
3:1). When the members of the Sanhedrin
opposed both of them, they answered the
Sanhedrin boldly with one voice, “Whether it is