A Prayer to Share the Gospel without Shame
By: Victoria Riollano
“The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim good news are a great army” - Psalm 68:11 NASB
I must be honest.
It’s not always easy for me to share the Gospel. One would assume that being a pastor’s wife or being in ministry for decades would make proclaiming God’s word like second nature for me. Yet, there are many days that I struggle to know when and how to share my faith. In a world that seems to despise God and is desperately seeking anything that makes them feel good, I wonder how my words could break through all the noise. Fear of being rejected, ignored, or ostracized for sharing the Gospel can be hard to handle. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I can’t help but share how good He has been.
From healing me from the inner pain of growing up without my father, to restoring my marriage, to bringing my daughter to complete health, God has been so good. Even more so, what He did for me on the cross and the eternal salvation for those who believe is something that I can’t help but share with anyone willing to listen.
As the prophet Jeremiah said centuries ago, “But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9 NIV
In other words, Jeremiah proclaims that God’s word in his heart and in the depths of his soul just can’t be contained. It’s as if he could just explode if he holds in God’s word any longer. I believe that this fiery passion is what the Lord is calling us to have even now. What if we make a choice to proclaim the good news? What if we make a choice to share our testimony as often as possible? How would our lives change if we develop this same deep desire to share this message of hope and love with anyone willing to listen?
I believe we would see the world radically changed. We would see our families restored. We would see hearts healed and minds made whole. Today, my prayer is that we can embrace the discomfort of sharing the Gospel to a stranger or even praying for a person in need. My hope is that we won’t ever be ashamed of what God has done or is doing in our lives. Instead, we can rise and stand on God’s truth in a world that is desperately seeking affirmation. May we come together like a great army to influence the culture with prayer and action. So many are waiting for us to simply open our mouths and proclaim the goodness of God. On the other side of sharing our faith, generations can be impacted. My prayer is that silence is never our testimony, and that God would help us to boldly share His Word.
Let us pray.
Lord, I thank you for your work on the cross. Within myself, I could never be good enough. Daily, I struggle with how to live a life that is pleasing to you. Yet, amid my troubles and imperfections, you sought to save me and draw me unto you. For this, I praise you. Thank you for the daily, weekly, and yearly blessings that remind me that you are looking out for my best interest. Help me never take this for granted.
Today, Lord, I ask that you give me boldness to share what you have done in my life. I pray against all timidity and fear associated with sharing the Gospel. Show me how to formulate my words in a way that the hearer can understand and relate to. Give me a heart for your people and show me how to speak in a way that draws many to you. I ask for opportunities to pray for people and proclaim the Good News.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
Victoria Riollano is an author, blogger, and speaker. As a mother of six, military spouse, Psychology professor and minister’s wife, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Recently, Victoria released her book, The Victory Walk: A 21 Day Devotional on Living A Victorious Life. Her ultimate desire is to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. She believes that with Christ we can live a life that is ALWAYS winning. You can learn more about her ministry at victoryspeaks.org.
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Originally published Monday, 11 April 2022.
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