3 Doubts that Keep You from Sharing the Gospel

Scared to share the gospel?

Let the glorious truth of Jesus shatter your fears: He is with you always, even to the end of the age.

But doubts still scurry through your heart, refusing to be squashed by the presence of Jesus. Instead of His power opening your mouth to speak, overwhelming doubts seal your mouth silent.

Even with Jesus’ empowering presence on our side, the fact is we all struggle with doubts. Moses, one of the greatest characters in the Old Testament, struggled as well. Before he became known as the man who led 2 million people through a wilderness for 40 years, Moses was a doubting shepherd, afraid to step out and embrace God’s calling.

Overwhelming doubts paralyzed him. How could he go to Egypt to proclaim God’s Word?

1. They won’t believe me

2. I can’t speak well

3. Send someone else

God’s answers to Moses’ doubts are the same answers we need to fight our mission-crushing doubts.

1. THEY WON’T BELIEVE ME

In the wilderness, far removed from the palaces of Egypt, Moses assesses his influence and credibility, or his lack thereof. Moses is not only a zero; he’s a negative.

“God, if I return, my people will not ask, ‘Who are you?’ They will say, ‘I remember you. You’re the guy who killed an Egyptian, buried his body in the sand, and fled the scene.’”

God uses three signs — a rod turns into a snake, a clean hand becomes leprous, and water turns to blood — to show Moses how this mission wasn’t about him or his past or his failures. This was about the sovereign God who was sending Moses, the God who uses the broken and ordinary to proclaim the glorious and extraordinary.

God is only asking Moses to be faithful.

But they won’t believe me!

There is good news: delivering God’s redemptive message is not about people listening to you or believing you. If a friend rejects the gospel, they’re not rejecting you; they are rejecting God.

God is only calling you to faithfulness, to speak without the burden of rejection and alienation. The rest is in His hands.

2. I CAN’T SPEAK WELL

Moses scrapes the bottom of the excuse barrel: his tongue is slow and heavy. Yes, heavy. He has no eloquence, no command of pronunciation, no control of words. God’s response?

“I know, Moses, because I made you that way. I’m the Creator. And as the Creator, I create people the way I see fit and the way that best fits into my divine plan.”

When God called Moses, He didn’t call the wrong man or say the wrong name. In Exodus 3:4, the Lord calls Moses’ name twice, emphasizing this was his man — flaws, quirks, speech impediments, and all.

If God…

* Chose the man He intended to choose

* Created His man exactly the way He intended to create him

* Gave His man only the gifts and talents He intended to give him

…then Moses has zero excuses left.

But I can’t speak well!

Your flaws, weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings are an essential part of God’s divine plan, not an excuse to exempt you from taking part in His plan.

God chose who he intended to choose for the proclamation of the gospel. It’s you. And if God created you exactly the way He intended to create you (and He did) and gave you only the gifts and talents He intended to give you (and He did) — then there are no excuses left.

3. SEND SOMEONE ELSE

Okay, there is one more excuse.

Moses seizes the last option in outright rebellion: “Send anyone, anyone, but me.” Rebellion may sound like a strong word, but how many of the excuses below sound familiar?

* The adults can share the gospel because they’re more experienced.

* The preacher can share the gospel because he is more knowledgeable.

* The missionary can share the gospel because that is his job.

* My friends can share the gospel because they’re better at it than I am.

God, anyone but me.

Are you in Christ, saved by His grace? Then Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 applies to you with no exceptions:

“Go therefore and make disciples.”

I’m still scared.

It’s okay to be afraid, scared, nervous, uncertain, doubtful. Doubts and fears don’t make you less of a Christian; they make you trust God more, the God who conquers doubts and fears.

But there is more good news: you don’t have to do this alone. When Moses shrunk back in fear, God sent Aaron to travel with Moses to Egypt. Why not call on the “Aaron’s” in your life to guide you or even go with you?

And don’t forget. Jesus is always with you, even to the end of the age.

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