Welcome back to the PeaceSmart Relationships course.  In this session we're going to talk about PeaceSmart Evangelism and specifically, we're going to talk about what I call the 1221 project. 

You know, we live in an age where there is a spirit of division in our midst.  This Spirit attempts to divide, polarize, manipulate, and destroy relationships and dominate the culture. 

This Spirit masquerades as a spirit of righteousness.  It seeks to control, to denigrate, and bully those who oppose it; it’s deceptive.  It deceives us into thinking it's okay to slander those that we disagree with, to hate people who see things differently than we do.  It hinders our walk with Jesus Christ by deceiving us into thinking it's okay to treat others according to their opinions rather than according to Kingdom values.   

This spirit of the age seeks to destroy relationships.  Now, this spirit is not overcome by persuasive argument or winsome rhetoric.  It's not overcome by compromise, or accommodation, or cowardice.  There are many issues in our culture where this spirit is present.  

Look at this list of divisive issues that exist in the United States today:  politics, economics, abortion, race, same sex marriage, manmade global warming, Israel, illegal immigration, economic class warfare, gun control, radical Islam, public bathrooms and gender issues, safe spaces, church doctrine differences. 

And my point in this lecture isn't to persuade you to agree with me on any of those issues.  In fact, for purposes of this presentation, I don't care what side of the issues that you're on.  And probably one or more items in that list grab your attention and you probably have strong views on at least one or more of those topics.

How do we form our opinions on these issues?  Well, if you're a person like me, you probably consult the scriptures, pray about it, maybe talk with your pastor, listen to commentators, do some research, read some trusted experts in those fields.  But eventually we come to our opinion on a matter and because we've done our research, because we've prayed, because we relied on Scripture, we are pretty confident that we're right and that the Lord agrees with us.  And because we believe we're right we believe that those who disagree with us, those who are on the other side of the issue are wrong.  And pretty soon, we begin to see those people as our adversaries. 

Do you consider people who disagree with you on these hot button issues as your adversaries, as your enemies, as someone who's wrong?  Who considers you their enemy?  On many of these issues as hard as it may be to believe on some of them, and again, I don't really care what side of each issue you're on, but on most of these issues, there are sincere Christians who believe opposite the way you do. 

There are sincere followers of Jesus Christ who disagree with you.  And they've engaged in that same process that you have of coming to an opinion and believing that they're right. 

Now the spirit of the age, the spirit of deception, the spirit of division persuades us that it's okay to think evil of these people.  It's okay to condemn them.  It's even okay to hate them, because they're wrong.  These are evil people.  These are haters.  These are losers.  They don't agree with me.   It's okay to harm these people.  And we're seeing this spirit of division divide our culture, divide our nation.  But I challenge you today that in PeaceSmart Evangelism it’s more important how we treat a brother and sister in Christ than whether we're right. 

Here’s how Jesus said, the world would know that we're His people.  “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35).  And herein lies the challenge with the spirit of the age.  What's more important to you and I, to win an argument, to prove that we're right, or to love that brother or sister who disagrees with us?

Now, what does it mean to love that brother or sister?  Does it mean to accommodate their opinion?  Does it mean to bow down to what they think in order to show them that we love them?  Does it require that we abandon our opinion, our position?

In the body of Christ, there's room for disagreement, especially over political issues and public issues of the day.  These are not matters relating to salvation.  Obviously, there are some points of doctrine that are essential to the faith that there is unity over and when there's disagreement it really means we really don't believe and follow the same Lord. 

But on these matters that I'm talking about, where people come to different conclusions for whatever reason, but they're seeking the Lord and they're following the Lord, where does love come into play and what does it look like?  Because it doesn't mean that we accommodate what we believe.  When you believe something is true, you ought to stand by until the Lord shows you that you're wrong.

There's a verse in Isaiah 5:20; it says, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."  So if you think something is evil, don't call it good.  If you think something is good, don't call it evil, just to accommodate another, or to bow down to the culture, or to appear relevant. 

When we interpret the Word of God to accommodate a culture rather than out of obedience to the Holy Spirit, we are deceived.  And Lord will bring us to a place of correction one day.  But as ambassadors of Jesus Christ, the Lord calls us to a different way.  He calls us to treat our enemies the way he treats his enemies. 

In 1 Peter 3:8-9, we see Peter’s response to how to treat a brother who disagrees with us.  He says, “Finally, all of you be like minded. be sympathetic love one another.  Be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

So Peter tells us, don't repay evil for evil.  If someone who disagrees with you begins to hate you, call you names, tell you you're out of step with a culture or that you're a bigot or that you're a hater, don't repay evil for evil.  Repay with blessing because to this, you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing. 

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:20-21, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar.  For whoever does not love their brother and sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command:  Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."

So now the Apostle John throws in that we have no excuse to hate a brother or sister; anyone who names the name of Christ and is born again.  We're called to love them.  And we can't say that we love the Father if we hate our brother or sister.

The Apostle Paul also talks about this topic in Romans Chapter 12.  And he takes it to another level because he talks about those who persecute us.  Not just those who disagree with us.  And not just those who are brothers and sisters in Christ, but unbelievers as well. 

He says, “Bless those who persecute you bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 

“Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge.  My dear friends will leave room for God's wrath for it is written, “It is mine to avenge I will repay,” says the Lord.  

“On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.  If he's thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” 

Romans 12:21 is the final verse in that passage, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  And that's why I call this session the 1221 project.  Because in PeaceSmart Evangelism, evangelism isn't just about having the winsome argument to win someone to Christ.  It isn't knowing the strategic tactics of presentation in order to persuade someone, argue them into the kingdom. 

Those methods and those tactics have their place and I'm not diminishing their importance.  Whatever tools the Lord equips you with to evangelize others use them to the glory of Jesus Christ as He leads you.  But it’s how we use those tools and how we use those tactics…

People know whether we are witnessing to them out of a duty and obligation, or out of love.  And the 1221 project is simply a PeaceSmart Relationship principle that when we face evil, we don't run from it.  When we face evil, we don't accommodate it.  When we face evil, we overcome it.  And the way we overcome it is by doing good.  So what does it look like to do good in the face of evil.  

Ephesians 6:12 reads, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  This spirit of the age that causes division among us, both in the body of Christ, and in the culture is not a battle between people.  It's not a battle between winning arguments. 

This is a spiritual battle between the powers of darkness and powers of God's kingdom.  It's a battle for the culture.  And as we walk through this battle, we have the opportunity to walk through as a light in the midst of darkness, that when evil confronts us, we have the opportunity to overcome evil with good, whether someone agrees with us or disagrees with us.  We have the opportunity to show God's love and to do good and to see the Lord do astonishing things in the midst of persecution, in the midst of trial, in the midst of conflict, and in the midst of trouble. 

How many times have you sat down with someone who disagreed with you and argued with them to the point that they were persuaded by your argument and they changed their mind.  It happens very rarely, especially in these divisive hot button issues that we talked about earlier. 

Someone who's pro-abortion, sitting down with someone who is prolife, and they sit down and they argue with one another; it'd be very rare occurrence that the one would persuade the other to change their mind.  

But love is a powerful force; much more powerful than argument.  And when we do good to someone, we're reflecting that love that we have received from Jesus Christ, who loved us when we were an enemy and letting that love influence the relationship and the life of that person, that the Lord has led across our path to bless.  So what does the Lord want us to do in a 1221 situation? 

In Matthew Chapter 5, Jesus tells us to treat our enemies the same way we treat our friends.  He says, Even the unbelievers treat their friends well.  We're called to a higher standard, to love our enemies, to Bless those who persecute us, to do good to them, and to pray for them.  Even for those who despitefully use us. 

This is our opportunity. In the midst of persecution, this is our opportunity, when confronted with evil to pray, to bless, to love, and to do good.  And what that looks like in each confrontation, in each relationship, is going to be different for you.  Which is why the first thing we do in a 1221 project is to pray.  

Pray like Joshua prayed when he fell before the Lord, when he confronted Him before they took the city of Jericho and said, Lord, what do you want me, what do you want your servant to do? Lord how do you want me to love this person? What how do I bless this person? Or what does it mean for me right now to do good to this person?  Lead me by your Holy Spirit.  Give me your love for this person. 

The day will come when you can sit down and have a discussion with them about what you believe about the issues.


The world loves the fruit of Christianity but they just don't want Jesus Christ.  But the love they want.  When we reveal love to them, when we show love to them, not the love that accommodates not the wealth that calls evil good or good evil, but the love that sacrifices, the love that buys a lunch, the love that takes a family who needs clothes some clothing.  However, the Lord leads you to do good as we do those things, the Holy Spirit moves and the doors begin to open, to evangelize, to tell them why we're doing good.  Because good has been done to us and we want to do it to others.  

This is the 1221 project.  Overcoming evil with good. And as you meditate on this principle of overcoming evil with good, you're going to start to find that there are 1221 projects all around you.  In fact, in this course, we've talked about PeaceSmart Relationships in marriage, PeaceSmart Relationships and parenting, PeaceSmart Relationships in organizations.  

Every time there is an offense taken remember that the enemy has a goal with a trap of offense that trap to hinder; he is using that trap to hinder someone from following Jesus Christ. Evil’s present. 

We overcome evil with good.  

Every time your spouse takes offense toward you, if you're married, you have a 1221 project opportunity.  Every time your son or daughter rebels against your authority, you have a 1221 project.  Every time in the workplace if your supervisor or your boss, your employer mistreats, you, corrects you unjustly, abuses their authority, you have a 1221 project. 

And as the Lord gives you revelation about the opportunities that are present in your life, take them to the Peacefire. Ask the Lord, to show you what to do. Pray for those people that you're engaged in that project with, and ask the Lord, Lord, how do I love this person?  How do I express your love for this person?  How do I bless this person?  And what does it mean for me to do good to them in this situation?  

The Lord will show you; the Lord will give you an opportunity to pray for them, to love them, to bless them or to do good for them, and as you then make a faith choice to do that thing, you'll see the Holy Spirit move.  

And then I want you to contact me, and let me know what the Lord is doing in the 1221 projects He sends across your path.  Because when we hear how the Lord is using someone was making himself available to the Lord, to use, to bless their enemies, to do good to those who misuses, mistreat, and abuse them, to pray and love those who persecute them, it encourages the rest of the body. 

I hope that you will pray about this matter, and that the Lord will give you wisdom and understanding concerning the 1221 projects in your life.  And that He will use you in those situations to bring blessing to your enemies, to reveal himself to them by the power of His Holy Spirit, and in the process, transform you more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. 

God bless you. We'll see you next time.



Остання зміна: понеділок 31 липня 2023 08:04 AM