A man has no idea what a woman goes through in childbirth. Here Apostle Paul speaks to the Galatian church about travailing for them.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
The purpose of every Christian is to produce other Christians. The Bible tells us to grow in grace and fight the good fight of faith. We should strive to get deeper with the Lord and see our place in his work. It’s wonderful to identify with the Lord. We know whom we serve and who has saved us.
It’s an orientation with a lost world. Remember what it’s like to be lost. Jesus said his purpose was to seek and to save that which was lost. People are not more lost than they’ve ever been. They’re just more open with sin. Satan uses communications in the media to educate about sin. It’s pounded and pounded into our minds. Some just give up. Have you also noticed that with the openness there is no betterment of civilization? The logic is gone. Reason is out the door. Being lost is evident to us but not to them. The average feeling is “I’m okay with God.” Sunday is a day off. They think little about church or how much they need Jesus. They don’t realize how lost they are, BUT we do.
The Galatian people got in trouble confusing ceremony with religion. Many of them were Jews and they tried to tie in their old ways with salvation. Jesus doesn’t need our help to save. Our job is to tell. The man healed of blindness by Jesus was questioned about who did that for him. He said ‘all I know is that I was blind but now I see.’ The lost are lost. All we can do is tell them we were lost but we’ve been found. They can hear it in a church but the need to hear it from all of us every day. We should be in travail for them. We’re saved because of another’s travail. God wants to use us as instruments.
When we’re sick sometimes we get referred from doctor to doctor. That’s all we can do is refer people to Jesus Christ. They need to hear it because they need to be saved. Paul told Galatian Christians he was in travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. They needed to strengthen themselves. We can all be effective because we’re saved, no longer lost. Paul prayed for them in travail that they would strengthen their relationship with God. Show others by your character who the Lord is. When do you feel the greatest blessing? When have you really felt fulfilled? It’s when you’ve talked to someone about Jesus. Go be witnesses. Keep being one. I can’t hammer it into someone but I can witness and live for the Lord before them.
Sometimes people make the choice not to be saved. I’ve witnessed to many over the years. At funerals I’ve had to keep quiet about a person’s soul. It’s best to travail now instead of having regret after they die. Have we really travailed? Have we really done our best? Have we prayed enough for them? Take opportunities you’re given. Don’t be afraid. If we’ll just be Christians close to the Lord we’ll know what to do. God will do his part. Paul told the people to turn their travail upon the lost and pray for them. He told them Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Your witness is not in vain. Every beat of your heart is important. If you miss a few you’ll be in trouble. Souls are important. They’re drying faster than our heart beats. Let’s travail. Be burdened. Take advantage of every opportunity you can to help the lost find Jesus. It’s through travail that children are born physically and it’s through our travail as Christians that the lost find Jesus. Travail. Let’s all travail in birth again.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 