Every saved person who has read the New Testament knows that the Lord Jesus left the believers with only one command: to preach the gospel to all the nations. In Matthew 28:19-20 the Lord charged the disciples, saying, “Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” In Mark 16:15 He also charged the disciples to preach the gospel, saying, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all the creation.” Preaching the gospel is a very important matter.
In the New Testament the apostles kept the Lord’s command and were filled with the spirit of the gospel. In Romans 1:16 Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.” In 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 he also spoke of his attitude toward the gospel, saying, “If I preach the gospel, I have no boast, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. If I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a stewardship.” Paul accepted the commission and even offered his whole being for the gospel, just as he said in 2 Corinthians 12:15: “I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent on behalf of your souls.” Paul was filled with the spirit of the gospel, and he was glad to spend everything for the gospel, even his being. The church in Philippi also had fellowship with Paul for the furtherance of the gospel (Phil. 1:5), and the believers there were one soul with him (v. 27).
When we do not preach the gospel, our spirit becomes deadened. In the same way, when the church does not preach the gospel, the church becomes deadened. However, when a Christian rises up to preach the gospel, his spirit becomes burning, and when the church preaches the gospel, the church becomes burning. Preaching the gospel is like lighting a fire; preaching the gospel releases the Spirit. If we do not preach the gospel, we will quench the fire in our spirit and choke the Spirit.
The spirit of the gospel is burning within every believer who loves the Lord. This inward burning should be reflected in our outward attitude toward the gospel. We have the spirit of the gospel within, but we need to allow the spirit of the gospel to burn us from within. The spirit of the gospel is a fire that has been kindled, but we need to respond.
Some people think that eloquence is needed in order to preach the gospel. They think that a person cannot preach the gospel unless he is a good speaker who can give a message. This thought comes from the world; it does not apply to spiritual things. It is not a message that causes a person to be saved but the release of the spirit of the gospel. Regrettably, we focus on eloquence and the content of a message instead of paying attention to the spirit of the gospel. Consequently, people are not filled with the Spirit and are not saved. The spirit of the gospel is not something outward; it is something that ignites from within us.
The greatest enemy of the spirit of the gospel is “man’s throne.” A person who preaches the gospel must not exalt himself. Such a person must also deny himself. The spirit of the gospel cannot burn within someone who is sitting on a throne. The first condition for the spirit of the gospel to be released is to come down from any throne in our being.
“Clever” people cannot preach the gospel; it is the “foolish” who can preach the gospel. D. L. Moody preached the gospel his whole life and brought thousands and thousands of people to salvation. He originally worked in a shoe shop. One day, due to the burning of the spirit of the gospel, he stood on the street in the rain holding an umbrella without fabric, and he preached the gospel to people who were passing by him. When people laughed at his umbrella, he said, “Although you laugh at my umbrella without fabric, it is your umbrella that cannot shelter you from the rain of God’s judgment that is coming.” When he said this, many people were saved. This is the spirit of the gospel.
In Shanghai a young brother, who studied in National Chiao Tung University, put on a white gospel vest and preached the gospel on the electric cars and in the streets, paying no attention to the strange looks that he received from people. In this way the fire of the gospel burned and influenced many brothers and sisters. This fire spread from Shanghai to Nanking, Hangchow, and eventually to other big cities in China. After a year many souls in China were saved. This is the spirit of the gospel.
When the spirit of the gospel goes out, the words of the gospel have power. When the spirit of the gospel goes out, the words of the gospel save people. Doctrines cannot save people; only the spirit of the gospel can save people.