In order to be popular with God, I think it is safe to say from the outset that you often will have to sacrifice your popularity with man. Pastor Greg Laurie stated the situation well when he said: “Either you will have harmony with God and friction with people, or you will have harmony with people and friction with God.”1 As a result we must decide who we would rather have approval from – God or man!
May the following two examples help you to see how we can become very popular with God:
Develop a powerful prayer ministry
Of all the Christian disciplines prayer is perhaps the most difficult to be consistent and fervent in. Not only does it take self-denial of our time away from other activities but the devil will do everything at his disposal from keeping us from praying because he knows that fervent and believing prayer is our most powerful weapon against his dominion. But not only does God love a praying saint, not only does He supply power when we are on our knees, but when answers come God gets the credit and He is glorified. I love how Leonard Ravenhill put it: “The Sunday morning service shows how popular your church is. The evening services show how popular your pastor is. Your private prayer time shows you how popular God is!”2
I have discovered that not only will we become more popular with the Lord when we make our prayer closet our favorite room in our home, but when we earnestly seek answers to our prayers in order that God is glorified and those we pray for are blessed, I have also found that prayer becomes no longer a duty but a delight.
Preach the whole Gospel message.
Pastor John MacArthur understands how preaching the Gospel should be one of our greatest passions in life. But he also knows that it will often make us quite unpopular with man. He once said regarding the Apostle Paul: “Paul’s supreme passion was to see men saved. He cared nothing for personal comfort, popularity, or reputation. He offered no compromise of the gospel, because he knew it is the only power available that can change lives for eternity.”3 Not only did Paul understand that by preaching the Gospel he would often lose popularity, but he would often be persecuted. Martin Luther very bluntly once said about those who preached the Gospel: “Always preach in such a way that if the people listening do not come to hate their sin, they will instead hate you.”4
My friends in the last analysis the Christian must realize that preaching about sin will never be popular among the masses but will earn us great approval from our heavenly Father. We are called to be a light to the lost and while exposing the sins of the human heart to the light, while never popular, is the only way to reach souls for Christ. So, let’s shine for Jesus for the light of the gospel is the only antidote for sin!
1 Either you will have harmony with God and friction with people, or you… Quote by Greg Laurie – QuotesLyfe
2 Prayer shows how popular God is – Leonard Ravenhill | Deeper Christian Quotes
3 Romans 1-8 Quotes by John F. MacArthur Jr. (goodreads.com)
4 Martin Luther on Preaching Against Sin, Even If Others Hate You! (fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com)