E-BOOK: God’s Generals – The Missionaries by Roberts Liardon.
Introduction
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
-Revelation 12:11
l his verse from the Word of God is a clear description of the men and
wo men in God’s Generals: The Missionaries. Without exception, they were
overcomers, not in their own strength but in the power of the Lamb of God,
whom they loved and served wherever they were called. They had
extrao rdinary courage to face unknown lands, persecution, family loss, and
death, be cause they esteemed their love for Jesus Christ more highly than their
own lives. In the midst of both triumphs and tragedies, they lived out phrases
we take for granted today, such as “Fulfilling the Great Commission,” “The
future is as bright as the pr om ises of God!” and “Christ is either Lord of all, or
He is not Lord at all!”
The generals in this book were among the Christian pi oneers who helped
birth and develop modern Christian missions as we understand them today.
They did not only speak abo ut the need for preaching the gospel in “heathen”
lands, but, by exam ple, they also went and lived out their convictions on the
mission field.
It is no coincidence that they shared a great many of the same perso nality
traits and Spirit-anointed gifts. Although they ministered in three different
centuries and in countries around the globe, these missionaries had a great deal
in common. They had a fervent, uncompromising lo ve for the Lord Jesus
Christ. They were stro ng-willed, irrepressible individuals who listened to the
Holy Spirit’s leading and then followed it without turning back. They were men
and women of bold prayer who asked for God’s pro vision and protection, and
then had the faith to see their prayers answered. For Christ’s sake, they were
willing to endure affliction. They sensed in their spirits that it was a “must
P
job”; they had to do it, no matter what. They never gave up.
They were also independent spirits; many of them left the mission societies
that originally sent them out, preferring to follow the leading of the Holy
Spirit on the field rather than take direction from an organization located
tho usands of miles away. In God’s providential choice, they were some of the
most brilliant intellects of their day. In faith, they used tho se intellectual
abilities to advance the kingdom of God in amazing ways: creating new
alphabets, translating the Bible into the most difficult languag es, building
scho ols, birthi ng mission societies and inter national ministries, and leaving
leg acies that are still bearing fruit to day!
I chose to present missio naries in this fifth volume of God ‘s Generals to
inspire a new generation of missi on workers today. There are still places on
this earth where there is little or no Christian witness-places that need the
gospel of Jesus Christ
But how can they call on him to save them un less they believe in him? And
how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how
can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone
go and tell them without be ing sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How
beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans
10:14-15 nlt)
Perhaps God is calling you to be a messenger of the good news to the far
ends of the earth. My prayer is that this bo ok will help you to make the decision
to give your life for God and for man.
That’s all for now
-Roberts Liardon