So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
I want to show you this verse in a couple of other translations before I dig into it:
So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. (NLT)
So, for my part, I am willing and eagerly ready to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. (AMP)
Paul was eager to go to Rome to preach the wonderful, happy, good news. He was also ready to go.
If you read the KJV it says Paul was “ready”, if you read the NLT you find Paul was “eager”. The Amplified does what it does best and amplifies the word to “willing and eagerly ready”.
The word used here is the same word used by Jesus when He says the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. In fact, I think in Mark’s gospel it is translated “the spirit is ready” in the KJV.
Paul was willing and ready to preach the gospel. Are you?
I believe that Paul was willing because he was ready. Being ready makes you willing. No one is willing to do something they are not prepared to do.
I believe that because Paul knew the gospel so well, knew its wonderful power and wonderful benefits and knew he could preach and present it powerfully with signs and wonders following – that is why Paul was so eager and willing to preach. What you are prepared to do, you are enthusiastic to do.
If you start praying for boldness, start praying for open doors to preach the gospel, start studying the books of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews (the three books Paul wrote explaining and defending and outlining the gospel) and start realizing what the wonderful news of our redemption actually is.
I guarantee that as you start getting ready to preach the gospel, you will start being willing. You will start getting excited to preach the gospel, start getting passionate about going and telling people in the street, in your work – even in your church (because not everyone in church knows!) – the good news.
Many people try and pray for willingness. “Oh God, give us a passion for souls.” “Oh God, make me love the lost…”
That is not a prayer God can or will ever answer. God is not going to give you emotional pain to motivate you to do something! That is not the nature of our Father. We are willing to do what we are ready to do.
If you want a passion for evangelism, get ready to evangelise! Study the gospel, study common objections and find Scriptures to counter those objections.
If you want a passion for worship, don’t beg God to force you to worship Him – God is not a forcer, rather get your Bible out and study the concept of worship. You will soon be singing praises to God.
If you want to be willing to give millions into the gospel, get ready. Find out what the Bible says about giving and receiving. Understand what the tithe is and how it functions. Soon enough you will be giving what you have and shouting with joy. You will start a life of financial fruitfulness that will change the world.
If you want a passion for the Word, study it, get into it, get ready to understand it.
What you are ready to do, you will be eager and willing to do.
What you are not ready to do, you will not be eager and willing to do.
So – don’t beg God to make you willing, but get ready, get ready, get ready!
Glory and freedom,
Benjamin
Tree of Life Blog 