Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He entrusted His disciples with the ministry of reaching others and sharing the significance of His substitutionary death on the cross. Have you ever tried to share the gospel with a friend or family member, only to feel nervous while anticipating their reaction and potential rejection? Even though we know we bring good news, we often assume that people won’t want to hear it. This strategy is how the enemy, Satan, attempts to silence and intimidate us. Recognizing that four factors contribute to a person turning to Christ helps us overcome our fear, reminding us that it doesn’t depend solely on us! Today, let’s explore two of these factors, and tomorrow, we'll examine the other two.
1) The Holy Spirit. When we are open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will guide us in our sharing. Often, the Spirit will provide insight into the life of the person we speak to. You may feel the weight of their struggles as the Spirit instills compassion within you. Remember that our Father desires to draw people to Himself. Understand that He will not "leave you hanging" as you reach out to another with the Good News. Jesus stated in John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit would remind us of all things. Trust that He will give you the right words when necessary. At the Last Supper, when Jesus informed the disciples of His departure, He reassured them by saying He would send the "Helper," the Holy Spirit. In the NIV translation, the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Advocate:
7But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned (John 16:7-11).
As we share our faith in Christ with others, the Holy Spirit will use your words to convict them of the truth of God’s Word and your testimony of Christ's power. When you share Christ, God will do His part in convicting the person of their sin and need for a Savior, which leads us to the second point.
2) The Person’s Conscience. On the Day of Pentecost, when Peter shared the gospel with 3,000 Jews, they were "cut to the heart" by the message he preached. At times, I have witnessed individuals I share the gospel with being deeply convicted by the Spirit as He reveals something in their lives that needs change. The Word of God is referred to as the Sword of the Spirit for a reason (Ephesians 6:17). The Sword of the Spirit goes straight to the heart of the listener, bringing truth and affirming that truth within them. God supports His Word with His Spirit.
When King David felt conviction by the Spirit following his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, he could find no peace within his soul.
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin (Psalm 32:3-5).
Often, God goes ahead of us to prepare the people with whom we intend to share our knowledge of the Savior. They may not always admit it, but remember that God exists outside of time and can provide dreams and visions before we plan to share our faith. This Christmas, why not seize every opportunity to share what God is doing in your life? It can often serve as a turning point for many lives. - Keith Thomas
Taken from the series in Discipleship, Study 7. The Main Thing
To watch the video talk on YouTube, click the link: https://youtu.be/sbqQ2YPSt4I
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