Bold WitnessingEvery one of us says we will die for Jesus Christ. But that is way too easy. If we really love Jesus we would live for Him. Now that is hard. That is a day in and day out lifestyle. Being a Christian is very hard. It takes a lot of discipline. It’s hard. Very hard. If any one says being a Christian is like walking on clouds is very wrong. That is why you see many people walk away from faith. It involves in a lot of work. A lot of surrender. Letting God mold you daily. Constantly doing what God expects you to do.
Being a Christian as I mentioned is hard. We need to work for God so we can see His emanating glory shine on this earth. The only way to really see His glory shine is spreading the gospel. Here’s a quote of a Man of God I completely respect that is not my father, nor my Pastor: “Born again believers don’t believe in personal evangelism.” - Mark Cahill. Here is a sad, sad, sad fact. Bill Bright said “That 2 percent of all Christians share their Faith on a regular basis.” Promise Keepers stated “90 percent of all Christian men had never shared their faith not one single time.” How horrible is that. Imagine how Jesus feels. All that He did for us and we can’t share our love for Him!
Maybe we really need to ask this question, “Am I really saved?” Harsh I know, but isn’t harsh you don’t share your faith the way Jesus intended us too. Jesus really loved us. Did you know He was spat in the face? People ripped His beard with their bare hands when he was carrying the cross over 600 hundred yards. That doesn’t even include the lashings He didn’t deserve, and the shame and embarrassment. Want scriptural proof, ok!
Isaiah 50:6
I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.I would have hidden my face. I tell you the truth. Want some heavier piece of truth? This is a story from a missionary Paul Washer.
There was a little boy named Andrew Mammen in some foreign place. He had some people holding guns to him. And he said “Please don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me! I’m afraid to die, but I can’t deny Jesus Christ.” So they shot him in the stomach 5 times and he died in a pool of blood.
Paul Washer ended that story by saying “And you think you are a bold Christian because you wear a Christian T-shirt?” Wow, I got conviction big time. I love wearing Christian T-shirts. So that hit home. Don’t think there’s something wrong with wearing them, but it’s more important to verbally proclaim the name of Jesus. See how this little boy lived for Christ? This little boy did more than most Christians would ever do. We get nervous just by giving someone a tract. We act like it is so much work. We are scared of being rejected. When others are actually scared of dying. How sad is that? It puts tears in my eyes. Because I’m like that. Don’t you see how we make God a burden, rather than a blessing?
Holy FearIt is hard witnessing. It takes knowledge of the Word of God to share it. So read your Bible for knowledge, wisdom and a FEARFUL relationship with God. I want to touch on the “Fear of God” before I talk about fear from the ultimate liar, Satan.
In this world we lost the Fear of God. To be honest I’m not sure if we ever had it. Either way more and more people are walking away from God, because the LACK of Fear. The Law of God brings fear. The reason being we have a high standard to up hold. Breaking this Holy Law brings judgment.
Hosea 4:5-7
5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. 7 “ The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.There’s proof right there that there is knowledge in the Law of God. Again, there’s proof that shows that with following the Law of God there is Fear. We have walked away from the Law. Have you noticed ever since they took out the Ten Commandments in public places sin has increased? Because there is NO STANDARD for righteousness. The lack of knowledge brings sin.
We need to know Godly Fear. Godly Fear is complete respect. Knowing that God’s Will be done if you like it or not. When people witness they become fearful of rejection, or even being physically harmed. Yes, that is fearful, but God’s Word says otherwise.
Matthew 10:28
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Now that is Holy Fear! Fear the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob won’t throw your soul into Hell and damnation. What is worse? Being embarrassed for a moment or being in Hell for eternity? It’s your choice no one else. See what the Fear of God will do. It will lift the hairs on the back of your neck and arms. God deserves it.
Too many people focus on the Love of God. Yes, the Love of God is beautiful, but on sharing your faith and converting a person on these bases only brings wrong intentions. Also a false conversion. With out the Fear of God by using the Law, the Cross won’t make any sense. They won’t understand why they said the sinner’s prayer when they only know the Love of God. Love with out fear can be easily pushed over and non-appreciated. Just like when you have a spouse talking about leaving, everything hits you. When it sinks in you realize how gracious they were too you. The fear of losing the one you love hits in over-drive.
Like God we can’t have a feeble relationship expecting Him to always bless you, and you give nothing in return. When you don’t feel God or hear His voice you get scared. All these thoughts hit you. Now, you are beginning to have fear of losing what you had with God. You start respecting God. You fear that you’ll go to Hell. Now that is Holy Fear! That is what a true believer in Jesus Christ has, Fear! Fear that we all are damned to Hell, but because of Jesus Christ God’s Grace is given. That is what needs to be shared with non-believers. They broke the Law and without Jesus there is no place to go but down. Literally. When they see the Grace of God, now the Cross makes sense, because of the Law.
Don’t Preach Hell & Flames
DO NOT SCARE ANYONE TO GOD! It will not work. Don’t preach Hell and flames. It will only push them away from God. God will look like the devil to them. There would be all fear and no grace. Bring them by the Law and show them God’s Grace.
Ray Comfort said “Preach 90% Law (sin) and 10% grace.” Why? He said it this way. “If you were to walk in the doctor’s office and he sat you down and talked to you for 20 minutes that you have a deadly disease, and you’ll die within 24 hours. He then said “By the way we have a cure all you need to do is take this pill.” He wouldn’t need to talk long about the cure, right?”1 Imagine if the doctor only talked about the disease and gave you the pill without saying what it was? You would go home and end up getting physically sick because of stress.
Again, if you preached half and half the person won’t see the seriousness of the disease called “sin,” and how powerful the “cure” (Jesus) is.
Fear No More
This is one thing we all need to get over. We have to keep in mind of the story of the little boy, Andrew. Most of us live in a part of the world that we won’t be killed because of Jesus. There is martyr’s everyday for Christ. Just as many are persecuted. “On May 12, Iranian police arrested 12 known Muslim converts to Christianity and confiscated their books, computers and printers in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz... All four were subjected to hours of interrogation, questioning them solely ‘just about their faith and house church activities.””2
Do you see how easy we have it. Kids get their limbs cut-off because he/she is a Christian. Villages get burned down, the men get murdered, the women are raped, the little girls are taken for prostitution, and the little boys are forced to join the Islamic army.
And we are afraid to give a tract out? We are afraid to witness? Yes, it understandable because those things have never hit home, yet. They will, read your Bible. You find out soon enough. While the time is still here do so. The devil is oppressing you with fear so that you don’t realize how easy we have it still.
2 Timothy 1:7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.God will never put demonic fear in your life. God can’t even put Holy Fear into you. It’s just like faith, love, hope, obedience, and patience. We need to work them, we need to grow in them.
Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…We even need to work out our salvation. It helps to work on other people’s salvation to work on yours. Here’s something to help you get over that bump. In fact here are two verses.
1 Peter 4:14If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.Luke 6:22-23
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophetsEvery time you get rejected for sharing your faith you have a “reward that is great in Heaven.” How awesome is that. There is no way you could lose in sharing your faith. Of course we don’t want anyone to reject Jesus and you, but you gained something from it. You know what else happened? You planted seed. Seed that God now can have other laborers water and work the ground.
I know, even knowing what other goes through and you can’t lose by sharing your faith, it’s still scary. The scariest ones are always the first one to do. They will get easier and easier. If you find yourself to comfortable do something extreme. I often hear Mark Cahill say “Every time you step out of your comfort zone, you step right into God’s comfort zone.”3
It’s a daily thing. It takes practice. Do not role play. It will take the truth out of it, and it will not get you over the bump of nervousness. Just like everything in this world that takes knowledge, you need to practice, practice, and much more practice.
Why Practice?I know some things about why people believe in other gods or don’t believe. I know more about anti-theist. About evolution, the big band, and so on. I study why I believe what I believe. That is what the Bible tells me to do so I do it.
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…I don’t say this to boast myself. I say this because we all need to do so. The Word says so. The second time I every witness to someone I was nervous. It was around 10 pm. The cashier at the convenience store always worked there when I would go in there. The first time I walked in there to many people were in the store. I wanted a one on one conversation. I got scared and went into my truck, sat there for a couple of minutes, which felt like eternity. I got enough courage and made an excuse to a get a slushy.
I asked him “So what do think happens when you die?” I was like “Yes, I got it out.” He said he was anti-theist. We talked for about 5 minutes. I could have done better. As long as I planted a seed. No where does it say I must plant a perfect seed. Remember every seed you plant out of obedience and with the heart of God is a perfect seed.
That is why we need to practice. I experienced why. I got nervous. I didn’t let the Holy Spirit give me the right words, but in time I will be able too. You will as well. Not every one will be easy, but you’ll be glad you did. It’s worth it. If we really love Jesus we will talk about Him.
Luke 12:12
For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.Sheol has enlarged itselfEveryday around 150,000 people die. That is 2 people a second. Most of the people are going to Hell, because of lack knowledge. One lack of knowledge is the wisdom of God. A lot of people think they can get into Heaven because they are a good person.
Titus 3:5
… not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…If no one gives them the knowledge to get into Heaven who will? People are dying and going to Hell. Hell is opening its mouth beyond measure.
Isaiah 5:13-1513 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure; Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it. 15 People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. CompassionDo you care that they are going to Hell? Is there compassion in your heart? Do you care enough to do anything about it? We need to take a stand. The devil is winning too many people over. I’m not here to scare you, but to give you the truth. What’s next is up to you. Are you going to listen to the Holy Spirit and proclaim the love for Jesus? I know He has already done that for me. So I’ll do the same for Him. Will you?
Citations1. Ray Comfort. Hells best kept secret. Audio. Date of publication unknown.
2. Author Unknown. Iranian Police Arrest 12 Christian Converts, Four Remain in Prison. May 28, 2008. Persecution.com http://www.persecution.com/news/index.cfm?action=fullstory&newsID=607
3. Mark Cahill. One thing you can’t do in Heaven, page 13. 2005. Gustave Dore, The Dore Bible.
