gospel
Sharing Christ With Confidence – Part 2
Sharing Christ With Confidence and Not With Fear.
In our last article, we started talking about how we can turn our fears of sharing the Gospel and become people who are sharing Christ with confidence. Our confidence comes from knowing that we are not alone in this important work and mission of God. When we commit in our hearts to faithfully obey Jesus’ command in Matthew 4:19 to be “fishers of men”, we become a part of God’s unbeatable team of 3.
In the first article in this 3 part series, we talked about the 1st part of our unbeatable team of 3… the powerful Word of God. When we share the Gospel with others, we are sharing the powerful Word of God. God will take our sharing the powerful Gospel and use it to accomplish all that He wants (read Isaiah 55:11) … if we do our part.
In this 2nd part of the 3 part series, we will talk about the 2nd part of our unbeatable team of 3. The work and power of the Holy Spirit.
#2 ON THE TEAM – The WORK & POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Trusting in the Holy Spirit is extremely important when you share Jesus with others.
- The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in the process of sharing the Gospel and reaching lost people for Christ.
- Without the Holy Spirit we will never see fruit and victories when we share Christ with others. In John 15:5 Jesus said “apart from Him we can do nothing.” We can not do anything of eternal value or produce eternal spiritual fruit with Jesus’ Holy Spirit.
In Matthew 4:19 when Jesus said “Follow me” He did not say to try our best to be “fishers of men”. Jesus said the He will “make us fishers of men”. He is talking about if we will faithfully follow and obey His command to be fishers of men and share the Gospel with others, then He will empower us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus will not leave us alone in this mission, He will send the Holy Spirit to empower us to accomplish the mission.
Jesus says it a different way in Acts 1:8. These are Jesus’ last word on Earth to His disciples before He ascends back into heaven. Because they are His last words on Earth, they are very important words that he wants to share with His followers. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit Provides
- We don’t need to worry about our weaknesses. The Holy Spirit will provide everything that we lack:
- If we lack confidence about what to say or how to say it:
- Mathew 10:18-20 “Because of me, you will be brought before rulers and kings to tell them and the people about your faith. Don’t worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given what to say, it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you!”
- If we are afraid to share Christ or you lack courage or confidence:
- Acts 4:29-31 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
- Don’t let your fear cause you to disobey Jesus’ command in Matthew 4:19. The Holy Spirit can and will help you to turn your fear into boldness and courage for sharing Christ with confidence.
Step Out In Faith
If you step out in faith and share Jesus, the Holy Spirit will use you and empower you as His instrument. You can always trust in the Holy Spirit.
God is always at work through His Spirit in the life of every person. He is trying to draw people to Himself and wants them to be saved and have a reconciled relationship with Him, peace with Him, and eternal life in heaven with Him. In John 5:17-20 Jesus said this:
“To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working… Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.”
Jesus is saying that God goes ahead of us and is working in the hearts and lives of lost people. When we pray for opportunities to share Christ (“divine appointments”), He will lead us to the people He is preparing. And God, through the Holy Spirit, will empower us to share the Gospel. Knowing that God is going ahead of you and will be with you when you attempt to share the Gospel will help you in sharing Christ with confidence.
The Holy Spirit will provide you with Power, Words, Boldness & Courage, or whatever you lack, to powerfully and effectively share Christ with others.
How The Holy Spirit Works
- The Holy Spirit works in 2 places at the same time:
1) The Holy Spirit works to enable & empower us to share the mighty Word of God.
2) He works in the heart & life of the unbeliever and moves them toward conversion.
3.) The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgement. The Holy Spirit convinces the person he/she needs Jesus. He opens their spiritual eyes, and releases them from the darkness to the light, and takes them from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:17-18). The Holy Spirit reveals truth to them.
It is not our job to convict people of their sin. And it is not our job to try to convince them that they are sinners and need a Savior. And convince them that Jesus is the only One who can save them from their sins and eternal punishment. It is not our job to reveal the truth of the Gospel, or to try to produce results and salvation for the people we are sharing with. These are the jobs and role of the Holy Spirit. We just need to be faithful and do our part… share the Gospel with others.
John 16:7-8 “But 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. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”
In the 3rd part of this series, we will talk about the 3rd part of God’s unbeatable team of 3.
Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.
The Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible studies book has hundreds of Bible verses and great truths & promises from God’s Word.
Other Links
Jesus: The Source of Abundant Life
Prayer Is Passion For Seeking & Knowing God
God’s Purposes For You & Your Church
Salvation & The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Share Hope & Love: Donate to Orphans With AIDS in Kenya
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