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Reaching Out

Sharing the Love and Truth of Christ

God has called each of us to partner with Him to reach people with His love and truth. One of the greatest joys we can experience as Christians comes from making Jesus known to those who don’t yet know Him. As the body of Christ, we are Jesus’ hands and feet on earth to continue the work that He began. Although we do not know the cravings and challenges of each individual we meet, God knows the deepest secrets of every person. Through the Holy Spirit, He is more than able to speak through us to touch the depths of the human heart. Only the Spirit can give us the words to compel others to follow Christ.
Here are ten things that are helpful in sharing our faith:

1. Be led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6, 9-10<www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+16%3A6-10&version=NIV>). Like Paul in Acts, we can continually ask the Holy Spirit to lead us to people whose hearts are ready for the harvest. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you<thelife.com/challenges/what-is-god-up-to> to those who are desperately searching for more in life and will be open to God.

2. Take God’s perspective. What is your motivation for evangelism? Are you just doing it because it is the Christian thing to do, or to grow a bigger church? Pray and ask our Father to give you His heart for the lost. When God shares His breaking heart and compassion with us, we will share his burden for the lost.

3. Discern cravings of the soul. I believe everyone has cravings for purpose, meaning, and significance in life. By listening to and speaking into a person’s cravings, we can delicately awaken them to recognize that the fulfillment of their deepest cravings can best be found in God Himself.

4. Develop relationships. Jesus was the complete expression of the Father’s love to the world, and the love of God flowed like a spring of living water through Him. God’s love is more compelling than scientific evidence of God or a theological argument. Is God’s love flowing through you? Are people in your life touched by how passionately and personally you care about them? If you have few non-Christian friends, challenge yourself to move beyond the walls of the church.

5. Share your story. You have a very powerful story and God wants to use it! People will be most touched by your thoughts and experiences because they know you. If Jesus is a tangible reality in your life, others will see that and want it.

6. Become empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8<www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A8&version=NIV>). Learn to look to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to take over the conversation. Know with confidence God will lead you and give you the right words to say to the right individuals.

7. Be patient and faithful. For many people, evangelism can be very discouraging because they don’t see immediate results. Though the ultimate goal of all evangelism is to lead people to Christ, it may not happen overnight. We must remember that only God knows when the seeds we plant will bear fruit<thelife.com/challenges/relax-witnessing-is-not-all-about-you>.

8. Remember that we all are on a journey. Every person we encounter is in a different place on their journey, and some may not be ready to commit their lives to Christ. Our responsibility is to simply lead them further down the path and bring them closer to finding a relationship with Jesus.

9. Pray unceasingly. One of the most essential components of evangelism is prayer. You may have loved ones or friends for whom you have been continually praying for years. Do not give up hope! Prayer is the catalyst that initiates God’s will being done on the earth.
10) Remember that it’s not up to you. Campus Crusade for Christ
founder Dr. Bill Bright had a very simple and powerful definition of success. He said, “Successful witnessing is simply sharing Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.” That’s it. Isn’t that encouraging? If you have taken the opportunity to talk about Jesus with someone in the power of the Spirit, then you have been successful.
Adapted from thelife.com To God be the glory