“And now we are here to bring you this Good News.” (Acts 13:32a NLT)
Yesterday we looked at why it’s so vitally important to“BE” good news before you share the Good News. I’m convinced that’s why a lot of people today are reluctant to come to church or have a meaningful conversation about who Jesus is and what He’s done for them. They’ve been badgered and beaten down by well-meaning people who are too often insensitive to the Lord and to the people with whom they’re speaking. In other words, they’re not Good News.
Jesus was always sensitive to the needs of the persons with whom He spoke and His speaking was always motivated by a heart of love. The more we grow in our likeness of Jesus, the more effective we will be in pointing our friends and loved ones to Jesus. The more they are able to see Jesus in us, not only in the way we speak, but in the way we live, the more open they will be to allowing Jesus to speak to them through us.
Our motivation in sharing our faith must always be to honor and bless Jesus, and our goal must be to help those with whom we share, find a full and complete life in Him, not simply miss hell or gain heaven. Please understand. I long for heaven, but my longing centers on one thing – Jesus! Jesus is the Treasure I seek on earth and the Treasure I’ll find in heaven. He’s worth more to me than all the world has to offer.
I’m convinced that to the extent those with whom the Lord has laid on our hearts to speak can sense a genuine love and concern for them and for Jesus, to that extent they’ll open their hearts to us and be willing to listen. Prayer is foundational in allowing that to happen.
Dick Eastman said, “Behind the saving grace of every believer is someone praying.” Sharing our story, our spiritual journey, our faith – however you want to think of it, MUST begin with prayer if our goal is to lead someone closer to the Lord. Prayer prepares our heart and mind to speak, and prepares the heart and mind of the one with whom we share to hear what God is seeking to say to them.
Never underestimate the way the Lord is working in you AND in the one with whom He lays on your heart to speak. In my nearly sixty years of walking with Jesus, I have NEVER led a single soul to saving faith in Jesus, I’ve simply been a vessel through whom the Lord has been faithful to do HIS saving work. He’ll work in you to the extent you’re willing to ask Him (prayer) and then are willing to get out of His way and allow Him to work through you to His honor and fame (faith).
The first and best way to help others know Jesus is to continually seek to know Him intimately yourself. Then you can allow the Holy Spirit free access to fill and empower you in any way He sees fit to reach others for Christ’s glory and honor. He will give you insight and understanding as to whom He desires you to speak and guidance as to what to say. That process begins on the day you invite Jesus to be Lord and continues until the day you close your eyes in death.
Every one of us who are Christ-followers, whether we’ve just begun our walk or we’ve walked with Him for many years, can share our faith effectively to the extent we submit to the Spirit and simply ask Him to speak through us.
There’s one other aspect of sharing our faith I’d like us to look at tomorrow.
Blessings, Ed
Walking With Jesus 