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Most of my family and friends have no knowledge of the bible. I feel lost in how to witness to them. I have been praying to God to soften there hearts.
Any advise would be appreciated.
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witnessing to the unchurched
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KingJimmy
The best way to witness to close family and friends is to just tell them what you know about the Lord, and share the gospel with them when the Lord opens up opportunity to speak into their lives. Stick to sharing what you know, pray, and trust in the Lord to move on their behalf.
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Oracio
Andie, I would highly recommend the audio entitled "Hell's Best Kept Secret" by Ray Comfort. Here is the link:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=434
And here is the link to Ray's ministry website:
www.wayofthemaster.com
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sermonindex
Hi Andie,
I was brought to the Lord by the gift of hospitality. Seriously. Not one scripture was spoken to me. I knew nothing about the Gospel. But I saw it in people's lives.
It was very powerful. I truly saw the Lord in people and wanted to be like them. (wanted the peace and joy and happiness they had). The Lord used it to turn me to Him because I saw a reality that I had never seen anywhere before. I saw in people's lives the reality of Jesus Christ.
The best way you can prepare yourself to be an able minister of the Lord is to radiate Jesus Christ. That means overflowing with love, real love for people. You know that you cannot do this on your own. It is being "in Him", that will cause you to radiate Christ.
2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
More is caught than taught is a well known saying. We may not all be eloquent, or memorize verses, or whatever, but we are all able to abide in the Lord, and love people. And that speaks so much louder than words. Of course words are good and you need to be able to give an answer to every man for the hope that is in you. But if fruit in one's life is missing, words don't mean too much. The character of a man is more important than what he says.
But, if you know Jesus and are close to Him, it is so much better than talking about Him as if He is just someone you studied. If you content yourself with getting close to the Lord, loving His Word and loving people you will see a lot of wonderful things start to happen in your life and the lives around you.
2Co 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
People are always observing your life and your words and your expressions and your acts (works). I know, because I was and I still do.
A word of encouragement, a kindness, a soft answer to turn away wrath, some laughter and a hug are things that make people feel accepted and loved and show them that you love them for who they are. That is how our God is to us when we are sinners. Think of that. He is loving us to Himself.
You really cannot do anything to get anyone saved.
2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
And what speaks louder than anything to people is divine fruit in one's life. Especially with your family. They know who you were. So, when they see someone else (Jesus Christ) and it's not Andie, they will just be left exclaiming, "I can't believe that is Andie".
And here is something to take the weight of "results" off of your back. Jesus does not ask us to produce results, He only asks us to be faithful.
Yes, keep your burden of them in prayer, but we are not responsible for results dear brother. We are only asked to be faithful.
Be a loving friend, brother, and son and leave the results to the Lord. You know the love that God has for these people, right? So, love them with that love. Be God's hands and feet on earth and love those people. You are not compromising a thing by not spitting out bible verses left and right. The Lord will create just the right moment for you to speak. It is wonderful to rest in HIM and have confidence in Him. Living life is much easier when you are not striving.
You and Jesus together can create an enironment of love and when you do, the Holy Spirit is able to work much more effectively.
God bless you richly, Pilgrim.
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therick2018
Andie,
Labor to tell them what the Bible says about God. Who He is. What are His attributes and what do they begin to mean. Then contrast it with the falleness of man. Use God's law to show how far all of us have fallen short of the glory of God. To show that sin is exceedingly sinful. The great riddle of the Bible is how can God be just and the justifier of the wicked. Then tell them of Christ and how he drank down the wrath of God in our place. How He bore our sins in His body on the tree and then rose again.
To make it more personal use your own testimony. Tell them how you used to be an enemy of God, demonstrated by your sin against Him, and tell them how He has reconciled you to Himself through Christ and made you a new creature. How Christ died for us while we were yet His enemies. Tell them how God cast out hearts of stone and gives people living hearts of holiness. That salvation is not raising a hand or saying a prayer, but a mighty supernatural work of God! Do not be afraid to use the Word of God. It is your sword. It does take true love to tell the truth. They will know if your testimony lines up with your life. This is a war. Do it even if you are hated because of Christ. He is Worthy!! Be gentle, be bold and may they know that the fragrance of Christ is upon you. Do not say peace peace when there is no peace. Pray, Pray, Pray for the Spirit to come down!!! May dead bones come to life!!
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sermonindex
Andie, keep praying for them every day. A door may or may not open for you to speak to them. Or someone else may speak to them. But just don't stop praying for your loved ones until you get an answer from God that all is well.
Years ago, I prayed for my Aunt. She was a hard woman to reach. She hated me with a passion, yet I loved her and did good to her, even to this day. But I had such a desire to see her saved. So I prayed earnestly for her to be saved. One day I heard the voice of God say that, "I have heard your prayer concerning your Aunt, I will cause her to return to me and I will save her". My prayer was heard, it was answered and I believe the promise that God had made to me. Once you hear from God and He answers your prayer, you no longer have to pray for their salvation, but rather you wait and see what God does. It's encouraging to hear God speak, and it encourages you to move on to another family member or friend to pray for.
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sermonindex
Yeah, there is no canned way to reach people. You don't use the same thing on everyone.
Look at the ministry of Jesus. From Zacchaeus to Mary Magdalene to the Woman of Samaria at the well. There was no condemnation or ridicule of past sins.
You see kindness and love and acceptance and the right word at the right time.
Walk in the Spirit and listen to the Lord and He will show you what to say and what to do, regarding each individual.
Wanting to see people saved causes you to get close to the Lord. When you are not close to the Lord, you are just flailing in the flesh and doing more harm than good.
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mkal
Jars of clay must become crack-pots.
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Lysa
Andi,
The Lord knows what it will take for each of your family members to come to Him, just pray and be yourself around them. You may only plant the seed but another will water and yet another to win them.
Don't think this family journey tackled in a year or two!! It took me 12 years to win my favorite cousin. Praise his holy name. Now, she and I are closer than my real sister is to me.
Pilgram had a great post. Living it has far more implications than talking, in my book. Years ago, I was horrible to my step mother being a teenager but then I got saved, she never said anything tO me but my dad told me later that she told all her catholic friends that I got saved but what got their attention was my changed behavior. They started asking her what church I went to; she was like "I know it's not catholic but it's changed her!". Only Jesus Christ could do that! Praise his holy name!!!
God bless you and the family you love,
Lisa
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Joyful_Heart
This sermon by Carter Conlon of Times Square Church in New York spoke greatly to my heart re: my family and how to pray and be a witness. It is a powerful message.
http://www.worldchallenge.org/nb/sermons
We may have it here on SI as well but I found it on World Challenge
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MrBillPro
Lysa, you said about the same as what I wanted to say. God uses us "all" differentially,and gives us all our own "unique" way to minister to the lost,Andie there is no standard/correct way to witness to others, and every time you do witness/minister the circumstances will be different, and so will your words.
If God has truly lead you to minister/witness to someone, he will give you the "correct" words to use, you will not stumble in those words, they will pour out as if God himself was standing there witnessing to the person/persons. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you. Remember the upmost importance of ministering/witnessing to the lost, is to plant a seed, not to preach a sermon.
I have one son that is lost because of my Preaching to him all the time, he now claims to be an agnostic, I pray he will come back to the Lord one day. I also feel God used my son as an example of what can happen if I did not stop the watering, trust me I have stopped the watering, "unless" I feel it in my Spirit that God wants me to speak more into a persons life, right after I have planted the seed. God never told us that being a Christian would be a cake walk, matter fact, it's just the opposite "well it has been for me" but the Blessing comes from the Glory God gets, from letting him work through us.
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sermonindex
How many of us have been there? Where we slay people with scriptures, but our character and love don't line up?
All because people preach Ezekiel to us and put guilt on us that if we don't hurry up and dump all the Word we can think of on people, that we will be guilty of their blood if they die.
Eze 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
Eze 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
We do so many things because it makes us feel good and alleviates our false guilt, but it is really selfish and shows blatant disregard for the tender soul that God loves.
We walk away and think to ourselves, "Well, I gave them the Word and now it's all on them". And we feel better about that?
When we are not led by the Spirit, we fall into legalism and we cause so much damage.
Pity and courtesy are very important. People are beat down all around us and we don't need to beat them down any more.
1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
The wise application of God's Word in truth and love is needed.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
2Jn 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
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MrBillPro
How many of us have been there? Where we slay people with scriptures, but our character and love don't line up?
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Amen and Amen and Amen Pilgrim, I have been there many, many times, and I hate it, I lost a son to this world because of it. I wished I would have just shut my mouth, because that was my flesh speaking, my flesh wanted the Glory, I have to say this again, my flesh wanted the Glory, and look what happened to me. I know God will fix it one day, but look how I am suffering because of letting my stupid flesh, try and get the Glory. If there is anything I did gain, it was to "DIE" to my flesh everyday, I deserve "NOTHING" to God only, be the Glory. Yes, I am angry over losing my son to the world, who in there right mind would not be. I do trust that circumstances and events that we see as setbacks, are often times, the very things that launch us into periods of intense spiritual growth, I have seen this play out in my personal life.
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MyVeryHeart
Eze 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
Using this scripture in the context of witnessing makes no sense. A Watchman warns those in Jerusalem the enemy is coming. This scripture is more of a warning for pastors that let wolves devour the flock or the reluctant prophet who God delivers his message of warning but does not want to deliver it to the people. Twisting the scriptures is not of God but of satan. Let it be far from us to do something like this brethren.
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sermonindex
MrBillPro,
I know your pain. My sympathies. Truly.
But God can redeem any situation. The fact that he has changed you and me in this regard, is redemptive in itself.
You are alive, you're son is alive (thank God for that) and that is HUGE.
Walking with God is very painful as most of our problems we bring on ourselves. At least that is my experience and observation of many friends through the years.
We serve a good and kind God and I just take hope in Him that He loves these people more than I do. But, I am determined to walk in love and set all the apologetics aside. Some people may have seen others come to the Lord through arguing and debate, but I never have.
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MrBillPro
MyVeryHeart said:Twisting the scriptures is not of God but of satan. Let it be far from us to do something like this brethren.
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Just checking here, do you think he purposely twisted the scripture? or maybe just lacks some understanding? We are called to be Godly Christians,if someone is truly lacking in understanding, accusing them of twisting the scripture, doesn't seem to God like, but that only my opinion. Maybe I am wrong to key in on this, if so please forgive me,I just felt lead.
God Bless
Mr. Bill
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MrBillPro
Thanks Pilgrim, that really Blessed me, as my old Pastor use to say, "put it in writing, you might just Bless someone".
God Bless
Brother Bill
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MyVeryHeart
Mr. BillPro
I believe you have misunderstood. Pilgrim is my brother. I am not accusing him of anything.
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MrBillPro
Ok, sorry, I misunderstood, this is one of the faults with cyberspace, we can't see the person's heart.So I was wrong to key in on this,please forgive me.
God Bless
Mr. Bill
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Lesserlight
Hello Andi
IMO and especially when it comes to witnessing to people that are close to you I can think of nothing else that reaches them like your testimony will.
These are people that care about you and what effects you will hold their attention like nothing else
Tell them what Christ did for you and why you went to Him with all the other religions in the world
And pray for them like their life depends on it.
God Bless my mother but we never had a conversation that she did not end with "Douglas I love you and pray for you every day"
I needed those prayers as I had left my walk with Jesus in my early teens and lived most of my life at war with God. When she passed away when I was 47 I had not yet come back to the Lord.
Here I am today and nothing comes close to mattering as much as Christ in me matters........ I have seen the evil side and I know what the word Savior means.
We all have testimonies and IMO nothing is better than using your experience with God with the ones that care about you
And I will pray that God give you the words to share and for their hearts be turned to hear
Blessings
Doug
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MyVeryHeart
Ok, sorry, I misunderstood, this is one of the faults with cyberspace, we can't see the person's heart.So I was wrong to key in on this,please forgive me. God Bless Mr. Bill
I can understand why you thought that. For clarification I was making sure that those scriptures in Ezekiel would not be misunderstood or misapplied as Pilgrim suggested. And for Andi, if you are reading, the blood of the lost will not be on your head if they do not believe, as Pilgrim was saying. I pray nobody is truly teaching that today.
God bless you Mr. Bill
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Lysa
MrBill,
“Hope maketh not ashamed,” have hope in Christ that He loves your son AS MUCH as He loves you and that Christ will go as far or farther than He went to get you when you were a lost lamb!!
I see my youngest son, Sam (who always used to go to church with me so I wouldn’t have to go alone! :) ), I see him come home high now and instead of fighting with him, now I always try to say to him (high or not), “I haven’t had my hug today, buddy. Where is it?” And he’s right there with a hug (thank you Jesus that he still hugs!). My Sam calls himself a Buddhist or whatever now so I, too, live on hope and belief that Jesus will leave the 99 for that one lost one!
God bless you, MrBill,
Lisa
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therick2018
Is it not important though that we share God's Word with the lost? That we try to explain the message of the Gospel as best we can? I know that it can certainly be done in a wrong way,in the flesh, without love, without compassion and that is wrong. I agree fully that witnessing can be done in a way that is cold and without the Spirit. On the other hand I believe the opposite danger is to avoid using scripture as much as possible and soften the Gospel message and to smooth over everything in the name of love. This too surely is just as dangerous and wrong. If we don't tell the truth then we don't love people. Jesus did this perfectly, proclaiming truth and love, and Jesus did preach about sin and the coming judgment. I agree that one's life and actions, through Christ, must match their testimony. Salvation is truly a work of God alone through His Spirit; but we are called to be faithful witnesses of His Gospel. People don't need us or our own lives, they need truth about God. Lost people arent seeking for God; they are suppressing and resisting what truth they already know about Him.
We must witness with truth and compassion both, and we must realize that if we are preaching the true Gospel there are going to be people who hate us, even some of our family and friends. Jesus said it would be this way. All of the prophets of old, including Paul and Stephen and Christ were rejected by their own people because they preached a message of repentance and salvation. I know that in one sense God truly does love sinners and loves to save them, yet in an equally true sense God hates sinners as well (Psalm 5:5) The fact that God is good and just is not a comfort to sinners and should not be portrayed that way. Until the Spirit begins to apply Christ to their heart and His love is shed abroad in their hearts. We must proclaim the full counsel of God. The Gospel is a stumbling block and if we try to remove the scandal we are in danger.
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
2 Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
I don't want to come across harsh sounding; please understand, it is just a burden to me. Im not talking about cold hearted lectures or heartless provacation. But an earnest, ferverent, tenderhearted, self debasing, God gloryfying endevour. I grew up in a place where the Gospel was very watered down and that devoids it of God's glory and power. I wish I had heard ten years ago some of the messages on SI about the gospel. I think true witnessing both in word and deed will cause any christain to know his God given priviledge of proclaiming the gospel, and yet utter inability to raise the dead unless the Spirt blows. To compel people to come in and yet cry out to God in brokeness to add to His kindgom for His own glory.
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Oracio
therick2018, I completely agree with you. I just posted a thread on the importance of using our words to witness and not just our conduct.
It is much easier for us to try to conduct ourselves in a Christlike manner than for us to actually speak to people about Christ. Most of the time in order for us to conduct ourselves rightly as Christians we need not do anything out of the norm. We can just use proper manners and be nice like many non-Christians are.
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Oracio
I also want to add that it is not only important for us to use words, but also the right words as was already mentioned by therick2018. We must labor to be faithful in declaring the whole counsel of God, meaning the goodnews and the badnews, not just one or the other. In these days the gospel has been watered-down and sugar-coated too much and we need a more balanced message that declares both the severity and kindness of God.
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sermonindex
One last post, before my SI Vacation.
We have never said to omit words.
Let the Word of God be made flesh, meaning let the Lord be manifest in your life in a living way, alive, real. His character and love in you.
His character and love in you coupled with Words: Dynamite!
Enjoy the Holidays and like Milt Green used to say, Go Slosh on someone.
Definition of Slosh - Soak them in the love of God
Contact me at heb13and13@gmail.com if you want my other Tithing Articles.
Be blessed in Him, be free, be loving and be hopeful. the Lord is good, real good.
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sermonindex
Thank-you everyone for your advice :)
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sermonindex
I see him come home high now and instead of fighting with him, now I always try to say to him (high or not), “I haven’t had my hug today, buddy. Where is it?” And he’s right there with a hug (thank you Jesus that he still hugs!). My Sam calls himself a Buddhist or whatever now so I, too, live on hope and belief that Jesus will leave the 99 for that one lost one!
I was that one, and it was because of a mother and father's prayers that I didn't remain that way. Don't lose hope. It took me years, but my wickedness was no match against a praying mother.
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sonsigns
actually andie72, witnessing to the un-churched is an incorrect term. you are actually witnnessing to the lost. it doesn't matter whether they are family members or some one you do not know.
Here is the what I do when I witness to the lost.
first and this is really important, they need to be shown that they are lost. Most do not relize this. They need to be taken down the Roman road so to speak. It is your job to show them that they are in deed lost and will go to hell or outer darkness a place that was actually created for the devil and his demons. Not man.
Once they relize they are actually lost then it is time to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Once the Holy Spirtit open there eyes that God sent his only begotten son to the earth to redeame us from the curse of the law and sin, then it is decission time for the lost person.
Choose death or life. It's there decission. You can not make it for them.
I encourage you to listen to ray Comfort's sermon "hells best kept secret".
Here is some scripture that you can present to the lost.
1. Man is sinful and seperated from God. Romans 3:23. Rom. 6;23
2.Rom-5:8, 1Corithians 15:3-6, John 14:6
3. John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:1-8, revelations 3:20
I hope this helps.
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