Friday, October 30, 2009

ECCLESIASTES:

PROVERBS:

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Related Bible Verses

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Luke 12:15
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Ecclesiastes 12:13
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Mark 4:18-19
And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Hebrews 2:15
And deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ...

Luke 16:1-31
He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ...

Matthew 27:3-5
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

2 Peter 3:5
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,

Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 25:46
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

2 Samuel 17:23
When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
HelpfulNot Helpful
Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Genesis 2:1-25
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, ...

Genesis 1:1-31
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ...

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

Romans 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 8:19-22
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Romans 1:20
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Acts 23:8
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

Acts 22:16

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

People and Places

Finding someone to share Christ with is not a problem as there are lost people everywhere. I can witness anywhere in America and it is the same. The Holy Spirit will convict and people will come to Christ. Pray and see where you should witness. I would recommend that you try many different types of environments or settings. Parks, sidewalks, homes, malls, and fast food restaurants are all excellent places to witness. You will be surprised that many of the people you encounter will come to know Christ.

An excellent way for you to become comfortable with areas that you are witnessing in is to visit these areas several times before you witness. Pray in these areas as you visit them. I spend much time driving and walking through areas of poverty until I become comfortable in these areas. I changed my driving routes in town and drive through all areas to become familiar with different surroundings. The Lord seemed to be leading me to do this and it was so interesting to see how it has helped me. As you drive and visit these areas, you will see so many needs. Pray for those that may not know how to pray for themselves. Become familiar with unfamiliar surroundings.

Door To Door Evangelism

I take most people that I train door to door in the communities where their church is located. Door to door evangelism is one of the most difficult types of witnessing. However, it will produce decisions for Christ while making the community aware that your church cares. Be sure not to have too many people go to one door. Divide into groups as you go out and agree on a time and a place to meet back. Some doors will not open when you knock on them and others may slam as people are frustrated with you disturbing their privacy at their home. It is a little more difficult to witness to people in their own homes. However, I would highly recommend that you learn and experience door to door evangelism. You will see souls saved, whole families come to Christ, and many Christians currently not attending church find their way to your local church. Be sure and remind a new convert to be water baptized and this oftentimes leads them to attend your church.

You will speak to many Christians as you knock on doors. Be sure to not try to influence someone established in another church to attend your church. Our efforts should be that of evangelism and not to recruit people from other churches. I simply want to see people in a Christian church of their choice. It is more important that people attend any Christian church than a specific church. This type of unity with other churches will produce results and be received by the religious community as you evangelize areas. Too often, I have seen criticism of those who go door to door by other churches if witnessing teams try to direct other congregations to their church. Let's look for the lost and those who do not attend church and focus on them. Be sure and keep record of the homes that you have visited and the results learned from the visitation. You may use your records in the future to revisit the doors of the lost.

One afternoon we were going door to door in a city and saw a Laotian man standing in his yard watering his lawn. Several of us approached him and we began to make friends with him. We were so thankful that he could understand English. He had been heavily influenced by eastern religions and knew nothing about what we spoke. I saw an old dog walking across the street. I said, "Do you see that dog? Should a car run over him, his life is gone forever. However, should you get run over that is not the end of your life. We were made to live forever." The man leaped with joy and said, "I knew I was more than that dog. I knew! I knew! I knew!"

I went on to explain that God had written a book called the Bible and he took it from my hand and began to read. He sat down in the middle of his yard and read the scriptures that I had shown him. For once in his life he had found what he was looking for. He had found hope. That day in the middle of his yard we led him to Christ. I was so excited to see his expression to know that he would live forever in a place called heaven.

We went on down the street door to door and met many other people along that street. We witnessed for several hours and came back by this man's home as we walked to the church. He was still sitting in the middle of his yard reading his new Bible. Oftentimes you will see that God does such a deep work in the life of an individual. Our witness that day was not dynamic or special. We simply shared the basic truths of the Word and the whole time it seemed that God was speaking to his heart and knew what he needed to hear. He found hope and an opportunity to read the Words of his Creator to know what life in Christ is.

Fast Food Restaurants

Witnessing in fast food restaurants is so exciting and can be explosive. As we witness in a restaurant, we often see two or more people come to Christ at the same time. You need to be kind, avoid any debates and don't be pushy. If you are pushy or disturb people, you will be asked to leave by the manager or challenged by the person you are speaking to. I often will purchase a soda or food before I witness. As a patron of the restaurant, I have a right to be there. We are often so welcomed that people come to us for stickers and WWJD bracelets. Many times people will ask us for Christian materials and not even know Christ. It is in this kind of atmosphere that many will come to Christ. The atmosphere seems to be spiritually charged with the witness of Christ. As you witness you will see God move sovereignly as He wishes. We have seen many lost people find Christ in seconds as we witness in restaurants. I hope you enjoy the next example where a class we trained in California experienced witnessing in a restaurant.

I went to a beautiful church at Nipoma, California to teach a group from two different churches on how to witness in the streets. As I approached the platform to speak, I looked up at the pulpit and it just did not seem comfortable to me. I stepped down from the platform and told the group that the step would be my curb and the carpet would be my street. You see, I am more comfortable in the streets than in churches. I have spent so much time in the streets that it has become my church. Once again, I shared my heart with the people. I was so excited to see the tears from many that listened. It is the tears that are released from the heart. Certainly God was sharing His love for the lost of their community.

I was shocked to see so many hands go up when I asked how many wanted to go to the streets with me to witness. We prayed for the city and departed for a McDonald's located near the church. As I was leaving toward the restaurant I was reminded how difficult my ministry would seem. I am always a spectator and must wait to see what God is going to do in the lives of those we encounter. All those who had just listened to what God does in the streets were now ready to see lives changed. I remembered when I was on the plane on the way there praying, "God, you must move! The people of California are expecting you to begin a work in the streets." It seems that God spoke to my heart and said, "That is my responsibility and yours is to go." My ministry is totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to protect our lives and to convict and save souls.

At McDonald's, we stepped out of our vehicle, walked less than ten feet, and spoke to a lady by the pay phones. The young lady's name was Genese. The witness was so moving and yet was so typical. In response to questions about her relationship with Christ she said, "I pray. I pray everyday." Oh, I hear this so often! I asked her if she knew Christ and if He was in her heart. She said, "I believe in Him." I pursued the witness a little further and asked her if she was living for Christ. She was lost and without Christ. The witness and the Holy Spirit had brought her to a point of conviction. She only knew of Christ. We shared the scriptures from Romans 10:9-10 and she quickly came back to Christ. Within less than a minute someone had already found Christ. God is so good!

We went into McDonald's and before I could sit down, a customer called me to their table. I knew God was about to do something again. He was moving so quickly. I call these events explosions in the spirit when God is moving. I have seen this happen so many times in the streets. Sometimes it happens quicker than we can imagine. So I pulled up a chair and seated myself at the end of their table. I said to the family seated, "What's up?" They were curious about the orange sticker on my shirt. I told them it was a Jesus sticker and gave them one. I gave the children WWJD bracelets and simply tried to be friends with this family that showed an interest in my sticker. I have had gang members before ask what was in the bag I was carrying. It was so neat when I showed them it was Bibles and often they would come to Christ when I witness to them. Certainly God can stir someone's curiosity. Surely God looked down and arranged it for me to be at this table. I looked over my shoulder and the group from the church were seated around me at the nearby tables. They expected God to move and He did.

As all looked and watched I asked a young girl at the table about her relationship with Christ and she had fallen away from Him. God had already started working on her life and she quickly came back to Christ. Her name was Alyssa. I had new friends in California and another person came to Christ. Since the time we drove into the parking lot, less than ten minutes had passed and two people were now saved. Praise God! He was moving in the midst of all of those that watched.

Next, I told the pastor that the Holy Sprit was leading me to two people and I would like for him to assist me. I showed the pastor the lady that he was leading me to. I thought that we would miss her before we could reach her. She was at the register paying for her gas at the station adjoining McDonald's. We stood outside and waited. She then went to the payphone and we waited. Finally, she walked by us and we had an opportunity to speak to her. It seems her credit card was rejected and she now had time to wait and speak to us. She was waiting on a relative to pay for her gas.

We asked her several questions about her relationship with Christ. She was raised in a denomination that did not know Christ and had recently chose not to follow this doctrine. She seemed to be ready for a personal relationship with Christ. We showed her the scriptures and she came to know Christ. Her name was Regnal. Praise the Lord for that day she had chosen Christ. She then asked for the name of a church that she could attend. Now I introduced her to the pastor standing next to me. The pastor began to share with Regnal and immediately shared with her more about Christ. It seemed that Regnal enjoyed meeting with the pastor and accepted an invitation to visit his church. What a joy to have many from the church and the pastors in the streets as we witness!

We had one more person to speak to now. It was the cashier. We spoke to her and she was lost. She knew she needed to come to Christ. It seemed that before we could finish a sentence, another customer came to the register. We presented our witness a sentence at a time. In the midst of all of this, God still moved. We did not have an opportunity to pray, but I introduced her to the pastor. We agreed that he would come back at another time when things were not so busy and pray with her to lead her to Christ. Yes, this was most unusual but God moved.

It was now the end of our witness and we were excited about what God had done. I was glad that all had an opportunity to see the moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people in a restaurant setting.

Sidewalks and Streets

Witnessing on sidewalks and in the streets is my favorite type of witnessing. When you encounter someone on the sidewalk, they are out of their surroundings and more likely to respond.

Never allow fear to have a place in your witness. While you may be in a new area, remember you are there for the most important reason on this earth. You are there to share Christ and should not be afraid or ashamed.

Romans 1
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

One night I was witnessing along the sidewalks and areas of a park when someone told me a story that I will never forget. The young men we were talking to were identified with gang. Whether they were gang members or not, no one knows. They were glad to see that we were bold about our witness to be in the park and alleys at night. They told us the story about a white van that occasionally drives into the park and throws tracts at them from the van window. The gang kid said, "I guess they feel better now." Could it be the kids in the van throwing tracts out at people felt they were fulfilling the great commission to share the Gospel. Your witness will never be effective if it is not personal and mixed with love for all people.

On another night in the same park a man was riding a bicycle along a road in the park. I said something to the man and he stopped. As I extended my hand to his I noticed how white his hand was. It seemed to have powder on it. I then saw his face as I was reaching for his hands. His eyes were so tired and his nose had powder going down from it all the way to his shirt. I then knew he had been shoving cocaine into his nose before I met him. I knew that moment how filthy that hand was since it was covered with drugs and fluids from his nose. However, I would not let that stop me from taking his hand and greeting him. I shook his hand and told him that God loves him and I care about people and wanted to share a message with him. His name was Charles.

He was ready to receive the message of Christ and prayed with me that night. I will always remember the man with the cocaine hand. I saw him from time to time in our city and he carried his small new testament everywhere he went. Late one night I was at a gas station witnessing and he came up to me and said, "Do you remember me?" I said, "Charles, is that you?" He was so happy and changed so dramatically that I almost didn't even recognize him. He looked like a different person now. He was so thrilled that I remembered his name. I learned that sometime later Charles died and I knew that God had arranged for me to meet Charles that night. What if I had not taken that filthy hand in the park that night? Would Charles have found Christ? I believe that God loved Charles so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross for his sins—just as He did for you. Never look at the conditions of lives as you minister. Let God use you to minister to all people.

Almost a year after Charles's death I was witnessing and led a lady to the Lord. That night I thought it was a typical witness but when I handed her a new testament she looked at it and me and said, "My dad carried one of these for years and read it every day. It had a sticker on it just like this one." I asked her the name of her dad and she said, "Charles." She cried when she found out that the same person who led her dad to Christ had just led her to Christ. She told me that her dad carried the new testament that I gave him everywhere he went. She said that he had hoped to be able to witness with me in the streets and that he was preparing for that by reading the new testament. I knew that night as I walked away God had arranged this special night for Charles's daughter and me. I knew without a doubt that God was in charge of all that happened.

Bars and Night Clubs

We do not recommend anyone to witness in a bar who would be tempted by such an environment. I have heard stories of someone who comes out of this life style and goes back in to witness and become entangled in sin once again. Therefore, if you intend to go into bars then ensure you are called to this type of ministry and that you are not recently out of this kind of environment. This is a totally different kind of witness and can be very peaceful and sometimes very explosive. While witnessing in a bar it is very important that you never say a word to judge anyone. Your words can often be misinterpreted in a bar and will lead to an argument.

When I go into a bar to witness, I usually pick out someone when I first enter the door and move slowly and witness to one person at a time. If you try to quickly cover the bar and move too fast you will be asked to leave. I never order anything in a bar and do not pretend to be a patron there. If you hand out too many tracts in the bar you will asked to leave. Never discuss the persons drinking or why they are in a bar. I only speak to the heart and not their habits or problems.

Respect Authority and Private Property

Occasionally when witnessing in public places you will encounter law enforcement personnel that may ask you to leave. Although you have a right to witness in a public place, it is imperative that you cooperate with law enforcement. Never have an encounter with a law enforcement officer. Policemen are there to keep peace and to ensure your safety. If you have a reoccurring problem with law enforcement asking you to leave an area you should report this to your pastor and let him work with the police department to resolve any misunderstandings.

To be a witness means that we must obey authority and live peacefully. I remember the Roman soldier that understood the message of Christ and the authority of his government.

Matthew 8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

We must cooperate at all times with store owners who ask us to leave and with those in authority. Sometimes the presence of too many people witnessing in an area can create a problem for law enforcement. They are concerned anytime large amounts of people congregate in an area at night.

In my witnessing experience, I have been asked to leave very few private businesses and public places. Without exception I have always cooperated. I have been asked to leave many bars and clubs that we were witnessing in. If too many enter a bar it will cause a disruption or if you are too pushy you will be asked to leave. Bars are privately owned and you will have to cooperate. In bars that are in very bad areas, I will ask the owner or tell them what I am doing there and often times they will let me hand out the stickers and witness to a few people, especially when I place a time limit of how long I will be there.

I have been in the worst bar in our community that is shut down nearly every night for fights and drugs. However, the night we decided to go in we had about fifteen people we were training in the parking lot and only a few of us went to the door. I went to the door and the bouncer would not let me in. I told him that I must go in to talk to the people that God had led me there and asked to speak to the manager. He invited me in and the manager agreed that we could come in and he went out and invited the rest of my group in. I could not believe that he let all fifteen of us in this bar. We were given fifteen minutes to share our message and then to leave. I thank God for the experiences that we have seen as He has given us favor with all people. This was the third bar that I had ever been in and it was quite an experience. Every substance you could imagine was being smoked and drank inside. It was so sad to see the addictions. All of us wanted to reach all of the people for Christ that night. It took a move of God to get us in and we pray that even today lives would remain changed from our visit to that bar. Expect God to move and you will experience great joy when you see the results of His hand moving even upon the life of an unsaved bar owner to prepare the way to win others to Christ.

Witnessing in the Rain

There have been few times that rain has fallen in the streets while we were witnessing. We don't let the weather stop us when we go out. We simply witness where we can and go where the people are. You can take your teams to a laundromat, bus stations, airports, malls, covered sidewalks, recreation areas, and convenience stores. Each one of these areas presents its own challenges and excitement. We find that a greater harvest is found in areas of poverty. Most impoverished people are without hope and find it rare for people to care for them. Bus stations and laundromats are often areas where we find poverty and need. We find in the ministry of Christ that He was always moved by need and so is He today.

Matthew 9
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

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Sharing Christ

Who to witness to

When you are out witnessing, be in an attitude of prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone. It is important to have someone with you to help assist with any distractions from others. Your witness will be more effective if the person you are witnessing to can hear just you. If you are not sure who to speak to, then speak to everyone unless the Holy Spirit says not to. Jesus said that He was not willing any should perish.

Proverbs 3
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Matthew 18
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Therefore, we should feel free to witness to anyone. However, I do not witness to young children. In today's society your intention to share Christ with a young child could be misinterpreted.

When someone tells you they are not a Christian or that they never professed Christ as their Lord and Savior then you should be prepared to lead them in prayer. First, I recommend that you pray a preparatory prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to convict them. This prayer seems to allow the words you speak to be heard by their heart. When I do not pray this prayer, many times the witness ends up in much discussion on their part about religion or some other subject.

The Approach

As you approach the person it is always a good idea to have something to give them. A Christian sticker or tract is always good to hand someone. Many times this is the easiest way to make contact with someone. Introduce yourself and listen for their name so you may use it later in your conversation. If they do not speak English, see if one of their children can interpret for you. I often use their family members to interpret for me as I witness. Also, see the chapter called "The Approach" for more detailed information on how to approach someone with your witness.

The Question

It is always a good idea to make general conversation first and try to enjoy their friendship. Say to them, "I must ask you a question before I leave. We are visiting everyone and ensuring that they know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior." Ask them the following:

"If you died tonight would you know without a doubt that you would go to heaven? Please answer as if God were listening."

While they are thinking, you should pray silently and ask the Holy Spirit to search their heart. Pray with your eyes open and don't let them see you pray. It could create confusion if they see you pray for them. If they respond with a yes, then ask the following:

"Have you prayed a prayer aloud and personally invited Him into your heart?"

Continue your conversation until you are assured that Christ is in them.

Next open your Bible and show them Romans 10: 8-10 and read it out loud. Place their name in the scripture where it seems appropriate. This makes the Word of God even more personal. It is a good idea to explain the scriptures as you go along. The following scriptures have some suggested comments added in them. The suggested comments that I use are in parentheses in the scriptures below.

Sharing the Scriptures

Romans 10
8 But what saith it? (Everyone wants to know what God is saying to them. The scriptures are asking what does God say. Well let's see together.) The word is nigh thee, (Hold the Bible out and show them. This says that the Word is near you. Even right in front of you.) even in thy mouth, (It is in my mouth right now and it could be in yours. I am speaking it now.) And in thy heart: (The Word is in my heart and it can be in yours.) That is, the word of faith, which we preach; (The Bible says that faith comes by hearing God's Word. The Word of God will actually give you the ability to believe. But, we must say it aloud and let our heart hear it and faith will come.)
9 That if thou (Place their name in place of thou.) shalt confess with thy (Place their name in place of thy.) mouth the Lord Jesus, (The Bible says that we make a confession out loud. Let's see what happens when we do this.) And shalt believe in thine (Place their name in place of thine.) heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Ok, it says that if we say we believe that Jesus is Lord and God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. But, He has asked us to confess the scriptures out loud. He will help us to believe. Let's look at the next verse.)
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; (Remember He will give you the ability to believe.) And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (The Bible asks us to say it aloud. When we do this, we are doing what God has asked us to do to be saved. )

After I have read and explained the scriptures, I tell them, "You too can have the Word in your heart and be saved right this moment and you can know without a doubt that you will go to heaven when you die. If you would like to pray that prayer to confess Christ as your Lord then simply take my hand right now and we will pray together." You see it is easier to take someone's hand and thereby say yes than to first say yes with their voice. Also, this gives you a point of contact as you pray for them.

Now pray the sinners' prayer with them that we discussed and tell them about this new life that they have just received. It is always a good idea to give them a tract that has the scriptures you used in it and to give them a Bible. I always like to write their name in their Bible and the date they were saved. Also, I write the scripture references that I used in the front of the Bible.

Prayer of Rededication

Oftentimes while someone has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior once in their life, they may not be living for Him right now. They may be backsliden and according to their own words feel they would not go to heaven if they were to die. I find that almost one-third of those I speak to in the streets once knew Christ and have fallen away. It is so important to ask the Question and issue the invitation to receive Christ even if they have once been saved. I generally use the same techniques on those that have backsliden as I use with those that have never known Christ. We do ask them if they want to come back to Christ instead of asking if they want to know Christ. Sometimes those that have fallen away have become hardened to the scriptures and God.

Now you may ask them if they would like to rededicate their life. And say the following:

"If you feel that He is not as close to you as when you first began to walk with Him or if you have fallen away, would you like to pray and rededicate your life right now? Then simply take my hand and we will pray together." This gives you a point of contact as you pray for them. It is a very important point to note that you will lead the prayer. I have seen some confused and did not want to come to Christ because they did not know how to pray. Make it clear that you will lead them in prayer. Also, I have seen that those that I train will have more success if they ask for someone to respond by an acknowledgment of simply taking your hand, and thereby saying yes in their heart to praying with you.

If they say yes, then have them pray the following aloud. Tell them sometimes it is best to begin new with Christ when someone has fallen away.

Sinner's Prayer

"Father, in Jesus Name I ask you the best way I know how that you forgive my sins and take my life and direct it, lead it, and guide it, all the days of my life. I want to know You in a more personal way and help me to grow in Your Word. I believe that You died on the Cross for me and that You were raised from the dead. I confess You as my Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

This New Life

Now tell them how to walk in this world and that life is a series of decisions and we must make the decisions that our heart and the Word of God is telling us. This is called repentance and that is turning away from what we know is wrong. I never tell them what to do, I let the Holy Spirit tell them about what things in their life they need to deal with. God deals with all of us differently and we must let God do the work in their lives. I tell them that their life is a long journey and they will sin and do things wrong but it is important to know that we can ask for the Lord to forgive us. We should ask for His forgiveness and protection everyday as we walk in this world. Ask them to tell someone what has happened to them. It is a good idea to give them a Bible and materials that explain their new life in Christ.

Preparatory Prayer

As you share Christ with others you will see people reject your witness. I saw several people that did not come to Christ one day and I talked to the Lord about it. I said, "Lord what is wrong? Why didn't those people get saved." The Lord said, "You did not pray for them." I knew I had heard from God and couldn't wait to share Christ with the next person. I knew that I would see many come to Christ. Sometimes those that had fallen away from God had became hardened to the scriptures and to God. Other times people's lives may be spiritually influenced by the enemy. Therefore, I offer to have a word of prayer with them before I share the scriptures. I call this prayer the "Preparatory Prayer."

The Lord showed me that by having a prayer with someone that I felt would be a difficult witness would enable the Holy Spirit to have access to their heart. The preparatory prayer is a request for the application of the Blood of Jesus on their heart. Through prayer the Lord will cause the enemy to be bound from interrupting the witness. In the prayer we ask that the Holy Spirit would make my words clear and help them to understand. The Holy Spirit will cause your words to penetrate deep into their heart. Also, they are now expecting us to share something with them before they go. Lastly, we ask that they would have long life and long health as it is mentioned in Psalm 91:16. Certainly you would listen to anyone that prayed for you to have long life and health. Also, we are using the power of agreement with the person. If the person and you are in agreement with your prayer it sets the stage for God to produce a miracle in the person's life. In the scriptures below we can see the power of prayer available to bind the enemy in verse eighteen. The power of agreement is in verse nineteen. The Lord has promised in verse twenty to be present when we are gathered in His name.

Matthew 18
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

I have seen example after example where people rejected my initial witness and then I prayed the preparatory prayer with them, then I would see them come to Christ. As you pray it is a good opportunity to touch their shoulder or hold their hand, if appropriate. I believe that by touching them on the shoulder or taking their hand that contact is made in a spiritual way. They can feel the love of God and His anointing can flow through you into their heart. I pray similar to this prayer:

"Father in Jesus Name, we ask that you would touch them and strike the Blood of Jesus across their heart. Father, give understanding to my words as I speak and help them to know you in a more personal way. Lord, it is our prayer that the Holy Spirit would surround them with conviction and that your mercy would be poured into their life. And Lord, give them long life and health and help them to follow you all the days of their life. Lord, we ask for a hedge of protection about them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen."

After the prayer, I read Romans 10:8-10 to them and issue another invitation and I have seen person after person pray to receive Christ. I feel that praying for them made the difference. When I am in a bad area in the heart of an inner city, I will often begin my witnesses with the preparatory prayer. When I approach them and introduce myself I will say, "Let me pray and ask God to bless you." As I am asking, if I can pray for them, I reach and place my hand on their shoulder. Most people will respond and allow you to pray for them.

I remember the first time that I prayed the preparatory prayer. I was visiting a friend's mother that was thought to be terminal with an illness. It was imperative that she become saved since it was not known if she would live or die. Family members and others had tried to share Christ with her and she would not pray with them. I approached her bedside and was about to pray when I thought it was important to follow the leading of the Lord. He wanted me to first pray for her before I issued the invitation. I prayed a simple prayer and then issued the invitation. To everyone's surprise she held my hand and followed me in a prayer inviting Christ into her heart. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so wonderful that day as she was saved. Although she departed this earth from her illness, we knew that she had indeed received Christ. She was the first of thousands that would come to know Christ from the preparatory prayer. Let the Lord touch lives as you reach out and pray the preparatory prayer.

Building a Bridge

While I witness, I often notice many people who want to come to Christ lack the courage to respond. It is important that we build a bridge to help them find the strength to overcome the hindrances that discourage them from accepting Christ.

I was witnessing to a young man in Oshawa, Ontario and he had a genuine interest in coming back to Christ. However, as I witnessed, his father was watching, and the son felt uncomfortable responding to Christ. I took a few steps sideways and blocked the view between him and his father and spoke more quietly. I was creating a better environment for the witness. I tried to make it easier for him to come back to Christ. The young man rededicated his life to Christ.

In Paris, Arkansas, I was witnessing to three ladies in a park. I sensed that two of the ladies did not have a relationship with Christ. When I issued the invitation to come to Christ, the ladies looked at each other but no one would admit they were away from Christ. It was time to help them come to Christ. I said, "Let's all take hands and I want to lead you in a prayer." I told them to pray this prayer like they meant it. I led them together in the sinners' prayer. I asked, "Who prayed that prayer and meant it and came back to Christ ?" Again, they all looked at each other and no one said anything. I said, "You two ladies came back to Christ didn't you?" They admitted that they did and now tears seemed to come to their eyes. This was the first time I noticed that people really need help to express their emotions, and to build a bridge to Christ. All of us have different emotions and I believe that we should do anything we can do to help someone to Christ. We helped them overcome pride and find Christ.

Also, when I am witnessing I will issue an invitation for someone to come to Christ. I have seen some issue an invitation by simply saying, "Do you want to pray to receive Christ?" Most will say no because they do not know how to pray and they are too embarrassed to do this on their own. They do not understand what it is they are being asked to do. I make it easy for them to respond to Christ and make it clear what they can do to receive Christ. Again, this bridge will help them to respond. I have noticed that people want, with all of their heart, to respond but just cannot. I will say to the person, "If you want to receive Christ, take my hand." I warmly extend my hand close to them and make it easy for them to take my hand. I will then say, "I will pray now, and you can follow me in a prayer to invite Christ into your heart." Helping others pray is an important bridge to Christ.

I sat down on a curb beside a homeless man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to be closer to him and not look down on him. By sitting with him, I was able to identify more with the man and build a bridge to Christ. He became comfortable with me sitting with him, and we had an enjoyable discussion. After a few minutes, I changed the focus to Christ. The man quickly came to Christ and seemed to be saved and became my friend. I recorded Morris's name in my journal so that I will always remember our talk on the curb. It is so important that we learn how to identify with those we speak to and create the best possible opportunity for them to hear the gospel and be converted to Christ.

The technique of building a bridge is what we see in church services. When we see a pastor invite people in a service to Christ, we see an invitation given with everyone's eyes closed and for those wanting to accept Christ to raise their hand. This method is similar to what we do in the streets. While the techniques vary, the idea is still the same. We are trying to make the person feel comfortable in coming to Christ. In church, a pastor is asking for a response of a raised hand. In the streets we are asking for a response of an extended hand.

While techniques are useful and important, it is most important to allow the Holy Spirit to give the person the courage and conviction to come to Christ. All of us can remember when we came to Christ. We can remember the conviction that we felt and the courage that we had to respond. The most important bridge back to Christ is by the person of the Holy Spirit.

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