During this meeting on Friday the Lord emphasized to us the need to stir ourselves up in evangelizing our neighbor. One brother shared that he noticed people becoming calloused toward sin in their lives and thinking nothing of going to hell as a result of their behavior. When he presented them with the wages of sin and the free gift God offers, they were not interested. This is the work of demons spirits in our day as people allow their minds to become blinded to the truth.
Another read from Ezekiel 3:18-19 where the Lord said, “When I say to the wicked, you shall surely die, and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”
We are responsible to minister to those around us as the Lord leads us. If we do not, then their blood is on our hands. Kenneth Hagin relates a story in one of his books of an unsaved man in his community he went to see who was ill with a terminal condition, but who that day was up and sitting on his front porch. The man was not a Christian, and the conversation opened an opportunity for brother Hagin to minister to him about salvation, but he didn’t do it. The Lord urged him, but he just did bring it up. A short time later, the man died, and brother Hagin said he remembered the conviction rise up in him to share Jesus with the man, but that he just didn’t do it. He said he thought no more about it.
Not long after the man’s death, Brother Hagin was conducting a meeting, and at the close of the meeting during a time of prayer, he had a vision and Jesus appeared to him. In the vision, he said Jesus pulled back what looked to be a curtain and he saw this man in the flames of hell. Jesus told Brother Hagin that he was holding him personally responsible for this man going to hell since he had felt led to talk to him that Sunday night, but refused to yield to the leading to do so.
We are responsible to minister to those God brings into our lives. The Lord wants to stir up evangelism in out day. Jesus said that the love of many believers would grow cold because of the increase in sin.
We should look for and believe for people to minister to each day. If each believer in
All believers have been called into the ministry of reconciliation. The great commission has been given to every member of the body of Christ. Let’s repent for the times we’ve failed to witness as the Lord has directed. And let’s begin today to look for opportunities to be the salt and the light we’re called to be!
I think that many of the times “Believers” are intimidated (perhaps intimidated is the wrong word) to witness to others. I know from my own personal experience that there are times when I would start thinking about things like, “what will I say?” Or “what if the person asks me a question and I don’t have the answer?” (it then starts to feel like I am a salesperson throwing out a sales pitch). I start reasoning and then an opportunity becomes lost.
ReplyDeleteIn truth, what have made the difference in my life is that the more time I spend in the Word and in fellowship with the Father; the things of God become the primary focal point of any conversation I have (it’s like I become overwhelmed, bursting at the seems, from the inside out). Moreover, the amazing thing is that at this point a person doesn’t even have to think about what to talk about. It’s like something always comes around in any given conversation that leads you to talk about what Daddy is doing, or just how amazing He is. At this point people are just automatically drawn to what you are living/experiencing and not what you are saying, if this makes any sense.
With all this said, the thought that both breaks and arrests my heart is the thought of not having anything to give to Him when I see Him. When I explain this to my children I tell them, it’s like going to a birthday party or wedding and not having something to give to the person being celebrated…going empty handed, it leaves an icky feeling in my stomach. I want to please Him and Him only, I want to bring a smile to His face! This thought keeps me asking the Lord for any opportunity to be a blessing and a witness for Him on a daily basis.
(sorry for being long winded)