Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
How to talk about your faith
Recently I spoke to our J.O.Y (Jesus, others, and you) Club about how to share their faith. I'd like to pass on some of this information to the rest of you. First, we should pray before we speak. The apostle Paul often asked his friends to pray for him, and we can rightly assume that he also prayed for himself that he would have success in sharing his faith. Paul wrote: "pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19)."1 Again he wrote: "praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3)." And again: "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly (2 Thessalonians 3:1)." Prayer breaks down spiritual opposition that otherwise cannot be overcome. Prayer helps also to create in our heart and mind a burden for those who are lost and who need the Lord. Second, try to develop a friendship with the person. When we have a relationship with a person we are in a better position to talk to them about their need for God. People usually don't care how much we know until they know how much we care. Third, prepare a written testimony of how you came to the Lord. In your testimony you should share: 1) what your life was like before you met Jesus; 2) how and why you trusted Jesus as Savior, and 3) how your life is different since you trusted Jesus as Savior. When we share about the needs we had in our life before we met the Lord, other people will be able to relate because they too have similar needs. When we share how we came to Jesus, they will better understand what it is that we are trying to get them to do. Be sure to weave Scripture into your testimony. Our words may help a person see their need for the Lord, but compared to God's powerful word, our words have little power. The Bible says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16)." Only God's word can generate the faith needed for salvation. The Bible says: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17)." Some important Bible verses are Romans 3:23; 6:23; and 10:9-10. If we are faithful to pray and are ready to share our faith to anyone who will listen, God will give us opportunities to share. We are simply the instruments through whom the almighty God brings people out from darkness and into his glorious light. Maybe he will bring someone your way this week. Will you be ready? Praying that God will use us to bring others into the Kingdom, Pastor Steve October 13, 2007Footnotes1 Ephesians 6:19, NASB (New American Standard Bible). Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
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