Evangelism...
...just that word provokes fear in the hearts of people. Mostly because of the possible rejection they might receive.
Over the past few weeks God has really be stirring my heart. In fact every morning I wake about an hour before my alarm is even set to go off and have such a hunger and desire to hear from God. He has been transforming my heart and perspectives in such a huge way. I literally have been in awe of His creation from the dew covered spider webs, to the changing of the leaves. Not to mention when in our times of intercession for our overseas missionaries, and for unreached people groups I have received such a heart not just for a specific place I want to do ministry but a heart for the nations. Every time we intercede I literally weep at the thought of them not knowing God as I do. What a luxury I have in having a comforter, counselor, and friend who is the God of the Universe!
Last week I got the opportunity to teach the Discipleship Training School (DTS) at Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Nashville on evangelism. And as I was preparing for that teaching God was revealing so much to about the heart of evangelism instead of the common responsibility. What I came to realize even in myself the reason I always feared evangelism is because I always placed some sort of responsibility on myself for "something" to happen. So I was being driven by works instead of heart. So to put it plainly what does the heart of evangelism look like?
Again this is what I feel God has shown me and it may be different for you but let me continue:
He showed me that we first have to know the message we are delivering. When I say know, this isn't a knowledge that can be obtained just by reading but this is a heart knowledge that the Holy Spirit has given you. So what is the message? Who is Jesus really? How has it forever changed your life? These are all questions that are apart of the "knowing" the message. The Good News of Jesus Christ forever changes your heart. And honestly I feel like in these past few weeks and specifically this morning during our time of worship I received another piece of that understanding. You see to fully understand the Good News takes a constant relationship with Jesus. Because the more you understand and communicate with him the more depth he shows you. Truly you grow to love Him more and more every moment you invest in that relationship.
The second thing I felt like God showed me about the heart of evangelism is that every act Jesus did from feeding the 5,000 to healing the blind he first felt compassion for them. Saw the need and filled it. How can we take a message to a person if you aren't first willing to practically serve them, and also have a heart for them. So like the times of intercession I was expressing earlier... I have been really developing a heart of compassion but it first is developed in what I stated before in the first key... knowing the message.
The third thing is knowing the role you play, and the role the Holy Spirit plays in evangelism. You aren't the Hero, and you can't convince anyone of truth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform hearts and renew minds. So that gives you the peace to know the pressure isn't on you. You aren't responsible for the way it's received you are to love them, and love God!
I could probably talk for hours about what God has been revealing to me as of late because it's been SO much. But I want you to know God wants the same for you. He wants you to pursue him to know him and to share what he reveals to you with others. Don't let the fear control you because fear really is rooted in works, which leads to the question again do you really know the Good News? When you know it it leaves no room for Fear... so that's evangelism as I see it!
...just that word provokes fear in the hearts of people. Mostly because of the possible rejection they might receive.
Over the past few weeks God has really be stirring my heart. In fact every morning I wake about an hour before my alarm is even set to go off and have such a hunger and desire to hear from God. He has been transforming my heart and perspectives in such a huge way. I literally have been in awe of His creation from the dew covered spider webs, to the changing of the leaves. Not to mention when in our times of intercession for our overseas missionaries, and for unreached people groups I have received such a heart not just for a specific place I want to do ministry but a heart for the nations. Every time we intercede I literally weep at the thought of them not knowing God as I do. What a luxury I have in having a comforter, counselor, and friend who is the God of the Universe!
Last week I got the opportunity to teach the Discipleship Training School (DTS) at Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Nashville on evangelism. And as I was preparing for that teaching God was revealing so much to about the heart of evangelism instead of the common responsibility. What I came to realize even in myself the reason I always feared evangelism is because I always placed some sort of responsibility on myself for "something" to happen. So I was being driven by works instead of heart. So to put it plainly what does the heart of evangelism look like?
Again this is what I feel God has shown me and it may be different for you but let me continue:
He showed me that we first have to know the message we are delivering. When I say know, this isn't a knowledge that can be obtained just by reading but this is a heart knowledge that the Holy Spirit has given you. So what is the message? Who is Jesus really? How has it forever changed your life? These are all questions that are apart of the "knowing" the message. The Good News of Jesus Christ forever changes your heart. And honestly I feel like in these past few weeks and specifically this morning during our time of worship I received another piece of that understanding. You see to fully understand the Good News takes a constant relationship with Jesus. Because the more you understand and communicate with him the more depth he shows you. Truly you grow to love Him more and more every moment you invest in that relationship.
The second thing I felt like God showed me about the heart of evangelism is that every act Jesus did from feeding the 5,000 to healing the blind he first felt compassion for them. Saw the need and filled it. How can we take a message to a person if you aren't first willing to practically serve them, and also have a heart for them. So like the times of intercession I was expressing earlier... I have been really developing a heart of compassion but it first is developed in what I stated before in the first key... knowing the message.
The third thing is knowing the role you play, and the role the Holy Spirit plays in evangelism. You aren't the Hero, and you can't convince anyone of truth. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform hearts and renew minds. So that gives you the peace to know the pressure isn't on you. You aren't responsible for the way it's received you are to love them, and love God!
I could probably talk for hours about what God has been revealing to me as of late because it's been SO much. But I want you to know God wants the same for you. He wants you to pursue him to know him and to share what he reveals to you with others. Don't let the fear control you because fear really is rooted in works, which leads to the question again do you really know the Good News? When you know it it leaves no room for Fear... so that's evangelism as I see it!
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