Printable Notes
TELLING THE TRUTH: INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the entire universe, including each and every one of us, is to bring honor and glory to the holy God who created and sustains all that there is.
To accomplish this, His attributes must be clearly shown. Therefore, we need to allow His Spirit to live His characteristics through our lives.
Psalm 150:6; Isaiah 6:3; Romans 11:36; Philippians 1:21
God-honoring evangelism isn’t something you do; it’s who you are! If one was to bump a cup of milk, milk would spill out of it. Only what is inside can come out.
In like manner, we as believers are to be full of the Holy Spirit. Then, when someone interacts with us, the Spirit is what they see. The Psalmist said his cup ran over. We should be so full of the Lord Jesus that any time others act upon us, His joy, peace, love, and presence spill onto their lives! Our walk with Christ should be so overwhelming, so blessed that we can’t contain it. We feel we must tell someone. That’s true evangelism!
Psalm 23:5; 2 Corinthians 5:14
The condition of the laborer in the eyes of God is critical. To “do” things correctly in the mechanics of evangelism is not enough. The worker must “be” the right sort of person in his or her heart and life for God’s power and blessing to be evident.
1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 15:1-2; Psalm 139:23
In order to be successful in evangelism, the servant of the Lord must be:
Saved
To effectively convince others of the saving, keeping power of God, we need personally to know Him ourselves. As we have the joy that Jesus brings, we will have His power and motivation to tell others about Him.
Proverbs 28:13; John 1:40-41; Philippians 3:10-11
Sanctified
God can’t use us as He pleases until we are set apart unto Him. Our sin must be confessed and forsaken for us to effectively share Him with others. Our hearts’ desire must be for Him and His Kingdom, not the world. Daily disciplines such as prayer, bible study, and fellowship with other believers needs to be taking place. The fruit of the Spirit and the life of faith and obedience are the foundation on which a thriving evangelism ministry is built.
2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:15-17
Serving
It’s impossible to steer a parked car. For God to guide and bless our efforts, we must be moving in ministry. For victory in evangelism, we must be willing to launch out into the deep, out of our comfort zone, where we know and benefit from a total dependence on God to keep His promises.
Exodus 33:16; John 15:5; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 4:13
Matthew 4:19- “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”