Witnessing to others

[mikerunk]

As of the last few days my life has taken a different turn, and it is just the start. For few weeks now I been trying to find christ and to reconnect with him. I been reading the bible and there were things that kept nagging at me. Then I picked up this book about hell and read it (some of you may have all ready read my post on 23 minutes in hell by Bill Wiese), this book scared me. I begin to think of spending all eternity in hell with no hope of getting out and I realized that I did not want to go there. So I asked christ to save me, to forgive me of my sins. I won't say there was some grand fireworks or the sky parted and light came down on me or I saw or experienced any thing. I feel fresher then I ever have, I see the world and am grateful for everything around me.

Any way I was talking to my friend about hell and about how I didn't want to go there, trying to explain the only way to not go there is through christ. Yet he would say things that I could not answer because I had no answers. Nothing I had to say mattered, and I realized that I suck at trying to witness to some one. I can't turn some one over to christ when I lack knowledge, nor can I turn some one when I my self am still a bloody mess. I realized there will come a point were I can witness to some one but at that time I will be ready. However for now I need to pass it over to the cup of time and let god spend a little time working on my heart and my life, strength and knowledge so that I can lead others to christ. This does not mean I can't tell people I believe in christ and why.

So does this sound right am I on the right path, does one need to spend time with the lord before one can really witness to some one and try and lead them to the lord. I just wanted to hear what your opinions are on this subject. Now think about it I'll ask god as well.

[Fiosh]

Hi Mike,

Sounds like you did a perfect job of witnessing to your friend---you told your story and shared the truth of Jesus.

When you are given an opportunity to witness it is because the Holy Spirit arranged it for you. Not every soul is in need of the same kind of encounter. Your friend probably responded to your sincere, though tentative approach, better than he would have to someone more knowledgable and confident.

Don't sell yourself short. At least some of what you said will find its way into your friends heart at some point. Remember that the Holy Spirit will do the work!

Often after I witness to someone I pray for them saying, "Holy Spirit, please use my small, fumbling efforts to draw him/her closer to the Father thru Jesus."

Pray. Study. Ask God for opportunities to share your faith.

You'll do just fine.

Peace,

Fiosh

[undone]

Mike,

Check out this website for some awesome witnessing tools and techniques:

www.wayofthemaster.com

[peaches]

oh Mike, you are the perfect person to witness! you are not tainted by any theological stuff (not saying theology is bad here), you only have the truth of Christ that you experienced to share

you know, i am reading a series of books by a guy called Richard Wurmbrand and his wife Sabina. This guy lived in communist and Nazi times and went through so many tortures under both regimes, especially since he was Jewish and then later a Christian. In one of his books, he writes about people in communist countries he would encounter who didnt know A SINGLE THING about the bible and yet witnessed anyways. they only knew Christ and His saving grace and the joy He gave them, much like what you described in your post. that was enough for them to witness. they couldnt wait till they were ready with biblical knowledge cos that time might never have come for them since Christianity was forbidden and any bibles were either burnt or confiscated. many went for years without having ever have seen a bible for the first time or another Christian and yet they kept witnessing about this Jesus that someone else had introduced to them.

keep at it. there is never a time when we are perfectly ready to witness. the only tool we need is Christ and you seem to have that. go for it bro!

[Natt]

Hi Mike,

You have started well.

Witnessing to others is something that should be every Christian mission. If you can't answer a question you can always answer it later and bring it to Worthy.

Like Fiosh said it is the Holy Spirit that convicts us.

I'm a fairly new Christian too. I have a lot of questions pushed onto to me by family hoping to take me away from Christianity. I hope the questions (when answered) help them to eventually accept Christ.

God Bless You

[Fiosh]

Hi Mike,

You have started well.

Witnessing to others is something that should be every Christian mission. If you can't answer a question you can always answer it later and bring it to Worthy.

Good point, Natt! Nothing wrong with saying, "I don't know, but I will get that answer for you".

[mikerunk]

Let me explain my friend some, this way you have an idea of what im dealing with. My friend is really smart, a very logical thinker. He believes in a god or at least in higher power but doesn't believe in the bible. He has joked many time over about how he is going to hell. I told him I wanted him to read this book so he could see what was in store for him in hell. Yet he says that people who claim to have been to hell and have come back is because there being influnced by what they have heard. I said that some of these people are non believers and he responded by saying that they have heard the same messages before. While talking to him about all this it seemed not only did I not have all the answers but he kept backing me in to a corner to the point were I just simple stop talking cause I was getting in over my head and didn't know how to respond.

Now I look back and there few things I do know. The first is that I lack a lot of knowledge, I need to gain that knowledge big time. I need to dive in to the bible and learn. I wish I could go to church but that is rather difficult to do at this point cause I work (I figure I will leave this in the lords hands, he can fix my life so that I am in postion so that I can go to church every sunday), till then im gone pick up some books that will help me break down bible and understand it better.

The next thing was that I didn't take a much bolder postion in my faith and belief in christ, I didn't really do a good job of explain my self on this subject. It was like I was beating around the bush in stead of just being blunt about it. This I think lead to my next problem.

I think back on every thing that was said and I believe that everything back fired on me. I don't know if this next part is a good thing or bad thing, I will let you guys tell me what you think. When we first started talking it was just a converstation, I was trying to make him aware of what awaited people who go to hell in the hope he might repent. Yet when I think back on that conversation if felt like I became pray. I started out trying to lead some one to christ and then tables turned and my new found beliefs were under attack, no I was being attack, like my faith was being attacked. I won't lie to ya and say there wasn't a part of me that didn't suddenly doubt and call in to questions my new found beliefs, cause there was. Yet I started backing away and I realized I didn't know what to say or how to respond to him. I just sat there quite realizing that im out of my debt and that when im at the point of question my own faith and beliefs that I need to just sit there and keep my mouth shut. I remember saying something to god but I can not remember what.

I been listen to Mary K Baxter and she talks about how devil will do things to trick use to fool use, he uses people to do his bidding. Now when I think about it, it almost seems as if the devil was trying to destroy my faith in christ. It was like through my friend (which really upsets me cause my friend means a lot to me) he attacked every thing I throw at him, and made me question my faith. As I sit here I am crying cause I suddenly feel ashamed at being that weak that I had doubt and questioned my self. Maybe this was a test maybe it wasn't I don't know and I don't know if I passed or failed. I only know that when I got out of the truck that I told my self I will put my faith in christ that he is my lord and savior.

I can't explain it, at time I didn't think anything of it, however now I really feel like I was being attacked. I know I will be asking god to forgive my doubt and to help me with this cause when I think about what happen it really hurts me, not only cause I don't like feeling like pray but that my friend was used to try and bring me away from christ.

[Floatingaxe]

The best witness for Jesus is a changed life. You simply tell people how you were before Jesus and how you are now! Let them SEE you reveal Christ by your loife---not your knowledge or your argument for Him.

Jesus orchestrates these things.

You are doing well!

[7thseal]

it almost seems as if the devil was trying to destroy my faith in christ. It was like through my friend (which really upsets me cause my friend means a lot to me) he attacked every thing I throw at him, and made me question my faith. As I sit here I am crying cause I suddenly feel ashamed at being that weak that I had doubt and questioned my self. Maybe this was a test maybe it wasn't I don't know and I don't know if I passed or failed. I only know that when I got out of the truck that I told my self I will put my faith in christ that he is my lord and savior.

I can't explain it, at time I didn't think anything of it, however now I really feel like I was being attacked. I know I will be asking god to forgive my doubt and to help me with this cause when I think about what happen it really hurts me, not only cause I don't like feeling like pray but that my friend was used to try and bring me away from christ.

You're now Satan's enemy not his friend and he hates you for a reason...because you have God. He's going to use the meanest, cruelest tactics thats available and he doesn't care about your friend. Prayer is such a powerful tool, when we lift up those before God in prayer and ask of Him to intercede He hears us and we must leave it in His hands. Speaking to others about your Salvation in Christ is what witnessing to others is all about, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Your right on track with what God asks of us as believers in Christ. Pray for your friend and I will pray as well that God will touch his heart. We can't force God upon others but we can still love them in Christ.

Edited July 9, 2007 by 7thseal

[Natt]

Mike RBC Ministries have resources that may help your friend. If he open to reading the booklets himself it may also help.

http://www.rbc.org/bible_study/discovery_s...lets/31009.aspx

People are convicted differently. For some it is a change in someone's life. The following may help your friend

http://www.rbc.org/uploadedFiles/Bible_Stu...t_The_Bible.pdf

For myself it was the prophetic accuracies that convicted me the most.

Hope this Helps