The ultimate goal in the christian life is to win souls to the Lord. To be instrumental in others committing their life to Christ, this is what we call evangelism. The highest form of maturation is reproduction. When a believer goes from the primary stages of their faith and begin growing up in the grace of God, one of the signs is that they begin sharing their faith. The Apostle Paul said it like this in Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation. Sharing your faith is the natural progression, beyond understanding your faith. As believers we must give attention to studying the word of God and being consistent in our church attendance, so that we can be taught our faith. Because it’s very difficult to share what you don’t understand. This is why most christians have never been involved in evangelism, because they cannot articulate their faith.
Sharing your faith is exciting through your testimonies which are the stories of the Lord’s power, favor and intervention in your life. When others hear your testimonies or the word of God being taught, it is synonymous with a farmer planting seeds in the ground. I Corinthians 3 tells us that one plants, another waters, but it is God who gives the increase. What this means is that there are several individuals the Lord employs in the process that wins souls into the kingdom of God. The Lord may have as many as 50 people or more that contribute something to one person’s salvation. Being a tool in God’s hands by using your gifts, talents and availability to serve others is the ultimate fulfillment of purpose in a believer.
Taking evangelism to the next level happens two ways. First, when everything that you do feeds into touching people for Christ. And second, when you no longer are going after them seeking them out but they are coming after you, seeking for the hope that lies in you.
II Corinthians 3:3 tells us that we are declared to be the epistles of Christ. Written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God. Not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart. Some people will never read a bible, but they will read a person. You may ask, how do you read a person? By observing their behavior, lifestyle and activities. People are watching you everywhere. You would be surprise to know that you are in somebody’s conversation and thoughts. Someone might be studying you like a book, reading every chapter and taking notes. Your family members, your co-workers, your children and your parents are the one’s closest to you. They are watching your life and could be drawn into the kingdom of God or pushed further away as a result of their observation. We must realize that our lives are answering the question of – what must I do to be saved? We know the answer is to put our trust in God, but we must consider; if our life is mirroring our faith. I mean, how do we respond in a crisis? Do we give the Lord thanks in all things? When we’re tested, how do we fair and when we are angry and offended are we ready and willing to forgive? These are a few things that people are watching and everyday a new chapter is being written and read. The next level of evangelism happens when someone reads the living epistle of you and is persuaded to make a commitment to Christ.
The second way of taking evangelism to the next level happens when the souls come to you. Early in my ministerial training we learned how to go into the streets and share our faith doing what was called street evangelism. We passed out tracks in the park, we prayed for people throughout the community and we even went door-to-door teaching the word of God to those who were willing to hear. The next level of evangelism takes place when instead of seeking the people, the people begin to seek you. Over time something happens in the life of a believer that is so unique and beautiful that it transforms them into what the bible calls the light of the world. This happens when people come to you for spiritual advice wisdom and council. This happens when people desire to be around you because of the special grace of love and forgiveness that emanates from you. This happens when you allow the Spirit of God to overflow in your life to the point that the character of God shines brightly through you and you become irresistible. That’s right, irresistible! The Scriptures tell us in Acts 6:8-10, the Deacon Stephen was so full of the wisdom of God that the people listening to him speak were not able to resist the spirit that was upon him. In Luke 21:15 the Lord tells His disciples who would come up against persecution and betrayal by their parents, kin folks and friends. To ensure victory, Christ would give them a mouth full of wisdom that none of the adversaries would be able to resist. Notice that this irresistible anointing has much to do with the wisdom of God. This is why the Scriptures tell us that the one that wins souls must be wise (Proverbs 11:30). The book of James tells us that if we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask God for it and He will freely give it to us (James 1:5). The wisdom of God is more than intelligence and logic. Godly wisdom is more than insight and information. Knowledge alone only fuels debates and doctrinal interpretations. But the wisdom of God will make you irresistible and cause others to yield themselves to the Lord. This my friend is the next level of evangelism. This is where God gives you wisdom for what to wear, what to say, how to behave, when to be silent, when to pray, went to give gifts, went to rebuke with strength and when to extend the Olive branch in humility. I’ve even seen the Lord’s wisdom present in writing letters, filling out job applications and fighting a legal matter in court. When it comes to winning souls who would not want to be irresistible? This only comes with the wisdom of God which propels you to the next level of evangelism.
This post was an excerpt from the book: Fighting To Get To The Next Level.