Overview

A wise old preacher shared the benefit of his wisdom: “One grand design of God leaving Christians in the world after their conversion, is that they be witnesses for God…and make the [unbelievers] see the difference in the character and destiny of those who believe and those who reject the Gospel.”

Now that you are a Christian you will want to begin share your faith with others. And perhaps the single most important aspect of sharing your faith in Christ is to develop a good personal relationship with Jesus yourself by spending time with Him and letting God the Holy Spirit fill you, not only with His power, but with a deepening love for the Lord. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21 that we need to treasure God, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.The closer walk you have with your Lord, the more His love for mankind will flow out of you.

Ephesians 5:18 tells us keep on being filled with the [Holy] Spirit (literal Greek). As Christians, we should always pray that God will fill us with His Spirit. Jesus tells us in John 5:19, the Son can do nothing by Himself. What our Lord means here is that His only desire was to do the will of the Father. If He would seek to fulfill the will of the Father, then so should we. In order to be an effective witness for Jesus it is imperative that we spend time alone with God in prayer, as was His custom, because we should only share Christ in the authority of the Lord. Our human effort is a very poor substitute for prayerfully walking in the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Some Helpful Ideas

As far as sharing the Christian faith with others, be wary of those who would say that they have the best way, or some exact step by step process. Since every person is unique, there simply aren’t any perfect methods guaranteed for “success,” as each encounter will invariably prove to be different. I can share some ideas that will be of help though, as the Lord leads you.

We are told in 2 Timothy 2:15 to give diligence to study. This is important for you, and for those you would share your faith with. If you are not sure of what you believe, and why, then how can you expect those you talk with to believe? However, you can begin to share Christ with others even as you learn, because in John 16:13, you are promised that the Holy Spirit will guide you.

There are a couple of things here that bring comfort: God will guide you to people that you are ready to talk to, and He will help you know what to say as you do your part to study. Keep doing your best to be prepared, ask the Lord to guide you in His power, trust in Him, and then begin telling those to whom God leads you what Jesus has done in your own life. The Lord will take it from there, as after-all, the results are up to God Himself, we read in John 6:44, that no one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws him.

In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told to always be prepared to give an answer, and one very good way to get prepared is to become familiar with The Romans Road To Salvation. Here you use the book of Romans to teach the Gospel message and the unbeliever can follow right along with you.

We learn in Hebrews 4:12 that, the word of God is living and active…[and] it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, so using the following Scriptures is a very effective way to use God’s own words while you share your faith in Christ: Romans 3:10 (there is no one who is good); 3:23 (everyone has sinned); 5:12 (the origin of sin and the result); 6:23 (the price of sin); 5:8-9 (Christ paid our debt of sim); 10:9-10, 13 (And finally, how a person is saved by accepting the Gospel, God’s gift of salvation).

Perhaps the most important thing you can do while sharing the Gospel with others is to treat them just the same way that you’d like to be treated. By keeping this idea first and foremost you will be better able to identify with, and then relate to, those you are talking with. It’s very important to remember that people have so many unusual views on God because they cannot understand who He is on their own – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, [the Gospel] is veiled to those who are perishing.The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. And the Christian should keep in mind 1 Corinthians 15:10, by the grace of God I am what I am.

Be sure to listen to people as they tell you what they believe. First of all, everyone likes a good listener, and by paying close attention to what someone is saying, it will give you a much better idea of how they feel about the subject of God. And in this way you can better “tailor” your presentation of the Gospel to each person’s views. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 that this is also the type of approach he used when he says, I became all things to all men. While we can never change the message of the Gospel itself, we sure can do a better job of presenting it to unbelievers with honest compassion, and in ways each person can relate to.

John Dawson of Last Days Ministries shares his insight:

Our very name is the Body of Christ. This means that our hands must become His hands, our eyes shine with His love, and our voices speak His words. As His people we represent Jesus to the world. Where else can they see Him? I have three children. I love to hold them, comfort them, and teach them. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have no arms to hold them and no voice to comfort them when they experience pain, but God has entrusted us with the tremendous privilege of expressing His heart of love to His own wayward children. How vulnerable God has made Himself to us.

And finally, from the founder of the Christian Research Institute, Dr. Walter Martin, of whom Billy Graham once said, “He is the most articulate spokesman for evangelical Christianity that I know,” comes this sound advice:

While sharing Christ with others, always remember that the Lord blesses His word. The Bible says, My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). And the way we most effectively communicate the Gospel to unbelievers is through the power of the Holy Spirit. And never forget that it is He who touches their hearts, it is He who convinces them of sin and of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8). And we become in His hands the vessels which by grace have become fit for the Master’s use.

Remember, time grows short in this Age of Grace. All you need to do to be an effective witness for God is to seek your Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit, and then tell people about Jesus Christ, the only Savior of lost mankind. Almighty God will take care of the rest.