Last week in downtown Fort worth...A man walks up, asks for money. I say "Your Mom introduced you to Jesus" he said "yes".. He asks for money again, I tell him, "You never knew your father" He says, dude, are you psychic? He said "yes, my father died before I was born, my Mom prayed with me when I was a boy to accept Jesus, I got free from drugs two years ago and I just need money to get to a mission". I said, sir, now you are lying to me, you haven't gotten free from alcoholism...finally, tears welled up in his eyes and I was able to pray with him and introduce him to a God that was real and wanted a relationship with him...
Three weeks ago, on our way home from church...we drove under a bridge on the freeway and saw a man walking above us carrying a big pack, I felt moved to talk to him, we made a U turn and found him, I shared with him that he was called to be a preacher as a young man, and that he knew that. He literally yelled at me "Who told you that! I never told anyone!" I shared with him that Jesus loved and cared for him and had not forgotten him. It was not too late, He can restore the years that looked like had been lost. The man broke down and wept, I prayed with him as well.
Walmart..., a lady is ringing up our groceries, Emma asks to pray for her arm as she is working, the woman has tears running down her face as Emma prays and tells her how valuable she is and how God sees His daughter, that she has Hope. I can't tell you how many times I have seen this happen.
Last week...I picked up a Hispanic guy off the street, as I took him home, God gave me visions of his childhood, of abuse, of a father hitting him with no reason. I shared with him that his perception of God was affected by his perception of his own father. That Jesus loved him, unconditionally, and was a true Father. He broke really fast and I was able to pray with him.
Last month I told a Hispanic guy (I love Hispanics) that he had a dream the night before. He shared it with me and I explained what God was speaking to him through it. It really touched him, he was already a believer but it brought an encouraging word about his family that was separated from him.
It wasn't always like this....
At the tender age of 4 I told my Grandmother that Santa Claus is "Of the Devil". At 6 I told two Jehovah's Witnesses that they needed to "get saved or they would burn in hell.." We've held up signs by the road... passed out tens of thousands of Gospel Tracts, Door to door to thousands of homes...
Yes, there was a little bit of fruit.....But not all of that was effective evangelism.
It is possible to use the Gospel and Scripture in a way that drives people away from God and hardens their hearts.
I know, I have had to repent of that...
As our understanding of the nature of God grows, we began to see people the way God sees them.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power
I Cor 2:4
When people see the lame walk, the blind see, incurable cancers healed, or if they get prophetic word spoken over their life, a dream interpreted, or a person just loves on them with a genuine, pure love, they will almost surely walk away with a lasting influence lingering over their life. A Holy Spirit touch that they will not soon be able to shake off!
There are many forms of evangelism, some are very basic, some are much more effective, but at its very core, it's really all about introducing people to the true nature of God, finding the key to unlock that individual's heart, showing them that the God of the universe, loves and cares for them deeply.
Sometimes, I don't say anything about Jesus for a while until I really have their attention and they have been touched by something tangible. Then we revel to them ....hey, that was Jesus...that was the Master's touch.
Jesus kept it pretty simple...to the woman at the well He said, "Go get your husband" She said, I don't have one.....Jesus replied, you have had 5 husbands....and oh, by the way...the one you're with....he's not your husband....
Wow! Out of that conversation....He found the key to unlock that one heart and it unlocked an entire city!! Jesus ministered to people out of a heart of deep compassion and love. So many times Jesus would say, go in peace, your faith has saved you, and, oh, by the way.....quit sinning....
-Scott
Update: ..the Jehovah's Witnesses no longer send "normal" door knockers to our house... we now just get visits from big shots.... someday, we will find the key to THEIR hearts......and I promise I won't yell at them anymore....
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