Witnessing

The Great Commission

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Ah, the Great Commission! Jesus commanded us ALL to go to all nations and spread His Gospel. A daunting task, to say the least. But it has been done. Men and women, fueled by the Holy Spirit, have practically finished that task over the centuries. Out of the approximately 3,000 nations, (people with the same language and culture), 85% have been reached by courageous, diligent missionaries. In recent decades, the internet, radio, and television have aided this expansion of knowledge of the Gospel. Even in places that are hostile to the Word of God, such as Iran, the Congo, and China, revival is blossoming.

The question is, what can I do to further the kingdom of God? Not all of us are called to the mission field, or pastoring a church, or even teaching Sunday school. However, we are all able to spread the Gospel by witnessing to friends, family, neighbors, fellow students, and others we meet daily.

The Old Testament writers urged us to open up to others about our relationship with God, our Father.

 Joshua 1: 9  ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua told the Israelites of his day to have no fear when opening up to people and telling them about their God. The Holy Spirit was with them in those days as He is with you.

This does not mean you need to preach to anyone and everyone you speak with. Witnessing is like an introduction to what Yeshua has done for you. Be the one who turns the light bulb on above their heads.

I have had amazing encounters with the Holy Spirit over the years. If in conversation with another, you tell them of something that has happened to you in life's world of drama, press upon them what part your faith played in the outcome.

Something as simple as quitting smoking cigarettes, I tell people, in truth, that I tried every way in the book to quit. I finally handed the problem over to Yeshua, Jesus, and He set me free from my addiction. No withdrawals, no shacks, no desire for another coffin-nail ever. The person you're speaking to probably won't drop to their knees and turn to Christ on the spot. But it turns on the light bulb to illuminate the possibilities.

Psalms 66: 16  ¹⁶ Come and hear, all you who fear God,And I will declare what He has done for my soul.

Proverbs 11: 30

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,And he who wins souls is wise.

       Proverbs is full of encouragement. The above verse should spur you on to improve your witnessing skills.

Matthew 4: 19  ¹⁹ Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

       Now we move on to the New Testament, when Yeshua tells his disciples to become 'fishers of men'. How does one do that without bait? The bait is your stories that open others' hearts to the Gospel.

Luke 12: 8 - 12

⁸ "Also, I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. ⁹ But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

         In Luke, our savior tells the disciples of the rewards for witnessing. He doesn't call it witnessing, but it means the same. If we confess Yeshua before men, He will confess us before the angels of His Father. In other words, he'll brag about us to the heavenly realm.

          When I get to heaven, I want the angels waiting for me to show up so they can shake my hand.

         And, it's easier than you may think. God's helper will be sent to us to be there for us. Again, in Acts, the word encourages us to go beyond our comfort zone, to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1: 8

⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

       Not only do we receive the aid of the Holy Spirit, but Peter also encourages us to study the scriptures. Once we open the conversation, there are inevitably going to be questions we need to confidently answer.

       The final verse I am offering is for post-rapture Christians. Those left behind who accept the Lord during the tribulation period. The message is for them, but we can learn from it as well. Witnessing may not always be a walk-in-the-park. There may be times when the unsaved are not interested in hearing about your relationship with Yeshua and may become hostile. However, God is with us in our endeavors now and forever. His rewards are substantial!

Revelation 20: 4

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Yeshua and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.