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Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some gifts we shower on them from time to time!
Keys to
Overcoming Fear in Witnessing
Our life should be a
witness, a living witness, a testimony which draws others…but we haven’t
completely been a witness until we open our mouth and speak.
That is hard, but necessary—sharing the words of the gospel.
Romans 10:14
How then shall they
call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
This is a hard step because
of fear—it is a realistic fear, it is difficult.
Fear of
rejection/embarrassment/labeled as fanatic/thought of differently/not liked
anymore.
You aren’t the first to be
afraid, you’re not a spiritual sissy, it’s common to man since the 1st
c. in our text!
I’ve made the statement
before about a true witness “being no braver than anyone else, just brave 10
seconds longer”
That’s pretty simplistic
and needs further detail.
That’s not enough to help
you open your mouth w/ a relative, a co-worker, a friend, a neighbor…so
here’s some very practical suggestions to help further.
1.
Ask God
for the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Ill.—Peter was afraid at
crucifixion, ran for his life, cowered down…he followed the procession as
far as the house of the high priest, but then warmed himself at the fire/a
young lady recognized him and tried to point him out, and he denied 3 times,
w/ curse words for emphasis!
But in Acts 4:13 the Bible
says Peter spoke boldly—what made the difference by Acts 4?
What happened?
Acts 2 happened!
“Filled w/ Spirit!”
“How can I be filled?”
Not complicated.
Different than being
indwelled…filled means controlled.
[be not drunk, but controlled by this!]
You need a cutting edge, it
will get their attention, they’ll sense you know what you’re talking about,
they’ll WANT to listen. And the
Holy Spirit brings conviction, something you have not been successful at
doing, right?
4 steps to being filled:
·
Self-examination—takes time, daily, in prayer and in the Word.
·
Confession=cleansing— 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Be specific, ask God to
bring it to mind, name them one by one.
Our problem is we want to sin retail and confess wholesale!
·
Repentance—turning from our sins, a change of mind—more than just I’m sorry,
but it’s proof! God won’t use a
dirty vessel…He doesn’t put His powerful hand into a dirty glove to do His
work!
·
Ask God to
fill you-- Luke 11:13
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
them that ask him?
And fear will flee when
you’re filled w/ the Holy Spirit.
2.
Pray
earnestly about your fear.
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord,
and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
We are to pray according to God’s will, sometimes we’re not sure if it’s His will and so we say, only if it’s your will, Lord!
But there’s some things we
KNOW are God’s will:
·
That they be
saved
·
Wisdom
·
Deliverance
from Fear, too!
3.
Memorize a good soul-winning plan, we’ll come back to that.
4.
Claim
God’s presence as you go
Matthew 28:19-20
Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world. Amen.
Claim that promise!
I’m not alone, He’s never more w/ me than when I make His last
command my first concern!
He left us here, didn’t
take us on to heaven, so we can bring others.
He plants us in specific
places for a purpose.
Neighborhood/job/school/class!/family…uniquely qualifying us to reach out to
a circle that no one else can!
[F.R.A.N. = friends,
relatives, associates, and neighbors]
What’s God’s purpose for
your job?…not to sell insurance, but to support you in your real job, soul
winning!
Not just doing that
maintenance/working in that office/driving that vehicle/making those phone
calls/running that machine/digging that ditch/crunching those
numbers/negotiating that deal/installing that part/stocking those
shelves/serving that meal/running that errand!
And that makes going to
work all the more worthwhile!
5.
Don’t
be afraid of making mistakes.
The biggest mistake is not
to try, saying nothing.
God will still use your
witness even if you make a mistake…He blesses your obedience of trying, else
it would be about you…can YOU save them?
No, He can, and when you open your mouth, He’ll fill it!
Example:
John 1:45-49
Philip findeth
Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law,
and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
[46] And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of
Philip just did his best to
bring someone to Jesus, and it was a weak attempt, but because he tried
Jesus made up the difference!
God does His best work
despite us!
I can preach and think it’s
my best ever and nothing come of it/but sometimes I’ll think I laid an egg,
and then hear about how God used it uniquely!
Back to #3…I recommend the
5 facts
Practice it!
1.
God loves all
people. (John 3:16)
2.
All people are
sinners. (Romans 3:23)
3.
Sin must be paid
for. (Romans 6:23)
4.
Jesus paid for your
sins. (Romans 5:8)
5. Trust Jesus as your Savior. (Romans 10:13)
Start w/ an apology for not sharing this before. Then open your mouth and let God fill it!
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NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some free gifts we shower on them from time to time!
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All Sermons and PowerPoint Slideshow Presentations ©Copyright Jerry Shirley and Grace Notes Ministries® unless otherwise credited. These resources are yours to use freely, but only in public worship services or private study groups and devotions. They may not be sold, republished or retransmitted in any form without written permission.
