Bible Discussion Thread

In my walk with the Lord for many years, something has bothered me, and wonder if anyone can give some word of wisdom. (I have prayed about it too). I don't feel like an evangelist. Should I feel guilty? I am very called to talk with strangers everywhere I go, and I can strike a conversation with anyone. I talk with street people, homeless, or CEO's, doesn't matter. But I don't feel called to evangelize. I feel called to listen deeply to the person, listen for their spirit, and to uplift them through the Holy Spirit. If they ask about me, I immediately say I follow Christ, and if there is an opening, i go further. I feel joy, just being with people the Lord sends me to. Am I not doing enough? Is everyone supposed to evangelize? Is the Good News only in the written gospel, or can it be spread through Christ's love? Perhaps I need prayer, I don't know.

Are we supposed to evangelise, may CHRIST IN US grace us with HIS wisdom and HIS understanding.

One of the HARDEST TRUTHS to understand is that when you are BORN AGAIN by the word of God you ALSO DIED (the first death, which is not literal death) by the word of God.

The verse being quoted below is not LITERAL; it has to be spiritually discerned:

Revelation 13:10 He that (evangelises and) leadeth (others) into captivity will go into captivity: he that (evangelises and) killeth with the sword (the word of God) must be killed with the sword (the word of God). Here is the patience and faith of the saints.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, By THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth forever.

If you have died (by the sword or word of God) in Christ you now live in Christ (the word); then:

Philippians 2:13 It is God that worketh in you BOTH TO WILL and TO DO of his good pleasure.

REST IN THE LORD; whatever he wants you to do, YOU WILL DO through HIS POWER and FOREKNOWLEDGE.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN MY STATUTES, and ye shall keep my judgements and DO THEM.

Colossians 1:27 ...This mystery....CHRIST IN YOU ....

Earl, a lightbulb went off. My old confused gerbil-wheel mind was taken out of the way on the Cross; I now have the Mind of Christ. The question of whether or not to evangelize, is not even in my jurisdiction. It is in His. What is to be done through me is now always BEING done by Christ in me. I can rest in Him and stand back and watch how He rolls. I loved all those scriptures which confirmed that for me, and so I feel a sense of peace. God Bless You!

Earl, that whole response is a wonderful response, and meditation on the mystery of Christ.... Thank you!

Hi Evangelist enquirer. After reading your comment about your concern, I thought to myself, 'Hey, we have an evangelist here'. What you are doing & with the very real sense of being led to share with people, to listen & help them with their needs, & share the Gospel as & when appropriate, is indeed 'being & doing what the Lord has for you at this time'.

After I was saved back in 1979, I joined with a very evangelistic, mission-minded Fellowship. A group of us used to go out every Saturday evening for open-air preaching & singing (without the use of a megaphone: city ruling), had a major door-to-door outreach around the city, I did personal letter-box tract drop each Friday evening around my neighbourhood, & the Fellowship had sent out some 20 missionaries all over the world. Not all of us were called to go overseas, or even to come out & face the public on a Saturday, but each one had a heart to share Christ in some way at the opportune time to someone. I don't preach in the open-air anymore because I've damaged my voice box through its extended high volume, but as I waited on the Lord, I received the call from Him to overseas service (1988), which I did till arrested & expelled two years later.

I just share the above to assure you that what you're doing in the Name of the Lord, is also being done according to HIS Will for you at this time. Keep on doing your 'ministry', develop it in the ways the Lord puts on your heart, & always be open to Him to lead you on to share the Word & help people in other ways for the future. The Lord has a wonderful mysterious way of sending His willing children into new areas & also equipping them for the task. So, your work IS evangelistic, even as the early Christians 'gossiped the Gospel' in those formative years of the Church ( Acts 8:1-4), as they shared Christ in whatever way they could. Keep these matters before the Lord in prayer & wait for the answer - He won't fail a yearning responsive heart. Every blessing.

Chris, this response was a such a comfort to me, thank you! Also, I "leap for joy" inside to hear of your experiences, w (I think of Elizabeth leaping for joy in her womb at the presence of Mary). But your encouragmentt makes me feel that All is well, and to simply rest in Him, and to follow wherever He leads.... That I can do! I will continue to listen and follow. Many Blessings to you Chris..... oh, the fact that you lost your voice due to evangelizing, and that you were arrested and expelled from a country for witnessing...... wow.... that you were willing to suffer for Him....... this was what caused the leap for joy.

Thanks for writing back, Evangelist Enquirer, & that you have been encouraged to press on as the Lord leads you. I do admire your forthrightness by just approaching & speaking to people with the hope of sharing the deeper things of value with them. Many Christians would find that very hard to do, preferring to wait for the Lord to bring someone to them. This too can also work, but when Jesus commanded his disciples to "Go ye therefore & teach all nations", they had to physically 'pack up' & go out in faith, trusting that the Lord Who promised to always be with them, would also empower them. And so they did, the persecution was great, but the harvest was even greater. But they had to take the first step & it was only then that the Power & Presence of God would be seen & felt.

And you're taking those steps of 'outreach' now which might lead to giant strides in the future - the Lord leaves off the lazy & will make full use of those passionate for weary wandering hopeless souls. And rest assured that the Lord will be with you, He will give you His Message to share, empower you with joy & the Spirit, and remain confident in the face of opposition. I have many stories proving the Lord immensely faithful in such testing times, & where opposition increases, so does the Lord's Grace & Power. And btw, I still have a voice - just a little muffled. May the Lord lead & bless your work, now & in the days ahead.

Thank you Chris, for your responses and your encouragement in the Lord. I feel myself surrounded by a huge cloud of witnesses, not the least, brothers like you, and my Christian brothers and sisters on earth. Bless you! What a joy to be led of the Holy Spirit in this life! There is no other joy. Worry and confusion are "flesh," and no flesh shall glory in His presence. Therefore I will remain at peace today, praising Him and loving Him, and I look forward to seeing where He will lead me. If it is merely to do my dishes, I am blessed.

2 Timothy 4:5

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an EVANGELIST, make full proof of thy ministry.

John 9:4

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

John 5:17

But Jesus answered them, My Father works, and I work.

Mark 6:5

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

Acts 21:8

...and we entered into the house of Philip the EVANGELIST, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

A "publisher of glad tidings;" a missionary preacher of the" "gospel ( Eph. 4:11). This title is applied to Philip ( Acts 21:8)," who appears to have gone from city to city preaching the word "(8:4, 40). Judging from the case of Philip, evangelists had" "neither the authority of an apostle, nor the gift of prophecy," nor the responsibility of pastoral supervision over a portion of "the flock. They were itinerant preachers, having it as their" special function to carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown. The writers of the four Gospels are known as the Evangelists.

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the FEET of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; see Rom. 10:15

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and BE READY always to GIVE AN ANSWER to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is IN YOU...

John Chapter 15

18 If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20 ...If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Matthew 9:37

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;