The Refreshing Power of Sharing Your Faith: Reignite

Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you, I love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org. We all have our personal testimony. Our story of how we came in writing and her life-changing pastor Greg Laurie says take care until it right to link your town. Some vendor then your friends.

I've heard some people say you know I party I had money I had everything I was gray and I seem to cry now it's almost like we don't think about what you give up for Jesus about what Jesus gave in for them is the essence of hearing the gospel. But what Jesus lost sight of our life is changed maybe time for some soul-searching we go out soul winning today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie helps us reignite the passion in our hearts night are after burners like today study is from the series called forward, we read Jesus left Judea, and departed again to Galilee, but he needed to go through Samaria we came to a city of Samaria, which is called sidecar near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacobs well was there. Therefore Jesus was tired from his journey, he stopped by. Well it was around the sixth hour that would be 12 o'clock noon and a woman of Samaria came to draw water and Jesus said to her, give me a drink for his disciples and got away and that the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to him, how is it that you being a Jew would ask for a drink for me, a Samaritan woman for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans and Jesus answered and said to work if you knew the gift of God and who it is that says to you, give me a drink, you would've asked him and he would have given you living water. This is a perfect example of how to build a bridge to a person of this was an immoral woman as a story reveals she'd been married and divorced five times and she was living with some guy at the moment. This is a woman who was ostracized from the rest of the community.

She would not have been an educated woman. She didn't know what the Bible said SOC was living this life that was in opposition to what the Bible teaches.

But Jesus does not start with that, he appeals first two were spiritual thirst.

So often we want to go right to the lifestyle of the person you're talking to and again affected the cart before the horse.

We do need to get to that and I'll talk about that in a moment because I believe in telling the truth the people. However, Jesus starts like building a bridge. Jesus starts like appealing to their spiritual thirst. He reaches out to her bringing me to some points now that you might want to write down the first point is simply this. If you want to look down July's Jesus style. That's what I meant to call this Jesus style because that's what it was. If you want to evangelize Jesus style. It begins with the burden again. Verse four he needed to go through Samaria. As a matter of fact he did not need to go through Samaria.

It was actually way out of the way he was leaving his country. He was run effectively to another country that was populated by people that were known to be the enemies of Israel. So Jesus leaves his comfort zone if you will Jesus please. His people goes to this other place, not just to what woman was a Samaritan but an immoral woman who was a Samaritan.

So when you want to share your faith effectively starts with the God given concern. You have to care about the soul of a person who is not yet a believer second point. If you want to evangelize Jesus style you need to use tact already touched on this earlier Paul use tax thereon Marcille we should do the same thing. Isaac Newton said, quote tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy" that's a very great way to say it now.

The woman isn't fully getting what Jesus is saying, and now she starts to effectively argue with him bringing me to my next point to share the gospel. Jesus style, we must adapt to the situation. John 1415 the woman said to him, sir, give me this water, then they may not thirst, nor come here to draw two things are just ago yeah you give water to drink, pose, sir, give me this water that your talking about Jesus effectively calls her out, he says in John 416 102 call your husband come here. She says well I have no husband. Jesus is that's true. You had five husbands in your living with some dude right now she's a well how did he know that she says Sir I perceive that you are a prophet see that there will come a moment when you're engaging something you appeal to their spiritual thirst.

But they might ask you a question like will look I'm I'm living with my boyfriend, girlfriend, or are you know I'm doing drugs and what I have to give that up to follow Jesus, you might say well I don't want to see you know yes that might turn them away know you need to tell them the truth.

Yes, you need to give that up to follow Jesus Christ. You see, sin is keeping you from God I don't start with those issues but I'm not going to avoid them when I get to them. They need to know that sin separates them from God, but the solution is a relationship with Jesus.

The problem is sin. The solution is Jesus. And so Jesus engages her and tells her what she needs to do acts 319 says repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out in times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord say we need to tell people their sinners and that they need a Savior. Listen to this. The Bible says if you confess your sins he's faithful and just to forgive you your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Next point, if you want to do evangelism Jesus style. You don't deal with everyone in the same way, see Jesus dealt in a certain way with the woman at the well in any doubt an entirely different way with Nicodemus Nicodemus is in John three.

The woman at the well is John four Nicodemus is a religious devout man. John four is about an irreligious sinful woman, but the answer was the same for both the bull needed Jesus with the woman at the well. Jesus engages her draws her in confronts her about her sin and tells her the truth with Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night.

Jesus effectively cut to the chase Nicodemus the same teacher we know your great man.

No one could do the things that you do unless God is with them effectively. Jesus is love somebody with just get to the bottom line.

You need to be born again. So the point is we adapt to the person we are speaking to now after this woman at the well here's Jesus telling the truth.

She says that Sir I think you might be the Messiah. He goes loose paraphrase girl I am the Messiah your speaking with the Messiah and then we read these words. John 428. The woman left her water pot when a wave of the city instead of them and come see a man. He told me all things I ever did.

Could this be the Christ that brings me to my final point, telling your story or sharing your testimony is a powerful bridge for the gospel message again telling your story also known as your testimony now basically you just tell people of how you came to for it. Sometimes nonbelievers don't realize we were all born this way, you know, people might think all Greg. He's a preacher he probably was raised in a nice Christian home and learn the Bible from his youth know I've told you many times that something case for 17 years of my life. I live with my alcoholic mother and went through her divorce is seven in total, and I made my own foolish choices in the early days of my youth. Then I heard the gospel and give my life to Christ, so you of the story. Everyone has a story and it's a testimony so this is the way of kind of preaching to a person without preaching at the let me illustrate. Here's how I might use my story, I might say what you know I was 17 years old I was using drugs. My life was empty and I saw these Christians sitting on the front lawn of my high school campus singing about God and I thought these people are crazy. These people you know fell off the stupid tree and hit every branch of the way down. What's wrong with these people. Why do they believe this so intent of putting myself in the shoes of the person I'm talking to because maybe that is actually how they feel at the moment, but then I going to say but then I tried a new thought on for size. What if this is true, and I quickly dismissed it.

It couldn't be true. There's no way to be true, but again I thought what if it's all true. And then the guy got up to speak and he said Jesus said your forming or against me.

I looked at the Christians and I realize I wasn't one of them and that was the day I prayed and asked Christ in the my life don't see them telling the story. I'm putting myself in the way I used to think which may be the way the person I'm talking to is thinking the present and I'm showing them the transition how I got from a to B and in a way I'm preaching to them because in telling them what the preacher said, but I'm not pointing my finger at them but I'm building the bridge that's appointed with testimony. It builds the bridge to Greg Laurie of the second half of this message moment right after a quick look at the way a new beginning touches the lives of listeners and I'm a lot like the Lord now having married and having a guiding hearing the radio I'm on 1000 Henry Ln. every mighty man I am so grateful. Thank you monsters like that really move me think of this. This young lady is a little girl, hearing our program and that she obviously made some bad choices in life, becoming an addict where own admission coming back to the Lord of the Bible says if you train a child in the way that they should go the come back to the return to and that's what happened with this young lady and that's when so important to when you're driving around with your kids in your car bring to listen to contemporary Christian music. Great to listen to Christian radio and can I just say really great to listen to a new beginning because the word of God will not return void.

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Part two was continue just a few tips about sharing your personal story don't glorify or exaggerate the past. Don't glorify or exaggerate the past you know some people there. Testimony gets more dramatic with the telling. I've heard some people talking. So, how they came to Christ to him a few years later in while on more stuff is in that story did you just remember that her are you embellishing it a little bit, you know, don't make your paths. Some better then your present I've heard some people say you know I used to party I had money I had everything I had women I had. I was great, but then I came to Christ notes all the sudden kind of a down lightweight your old life is miserable. Why are you making your old life. Some printer then your new life. Someone might be losing to you and thinking I want your old life, not your new life.

I love the way the Paul had perspective on his past was a very accomplished individual.

Very intelligent, but he dismissed all of it. He said in Philippians 3 all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ as my Lord. Everything I used to think was significant is now insignificant and then one translation puts it, it dog dung. The word Paul uses that root word excrement that stuff. It's like poop compared compared to what I have now. He says I've dumped it in the trash so I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him, a beautiful, so don't talk about what you gave up for Jesus, talk about with Jesus gave up for you. I really don't care what you keep up. It's nothing compared to what God is done for you. Talk about how Jesus died on the cross for your sin how he made the greatest sacrifice of all it's not about you it's about Jim and you tell your story only to make a beeline to his story.

The greatest story ever told.

So I have a new acronym for you blast be L a ST this sort of pulls together some of the things I've said to you. Be deliberate, so mom are talking to people about Jesus. Start by building a bridge. I didn't say burn a bridge build a bridge L lovingly enter their world and of their world take an interest in them that brings me to a ask questions and listen don't interrupt as the lots of questions asked share your testimony. We just talked about that. Tell them your story of how you came to believe in Jesus and finally T tell them how to come to Jesus again be build a bridge L lovingly enter the world a ask questions asked share your testimony.

T tell them how to come to Jesus were almost done with this is where breaks down for a lot of people. How do you get the person from a to B. How do you get them to come to Jesus you shared your testimony here share the gospel. How do you pop the question if you will a little bit like a marriage proposal averted some pretty amazing and creative marriage proposals from the proposed to his wife underwater. Yet one of those little tablets you know you can write underwater and he wrote will you met me.

I've heard people putting it or you know, sky writing, will you marry me. My wife tells me I never properly proposed. She says we were out having dinner, I looked at her and would been going out for around I don't know two years at that point and I said George according to Kathy well I guess were going to get married, she says, that was my proposal of getting done when the know will you marry me is a bring the just what I get for getting married, balance can week the lease.

I said something so you might ask Conaway actually pop the question. It's as simple as this, after you've shared all the things of the person you are asking this question would you like to ask Jesus Christ to come into your life right now you need to be led by the spirit. But the Lord might to read to the essence question edit unexpected time. Let me tell you a story about a man name Roy and wife Kathy and I would go take walks in the morning and we came upon this older gentleman that was obviously struggling because he would wanted have to stop and does so we started talking with him. He said I think I've seen you one TVS and John been on TV a few times and are you a preacher yes I'm a preacher which your name my name is Roy, my name is Greg nice to meet you Roy how you doing well. He says I have a heart condition and in my heart actually will hurt, but I'm exercising and I'm doing everything that I can to you know stay strong and and so I started to share the gospel with Roy Roy's immediately defensive. All my whole family's Christian. He says are always telling me to believe in Jesus but I have a lot of questions about the Christian faith that said well Roy, what are some of them so he asked me a couple of the questions and I answer them and then we say nice to see you and that these over so the next day we see Roy again because I have another question for you preacher sure Roy fire hissing of the question. I gave him an answer. I see him the next day, I would. Another question for you.

This went on for kind of a long time. A few weeks actually with the questions from the skeptical Roy.

I wasn't hopeful he was going to believe necessarily but one day I was sitting with my wife and our house and were actually having the devotion together work reading the Bible and were praying and I look out my window and literally right in my eyes shot I see Roy just standing there and I said Kathy I think this is Roy's day to come to Christ, so I walked out of my house.

I want to pay Roy how you doing, he says that I located just stopping my hurts hurting a little bit. So Roy, when ask you question. We got a lot of talks about the questions you have. Yes, here's my question for you Roy. Would you like to accept Jesus Christ right now. He said this I would come over so I said let's pray and I prayed with was a beautiful thing. So I give him a Bible and then I would see them after that. I knew his family were there all Christian and they were all very excited. I heard that would come to Christ, so I'd see in the next day because I was just remembering some of the songs I used to sing in church when I was a little boy and I saw him the next day. These is my hurts hurting right now but I'm just thinking of how much pain Jesus went through as he died on the cross. Roy was like growing in his faith.

It was amazing and then out for a few days. We didn't see Roy out there walking one day we get a knock on our door. As a young man standing there and he says I'm Roy's grandson said yes. He says I'm sorry to tell you that my grandfather went to be with the Lord. But I want to thank you for sharing the gospel with them and he love the Lord and we had such great times together. After he had committed his life to Christ.

I was so thankful I pop the question.

Maybe I can close my pop question. I'm talking to somebody right now that needs Jesus and the promises. No one is ever told you how to actually become a Christian. Let me tell you in the simplest way I can let me go back and remind you of similarity, said your ascendant.

Don't take it personally. I'm a sinner are all sinners, we broken God's commandments, we fallen short of his glory. God loves you so much. He sent his son did dying on the cross for your sin.

Then Jesus rose again from the dead and Jesus is literally standing at the door of your life, and he is knocking anything, if you will hear his voice and open the door he will come in. So here's my question. Would you like Jesus Christ to come into your life right here right now.

It's as simple as a prayer, I'll lead you in the same prayer I lead Roy in some years ago. Simple prayer. We will just say Lord I want your forgiveness. I want to have my spiritual thirst satisfied.

I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven if you want Jesus to come in your life if you want that void in your life feel if you want your guilt is taken away if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to find the meaning and purpose of life.

Pray this prayer with me right now when I pray it. You can pray it out loud. Or you can pray quietly in your heart, would you pray to think is pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner but I know that you are the Savior who died on the cross for me, and rose again from the dead, Jesus I choose to follow you from this moment forward be my Savior and Lord my God and my friend in Jesus name I pray with those making a decision for the Lord as you listen to a new beginning today. If you prayed along with Pastor Greg Laurie, we want to be the first to welcome you into the family of God, and second, let us help you get started off right. We want to send you our new believers growth packet. It will help answer some questions you might have lay a foundation for your face and will send it free of charge. Just ask for the new believers growth packet as you write a new beginning.

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That's 1-800-821-3300 one next time. As Pastor Greg series called refreshed 10 years will learn of the refreshing power of God's word join us here in the beginning Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie and I knew beginning of the podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this shell has impacted your life.

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