Word for Today - 16 Nov 2024
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“Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32 NKJV
Overcoming the fear of sharing your faith
To share your faith effectively with others, you must overcome these three obstacles. (1) You must be sure of your own salvation. John writes: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself…And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son…These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:10-11, 13 NKJV). (2) You must get over your fear of rejection. That means getting to the root of your fear, which is ego. Only when self-preservation and self-interest are crucified can you make Christ known without fear. Jesus said, “Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me” (John 13:20 NIV). Get over yourself! If someone rejects you, you may lose face. But if they reject Jesus, they will lose their soul. (3) You must use wisdom in sharing the gospel. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). God can work on both ends of the line. He can prepare the heart of your listener so that they’re open to what you have to say, and He can give you the right words and the right approach to talk to them. Jesus said, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 NIV).
Overcoming the fear of sharing your faith
To share your faith effectively with others, you must overcome these three obstacles. (1) You must be sure of your own salvation. John writes: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself…And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son…These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:10-11, 13 NKJV). (2) You must get over your fear of rejection. That means getting to the root of your fear, which is ego. Only when self-preservation and self-interest are crucified can you make Christ known without fear. Jesus said, “Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me” (John 13:20 NIV). Get over yourself! If someone rejects you, you may lose face. But if they reject Jesus, they will lose their soul. (3) You must use wisdom in sharing the gospel. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). God can work on both ends of the line. He can prepare the heart of your listener so that they’re open to what you have to say, and He can give you the right words and the right approach to talk to them. Jesus said, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 NIV).
