EFFECTIVE WITNESSING

EFFECTIVE WITNESSING

Proverbs 14:25 (ESV)
A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

One major assignment the Lord Jesus Christ gives to every believer in Him is to bring another person to Him. Just before He ascended into heaven, He told His disciples to go into all the world and make other people His disciples. This is known as the Great Commission. (See Mat 28:18-20; Mar 16:15-18). The Lord also sent the promised Holy Spirit to empower us to be His witness to the world. (Act 1:7-8). So our most important personal and coporate obligation to the Lord is to witness for Him. How then can we be effective witnesses ?

To be a witness is to have or claim to have  first hand experience of an event. So there are two kinds of witnesses in a broad sense; a true witness and a false witness. Our main text assures us that a true witness would save lives. Who can be said to be a 'true witness' for the Lord ?

A true witness for the Lord is someone who has had a genuine personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. That kind of testimony is backed with spiritual evidence and power is communicated to the hearers. An example of a true witness is found in John Chapter 4. A Samaritan woman had encountered the Lord Jesus and she went to town with such compelling message that many Samaritans believed in the Lord Jesus because of her testimony. (John 4:39). The villagers then requested that the Lord should stay with them so they could also have that first hand experience and be effective witnesses too.

We must examine our selves whether we actually had a personal encounter when we 'claim' to be saved. And we must keep the experience fresh and ongoing by the Holy Spirit. This way, our witnessing is empowered and more souls are won for the Lord.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to know you deeply and personally. Let my words, actions and life compell others to seek you. Amen.

- Adeolu Olumodeji

For Streamglobedevotional.com