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The Holy Spirit in Evangelism

evangelist6589

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If anyone has some spare prayer time, I and some of my Gideon colleagues will be at Exeter University U.K. tomorrow and Friday (DV) witnessing to the students and offering them New Testaments.

There are huge numbers of foreign students at British universities these days, especially Chinese, but also many from Moslem countries. Some of these Testaments may go back with the students to their home countries and be read by parents and siblings. Please pray that God will be glorified in the distribution of His word and in the salvation of sinners.

May God richly bless your efforts. Plant the seeds and let God make them grow. Do not get discouraged if people do not want to be saved in your presence. You never know how many can come to faith behind your back.
 

John of Japan

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Think of the many ways the Holy Spirit led to fruit-bearing in the book of Acts. He led Evangelist Philip to the desert to win a single soul, a "person of peace" who could have a great influence. He led Paul not to go into Asia Minor, but up into Macedonia for a great harvest. He led Peter to Cornelius where many were saved.

God can lead any believer here on the BB to a soul who longs to be saved, who is just waiting for someone to tell them about Christ. I heard recently from a friend of mine who was directed by the Spirit to go out soul-winning. The second house they came to had a group of people who had been praying right then for someone to come and tell them the true path of salvation. Right there a group of people were saved!

Go in faith believing that God will use you to win souls, and He will.
 

Revmitchell

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Think of the many ways the Holy Spirit led to fruit-bearing in the book of Acts. He led Evangelist Philip to the desert to win a single soul, a "person of peace" who could have a great influence. He led Paul not to go into Asia Minor, but up into Macedonia for a great harvest. He led Peter to Cornelius where many were saved.

God can lead any believer here on the BB to a soul who longs to be saved, who is just waiting for someone to tell them about Christ. I heard recently from a friend of mine who was directed by the Spirit to go out soul-winning. The second house they came to had a group of people who had been praying right then for someone to come and tell them the true path of salvation. Right there a group of people were saved!

Go in faith believing that God will use you to win souls, and He will.

One evening when I was with someone just knocking on doors and inviting people to church with the hopes of an opportunity to share the gospel we had knocked on about 10 doors with no response. Then we approached a home with a lot of people who were drinking and they cussed us out for even attempting to talk with them. Finally, even though at this time it was about dusk we went to a home that looked as if no one was there. There were no visible lights on, no car in the driveway, it just looked empty. When we knocked on the door a Hispanic woman opened the door and it was obvious she had been crying. We introduced ourselves to her and she began crying more. She explained that she grew up in a Catholic home but never really became devout herself. Now she was married to a truck driver who was gone most of the time and then was drunk and abusive when he was home. She was distraught over her life and earlier in the day she had thoughts of the Jesus she heard about as a girl. She has taken a dinning room chair and put it in the middle of the living room floor and was using that as a place to pray from. Her prayer, according to her, was that God would show himself to her. then we knocked on the door.
 

The Biblicist

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One evening when I was with someone just knocking on doors and inviting people to church with the hopes of an opportunity to share the gospel we had knocked on about 10 doors with no response. Then we approached a home with a lot of people who were drinking and they cussed us out for even attempting to talk with them. Finally, even though at this time it was about dusk we went to a home that looked as if no one was there. There were no visible lights on, no car in the driveway, it just looked empty. When we knocked on the door a Hispanic woman opened the door and it was obvious she had been crying. We introduced ourselves to her and she began crying more. She explained that she grew up in a Catholic home but never really became devout herself. Now she was married to a truck driver who was gone most of the time and then was drunk and abusive when he was home. She was distraught over her life and earlier in the day she had thoughts of the Jesus she heard about as a girl. She has taken a dinning room chair and put it in the middle of the living room floor and was using that as a place to pray from. Her prayer, according to her, was that God would show himself to her. then we knocked on the door.

I think when the people of God are prayerfully engaged in seeking to bear witness for the Lord, the Lord directs their path to his elect people.

1 Cor. 3:5 ¶ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye came to believe, even as the Lord gave to every man?

In context, his speaking to those who had been saved, baptized and added to the congregation at Corinth.
 

John of Japan

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One evening when I was with someone just knocking on doors and inviting people to church with the hopes of an opportunity to share the gospel we had knocked on about 10 doors with no response. Then we approached a home with a lot of people who were drinking and they cussed us out for even attempting to talk with them. Finally, even though at this time it was about dusk we went to a home that looked as if no one was there. There were no visible lights on, no car in the driveway, it just looked empty. When we knocked on the door a Hispanic woman opened the door and it was obvious she had been crying. We introduced ourselves to her and she began crying more. She explained that she grew up in a Catholic home but never really became devout herself. Now she was married to a truck driver who was gone most of the time and then was drunk and abusive when he was home. She was distraught over her life and earlier in the day she had thoughts of the Jesus she heard about as a girl. She has taken a dinning room chair and put it in the middle of the living room floor and was using that as a place to pray from. Her prayer, according to her, was that God would show himself to her. then we knocked on the door.
Wonderful testimony of the Spirit's leading. Thank you.
 

Martin Marprelate

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May the Lord greatly bless your efforts. I went to Japanese language school in '80-'82, and was able to pass out Bibles to many Chinese, some of who took those Bibles back to mainland China, so I know the huge potential you have there.
Thanks John, and you too, Evan.
It's been a good couple of days.
Around 1,000 Testaments given out. Some useful (DV)conversations and much prayer needed that some of these students will read these Testaments and find the Saviour.
Particularly pray for four Malaysian lads who talked with us for a long time and took the Testaments. It is absolutely forbidden in Malaysia for anyone to witness to a Moslem or to give them a tract or Scripture. Their only opportunities to find out about the Lord Jesus is either by Christian radio or when they go abroad to study. Yet most of them will never have read a Koran because they don't speak Arabic.

The C.U. at the University have a number of outreaches planned between now and Christmas. God willing, some of the seeds sown will be reaped.
 

John of Japan

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The Holy Spirit also prepares hearts. He goes ahead to convict and to put the hunger to find God in the hearts of the lost.

I remember Habazaki San with great fondness. He was seeking truth, and had already tried the JWs and Muslims. Then he got one of my tracts and sent me a postcard with four Chinese characters meaning, "I wish to enter your teaching." I visited him and saw Christ wonderfully save him. He was baptized some time later, and became my soul-winning partner for years.
 

Yeshua1

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Site Supporter
Think of the many ways the Holy Spirit led to fruit-bearing in the book of Acts. He led Evangelist Philip to the desert to win a single soul, a "person of peace" who could have a great influence. He led Paul not to go into Asia Minor, but up into Macedonia for a great harvest. He led Peter to Cornelius where many were saved.

God can lead any believer here on the BB to a soul who longs to be saved, who is just waiting for someone to tell them about Christ. I heard recently from a friend of mine who was directed by the Spirit to go out soul-winning. The second house they came to had a group of people who had been praying right then for someone to come and tell them the true path of salvation. Right there a group of people were saved!

Go in faith believing that God will use you to win souls, and He will.
I had a missionary friend over in japan for Camus Crusade for 4 years, and he saw 8 converts to Christ, which was considered reallygood for that nation, as they are amonghardest to reach with Gospel...
 

John of Japan

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I had a missionary friend over in japan for Camus Crusade for 4 years, and he saw 8 converts to Christ, which was considered reallygood for that nation, as they are amonghardest to reach with Gospel...
Over 150 years of Protestant missions, around 2000 missionaries there now, but only about 0.5% evangelical Christian. That's fewer than quite a few Muslim nations. Yet God is gracious, and has prepared hearts even in that wicked Buddhist nation of Japan. We praise the Lord for the many we saw saved there. "The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few," even in Japan.

So I'm afraid I have little sympathy for anyone who lives in America yet says, "It's hard to win souls here."
 

evangelist6589

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Over 150 years of Protestant missions, around 2000 missionaries there now, but only about 0.5% evangelical Christian. That's fewer than quite a few Muslim nations. Yet God is gracious, and has prepared hearts even in that wicked Buddhist nation of Japan. We praise the Lord for the many we saw saved there. "The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few," even in Japan.

So I'm afraid I have little sympathy for anyone who lives in America yet says, "It's hard to win souls here."

It is hard to win souls in America and besides God elects people to salvation not me so I do not win anyone.
 

Don

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Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise winneth souls.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

laqach - to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

Jude 23
save others by snatching them from the fire
save others by snatching them out of the fire
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire
 
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Yeshua1

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Over 150 years of Protestant missions, around 2000 missionaries there now, but only about 0.5% evangelical Christian. That's fewer than quite a few Muslim nations. Yet God is gracious, and has prepared hearts even in that wicked Buddhist nation of Japan. We praise the Lord for the many we saw saved there. "The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few," even in Japan.

So I'm afraid I have little sympathy for anyone who lives in America yet says, "It's hard to win souls here."

I though tthe main problem with reaching Japan for Jesus was that the culture is pretty much material in outlook, and also very resistan to any outside influences coming in, as they value staying "pure" above all else?
 

John of Japan

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It is hard to win souls in America and besides God elects people to salvation not me so I do not win anyone.
Are you actually trying to tell me that it is easier in a Buddhist or Muslim nation than it is in America? Really?

Then please explain what Jesus meant when He said, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."
 

John of Japan

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I though tthe main problem with reaching Japan for Jesus was that the culture is pretty much material in outlook,
That is one influence that America also has.

and also very resistan to any outside influences coming in, as they value staying "pure" above all else?
You are correct, and this is one barrier to the Gospel that does not exist in the US.

Other barriers to the Gospel in Japan are:
1. The extremely difficult language.
2. The history of Christianity being outlawed from the late 15th century on.
3. The group-centered character of Japanese society--If the group doesn't agree, the action is not taken.
4. Along the same line, the opposition to individualism. They have a proverbs: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down."
5. The huge influence of Buddhism and Shinto. (I could write pages on this.)
6. The Confucianist basis of Japanese society.
6. The over-emphasis control schools have over the family, not just the individual students.

So, for someone to suggest to me that America is just as hardened to the Gospel as Japan borders on the absurd.
 

Yeshua1

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Are you actually trying to tell me that it is easier in a Buddhist or Muslim nation than it is in America? Really?

Then please explain what Jesus meant when He said, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."

It might be, but that would be due to Americans rejecting the given light so hard that God decides to now really move among those other groups and religions!
 

John of Japan

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It might be, but that would be due to Americans rejecting the given light so hard that God decides to now really move among those other groups and religions!
Nope, not "might be." Absolutely "is not." There is no way on God's green earth that the typical American is hardened to the Gospel like a Buddhist or Muslim. I have preached and done evangelism in America, a Buddhist country and a Muslim country. There is absolutely no comparison.
 

evangelist6589

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Are you actually trying to tell me that it is easier in a Buddhist or Muslim nation than it is in America? Really?

Then please explain what Jesus meant when He said, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few."

I'd say so. Humanism and atheism are the dominant religions in America. Most are flat indifferent towards the message. In Other places they flat out hate the gospel so perhaps it may be easier to reach them.

The harvest is plenteous but that may not be in America.
 

evangelist6589

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Nope, not "might be." Absolutely "is not." There is no way on God's green earth that the typical American is hardened to the Gospel like a Buddhist or Muslim. I have preached and done evangelism in America, a Buddhist country and a Muslim country. There is absolutely no comparison.

Yeah but many IFB are known for their easy believism preaching and evangelism (say this prayer, or walk this isle, etc). Phil Johnson said it in his rebuff of the IFB movement in 2005, and I spent many years as a IFBans I know easy believism is a major part of the movement.
 

John of Japan

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I'd say so. Humanism and atheism are the dominant religions in America. Most are flat indifferent towards the message. In Other places they flat out hate the gospel so perhaps it may be easier to reach them.

The harvest is plenteous but that may not be in America.
So Jesus lied? The harvest is not plenteous in America? Sorry, there is no way in the world to exegete that passage that there are some places where the harvest is not plenteous.
 

John of Japan

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Yeah but many IFB are known for their easy believism preaching and evangelism (say this prayer, or walk this isle, etc). Phil Johnson said it in his rebuff of the IFB movement in 2005, and I spent many years as a IFBans I know easy believism is a major part of the movement.
And this is a total non sequitur, having absolutely nothing to do with the OP or any post anyone has made on the thread.
 
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