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Trust the Power
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Trust the Power
by Cheryle M. Touchton
He gasped and stumbled backward. His eyes widened in surprise. He grabbed his chest, raised his hand in the air, and grabbed his chest again. No – he wasn’t having a heart attack. Our waiter had just prayed to receive Jesus. His entire face lit up with what I like to call the Holy Spirit Glow and he beamed from ear to ear as he thanked us repeatedly. Later, we overheard him telling the rest of the wait staff what had happened and he thanked us again when we left.
The pastor sitting across the table from me looked almost as startled as the new Christian did. Had that really just happen? Could it be that easy? I understood. I see it all the time and still the power and ease of it catches me by surprise.
Last week at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, 93 people prayed to receive Jesus in just 5 days. It was easy.
The main barrier I have training Christians to evangelize is convincing them to trust the Power – the power of prayer, scripture, and the Holy Spirit. They want to sell Jesus without realizing the convicting power of Holy Spirit goes before us and creates a longing that is greater than any sales pitch. They use their words to give their testimony, debate, and explain and/or defend Christianity without realizing that the simple convicting power of the Sword of the Spirit – the word of God – is alive and active, will penetrate joints and marrow, and judge the heart and attitude.
Their wary victim’s eyes glaze over as enthusiastic Christians preach a sermon I call “Everything You Need to Know About Christianity In Five Minutes or Less” without trusting in the power of the simple prayer asking the Great Teacher to be Lord and Savior of the individual’s life.
When these hopeful evangelists relax and trust in the power of prayer, scripture, and the Holy Spirit, they joyfully begin leading people to Christ. They pray for God to prepare hearts and send people. When they ask a couple of icebreaker questions and quickly move to the life giving Gospel scriptures, the Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and uses it to convict hearts. When they lead someone in a prayer that confesses a belief in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, asks for forgiveness of sin, and invites Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, the person is instantly changed and usually that change is visible. The evangelist stops feeling the pressure to teach the new Christian everything because they have witnessed the Holy Spirit entering the life and know that He is their teacher forever. If someone says no to Jesus, the disappointed evangelist no longer panics and resorts to debate, sales, or begging. They walk away in confidence because they trust that the word of God will continue to do its work and not return void.
When we trust the power of prayer, scripture, and the Holy Spirit, there is little to no drama with evangelism. People are seldom offended and when they are, it is usually because we stopped trusting in the power of prayer, scripture, and the Holy Spirit. The promised ripe harvest literally bursts forth with fruit laid at our feet. It is astoundingly easy. Many meet Jesus. Lives are changed.
Witnessing the power of prayer, scripture, and the Holy Spirit strengthens our faith as we relax and realize with relief that the weight of a sinful world isn’t on our human shoulders.
Scripture
Prayer: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 6:23
Scripture: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.Isiah 55:11
Holy Spirit: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26
Topic Trusting
Pray steadfastly
Watch for opportunities with thanksgiving to answered prayer
Offer scripture – it is alive and active. Our words are not.
Lead people in a prayer that calls on the name of the Lord
Trust the scripture that says they are saved
Trust that the Father has sent them a helper – the Holy Spirit that will bring the words of Jesus to their minds
Evangelism Tip – The Process
Pray for open doors
Trust the prayer
Ask:
If you died today, where will you go? Listen
Ask them how will they answer if God asks why He should let them into heaven.
If you get any other answer other than I am going to heaven because I called on Jesus and have been saved, speak these scriptures:
John 3:16
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Romans 10:13
Offer to lead them in a prayer confessing belief in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, asking for forgiveness of sin, and asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.
If they say yes, lead them in prayer, one sentence at a time.
If they say no, politely thank them for listening and walk away .
Evangelize America
What a week. 93 prayed to receive Jesus at Bonnaroo. That makes 133 that I have been directly involved with. During the week of July 4th, three PFOC team members are joining Inside Out Ministries in Seattle Washington to evangelize in our Nations Capital at Christ on the Mall. We have a need for that. Someone asked to join us at the last minute and we booked the ticket trusting God to provide. That ticket was $689. Can you help? After DC, I plan to spend a little time with Bob and hit the road for this year’s journey.
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