Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19991226.htm

FUNCTIONING BY GOD'S POWER FOR BASIC DAILY LIVING NEEDS
Part III: Effectively Witnessing The Christian Faith By God's Power
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though the Bible gives the believer the responsibility and commission to make disciples of all men (Matthew 28:19-20), the experience of many is one of ineffectiveness rather than witnessing success.
    2. There are spiritual power dynamics involved in witnessing to which every believer must align himself if he would expect to get anywhere in effective witnessing (as follows):
  2. Effectively Witnessing The Christian Faith By God's Power, Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8 et al.
    1. When Jesus prepared to leave the earth, He informed His disciples that they needed to abide in Jerusalem to become endued with God's power from heaven, Luke 24:49.
    2. Upon gaining that power, which was the power of God, the Holy Spirit, they would be effective witnesses of Christ to the ends of the earth, Acts 1:8.
    3. If we look at the spiritual dynamics of witnessing as disclosed in Scripture, we see the need for the believer's proper alignment to God the Holy Spirit in this witnessing endeavor (as follows):
      1. The great obstacle to witnessing is SATAN, an obstacle the believer in himself CANNOT handle:
        1. If one does not believe in Christ, he is under the reign and power of Satan so that his thinking is shrouded from the truth by Satan, 1 John 5:19 NIV; 2 Cor. 4:4 and Colossians 1:13 implied.
        2. Satan was the most powerful angelic being created by God, making a believer in himself ill-equipped to counter Satan's control over the unsaved, Isa. 14:12-15 with Ryrie Study Bible, KJV ftns.
      2. Yet, God the Holy Spirit Who indwells every believer is greater than Satan, 1 Jn. 4:4b; Rom. 8:9b.
      3. Accordingly, providing the believer relies upon the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-23), obeys the Spirit's leading in his life and ministry (Acts 16:7-10) and uses the spiritual gift given to him by the Holy Spirit accordingly (2 Tim. 1:6-7) [at the Spirit's sovereign purposes (1 Cor. 12:4-10, 11)], he can and will accomplish what God wants him to achieve in the witnessing process, and all to the glory of God.
    4. Accordingly, here are the Biblical steps for effective witnessing:
      1. Step One - Believe on Christ as Savior to be translated from Satan's kingdom unto the kingdom of Christ, becoming indwelt by the omnipotent God, the Holy Spirit, Jn. 3:16; Col. 1:13; Rom. 8:9b.
      2. Step Two - If we have unconfessed sin, it blocks the Holy Spirit's effective use of us; thus, we must confess it for cleansing and restoration to effective usefulness by the Lord, 1 John 1:9.
      3. Step Three - As witnessing involves spiritual WAR against Satan, in this position, FOLLOW the Lord's leading by using the enabling He has given us in the geographical setting of His leading, cf. Acts 13:1-3, 4-12, 13 with Acts 15:36-38. The Lord had not called John Mark to join Paul and Barnabas on their missionary endeavor, and John deserted them when facing conflict! Good intentions are not enough to make witnessing effective, for, in witnessing, we are in a spiritual war against superhuman forces: witnessing on our own is worse than landing at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day without any armor, weapons or fire cover! Heed God's leading and equipping -- it is VITAL!
      4. Step Four - In following the Lord, depend on God's power for every step:
        1. Paul, the missionary-apostle, called of God for that task, asked for prayer for opportunities to witness (Col. 4:2-3) and for witnessing boldness in such opportunities (Eph. 6:18-19). Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit had to give the right words in crisis witnessing as well, cf. Matthew 10:18-20.
        2. Thus, each step of the way needs to be one where the believer is following the Lord and leaning on His leading in every way. Otherwise, the Evil One can and will effectively block his efforts!
      5. Step Five - Give the Gospel in witnessing, for the Gospel is the power of God, Romans 1:16. Men are not saved by any other persuasion other than that which God has endued with His power.
      6. Step Six - Do not expect to win converts of everyone we evangelize: men believe if they wish to believe according to Revelation 22:17! Not all men wish as much!
Lesson: Effective witnessing is an endeavor in which a vastly INFERIOR believer arms himself with the VASTLY SUPERIOR power, equipping and leading of God, the Holy Spirit to do God's work.

Application: To witness well, FOLLOW God closely, LEAN on God fully and TRUST God implicitly!