Trying to lead others to Christ.

[Hazelelponi]

I think expecting something "big" to happen is likely just going to push people away. We are individuals and God deals with us as such..

When someone prays to God for the remission of their sins and repents of their sins and declares with their mouth Jesus is Lord after believing in His Name with all hope and trust, it would be a LOT of a put off if the person who led them to Christ then declared they werent saved!

Not every one is the same, don't shove people away the second they are saved.. do you honestly think someone can handle that?

That's a test not a welcome home!

 

[Dan the deacon]

I expect the old to pass and the new to have arrived.

How soon are you expecting this? When I first came to Christ, I left the man's house that led me to Christ without showing any emotion. I drove about a mile and then began to cry. I had to pull over because I could not see for the tears.
It was over a year before I shared the story with the man who led me to Christ. All you need you already have. You will never know if any of those you lead to Christ are genuine. That is not what we are called to do. We share and lead. God does the rest.

 

[Dan the deacon]

I think expecting something "big" to happen is likely just going to push people away. We are individuals and God deals with us as such..

When someone prays to God for the remission of their sins and repents of their sins and declares with their mouth Jesus is Lord after believing in His Name with all hope and trust, it would be a LOT of a put off if the person who led them to Christ then declared they werent saved!

Not every one is the same, don't shove people away the second they are saved.. do you honestly think someone can handle that?

That's a test not a welcome home!

Amen

 

[St_Worm2]

Today I witnessed to 2 people, and it was the best witnessing work I have ever done. We're all at work though and they received my message gladly and they were engaged. However I'm not sure if this is just not the right place and time or what but when I went to pray with them... nothing changed. I am not doubting what God can do but whether I am doing it right or not or if they just need to ask God themselves in a better environment than work.

Hi Valetic, first off, it's wonderful to hear that you are witnessing, but we always need to remember that it's God who "closes the deal" (if you will), and that in His perfect timing. So as God's fellow workers, those who faithfully plant/water the seeds of faith in people's lives are no more or less important than those who are also there to see them come to saving faith in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who
causes the growth.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers.....​

As I look back at the long line of witnesses that God brought into my life, I am very thankful to Him for all of them. Also, the words of the final link in that long chain of witnesses were really nothing special (in and of themselves) as I'd certainly heard them all before, but something about them was very different on that particular day (it was as if I was finally hearing them for the very first time).

Yours and His,
David
p.s. - BTW, the final witness, the one God used most directly to lead me to Him, was not there when I actually came to saving faith later that day, but the words the Lord gave him to use certainly were

 

[AlexDTX]

Actually I did with one of them and that's when we initiated prayer. He really acts like he's ready but then it didn't happen when we prayed. I'm looking for their spiritual birth..

It takes 9 months for babies to be born.

 

[Dan the deacon]

There are times I think men think they saved someone. Sorry, that is not our job. God has that fully under control. Our job is to spread the gospel.

 

[Dan the deacon]

I expect the old to pass and the new to have arrived.

You are being vague. I have no idea what you mean.

 

[JIMINZ]

Today I witnessed to 2 people, and it was the best witnessing work I have ever done. We're all at work though and they received my message gladly and they were engaged. However I'm not sure if this is just not the right place and time or what but when I went to pray with them... nothing changed. I am not doubting what God can do but whether I am doing it right or not or if they just need to ask God themselves in a better environment than work.

.
2 Cor. 6:2
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

There is no better time or place than the one that presents itself to be used.

Don't ever second guess your self or your actions as far as witnessing is concerned, there is never a bad time or place, when a person has been drawn by God to the point his heart is ripe for receiving, that is when it should take place, that is when God has determined it will take place.

In the natural, the baby is the one who decides when he is going to be born, not the doctor.

We are not the Ministers of Salvation, but of Reconciliation.

2Cor. 5:18,19
18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We are to lead a person to the point where they are Reconciled, then God through His Grace, gives them the Faith to receive the Gift of their Salvation through Christ.

Billy Graham said at one time, "He believed that of all the thousands of people that had ever come forward in his Crusades, that only 2% of them ever followed through and were living a Christian life.

Don't beat yourself up over it, God will give you another shot, maybe not with these people but He hasen't given up on you..........!

 

[Valetic]

I think I'm doing it right. I'll keep doing it because I'm pretty sure these guys learned why Jesus died on the cross today.

 

[Dynamaniac]

We are only instructed to plant the seeds. It's God's job to do the rest. We are to be his witnesses. He will take care of the watering and the growth. You were obedient and you shared the gospel. You did the part you were called to do that day. Allow God to do the rest and trust that He will. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, and keep sharing the faith.

 

[Dan the deacon]

I think I'm doing it right. I'll keep doing it because I'm pretty sure these guys learned why Jesus died on the cross today.

Then that part of your job is done. I still do not understand what you are expecting.

 

[Valetic]

We are only instructed to plant the seeds. It's God's job to do the rest. We are to be his witnesses. He will take care of the watering and the growth. You were obedient and you shared the gospel. You did the part you were called to do that day. Allow God to do the rest and trust that He will. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, and keep sharing the faith.

One of them keeps coming back to me every day like "what are you doing over here? You're supposed to be telling me more about the gospel!" Lol that brings me joy.

 

[Valetic]

Then that part of your job is done. I still do not understand what you are expecting.

I don't know I guess confirmation they have been reborn.

 

[Dan the deacon]

Invite them to Church.

 

[Valetic]

Invite them to Church.

I don't know why I haven't thought of this yet lol

 

[Dan the deacon]

I don't know I guess confirmation they have been reborn.

Not so sure how you could get that. Sounds like you're looking for magic.

 

[Valetic]

Not so sure how you could get that. Sounds like you're looking for magic.

Well I had a profound experience when I fully accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am well aware that not everyone has an experience they can claim to be a supernatural experience, but it seems like most Christians at least have a story of how they came to God's saving grace. There's where the real magic happens if you catch my drift. Or do I still sound like a witch full of heresy?

 

[Dan the deacon]

Well I had a profound experience when I fully accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am well aware that not everyone has an experience they can claim to be a supernatural experience, but it seems like most Christians at least have a story of how they came to God's saving grace. There's where the real magic happens if you catch my drift. Or do I still sound like a witch full of heresy?

No you do not sound like a witch. You do sound like you expect all to have an experience much like you. We are ALL very different and what we show may not be how we feel. Just lead folk to Christ and let God make the changes.

 

[Valetic]

No you do not sound like a witch. You do sound like you expect all to have an experience much like you. We are ALL very different and what we show may not be how we feel. Just lead folk to Christ and let God make the changes.

I don't understand what pastors mean when they say that salvation for the individual starts out as a singular event that turns into the process of being saved if nobody is supposed to be able to look back and say "that's when I was saved."

No I don't expect everyone to have a great experience. I do expect everyone to be able to testify of the Holy Spirit that indwelt them when they believed. Is that wrong?

Or I could say someone who is born of God will not shrink back because they are born of God. Not only did they believe but they believed and were saved or believed and were born again.

What you are saying to me is that people can be saved or born again without ever knowing what those terms mean. Fine. Can they be saved without the knowledge that they know God?

God is unknowable because He is beyond our comprehension. He is transcendent of the material universe. Yet we can know Him to an extent through His involvement in the world and the revelation that involvement brings. So take Jesus Christ for example. Now we can know God.

So sure I planted the seed, but how will I ever know or even they know if God made it grow? If they can't look back and say, man I was saved that day. A ton of people save the date and call it their spiritual birthday.

Does this clarify the confirmation I'm looking for?

 

[Dan the deacon]

I don't understand what pastors mean when they say that salvation for the individual starts out as a singular event that turns into the process of being saved if nobody is supposed to be able to look back and say "that's when I was saved."

No I don't expect everyone to have a great experience. I do expect everyone to be able to testify of the Holy Spirit that indwelt them when they believed. Is that wrong?

Or I could say someone who is born of God will not shrink back because they are born of God. Not only did they believe but they believed and were saved or believed and were born again.

What you are saying to me is that people can be saved or born again without ever knowing what those terms mean. Fine. Can they be saved without the knowledge that they know God?

God is unknowable because He is beyond our comprehension. He is transcendent of the material universe. Yet we can know Him to an extent through His involvement in the world and the revelation that involvement brings. So take Jesus Christ for example. Now we can know God.

So sure I planted the seed, but how will I ever know or even they know if God made it grow? If they can't look back and say, man I was saved that day. A ton of people save the date and call it their spiritual birthday.

Does this clarify the confirmation I'm looking for?

Did you tell them the Holy Spirit would indwell them as soon as they believe? If so, why? Did you learn that from scripture or did spme pastor tell you that?
In my Church these things happen at our baptism. At least that is when it is asked for.
We dunk people three times ( in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit).
None of us fully understand the indwelling. We can better understand when we think spiritually and not of the natural.
You will never (on earth) know if one you bring to Christ is really converted. That is something only God knows. It isn't even our business. It is our business to spread the gospel. If you are called to teach or preach your responsibly increases but even then we can only guess if someone is saved.
I do understand your concern. I have the same concerns. But it is not for us to judge the salvation of one who claims Christ as thier saviour. Now if the Holy Ghost instructs you to go to one claiming salvation and tells you they are not, that would change everything I have said. But I have never heard of that happening.