Jesus said in John 15:8 “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples,” and just a little earlier in John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
All that Jesus did can be summarised in Acts 10:38: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and [how] he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” In Matthew 15:30 we read that “Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.”
Christians are everywhere in the world. In some areas we find many literally sick people who can be prayed for to be healed, but in many areas there are not many physically lame, blind, crippled and mute people anymore. However, everywhere around us we have people who are spiritually blind, poor and mute or emotionally lame and crippled. To these we have ample to give. If we have been delivered from spiritual darkness and been washed by the Word, we have something to offer these people.
To those around us with whom we share our life daily, such as in a work situation or at a social organisation, we can reveal Biblical principles without having to preach to anybody. The world doesn’t understand forgiveness, peace, to just let an offense pass, and so on. They want to find fault and find a guilty one. We can encourage such people to solve a problem without having to know who was at fault, and when an individual feels guilty we can make sure they understand they are forgiven. When someone has wronged us and probably expects retaliation, we can purposely show them love and forgiveness. This is more powerful witness than preaching to them.
I will never forget the scene in the movie ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ where David Wilkerson acted in forgiveness and love, and the warlord of one of the gangs shook his head saying ‘I don’t dig this’. People outside of Christ don’t understand true love, and if they get exposed to it continuously it has to have an effect on them, beginning a healing process in their hearts and delivering them from the hatred and bitterness some people are used to.
Sharing about spiritual truths and the solving of emotional challenges in our own lives when we are in the company of either Christians or non-Christians, brings light to those who are in spiritual and emotional darkness. This sets the stage for the Holy Spirit to start a work in the hearts of the hearers. He can then use this knowledge to make them aware of their needs and the solution to it. He can start guiding them towards the truth and, as we give more light (information), He has more to work with.
Showing the love of Jesus (sometimes called friendship evangelism) creates curiosity in people’s hearts, but sharing information in a casual manner (which is essentially preaching) answers their curiosity. “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15).
When we were born again we became disciples of Jesus, and all His disciples were sent to preach the good news (Mark 16:15-18 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2016:15-18&version=NIV1984). Shall we make a point to see to it that the spiritually blind, mute and poor receive revelation and the emotionally lame and crippled receive healing? This does not require a mighty faith, but simply sowing of information and witnessing, believing that the Holy Spirit will work along with us.
Lord, I need to make a difference.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.
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