Learning how your story is enough to bring people into relationship with Jesus Christ.
Recently, I was working a typical day, doing paperwork and answering phone calls. As I was just getting back from lunch my phone rang again. I was annoyed at first because I had so much paperwork to do that day, and I did not feel like having a long conversation with someone at that moment. Despite this, I answered the phone. The man on the other end asked me if I could send him a Bible.
The organization I serve gives out Bibles regularly so this was not an uncommon occurrence. I would typically respond with a yes and then ask the man what his address was so we could send someone in his area to give him a Bible. I started off by following the typical procedure, but I felt the Holy Spirit push me to ask this man if he wanted to know more about Christianity or if he just wanted a Bible. To my surprise, he said, “Yeah, I guess I want to know more about Christianity, too.”
Be Attentive to The Voice of God
One of my first responses was to say, “Great, let me send you some resources on what it means to be a Christian and what happens next.” Although we have plenty of resources on what it means to be a Christian that would be helpful to someone searching for answers, the Holy Spirit pushed me again telling me, “You are the resource.”
This really struck me. So I sat back, calmed my mind down from all the things I needed to do that afternoon and I asked the man, “Can I tell you what it means?” He agreed. For the next 20 minutes I had a wonderful conversation with this man about what it truly meant to follow Jesus, what He did for us on the cross, and what He promises those who follow Him for all eternity. As the call was concluding, I found myself leading this man through a prayer to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Many times, in my life, I get so caught up in all that I have to do that I miss the most important thing God is calling me to do that day. God opened an incredible door for me when that man called, and I would have potentially slammed it shut if I just gave him some resources and sent him on his way. Often times, my days are extremely busy, but that day I learned that I have to make sure my day is never too busy for what God wants me to do. That task is the one that no matter what happens, I cannot miss.
Insecurity Inhibits Your Witness
Many times, I believed the best thing to do for people asking about Jesus was to give them a resource because I felt I was not prepared to share with them. I felt like my knowledge and experience was not enough. I felt like someone else was much more qualified to share Jesus with them. Better yet, the resources I would give them would explain things much better than I ever could.
That day God challenged me by reminding me that I am a follower of Jesus and have received His Holy Spirit. He reminded me that I know exactly what it means to follow Him because I am living it. I realized that my story has power because the power of Jesus has been breathed into it. Jesus reminded me that I am enough, not because I have incredible knowledge and experience, but because He who lives in me is greater than he who lives in the world. The God of the universe was on my side, helping me every step of the way. I am worthy in His eyes.
I began to understand that Jesus is calling me to share my story with those around me. Wow, the Savior of the world desires to use my story to bring others to Himself. How awesome is that! What is even more incredible is that our Savior desires that same thing for each and every person! He has given each of us a unique story for a reason and He cannot wait for us to open it up for the world to read. Why? Because people can see the love and grace of Jesus Christ throughout the pages of our life. The question is, are you willing to be God’s open book?
Becoming God’s Open Book
God has taught me that that my story is the most powerful testimony I have. My story has power, whether I think it does or not, because Jesus is the climax of my story. He gave me that story for a reason, and His desire is for me to share it with the world around me. Many Christians never do this because they do not feel like they are a good speaker or somehow will “mess it up”. This is why many Christians like myself, instead, give people a resource or a Bible to read.
The truth is that God does not call the equipped, but He equips the called. God wants us to give our weaknesses to Him so His strength and power can shine through. When we come to Him in complete faith and ask Him to guide us and lead us His spirit brings a peace that surpasses all understanding giving us the wisdom and confidence to say what God is laying upon our hearts.
Moses had a speech impediment and tried to run away from what God was calling him to do. He, like many of us, did not believe he was equipped to speak and lead others. But God desired for him to do so. When he fully surrendered to God, he began to see God use him in ways he never imagined. Ultimately, Moses became one of the greatest leaders in history and lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt with God’s hand upon him.
It is God Working in You
When we are weak, scared, and lack confidence, we can rest assured that our heavenly Father is watching over us waiting to lend a helping hand. I ran across a verse recently that really spoke to me about this. The verse is found in Acts 4:13 and it says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (ESV) What I find so inspiring in this verse is that Peter and John were uneducated, common men, yet the people were astonished because they knew they were with Jesus. In that moment what spoke to these people was not how educated, talented, or popular Peter and John were, but Who lived and breathed through Peter and John. This surpassed anything else. This is what the people took away from this encounter.
The next time Jesus opens a door in in my life to witness to someone, I am going to be confident in who He has called me to be and rest assured knowing that He will guide me through. God has assured me that I am enough. Not because there is any good or power in me. But because Jesus Christ is working in me both to will and to do according to the good pleasure of our Father in Heaven.
I now know that we do not have to be afraid when someone asks us to share Jesus with them. Instead, we can rejoice because God is about to use us in a powerful way for His kingdom. In fact, the person I am witnessing to will see and feel the Spirit of God within me and they will be astonished by the One who lives in me. No matter how educated or well-spoken I may come across, if I allow the Holy Spirit to speak through me, the only thing they will take away from that encounter is who Jesus is. This is more than enough. I may not feel equipped, but God will equip me and His Spirit will guide me through.
I am worthy in His eyes, and my story is enough.
