"YOU ARE DESIGNED TO WIN SOULS"
INTRODUCTION
The average church member puts on his or her "happy face" when they go to church. Many have the same testimony as the clown who said, "I'm laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside." John 10:10, states that Jesus came that you may have ABUNDANT life. He didn't come that you may just have eternal life, but that you may have an abundant, victorious life. He designed you to win, to achieve, and to live victoriously.
EVERYTHING WAS CREATED FOR A DEFINITE PURPOSE:
· A logical deduction: we can understand this truth by local deduction. God had a purpose for everything He did and made.
Genesis 1:24: All living creatures reproduce after its own kind:
· The fruit of an apple tree is apples
· The fruit of dogs is puppies
· The natural product of marriage is children. A young man does not have to be a "Mr. Atlas" nor his wife a "Miss America" in order to have children
· The fruit of the righteous (Saints, saved) is winning souls
Romans 4:3-6: The Bible declares that a righteous person is one who has the imputed righteousness of Christ.
The "tree of life" is symbolic of eternal life. A normal function of a saved person is to win souls. The tree does not produce fruit for its own benefit but for the benefit of others. The fruit of the saved is to win others for Christ.
Proverbs 11:30: God's interpretation of "The fruit of the righteous..." has two phases:
1: The fruit, or substance, of the righteous (Saints, saved) is the tree of life (winning souls)
2: The second phase is God's interpretation of the first: "...he that winneth souls is wise." Therefore God interprets the first phase, "The fruit of the righteous..." by saying, "and he that winneth souls is wise."
GOD HAS PROMISED THAT YOU CAN WIN SOULS
John 15:16: You were chosen and ordained to go...
· "...and bring forth fruit..." (fruit of the saved is winning souls)
Psalm 126:6: God's divine method: "He that goeth forth and weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, brining his sheaves (saved souls) with him."
· "shall": that's a definite promise to the one who goes (burdened with the Word to save souls) "doubtless come again with rejoicing (absolute promise from Almighty God)..."
· "He": is not a preacher. It is not someone who has the gift of gab. It is not someone who has a special calling. It can be anyone.
· "with rejoicing": there are four descriptive terms of the joy the soul-winner will have:
· Psalm 126:1: "...like them that dream[ed]."
· Psalm 126:2: "...our mouth filled with laughter..."
· Psalm 126:2: "...tongue with singing..."
· Psalm 126:3: "The Lord hath done great things for us..." denotes success
THIS VERSE PROMISES THE ABUNDANT LIFE (Psalm 126:6)
· It states that anyone who goes with a concern for souls (i.e., with a message from the Word of God)...
· ...will doubtless come again with abundant, victorious life like them that dreamed, mouth filled with laughter, tongue with singing, everyone noticing the blessing God upon their life. They acknowledge God's blessing, therefore they are glad (Psalm 126:3).
FIVE SIMPLE STEPS: You are not only designed to win but God gave the simple steps to bearing fruit which brings the abundant life. The steps are...
· Going - to the lost
· Weeping - concerned
· Sowing - the Message
· Having faith - (doubtless) a sure promise
· Rejoicing - because of souls won
GOD HAS CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS...
· How are you feeling?
· Do you feel you "can't"?
· Do you feel like you are unable to win souls?
· Do you feel that you have "too big a fear problem"?
· Do you feel that you have "too much an inferiority complex to overcome"?
· Do you feel that maybe lack of education/knowledge exists?
· Do you feel that you are too self-conscious to win souls?
GOOD NEWS: 1 Corinthians 1:27: God chose little people, weak people, and people with inferiority complexes to do great things. He chose:
· A 17 year old boy, Joseph, to save his family, Israel
· A Jewish maiden, Esther, to deliver her whole country
· A hillbilly shepherd boy, David, to become Israel's greatest king
· An ignorant fisherman, Peter, to become the first pastor and chief apostle
· A little boy with a sack lunch, a man with a rod, a man with an ox-goard, a widow with two mites, YOU!!!
But you may say, "I feel so weak, so unworthy..." Good. That is a sure sign you can do it because God has chosen the weak things. Paul went with tears, with fear and trembling, and he commanded us to work out our salvation (what we're saved to do, that is, bear fruit--win souls) with fear and trembling. So, if you are scared, feel weak, feel foolish or self-conscious, you have all the qualifications to become a great soul-winner. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3; Acts 20:31; Philippians 2:12)
Philippians 2:12: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation (i.e., as in a prison sentence--come to understand it) with fear and trembling (i.e., not literally--just take it seriously)."
YOU CAN BECOME A GREAT SOUL-WINNER
We are to walk by faith:
· Hebrews 10:38: "Walk by faith" means submit yourself (obey) your pastor to be trained (with fear and trembling as a soul-winner). The just (Saints, saved) are to walk by faith
· Philippians 4:13: You can do all things through Christ whom gives you strength. Paul said he could do all things through Christ who strengthened/helped him.
· Is God a respecter of persons (i.e., does he give preferential treatment to any one person over another)? No.
· God's grace can help you to do all things ... especially a natural thing which He designed you to do (i.e., walking to running to professional running)
· That "natural thing" is the Fruit of the Saved: soul-winning
· You are to grow in grace
2 Peter 3:18: Peter tells his disciples to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge..." meaning to continue us to their dying day because there is no impasse or end to knowing God
A five year old boy cannot do what his big brother of fifteen can do. But through the process of natural growth he may grow up and exceed his big brother in many ways.
You may not be able to witness and win souls now but you can grow into a mature, fruitful soul-winner
SUMMARY
Witnessing was designed by God for all of God's children. It was designed so all could learn to do it. Witnessing is one of the most simple, easy things for a person to do. Once one learns the simple steps in witnessing, it comes a natural way of life.
