HOW DO I DO IT?
Oftentimes I have been approached by a youngster, moved by a word or speech, expressing the wish to serve the Lord in some way or other. Judging from the sparkle in the eyes, it is an honest desire. But – more often than not, it is followed by a disheartening: “But I don’t know how to bring people to Jesus!”
WHEN WILL I BE CALLED?
There are so many Christians too, who know the Scriptures fairly well. They attend Christian conferences and seminars, complete various courses, and read stacks of books on spiritual matters, evangelizing, spiritual growth… And then they still wonder when they are going to get the calling to some form of ministration. I have so often been involved with counselling Christians afflicted with depression or whatever problem which they just cannot overcome – smoking, or lust – blaming the demons…
DON’T BLAME GOD!
Let me give an example: Some time ago I had a middle-aged married couple for counselling, both almost done for by drugs prescribed for stress and fear, coupled with psychiatric treatment. Both confessing members of a Pentecostal church, speaking in tongues, receiving adult baptism, attending church services regularly, and walking closely with God. And yet they were both, as I have said, almost done for… Their pastor didn’t know about their problems; they had not the heart to approach him, nor about his neglect to come and see them in spite of requests. The husband was addicted to gambling – his wife refused to become involved in his business. She, on her part, couldn’t forgive him for squandering the whole of R150 000 in seven years’ time. Owning to the stress she had had a miscarriage, she blamed God for not giving her a child!
THE REAL PROBLEM
What a scenario! These people were caught up in a vicious circle from which they were unable to escape. At least I could convince the mister about the sin of gambling with money entrusted to him by the Lord and wasting it in Satan’s kingdom. In spite of true remorse, he phoned me two days afterwards with the sad news that he had lost R300 in gambling… What is the real problem in such a case? Disobedience to the most important command given to all Christians by the Lord Jesus Himself as in Matthew 28:19-20
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”
How do you do this? Quite simple: By testifying. Revelations 12:11 tells us
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
THE WORD AND SALVATION
Every person professing Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Saviour has been cleansed by His costly blood and has to testify to it. Irrespective of the enormousness of your sins, and what you had been before the Lord saved you, we have all been forgiven all our sins. I must remind you that, if you have doubts about your salvation, you will have problems. The Word shows us the right way. I gladly provide a few texts from which you may get assurance about your salvation:
ACCEPTING GOD’S WORD AS TRUTH
TESTIFYING ABOUT JESUS TO OTHERS
Matthew 10:32 and Romans 10:9-10
OBEDIENCE TO GOD
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD
TURNING AWAY FROM SIN
LOVING OTHER BELIEVERS
THE HOLY SPIRIT TESTIFIES TO IT ALL
GOD GIVES US ASSURANCE
1 John 5:13
TESTIMONY IS POWER
The power of testifying is largely undervalued. It is one of the most important determining factors in bringing sinners to conversion. More people are saved through testimonies than through the most elaborately worked and finely worded sermon filled with theological facts. As for myself: after more than twenty years on the Christian path I have never ceased to testify. In times of going astray, I have returned to God every time, being reminded of my own testimony! In fact, it was owing to a testimony I had given that a path to ministering was opened before me.
DR KRIGE AND HOUSE REGENERATION
This adapted content was extracted from Make your Stand, authored by Dr Ado Krige, the Founding Director of House Regeneration, a South African drug rehabilitation centre offering a comprehensive discipleship training program. By applying principles of Biblical Therapy, using the Scriptures to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness, House Regeneration counsellors show anyone who has suffered from addiction how to fully understand why they do what they do and how to bring their belief systems in line with the Word of God.
