Whatever our occupation, every Christian has a second full-time job—we are called to be evangelists. Our Savior said, “Lift up your eyes and look upon the fields, they are white already unto harvest” (John 4:35).
Part of God’s plan for you is to get your eyes off self and onto others. No matter how faithfully you attend church, generously give, eloquently teach, or circumspectly walk, if you’re not endeavoring to bring people to Jesus Christ, you’re not right with God. God didn’t save you to be a member of Christians Anonymous. He commands us to go make disciples. It’s not a request; it’s a command.
Do you share your faith? You say, “Well, I keep the faith.” Not only should you keep it, you should give it away. If you don’t have a desire to give it away, perhaps you should give it up. Friend, we know the answer to sin, sorrow, and death. If you don’t care to share, how can you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ?
Fifty years from now, most of us will be gone; in 25 years a great number of us will be gone. We’re going to stand before the Lord and report in.
I was at the bedside of a dying man, a good man who loved God—a church worker. Tears rose in his eyes as he said, “I’ve given my heart to Jesus. I know I’m going to heaven. Pastor, I’m not afraid to die…I’m ashamed to die. Before long I’m going to meet my Lord, and I’ve not been a soul-winner.”
Think about it. Must I go in empty-handed? Must I meet my Savior so? Without one soul with which to greet him? Must I empty-handed go? No, you want to come rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you, golden grain to lay at the Master’s feet.
God never leaves unused a fully surrendered, cleansed vessel. When I played football, I was always grateful when someone downfield was blocking. But no matter how much blocking there is, someone has to carry the ball. God will send the Holy Spirit and angels to block for you, but you’ve got to carry the ball.
Be sensitive to the direction of the Spirit. How tragic if Christ is leading, and you’re not listening! When God told Philip to leave that wonderful revival in Samaria and go out to Gaza to meet the Ethiopian official, from a human viewpoint it didn’t make sense. But God’s ways are often unexplained. He didn’t say, “Now Philip, in Gaza there’s an opportunity on wheels—a man of great importance I want you to meet.” He just said, “Go.” As if under sealed orders, Philip went. Awaiting Philip was the man who would open up North Africa to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Are you sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit that if God says “Go,” you go? Obedience doesn’t demand to know why. We don’t see the will of God by looking forward to the horizon but by looking back over our shoulder saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord led.”
Who knows what tremendous opportunities God may have for you? God works on both sinner and soul-winner, and when we’re sensitive to the Spirit, God gets us together. Perhaps tomorrow you’ll meet someone who went to a church, a well of religion, but came away dry and doesn’t know how to be saved. Manley Beasley said, “You get right with God and you’ll have to backslide to keep from winning souls.”
Christianity is not just the Jewish religion or the Gentile religion. It’s the old-time, all-time, new-time, every-time religion—one faith, good for all, broad in its availability, narrow in its source. The source is the Lord Jesus Christ.
What a privilege God gives us—one that angels don’t have, and we’ll not have in the world to come—bringing souls to Christ. I hope He is a bright, living reality to you, and that from a life that is pure and clean you’ll skillfully take an open Bible and show how Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the world.
God is calling every Christian to be an evangelist. Be sensitive to the direction of the Spirit, swift to answer the demands of the Spirit, and steadfast for the desire of the Spirit— bringing souls to the Lord Jesus Christ.
