Everyday Evangelism: Praying With People

Everyday Evangelism: Praying With People

by | Sep 11, 2024 | Equipped, The Pattern

One of the things that Christians seem to struggle with, no matter how far in their walk with the Lord they might be, is praying for others.

Many of us just don’t have that kind of personality, we don’t have that boldness…

We see in Mark chapter 6 that Jesus sent out the Twelve in pairs of two to go and do some practical ministry. We read in verses 12-13: “ They went out and preached that people should repent.  They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” (NIV)

The disciples were sent out to pray for people – amongst other things. 

And we, as disciples of the Lord Jesus, are all called to do the same.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or super spiritual. It just needs to be authentic – from the heart.

That being said, I offer a few guidelines below to get you started:

1. Finding a person to pray for:

Usually the opportunity to pray for someone will present itself naturally. Other times you might be led to pray for someone in church, or even in a public place (as has often happened to me). 

I would advise that you avoid praying for a member of the opposite sex alone. If you are a man praying for a woman, please make sure that your wife, or another woman from your team is present – and vice versa.

Also, before you start praying for someone make sure to introduce yourself properly, and ensure that you know their name.

2. Ask the person if you can pray for them:

Once you have found someone who needs prayer, ask them if it is okay for you to pray for them right there and then. Do not just launch into prayer and the laying on of hands. It is important that the person you are praying for is comfortable with what is about to happen.

Remember to always check before laying hands on anyone.

3. Ask the person what you can pray for:

It will make your task of in-person prayer so much easier if you have a specific need to pray for. Make sure your prayer specifically addresses this need. Pray in a way that is encouraging and loving.

4. Keep it short and simple:

You don’t have to pray a long, eloquent prayer. God hears our faith – not our words. If your prayer is only a sentence or two – don’t worry – there is power in the faith-filled prayer of the righteous!

5. Make sure you end the time of prayer with a clear AMEN.

You want to be sure that the person you are praying for knows when the prayer has ended.

Conclusion: Praying for someone else in person doesn’t have to be hard. God wants us to pray for one another, and it can be a great way of opening the door for you to share your faith.

If you find yourself praying for a person who does not go to church, or is perhaps unsaved, why don’t you take the opportunity to invite them to your church – so that you can carry on praying and walking with the person in the Lord.

We are all called to pray for one another. 

Let us take up the work of prayer and make a difference for the Kingdom wherever we might find ourselves.

Everyday Evangelism: The Romans Road

Everyday Evangelism: The Romans Road

by | Sep 3, 2024 | Equipped, The Pattern

“How do I lead someone to the Lord?”

This is by far one of the most common questions I get asked in my ministry to young believers.

And while this seems like a daunting task, it is actually quite simple. There are so many methods and techniques available to every day believers – and here I will present one of the simplest.

It is called the Romans Road to Salvation.

We have all given directions to somewhere – whether to the post office or the local mall, or even our own home – and we usually rely on landmarks to do so. “Turn left when you get to the big tree, through the red gate and past the old school…” Landmarks make it easy to tell others how to get where they are going.

And just like that we are going to use the book of Romans to guide our listener towards Jesus – guiding them along this road through Romans, the Romans Road, we are going to present our brothers and sisters with some landmarks to help them find their way from lost to found.

With only a handful of verses in your back-pocket you too can become an every day evangelist.

Landmark 1: ”We are all lost…”
Key verses: Romans 3:10, 3:23 and 6:23

The Bible teaches us that no-one is righteous – not even one ((Romans 3:10). All of us have sinned, and continue to sin, falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

This sin is very much a separation between us and God – like a huge wall or a wide chasm. Our sin separates us from God. 

His plan for us, from the very beginning was life. Romans 6:23: tells us that the wages of sin is death – eternal death and separation. Besides this, our sin also has very real consequences for us in our current life. It kills relationships, friendships and marriages – it kills our finances – it can even kill us.

Sin is bad and the consequences are bad.

And we all are guilty – all of us deserve what is coming to us. But there is hope.

Landmark 2: “There is hope in Jesus.”
Key verses: Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8

Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death – but it also tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:8: gives us this wonderful news – that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! He shed His blood upon the cross, giving His life for us, so that the death warrant of sin would be torn apart!

His blood justifies us! Frees us of the bondage of sin and fear! And calls us to be children of God!

Landmark 3: “Do you want to be free?”
Key verses: Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13

This freedom is available to you today. And it will cost you nothing more than a decision. Jesus already paid – it is yours – you just have to collect it!

John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to die for us! So that every single person – no matter what they have done or where they have been in life, might be saved if they call on His name! 

And calling on His name is really easy.

Romans 10:9-10: says the following: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  (NIV)

Romans 10:13 tells us that everyone who does this – everyone who calls on Jesus will be saved.

You just need a mustard seed of faith in your heart, and just confess it with me today – and you will be saved!

Landmark 4: The Result
Key verses: Romans 5:1-2, Romans 8:1

If you can muster up just that little bit of faith and courage to choose Jesus today something wonderful will happen.

Romans 5:1-2: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. (NIV)

First of all, you will be justified. This means that all of your sins will be washed away and you will be clean before the Lord. The death warrant against you, the result of sin, will be torn up. You will be made new.

Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

This justification means that you can step into newness of life – a freshness – you can be renewed and restored today.

Secondly, you will be at peace with God – no longer separated from Him by your sin and shame, but walking with Him, and Him with you.

Lastly, through making peace with God, justified through Christ Jesus, you will be born again into His family – a child of God, and your inheritance will be eternal life. This means that one day, when all is said and done, I will see you there in Heaven!

If you want this today, let’s pray together:

Lord, I know that I am a sinner and that the wages of sin is death. I believe today that You died for me on the cross, so that I might be free of this sin and the death that comes with it. Right now I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He died for my sins, and that through His blood, His death and His resurrection I am saved. Thank you Jesus for Your love, Your grace, Your mercy, peace, and this great gift of eternal life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

NEXT STEPS:

It is important that we don’t just leave the person at this point and move on to the next. Jesus calls us, not just to lead people to Him, but to make disciples! Remember to always provide your brother or sister with a way forward – details for their local church or a number they can call or even text. The person you have led to Jesus is now a newborn Christian, and newborns Christians – just like new born babies, need care and support. Make sure you lead them, not only to Jesus, but also to a place where they can grow in their newfound relationship with God.

 

Walking With Jesus Part 5: Fishermen (Mark 1:16-20)

Walking With Jesus Part 5: Fishermen (Mark 1:16-20)

by | Sep 2, 2024 | Articles, Bible Studies, Called, God in the Details, Walking With Jesus

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 

Mark 1:17, NIV

The first disciples are called on the shore of the sea of Galilee – humble fishermen, Andrew and Simon who would later be called Peter, and a little later James and John – the Sons of Thunder.

They were everyday working men.

Where other Rabbi’s and Teachers called disciples from religious schools and places of higher learning, Jesus called the Everyman. Diamonds in the rough, with calloused hands and tough demeanors.

They were not seminary educated. They were not wealthy and had no status in society. They were common men, hard working men – although they might have been respected as small-time business men in their communities, they were often overlooked and underestimated in the other arenas of life – and dismissed altogether when it came to religious, spiritual and more philosophical things.

But Jesus sees deeper. 

Jesus arrives announcing the coming of The Kingdom – He has come with a mission and He needs strong, willing men to help Him establish, proclaim and expand the boundaries of this Kingdom.

Of course the core of His group would consist of fishermen – tough, rugged tenacious men. Courageous men. Hard working men.

Jesus looked at the fishermen and saw team-players (fishermen seldom worked alone) with great courage, stamina, faith, energy and patience – the ability to endure.

The Gospel of Jesus has always been practical.

God does not call the qualified – there were many who were qualified – who knew the scriptures, who understood the prophecies, who were willing and ready to believe – even in Jesus day. We see this in Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was willing to believe – but not willing to endure the hardship that would come with the Cross of Christ.

God qualifies the called. And on this day, by the sea of Galilee, He called four humble men. 

“Follow me… and I will make you fishers of men.”

And the Bible says they left their nets, they left their boats – and they followed.

They simply followed.

The Gospel of Jesus is practical. In training others for the work of ministry I have often found that courses, studies and endless reading lists are not effective – but the concept of ‘journeying’ is. There is power in ‘walking together’.

And this is what Jesus invited them to do. “Come and walk with me, and I will make you fishers of men…”

Jesus, in the book of Mark, teaches primarily through action. His training of the disciples is very much hands on, through demonstration more than discussion. And perhaps, for some of us, this is exactly what is necessary. 

Jesus is still calling fishermen today – not just the seminary student – God doesn’t need a degree to work through us – He only needs a willing heart with a yielded yes.

The biggest impact is not made from behind the pulpit, but through His presence in our daily lives – if He is present in us, and we are present in the lives of others, they will see Jesus! They will see Jesus in us.

As we walk with Jesus, learning from Him – as we do what we see Him doing, and as we live as we see Him living – we will see change, lasting change, not only in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us.

Jesus is calling you today to come and ‘walk’ with Him – and in so doing, to learn from Him – so that you might also become a fisher of men.

How will you answer this call today?

Reflect:

1. Is there anything you would have to leave behind to follow Jesus fully? What people, places or things might you have to leave behind to follow Jesus? How about sin, shame or fear?

2. Are you willing to take up the call of Christ? How can you start learning from Jesus today? What practical next steps can you take?

Prayer: Lord, let me heed Your call to discipleship today. Open the eyes of my heart and my imagination. As I read Your Word, show me what discipleship looks like. As I walk with You, Jesus, show me a better way. Let me learn from You Lord, let Your life speak volumes into my own. And, as I walk with You, let me be transformed – and as I am transformed, to look more like You, let others see You in me and be transformed as well. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Hands and Feet

Hands and Feet

by | Aug 8, 2024 | Kingdom Finance, Kingdom Principles, The Pattern

I remember years ago, as a volunteer in Hillbrow doing urban missions, I sat at a soup kitchen listening to testimonies from the local homeless population.

An older man got up and went to the front. The room fell silent as he started sharing. “I have never seen God give me bread or shelter…” He started. And I felt my heart jump. I thought to myself – this is not a testimony.

But the older man continued.

“But I have seen His children acting as his hands and feet to provide to our needs.”

Over the years this statement has stuck with me. This idea has shaped my ministry over the last 12 years. It is as Richard Rohr so beautifully puts it. Presence over preaching…

Peter shares the same kind of thought with us in his first epistle. In 1 Peter 2:9: he tells us that we are a royal priesthood, a chosen generation – a peculiar people – called out of darkness with the purpose of proclaiming his goodness to those who have not yet seen his love.

I like how the older translations put it – to shew forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness. Not just to talk about it – but to practically demonstrate the Kingdom – to be ambassadors rather than citizens.

The old homeless man had a point. God uses us to facilitate His miracles. God uses us to provide and see to the needs of those who need Him. God uses us to care for the poor and disenfranchised. He uses us to bring about change. Gd works in us, He gives through us – and if He is present in our hearts, we will see His Kingdom present itself around us.

As believers and children of the Most High God, followers of the teachings of Christ we realize that we have a mission. This mission is given to us in Matthew 28 – in verse 16 the 11 disciples (sans Judas) go to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus had instructed them to go.

Here Jesus tells them the following: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus gives us the great commission – this role is assigned to us as a body – the authority of Christ, and therefore also the responsibility that comes with it – is delegated to us.

We are to make disciples as Jesus had done.

I love the Gospel According to Mark. In the book of Mark Jesus is described as a man of action – He didn’t just preach – but came as a revolutionary. Shifting paradigms, shaking our way of thinking and showing us the way forward. We cannot simply tell the hungry man to find Christ. A roaring belly is not always open to the Gospel – we need to feed him. The naked man needs to be clothed lest he be distracted by the cold, unable to hear the good news being shared.

We need to actually do. Not just talk the talk, but actually walk as Jesus instructed us to. As Christ Himself demonstrated.

When His disciples wanted to send the crowds home to go and eat, saying: “We cannot feed them…”, Jesus rebuked them and multiplied what was there.

But God used a little boy and his lunchbox to do this.

Just like Moses was instructed to use the staff he had in his hand to demonstrate God’s power – just like David picked up 5 stones – God uses what we have at hand to change the world.

And as we give – as we pour out the oil – it is multiplied. As we fill the cups of others, our cup will be filled.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I would like to ask you to help us fulfill the mission by supporting our mission. Your contribution allows us to devote our time to preaching, teaching, counseling those who can’t afford it and deliverance ministry – both locally and internationally, online and in person.

It also allows us to devote our time to the creation of materials for use by individuals and groups for personal growth and discipleship – all available for free on this website. We are not asking for much – even the smallest drop in the bucket makes a huge difference. We only ask that your prayerfully go to the Lord and ask Him to guide you in your giving.

Please see this page for more information on how you can support the mission:

https://kingdomrevolution.co.za/blogs/give/