The Great Commission: Soul Winning

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Jesus died on the cross to save us. He has risen and commanded his disciples to continue His work, to reach all nations, save them all and teach them all that He has shown his disciples. Jesus' love is unconditional and so great that it is indescribable. Jesus knew the road would be tough and very challenging, and that the enemy would not stop trying to destroy His plan. In these scriptures, Jesus already comforts and assures us that He will be there for us always until the end of the age. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone on Earth could see His beauty and love? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Earth could be like His Kingdom in Heaven? I definitely believe it is.

Allow me to tell you the story of my life.

I was not a Christian nor following any religion. My friends thought my life was good and happy because I had a well-paid job, no commitments, freedom to do whatever I wanted and liked. What they did not know is that I felt defeated and jaded - I couldn’t find the real purpose and meaning of my life. Every happiness I experienced did not last. I had given up and accepted my fate that I would live alone for the rest of my life and die alone. The only thing that kept me going was my dearest parents.

One fine day, my old friend contacted me. We hadn’t kept in touch since we left high school. So, we met up for coffee and talked about our lives. I have always been fond of her; there was something about her that comforted me and made me open up to her. She saw my sadness and depression. She offered to walk me to my car, she asked if she could pray for me and I said yes. Just minutes after she started praying in my car, I had an outpouring of tears, I couldn’t help it. But she kept praying. I felt relieved as if some heaviness were lifted. She comforted me and told me everything would be all right.

We would try to meet whenever I was back in town. One of our coffee meets, she invited me to church. I said yes without hesitation. And THAT is the beginning of my walk with Jesus, and I will never ever regret it.

This is the testimony of my friend and the truth of the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14: “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

Very new as a Christian and in church, I didn’t know what to expect, but I said yes to every invitation. I was desperate enough to want to feel something other than nothing. I received the gift of the Holy Spirit and was baptized in water and in the name of Jesus on my first day in The Ark church. My life has turned 360 degrees around. The hollow and empty feelings I had are now replaced with purpose, joy, faith, and love. I removed most of my worldly friends and activities that are not of God, and yet I don’t feel alone nor lonely. I traded the worldly things for my new tribe in The Ark. There is NOTHING in this world that can fill that void inside me until I meet God. I feel so much of His love, His mercy, and grace for all my wrongdoings, flaws, and sins. He makes me believe that He can do anything and everything good and beautiful. I just need to have faith in Him, love Him, fear Him. He led me to this new family that encourages me, supports me, and heals me.

Now I understand why Jesus called for The Great Commission. This side is so much greener and peaceful. I am not saying my life has become a bed of roses overnight. I still have trials and tribulations in my life, but with God, it is way easier, and He is my guiding star. I am so blessed and enjoying the goodness of God, and one day, I wondered to myself why should I keep God to myself and not share Him with everyone I know? Everyone should know His goodness. I should make myself useful and spread God’s glory.

I also found in the Bible, Isaiah 42:6 says, “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,” and 2 Timothy 2:21 says, “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

I understand that I am called for evangelism and God has laid His burden on me for the church to save lost and broken souls. He said there are countless lost and broken souls out there, and He needed us to save them. I wept for His burden. So, I want to obey and accept this responsibility, I want to serve God and fulfill my purpose on Earth.

How do we get started in soul winning?

Matthew 4:18-20 says ‘Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew, who were casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.’ Jesus said to follow Him and He will make me a fisher of men. The Bible has all of His methods, that’s why I need to familiarize myself with the Bible and understand His Words. The Bible is important as it has everything I need to know to become a Christ-like person and a good disciple, and win souls.

There are 3 steps to be fishers of men: (1) connecting with God, (2) connecting with people, and (3) then keeping them close to God.

I must also keep the two greatest commandments close to my heart, Matthew 22:37-40 which says, Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Partner with God and do not put Him in a box. He is the priority, nothing comes before Him. Working with God requires our time, patience, and obedience. Therefore, soul winning is a process that also requires time, patience, and obedience. It has to first start with connecting to God, spend intimate time with God and listen to what He has for us. Again, this is utmost critical, top and first priority and no excuses. Without this as our foundation, we will not last the race.

Why connect with God?

God knows the beginning and the end. He has the ultimate perfect plan, He is the greatest strategist. He knows every single soul on Earth and which souls would be ready to receive Him. See Ecclesiastes 3:11, He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Revelation 1:8 says “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

He already has the perfect plan, why do I even need to waste my time to craft my plan and go against His plan? I only want to execute God’s perfect plan and will. He deserves nothing less. Also, it would be counterproductive to connect with people who are not ready yet. It might cause us to lose time, undesired results or people turned away from God.

For example, in my dreams, God has started to impress upon me about people whom He wants me to connect. So, align and partner with God instead of fitting God into your schedule and plans. Every morning, when I get up before I rush to get ready for work, I will go to Him and ask Him to lead me to the people He wants me to meet today. I surrender my day to Him and pray that He will guide me to say what He needs me to say. I pray that He puts me in the right place, at the right time, meeting the right people.

Listen to His words of knowledge (supernatural revelation of facts or information about the person or situation that I do not know of, given by God) and His words of wisdom (instructions from the Lord to act on the word of knowledge). He could either tell me to reveal it, keep it to myself, and pray on it.

While visiting friends at their workplace, I noticed the way and tone in which this couple spoke to each other. I didn’t probe but kept watch. That night, the Spirit led me to pray for them and their marriage, as their relationship is strained because of the pressure and stress that is built up.

I am still working on my discernment to know what is of God, my flesh, and the enemy. When in doubt, I keep the knowledge to myself and pray about it until the Lord shows me the wisdom. So much more to sharpen, but I know that if any thought is stopping me from doing God’s mission, it is not of the Lord. If there is no peace, it is not of the Lord.

I am a new fisherman, I have basic skills and bait but the sea is intimidating. I can’t approach everyone, such as strangers, and start telling them to come to church, that they need to be saved and that God is the Savior! People will think that I am insane. Instead of acting crazy, I test the closest ones to me first. My first trip to church, I invited my mom to come along with me. I was so happy that she did and she witnessed my baptism. And every time I come to KL and church, I would invite her along. Sometimes I would ask if she would need prayer, she would say no. Maybe she was shy. I have to trust that she feels God’s presence in her way. It was prophesied that my mom would receive the Holy Spirit first. I was excited! I had to keep in mind not to rush her. So, while waiting, I kept praying and interceding for this prophecy. I trusted God and let Him do the rest. God’s timing is always perfect. Mom received the Holy Spirit last week, so powerfully. I am beyond joy and gratitude for the Lord! And I thank God for His gift. Yesterday, she said yes to be baptized in the water, in the name of Jesus! My heart almost exploded with joy! She will be born again! Praise God!

Start with small steps, never rush the person to receive Christ, be patient, keep praying and wait for the Lord’s perfect timing. God’s clock works differently than ours. In casual conversation, I can lift up God through my responses and give Him all the glory. For example, I used to drink alcohol frequently. People noticed when I stopped drinking. Instead of just replying, “I just don’t feel like drinking”, I could respond “I don’t need to drink anymore because God has quenched my thirst.” I shall brag more about the good things that God has done for me, my family, and my church.

Connecting with people

To connect with people, we need to build a friendship with them. Imagine hypothetically, your friend is on the other side of the land, in a harsh desert. I am standing in these beautiful lush green pastures. I need to get over there to reach my friend and bring her over, but there is a sea in between us. Well, I wish I had the staff that Moses used to part the Red Sea. That would be so easy, right? But I do not have it. So, I need to build a bridge so that I can bring her over.

My first assignment was recent; I had a few dreams from God about a friend who is close to me, whom God wants to connect to. I met up with her for lunch, we talked about our lives and family. During the conversation, I was having doubts and feeling anxious. I was thinking, “Where should I inject?”, “Is this the right point?”, “How should I start?” “Maybe next time I'll share.” Instead of letting my Spirit lead, I let my own and the enemy’s voice distract me. Sharing my life changes was easier, but sharing God’s message with her was challenging.

Fear came and tried to make me fail - fear of rejection and being judged mostly. Fear is the enemy, and my excuses fail me. So I went back, reflected on my actions, repented for my sins, and threw fear and excuses out. What I learned from this is that I need God to help build a strong bridge. Next time, I will come back stronger, prep up with a powerful prayer of “I can” before this kind of important conversation.

Some of the scriptures to help us:

• Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

• 2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Luke 4:18 says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

• Deuteronomy 31:6 also says “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

I keep reminding myself not to be afraid and discouraged as Jesus is with me always, even to the end of the age.

What builds strong bridges in our relationships?

These are some of the key ingredients I can use, be it old or new friendship, and we can find all these in the Bible:

• Time - of course, I do not have Moses’ staff

• Patience - people all operate at different speeds and mindsets, not everyone has the same processing speed as me. Good things come to those who wait. [James 1:4 “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”]

• Positivity - smile and be upbeat. Positivity is like honey, it will attract people and trigger their curiosity. Have you seen a person who keeps smiling so brightly and your mind goes, “What is this person so happy about? I want to be happy like her”. The opposite will attract no one - you wouldn’t buy a rotten apple at the supermarket, right?

• Sincerity - be real and genuine. [1 Timothy 1:5 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith”]

• Honesty - nothing good comes out of lies. [Proverbs 10:9 “He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.”] [Proverbs 11:3 “The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.”]

• Trustworthy - if someone tells you something in secrecy, keep it to yourself. If I say I will pray for my friend, keep your word and pray for them. Do what you say. [Luke 16:12 “And if you have not been faithful in what is another’s man, who will give you what is your own?”]

• Humility - what I know doesn’t mean they know. While what they know doesn’t mean I know. Only God knows it all. [Titus 3:2-3 “speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating each other”]

• Compassion - be prepared to listen, do not pass any judgment. Show God’s love and keep watch of our own motives. [Matthew 9:36 “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”]

• And most of all Love.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

When we love, we love without discriminating against others or being selective. We need to love others like how we love ourselves. Jesus loves us no matter what, despite our wrongdoings and flaws. If we are able to love how Jesus loves, the peace and joy are beyond what words can say.

These are the good fruits grown from my Spirit when I feed my Spirit with the righteousness of the Lord. When I have the traits of Christ, I will attract people and God will send people my way. So, I work to strengthen myself and God will do the rest.

Finding common interests with the person or if you already know the common topics, it is an easy way to open a conversation. Common interest brings people together. Build rapport and be consistent. Witness in small doses to test the person's responses and reactions when we speak of God. Be sensitive to how the Holy Spirit leads us. Over time, the conversation will grow and we will also grow more confident in witnessing.

I invited my friend to church today, but she says she is not ready yet. I removed my emotions from her response and I stayed positive and friendly to her. I will keep praying for the door to open until the day she is here. Besides speaking to others, another way is acts of service. Actions speak louder than words. I often prefer doing deeds because doing is easier than speaking for me. Deeds should be done out of freewill and goodwill for the Kingdom instead of our own motives. Do not expect something in return from the person. It is enough for me that God knows. Be cautious and always discern if the deeds are permissible by the Lord. People with deceitful motives can abuse and take advantage of our kindness. Their ground may not be ready for us yet. So, stay vigilant, always check with the Lord and say no as the Spirit warns you.

What to take note of and avoid when connecting with people.

Be sensitive towards the tone of the person I am going to witness to. In a conversation with a non-believer friend, I was asked about my current relationship status. I shared that I am waiting for the Lord to send me who He has chosen for me. She smiled skeptically and asked what if He doesn’t. At that point, I sensed her response was trying to defeat my faith in God. It is because she never read about the woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, believed that she would be healed by touching His garment [Matthew 9:20-22]. Instead of going into details of how God works and debating my belief, I ended that topic shortly by inviting her to my wedding.

Never argue when witnessing to someone. The truth will defend itself. Jesus never argued for people to follow Him, neither should we. If I started to argue with my friend, it would trigger my self-righteousness and I could become angry. Because I have seen and believe in God and she has not, the conversation will not be fruitful and pose the risk of damaging the cause of Christ. So, I will lay down my pride and self-righteousness and let the truth speak when the time comes.

Avoid differences. Differences will create sides and it will be challenging to converse, and sometimes it will lead to debate. It will also close the door for the next opportunity to connect.

Never talk negatively about your church. I have heard from church members the not so good encounters with the past churches in a brief way not going into details. I thank God I am in The Ark, that this is a safe place for me. I always keep in mind the counsel we receive in our church not to gossip within the church to continue to keep our Ark a safe place.

Trust can only be earned over time. With prayer, consistency, gentle persistence, and with the help of God, people will start opening up even the hardest heart. Let the seed grow at its timing, water and nurture in small doses. When God says the time is right, we can sow the seeds! We can also work as a team - someone plants, another waters, and another nurtures [Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase”]. We don’t need to do everything on our own.

So, what now that I sown the seed? Matthew 28:20 says “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen!

I don’t have many seeds sown now but it is a good start to practice. I know there will be more over time, and when the time comes, I am prepared. After I have been baptized, it doesn’t end there. It is just the beginning of my wonderful journey with God. We all have the responsibility to keep ourselves and each other spiritually healthy and on the right track in God’s way. Every action is for the Kingdom, not for ourselves. God is the one who is keeping tabs and He is the one who can judge us when we are at His gate to enter His Kingdom. [Revelation 20:12-15 “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”]

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing where I was in the dark valley, saving me from loss and brokenness, and making me new. I am forever grateful to You, Lord. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross for all of us. For that, Jesus, I give You my life to be Your vessel and quench my thirst with Your living water. Use me to save the lost and broken souls that You love. Cleanse and purify me, equip me with Your truth to go into the world, find all the lost and broken ones, and bring them back to Your loving arms. Thank You for Your perfect plan and divine timing for each and every soul on Earth.

God, help me to see beyond myself and to see people with Your lens. Everyone deserves Your love. Lead me to the right place, to the people You want me to connect with for You. Mold me to be more like You, Jesus. Sharpen my knowledge and skills. Give me strength, wisdom, and discernment to run this race. Hold me strong in faith, comfort me when I face problems, and will not fall easily. Let me focus on You, please keep me straight on Your righteous path and not be distracted by the enemy. Protect me from the enemy’s bows and fiery darts, I take the authority and cancel all Satan’s attacks. Protect the salvation plan until Your plan has come to pass. All the seeds I have planted, help me to nurture them and open their hearts to receive Christ. I will rejoice in each seed sown, and I give You all the praise, O Lord. Give me the capacity to disciple, mentor, and lead the new converts and members of The Ark.

God, I don’t want to be empty-handed on my judgment day. I want to make You proud and glorify Your name with my hands full. My life is for You, and all praises and glory are for You only. All this I pray, in the mighty, loving name of Jesus. Amen!