Intro: We often are reluctant/fearful to share our faith because we
depend too much on our own abilities and say "I just can't do that".
Remembering the role of the Holy Spirit in our witnessing efforts
will help us witness with confidence:
I. He is the CULTIVATOR OF HEARDENED HEARTS.
1. We must "pray up" before going to a person.
2. As we pray for the person God has put on our heart, let us
pray that God will prepare his heart.
3. Just as a hardened field has to be plowed up to receive
new seed, so the heardened heart must be plowed up and
prepared to receive the Gospel.
4. NEVER go to someone before allowing God's Holy Spirit to
"cultivate" (plow up) their heardened heart.
II.He is the CONVICTOR of Sin.
1. Too often we take on the role of "convictor"...and we turn
people away rather than allowing them to listen to the Gospel.
2. **IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO CONVICT...that's GOD'S JOB... OUR job
is simply to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them in a
loving, tactful, genuine manner that would draw them TO JESUS
not away from Him.
3. AS we present the Gospel, the HOLY SPIRIT will convict their
hearts. We are mere instruments of God in sharing the GOOD
NEWS.
III.He is the CONVERTER of the Soul
1. As the Gospel is presented to a person in LOVE and KINDESS,
and the HOLY SPRIT is given room to CONVICT that person of
sin, then the person responds by REALIZING THE TRUTH of
what has been presented, REPENTING (turning from sin)
and RECEIVING JESUS INTO THEIR HEART.
2. AT THAT MOMENT...the HOLY SPIRIT comes INTO A PERSONS
HEART...CLEANSES the heart of the PENALTY of sin, and
CONVERTS THEM from a lost and dying hell-bound sinner to
a born-again, heaven-bound, saved believer in Jesus!
3. The HOLY SPIRIT "gives life" to our dead soul, allowing
us to be "born from above" and eternally changed spiritually.
4. This CONVERTING is a once-for-all experience! A person cannot
be "unborn" after being born physically, neither can a person
be "unborn" after being born spiritually.
IV. HE is the COMFORTER after conversion.
1. Just because a person is converted by the Holy Spirit, that
doesn't mean life is without it's difficulties and challenges
2. It is the role of the HOLY SPIRIT to be our comforter through
life's ups and downs.
3. He reassures us of our conversion, He walks with us through
our valleys, and he is our CONSTANT COMPANION throughout
life.
CONCLUSION: So, let us remember in our witnessing that we DO NOT
DO THIS ALONE! THE HOLY SPIRIT will cultivate, convict
convert, and comfort a person who is willing to receive
Jesus Christ for Salvation.
