First, I want to remind you that the bible says, “… and he who wins souls is wise.” – (Prov. 11:30). Therefore, it is wisdom to obey His commandment of “Go ye into the world and propagate the gospel …” You know, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matt. 9:37-38(NIV)
Among the many ways of doing soul winning, I’d like to focus on two (2) particular tools in this writeup:
1. Sharing your testimonies with friends, families, neighbors, and unbelievers: Hallelujah, the bible reveals that Jesus went about preaching and winning souls; Peter preached and 3000 people came to the knowledge of Christ, he visited Cornelius’s house to preach to his family. Deacon Philip preached at Samaria and many people were converted. Thank God.
You may say, Pastor, ‘I want to win souls too but I am not as spiritual as all those people you mentioned. I do not feel adequately prepared or knowledgeable to bring the lost to Christ.’ Well, let me encourage you by saying you too have what it takes to win souls. Yes, you do.
A good place to start is where the woman at the well started (John 4:28-42). Once she met the Lord, she went to town saying, “come and see …”, just sharing her testimony of the experience she just had with Jesus.
• Your testimony qualifies you for soul winning. It will bring many to the Lord. Just share and leave the rest to Jesus. The woman did not wait to become a professional preacher before going out to spread the good news (gospel). Shown in John 4:29 her simple message is, “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (KJV)
2. Praying for lost souls:
Another tool at your disposal is Prayer. So long as you can pray, you already qualify to for soul winning. I repeat, if you can pray, then you can win souls. This shows that you do not need to become a so-called ‘Deep Christian’ in order for you to qualify or become adequate. As you commit to begin or improve on your soul winning lifestyle, you must respond to God’s call to pray for those who have not met Jesus. Instead of spending the rest of our lives condemning the unsaved, we should take time to present them to God in prayers every day.
“To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” - Acts 26:18
“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” - Romans 10:1
• In your prayers, mention the names that you know and also present those that you do not know.
Examples:
• Lord, I thank you for your death on the cross which has washed away all sins. Please let those who have not accepted you come to the knowledge of the fact that the shedding of your blood is for them also.
• It is not your will that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Dear Lord, please move upon the hearts of those who have not known you towards repentance.
In the John 4 text, what does Jesus imply about soul winning?
1. Jesus implies that soul winning is the sustaining power of a believer: “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” – John 4:34.
o We should do soul winning and gain satisfaction from it as we do from eating food. This is to say that winning the soul of that woman at the well brought satisfaction to Jesus, as if he had eating.
2. Jesus implies that we should not delay or procrastinate [there is no more time. Now is time for harvest]: Jesus urges us, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” - John 4:35 KJV.
o Many Christians believe that it not yet time for them to start winning souls, but very sad to say, many people are dying daily without knowing Jesus; pandemic is taking people’s lives, many other things are killing people. Therefore, if we are to begin harvesting souls into the kingdom of Jesus, right NOW is the time.
3. Jesus rewards those who harvest souls (bringing people into eternal life): He says, “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” – John 4:36 KJV.
o How awesome you and I would feel when we see the same people in heaven whose souls we won to Christ. Paul writes, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” (1 Thess. 2:19-20 KJV)
4. The result of attempting to win soul is that many more will come to Jesus: “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.” – John 4:39 KJV.
o At first you may not think that your testimonies could not convert anyone, do not worry. Just share what Jesus did for you. Once the people arrive, Jesus will take it over from there. We see here that the people “believed on Him.”
5. Do not withhold soul winning by assuming that people will not respond to Christ. The bible says, “So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.” – John 4:40 KJV
o Has Jesus ever done anything good in your life, just share the experience(s) you have had with Him, the people will believe once they meet Him. Here we see that they even requested that Jesus would stay for more days, and He indeed stayed for 2 more days.
Conclusion
Let’s get started. Now is the time to begin soul winning. May the good Lord embolden us all.
