There’s Joy In Being A Soul-Winner

THERE’S JOY IN BEING A SOUL-WINNER

Psalms 51:12-13

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. There was once a young boy who went to spend the week with his grandfather on the farm. While walking around he noticed the chickens, they were scratching and playing around. The little lad said, “They haven’t got it”.

2. Next he saw a colt in the field playing and kicking up its heels’, to which he replied, “He hasn’t got it”. After examining all of the animals on his grandfather’s farm, he could see that none of them had “it”.

3. Finally the boy spotted a donkey in the back corner of the barn. When he saw the donkey’s long, frowning face and the way that the donkey just stood there, he screamed for his grandfather to come quick.

4. “I found it, I found it” the boy kept yelling. When his grandfather asked what he had found he said, “Pawpaw, I finally found an animal that has the same kind of religion that you have.”

B. TEXT “Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto You” Psa. 51:12-13.

C. THESIS

1. Today you must make a choice about who you will serve. We, as Christians, have sat on the fence too long and let people intimidate us from being bold about our faith. Many Christians go through life with a frown on their face, NOT because they’re mad, but because they haven’t tapped into the grace & joy of God that’s available to every believer.

2. Habakkuk said that “the Joy of the Lord is our strength.” The Believer who has joy in the face of the enemy also has courage. The most terrifying adversary is one who is enjoying the fight so much the he’s laughing at the efforts made to oppose him. That’s how the enemy is affected when we operate in the joy of the Lord.

3. Tonight we’re looking at what David revealed about the connection between joy and soul winning and learn about the secret force that can revolutionize our witness.

4. The title of this message is “There’s Joy In Being A Soul-Winner.”

I. JOY IS NECESSARY FOR SOULWINNING

A. IT GIVES US ENTHUSIASM

1. Joy makes us enthusiastic about what we have. We have been saved, healed, filled with the Holy Spirit, guided in life’s decisions, and given a peace that the world doesn’t have.

2. We’ve experienced the joy of meeting and fellowshipping with the Creator of the Universe! We’ve been specially selected by Him to be the heirs of all He’s created.

3. It’s natural for people to promote what works for us. Examples? a). A type of car; b). A good doctor; c). A good restaurant. We all get enthusiastic when we find something that exceeds our expectations. We usually tell our friends when we find something good.

4. POINT: YOU CAN’T SELL SOMETHING YOU AREN’T SOLD ON! B. JOY IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WANT

1. People usually don’t want to be bothered with the constant bombardment of salesmen and advertising. Most of it takes away as much as it gives, and much of it is false advertising.

2. But with Jesus, it’s not false advertising. If people will just dare to try Him -- “to taste” the Lord -- they would be as excited as the man in Matt. 13 who found the treasure hidden in the field. Jesus is something people would want in their lives.

C. JOY IS A GREAT WITNESS TO THE SUPERNATURAL

1. If a Christian’s in the middle of adverse circumstances and has joy, the world recognizes this as not normal. When the bottom falls out and you’re not panicking, taking tranquilizers, acting crazy, or in a depression, people have to wonder why.

2. It’s at moments like this that the Christian can testify to the grace of God. God is not just in heaven, but is right here, helping and healing those who call on His name. All this bears witness to the supernatural hand of God on our lives. When people see that, they begin asking if they too can become a favored one of God!

II. SOULWINNING RESULTS IN JOY. WHY? Because it’s:

A. THE DISCOVERY OF A PRICELESS OBJECT, THAT BEFORE, WAS LOST

1. LOST SHEEP. “When he “goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'” Luke 15:6

2. LOST COIN. “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'” Luke 15:9

3. We ought to be excited about soul winning because we are giving the greatest gift that can be given: Eternal Life.