Personal Witnessing: Part 3

Personal Preparation
Most of the things we do of any real importance or value require preparation. Witnessing and soul-winning are no exception. Preparation needs to be done in two basic areas.

First, you need to have a “time with God” every day. Faithful and effective soul- winners set aside some quality time every day for Bible reading (study), prayer, and worship. Most of them spend at least 30 minutes each day, and some spend as much as an hour. What do you do for 30 minutes? About 15 minutes should be spent in the Bible. Select a chapter (or several verses) and read it three or four times. Pick out one verse and memorize it. Look up the meaning of the words you do not understand. Make a few notes on the ‘new’ things you have learned from the verses. You will need a notebook.

After you have spent some time in the Word, make two lists in your notebook. Make a list of the things for which you are particularly thankful that day, and another list of things you want God to do that day. These two lists will become your prayer and praise (worship) list.

Next, if possible, get on your knees and pray. You may want to pray aloud – quietly. Sometimes it is good to verbalize our prayers. Some basic steps to follow when you pray:

1. Address God as your Heavenly Father and then say something about His greatness, power and majesty and something about your weakness and worthlessness.
2. Thank Him for Jesus, for loving you, for saving you, and for keeping you.
3. Then express other areas of thanks (family, home, car, food, etc.)
4. Next, pray for others and for needs that exist.
5. After this, pray for yourself (forgiveness, dedication, etc.)
6. Finally, praise God (for who He is, what He’s done, and what He will do).

This is not an exhaustive list but it will help you as you design and implement a “daily time of worship.” Doing it, and doing it faithfully, is more important than “how” you do it. This daily worship will prepare you as an instrument that the Holy Spirit can use to witness and win others. Without it you will lack power and boldness to be a soul-winner.

Second, you need a personal plan or method for leading a lost person to pray and accept Christ as Savior and Lord. We have never seen a Christian lead a lost person to salvation who did not have a plan or method. Believers should have a plan to tell others about Jesus’ love, about the joys of living for Him, about His death on the cross, and most certainly a means to show how he or she can experience salvation.

• The plan does not have to be extensive (long) or complicated.., but you need a plan.
• The plan should not be “canned” or mechanical… but you need a plan.
• The plan should be your plan. You should know it well and understand it.
• The plan I am speaking of is the simple steps from the Bible on “how to be saved” or “how to accept Christ as Savior and Lord.”

When you share your witness and find someone who wants to be saved, you are ready to use these verses. You may not go through them exactly the same way with each person, but you have them as your “map” to help you get to the right direction. Tomorrow we’ll discuss a few plans which are used the most, but you need to develop your own plan so it will be natural and personal. If one of these will work, then take it, learn it, and use it as your own.