Marc Estes

Have you ever missed an opportunity to share the good news with someone? If you are like every other Christian that has ever breathed, the answer to this question is an obvious yes! I can remember early on in my Christian walk, one of the most painful personal experiences of missing an opportunity to share with a man named Dave.

Dave was a bright, yet cantankerous individual, with a potty-mouth worse than any sailor you have ever met. He seemed to be drawn to me, and we had built a good relationship over a one year period of working together in Lake Tahoe. I was checking the mail at the post office when I noticed his huge 4 x 4 ford truck roll up outside. I knew that God was speaking to me to share with him at that moment, yet I allowed the inner turmoil, fear and intimidation of the enemy, and my own insecurities, to dictate my actions. The end result, a normal, yet pointless conversation!

The next morning, I would take my routine stroll to the end of the driveway to pick up the Tahoe Daily Tribune. I pulled off the plastic cover, rolled out the paper and would be confronted with the shocking reality of a missed opportunity. The headlines read, “LOCAL MAN DROWNS IN LAKE.” Dave left the post office, went out to Camp Richardson, hopped into a boat that would capsize and he drowned in a matter of moments in the frigid winter water of Lake Tahoe. Cold. Alone. Without Christ.

I will never forget that moment. Pain! Regret! Condemnation! Sorrow.

Later on that day, I stumbled upon a scripture that comforted me and at the same time, challenged me. It has become one of those life-scriptures for me. Upon reading these riveting words, I realized I was in the company of others who had made similar mistakes and rebounded, mainly Peter.

He was the disciple that hacked off a guys ear in the garden. He is the one that would get out of the boat, walk on water only to sink. He is the boisterous one that claimed he would never deny Christ, only to deny Him three times in one day. I am sure he broke out in a rash for years to come everytime the rooster crowed! Missed opportunity.

Yet, Peter is the same man that would preach to thousands on the day of Pentecost and see multitudes saved. He is the guy that met the man at the temple gate and saw him healed. He had experienced both pain and victory, sorrow and joy. He figured it out that victory felt much better than regret.

Many years later he would write to Christians that were being scattered throughout the Roman empire. He challenged them to stay focused, live a pure and holy life, and to realize persecution might come. It is in this context that he writed in 1 Peter 3:15, “ALWAYS BE READY to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope  you have.”  You may not be facing persecution today, but the principle still applies! If the shoe fits, wear it.

Since the cold December morning years ago, I have made it my aim to be ready to share the gospel with anyone at anytime as the Lord leads. This is definitely something I have not mastered, but has become my aim.

God WILL give you opportunities today to share with those that need Christ. It might be your next store neighbor putting out the trash. I could be a co-worker who sits in the cubicle next to you. It very well might be the person on the street corner with the sign, “Need Help” that you have driven past repeatedly over the past few weeks. It could be that relative that calls and asks how things are going.

Let us make it our passion, to BE READY to share when God calls. You may not be put into a situation like I did with Dave…but you just might! Think about it.

This is my fifth post in reaching people who need Christ (See other four in this blog).

The world is filled with people who have immense needs. It is my firm conviction that one of the greatest ways to preach the good news to a dead and dying world is through meeting their needs and touching them at their point of brokenness. In the gospels, Jesus models this approach by reaching out to people’s needs on forty-six different occasions before ever opening His mouth with a gospel message. He may have been on to something?

It says in 1 John 3:16-19, “We know what real love is because Christ gave us his life for us…Dear children, let us stop saying we love each; let us really show it by our actions.” John is trying to communicate a fundamental point that is missing in the lives of many Christians and many churches today; demonstration precludes proclamation!

It was Christ’s dying on the cross that validated His ministry and ultimately the gospel’s power and affect on humanity. The same applies to sharing the gospel. What validates our proclamation to a needy world is our willingness to meet them at their point of need, just as the guy in the ditch who was touched by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

In addition to our actions, we must make the motive behind our actions, compassion. It is important that we reach out and show action to our words, but they too are in vain with out genuine love, care and concern for the person you are attempting to reach.

Let us make love our great aim, and SHOW a world the love of Christ as we proclaim the good news. The end result will be many people coming to Christ as a result of your sacrifice and love.

Today, make it your goal to find one person in need and meet the need, with no strings attached. It will definitely add some brightness to your day and put a smile on God’s face!

In the past three posts we have discussed important components that are needed in our lives to reach those that need Christ. So far we have discussed the need to establish relationships, be an example to those around us and be aware of our enemy.

The next step in our journey in reaching those that need Christ is to make sure to pray for each person regularly.

I don’t know if this will challenge your theology, but I believe that any time, anywhere, anybody ever gets saved, it is because someone prayed first! Evangelism without prayer is like an arrow without a tip. We must first be victorious in the spiritual before we can be successful in the natural. Prayer is the foundation to evangelism.

TW Hunt, from Southern Baptist Convention said, “The biggest single non-biblical aspect of American praying today is lack of intercession or praying for others… and this is where Americans fail  most dismally.”  HOW TRUE

Colossians 4:3-4, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”  Prayer opens the door for the gospel to be shared!

James 5:16, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Here are  five very effective, scriptural prayers that we should personalize for every person God puts on our heart. We should pray that the Lord would:

1. Bind the spirit that binds the mind of the unbeliever. (2 Cor. 4:4)

2. Pray that the Lord would loose the spirit of wisdom and revelation. (Eph 1:17)

3. Pray that the Lord would release a spirit of adoption. (Rom 8:15)

4. Pray that the Lord would put laborers into their path (Luke 10:2)

5. Pray that the Father would draw them. (John 6:44)

Take a moment and make a list of all those you wish to see come to Christ and pray these five prayers over their name. You can be rest assured that God hears your prayers and that your prayers will be a key part in bringing them one step closer to our King.