What If They Say No?

Wednesday Night Recap
January 24, 2006
Modified from Lifeways Vital Truth

Check out this Video from Sermonspice.com...it's HILLARIOUS...it's just a small window prieview, but worth watching. It's the Evangelism Linebacker!!!
http://youth.sermonspice.com/catalog/product_info.php?format_selected=wmv&length_selected=long&play=1&products_id=722

So, you're out avoiding the Evangelism Linebacker. You're making your best effort to be excited about your testimony, telling people at whatever opportunity you get. Stopping them in the hall at school, passing them a note in class, writing it in ketchup and tots on your lunch tray at school...

But there's a problem...

All you ever hear is, "No". (Or, "Shut up you stupid Christian! I don't need your God!")

So, after going home lying in your bed and crying in your pillow, you pick yourself up, go to your living room, lie down on the couch and cry in that pillow. Then you go get your bowl of cereal the next morning, and believe me, you don't need any milk because you've filled the bowl with tears.

It hurts to be rejected. It stinks. No one likes it. I don't like it, and that's why I have never been the witness I should be. But that's the problem. It's not about me being a good witness.

What is the definition for witnessing anyway? Here's a Biblical one: Sharing Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results up to God.

That's why hearing "No" when you tell people about Jesus shouldn't hurt our feelings, or scare us from fulfilling our calling. Your job is to be a witness. Tell the good news. You can't save anybody! God has to do that!

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul describes himself as weak with words, trembling, and fearful, but he was an INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL witness! How!?!?!? Because he knew it wasn't about him, his craftiness, his speech, his beauty, or any of that. It was about speaking truth and then trusting the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

If people come to faith in Christ because they like the way you talk, or the way you dress, or the artful skills you have with ketchup and tots, their trusting YOU and YOUR SKILLS and not CHRIST!

When you witness, if you want to be successful, just tell the truth and let the Holy Spirit do the work. You can NEVER FAIL if you leave the results up to God!