Several years ago, I visited a woman struggling with evil spirits. I listened in amazement as she and her sister shared a shocking story. Her father, they claimed, had sold her soul to the devil when she was only six years old. For more than thirty-five years, she had been plagued by these spirits.
“This is why we’ve come to your church, Pastor,” they said desperately. “We need help. We’ve visited several churches, hoping to find relief for my sister, but nothing has worked. Can you please help us?”
I knew this situation was far beyond my strength or abilities. The only One who could deliver her was Jesus. So, I cried out to Him, asking for His power to free this woman from the enemy’s grip.
What followed was a spiritual battle. Jesus delivered her, but not without an intense fight. I prayed with a fervor I had never experienced before. Confronting someone tormented by evil spirits is one of the most challenging and sobering experiences a person can face—and the same is true of witnessing. The devil fiercely resists losing even one soul from his grasp. Whether you are ministering to someone possessed by an evil spirit or reaching out to someone who does not yet know God, spiritual preparation is not optional—it is essential.
THE SPIRITUAL BATTLEFIELD
Winning souls is an open war against the forces of darkness. Therefore, it requires both spiritual and mental preparation. This was the lesson learned by Christ’s disciples:
In order to succeed in such a conflict they must come to the work in a different spirit. Their faith must be strengthened by fervent prayer and fasting, and humiliation of heart. They must be emptied of self, and be filled with the Spirit and power of God. Earnest, persevering supplication to God in faith—faith that leads to entire dependence upon God, and unreserved consecration to His work—can alone avail to bring men the Holy Spirit’s aid in the battle against principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in high places.1
WITNESSING REQUIRES DIVINE POWER
Leading a soul to Christ is as spiritual and delicate as casting out a demon. The soul-winner needs to be connected to Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for witho
ut Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NKJV). We can never expect fruit from our labors if we neglect to abide in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is Christ’s Representative. Before ascending to heaven, Christ promised His disciples the outpouring of the Spirit. He said, “‘But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:8, NAB). When the Holy Spirit is received into the heart, it energizes the soul and gives us power for witnessing.
“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zech 4:6, NIV). No well-organized plans or diligent effort will result in soul-winning success without the influence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. The promise of the Spirit made to Christ’s disciples belongs to God’s church today. God will give His Holy Spirit to all who desire it, ask for it, and are willing to follow His instructions (Luke 11:9–13). However, the Spirit will not be given to any idle person, but only to those willing to be used by Him to be diligent soul-winners.
Ellen G. White says, “After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were so full of love for Christ and for those He died for that hearts were moved by their words and prayers. They spoke with the power of the Spirit. Under the influence of that power, thousands were converted.”2 She also states, “There is no limit to the usefulness of those who put self to one side, make room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts, and live lives wholly sanctified to the service of God.”3 Just as the early Christians prepared to fulfill the mission of proclaiming Christ to the world, Christ’s disciples today must also prepare. But how can this preparation be achieved? Here are two crucial spiritual disciplines.
KEY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES FOR WITNESSING
1. Spend unhurried, meaningful time in communion with Jesus.
Prayer is an essential element in the life of the evangelistic worker. “A vital connection with the Chief Shepherd will make the under-shepherd a living representative of Christ, a light indeed to the world.”4 “Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact with the Wellspring of life, and strengthens the sinew and muscle of the religious experience.”5 A life without prayer is not a spiritual life, because it is through prayer that we connect with God.
The Bible says that Jesus rose early every morning to pray (see Mark 1:35). Jesus’ disciples followed His example. After His ascension, they prayed fervently for ten days. Then they received the power of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1:14). Prayer is the breath of the soul. Churches that grow quickly and impact their communities are those that have prayer as a central part of their ministry. A witness for Jesus will not be adequately prepared if they only fill their head with knowledge, theories, and methodology but do not pray. When prayer becomes a priority in the life of the evangelistic worker, it means God has become the priority in their life.
A witness for Jesus will not be adequately prepared if they only fill their head with knowledge, theories, and methodology but do not pray. When prayer becomes a priority in the life of the evangelistic worker, it means God has become the priority in their life.
Jesus said, “‘But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’” (Matt 6:33, NAS). Preaching the gospel is a sacred command; it is a spiritual command that only spiritual people can undertake. That’s why Jesus told His disciples that He would be with them “to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:20, NIV). He also said that without Him, they could do nothing (see John 15:5).
2. Deepen your relationship with Jesus by meditating on His Word.
The second spiritual discipline is meditation in Jesus’ Word. Biblical meditation is a spiritual discipline almost lost in Christianity, even though it is a biblical concept. We live in a world that is rushing headlong toward destruction. Several Psalms speak of the importance of meditating on God’s Word. Psalm 1 says that the child of God is one “whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night” (v. 2, NIV).
God provides us spiritual “bread” when we read and meditate on His Word. He lovingly imparts truth into our lives precisely when we need it most. Meditate on the text throughout the day. As you engage with the text, contemplate its meaning. As the Psalmist says, those who meditate on the Word of God “day and night” will be blessed in all they do. When you wake up, start the day by filling your mind with the Word of God. This practice will bring mental peace and restfulness to your soul. Men and women who wish to work effectively for the salvation of souls must be both students of the Bible and men and women of prayer. The life of a Christian should be one of constant prayer and study of the Word. They must never forget that their power comes from Jesus.
READY TO LEAD
Witnessing is a sacred and spiritual calling that requires intentional preparation. By dedicating time to prayer and meditation on Scripture, we open ourselves to the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Every believer is called to share the message of salvation. As we embrace these spiritual disciplines, we become instruments in God’s hands, ready to lead others to Christ and glorify His name.
1 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1898), 431.
2 Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1911), 22.
3 Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1923), 346.
4 Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1915), 142.
5 Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1930), 249.
Ramon J. Canals, DMin, is ministerial secretary of the Ministerial Association at the General Conference of Seventhday Adventists, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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