Nothing can be produced by a Christian that is eternal value, unless the Holy Spirit orchestrates the production. We can try to make things happen, even attempt to “save” people. Yet, our plans will fail if the Holy Spirit is not at work.
The Lord reminded the prophet Zechariah of this truth. The Lord spoke through the prophet to the civic leader, Zerubbabel, after the exile. He had the task and responsibility to finish the work of rebuilding the temple. The work had stalled, and Zerubbabel needed encouragement to carry on the work. The Lord instructed Zechariah to tell him that the work was “Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit.” This is a truth we must remember today: The work of God is accomplished by the Holy Spirit.
So, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in outreach? The first task of the Holy Spirit in the life of any person is to bring one to salvation. The Apostle Paul explains to the Corinthian church what they were saved from and what they have been saved by. He states, “Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. Some of you were like this; but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, HCSB) It would be theologically incorrect to say that salvation is possible by any other means than the work of the Holy Spirit.
Without the conviction of sin, there is no repentance or faith in Christ. As Richard Roberts states, “If a person does not know that he is a sinner, he will not suppose he has any particular need of repentance.” (Richard Roberts, Repentance: the First Word of the Gospel) Jesus describes this work of the Spirit as He is giving final instructions to the disciples on the last night before His crucifixion. He explains, “When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment.” (John 16:8, HCSB)
The Spirit will convict the world of righteousness. Roberts applies this principle of righteousness to modern philosophy by stating, “Apart from this illumination of the Holy Spirit, your righteousness will look sufficiently good, especially compared to others you know, so that you will give no adequate consideration to your personal need of true repentance.”
The conviction of judgment is also proclaimed by the Spirit. As Bruce Milne explains, “People claim the right to determine for themselves what will count as sin, what will be their standard for righteousness, and where judgment has, or has not, been properly expressed. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit’s witness, challenges this ethical autonomy, uncovers the rebellion against God which underlies it, and confronts the world with the true character of sin, the true meaning of righteousness, and the true place of judgment.” The Holy Spirit works to bring a person to the understanding that he is a sinner, that he is not righteous, and that he will face judgment in the future. This understanding is a prerequisite to a new life in Christ.
Outreach that is effective must be Spirit-led. This is good news for those who follow Christ. We are going out into a world that is skeptical, and sometimes hostile, to the message we bring. Yet, we are not going alone. We have one who is going before us, with us, and will work through us to draw others to Christ. What is our part? We must be willing to go where He calls us and faithfully serve our Lord.
Shepherding Well 