Something critically important is missing in most evangelistic efforts of churches and individual Christians. Many pastors want to point at the problems of apathy, busyness, or laziness. Yet the real problem lies within the core of the Church. For the most part, we have shut out the third person of the Trinity from our Gospel endeavors. When we allow this to occur, the Church stalls and attempts to witness to our society become ineffective.
On your car, the tire is useless for transportation unless it is mounted on a wheel rim. The rim is non-functional unless it is attached to an axle. The axle must be connected to a transmission and the transmissions to a motor. If these components are not in sync, the car is going nowhere.
In evangelism, we can have a polished Gospel speech prepared, a host of colorful and creative resources, and a willingness to storm the gates of hell with the Good News of Jesus. However, without the work of the Holy Spirit, we are like a car with no motor. All of our efforts look good from the outside but the most important component is missing. The Holy Spirit is the One who drives evangelism.
In the church circles I have been a part of for the last thirty-nine years, I have heard little conversation about the Holy Spirit. Of course, we affirm His existence in our creeds and doctrinal statements. We acknowledge that He is at work and does something for the Kingdom. Nevertheless, we cast Him as one who is elusive and aloof, an assessment that is neither biblical nor beneficial to the Christian. He is God and He indwells every follower of Christ. He connects us with the will of the Father and the saving work of Christ. The Holy Spirit is actively involved in every aspect of the Christian life. Without Him, a relationship with God is impossible.
Examine for a moment the following passage of Scripture from 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: “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.”
Notice several things from this glance at the instructions of Paul to the believers in Corinth. First, he is speaking of salvation. This statement is an evangelistic presentation. He is explaining a process of change that occurs when one turns from sin and trusts in Christ. Salvation is possible because Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father and gave His life as a ransom for ourselves. Our freedom from the punishment of sin was bought by Christ on the cross. Notice, however, the “agent” bringing this Good News to us. We are saved “by the Spirit of God.”
When it comes to evangelism, the Holy Spirit is the one who places the Gospel deep into the heart of an unbeliever. As an overview, we can clearly see that the Spirit of God leads sinners to conviction of sin, convinces us of the truth of Christ, equips us for task of evangelism, and leads us to opportunities to share the Gospel with others. Any attempt on our own (apart from the Holy Spirit) is fruitless.
Over the next few weeks, we will examine the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. We will also look at principles for cooperating with the Holy Spirit for effective evangelism. My prayer is that we will recognize and embrace the power of the Spirit to reach people with the Gospel message.
Shepherding Well 