LESSON 3: HOW TO OVERCOMING FEAR WHEN WITNESSING

EVANGELISM

LESSON 3

HOW TO OVERCOMING FEAR WHEN WITNESSING

II Timothy 1:7; Matt. 28:20

There is so much ego threat involved in presenting Christ to the unsaved, the fear of man silences the average Christian. Rejection is the worst blow that can strike our frail egos. Inasmuch as we represent a rejected Christ, the possibility of rejection is present every time we mention Him. Rejection and the Great Commission go hand in hand (Jn. 15:20; Mat. 10:25). It is the fear of what people will think of us that keeps us from witnessing. They threaten us to the extent that they ridicule us or look down on us. We can’t stand that. We’d rather be silent than suffer the scorn of others. That fear is real, and we have to deal with it. We won’t get anywhere unless we do. We must develop strengths that are stronger than our fear of man.

It is hard for most Christians to make a sudden shift from the silent life of church going to the action life of witnessing. It has to be bridged. It’s something that cannot be done from one minute to the next. If it can be done little by little, then more brothers will learn to witness for Jesus more easily.

If people scare people, the place to begin witnessing is away from them. Then, in succeeding steps, ease closer and closer. That way the threat is decreased little by little. When threat comes to us that way, we can absorb it. Finally, when you learn to handle the worst threats, you will be able to witness fearlessly.

Christian courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it in the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no method that can cancel fear. Jesus has not provided for the cancellation of any of our problems. He does promise us the ability to overcome them as we learn to operate in His power. There is no shortcut to victory.

A SOLID FOUNDATION:

Before we can be successful in witnessing and evangelizing we must have a solid foundation. That foundation is your experience with Christ. This is where we begin, with your salvation experience. I don’t mean whether or not you are saved, but is your own experience clear to you? Many Christians cannot share with someone else the most elementary facts of the salvation encounter. It may appear a simple thing to put the salvation experience into words, but most brothers just can’t do it. Yet, that’s the real foundation of our witness.

In order to get any idea into words, truths must be organized and processed in one’s mind. It is only after it is arranged into words, that it can be transmitted. Focusing and crystallizing truths helps. For what was once vague and scattered, now becomes a solid tool. Once a Christian does this with his salvation experience, he can begin to witness with confidence. I would encourage you to write down in your own words your salvation experience.

DON’T WITNESS FOR CHRIST, WITNESS WITH HIM!

A good beginning is vital to your success as a witness. And where do we begin? In the world, for that is where the Great Commission sends us, not into the church. I truly believe that every Christian should begin his witnessing experience by using tracts.

There’s much to learn about working with the Lord. That’s what’s going to be new. Many Christians have glorious experiences in the Holy Spirit in church. But, those experiences have nothing to do with witnessing. Working with the Lord in the world, to reach the lost, is unlike any experience you might have with the Spirit in church.

One of the first things which you should learn to do is secretly leaving tracts in public places without letting anyone see you do it. It sounds simple, but don’t let that fool you. There are many Christians who can’t and won’t even do that because of fear. Many when they first try this do it with much fear. Why, because they are in a place of fear, in the world about to do something for the Lord.

If you are going to learn to conquer fear in the power of the Holy Spirit, then you have to be in a place of fear. That is why it is so easy for almost all the Christians to witness in church. The church is not a place of fear. Therefore, you cannot learn how to overcome fear witnessing in church. Without these feelings, it is impossible to sample the Spirit’s power in overcoming them. The church and the world are two different realms. The working of God’s Spirit is different in each place. You may thrill to the presence of God’s Spirit in church, but it is in the world that His power is manifested with the greatest force (Acts 1:8).

When you reach for the tract to leave it for the first time, your hand will start to shake. That shaking is your fear translated into something you can see. The shyer you are the more that tract will shake, the bolder you are, and the less it will shake. But there will be some feelings for you to deal with. Satan is the author of the fears you feel at this moment. He can intensify dread, so that your heart races when there should be no fear at all. What you are feeling at this moment is proof of his presence.

With the tract in your hand speak directly to God aloud, “God, behold my trembling heart, and comfort me now!” or something like that. But the important thing is dealing with Him directly while you are in the place of fear. Next you will notice that your trembling hand will settle down. Simultaneously you will feel warmth within you. You sense His protection. He is moving upon your spirit and your awareness of His presence is like armor for your soul. Actually it is your awareness of Him that is so comforting. That is why He is called the Comforter. This is where you start working with the Lord in witnessing, getting acquainted with Him in a live situation. This is where He proves Himself to become the fountain of your boldness. Extract all the awareness you can from every situation.

Many Christians need to get acquainted with how the Holy Spirit operates in the world. Few know anything of the way He works through us to reach the lost. Some Christians know about it, but they’ve never experienced it. This is a whole new way of life, experiencing the presence of God’s Spirit as He moves on your soul to strengthen you in a witnessing situation.

As you leave the tract in its place, say aloud, “In the name of Jesus!” That’s for your benefit. For some it will be the first time they have ever declared Jesus’ name in a public place. As you go your way you will notice that the fear has been replaced with joy. Why is your heart so joyful, because obedience brings blessing. To be a relaxed, powerful witness for Jesus, and love every minute of it, demands this intimate acquaintance with Him. Taste it once, and you’ll want more.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND TRACTS:

When you leave a tract in a public place you have no idea what will become of it. Does it seem strange committing such an insignificant thing to God to use? We live in a day when the gospel can be compressed into a few hundred words on a piece of paper. That’s a real advantage in this fast society of today. People don’t have time for God because they are too busy with other things. Because of this fact it makes the tract a superb weapon for God to use.

1. TRACTS ARE LIKE BULLETS

     They strike their target with terrific impact. That’s what makes them so perfect for today. Consider the prospect that picks up the tract and reads it. In seconds his heart is pierced with the truth of Christ. His soul is infected with his need for salvation. He will never be able to get away from the truth once it starts working in his heart.

2. TRACTS CAN REACH MASSES OF UNCHURCHED PEOPLE

     There are many who won’t let anyone lead them to Christ. They refuse to come to the Lord, unless it is their own idea. They will not listen to a Christian broadcast, enter a church, or discuss spiritual matters with anyone. With their hearts closed to all public means of the gospel, all that is left is the private door. That private door is opened when he picks up a tract you left in an out of the way place.

3. TRACTS NEVER DIE

     Unlike a sermon which vanishes into the air once the words are spoken, a tract can accompany a person any where he goes and awaits the right moment to speak to his heart. It is not your concern with what happens to the tract after you leave it. Your part was seeing that it was left in a choice place for God to use. That’s where your responsibility ends. Your part is to be the witness; God’s part is to use it.

When you are begin to witness with tracts, the tendency is to project your feelings onto a possible observer. By that I mean, you believe anyone who happens to see you is thinking to himself, “There’s another of those religious nuts.” But that is almost never the case. The last thing any spectator wants to do is connect your action with God. Most always, anyone who sees you will give it something other than spiritual interpretation. Most of the fears of the person who is witnessing are absolutely groundless.

PLACES FOR TRACTS:

With a little thought, you can think up all sorts of places that are ideal for concealing tracts

1. Leaving a tract with your tip in a restaurant.

2. Gas station

3. Parking lots

4. Libraries

5. Waiting rooms, Hospitals, Doctor’s offices, etc.

6. Stores

CONCEAL:

This is the key. Don’t scatter tracts just anywhere. That is, don’t leave them on top of shelves or lying exposed on things. The people who clean up will merely scoop them up and through them away. If you do much of it they will start watching for you. It is important that you conceal your tract, so as to protect your mission station. That is not the only reason for concealing your tract. When a tract is discovered later by someone, he is struck by the unusual way God has reached him. Not only does the tract get read, but the element of “discovery” adds a useful emotion.

100% SUCCESSFUL IN GOD’S EYES:

Get rid of any notion that leaving tracts is insignificant and for those who are just beginning in Christ. The opposite is true. The further you progress in the Lord, the more you should appreciate the need for reaching the “unreachable” of your private world. It should be part of your daily routine.

For the Christian, whose spiritual service is limited to church going or some job in a church, what I’ve described here is a whole new world. It is a new world for the Christian who thought living a “good life” was the way to witness for Christ.

Many Christians who will learn how to leave tracts will go no farther. That means their outreach for Christ will be limited to this ministry. For them it is still a 100% improvement. They will have gone from disobedience to a wonderful method of reaching those about them with the gospel. Any Christian who begins reaching his private world like this is already a 100% success in God’s eyes.