Evangelism
The greatest evangelism ever recorded in the Bible happened in a night and day prayer meeting. Its no coincidence that Jesus' plan for the end time church is to raise up end time prayer meetings. Jesus' return is all about saving the lost. When you get ready for his return you necessarily are getting ready to save the lost en masse (thousands at a time, and then discipling them as they are added to your numbers). Trying to save the lost while neglecting getting ready for Jesus' return would be like trying to harvest corn by hand rather than learning to drive a combine.
Jesus wants us to be the driver, not the tractor. The Holy Spirit is the power to save the lost. We spend time crying out for it, and then we get to become a part of it.
This is the story the Bible is telling. It takes humility to believe it and actually do it. Jesus told his disciples to wait for the power:
Luke 24:46Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48“And you are witnesses of these things.
49“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
They trusted Jesus and did it...They prayed instead of going...And man did it work:
Acts 2:1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8“And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10“Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11“Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
12So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
15“For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
21And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’
Acts 2:40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved
If you aren't getting ready for Jesus' return, then the question has to be asked: what are you saving people into?
Revelation 7:9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16“They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17“for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The great harvest will be brought IN by those who pray night and day, and the harvest will be brought IN TO night and day prayer! That IS Jesus' return!
Luke 18:7“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Jesus wants us to be the driver, not the tractor. The Holy Spirit is the power to save the lost. We spend time crying out for it, and then we get to become a part of it.
This is the story the Bible is telling. It takes humility to believe it and actually do it. Jesus told his disciples to wait for the power:
Luke 24:46Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47“and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48“And you are witnesses of these things.
49“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
They trusted Jesus and did it...They prayed instead of going...And man did it work:
Acts 2:1When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8“And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10“Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11“Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
12So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
15“For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
21And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’
Acts 2:40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved
If you aren't getting ready for Jesus' return, then the question has to be asked: what are you saving people into?
Revelation 7:9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
16“They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
17“for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The great harvest will be brought IN by those who pray night and day, and the harvest will be brought IN TO night and day prayer! That IS Jesus' return!
Luke 18:7“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
8“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
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