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[00:00:00] Argued and argued. And one of them said to me, I'd never go out house to house again in my life. It was terrible. He was trying to get us to lose our temper.
[00:00:09] But you know, that man came to the Lord almost one year later. And when I asked him why and how, he said to me, well, I couldn't get those two people out. I tried to get them to lose their temper. I did everything I could to unseat them.
[00:00:23] I never got them out of my mind. The grace and sweetness, both of them.
[00:00:30] And there you are. It was the grace which won him still walking with the Lord today. Came in this morning.
[00:00:38] Then a third thing is earnestness. Sincerity and truth are the essentials in our speaking.
[00:00:46] It's just this. That's the testimony to Christ. Do not forget. Keep within your own experience and testimony. Remember the man in John 925 who said, I don't know whether he's a sinner. But one thing I do know, whereas I was blind, now I see they couldn't refute that. That was absolute. So remember, earnestness, sincerity and truth are essentials. Do not try to be a walking encyclopedia. Some christians seem to feel that it's letting the side down not to be able to answer every question.
[00:01:19] They will therefore hold forth upon any question put to them by anybody, even when they are totally ignorant of the subject.
[00:01:28] Now, this happens, as most of you know, the kind of person who feels that because you're a Christian, you must have an answer.
[00:01:36] We are not walking encyclopedias. What does it say in one Peter three and verse 15?
[00:01:43] We have the key. Really?
[00:01:45] Here, one Peter 315.
[00:01:48] But sanctify in your hearts Christ as law, being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is within you.
[00:01:58] That's what we must always answer. We give a reason for the hope that is within us.
[00:02:06] But when people ask us some questions deliberately, don't be afraid to say, I don't know.
[00:02:12] Sometimes you may have to say, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.
[00:02:19] But then you can end by saying, but I know him.
[00:02:24] That wins people in the end. You see, this kind of know all attitude never wins people, because often they try you out and they say, oh, they don't know their own subject. They don't know anything about this. Now, if they can be so wrong on that, they're probably credulous, superstitious people that have just been swept overboard by some emotional meeting or preacher.
[00:02:45] But when they find that you're honest and you say, I don't know that, I don't know that, I don't know that. But I do know this. They've got confidence in you. You're honest. You are quite open. You say, I don't understand that, I don't know. I haven't got an answer to that. But I do know this.
[00:03:03] Avoid useless phraseology, etcetera.
[00:03:07] Speak plain, reasonable, contemporary English. Don't waffle.
[00:03:13] Don't use stock answers for every problem.
[00:03:16] Allow the holy spirit to use you.
[00:03:19] People do waffle often. They use useless phraseology, you know, all kinds of long things. It's gone out of fashion now, I'm thankful to say. But in the old days, there used to be many phrases like applying the blood. What does it mean to a person in the world? It doesn't mean a thing.
[00:03:41] You need to stand on church ground. What does that mean to an unbeliever?
[00:03:48] They can't understand what you're talking about.
[00:03:51] Or then again, you get other wonderful phrases like personal savior. Now we know what we mean, but to them it's horrifying.
[00:04:02] Personal saviors like a toilet commodity, you have a personal towel, personal face flannel, and evidently you have a personal shadow. See, it shocks people in the world.
[00:04:14] Is he really alive? They say he's alive, and the next minute they speak of him like commodity, they speak of him as alive, and they speak about everything to do with him, as if it's things.
[00:04:27] This is what we do as believers because we understand what we are talking about. But they don't use useless phraseology. Try to put it in plain, reasonable, contemporary English. Well, now we just move on to this last point. He bringeth him to Jesus. Having found the people and testified to them, we must introduce them to Christ. Now, this is where it's so vital that we have a living, up to date experience of the Lord. To find people, to speak to them of Christ is good, but unless we can introduce them to him, the living, risen Christ, it's all to no avail.
[00:05:03] It's so important to recognize that you're bringing a soul to Christ.
[00:05:08] Now, never get this out of your mind. The whole point of soul winning is you're bringing a soul to Christ. He is there.
[00:05:16] He's there. You're bringing a soul to him. He is the savior, the truth, the life, the way. Apart from him, you can do nothing.
[00:05:26] Now, you are bringing that one to him, and in just as real a way as Andrew brought Peter to Christ. That was physical, but you are bringing them to him just as true a way.
[00:05:45] Not everyone to whom you testify will want to find Christ. You found them. You've been given the opportunity. You've spoken to them of Christ, but they don't want him, or it's not their time. Now, don't worry about that. Don't push.
[00:05:57] But you will also find that there are those who are ready. And this is what we're talking about now, those who want to find God, those who want to find the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what are we to do here? It's of the greatest importance that we recognize that it's not some doctrine or ideology or even experience which in itself can save. It is the living Christ who saves, and it is the work of the spirit of truth through the word of God to convict and to convince that person.
[00:06:35] Now, there are many, many scriptures I could give you straight away on this, but we'll give you just one. Hebrews 725. Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost those that draw near unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth, to make intercession for them. We're all clear on that. And the second thing is two Timothy 315. You know, the sacred writings or scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation.
[00:07:02] So it is through the word of God. And romans 1017, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.
[00:07:10] And then I thought of another scripture, one Peter 123-2225 which says that we are begotten again not a corruptible seed, but of incorruptible through the word of God.
[00:07:26] And then I thought again of John 16 714, where it says, the spirit, the spirit of truth himself, shall lead you into all truth. So it is the Holy Spirit who takes the word of God and reveals Christ to an unsaved but seeking soul. Now, isn't this wonderful? It is the spirit of God who takes the word of God and reveals Christ to that soul. But it's through you.
[00:07:59] You are the physical location, as it were, of this great work of God.
[00:08:09] You are the one. Here is the seeking soul. Here you are. And here in the unseen is the Lord. And here is the word of God.
[00:08:18] Now isn't it wonderful to be cooperators like that in such a way? It's all so simple, really.
[00:08:24] We cannot overemphasize the word of God in bringing souls to christ through the word of God, the Holy Spirit convicts through the word of God. The Holy Spirit convinces through the word of God, the Holy Spirit creates faith through the word of God. The Holy Spirit begets again unto a living hope. So often due to unconscious disbelief or ignorance, we hinder the Lord by talking and talking our own words instead of being a channel for his word. Oh, there's one thing that God might be able to do with us. It's to get us to know when to stop talking and when, just simply to take the word of God.
[00:09:13] Many a person who's been seeking the Lord has been confused and hindered by a whole welter of words and experiences and all other kinds of things which haven't helped.
[00:09:27] Having said, given testimony, having witnessed, the important thing now is to lead them to Christ. You can only do that through the word of God. So it's essential to have a real knowledge of God's word. We must not only study the word of God, we must not only meditate on the word of God, but we must memorize it. And even more important, we must let it dwell in us.
[00:09:49] Now do remember this, because you'll be caught out if God answers our prayer or when God answers our prayer. And there's a tremendous moving of the spirit of God, and everyone's going to have to help. One way or another, you're going to be caught out.
[00:10:04] You'll spend so long trying to find various scriptures. Where are they? Where are they? Where are they? Now, did Paul say that? Or was it John?
[00:10:13] I mean, the poor soul you're leading to. The Lord's going to be as confused as you with me by the end of it. As you wander through Matthew to revelation, trying to find this verse that you're going to try and help them with. Now you've got to memorize the word of God. In this connection, there are one or two things we can say which I think are helpful. For instance, there is this little vespocket companion by Ruben Tari. Now, it's an old fashioned little thing, but it's worth its weight in gold. I've used it for years.
[00:10:45] It's just called the best pocket companion for christian workers.
[00:10:49] It is just, only nothing else. Just a collection of scriptures under various titles. Best texts for careless and indifferent, or all who do not feel deeply their need of Christ. The best text for those who wish to know how to be saved. The best text for those who have difficulties. I'm too great a sinner. My heart is too hard. I must become better before I become a Christian. I'm afraid I can't hold out. I'm afraid I shall fail if I try. But I am so weak. I try before and fail. I cannot give up my evil ways. I will be persecuted. If I become a Christian, it will hurt my business or I will lose my position. You see, it's marvelous. It came out of his great experience of evangelism. He's one of the really great evangelists.
[00:11:27] If you will only take this kind of little book and get to know these scriptures, you will find it of tremendous help. Now, there's much more than this. There are scriptures here which I find of inestimable value for those, for instance, well, let me say, best text for roman catholics, best text for jews, best text for spiritualists, best text for christians who need help. It's all here in this little book, you see, and it will help you very greatly if you know those verses and scriptures. That's one thing. Now, there's also another. The navigators have a very excellent topical memory system for scriptures.
[00:12:10] The topical memory system. Now put here on the table some of these folders, if anyone's interested in this. This is a means of memorizing scripture verses. Some of you have seen this beginning with Christ, going on with Christ. It's a way of helping you with a little card to actually memorize scriptures. Now, I had to do this when I was young in the Lord. We had to learn 100 texts, and we got a small prize at the end of it, and then we had to learn another hundred. And in the end, we learned 300 texts which have stood me in good stead in years of ministry and counseling.
[00:12:56] I still can't remember some of the scriptures, for instance, to do with the occult or black magic. I know where I can find them now, but I can't just quote them always from memory. But this is where this little book becomes of tremendous help. So those are two things I would say in this matter.
[00:13:19] It would also be helpful to read the book how to bring men to Christ. Women are included, of course, in conjunction with this. This is Torre's book, how to bring men to Christ. Now, he says quite a lot in that book about different religions, different cases of need. Never be afraid of using God's word for what it is, the word of the living God. Remember that the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword. And the devil says to you, Wenze, it's no good quoting that scripture. It's no good, no good.
[00:13:54] So what you do is substitute a few words of your own.
[00:13:59] Now, be careful here. It's not paddock fashion. It's giving a scripture in faith.
[00:14:08] You know and believe, and you take a deliberate step in faith. Remember that now there are three things that everyone who wants to find the Lord must know, and forget everything else. There are just three things that everyone who wants to find the Lord must know, and they don't care who it is. Can be a buddhist jew, a muslim spiritist. It can be just a person with a religious background, a person with an irreligious background. Three things they must first, know their need of the savior. The second, they must know the savior and his work. And the third is how to receive the savior. Just those three things, the need of the savior, the work of the savior, and how to receive.
[00:14:56] Now, if you'll only remember those three things, it will stop you from a tremendous amount of talk, which is unnecessary and not to the point.
[00:15:05] Before a person can find Christ, they must know the need. What is their need?
[00:15:10] Secondly, they must know the work of the savior. What has he done?
[00:15:14] And thirdly, they must know how to receive him.
[00:15:20] Now, you might use, for instance, in connection with these three verses that come to my mind anyway. First of all, the need of a savior, I would use romans 323, for there is no difference. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is the need of a savior, all of sin fallen short of the glory of God. Second thing, I think I would use the work of the savior. John 129 behold the lamb of God, who hath taken away the sin of the world. There is the work of the savior. Of course, there are many other scriptures, no doubt you can think of.
[00:15:53] Or the third, how to receive him. John 112 to as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on his name. Now it's often good to get on your knees together to read and talk about God's word right from the beginning. Get on your knees with a person who's really seeking. Now, not everyone may be seeking, but if a person's really earnest, they'd say, I want to find the Lord. I would get on your knees straight away at the beginning with them and read the word of God and talk about the word of God. On your knees. See that the word of God sinks in. Make the seeker read it himself, if necessary, ask questions about it. For instance, take John 112. I would say, now would you read that? So he reads it. For as many as received him to them gave he right to become children of God, even to those who believe on his name, who were born not of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, nor of blood, but of God.
[00:16:57] Then I would say, now, what does it say you must do?
[00:17:03] So they look at. Well, what does it say there you must do? Oh, you must receive him. Yes. They might say, no. You ought to pray, shouldn't you? No. No. What does it say there? What does it say there?
[00:17:16] What is the very first thing it says to as many as received him? Received him. So what is believing on his name to as many as received him? To them gave you out to become children. Even to those who believe on his name. So believing is receiving. Oh, what does he do to those who receive Christ?
[00:17:46] Read it again.
[00:17:50] What does he do?
[00:17:52] He gives them the right to become children of God. That's right.
[00:17:58] And when they get the right, what happens to them? Well, I don't know.
[00:18:03] Well, read it again.
[00:18:05] Read it again.
[00:18:07] They're born of God. You may have to help them there.
[00:18:11] Born of God.
[00:18:14] Now you say to them, do you believe that Christ loves you? Yes. Do you believe he died for you? Yeah.
[00:18:23] Well, now, would you. Are you ready to receive him?
[00:18:29] Well, yes. Yes, I am.
[00:18:33] Well, then you might say to them, how can you receive him?
[00:18:43] She doesn't come in. You might even use another scripture there. You might say, well, I think revelation three. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man open the door, I will come in and will sup with him and he with me. So you see them now you've got to open the door. You do this simply by confessing. You say, lord, I'm a sinner. I can't save myself. Come in. Come in. Now, you see, you have not just been saying things to this person. You've been getting them to take a scripture and understand themselves. They won't understand everything. They may not even be able to say what they've heard. But something has sunk in. For the entrance of God's word giveth light. Or as the revised standard version put it, the unfolding of God's word brings light.
[00:19:28] See, something has started to unfold. The word of God has been getting into them. So important because this is where most people collapse. They talk and talk and talk and say, now you must do this and you must do that, and you must do the other. Where is it? The word of God, which is the vehicle that brings a person to Christ? If the seeking person has a Bible, use that Bible with them. If not, give them a gospel. You know, one of these. Or use that because this is what they are themselves going to take away. Now use that with them, you see? Show it to them. Underline it. If you've got a pencil and say, now, this is the verse. I'll underline it for you so you can see it when you go away.
[00:20:10] Select the scriptures from these, you know, from their own Bible and underline them. Do not just quote them. It's always good to read them. Turn to them and read them. Don't just quote them. Be careful of using too many scriptures. This is a fault of many who counsel. They use far too many scriptures and therefore the person is confused.
[00:20:33] Don't use too many scriptures. It's better to use a few and let them be well digested. It's often good to use scriptures which have meant much to you and with which you are therefore familiar and can handle from your own experience.
[00:20:46] Be very careful also of treating the seeker like a kindergarten child that can only give offence.
[00:20:56] Keep clear of unessentials when counselling, for example, makeup.
[00:21:05] Someone comes in with eye mascara and scarlet nails and much else. Don't sort of say, of course all that's going to come off, or, you know, if you go on, of course, you've got to face it.
[00:21:22] But this is the kind of thing people do, you see, and they've raised an issue which is no business to raise.
[00:21:29] So do not raise issues like that. Keep off nonessentials. Things like makeup, drink, film, smoking, all this kind of thing. Keep off it. Now, of course, you may well say to me what happens if a man is an alcoholic?
[00:21:46] Well, believe me, if he's an alcoholic and honest, he'll have brought that matter up.
[00:21:51] And then, of course, obviously, it's very much part of his conversion, his deliverance from this thing that's destroying him. This is a different matter. But generally speaking, with normal people, you don't bring up non essentials. Be very careful because this is just what the enemy tries to do. And often the person themselves will ask you always spot that if they say anything like that, just they will leave that with the Lord.
[00:22:18] And that is the honest, truthful answer. Leave it to the Lord. He'll show you. The great thing is to come to the Lord. Know the Lord. He'll start to lead you in the way that you should go. Keep to the fundamental points. Now, this is a principle in all personal work and counseling. Key to these three fundamental points, the need of a savior, the work of the saviour and how to receive the savior. If you remember that through thick and thin, the Lord will use you, it's to keep to the fundamental point. Oh, my word, son. Someone's there. This is where, you know there's an enemy in this matter of souls suddenly for some unknown reason they'll ask you about some weird space subject or something else and that's the cue for you to get them right off into some non essential discussion.
[00:23:13] Be very, very careful of all those kind of things. Keep right to this point. When you come to pray. The seeker should be reasonably enlightened by God's word as to his need and the answer to it. Now may I just say another word here on this matter. Some people really do expect a person to be so clear that they could write a confession, I mean a constitutional confession and get terribly downcast when a person can't rehearse and recite the whole thing.
[00:23:55] Do remember that darkness is darkness and just like dawn fingers of light creep across the sky. This is how it happens to someone who is coming to God.
[00:24:10] Sometimes it's only the daystar that has arisen in the darkness, nothing more. Some christians do the devil's work here. You see when they've heard a person really ask the Lord they say no, I don't think it happened. I don't think anything happened. Never say it.
[00:24:25] If a person calls upon the name of the Lord God here really calls upon the name of the Lord God heard.
[00:24:36] Don't get subjective in this matter and don't expect too much. You do before you pray. You would expect a person to be clear as to their need, clear as to the savior at least that he's there and ready to save them and clear that they've got to receive him.
[00:24:52] Now remember that some of us got saved on less than that. When I got saved I said oh God, if there is a God would you please do with me what you did in CTC? I mean I didn't know anything about being saved or anything else. And fancy I contradicted scripture. It says those that come to God must believe that he is.
[00:25:13] I said o God, if there is a God would you please. He did it.
[00:25:19] I mean do remember this. The ways of the Lord have past finding out and we expect them to be reasonably enlightened just on this point. They may not be enlightened on anything else. Remember that it's good to get him or her to pray aloud. Pray for him and with him or her, but make sure that something is coming out of his own or her own heart. Some are so nervous and shy that they will only pray if you lead them sentence by sentence. Do not despise this.
[00:25:53] I have seen many people come to the law being led sentence by sentence because the person is so nervous that they just can't pray themselves. Don't despise it.
[00:26:07] When someone wants to come to Christ but is unable to, there is always some spiritual reason.
[00:26:16] Now, we've had many cases of this, people who've honestly wanted to. There have been others. Of course, it hadn't been true. I remember a gentleman we had who always said that he wanted to find the Lord so much, but he couldn't.
[00:26:32] And every time we had a speaker here, he was into the study, a library afterwards to talk with this person. Then he would end after rehearsing his experience, he would say, but I can't believe. I want to believe, but I can't. And many of our speakers were completely taken in and spent much time sort of seeking to help and getting involved in the discussion until Pak Octavianus came. And in the gentleman went and I thought, oh, my goodness, now you know, because I knew others wanted to see Paco tavianos. I thought he was going to be there when he was there, he was there for 20 minutes and then he came out like a cannonball shot out of the, down the stairs and out of the door and straight up to where he lived.
[00:27:27] And Pah Chaviyana said to me, when I went, pahyana was laughing so much, he was only a little man, he was an Indonesian, laughing and laughing. And he said to me, oh, he said, isn't that funny? He said, he went on and on and on. He told me all his experiences, he said, and then he said to me, but he said, I want to believe, but I can't believe. Well, he said, it was the first time I was able to get anything in, so I jumped up and said, is that your problem? Well, I can settle that now. I'll pray for you in the name of the Lord, I'll throw out this spirit of unbelief. And he said, he jumped up and said, I better not keep you any longer, shook my hand and rushed out the door.
[00:28:04] Of course, he didn't want his problem dealt with, so we have to remember that there are folks who don't want their problem dealt with. They hide behind a smoke screen. On the other hand, there are genuine cases, we've had many of them, where people really want to find the Lord, but something holds.
[00:28:21] Now, the reason for this bondage is normally three things. It's either unconfessed sin or unforgiveness towards someone, or it is occultism, spiritism, black magic. Now, these are the only three things they cross, cover whole areas that I've ever known in which for instance, I remember some years ago someone who really wanted to find the Lord and couldn't find the Lord, could not forgive their parents.
[00:28:57] And it was such a problem that that person could not even come to the Lord. Now, it says in the scripture that if we do not forgive others, neither will the Lord forgive us.
[00:29:08] And so there has to be a step in faith on that person's part to let go of that bitterness.
[00:29:13] It takes a long time to get it cleared up, but it has to be a step of faith. I know in other cases where there's been unconfessed sins. I remember some years ago when we had a brother here speaking. And a fellow came in who really found the Lord in the most marvelous manner. But for a long time he couldn't. And it stumped me completely. I couldn't think what was wrong. But the brother who was visiting us said to him, now, is there some sin that you have not confessed? And the lad began to get very, very embarrassed and disturbed.
[00:29:49] And then finally he got out what it was, and immediately he came to the Lord.
[00:30:00] Of course, there have been other cases, you know, almost weird. The question of spiritism or occultism. We found many cases where there's been no explanation. Finally we've said to someone, doesn't appear to have anything. Have you had any touch at all with spiritism?
[00:30:15] There we found it. Yes, my mother was a spirit, or my this or that or the other. And then we said, well, now we must pray.
[00:30:25] And when that's been broken in the name of the Lord. And that connection severed immediately that person's been able to call upon the name of the Lord. I've never yet found a spiritist or someone involved in the occupation who's been able to. To call upon the name of the Lord being as if they've not been able to do it, they just can't come. There's a complete sort of wall between them and the Lord. Now, when there are those kind of cases, there is need of executive prayer and action. And generally that means that there must be more people. Never try to deal with such a case on your own.
[00:31:01] Always bring others in. Refer it to the brothers. Bring others in to help you in such a case. But this is one of the proofs that we're in something that's very, very real.
[00:31:14] It's one of the things that convinces me of the reality of all that we're in, is this kind of thing. I mean, why should some people find the Lord so easily and other people just not yet? You always find that when a person can't come to the Lord, there is a reason for it. And that reason has got to be touched. And often the person is themselves unaware of the reason at the time. And this is where we sometimes need spiritual gifts. More than that. I mean, we always need them. But I mean, this is where we particularly need them. In counseling, more than even in gatherings is the way the Holy Spirit can give discernment of things. Discernment of spirits or whether you can give an explanation or what to do about a person or a person's background. They're not even aware of themselves. Now, may the Lord help us then. We've said rather a lot.
[00:32:06] We will try to say something next week about follow up and outreach, fishing and so on, this kind of thing. But I do trust that the Lord will translate this into action. Every one of you should be able to lead someone to Christ and you will say, well, I just couldn't do it. But you can. You can. And if you're only ready and expectant, God will use you. And to your joy and perhaps amazement you will lead someone else to the Lord.
[00:32:37] Don't ever be complex about this matter. The whole thing is simplicity. The key to it is simplicity. And if we can just remember these three great things, find the people, witness to them, keep them absolutely simple in this matter and bring them to Christ.
[00:32:59] It will help us very greatly. Shall we pray?
[00:33:09] Oh, dear Lord, we pray that thou wilt in some way write these matters upon our hearts.
[00:33:18] Lord, we believe that every one of us thou wouldst make every one of us a soul winner. And we pray, Lord, that we may be open to thee and in some way, Lord, thou'lt stir us up and awake us to our responsibility in this matter. And then, Lord, we pray that we may be people who are spiritually sensible and intelligent in our whole outlook on finding people.
[00:33:46] We may be those, Lord, who are alive praying, prayerful, walking with thee and yet at the same time restful, Lord, in thee thou mightest be able to use us, Lord, when the opportunity comes.
[00:33:59] And o our father, thou help us that we may all not be those who just simply give out tracts. But, Lord, those who have a testimony who are witnesses unto thee. Help us Lord. And may we all have the joy of leading others to thyself, Lord, may this be a joy that everyone in this room comes to experience.
[00:34:24] And what a wonderful increase, Lord, a multiplication that would mean. And we pray, Lord, that thou do this. Write these things upon our hearts and in that day that will surely come when, Lord, there will be so many seeking thee. We pray that we may all be those who are able to lead others to thyself.
[00:34:46] We ask it together in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:34:51] Amen.
