DAY 17 Power to Witness

At Desert Streams Church, our mission is to “Multiply Christ Followers Everywhere.” And our strategy (which is also our process for discipling people) is simple:

Reach lost people with the Gospel

Recruit them into God’s family and the DSC family

Resource them and teach them how to follow Jesus

Release them to reach, recruit, resource and release others

Let me ask you… If we don’t reach lost people with the Gospel, who will be there be to recruited, resourced or released? The multiplication of Christ followers screeches to a halt if we don’t witness to people who don’t yet know Christ. A church that doesn’t witness is an ineffective, off mission and shrinking church.

Matthew 4:19

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

Have you responded to Jesus’ invitation to follow him? If so, his purpose for you is clear: fish for people. And, when we choose to follow him, that purpose becomes engrained in us. All believers share a longing to see other’s come into saving relationship with Jesus. When God encounters us, when we hear the Gospel and put our faith in Christ, a strong desire to bring people to Jesus gets written into our spiritual DNA.

Although we may serve God in various ways, first and foremost we are ALL called to tell others the good news of salvation found in Jesus. It’s good news that has the power to save everyone who believes!

However, continually battling that strong desire to fulfill God’s purpose for us is fear. Fear of people. Fear of how people will respond. Fear of not being able to answer someone’s questions. Fear of looking stupid. And in many places in the world, fear of being harmed or even killed for professing faith in Christ.

What fears do you struggle most with? And more importantly, can we overcome these fears and become more effective at winning souls?  The clear and obvious answer from God's word is “Yes!” The way for us to go from fearful and hesitant to bold and courageous is found in Acts 4.

Acts 4:31

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

To reiterate the words of Pastor Gary from our devotional today:

Are you seeing the connection between prayer and power?  Are you willing to pray until you are filled with boldness?