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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
When we believe deeply that which has turned our lives in surrender to Jesus Christ, it is natural to desire to tell others what has happen to us. Some want to tell the whole world if possible what God has done for them by Jesus Christ.
The desire is commendable and not wrong.
The desire is not wrong, but the same thing you have experienced may be or become dangerous knowledge for someone else. As in many endeavors, timing can be everything. Personal witnessing has been effective for some, but very ineffective for others. For those, the witness may be dangerous knowledge. Those who attempt to witness personally to an individual concerning their spiritual position and condition take a very heavy responsibility. Sometimes it has good results, and the one or ones witnessed to come to surrender to Christ.
But some can be reached only by loving prayer and supplication rather than words from another, regardless of the sincerity of the effort. It is of crucial importance to know the difference. Timing and conditions can bring success, or dangerous failure for the one witnessed to. Jesus said believing prayer could move mountains. Some - even some we are the closest to - can only hear the words of the Holy Spirit moving in their hearts. Words are often considered to be bias and manipulation, regardless of the intended purpose.
Today's unbeliever is in many instances so completely captured by the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2), only the Spirit of God can reach them. The only effective option for the intercessor is fervent, unceasing prayer. For some, a verbal face to face witness serves only to condemn the one being asked about their relationship with God. Once one has been informed of the fact that they may be lost eternally, they become culpable and responsible for their decisions, actions, or lack of action.
Face to face witness at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, may serve to discourage and even condemn the one that is hoped will believe and be saved. The knowledge of their guilt may compel them to turn to God in repentance, or it may harden them, and deepen their resistance to the Gospel. Therefore, personal witnessing and attempts to convince may have the opposite result. Once they hear the truth and understand their position relating to Jesus Christ, there is then no excuse in God's sight.
Although all of mankind has little excuse for their unbelief, and will apparently be judged on the basis of what they do know (Romans 1:18-20), those who have heard the gospel, regardless of the means, have no excuse at all. Choose your words carefully. Wrong words, or the wrong timing of the right words, can backfire and result in the opposite of what is intended.
Therefore, be very careful how you witness, if you do. Do not even attempt it without humble pray and consultation with God and the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit whether you should even attempt the witness you would like to make. It could be God's will for you is to be a prayer warrior rather than a battlefield spiritual soldier.
Better to pray and allow the Holy Spirit to work directly with the one you desire to witness to, than to unintentionally become a stumbling block.
As someone once said to me, "be careful with words...you can't get them back".
"But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced." - Matthew 12:36-37
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