Ways To Conquer Fear In Witnessing - Suffer With Courageous Chrisitians

We are not just to be growing with and fellowshipping with other believers, but also doing the will of God, and work of God with them. Learning and studying with fellow believers is a good thing, but actually applying it to our walk is even better. Even when we suffer, strive, and painfully go through it together. James 1:22 says that we are to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

My same bold Christian friends not only encourage me to go and share the gospel, but they actually go with me. We have been through much. When people have ripped up my tracts and thrown them in my face…they were there. When I was yelled at and ridiculed during a St. Patrick’s Day parade and an overzealous homosexual got in my face and took out his aggression on the one Christian that came his way…my friend was there to pull me back up. The reason why we are so close, is that we experience the same things because we are doing it together. I understand how my friends hurt, and they understand me. We feel it together.

“Do you feel like you are not as close to people in the church as you would like to be? Do you feel as though the church is not as productive as it should be? Do you feel distant, and useless at times in your walk?” The only way people can grow together spiritually is that they disciple one another and grow closer through suffering for the gospel. I am closer to the people I suffer with on the street than with those of my home church. There’s something to be said about suffering together for the gospel.

Paul, in 2 Timothy 1:8 asks Timothy, his protégé to, “share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.” Share with me is a word translated as Strong’s # 4777, “to suffer hardship in company with. Be partaker of afflictions.” The “together part” of that is from Strong’s # 4862 which is one of the strongest bonds a person has with another. Denotes union together, but much closer than #3326 or #3844. It’s by association, companionship, process, resemblance, possession, and instrumentality. It’s close, not casual, bonding as one. True fellowship is true discipleship.

Wow, wouldn’t you want a connection like that with the people of your fellowship? Who wouldn’t want that?

So how does one find courageous Christians? Start doing what God wants you to do in the first place and they will come. Pray and seek God to bring people to you to help, guide, and even to be led by you. Seek out the evangelism ministry of your local church and ask what programs are available to you to be a productive soul-winner for Christ. And when the opportunities do come up, don't back down, but be bold and step out of your comfort zone, and God will use you in mighty ways. Don’t give up searching for like-minded people for help.

Ways To Conquer Fear In Witnessing - Fellowship With Courageous Christians

9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.

10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJV)

A good place to find that encouragement is from other people who have courage themselves. I have a select few of Christian friends who would go, and have gone with me at any time and fulfill the great commission arm in arm with me. These are some bold men and women who encourage me to step out of my comfort zone and do what God has called me to do. Even though each of us has different gifts, strength, and weaknesses, we complement each other where we fall short. The interesting part is that we are all of different denominations, but Christians none the less.

As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
(Proverbs 27:17 NKJV)

Help each other out. Get to know one another, and how to help those who need it. Help others to be better at evangelism. Encourage one another in the gifts that they were given. When they fall short, pick them up and dust them off. I need encouragement. There are many times I come away from a witnessing encounter that has just been aweful, or I just don't feel like going out and doing it. If I need it, I know there are others who do too.

Ways To Conquer Fear In Witnessing - Let Love Swallow Your Fears

One of the conquerors to fear is just having love. Agape love is not self-preservation love which in itself is selfish, but a love for the other person you are witnessing to. It’s a sacrificial love. Love for the other person should help us take any pressure from people who stand against the bible, and biblical truth. Not only love for the other person who we are witnessing to, but also love for the Lord Himself, and being obedient to the calling He has given us.

1 John 4:17-19 – Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

A couple of years ago my wife was sick and had to get a spinal tap and opted not to have the blood patch (which if you don’t receive a blood patch it can be extremely painful). Her mother was living in Illinois was clinically depressed and also very fearful of driving. But the love she had for her daughter overpowered her fear of driving, and she drove the entire eight hours to Iowa.
Having a love for the person you are witnessing to should overpower any fear we have in seeking and saving that which is lost. If you don’t feel love for others, ask God to give you His heart in the matter.

When I come across lost people, many ask me, “If God is such a loving God, why is it that He sends people to hell to punish them forever?” God gave them a way out through Jesus Christ, they just choose to deny it, and want another way.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God doesn’t want people to go to hell, and neither do I. Do you really believe that verse? I mean really believe it? Love others and live out the verse and go share your faith while you still have time.

Ways to Conquer Fear In Witnessing - Think Ahead And Reflect

There are only two times you can think about a conversation and reflect on it. Before it starts, and after it ends. That’s it. I’m not talking about the “what if’s”, but preparation.

Think Ahead Of The Situation

There are some things that you can do to prepare before a conversation takes place.

1. Meditate on the Word. Read the Word, think and ponder what it says, then apply it to your life. Like chewing the cud. Read (eat), meditate (chew), put it in your heart (swallow), remember (regurgitate), then chew and the cycle starts over. It’s also known as musing if you are a reader of the old King James Version. Joshua was told to meditate on the Word (Joshua 1:8). David mediated on God’s Word (Ps 1:2; 63:6; 77:12; 119:15, 23, 48, 78, and 114). Ways to meditate on scripture can be found here thanks to Don Whitney of The Center For Biblical Spirituality.
2. Carry a New Testament with you wherever you go. You can find a pocket New Testament at your local Christian or used bookstore. Or you can get one from Gideon’s International. You would be amazed at how often you can read God’s word when you carry it with you. I carry one from Gideon’s International and I read it when I am standing in line, or in the bathroom, or even when I am waiting for a plane. Anytime I have even a few minutes, I am thumbing through the pages of God’s Word.
3. Learn how to share your faith. Thanks to the internet, there is a wealth of information available to us to help us share our faith. Websites like Living Waters, Custom Tract Source, and Pocket Testament League are good websites that have online training, books, and tracts available for you.
4. Practice answering questions that may be posed to you. How would you answer tough questions from homosexuals, atheists, evolutionists, and new agers? How would you answer cults and false teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Science? One way to practice is to have a conversation in your head, and answer your own questions. Also role playing with a friend is very helpful too to get even more people involved.

Reflect On Your Conversation

1. After you have had a conversation with someone, reflect on it.
2. What was something you should have said?
3. What was something you shouldn’t have said?
4. How was your tone of voice, posture, or approach?
5. What was something that they said that you need to get information on?

You may be thinking to yourself that’s a lot to remember, and that it gets away from being led by the Holy Spirit. What I am suggesting is that you learn from the experiences…not be worried about them. Practice makes perfect. Even though we are not called to be perfect, we are called to be faithful. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Years ago when I was struggling as a new evangelist I kept a journal of my experiences and what I needed to learn. It helped me in my growth and I contribute alot of what I learned by realizing things and writing them down.

As always these are just suggestions how to get better and work out what God has already given you. If you have a better idea, or something different to share with me please do. I am no expert, and I enjoy "talking shop" and learning from people who may know something I don't.

Ways To Conquer Fear In Witnessing - Kill Fear With Logic

Kill Fear with Logic

WWSD (what would Spock do?) Think about it…if fear is illogical (from a previous blog), kill the fear with logic. Is it logical to be afraid to witness to a 70 year old and be worried they will beat up a 30 year old you? I doubt it. Not only can you run away, but defending yourself would be easy. And who says you have to witness to people you feel uncomfortable talking to. Start with people you feel comfortable with…and go from there. Crawl before you walk, and walk before you run.

What if God puts it on your heart to leave a tract on a table, or go talk to that grandmother sitting on a park bench? He didn’t ask you to open-air preach. He didn’t ask you to talk to a gang of teenagers in a bad neighborhood. He didn’t ask you to witness to 100 people today. He asked you to leave a tract. He asked you to talk to a grandmother on a park bench. She's not going to knife you to death, she's not going to beat you up, and she probably won't chase you down the street. Ask yourself, "What is the worst that could happen in this moment?" The absolute worst that could happen is that she ignores you and walks away. But what she really is walking away from is not you, but Christ. We are not called to be successful at witnessing, but to be obedient to do it.

God knows us better than we do. Do the simple things God tells you to do. Start experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t quench the fire…fan it.