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.