Will You Go?

by Amanda
from Virtuous Daughters, March 2015~Volume 14, Number 12

I walked into the health foods store and saw a young ‘earthy-looking’ employee in the produce section. It was a normal outing to the store, but then the thought, “Why don’t you witness to her?” Me: “Oh…no…well…what would I say? I can’t just walk up to her and say Jesus died for her sins!” That would be quite the first impression! God had been working in my heart to be bold in witnessing, but…Here? Now? What if I say the wrong thing? God’s grace prevailed and I found myself in front of this unsuspecting worker asking, “If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?” I waited for her reaction…she actually was looking very contemplative; she wasn’t even yelling angry words at me! She replied to my strange question by listing off several exotic countries that she would really like to visit before she died!  Surprised by her answer, I said, “Actually, I meant, where do you think you would go after you died?” This time she looked very contemplative. She did not know what happens after this life, and I had the opportunity to explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She did not fall on the ground in repentance or even seem very responsive, but I had obeyed, and I walked away with a great sense of joy and fulfillment.

The Great Need
It is estimated that between 250,000 to 300,000 people in the world will die and step into eternity today. Many, many, of those people do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and will hear, “I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). Hundreds of thousands of those people have never heard the Good News. There is a need in this world—thousands of souls dying everyday in their sin! As young ladies, we have a special opportunity to proclaim what Jesus Christ has done for us to a dark and dying generation! As Christians, we not only have an opportunity, but a responsibility to share the Good News—to fulfill the Great Commission.

 
The Great Commission
But what exactly is this ‘Great Commission’? I believe that the Great Commission applies to more than the eleven disciples who heard it before Jesus’ ascension. I believe that it was a command to all those who call Jesus Lord and are awaiting the day of His appearing. Let’s look at some Bible passages to see what Jesus commanded us and what it means for virtuous daughters today: Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

My pastor has said, “The Christian life is not a sedentary life.” In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says, “GO.” He didn’t say “Go, if you know every Bible verse regarding heaven and hell.” Or “Go, if you are the really outgoing type.” Or “Go, if you are sure you can answer every theologically difficult question that someone will ask you.”  He said, ‘Go,’ based on the fact that He has power over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Are we willing to ‘go’? Whether it is your neighbor, your little sibling, your friend, a lost soul at the store…are you willing to go where God is leading you?

Matthew 28:19-20 also speaks of making disciples. One can only become a disciple by coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. Are we prepared to share with those around us how they can become a disciple of Jesus? And do we, ourselves, know God’s commands so that we can teach them to others? Mark 16:15-16 “And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
 

The Great News
Luke 24:46-48 “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” This is a great verse to memorize. Do you know how to accurately explain the Gospel? Are you prepared to proclaim that Christ chose to suffer and die for His enemies, and take the payment for sin that we deserved? He conquered death, giving eternal life to those who repent and acknowledge Him as Lord. It is not by our goodness.  It is not by the works of our hands.  We are only made right with God by faith in what Jesus Christ has done at Calvary.

 
The Great Call to be a Witness
Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This verse says we ‘shall be witnesses.’ A witness tells what he has seen. We are witnesses of Jesus Christ, because of what we have seen Him do in our own lives. How have we experienced His saving power unto salvation? How have we seen Him work in our daily lives? We do not need a Doctorate in Theology to witness. We just need to proclaim how we have seen Him at work in us.
 

But How do I Go?
1) Pray. Pray. Pray. Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer is not preparation for the greater work, it is the greater work.” We need the Lord’s strength and equipping! Spend time in prayer asking the Lord to give you a desire for lost souls, to equip you to share the Word accurately, to be sensitive to others’ needs, and that the hearer’s hearts would be softened unto repentance. Pray for other laborers. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).
 
2) Decide to Obey. Obedience is a decision. Decide, in God’s grace, to obey where He leads. We mustn’t let fear dictate our decisions—especially in this area! It is normal to be nervous, but let this be a reminder that we need God’s strength and that He is sufficient. (see 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
 
3) Be Ready to Give an Answer. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). I find that when I am witnessing, and am on the spot, the verses that come to mind are the ones that I know really, really well. Memorize and meditate on several verses that explain the Gospel and that you can say at a moment’s notice. Remember that God’s Word is the most powerful tool we have and that we should be using It as much as possible! “The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word does not return void! (Isaiah 55:11)

4) Practical Ideas to Get Started

• Use opportunities at home to share the Gospel with siblings. 
• A great way to ease into witnessing is to give out tracts. Go out as a family or with a church group, or give them to store clerks, or to anyone who looks like they need something to read! (Note: be sure that you are staying safe and are checking with your parents about how to go about this.)
• Use the holidays to pass out special tracts related to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, etc. People are usually more receptive to ‘gifts’ during holidays. You can include a piece of candy with the tracts as well.
• Pick a ‘witnessing starter’ that you feel comfortable using. Some ideas are, “What do you think happens to someone after they die?’ ‘Do you believe you are a good person, why?’ ‘If you were to die, where do you think you would spend eternity?’
• Let the light of Christ shine through good works! “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, emphasis added).

 
5) See It’s Not That Hard!
Once you get started it will get easier with practice. The more you use those ‘witnessing muscles,’ the less scary it will be. Keep praying for those you have talked to and have passed out tracts to.

Don’t be discouraged if every person you talk to does not come to know the Lord…or even one person! Realize that some sow, and some reap. God does the work in each heart, we just need to be obedient each step of the way.           

​May the Lord bless you and equip you as you obey His Great Commission!