Overcoming a Fear of Witnessing

Our fear of witnessing, generally, is based on focusing on ourselves instead of God and others.  We must point people to Jesus at all costs.  As human beings, we are generally too preoccupied with our own image, our own needs, and our own comfort to truly extend ourselves to minister to others.  We know that we should.  We want to, but when the time comes, when opportunity presents itself, we find ourselves not saying anything at all.  It seems our tongue is stuck to the roof of our mouths.  Have you ever experienced this? I have!

So, how can we overcome fear and be of service to others in sharing the Good News of the Gospel?

Possible causes of fear in witnessing include shyness, past or supposed rejection or humiliation, an inability to communicate your personal testimony, a lack of knowledge of Scripture, and a failure to trust in the Lord.  Defining the actual cause of our fear can be difficult, and understanding the reason for it will not rid us of our fear.  But we are commanded to be bold for Jesus, so may have to simply persevere. (See Ephesians 6:19)  In the meantime we can apply some basic principles and sharpen our skills, since fear can be overcome by preparation. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17) 

If we are not walking with Christ, we will not be able to witness for Christ effectively, so we certainly need to be living a consistent, Christian life.  “...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)  If at all possible, we should be attending a Bible-teaching church.   And, we should do what we can to improve our knowledge of Scripture.

Our Lord shared the gospel with many different people.  He understood Nicodemus and the woman at the well, and He used that knowledge to draw them to Himself. (See John 3 and 4)  Our approach should also be tailor-made for those to whom we are reaching out.  As we speak with an unbeliever, we should try to determine what is keeping him from salvation.  Generally speaking, there are three factors that keep people from belief, ambivalence about God, fear of God, and hatred toward God, which includes despising His teachings and His Son.

A study of the Gospel of John will show that the key to successful witnessing is love.  Jesus loved people to the point of accepting the cross and separation from the Father.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can learn to love people more.  When we do, we will be more motivated to share the gospel, since our desire to save people from eternal punishment will grow.  Love compels us to communicate the good news. 

The Holy Spirit will open doors for us by convicting people of their sin and stirring up a desire for salvation, and He will arrange for our paths to cross.  Our job is simply to speak with people and explain that salvation is available to every sinner, and to present the good news of the Gospel.  

Speaking is what many find troubling, as did Moses. (See Exodus 4:10)  However, if we are walking in Christ, if we study and plan, if we rely on the Holy Spirit (See John 16:8; Titus 3:5), and if we truly love people and want to help guide them to Jesus, we should be able to find a witnessing approach that works for us.  

One method to consider is to prepare and memorize a simple testimony of what Jesus did for us, and this should include several keywords.  We also should memorize a few key verses that relate to the gospel and to our testimony.  Then, when any one of our keywords arises in a conversation, in a context that can be related to the things of God, we can discuss our testimony or recite a verse and explain the meaning.  If we are asked any relevant questions, we can proceed with the confidence that the Holy Spirit has opened a heart.  If the other person expresses no interest, we can simply continue the original conversation without anxiety.  At the very least, we will have planted a seed.  

I have studied and used several different methods of sharing the Gospel over the years, but my favorite has become the ABC plan of salvation.  It’s a simple, straightforward way to share Christ with someone (witness to them) that is easy to remember and tell someone else.  Add in your personal testimony, and some appropriate scriptures relating to each of the letters, and you are all set.  

Here is the complete plan: 

A stands for Admit.  A person must admit to God that they are a sinner.  They must repent (be sorry) for their sins, and turn away from sinning.  Verses that support this step are Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Acts 3:19; and 1 John 1:9. 

B stands for Believe.  A person must believe that Jesus is God's Son, and that God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for sin.  Verses about believing include John 3:16; John 14:6; and Romans 5:8. 

C stands for Confess.  A person must confess their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Read Romans 10:9-10, 13.

 Remember that new believers need to be discipled.  Get them into a good, Christ-centered church, and help them through the trials that always come to new believers.  Satan will almost certainly begin to attack them, and they can easily be, "...carried away by all kinds of strange teachings." (Hebrews 13:9)

Study the Word, live the Christian life, let the Holy Spirit do His work (John 3:8), and look for opportunities to share the gospel.   It is a privilege to be a part of spreading God’s good news to the world.  As we fulfill the Great Commission, we have Jesus’ wonderful promise that, “...surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

What have we to fear?

If you have any comments, or would like to know more about witnessing to an unbeliever, you can respond in the comment section below or email me at: lifesjourney1949@gmail.com

 

 

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