#torchbearersgh

[pastorphilipcofie]

THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST

“... do the work of an evangelist..” (2 Timothy 4:5)

Paul wrote to Timothy, admonishing him to do the work of an EVANGELIST, because it will help him to fulfill his ministry. Evangelism is scriptural. Evangelism is divine. Evangelism is eternal and the most important Christian work anyone can do.JESUS was an evangelist and he directed our heart and minds to the reality of a harvest of souls that is plentiful. How do we do the work of an evangelist? What will require us to be effective evangelist?

1. Personal walk with God: Jesus came calling people to follow him. Finally, he called twelve disciples to work with him. Through his teaching and miraculous ministry, he was able to disciple them to become fishers of men and that is the work of an evangelist_ to fish for men. If you are living your life outside the will and path of God, you cannot be vessel that God can use to reach others. As we yield our ways  and life to God, he makes us_ fishers of men. Jesus said, follow me and  I will make you. There is the process of making. It the process of daily quiet time, listening to tapes, reading christian books, participating in church activities, being prayerful, living a life of holiness, truth and integrity, etc.

The more we walk with God and surrender our ways to him, the more God nature we imbibe and exemplify_ We then become light for the world for others to follow and find eternal life in Jesus Christ.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Mathew 5:16)

2. The work of soul winning: You can be very holy and yet do little for the salvation of others. You can be very committed in a church and yet do nothing about the salvation of lost souls. You can be very knowledgeable in the word of God and yet do nothing for the harvest of lost souls. Many churches have no interest in the practical work of going out to preach the gospel. Jesus after mentoring his team, directed them to the practical work of “GO-ing” to win souls. Do you have the practical work of soul winning in your life?. Does your church guide and influence you to ‘GO” out and win the lost at any cost?. The work of an evangelist is not a dreaming work. It a work that must be put in place practically and purposefully, for that intent and mandate to be fulfilled.

3. Toil and endurance: We are in a generation of comfort Christianity. Nobody want to be discomforted in anyway. The generation before us, was a generation willing and eager to loose, sacrifice and even die for the work of evangelism. Missionaries left the comfort and glory of their nation to dark and terror heathens of the world, to fulfill the work of an evangelist. what about us?

You cannot do the work of an evangelist, if you are not willing to toil and endure for the salvation of others. The work of an evangelist will put you in danger of going to places, traveling, facing ridicule, giving up your money and resources to reach others. Jesus acknowledged the works of the church in Ephesus, because they toiled and endured many things for the cause of Christ and the advancement of the gospel. They were fruitful because they were willing to toil and endure. Many Christians can toil and endure for many earthly things, but not the things of Christ or the call to evangelism, thus we have become barren Christians with no fruit of souls to show and prove of.

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance...’ (Revelation 2:2)

..... to be continued

[pastorphilipcofie]

ZETEO

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

JESUS came to this earth with an eternal purpose. He came to seek and save that, which was lost. Jesus came to seek and save humanity. It is this vision that drove him to the cross. He had a passion to fulfill an eternal will and more importantly the will of the father.

Zeteo is the greek word used here for the word “SEEK”. It means the following;

1. to demand something from someone: God want us to demand lost souls from the hands of Satan. The bible says, the whole world lies in the hands of the wicked one. God sent Moses to demand the release of his people from the hands of Pharoah, thus the church needs to pray and pursue evangelism with a certain sense of force till Gods precious souls are set free from the path of death.

2.  to strive after something: it takes a lot of energy, time and discipline to strive after something. Winning lost souls, will not come to us on a silver plate. we need to strive after them. we need to be determined after them. we need to fight the good fight of faith, until we lay hold on lost souls for Jesus. we need to overcome personal life issues till we fulfill our call. we need to persevere after lost souls. we need to keep preaching, keep visiting and keep praying, until we attain that which we are seeking for.

3.to seek in order to find: Gold is not found on our street. Gold is often hidden way beneath the earth and it must be sought after diligently to find it. unfortunately, the church today is not seeking. Pastors are not seeking and congregant are also not seeking for lost souls, but Jesus sought after lost souls. The disciples sought after lost souls. Missionaries traveled near and far to seek for lost souls. If we dont seek, we certainly want find.

WHAT ARE WE SEEKING FOR?

The people of the world are seeking for the lost and deceptive things of this world built on evil, wickedness, immorality and falsehood. God want us to seek for his kingdom and its righteousness. God want us to seek for something ETERNAL. God want you to seek for something that will bring an eternal life and hope to someone.

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Mathew 6:33)