YOU ASKED FOR IT: SHARING MY FAITH

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Question 1: How do I share my faith without being weird? 

Answer 1:  Just be you 

1 Timothy 1:12-13 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.

• Regardless of your past, and even struggles in your present
• It is He who works in you and through you to accomplish His work

Answer 2: Trust in Him

1 Timothy 1:14-15a Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”…

• God will fill you with everything needed
• And, it’s God’s perfect plan anyway

Answer 3: Trust His plan, your story has more value than you think

1 Timothy 1:15b-16 —and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

• God will use your story, no matter the past, to accomplish His will
• All you must do is be willing

1 Cor. 2:4-5 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

1 Cor. 1:17 (The Message) God didn’t send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn’t send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words.

Question 2: So then, how do I do it?

Answer 1: Go back to the source

1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.

• Prayer and the Word are a pretty good start

Answer 2: Take your faith deeper

1 Timothy 1:19a Cling to your faith in Christ…

• Recognize the importance and immense value your faith in Him has in reaching others
• The more you KNOW Him, the more you can’t help telling others ABOUT Him

Answer 3: Live right

1 Timothy 1:19b …and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

• It does matter how you live
• Hypocrisy is the great roadblock in you fulfilling God’s plan for you

Answer 4: Be ready

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching

• Know your story
• Be prepared
• Care more about your walk with Christ than you care about others’ walk with Christ
• Pray for opportunities 
• Genuinely care about people
• Be nice

Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!