How can today's church reach the lost, and more directly, the lost who have everything in worldly riches. The lack of impact on our culture by the Church in the western world (Europe and the USA) is poster child material for what we are not getting done. I live and work in the place where this is most prevalent, so it is most on my mind.
I was given Holy Ghost insight on how it happened in my own life and in the lives of so many I know. It is also how those in the first century reached the world in which they lived.
We are familiar with the 9 gifts of the Spirit. We think they are only for edification only INSIDE the local assembly. Certainly that is a great place to have them flow. To reach the lost up and outer it is going to take activation one on one with people who are hungry for more of SOMETHING REAL when they are Discontented. Troubled. In distress. Uncertain.
It takes all NINE of the gifts flowing FREELY (not just the easy ones) to reach these people.
Counterfeit gifts have displaced the genuine everywhere. If we are going to build the Kingdom, we will need the genuine. Unfortunately, many who are good at the church game are as counterfeit as the psychic down the street or the quack who claims to heal with crystals. Con games are played everywhere. Some in the name of Jesus. Ministers taking the name of the Lord in vain. Does anyone need some Water blessed by Reverend so and so?? I see it advertised on "christian" TV. I'm sure he can turn the tap on once more if you need some. Right here is where the hundred dollar line starts.
We need LESS of that and MORE of the Genuine. Those who are effective at reaching the lost using all nine Gifts of the Spirit are fewer than you might imagine. For the most part they are not equipped to operate in them. Those of us in the Five Fold haven't done our job well.
How does it look when the gifts are used to evangelize?
Word of Knowledge:
I have been in Joyce Still meetings (who operates strongly in this gift) and people are stunned by her accuracy. They are well attended. Dr Matthew Stevenson in our area operates in this with great effect. It is not enough to say "Someone has back pain". That's easy and cheap. More important is to say, "You (speaking directly to an individual) were in conflict with your mother yesterday. The Lord says to you... etc". That will speak to an up and outer. Tell them everything they ever did... as the woman at the well testified. Most Christian ministers are good at the "pain in right leg" thing. Most are really bad at "you got a note from the bank in yesterday's mail that was really bad news; the Lord says, You will prevail". Most won't speak out because they don't have the courage or are shallow in their giftedness. I still miss it once in a while, I have learned to speak when prompted to do so...and the Lord makes up the difference. IF we do this well, IF those operating in this are equipped properly it is a powerful tool for evangelism. IF not, it is phony baloney manipulation. Don't try this unless you are properly equipped. God wants you to have this and he wants those you reach to have it as well.
Word of Wisdom
When God puts supernatural insight into one's mouth in a situation where direction and wisdom can be given, it's amazing. People will flock to them as God uses them. This is not prophecy. This is guidance. This is directive. This is not counsel. This is wisdom beyond your human capacity. Put your nets down on the other side of the boat. Many ministers think that by sitting and giving their opinion they are operating in the word of wisdom. They are not. When the GIFT is active you will hear yourself say things you never thought you could or should. It will be bold. Sell this. Buy that. Go here. Go there. This is not Prophecy... however much it looks like it. It is conveying the mind of God, wisdom far above your own understanding to help others navigate life. A person who sees this will want more and if you tell them THEY can do this too... whoa... Discipling happens.
Discerning of Spirits
When people come to you with difficulty, if you operate in this you will quickly see in the spirit what is going on. Who is influencing what. This isn't always demonic. Some times it is simply a spirit in effect that is causing difficulty. When I have had to deal with this, it has sometimes been a parent who's spirit was a stumbling block for their children. OR a relationship. Or an involvement. The key to discerning of spirits is knowing what spirit is behind the situation. People think one thing is the problem, when it is something else. IF you have this gift, you can use it to cause people to wonder how you were able to look past the obvious. Then you have an opening to encourage them to find the source of the Gift... the Giver.
Gift of Faith
Sometimes people need to lean on another person's faith. A dead person for instance has no faith at all. They need to hear the word of faith. Sometimes in very difficult situations where people have nearly given up, they need to hear the word of Faith. It is not presumption, it is an expression of an unshakeable faith in the Almighty God for deliverance. Our God is able to deliver us, be even if ... Faith. Faith in God at that level is attractive and more important, helping people enter into that level of faith is a key to reaching them for the Kingdom. Without faith is it impossible. AND when you let them know that it's a gift, FROM the Father... they will be ready to enter into that relationship.
Gifting for Miracles
The world hungers for the Miraculous. Most of what we believe is miraculous is not. Found my keys. A phone call from a friend just in time. Money that I needed that showed up. That's part of Provision and Protection in God. I am talking about when something MUST change, something impossible must be moved by the Hand of God is invoked by faith... that miracles happen. BIG mountain moving miracles. Sun standing still in the sky miracles. Axehead floating miracles. Red sea parting miracles. We may not see those... yet we must walk in confidence (not presumption) of the miracle working power of GOD and then be bold enough to declare it. Do that a few times around an up and outer and they will keep your number on their speed dial. Tell them you can teach them how to walk in this gift and they will be a ready disciple. I have not been as strong in this as I could have been. YET.. I have walked here and every time it's an amazing testimony.
Gift of Healing
Here's where it gets weird. Certainly everyone loves the account of a healing. People flock to large crusades to see people get up and walk, the dead raised, the broken made whole. It IS the children's bread to be healed and delivered. Deliverance is a form of healing... although true deliverance depends on the gifts of faith, discernment, knowledge as components. However, healing to the believer is part of the covenant. Healing to the unbeliever is a sign and a wonder. The problem has long been that people have been "healed" but not. There are the leg lengthenings. I'm not against these things, but some are simply silly. I want to deal with the real situations. Terminal illness. Paralysis. Impossible situations. Healing doesn't happen by my faith. Healing happens because the GIFT comes into activation. IF a person is healed or delivered by the power of God (not some man's crusade) he or she will be easy to reach for the Gospel. Healing is an essential part of evangelism. Then tell someone that you can help them get this gift for others (particularly their family) and you have someone ready to be discipled.
Gift of Prophecy
As a prophet, this is the one that most often comes into play. IF I can convey to someone what God says to them about them..that will draw people. Don't confuse this with wisdom or knowledge. They are related, but Prophecy will build up, give confidence, define destiny, warn of danger or describe what is about to happen. When a person hears a Prophet operate like this... things change. It is easy to discount a prophet since a prophet doesn't operate in the realm of time. He can't tell you that Thursday at 3PM such and such will take place. He sees beyond the veil into the eternal and describes what he sees. Yet if an up and outer hears from a prophet as things manifest in his life... He will be easily reached for the Kingdom. I have had this happen. Always one on one. Seldom in big meetings. AND if you tell that person that they too can have this gift... they will be easy to disciple.
The last two Gifts are related yet for me they were the Gifts that brought ME to into the Kingdom.
I wasn't looking for a word, for knowledge, for wisdom, for healing, for faith, for miracles. I needed a touch from God... a God I didn't even know very well.
Someone laid hands on me and I received by the Spirit the Baptism...
The gift of Tongues.
I won't relate this testimony again. Yet, when I was at my wits end, marriage, addiction, family, uncertainty, struggle, a man I knew asked me if I would like to receive the Gift of God for me... the Holy Spirit manifested in the Gift of Tongues. I was doubtful. Yet.. I suddenly a few days later all by myself had a Pentecost experience. I don't know if tongues of fire were on me.. but I knew that I knew that it was real. From that day forward to this I have not backed away. Don't you think there are other people hungry for a supernatural encounter among the up and outers? I do. Look at how well the "Heaven is for Real" and "Jesus Calls" books sell. Look at how interested in supernatural things the world is. We have it for real. God is urgently looking to give this gift to anyone who will say yes.
No, my denominational friends, you did NOT receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost when you believed. You get it when you hear yourself speaking the language of Heaven. This is a wonderful evangelism tool and the one that reached this up and outer. It will reach others.
Interpretation of Tongues
This is Not just someone standing up in a meeting and interpreting according to 1 Corinthians 14. Although that kind of meeting is overtly evangelistic. Read the whole chapter. This is the key to the gateway to all the other spiritual gifts. IF you speak in the language of Heaven and hear what the spirit is saying to your spirit (interpreted) you will be prepared to enter into any of the other gifts. The key to this being an evangelistic tool is the fact that unless one is prepared, unless one is disciplined to do this they won't be ready when the time comes. Here's a truth. Unless a person has these last two gifts, The gift of tongues with a manifested heavenly language and the capacity to hear what the spirit is saying, NONE of the other gifts can or will operate. They just won't.
This kind of evangelism is all thru the word of God. Mostly in the Book of Acts and Corinthians. You can't even effectively preach and teach unless you have first come thru the gateway provided. The adage Jesus gave, it is more difficult for a rich man to ENTER the kingdom of heaven than a camel to come thru the eye of the needle. (a gateway). I just told you what and where that gateway is. Help those up and outers find that.. and they will come into full effect.
Here's the last thing. IF we are truly successful in doing all of these things, doing what Jesus says for to do, make disciples, equip them, make them like Him, give them the tools and the gateway to use them, we should of necessity empty out the church building of those so equipped. Most of these gifts seldom operate in church services any more. Oh sure from time to time someone will come to town and dazzle us all with their giftedness in what should be normative with every mature believer.
We fail in our outreaches to the world because we are not yet equipped to do so. You can't impart what you don't possess. Many times I have walked into a shopping mall and asked the Holy Spirit to direct my steps to someone who HE is calling just then. Then going quietly and humbly to them engaging in conversation, Soon the gift of God alive and speaking words of knowledge, wisdom or prophecy which many times leads to prayer for their situation, speaking words of healing or deliverance. It's easier than it looks. It's just not flashy. No offerings are taken. Most ministers don't bother and most of them couldn't do it if they wanted to. IF you are fully equipped to operate in all nine gifts, mall walking by faith is a great place to practice. Just do it and the graces of God will lead you. If you miss it a few times, his grace is still sufficient.
It's time to begin to reach the lost with more than avoiding hell or a bigger BMW.
Go ye therefore...
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