As we conclude our series on Kingdom Business, we reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit in soul-winning and evangelism. In Acts 1:8, we read the Lord Jesus’ promise to His disciples: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” These words emphasize that it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to testify of God’s goodness, love, and redemption plan. Our effectiveness in the work of ministry hinges on our consciousness of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, activating the power resident within us and granting us the boldness to testify. As we carry out this assignment, it is crucial to recognize that our mission is not to judge or critique people’s lifestyle choices; rather, ours is to convey the love of God through personal testimonies of how Jesus has transformed our lives. Personal testimonies carry profound impact because they make the gospel relatable. The Lord instructs us to begin witnessing in our Jerusalem, among family and friends. After we have ministered to our immediate circle, we then extend our witness outward to Judea and Samaria, and ultimately to the ends of the earth.
Church, the Spirit of God is crucial in our ability to preach the gospel effectively. When we step out to testify, we must lean on Him for guidance and the boldness to fulfil this divine mandate. Relying solely on ourselves can lead to timidity, fear, worry, and anxiety about how others perceive us. However, being conscious of the presence of the Holy Spirit enables us to overcome these obstacles. In Luke 4, we see the Lord Jesus embracing the anointing of the Holy Spirit for ministry, saying, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed’ (vs.18). Saints, we must adopt the same attitude, recognizing that we are anointed and empowered to bring about change, work miracles, and heal the sick. This scripture also reminds us that the gospel meets each individual at their point of need. For the poor man, it brings the promise of prosperity and abundance in Christ. For the sick, it offers spiritual and physical healing through His Word. For the blind, it brings light, revelation and understanding; it illuminates and opens their eyes to see themselves as God does. For the oppressed, it brings liberty and freedom in Christ Jesus. Reading further, the anointing of the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to ‘proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’ (vs.19), referring to a Year of Jubilee, a time in which debts were cancelled, lands were restored to their original owners, and slaves were liberated. Though this proclamation did not align with the traditional Hebrew Year of Jubilee, Jesus declared it because His arrival signals the beginning of jubilee. Hallelujah! Praise God!
Turning our attention now to Matthew 10, we gain insight into how the Master views soul-winning. We read, ‘These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (vs.5-6). While salvation initially seemed exclusive to the Jewish nation, Jesus’ sacrifice opened salvation to all humanity, including Gentiles. However, at this point in time, the Jews were still waiting for the Messiah to come, unaware that He was already among them. Thus, the disciples were commanded to proclaim, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (vs.7). They were instructed to “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons …” (vs.8). This scripture shows that we are well able to administer the anointing that heals the sick, cleanses the lepers, raises the dead, and casts out demons. Moreover, the disciples were instructed not to take any money with them as they embarked on the journey to preach the good news (vs.9-10), emphasizing that the gospel must be financed by those who benefit from it, those who are being ministered to. Jesus said, ‘Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town’ (vs.11), teaching us the value we hold in the kingdom, as bearers of the message that turns others to righteousness. We must not exert ourselves debating with people who do not see value in the message we carry. Instead, we must understand that we represent the King of kings, the God who is above all, and that the blessing flows from us to those that accept it. This is why Jesus said, ‘When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing’ (vs.12-13). Isn’t this just like the story of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:8-37), who built an upper room for prophet Elisha, symbolizing spiritual covering over her household affairs? She experienced the blessing and reward of the prophet because she received him as such (Matthew 10:41). We too must understand how to transact in the spirit realm – when the opportunity arises to partner with the gospel, to support our local church, we should seize it with both hands, knowing that as we give, the fruit abounds to our heavenly account (Philippians 4:17).
In all things, let us remember that ours is a mandate given by the Lord Himself. He has entrusted us with this message after He completed His assignment. We read from apostle Paul, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). The Father has done the reconciliation, not just between Christ and the church but between Christ and the whole world; therefore we have been sent as ambassadors to this world, to make known the hidden mysteries in Christ and the newness of life available. This should always remain front and center as we move through everyday life, we are ambassadors with a mission!
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the teachings You have given us on the great commission! We have been equipped with wisdom and understanding on the importance of the mandate and the practical ways we can ensure we carry it out. May Your Holy Spirit continue to empower us, as we spread the gospel to the ends of the earth through the various channels available to us. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
