The Way of Evangelism: Christ Convictions

Direction of EYF : world evangelism 
  • What you are now - let it be for WE, not better yourself for WE
What to do now?
  • Your factions, choices, your life -- is it in sync with telling people about the god in your life?
  • Gospel gives you a genuine spirit. Test your heart, is it right? Are you following Him with an upright spirit? Whatever you are doing, test your heart, are you choosing sth that satisfy your flesh or convenience, all about yourself? The way you work, live in family, is it toward WE?
  • If you are upright, and there are things that are not too right, come before god and ask him to change your heart

Live with true convictions (about the gospel)
  • Conviction is the thing that moves HS to work, not knowledge
  • Family: when they are no where near spiritual inclination towards god! you need to have twice the conviction to rise up against the current wave 
    • Pray for obstacles to come upon them and pray for them to turn toward God
    • Is the conviction in you that cause HS to work
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. (Joshua 5:9 NIV)
  • Many people lives in reproach because they live the worldly way
I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” (Genesis 17:7, 8, 10-14 NIV)
  1. Circumcision - painful - covenant inscribed in the flesh
    • God made Joshua circumcise people before the enemy, a situation whereby they can be so vulnerable to attack
    • God is more concerned with the people's circumcision than the fighting
    • Circumcised heart - when god removes reproach from your heart, you won't resist the HS and you can claim the Lord's promise boldly 
    • If you have nothing to do with this covenant, you are cut off from the rest
    • Covenant:
      1. Identity - children of god
      2. Purpose of your living - there is purpose to all things - WE. If you look down on this purpose, you won't find rest in any other things
      3. Remembrance (scar, painful) and act (live it out - live by his will, for the kingdom).why we pray? Is to remember. After we pray, we want to be able to live it out - spirit of circumcision
    • Setting apart (do you realize you can no longer enjoy certain things - god sets you apart) by the truth
      • It changes your views, you actions, your decision
      • This set apart is a conviction that's moves HS to work
    • Power lies in your belief
      • The world also shakes your belief, influence you to believe looks, money, and knowledge is important and makes things work, eg Hitler
      • Are you bring convicted by what you see and what your hear (therefore making choices) or are you convicted by the truth?
    • Be afraid of not your enemy, but your Heart stolen by enemy 
    • God wants your heart first even when enemy is near
    • Sometimes you feel like proving about gospel, this is humanistic --> Just abide by the truth, let god proves himself, let god works. Satan is afraid when you abide by the truth not your energy or vibrancy. Your consistent personality makes satan afraid 
  2. Convicted about the truth . Conviction
    • Not in the head but in the heart --> the heart with the right and strong belief
    • Pray with conviction -- it mobilizes angels 
    • Sometimes you ever feel that you look small in front of others despite your are COG?
      • Not telling how good you are as Christ follower, but u need to have genuine conviction for others soul first, about the gospel first.
      • Then, you can have anyone looking down on you yet you are not affected
    • How to find the conviction?
      • Through deep prayers - to confirm the truth, and hold onto it, prayers that bring transformation and translate into actions (real fellowship with god brings conviction)
      • Adversities, failures, loss, unresolved problems --> make you turn to God and his truth is the only thing thst gives you comfort --> gives you the need to pray --> problems become blessings! it is when you are weak that you are strong 
      • Train yourself to live before God (not man)
        • With risk of angering people, not pleasing to others, having to fail certain things 
        • Without this, you won't grow in faith
        • When you live like this, you suffer less reproaches for you are living before god
      • Brethren living - right influence 
  3. Always be prepared to live as one circumcised 
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter
3:13-17 NIV)
  • Set apart Christ as lord, carry with you the conviction you have to testify him. The conviction will give you strength to do what you ought to do (for HS works in your conviction = believing heart)
  • Attitude of suffering loss for the gospel 
    • Do you count yourself worthy in sufring him?
    • Loss of prospect, good grades, loss, pride -- when you are ready to let go, and count it worthy? You know you have differentiated from the world. Attitude is correct, acts come
  • Be ready to give an answer