Evangelism - Breaking the Four Walls Mentality

What is evangelism? Is there more than one way to evangelize?

There are many ways to witness to lost souls. There's not just one method or formula for evangelism. We must not put God in a box and tell Him, "This is the only way it can be done." The Holy Spirit is not limited by our finite wisdom and understanding of evangelism. His ways are higher than our ways.

Our greatest examples of evangelism are found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Jesus Christ is our true example of how to witness effectively for the sake of the Kingdom.

In John 4:1-26, we see Jesus witnessing to a Samaritan woman at a well. It was not lawful for Jesus to be talking to this Samaritan woman, but Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil so that His life could come forth in the earth. The law holds people in bondage. Jesus came to set the captives free!

Jesus talks freely with this Samaritan woman, speaking to her prophetically in verses 21 and 23. He gives her a word of knowledge in verses 17-18.

What is a word of knowledge? It is a gift of the Holy Spirit as listed in 1 Corinthians 12. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not just for church services. The gifts of the Holy Spirit need to be taken outside the four walls of the church and used to glorify God among the lost.

What happened as a result of Jesus using the gifts of the Holy Spirit and prophetically witnessing to this Samaritan woman? She got saved! The gifts operating through Jesus brought revelation that set this woman completely free! This woman immediately went into the city and began to evangelize others.

I believe it's time for the church to go outside the four walls of the church and do what Jesus has commanded us to do.

Matthew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." What did Jesus tell us to do?  "GO."  He didn't stutter when He said these powerful words. It was a clear command.

It's time for the church to take Jesus to the streets! It's time to stir ourselves up in the Holy Ghost and do what we have been created to do. It's time to break off complacency and get out of our comfort zones. It's time for us to work the works of God. The Lord has anointed us to do His work on the earth.

Matthew 8:1-4 - In this chapter, Jesus heals a leper. The gifts of healings was in operation here. The gifts of healings is one of the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12. This leper was not a Christian. He was unsaved.

John 2:1-12 - Jesus was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. What happened here? Jesus turned water into wine. This time another gift was in operation through the life of Jesus, the working of miracles. The people at this wedding were not Christians. They were lost people. Jesus once again took the gifts of the Holy Spirit outside the four walls of the church.

Acts 5:12-16 - These verses show signs and wonders being done by the apostles. Verses 14-15: And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

Where did they take the sick people? Did they take them to the temple? No! They laid them in the streets! The miracles took place in the streets, not in a church building!

Song of Solomon 3:1-4: By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. "I will rise now," I said, "And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love." I sought Him, but I did not find him. The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, "Have you seen the one I love?" Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love.

Where did the Shulamite woman find Jesus? In the streets!

I believe some of the greatest miracles we have ever seen will take place in the streets. God wants to wake up the church because He wants to use the church. These are the last days! Time is running out. Jesus is coming soon! We must stop wasting our time doing worldly things that will not count for eternity. We must go outside the four walls of the church and do what God has called us to do. People are dying and going to hell. This is not a game. It's reality.

Some of you reading this article have lost loved ones. You need to start fasting and praying for their salvation. God is about to do some miraculous things if you will put Him first in your life. You have the power to call the prodigal son home. Use that power! Put your faith into action and begin to speak to those things that are not as though they were.

We have the power and authority to speak forth the word of the Lord to the lost. We have the power and authority to literally pull them out of the flames of hell. God has filled us with His Spirit for such a time as this.

Let's stop being hearers of the word only, deceiving ourselves. Let's become doers of the word. Let's put the word of God to work on the streets, in the highways and byways. Let's get out there and win the lost at any cost. We must forget about our reputations and be risk takers. It's time to walk on the water and do what's never been done before. It's time to get out of the boat and put our faith to work.

Isaiah 8:18 says we were created for signs and wonders!

Let's take the limits off of our minds. Let's take the limits off of the Holy Spirit and reach out to the lost by faith expecting God to move in great and mighty ways. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and allow the Lord to use you for His glory.