It is the great privilege for God’s children to be used by the Holy Spirit in lovingly leading a person into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Billy Graham has said,
“The chief duty and privilege of the Christian is winning souls.”
God breathed these infallible words in Proverbs 11:30,
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.
It is from this verse that we get the name “soul-winner.”
Are you a soul-winner for Jesus Christ?
Does the subject of soul-winning cause you fear? You have my sympathy. I know what it is like to have those feelings when attempting to say a word for Jesus to someone.
This is how I overcame that fear, many years ago now:
- I decided upon the basic verses I would use.
I discovered the Romans Road system of evangelism. Here are the verses called the Romans Road – Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-10; and 10:13. They are perfect! They are clear that everyone is born a sinner, in God’s great love Jesus died for our sin on the cross, with the heart a person believes (trusts), with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Because I was afraid I would forget these verses, which I memorized, I bought myself a pocket-sized New Testament and highlighted the verses and put in the margin the next verse I needed to go to.
- I wrote out a prayer I could lead someone in.
Once I get to Romans 10:10 where it says “… with the mouth he confesses.…” I encourage them to pray and ask Jesus to come into their hearts. I have learned over many years that a lost person does not know what you mean when you ask them to pray to be saved.
You need to lead them in a prayer. Remember, lost people can only pray one prayer, the prayer for salvation. So, they need help in how and what to pray. And we know that first and foremost it is the work of the Holy Spirit in someone’s conversion.
So, here is the prayer I wrote out many years ago and still use it today, even this day I used this prayer in leading a young man to Christ.
“Dear Lord, I know I am a sinner, I know I need a Savior, I put all of my trust in this fact alone, Jesus Christ died for me personally. I believe that with all of my heart. Come into my heart and save me. Thank you now for saving me, in Jesus name I pray amen.”
- I selected a simple gospel tract to give them.
I went to the local Baptist Bookstore (Lifeway Christian Resources) and found a tract that I thought was simple in language and visually pleasing. The reason I give a tract after they have prayed to receive Christ is to continue keeping their mind on what they have just done. And, if they begin to doubt, they can read back through what they have believed and received. And, they can share the tract with their family and friends who might just ask them,
“… the reason for the hope that is within you.” 1 Peter 3:15
- I selected simple Bible lessons they could sign up for.
We still use these lessons today to disciple people here at Abiding Above Ministries.
I pray you, too, will consider, the Bible says it is wise to win souls. The only thing on earth that is eternal is the human soul. The souls of men, women, boys, and girls hang in the balance.
Winning souls is far more important than educating them on points of theology, though that is important. Winning souls is far more important than being sure to teach them a Biblical world-view, though that is very important.
Winning souls is the most important thing you can do with your time and with your money.