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Hey man, all right turn your Bibles to John chapter number one John chapter number one like I said, we're not gonna do the Bible reading normally would read the whole chapter, but we and I take I blame CJ for this that he read the wrong chapter now. I sent him the chapter That he was supposed to read and I sent him the this one first and so he assumed Which I normally do send him the right order, but I didn't last night So it's my fault, but we read this this morning, so We're just gonna pick up in verse number 40 where the Bible reads one of the two Which heard John speak and followed him was Andrew Simon Peter's brother He first findeth his own brother Simon, and he saith unto him we have found the Messiah's which is being interpreted the Christ and He brought him to Jesus and when Jesus beheld him He said thou art Simon the son of Jonah thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and find a fill up and sayeth unto him follow me Now skip to verse 45 it says fill up findeth Nathaniel and sayeth unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the private prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph the title of my sermon tonight is personal and individual soul winning personal and Individual soul winning let's pray Lord. We thank you so much for the scriptures Lord I pray that you would fill me with boldness and power and fill me with your spirit as I preach this sermon I pray Lord that You would just be with me as I preach and that Lord the people be attentive to the Word of God tonight I pray that you would just bless them in a special way for being here on a Sunday night where most people are out Doing other things and and living their lives Lord that the people here They they chose the first things the the the things of God to be the first things in their life this week And Lord I pray bless them for those things in Jesus name pray. Amen Alright, so personal and individual soul and I I chose this passage because you see Personal soul winning going on here. Don't you in verse number one you see where you know you have disciples of John the Baptist And and you have Andrew who is Simon Peter's brother. He says he first findeth his own brother Simon and when people get saved they genuinely want to go to their family members and get their family members saved Most of us in here that are anybody that's saved in here Wants their family to be saved most people want their family to be saved It's a it's it's kind of just a common thing if you don't want your family to be saved I mean, it's like why would you not want your family to be saved of course people want their family to be saved So who's he go to he goes to his brother? He loves his brother his blood his brother after the flesh and wants him to be saved so he gets Peter to come along with him and he findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him We've found the Messiah's we found the Messiah That's what that means and that is interpreted as the Christ so when people say Jesus you know Jesus Christ They're saying Jesus the Messiah. That's what it actually means and so when we say Jesus Christ That's what it means it means Jesus the Messiah That's the interpretation of it so and he brought him to Jesus so he brought Peter to Jesus So you got that picture there you got that soul winning you got him bringing his brother to the Lord literally and Figuratively so and when Jesus beheld him he said thou art Simon the son of Jonah thou shall be called Cephas So he immediately nicknames him, so there's nothing wrong with me giving you nicknames if you if I've given them to you all right He calls him Simon the son of Genesis. He said you should be called Cephas, which is interpretation a stone So and then it says the day falling Jesus would go forth into Galilee and find a Philip so the leader is You know Jesus Christ. He's the leader. He's the author and finisher of our faith He's the Alpha and Omega, but he's not above going soul winning He's not above going and personally going and talking to people himself by himself He goes out, and he finds somebody who's he find he find a Philip and saith unto him follow me Now in verse 45 you have Philip so Jesus gets Philip to follow him Jesus gets Philip saved and then Philip finds somebody else you see the pattern here He saw all these guys that keep saying findeth he findeth He's finding someone these people these individuals here are finding other people to get saved That's how we multiply that's how the Christian faith goes forward by multiplying But what I'm not talking about a regular soul winning time here tonight. I'm talking about just your individual life Not just you know we have all these times where we have so many and available for people to go out and win people to Christ knock the doors there the Bible there is something to be said about being sent the Bible talks about that and You know most ministries so many ministries will fall and fail if they're not Sent by somebody you know there is a structure within the Bible people go. I hate organized religion Well, then you just hate the Bible because the Bible has a lot of organization to it. There is organized religion in the Bible But there also is times when outside of our soul winning times Well, we're just what we're just bumping into people in our daily lives that we should also Think about those people God puts people in our lives every single day that we rub shoulders with or we we are Acquaintances with or that we work with or that we just happen to talk to at a grocery store we bump into people and talk to people in all facets of our life and We and I'm not saying we should be just 24-7 evangelizing. That's all we should do I'm not saying that but I'm just saying that be aware that God probably sets people in your life and places people in your life for you to individually soul win so Philip finds Nathaniel and what's he say we found him we found the one that in who Moses? preached about who the prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth so you have these different findings you have Andrew finds his family member Simon Peter he tells them about Jesus so Individual soul winning a lot of people go individual sewing to their family members. That's a prayer request I see a lot a prayer request a lot. I see in groups. Hey pray for me I'm going to preach the gospel to my family member so-and-so my uncle my brother my sister whatever my Family member Pam just got to share the other night that she got her sister saved who has Some problems some health problems going on and a lot of times Those are the times when it's a good time to share Maybe they weren't prepared to hear it from you at one point But you know when people are faced with their own mortality that is a good time to share It's a good time to preach the gospel to someone in your family or some fan or some friend of yours But Andrew finds his brother gets him saved gets him on board Jesus finds Philip gets him to follow him. That's just kind of anyone and Jesus There's another story that we're gonna go to where Jesus just happens to be he bumps into someone And I don't think it's accidental of course on his part But we have situations that happen like that in our life every day if we'd really think about it Or we could talk to somebody and get them saved so Anyone can be a personal person that you go and get someone saved Philip finds Nathaniel And I would just kind of equate that to friends or acquaintances in your life So you have all three of those things in this passage here Mark 16 15 says and he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature So we're not bound to our soul winning times. We're not bound to our own immediate family members You know anybody is able to be saved that is willing to hear it willing to swallow their pride Willing to humble themself like a child would would humble themselves and and have the faith of a child to believe the simple and pure gospel of salvation by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ So number one tonight We need to find people and look for opportunities outside of planned church So winning times to get people saved. That's a mouthful. I know but we need to find people Isn't that what in our passage they find he find us so he finds this person this person finds this person, right? So we need to find people also I mean it's an example for us to find people and to find them outside of our normal times that we would go soul-winning Now go ahead and turn to John chapter 4 in John chapter 4 We have this very famous story about Jesus and the woman at the well now We don't really know that Jesus is necessarily alone with this woman the Bible doesn't say that But he is having a solo conversation with her and his disciples very clearly are not with him So, you know and and we obviously believe that Two and two we send people out in the church setting right and for a witness. We should have people around When we go out soul-winning so that we can't be accused of things and I've already talked about that before But and you're like well pastor you're kind of breaking your own rule But there are situations where we can give individuals the gospel where there's other people around but you can still have a conversation With that person without everybody necessarily knowing What's being talked about and even if they don't do who cares because once that person is kind of you know Conversating with you. They don't really care either It's like the whole world kind of shuts down around and it's just you and them talking about getting saved But let's see the example of Jesus and how he does it because who does who wins souls better than Jesus And this is an account of him personally Soul-winning which is what the sermons about So the first thing we see is that Jesus uses an opportunity to strike up a conversation with a total stranger Now a lot of people that would be hard for them to do But it's something that Jesus gives us an example of look at verse number seven in chapter four It says there cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus saith under her give me to drink Now doesn't sound like he said it very nicely does it does it but like I don't know maybe the nuances of translation Maybe yeah, I mean we don't know how nice he asked her But he just said give me to drink for the first disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat So we know that they're gone. They're not there then saith the woman of Samaria unto him How is it that thou being a Jew ask askest drink of me? Which I'm a woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. So but what's Jesus's point? He's asking her a specific question because he's going to speak to her about water So they're at a well, they're at Jacob's well specifically Where and and she's coming to draw this so I mean it's a good so of course Jesus is the master of all things and he knows this is a good opportunity to bring up water living water So he strikes up a conversation with her number one number two. Jesus turns the conversation into a spiritual direction He's just asking for regular water But he uses that to to turn that into a spiritual conversation look at verse 10 It says Jesus answered and said unto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water So he flips the script on her She's like, you know, why are you Jew asking me to do you know? And then he's just like if you knew the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Thou wouldest have asked of him he would given thee living water So he's he gives her a spiritual answer. Of course. She doesn't understand this number three So he turns the conversation to a spiritual direction number three. Jesus answers Her question and helps her understand that he is speaking of Spiritual things not physical things Look at verse 11 the woman saith unto unto him. Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deep From whence then hast thou that living water? See she doesn't get what what he's saying art thou greater than our Jacob our Father Jacob which gave us the well and drank there of himself and his children and his cattle Jesus answered and said unto her whosoever drinketh of this water Talking about the physical water shall thirst again But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst so he's differentiating also the difference between the water that he asked her for and the and the and the water that he's Talking to her about but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into Everlasting life. So now he's talking about salvation, isn't he? What is salvation? Salvation is the gift of God. What's the gift of God? Everlasting life. Okay, so he turns the car He's trying to explain to her what he's what he means The woman saith unto him sir, give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw See, she still doesn't quite understand does she she's still thinking of I want to try this water that I'm never thirsty again But I still don't think that she quite understands what he's saying number four. She still doesn't quite understand So Jesus points out her need for salvation by doing what by showing her she's a sinner and letting her know He is a true prophet because he's about to tell her something that there's no way he could possibly know He doesn't know her at all. He's never met her in his life She doesn't know who he is But he's about to tell her some things about herself that nobody else probably even knows at all now and that's what the Word of God can reveal in your heart when you read it the Word of God can tell you things about Yourself that you that nobody knows and that you might not even know about yourself when you're reading it but verse 16 Jesus saith unto her go call thy husband and come hither and He knows that she doesn't have a husband So he does this on purpose the woman answered and said I have no husband Jesus said unto her thou as well said I have no husband for thou has had five husbands and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband in that set us out truly, so He's he's acknowledging the fact that she's being honest with him, but then says you've had five husbands There's no way he could know that and except for he's the Lord. He knows her thoughts He knows he knows her mind. He knows her heart. He knows everything about her. She's never There's no way he could know that except for he is the Lord right so and it says in that set us thou truly so He said not only are you not married now, but the guy that you're living with now. You're just shacking up You're just fornicating right the woman saith unto him sir. I perceive that thou art a prophet I love that scripture, so she's she's uh she's like yeah You're reading my mind. Basically. You know exactly what's going on. I perceive that thou art a prophet so which she's right She says our fathers worship in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship so when you're out sowing sometime or when you're just personally sowing with sometimes people will have wrong ideas about what they believe and It's not wrong to correct those things sometimes you have to correct those things before you can move on in the presentation So of course we have to let people understand But we don't have to bash them over the head and say you're just the most vile wicked person that ever lived there She already knows that she's dead to rights here. She's had five husbands. She's shacking up right now She knows she's a sinner okay, and she knows that Jesus is truly a prophet because he's told her you know things that nobody knows right so and number five Jesus corrects her bad doctrine and Imparts truth under her and shares common ground with her so You know Sometimes we kind of you know Paul says I become all things I become all things to all men that I might by by all means save some Sometimes we kind of got to get down on the level not sinful, but we have to get down on people's level Condescend to men of lower estate thing like that things like that we You know and Jesus kind of does this with her a little bit if you'll look at verse 21 It says Jesus saith unto her woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem Worship the Father, so he's kind of finding common ground with her right now. You know he's not saying no you're wrong It's only in Jerusalem, but he does correct her though But he's saying there's gonna come a time It's coming soon here that neither and either mountain not neither mountain is going to be Necessarily the place where you have to go you worship. You know not what? We know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews That's where he's like correcting her wrong belief because the Samaritans believed that they were right that mountain was the right mountain Those altars were the right altars they had some wrong beliefs But they so they were mixed up on a lot of things that Jesus is correcting and saying hey We know we worship salvation's of the Jews But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father and Spirit and in truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him. He's saying hey It's now time where you know all people are gonna be able to worship the Father in spirit and truth God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth And this is him correcting her false doctrine He's saying you know salvations by the Jews and you know you're you must worship God not just however you want to worship him you have to worship him in spirit, but yes, that's true But in truth also you can't just be you know like these Pentecostals that just you know they writhe around and Roll around and they you know they are slain in the spirit all this other stuff They're they're trying to say they're spiritual, but they're not doing it in truth So you can't just worship God however you want you have to worship him how it says to in the Bible And You can't just do whatever you want God wants you to worship him in spirit and in truth So the truth is important the woman saith unto him I know that messiahs cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things So she knows she believes there's a messiah coming so it's not like she doesn't know anything She does know things and most people in America will know something about Jesus They'll know something about religion, but we usually just have to correct some of the things that they don't believe that's right I got a guy saved last week that he was wrong about eternal security, but he was right about the Trinity He was right about a lot of other things, but he needed that corrected so he gets saved He wasn't saved because he didn't believe in eternal security and so I just showed him he's like wow I never saw that before like that's just so easy. I wonder why I never saw that well because you go to a Bad church, that's why and you listen to bad teaching and bad doctrine Everlasting life means just that Everlasting life a life that never ends, so if you have everlasting life you can't lose it that doesn't make sense That you can lose something that lasts forever Or give something back that lasts forever, and then you see lastly there Jesus reveals Himself to her as the Messiah. She says I know the Messiah is coming He's gonna teach us all things and then Jesus says sayeth unto her I that speak unto thee and he So he right there says I am the Messiah so people that say oh, yeah Oh Jesus. He didn't claim to be the Messiah. Yes. He did Sam. Yep. He didn't claim to be the Messiah right there He said I am I'm he I mean how much more plain can you get than that? And upon this came to his disciples and marveled that he talked with the woman yet yet no man said What seekest thou or why talkest thou with her so this is interesting his disciples come back and interrupt But she's already got everything she needs She's understanding what he's saying she's picking up what he's laying down He tells her I'm the Messiah and you know when we're out obviously We don't have the same angles that Jesus can be able to have but we still have to reveal to them the Messiah We still have to reveal to them that they are a sinner We have to help them understand that salvation is a gift and that they have to ask for it, right? So he said if thou knewest who was it was speaking with you the Messiah That you would have asked and he would have given unto thee You know that living water which springs up to eternal life, so he's still teaching her the spiritual truth So we have to teach also Salvation is a gift you ask for it. Well. Well. Do you have to ask for it? Well he said if you would have known what it was you'd ask for it So when we tell say people need to call upon the name of the Lord That's asking for it ask and you shall receive right when you ask for salvation. God's gonna give it to you Pretty much how it works, right? So Now so we have the example of Jesus giving his his you know He's personally winning someone to Christ here, and then you have the woman Immediately going out so winning you know people say oh you got to clean your life up and stop smoking cigarettes And you know put on a suit and tie and do all this before you start waiting souls she starts winning souls immediately doesn't she She has you know if she gets she gets saved that she has the Spirit of God. She isn't even baptized and she's already out Proselytizing right away look what she does so that the disciples come up and They said what they didn't they came so it says and upon this came his disciples and Marveled that he talked with the woman They're just blown away that he's he's even talking to this Samaritan woman That he's even just taking the time to talk to her yet No, man said what seekest thou or why talkest thou with her they thought it, but they didn't say it out loud Because Jesus probably would have given him the business I'm sure and rebuke them, but like he's done many times before but Now we see the example of the woman at the well and she didn't waste any time look at verse 28 The woman then left her water pot and went her way into the city and saith to the men Come see a man which told me all things that I ever did is not this the Christ So what's she doing? She's pointing people to Jesus. She's saying hey I want to show you a man that told me everything I've ever done Which I wouldn't say that's necessarily accurate But he did tell her she had five husbands and the one she was married she was with isn't her husband But she went right to the men and what she's trying to point them to Jesus Then went they out of the city and came unto him in in the meanwhile his disciples prayed him saying master eat But he said said unto them. I have meat to eat that you know not of Therefore said the disciples one to another hath any man brought him ought to eat Jesus saith unto them my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Sayeth not ye there are yet four months and then cometh harvest behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for their white already to harvest And this is the problem that you know We sometimes we get trapped within our soul winning times and we don't look up and look at people that we interact with around when we're just doing our day-to-day things and We forget to look up from what we're doing we're concentrating on other things and look I get it We can't always just preach the gospel to people all the time But you can give someone an invitation you can just drop a little seed to them or something like that You can be effective outside of church so many times or even church service times because I know a lot of times We'll give the gospel to people after church services and things like that, and that's great So but what I'm talking about today is I'm talking about Individual times where you would go out on your own, and I'm not saying that you're just out Just trying to find somebody necessarily of course. There's nothing wrong with that But again you kind of want to just be careful in how you do those things where you do those things You don't want to go out in a park at night And you're a lady by yourself and try to get people saved in the park. I mean that's just a bad idea So there's there's you know there's rules to this game I would say there's common sense that kind of comes into play here, right? So but we we're people who cross paths. There's people that we cross paths with every single day And they're white on the harvest they're ready to be plucked off the vine And we don't see it we're just locked into that mentality of only doing it during sowing and We're just not thinking about it. You know and we all have that where we where we do that. I'm sure But just like the disciples weren't thinking about it. They're like. What is he doing talking to this girl? You know that's what they said right mark. They marveled that he talked with this woman yet No, man said so they're thinking about something completely different and Jesus is what he's thinking about this woman Soul that needs to be saved. He's probably thinking hey I know this woman is going to go back and tell all these men about me And that all these people are going to get saved and later on These same disciples when Jesus comes on his way back to Jerusalem They're like should we call fire down from heaven like Elijah did and and have them destroy these people because they were mad that Jesus didn't stop in Samaria on the way back to Jerusalem and Jesus like you know not what manner of spirit you are of It's like we got we shouldn't be the let's call fire down on people Just because they're not doing everything exactly the way that we do We shouldn't have that mentality. There's you know we shouldn't want people to go and burn in hell for all eternity now there's exceptions to that rule okay, but There's no need for me to preach about that right now. You know what I'm talking about, but I've said it many times before all right, but I mean we need to Have a heart for people to get saved and not just have this let's burn them with fire type of mentality But what ended up happening is that Philip ends up coming back? and then Philip ends up setting up a ministry and he ends up getting a bunch of people saved in Samaria and So if Jesus would have just said okay? Yeah, let's just barbecue these people right now Then Philip wouldn't have been able to come in and just start getting all these people saved Simon the sorcerer and you know Peter and John come and help them out because all these people are getting saved in Samaria What Jesus did here at the well started something big and what we can do with one individual? We don't know what that's going to turn into that could turn into something big that you might not even know happens later on It can turn into something that maybe in heaven you'll know But that individual person that you get saved somewhere out, and you know and nobody will know about it Nobody ever knows about that accolade that you did, but you know what God knows about it And Jesus knew the heart of this woman. He knew what she was going to do He knew that she was going to have a great effect and that one individual He cared about his disciples didn't care about her and later on they didn't care about the rest of those people either But Jesus does care and he wants us to care about individual people that we run out Into into the world And so why you know he they're like why are you talking to her? We need to start paying attention To other opportunities out when we're out there and just lift up our eyes and look That's what he said lift up your eyes and look on the fields for their white already to harvest They're ready to get saved, but we don't have enough laborers We don't have enough people Where our heads are in the clouds looking at other stuff or looking down when they we should be looking up and looking for people to get saved look at verse 36 and he he that reapeth receiveth wages and Gathers fruit onto eternal life So when we go out and we we reap you know we get those people saved We receive wages we get paid We get dividends we get rewards and it says and Gathers fruit unto eternal life We're doing a multifaceted thing because that person because you got that person saved they get to spend all eternity in heaven And we get to rejoice with them when we get to heaven And you know it's gonna be a great big party up there With the people that we get saved and like we we kind of act like oh, you know It's just you know something we just do all the time and it is But you know it should still be amazing when we get people saved There's just still be something that we just rejoice over when someone gets saved And it says that we that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice Together and that just tells you right there that that is going to happen and where is it gonna happen? It's gonna. It'll happen here sometimes But it'll happen in heaven also We will rejoice with our converts someday And I'd like to say hey, I might never see you again here on this earth, but where am I gonna see you someday? Heaven they always answer heaven Or they'll say you know paradise or something, but most of the time they say heaven okay verse 39 Let's see actually. I'm sorry verse 37 and here in is that true that saying true one soweth and another And another reapeth I sent you to reap that wherein you bestowed no labor other men labored And you're entered into their labors and many the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the scene of the woman Which testified he told me all that ever I did so when the Samaritans were come unto him they besought him that he would tarry with them and he had bowed there two days and many more believed because of his own word and Said unto the woman now we believe this is kind of weird how they say this, but now we believe not because of thy saying For we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the world I mean it's cool that they acknowledge that and stuff, but it's like It's not because of you We heard of ourselves. You know it's like she's still kind of like you know Sometimes it's hard to wash away what people perceive you as even in your past so obviously she has You know some some problems in her past there, but you know God can save some pretty wretched people God can save some people that are just having you know they have a lot of sin in their lives, but You know that day Changed her life for all eternity and changed the eternity of all those people and then later on when Philip came He got to partake into that labor too, so you never know what a divine appointment in a single soul winning Setting can bring forth you just don't know and sometimes we'll never know, but just know this that there will be a day that we We rejoice with that person in heaven whether whether it's here on earth or in heaven or both And now number two pray for opportunities to arise in your daily lives That is the longest point of course of my sermon, but number two pray for opportunities to arise in your daily life Go ahead and turn to Luke chapter 11 verse 9 Luke chapter 11 verse 9 So if you're like someone you're like well I really want to get people saved on an individual basis But sometimes I feel like the opportunities just don't arise in my daily life and you know some or wives that have littles at home and things like that and Maybe your opportunities aren't so much like other people's that are just like out and about all the time But if you pray for opportunities God will give you those opportunities And maybe your time is not now to necessarily do some of these things But I know God can make things happen for you look at Luke 11 9 It says and I say unto you ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find Knock it shall be open unto you for everyone that asketh receiveth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened if a son shall ask bread and Any of you that is a father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish? Will he give for a fish give him a serpent or if he shall ask an egg will he offer him a scorpion? If he then if you then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? So, you know we can be asking for the Holy Spirit when we ask for the Holy Spirit and for God to fill us with the Spirit and To give us boldness to preach to people, you know, sometimes it's kind of hard You're like I should I talk to that person and then sometimes the opportunity slips from your fingers You're like man I really regret not taking that moment to talk to that person and some of those things are some of my most tortured Moments where I think I know I should have talked to that person and I didn't and they're you know And like when you feel pressed to do those things, I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit is talking to you But when you feel the urge to do that and you're afraid to do it I think that that is you're being pressed to do those things and that Fear is not coming from God that fear is coming from your flesh And so that's the time when you need to act on that feeling So God will give you though the things that you ask. Hey, do you think God's gonna be like if you God? Can you give me some opportunities so I can get some people saved out in my daily life. He's gonna be like no Of course, he's not gonna be like no, he's gonna be like, yeah Yes, I've been waiting for you to ask me that actually I was wondering when you were gonna come to me about that Yep, I'm here. Yep. I'll get you some people. Yeah, I'll line them up for you I'll put them right in your path. I'll make it I'll make it easy for you But see when you ask just make sure that when you ask and he gives it to you to do it To do you know don't just you know say you want something and then don't act upon it when he gives it to you James 5 turn to James 5 verse 16 James 5 verse 16. I Was kind of talking about how when you ask for things a little more fervently God Likes that and he responds better to those types of prayers than he does just you're Going through the motion prayers and look we need to go through the motion with our prayers And I'm not saying that we shouldn't do that because sometimes we do things out of duty because the Spirit is well is willing but the flesh is weak sometimes but you know When we're really fired up about something and we're really passionate about something That's when God's like he's really wanting to Answer and listen to our prayers because says confess your faults one to another and pray One for for another that you may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much What does that mean it means when your prayers are fervent or hot or you know that they're really passionate That in your in your a saved person That it's gonna a lot of good things are gonna happen because of that It's gonna a lot of things are gonna happen because of that fervent prayer and then he talks about Elias Which is Elijah says Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are He's just a man that put his pants on one leg at a time Just like anybody else and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth By the space of three years and six months And he prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way Shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins now that can be interpreted as Someone that's just kind of saved and they're really backslid and you help that person get them back Into the fold but it can also be talking about someone that's literally needs to be converted and saved And so it's you know, you got you got it talking about people that are sick Fervently praying and then you got it talking about You know, then it starts talking about bringing forth fruit from the earth. Well, what's another form of bringing forth fruit? Getting people saved right and then it starts talking about converts Then it starts talking about converting a sinner from the air of his way and saving that person's soul from death Well when you're praying for things when you're fervently asking Hey God, would you would you bring me some people in my life that I can just Set down with them. Give them the gospel get them saved God's going to do that you apply these these types of principles to soul winning You know a lot of times we pray for all these different things. We pray for health We pray for salvation for other people. But what about for you to be able to get other people saved? That's a good prayer that's a that's a you know, if you're if you're on a slump or a Streak where you haven't gotten anybody saved for a long time. Don't be like, oh something's wrong with this church No, maybe you just need a little bit of fire in your belly. It's not the church. It's you and Sometimes we do go through dry streaks I'm not saying that you're bad or something But maybe you just need to get out a little bit more Maybe you just need to do a little more soul winning because you know, if you're just going for a couple hours a week You're not gonna get as many people as if you go for more hours Look, I'm not trying to push you to do more than whatever you have to but like don't don't think that the slump is Everybody else's fault and it's not yours You can get out there and get people saved if you put the time in you're gonna get people saved It's just a fact the more you do the more time you put into it and look Here's a good quote soul winning is a supernatural business and nobody can do it without supernatural help and that's a fact You're not gonna get people saved unless you've got God's power on on you upon you Filling you and you're gonna get people saved when you're you know being the most effective You're praying you're you're filled with the spirit and obviously you can get people saved Jonah got people saved when he was just like Though had the worst spirit you could possibly have But he still got a whole bunch of people saved because he just did what God said How much more when we actually care about people and really want to get people saved? God's gonna use us in great ways number three tonight when alone be aware of potential dangers And this is an important part of this sermon turn to Luke chapter 10 verse 1 Luke chapter 10 verse 1 And like I kind of mentioned a little bit before Is that the policy of this church when we send people out soul winning when we have these soul winning specific soul winning times We have protocols that we have you know we don't want people going by themselves And because it's protection for you it's protection for you to have two witnesses with you and Because people can accuse you somebody was telling me that there was a older lady was she an old lady brother CJ Like how old do you think she was? Sixties we should have white gray hair She like pretty old sixties Which does she look like I mean just looking at her does she look like an evil Old witch or did she look like a just a regular old old lady just like a regular old lady But you know what she was she was a devil She was a devil She's lying to the police or the security guard or whoever it was saying that that our that a little that Amy and Her daughter is following this old lady around Like harassing her or something which in reality this little old lady This demonic lady is following her around and then lying about it There's dangers out there when we're soul winning and and so we want to be protected Against these things because I mean who was it that kind of stuck up for a miss Amy was it you brother Sean Who was it that said that all those you CJ, right? Did you say something to the Yeah, it's like no more like she was following her, but people will just I mean Would you think that dear little old lady with the Walker is gonna just blatantly lie about somebody like that, but they will and So there are dangers out there when we're so many people just lie and accuse you of some of the weirdest things out there That's why we go out to and to that is the protection of that because if you have two witnesses that is a powerful thing It's a lawful thing. It's something in the Bible that's talked about over and over on all different aspects of things That's why I think that Jesus said he sent them out to and to write Luke chapter 10 verse 1 It says after these things the Lord appointed other 70 also and sent them to and to before his face Into every city and place whether he himself would come Therefore said he unto them the harvest truly is great But the laborers are few pray therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest Go your ways behold. I send you forth as lambs among wolves Know this we are sent out as lambs among wolves We have to be on guard obviously we want to you know give people the benefit of the doubt But there are demonic old ladies out there demonic apartment managers and security guards and maintenance workers that follow us around and grab our invitations off the doors yell at us and do all kinds of weird things and Lie about us and try to get us in trouble with the police Why do they do this because they're wicked they're wolves The little old wolf lady You know you're like well pastor that's kind of mean to say well Don't do you think it's kind of mean to lie about a godly woman and her children? She literally yelled at one of her kids it's like What kind of weirdo does that? to a little kid I Mean so we need to go out to and to when we're sent out That's the normal prerequisite But in a public place like when it comes to individual soul winning what what I'm talking about here This is what we have to really be You know because you're like well pastor you said we should go out to and to I yes but there are public places like a store or outside in a public place like a park during daylight hours where there's other people around okay a Gym or at work on a break or traveling to someplace on an airplane in a waiting room At a bus stop you know those things are fairly safe when you're during the daylight hours You know and I'm sure that you could think of other things But you know also family and friends if you are just trying to get family and friends saved You can obviously do that in the comfort of their house or your home or whatever Or work you know if someone's working on your house I had some contractors have been working on my house lately and every one of them got invitations to our church Whether they wanted them or not But a lot of my had some really great conversations with I didn't get any of them saved, but it's funny. How many You know construction workers are actually more Level-headed than you would actually think and maybe they're not where I'm at you know on some stuff but you know they were really nice people and Some of them you know if they not all of them were saved obviously and they went to church But I got to really get get some really good stuff in with them And give them some DVDs and things like that, and it was a really great experience And I just wanted to you know be a be like a light to them as much as I possibly could be So we we can be in various different situations Where we're by ourselves, but it's not a danger to us does that make sense Acts chapter 8 verse 26 Acts chapter 8 verse 26, let's turn over there real quick acts 826 Well, I'm not I'm not gonna have you turn there just go and turn to job chapter 17 verse 1, but I just wanted to remind you about the Ethiopian eunuch and how Philip was asked by God to join himself under that chariot But you know do you think the Ethiopian eunuch was just by himself in a chariot whipping a horse by himself just You know I'm sure he had people with him It doesn't say that he did the comp but the conversation is a personal conversation between Philip and him I mean the Bible doesn't say there was other people around, but I'm guessing if this guy is some important man He probably has some guards around him He probably has some other people around him But the conversation is still personal and what's he do he gets alongside him he sees he's reading the Bible He preaches the gospel to him He gets him baptized and before he can even follow up the whirlwind You know blows him away or whatever and he ends up someplace else So but that was a personal soul-wanting thing that Philip did You know that God asked him to do and he wasn't with other people, but that was kind of a special thing You know the Holy Ghost doesn't speak to us in those ways Any more like he used to back then okay, and Philip was one of the seven Deacons that were ordained okay now Number four be clean and neat in your appearance with good hygiene at all times at home or out in public You're like well. That's kind of a lot to ask Pastor Thompson, but you know if you're gonna Always feel like you're in a situation to be able to give someone the gospel You know look at Job chapter 17 verse 1 it says my breath is corrupt My days are extinct the graves are ready for me You know we don't want to have that we don't want to have that that persona when we go out like you don't want to Talk to someone because your breath is corrupt You know your breath is is stinky didn't brush your teeth before you left the house Or whatever you never know when you're gonna run into someone out and about and you know if you look Like a slob or you're wearing your your bare fuzzy slippers and your pajamas to Walmart or whatever That's not I mean you're not it's not really gonna be the The look that people are looking for to take you seriously about giving them the gospel I'm not saying you have to wear a three-piece suit every place you go I'm not saying that but you know brush your teeth carry some mints or gum make sure you take a shower Slap on some deodorant you don't want to smell like you're going to the grave either You know get dressed, but even when people you know are coming over to do work on your house or whatever I mean you know look a little bit presentable things like that, so You know God talks about hot like he won't even be around people that don't have clean sewer practices So I mean if God said you know what what would turn himself away from people that are unholy and unclean Obviously when we go to you know the this is talking about people that are out in battle in the battlefields well We're on a battlefield too, but it's a different kind of battlefield isn't it it's a spiritual battlefield So we should be a little hygienic when we're out there, too Number five always be ready just always be ready to give the gospel I mean any place you're at any place you go. Just be ready to go turn to Romans chapter 1 verse number 15 Romans chapter 1 verse number 15 and Paul kind of explained he's explaining hey You know I'm a debtor to do to both the Greeks and the barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise and says So much as in as in me is I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also Paul is ready at the moment's notice Paul Didn't have to carry around his Bible with him You know I don't think they had bound books like this back then he probably had some scrolls, but You know he probably had a lot of the verses that he used memorized and We should have the verses Memorized also be ready, and hey if you if you can't just carry around a full Bible with you all the time I'm talking about for personal soul winning get a New Testament Brother do you have a but I always you have a little New Testament. Oh, yeah, there's one right there Just carry one of these around It could be nicer than this These get beat up pretty easy But there's a New Testament it fits in your pocket you could get a pocket size one And when you get a little older, it's kind of tougher to you might need a magnify you know a glutton Might need some glasses to carry what you might need glasses to carry with you also, but you know carry a little New Testament There's the ones that you can get the the soul winner New Testaments And they have like the Proverbs and Psalms in them too, but you can get someone saved with the New Testament Carry it when we have those for giveaways to those little leather those little ones But after the heresy is cut out of them you can take those out Grab one take it with you keep it on you be ready to preach The Bible says in in Proverbs 7 1 my son keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee Keep my commandments and live and my law as the apple of thine eye bind them upon thy fingers Write them upon the tables of thine heart. What does that mean he wants you to? Memorize his word you know thy word have I hid my heart that I might not sin against thee Psalm chapter 119 verse 11 memorize That's an easy verse to memorize isn't it you know memorize the verse that teaches you to memorize scripture So that you might not sin against God and not going so winning is a sin In reality I mean if you're not going so winning Jesus said to go we should go Part of the armor of God is the shoes The gospel shoes that he says to put those on and go out with them And people who get upset about that all they want, but it's just a fact okay He didn't say it was just for the disciples. It wasn't just for the apostles. It's for everybody Keep invites and supplies in your vehicle or on your person if possible if you just have like one or two invites You got a New Testament. You're like well That's kind of weird pastor Thompson if you want to get people saved personally look There's a prepared place for a prepared person and God will put those people in here you're praying You're asking for God to put people in your life that will you can run across and get them saved He'll set up the low-hanging fruit for you. They're white under harvest already just look up Just open your eyes and pay attention There's someone that you can get saved close to you whip out your New Testament Whip out your even if it's just your phone I mean a lot of people just have it on their phone you can just put the salvation plan on your phone Copy and paste have it on a little Word document or something you can open it up and just share your scriptures. They're Pretty easy we got a lot of technology. We have no excuse Number six always be considerate and courteous always be considerate and courteous Ecclesiastes 10 1 you don't have to turn there. I'll read it for you, but if you want to turn there you can Ecclesiastes 10 1 it's a good scripture though It says dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor So does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor So when you do some foolish things in front of people when people go well Hey, isn't that supposed to be a Christian isn't that guy a Christian and obviously we we fail in life sometimes But it does cause your savor to stink among the people When you're making mistakes like that And it might cause people to not want to listen to you When they have when you have a chance to give them the gospel at work They're like yeah But I remember that what you said this one time or whatever and they have an issue With you and won't hear you because of those things so always be considerate courteous and You know be salt and light in front of people and You know it's it's fun to joke around, but like if you go too far with it sometimes people Will not like that and you know it's okay for them to say every cuss word known to man But if you slip up and say one one time in front of people oh, I thought you were a Christian It's like it's okay for you to say like every word every word known to man That's like the most repulsive jokes ever, but if someone accidentally slips up and says something oh, I thought you were a Christian It's like that's how people are though. They watch everything that you do They get away with things, but you don't It's just like when God pun it you know he scourges every son whom he receiveth So we all get scourged. He don't beat he don't beat children that aren't his He doesn't beat those little bastards. He beats his children It's true first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 It's a Bible word folks don't get mad about it. You're like you just wanted to cuss Pastor Thompson. That's not a cuss word Let me use the NIV version illegitimate sons first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 But sanctify it means set apart But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that Asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear We should always be considerate and courteous and hey when someone has a legitimate question give them a legit Legitimate answer be ready to do those things having a good conscience That whereas they speak evil of you as evil doers They may be ashamed that falsely accused your good conversation in Christ, so you might have a good lifestyle Christ You know the thing is you're kind of damned if you do and damned if you don't If you live a holy life in front of people and you're in your life in Christ is Pretty much without spot without blemish, and they're gonna be like oh He just thinks he's better than everybody else, but then you mess up a few times They're like oh, I thought he was a Christian like you really can't win So you might as well, but what is what does Peter say about that he says? For it is better verse 17 if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing Than for evil doing so what's what's better that? We have people talk crap about us because we're doing good not because we're actually doing evil So always be considerate and courteous and leave people with a good taste in their mouth about Christians and about Christianity If all you could do is just give them a card with your number on it that Could be enough the guy that got me saved Six months before I met that man or six months before he got me saved I met this man at a Chinese food restaurant on my birthday we're talking about truther type stuff before 9-eleven even happened and He starts talking to me about the Lord because when you're looking for the truth the end is Salvation by faith through Jesus Christ alone. That's the truth You know you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free when people are truly seeking after the truth They're gonna find it and I was truly seeking out the truth. I just didn't really realize it at the moment I was seeking, but I wasn't ready to hear what he had to say but six months later I was and I was looking for him, and I found him in another Chinese food restaurant later on like Chinese food Okay, what can I say but anyway? I? Found him. I was like I've been looking for you everywhere I've gone through all these deaths you know and I was working for Jehovah's Witness company Roofing company, I was just I was confused You know I went to all these funerals my best friend got killed He was a Grand Ronde Indian tribal member. I was like thoroughly confused but That man didn't shove it down my throat when I said I'm not interested at all He said okay. Well. You know what if you ever are here's my number That's it. He just respected it, and that's what we have to do too if you're personally, and this is him personally inside a Restaurant me and him just talking there's other people in the restaurant this is a personal I got saved through someone's personal soul-winning and He probably he will never know what an effect. He had on my life He won't because I you know I I don't I don't know where he's at I don't know if he's dead or alive or anything like that But I know that he affected my life for eternity and one day I'll be able to give him a big old hug in heaven big old bear hug You know and just say thank you so much for not ramming it down my throat and being that guy And just handing me that card and later on He led me through this book through a King James Bible and showed me what the Bible said it took to be saved He took me down the Romans Road, and then afterwards after I got saved He said the angels in heaven are rejoicing because one sinner sinner repented And I'll never forget that I know I'll never forget the day that I got saved But it had he have just continued to try to badger me and continue to shove things down my throat I probably would have never listened to that guy or cared what he had to say So that's why I say be considerate be courteous, and if all you can do is just say okay. You know well if you ever are Here's this If you ever are here's this number if you ever are and that's why I'll just try to leave it with people even at the door That's why I try to just leave people with a good taste in their mouth Not just trying to get one last scripture in not trying to get one last thing in just Here's our information if you ever are Maybe you're gonna be searching some other day here. It is. It's all you need and you know Like I said that guy left a good like I wouldn't you know I had a good feeling From him because he didn't do that and that's when you're personally sowing. That's a good practice to be in So I also had a woman they used to say I used to ask her what time it was and she'd say It's time for you to trust in the Lord with all your heart And that wasn't necessarily a scripture But is it true? It is time for you to trust in the Lord with all your heart and I've never forgotten that that she said that and she'll never know what a great effect that that had on my life and Even though I chewed her out for at one time and I got mad at her for doing it all the time And I apologized to her too Because I was a punk kid when I when I did that but because I finally freaked out on her one time But I just why don't you just tell me what time it is instead and it's like get a watch buddy You know that's what I should I know it really you know I wasn't a mean kid Necessarily, but I just was I had a mean moment at that time I was 16 you know so what are you gonna? Do I had a vanilla ice haircut and all this other stuff so Can hold that against me? But She was all all her purpose was is at work working with me every day Was to just give me something give me something she knew that I needed God She knew that I needed to trust Christ and so she gave me those Simple words the Bible says Romans 12 18 if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men You never know when an opportunity might pop up be salt and light and when it's time to spring into action Your conversation your you know your conversation or your lifestyle Whatever you want to call it it matches what you believe and People will appreciate that now the last thing the last point. I have is stay on track Don't rabbit trail too much, and this is a this is something That's easy to fall into impersonal sowing because you start talking about The things that are going on in the world and that's what people want to talk about But if you're trying to get them saved the lot You know talking about the reprobate doctrine the rapture timing the Jews non-denominator denominational differences creation vaccines those things are not as important as Getting them the gospel, and it might seem like it's a good idea And they're agreeing with you, but you're gonna come to a point being an independent fundamental Baptist That they're gonna like oh wait. That's not what I believe that's that's pretty out there man And that could cause a fight to start it could cause Division because if they're not saved they're not gonna believe the full truth Are they the Bible says in 1st Corinthians going down to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 23? I'm just gonna read 1st Corinthians 2 14 1st Corinthians 2 14 says But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned the Bible says That the natural man someone that's not saved is not going to understand the things of God The things of the Spirit of God they're foolishness unto them the things that we believe and teach they think is stupid It's foolishness to them so the more you dig in on doctrinal differences and doctrinal things They're not they're gonna be moved further away from what you're trying to tell them Just get them saved first And then they can get on board get them saved first And then they'll stop being a stupid Democrat be get them safe first And they'll stop you know being a feminist or whatever get them safe first And they'll stop believing in evolution get them safe first And they'll stop believing in the stupid vaccination stuff get them safe first, and they'll get right on all these doctrines Hopefully, but you're in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 23 says but foolish and unlearned questions avoid avoid those things Knowing that they do what gender strives They gender strives. It's it's just it's gonna start a fight. Is that what I just said yes It's gonna start a fight and the servant of the Lord must not strive But be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient talking about getting people saved here We are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're not out there when we're trying to get him saved We're not fighting. We're not striving with them We're trying to be gentle to them so that they will get saved apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves They're fighting against themselves If God-paired venture or perhaps will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that God will change their mind help allow them to change their mind to the acknowledging of what's actually true and That is the gospel we want them to believe the gospel and That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will The whole world is captive to the devil's will in one way shape or form They believe a lot of stupid things they believe a lot of things that aren't true Why because they're taking captive and our job is to wake them up With the truth of the gospel not with stupid, you know and foolish unlearned questions and And arguing with them about things that they will never understand unless they're saved that makes sense first Corinthians 15 one We have two places to go and I'll be done first Corinthians 15 one This is what we need to give them Moreover brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received And wherein you stand By which also you're saved if you keep a memory that which I preached unto you Unless you believed in vain for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins According to the scriptures and that he was buried and then he rose again the third day According to the scriptures and look he was seed of many witnesses This is what we need to get across to people so that they'll get saved. Hey Jesus died for you and You know unless you want to go to hell for all eternity. Hey you need to understand You need to believe on Christ. You need to trust Christ as your Savior not on your own works and Receive the gift of God which is eternal salvation by Jesus Christ You get saved by Jesus. There's no other way There's no other door. There's no other method There's no other way besides faith alone period And they get that and they're gonna get saved You know if they'll and you know not everybody gets saved, but you can give it to them help them to understand about Sin help them to understand about hell help You know they have to understand these things the gospel eternal security The how it's a gift and how they must call upon the name of the Lord and when you follow up with them invite them to church and You know sometimes you can only give them what you got Talk to them about baptism encourage them to come to church and be discipled Give them the tools to be successful. Give them a Bible give them info about our church instruction on the importance of baptism Exchange info if you're comfortable, okay, that's the follow-up that you can give You know and however how much further you take that is up to them Because they are going to either come or they're not going to come You can't control that and if you badger them to death You know if you have to drag someone to church every time you know you just stop You know after the second third fourth time, and they won't come it's like hey It's kind of up to them at that point. You know don't waste your time Any further than that I would say you can do what you want, but I wouldn't last last scripture We'll have here is Psalm chapter 126 verse 5 Psalm chapter 126 verse 5 and This is fact. This is Bible. This is truth if we do these things That I kind of laid out for you here. We're going to get individuals saved We're going to get people saved, and we're going to you know We're going to get people outside of our regular sowing time and obviously you know it just depends on how much time you put into it But it's something that we should work on you know it's something that we should think about Something we should pray about but Psalm 126 verse 5 says they that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing his sheaves With him, so it's kind of seems like it's talking about farming, but it is But when you apply it spiritually it's talking about that spiritual farming that Going forth and bearing the precious seed of the Word of God You're gonna doubtless come again with rejoicing who you can be rejoicing with just yourself No, you're gonna be rejoicing like Jesus was saying with somebody else in heaven that you've gotten saved bringing his sheaves with him the sheaves are the fruit that you bring forth in your soul winning and It says doubtless, it's doubtless gonna happen. You know if people stop getting saved It's because the gospel lost its power. We know what the gospel is never gonna lose its power He said I'll be with you all way even until the end of the world Let's pray dear Lord. We thank you so much for Or just these simple principles in your word pray that you'd help us to Lord Not only have a time that we go each week with the church But Lord that we'd also just think about times that we could Also, just preach to individuals or I pray that you'd help us to be safe and think about those things and how we would do Them, but I just pray that we would also have our own individual time where we just go and And preach the gospel to people and whether it's family friends or just a stranger that Lord You'd help us to bring forth more fruit Under perfection and we do it in your name, and we love you Lord. We thank you for a great Sunday here at church pray that you just bless everyone take them home safely and those that are safe that you'd bring them home Soon back to church Jesus and we pray Amen