Untitled Sermon (63)

EFFECTIVE WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

INTRODUCTION:

PAUL LETTER FROM PRISON TO THE CHURCH OF COLOSSIANS ENCOURAGES THEM TO PRAY WITH PERSISTENCE, SO THAT THEIR LIVES WOULD BE ENHANCE WITH SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND STRENGTH TO WAR AGAINST THE ENEMY.

PAUL WAS TRUSTING THAT THE CHURCH OF COLOSSIANS WOULD PRAY FOR HIM WHILE HE WAS IN PRISON, SO THAT THE LORD WOULD OPEN A DOOR FOR HIM TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL TO THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THE LORD.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT TAKES FOR A CHRISTIAN TO BECOME EFFECTIVE WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

THEY MUST CONTINUE IN PRAYER.

THEY MUST WALK IN WISDOM.

THEY MUST LET THEIR SPEECH BE GODLY.

A. CONTINUE IN PRAYER.

COLOSSIANS 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

PAUL SEES PRAYER BEING EFFECTIVE IN THREE WAYS. CONTINUE, WATCH, AND THANKSGIVING.

THE ONE THING PAUL SAID THAT WE MUST DO IS CONTINUE IN PRAYER, MEANING WE MUST BE PERSISTENT AND BE ABLE TO PERSEVERE.

PRAYER KEEPS YOUR DIALOGUE WITH GOD OPEN.

IT TAKES DEVOTION TO THE LIFE OF PRAYER IN ORDER FOR DOORS TO BECOME OPEN IN YOUR LIVES AS WELL AS OTHER’S.

I FOUND OUT THE MORE YOU PRAY FOR OTHER’S , DOORS OPEN IN YOUR LIVES..

THE LORD ALWAYS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.

OUR LIVES WILL SHOW THROUGH OUR PRAYER LIVES.

WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE A PRAYER LIFE, YOU WILL SHOW A LACK OF DISCIPLINE. IT TAKES DISCIPLINE TO STAY IN THE FACE OF GOD.

THE ONE THING THAT PAUL DID NOT ASK THE CHURCH OF COLOSSIANS TO DO WAS PRAY FOR HIS RELEASE FROM PRISON, BUT WHAT HE ASK THEM WAS TO PRAY THAT GOD WOULD OPEN UNTO THEM DOOR OF UTTERANCE, TO SPEAK THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST.

WHEN YOU FREE, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO FREE OTHER’S.

PAUL SAID WE NEED TO WATCH WHEN WE PRAY.

TOO MANY OF US THINK WHEN WE PRAY WE NEED TO HAVE OUR EYES CLOSED.

THE BIBLE TELLS US WE NEED TO WATCH AS WELL AS PRAY.

THE DEVIL LIKE FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED, SO YOU DON’T BE OPEN TO HIS EVIL DEVICES.

THAT’S WHY WHEN WE PRAY AT NIGHT BEFORE WE GO TO BED, OUR EYES GET HEAVY BECAUSE OUR FLESH IS READY TO SHUT DOWN .

AND THAT IS WHEN THE DEVIL OPERATE AT HIS BEST IS WHEN IT GET DARK.

WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO HAVE A THANKSGIVING PRAYER. MEANING IN EVERYTHING WE MUST THANK GOD, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD.

WHEN IT’S GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES WE NEED TO THANK GOD FOR PROVIDING FOR US.

WHEN IT’S BAD, WE NEED TO THANK GOD FOR NOT ALLOWING THE DEVIL TO OVERTAKE US OR LURING US AWAY WITH HIS LIES.

EPHESIANS 6:18 “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

B. WALK IN WISDOM.

COLOSSIANS 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

WE NEED TO BEHAVE OURSELVES WISELY TOWARDS THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.

WE MUST CONSIDER THEIR GREAT NEED TO KNOW CHRIST AS OUR NEED WAS.

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT MESSAGE WE ARE SENDING TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.

OUR LIVES THAT WE LIVE CAN BE A HINDRANCE OR BLESSING TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST.

WISDOM IS ONLY OBTAIN THROUGH OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.

YOU CANNOT NOT GAIN WISDOM BEING A FOOL, UNLESS YOU HAVE LEARN FROM IT WHAT CAUSE YOU TO BE A FOOL.

WHAT IMPACT WOULD A FOOL HAVE ON A FOOL. NONE.

THE BIBLE TELLS US , THE FOOL SAYS IN HIS HEART, THERE IS NO GOD.

WHEN YOU WALKING IN WISDOM, YOU WALKING IN LOVE WITH MUCH PATIENCE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.

REMEMBER GOD WAS PATIENT WITH US AND STILL BEING PATIENT WITH WITH US.

WE CANNOT SAVE ANYONE, BUT IF WE LIVE BEFORE GOD IN TOTAL OBEDIENCE, IT CAN HAVE AN GREAT IMPACT ON OTHER’S WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.

EPHESIANS 5: 15-16 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

C. LET YOUR SPEECH BE GODLY.

COLOSSIANS 4:6 “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

OUR SPEECH SHOULD BE CHEERFUL WITHOUT LEVITY, MEANING WE SHOULD NOT TREAT A SERIOUS MATTER WITH HUMOR OR IN A MATTER LACKING RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN CHRIST.

THE PROBLEM WITH MANY OF US IS WE LIKE OTHER’S TO TAKE OUR MATTER’S SERIOUS, BUT IN RETURN WE ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE BACK THAT SAME RESPECT IN RETURN.

THE PROBLEM WITH MANY OF US WE DO NOT GIVE BACK THE SAME GRACE THAT WAS GIVING TO US .

WHAT CAUSES US TO RESPOND IN A GODLY WAY IS WHEN OUR SPEECH IS SEASONED WITH SALT.

BECAUSE WHEN IT IS SEASON WITH SALT, IT WON’T LEAVE A BITTER TASTE IN SOMEONE LIFE WHO YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH.

IF YOUR SPEECH IS NOT SEASON , YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO WIN SOMEONE OVER WILL BE LOST BECAUSE OF YOUR FIRST EXPRESSIONS.

EPHESIANS 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”