19. Equipped
God's word, God's Spirit and God's people are all there to help you

In The Bible Read This
nz23/z2Timo03.htm#14">2 Timothy 3.14-17, nz03/zLuka04.htm#18">Luke 4.18, nz26/zEvrea12.htm#1">Hebrews 12.1-3.

Here Is Your Memory Verse
So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper,
I will not be afraid, what can man do to me? nz26/zEvrea13.htm#6">Hebrews 13.6

Meditate Word By Word On These Verses
nz14/z1Kori09.htm#15">1 Corinthians 9.15-18.

Spend a Minute to Change the World
Pray For India - Operation World page 273
1,000,000,000 Hindu/Muslim peoples
Fast growing minority Christians, many poor, unreached peoples

We are going to talk about three ways in which God supports you when you talk to people about Jesus either in private or in public. He backs you up by the power of his Word, by the power of his Spirit and by the powerful testimony of his people.

A. The Power Of The Word

The unique nature of God's Word is that unlike any human word it is ~

Living, Actually Alive, nz26/zEvrea04.htm#12">Heb. 4.12, nz07/z1Petr01.htm#23">1 Peter 1.23, nz05/zDeani07.htm#38">Acts 7.38
 
Thoroughly equips you, nz23/z2Timo03.htm#16">2 Tim. 3.16-17
Accomplishes the task, vz23/zIsaia55.htm#11">Isaiah 55.11
It's like a hammer that cracks, breaks and demolishes rocks, vz24/zIerem23.htm#29">Jer. 23.29
Works in people, nz21/z2Fess02.htm#13">1 Thess. 2.13
It's the sword that God's Spirit uses, nz17/zEfesi06.htm#17">Eph. 6.17
 
It Is Like A Seed That You Sow.
See nz02/zMark04.htm#13">Mark 4.13-20
 
Satan snatches some seed away.
Some don't allow it to take root.
Some allow worries in life to bury it.

1. Satan, or lack of deep roots, or life's worries can keep us from bearing fruit.
True / False.

But many people who hear the word are like good soil, and the word brings them a 30, 60 or 100 fold harvest. You know that a field is mostly good soil, rocks and weeds are on the edges, so expect many people to grow in truth. Jesus says that the seed grows all by itself, slowly, out of sight, little by little, until harvest time. So a good farmer sows and waits with patience and expectation. nz02/zMark04.htm#26">Mark 4.26-29

2. Why can we expect many people to grow in truth?
Rocks and weeds are only on the edges of the field.
Along the footpath the soil is hard.
Most of the field is good soil.

B. The Power Of God's Spirit

He will back your testimony with powerful signs from God as you pray for the needy people. Signs point out a direction, and in this case they point the way into God's Kingdom and into his love and care.

What Signs Did They See in Jesus' Day?
Quoting vz23/zIsaia61.htm#1">Isaiah 61.1-2, Jesus says in nz03/zLuka04.htm#18">Luke 4.18 that when the gospel was preached to the poor ~

The broken-hearted were being healed.
Prisoners found freedom.
The blind began to see.
The oppressed were released.
Favour was found with God.
 
One day John the Baptist, who was in prison and discouraged, not seeing God's power despite preaching the truth, sent to Jesus asking if he was really the Messiah. Jesus said these signs pointed to him ~
 
The sick were being healed.
Evil spirits were being cast out.
The lame began to walk.
Lepers and outcasts were being cleansed.
Deaf people could hear for the first time.
People who died were restored to life.
(See nz04/zIoann10.htm#41">John 10.41, nz03/zLuka07.htm#20">Luke 7.20-23)

3. What amazing miracles happened through the Holy Spirit?
People received lots of money and had no problems.
The sick, lepers and lame were healed, some were even raised from the dead.
John the Baptist was released from prison.
Everybody became healthy and nobody ever died.

C. The Power Of the Spirit Today

What Signs Can We Expect To See?

Christians are seeing these same signs today all over the world. Just change the above lists to present tense! Jesus will do the same for you when you pray for people in his name. Then we can add the signs that Jesus promised in nz02/zMark16.htm#17">Mark 16.17-20.

Tongues. (One of the gifts of the Spirit)
Protection against dangers.
Signs that confirm the word.
 
What Then Should We Do?
Follow Jesus' example in nz05/zDeani10.htm#38">Acts 10.38
 
Believe the promise of Jesus for ourselves. (nz05/zDeani01.htm#8">Acts 1.8, nz04/zIoann14.htm#12">John 14.12)
Follow the example of the early church, who preached the Word and moved in the power of God's Spirit on many occasions. See the stories in Acts.

4. Is the Holy Spirit still alive and active today?
Yes / No.

D. The Testimony Of God's People

Despite the hypocrisy which unbelievers may accuse the church of, (it's often true, so you may as well apologise for it), you can point out the indisputable evidence of changed lives, especially your own.

You can also point out the very real love found amongst God's people, and you can point to the lives of great men and women of God in history and today. You will find that the public respect both a great man of God or a big villain, but the lukewarm they dismiss with indifference or mockery.

5. What kind of people does the public respect?
Great men of God, or big villains.
Spineless cowards and lazy people.
Lukewarm excuse-makers who accomplish nothing.

Despite failures and falls, Christians can hold their head up high under any fair examination, anywhere, and anytime. After nearly two thousand years of vicious attacks and persecutions, the people of God are alive and growing at an unprecedented pace worldwide. With the support of the living word of God, the power of the Spirit of God and the love and passion of the people of God we can expect to keep on growing until Jesus comes back.

6. How can the people of God increase rapidly?
By fighting against attacks and persecutions.
By the word of God, the power of the Spirit, and love.
By arguing with those who criticise them.

Mention The Great Christian Reformers,
You can point to the lives of great Christian men
like William Wilberforce, who stopped slavery,
Shaftesbury, who struggled for the poor,
Dr. Barnardo, who helped orphans,
Booth, who began the Salvation Army,
Bishop Tutu, who fought apartheid.
 
Mention The Great Civilizers,
like missionary explorer Livingstone,
Studd, who lived and died for Africa,
Taylor, who lived and died for China,
Carey, who lived and died for India,
Judson, who lived and died for Burma,
Billy Graham, who preaches to millions.
 
Mention The 'Good Samaritans.'
When it comes to helping the hungry, the thirsty, ragged, sick, homeless, and prisoners, God's people are always there. All over the world Christians work hard to show God's love, often for little or no pay.
 
ACET cares for AIDS victims,
Remar, Teen Challenge and Jackie Pullinger fight drugs,
Mother Teresa of Calcutta helped the sick and dying,
The Church in South Africa, Romania, Poland, and Latin America
strongly fights injustice.
Western Christians fight against abortion and other social evils.

Match these people with the descriptions shown below:
A. Wilberforce,   B. Carey,   C. Booth,   D. Mother Teresa.

7. He lived and died for India.
A, B, C, D.

8. He began the Salvation Army.
A, B, C, D.

9. She helped the sick and dying.
A, B, C, D.

10. He stopped slavery.
A, B, C, D.

Something To Do Before Next Time
Arrange to speak to either a person, a small group,
or a church about Jesus and plan to sow the seeds of God's word,
look for an opportunity to let God's Spirit work, and tell them
about worthy people in God's family, past or present.

Kurds in Belgium

People Name Language

Population

Kurd, Northern (Kermanji)   Kermanji (Kurmanji)

13,000

Your score is:

Written Diploma Work
Write the outline of your message on no more than two sides of paper
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