THE ATTITUDE OF SOUL-WINNING

“And He said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also …”—

Your attitude—feeling and thinking will either make you a success or a failure as a soul-winner. Notice how these three attitudes keep many Christians from winning souls:

(1) Defeated attitude. Feeling it’s too hard to win people to Christ. These people are defeated before they begin.

(2) Discouraged attitude. If you witness to a person and they do not accept Christ—don’t be discouraged. Jesus did not win all people to whom He spoke concerning the things of God.

(3) Disappointed attitude. Many people give up too quickly. Never, never give up!

NOW, LET’S STUDY HOW TO BEGIN, REACH AND SAVE SOULS FOR JESUS.

PRAYERFUL ATTITUDE, HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS ATTITUDE?

A. Direction— Directs us by saying, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide (direct) your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Walking in the Spirit. Being led by the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit— says: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,” The result of the Spirit-filled life is personal soul-winning.

B. Dedication— Paul prayed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” This was the dedication that made Paul a great soul-winner. Soul-winning should be first in the lives of all Christians!

C. Demanding—. Tells us that time is short. 4 “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.” We must use our time wisely in reaching the lost— clearly tells us that “12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

LET JESUS PROMOTE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN OUR HEARTS

Never tell people they can’t drink, smoke, etc. BE POSITIVE in the ways you are to love people!

A. Thinking— I LOVE THIS SCRIPTURE... (JESUS SAYS)“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The hardest person can be won to Christ.

B. Testimony— Are we telling our story? How we found Jesus? Who led us to Jesus? Why we are here today to worship and praise Jesus? Preach Christ. Tell what He has done, and what He can do. Paul preached Christ to the Jews.....

And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

C. Talking— “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”.....

Paul told the jailer to believe in Christ. He did not say, “stop sinning.” He was positive, and the jailer and his family accepted Christ.

ARE OTHERS SEEING US WITH A PLEASANT ATTITUDE? OR ARE THEY SEEING A “GRUMPY” ATTITUDE?

Remember, no one wants a sour, sad, and complaining religion.

A. Concern-- “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus saw the people and had compassion upon them. HE (JESUS) WAS CONCERNED WITH THEM.

B. Considerate—Jesus tells the apostles in “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” Always use wisdom. Be prepared. Don’t visit a person too early in the morning or too late at night. If they are busy, don’t force yourself upon them.

C. Be Christ-like. Never be critical. Never argue. Be kind to them. Never talk against their religion or church. Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery:

“ Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” 12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

BE CERTAIN THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE A LOVING, PASSIONATE ATTITUDE

A. We must always display Christ-like love— “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

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B. Consuming love—Let us be praying to have the fire that Jeremiah had: “But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” Having a fire in your heart. Many Christians don’t have fire—they have smoke in their hearts. Some Christians have “ice” in their hearts.

D. Absolute love—Love that breaks our hearts for others to know Jesus....... “I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”

QUESTION: SELF EVALUATION: RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE TODAY AT SBCC, SITTING IN THIS SERVICE, “WHAT’S THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR HEART?

AMEN