Developing a Heart to Share Jesus: Passion and Payer

Introduction: Much like a person develops personally and professionally there is also a certain amount of spiritual development. Biblical terminology would be sanctification or growth - there is an active role to play in that growing process and purposeful pursuit of Christ-likeness. This is the development that must happen in our own hearts.

For the next two weeks we are going to be talking about the importance of “developing the heart to share Jesus.” (Passion, Prayer, Partnership, Power)

A Passionate Heart

God wants every Christian to have a heart for lost people.

Some people are naturally passionate - some struggle to be passionate about anything - at least outwardly so. So the passionate people look at the dispassionate and think “man, just care about something!” While the passionate person can be passionate about all the wrong things.

We must stoke our passions

We must fuel the right passions

I am a UGA fan - grew up in Ga. and cheered for the Dawgs. Full disclosure: I know relatively nothing about the bulldogs now. It’s not that I don’t have the capacity to know; it’s just that I’ve chosen to feed other passions to the neglect of my sports news and stats.

Which are you in need of this morning?

Stop and pray right now for the right passions

Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

God works through our active obedience.

A passion for witnessing is more like love than determination.

We must not witness because we have to, but because we want to.

We must be in love with the people, not simply the process of witnessing.

1 Cor. 9:22; Col. 4:6; Rom. 12:11; Prov. 19:2

“Witnessing seldom requires extra time in your busy schedule, just a greater awareness.”

Prayer

Sometimes a witness can overestimate the need for a particular approach when the heart of a witness has far more impact!

Nothing prepares the heart to witness more than regular prayer.

In prayer, we find the heart of God.

Why does God want people to be saved?

For his own glory

To redeem fallen man

To accomplish his purposes

To show his Power

Rom. 9:15-17 I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Rom. 10:14-15 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

What do you most commonly pray about?

Your physical and financial needs

Your family friends, and church

Your spiritual needs

Witnessing opportunities

Salvation for the lost

workers in the harvest of lost people

We must pray according to God’s Heart .

Assignments:

Practical: Consider helpful prayer strategies/patterns in your own life. Come next week prepared to share ways that have helped you pray for the Gospel.

Spiritual: Pray daily according to God’s heart in salvation.

Contemplative: How broken is your prayer life? What needs to change in the practice of your praying?

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