By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Evangelism truly is a matter of the heart for both the soul winner and
the lost soul.
Indeed, without both hearts surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit, any sharing of the Gospel
will be fruitless. Regardless of how eloquently or emotionally a personal testimony is articulated by a believer, unless God is making His appeal through the believer (2 Cor. 5:20) and the unbeliever’s spirit
has been prepared by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 7:10), it is all for nought.
Consider 2 Chronicles 7:14 which states “if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from
Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Too often, Christians read this passage and immediately presume that they must fall prostrate in prayer or seek a solemn assembly with others. But when read in context, God is calling us to be “humble.”
It is from this condition of the mind, the heart and the soul that we pray and seek His face. Then, in response to this spiritual state, He responds to listen, forgive and heal.
Indeed, the Bible tends to define all spiritual processes in the context of being “humble.”
— Redemption, or turning to Christ (repentance for salvation), requires a humble heart (in fact, it is
the only victory won by surrendering).
— Restoration, or returning to Jesus, requires a humble heart.
— Reconciliation, or healing of a broken relationship, requires humble hearts among all parties; and
— Revival, or being spiritually renewed and refreshed, requires a humble heart for the individual as
well as a preponderance of humble hearts for a congregation.
This last instance needs further explanation. You see, we often say “revival” when actually we are seeking a major movement of God among the lost. But revival is for a saint, and an awakening is
needed for the sinner.
However, winning the lost does depend on revival.
Typically, the Holy Spirit piques the heart of a saved individual about the need to humble himself or
herself to the Lord’s leading, and a renewed prayer life for the person ensues.
Then multiple individuals who have had a similar refreshing of their spirits begin to pray together. The
resulting unity spreads within a congregation and sometimes among multiple churches, and the revival is so obvious to outsiders that unbelievers in the community begin to seek the same kind of change that they see in the saved.
So, if you want revival in your church and changed eternities for the lost among your family, friends and neighbors, remember “if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves,” and God will
reward your heart.
