THE CONVICTING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT October 30, 2009

Wow! That’s the only way I know how to describe it. I have seen God work in people before, but last night was pretty amazing.

I was witnessing to 4 young girls (ages 14 and 15). I spent quite a bit of time helping them to see how they stacked up in relation to God’s law and righteousness. They all readily saw that they were guilty before God and they immediately became concerned. I was witnessing the active, powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

Destiny, Kemara, Stephanie, and Esther were visiting the Inner Harbor of Baltimore from Charlotte, NC. Each of them, with precious sincerity, admitted that they thought they would go to hell if they died today. Kemara was the first to communicate here sense of guilt before God.

Then Destiny, visibly moved, said she felt like she was going to cry. Throughout the discussion, she must have repeated this 3 or 4 times. She said that she had tried to turn her life around with the Lord and it just didn’t work. Her solution? Just wait till she was older when she would be ready. I shared with her that there was absolutely no guarantee that she would wake up even tomorrow.

I looked at Stephanie and asked her what she was thinking. With her head down, she shook it and said, “I just keep seeing all the wrong things I’ve been doing.” She was very deep in thought and under conviction. Kemara, Stephanie, and Destiny all seemed to be fixated on the reality of their sin, God’s holiness and God’s immense love.

When I shared the glory of the love of God revealed in the gospel, the conviction seemed to increase all the more. I expressed how deeply God loved them, displayed by the supreme sacrifice of Jesus. At about that time, Destiny, began saying, “My heart is so heavy, my heart is so heavy.” She would walk around, unable to escape the pull of God on her life.

It was clear that these girls were at war on the inside. I pleaded with them for their souls. I shared my testimony of yielding my life to Jesus at age 17. Then, I begged them to do the same before their heads hit the pillow that night. They were all very thankful. Destiny said she was really going to be thinking about this for a long time. I prayed for them, gave them some excellent things to read, and they were on their way.

It is a glorious thing to think that we are laboring with the Holy Spirit. We, in our weakness, plant gospel seeds. And as we do, the Holy Spirit works on hearts. May God encourage your heart today to realize that, though you feel fearful and weak, God glories in using fearful and weak vessels to do His work. Please be bold to preach the gospel, and watch the Lord do His mighty work.

A note from Pastor John Desousa from Shore Christian Fellowship. After reading, get on board. Give us a call and we will help train your group in sharing their faith!

I want to thank you for all the excitment you have stirred in the church and for me personally. I'm seeing the Lord do amazing things as I reach out with the gospel and I'm wondering "How did I miss this before???" The stories are starting to amass quickly and we had a family show up this Sunday as a result of a church invitation given in the playground. I was passing a man in the opposite direction on the Cross Island Trail today and he turned down the million dollar tract. I met him again later going the opposite direction and wound up sharing the whole gospel with him. He thanked me profusely and said "You've made my day. I don't know if I've made yours, but you've made mine. Thank you!" Met a girl yesterday at Quizno's with the word "Death" tattooed on her arm. Wound up sharing the whole gospel - how could I pass up THAT opportunity??!! Thank you abundantly for helping open my eyes to the opportunities God is constantly giving. I'll be in touch!John Desousa (Actually the Quizno's "Death" girl heard the first half about the Law, her co-worker wound up hearing both halves - law and grace, and thanked me profusely for sharing. That blows my mind! They're thanking me?? Wow! Praise God!)

Just how much is a soul worth? Consider these words from our Lord Jesus Christ:
Mark 8:36-38 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

When we go about our business (work, grocery store, driving down the road), are we thinking about the many souls who are on the verge of being lost for eternity? Please, please do think, then act! They desperately need the gospel! Desperately! Desperately....

Mr. Spurgeon, have you any thing to say about this matter?

"If there existed only one man or woman who did not love the Savior, and if that person lived among the wilds of Siberia, and if it were necessary that all the millions of believers on the face of the earth should journey there, and every one of them plead with him to come to Jesus before he could be converted, it would be well worth all the zeal, labor, and expense. If we had to preach to thousands year after year, and never rescued but one soul, that one soul would be full reward for all our labor, for a soul is of countless price." Charles Spurgeon