I have a friend named John who opened his heart to Jesus Christ when he was in high school. John soon began sharing His love for the Lord with his mother, Shirley. Now, Shirley was a lovely lady, but she resisted the Good News for years.

One day my team and I were having a big evangelistic festival on the waterfront near her apartment. When she heard the message of Christ through her apartment window, and our parallel TV telecast, Shirley opened her heart to Christ. And two months to the day, the Lord took her home to be with Himself. I am so glad Shirley is now “at home with the Lord” in heaven, to quote the Bible!

If you’re a Christian, chances are there’s someone in your family who does not know the Lord. Let me encourage you to make the most of this Christmas season and share the Good News with them. Take them to a Christmas Eve service. Afterwards, ask them what they thought of it. Or go to their home and sing carols around the piano and then read the Christmas story from Luke chapter two.

Go shopping, have lunch, and ask leading questions. Shower them with God-given love and, most of all, offer them the opportunity to give their hearts to Christ. Remember the words of the Lord from Isaiah, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

For the last five years in my church, our pastor kept saying, “We’re looking to God for something new in our church.” He didn’t know what it was going to be, but he kept believing and saying, “God wants to do something new.”

Year after year went by, but nothing seemed to be happening. In the end, some people got frustrated, and said, ’Why does he keep saying that? Nothing new is happening at all!” It was a difficult time.

But you know what? Just this past year, new things have begun in our church. Exciting changes are taking place! God is doing moving and we’re thrilled! Our pastor was right! Things are changing! But, even before we could see the changes, our Pastor didn’t turn from the vision God had given him.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.” The Lord wants you and I to dream great dreams for reaching our world. But we need to be patient as we wait on Him, pray, and seek His face.

Remember, God’s timing is perfect. When He takes you through a season of waiting, He’s preparing you. And when He’s ready, watch out! Because the floodgates of heaven will open as you see your evangelistic dreams accomplished to God’s glory!

Rodriguez was a young man who called me up to talk one night on our live television show. He was really having a tough time. “Everything is falling apart,” he said. “My mom passed away, my business venture collapsed, and my daughter was diagnosed with kidney failure. What’s going on?”

As we talked, it was clear that Rodriguez knew a lot about God. But he had never completely surrendered his life to the Lord. I told Rodriguez that he really needs the guidance and direction of God. Jesus Christ came to earth not just to take us to Heaven when we die. But He also came to guide us through the storms of life.

Then Rodriguez said something very interesting. He said, “Maybe these storms are God’s way of telling me to wake up.” Wasn’t that insightful? It was so true! And I had the privilege of leading this young man to the Lord on live TV!

Paul tells us in Romans 8 that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Nothing - no matter how fearsome the storm might be. That powerful truth can be the catalyst for someone you know to turn their life over to Jesus Christ. So, who in your world needs this encouragement?

Today once again I want to talk about all of us who get nervous when we have to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Whether it’s preaching it to a group, doing a Bible Study, or one on one. I always remind myself that I have divine authority to share the Good News.

Remember Acts chapter 1 verse 8? Jesus said just before He ascended back to Heaven, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

Authority- that’s what power is all about. And you know- the power that Jesus gives us, is the power that we know His will, we know His Word, we have the fire of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, and therefore when we open our mouth, and quote a Bible verse, and encourage the person you’re witnessing to, to surrender their heart to Christ, to be honest and admit that they’ve sinned against God, but that Jesus Christ on the cross gave His blood to purify us from our sins.

Remember you have authority that you’re not even aware of. It’s the authority of the Holy Spirit that is at work in you even though you sometimes don’t notice it.

So, go forward, and remember, you can share with authority because you have the power of the Holy Spirit.