Leading Others Into Freedom

Imagine that right now, wherever you’re sitting, you hear the noise of your front door go ‘boom.’ And you turn around and Jesus Christ, Himself, comes into your room. Wouldn’t that be something?

He comes to you and says, I want to have dinner with you tonight. What would your response be? Perhaps you’d be excited, maybe a bit nervous. I can imagine you’d have many things to talk with Jesus about. And you’d be looking forward to hearing His words of love and wisdom poured out to you.

But you know something? If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, He is with you — right now! Even though you can’t see Him, He really is living with you. No, your front door won’t open. But when you receive Jesus Christ into your heart, the Son of God literally comes into your life. He speaks to you through His Word and His Spirit. The Bible says, “Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.”

Jesus can be as real to you as a physical figure walking into your house. It’s important to meditate on what it really means that He is lives in you, and is one with your spirit. The more we believe this to be true for ourselves, the more likely we are to share this wonderful promise with people in our world.

Twenty-three years ago, Simon was working in the Ministry of Defense in London, England.

One morning on his way to work, he saw some advertisements for the London festival that our team was putting on at the QPR Football Stadium. Simon was curious about God, so he decided to come hear what we had to say.

As he listened to the Good News that night in London, what struck him was the emphasis on taking Scripture seriously. Simon didn’t make a decision for God that night, but he did go home challenged to read His Bible and see for himself what it had to say.

As he read day after day, Simon realized the Bible was, in fact, the inerrant Word of God. He was finally ready to commit his life to Jesus Christ, and his new life began that very day.

Simon is now a pastor of a church in southern England!! His mission is to bring as many people as possible to the Lord.

In Isaiah 55 the Lord says, “My Word will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.” God uses many different ways to speak to people - His Word is definitely one of those ways.

When we share our faith, we need to remember to challenge people to seek out the truth for themselves in the Bible. Then, trust the Lord with the results.

I met Steve on a recent trip to London, England. He approached me and said, “Mr. Palau, I committed my life to Jesus during your festival to London 23 years ago.” Then Steve told me his story.

Since he didn’t grow up in church, Steve knew very little about God. He began serving in the Royal British Forces in his early 20s. There, he struggled with severe bouts of anxiety and depression, which led him to heavy drinking binges. In Steve’s words, he was one inch away from becoming an alcoholic.

Steve was searching for answers in various religions, when a friend invited him to hear me speak at Wembley Stadium in London. Steve agreed to go. That night he heard the Good News Gospel, and realized what he needed in his life wasn’t religion, but a relationship with Jesus.

When I gave the invitation, Steve made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. Today, Steve is married to a wonderful Christian woman, and they are raising their three sons in the ways of God.

Think about where Steve might be today if his friend hadn’t invited him to our festival. Ephesians 5:15 reminds us: “Be careful how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”

We need to remember to be intentional about inviting our friends to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. It may be just what they need to hear

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and he or she asks you, “What is truth anyway? Isn’t truth relative to different people and life situations?”

It’s an important question that many sincere seekers are asking today. And we, as Christians, need to be prepared to answer them. But how do we find the truth so we can share it with others?

The answer is found in John 17 when Jesus is praying for His people. He says, “Sanctify them by your truth; your Word is truth.”

That’s the key right there! If you want truth - divine truth, spiritual truth, moral truth, life-changing truth - it’s all in the Word of God. We must spend time with God and Scripture in order to find the truth that people are searching for. There’s divine power in the Bible, you know.

We also must cultivate a listening ear, listening to Jesus Christ. And that takes time. Yes, you can listen to God on the freeway but you hear a lot of other things too. That’s why it’s good to spend time alone with the Lord - just Him and you and His Word. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll discover!

As you open the Bible, and listen to the Holy Spirit, you will learn wisdom to answer people’s questions - that’s how I have done it. And the truth that you share has the power to change their lives! “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Jesus said that.