How do you reach people in your life that are lost? You can't do it on your own. You need to pray for them, live out your faith unapologetically, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. You need to remember the life you had before your leap of faith. What drove you to Jesus? What did your have to give up of your own life to follow Jesus?
Living life without Jesus is fun, but it doesn't go anywhere. It leads to momentary satisfaction, but never fills your soul with peace. For the people who do not want to let go of their fun time, you have to show them that Christians know how to have a good time too. It just looks a little different.
Some people may not even realize that they are lost. They are living a good life thinking that they will go to Heaven or don't care about eternity. Everyone is lost until they are not. Even after you become a Christian it is easy to fall off the path. You have to walk hand in hand with Jesus and trust the path that he laid out for you. If you don't you are a Christian, but your faith has no fruit.
You can't force anyone to be a Christian. All you can do is tell them the truth and pray. The Holy Spirit will do everything else. However, faith is a personal choice. If they reject it, then they will have to live with the consequences. Their choice may hurt you, but it is their choice. One of God's greatest gifts is free will. Do not try to take that from anyone.
If a person admits that they are lost, then you have a window to introduce them to Jesus. Do not over think this. If you know the person, then you know how to talk to them. Do not go through a check list or try to be perfect and go by some exact plan. Be natural. Be yourself and follow the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Do not assume that a lost person is stupid. Many are highly logical. It is their logic that works against them. Meet them where they are. Use intellect to counter their arguments. It may get through or it may not. All you can do is what you are directed to do by the Holy Spirit. You can then walk away with a clear conscience.
It may be tough to talk to strangers, but if the Holy Spirit directs you then you need to try. People need help in life. If you don't step up, then you never know if anyone else will. Salvation may be confusing for some people, so take the time to invest in your testimony and how it happened for you. Keep it simple. Make sure they understand that salvation is free, but following Jesus can cost you everything.
Avoid confusing talk. Don't go too deep into the Bible. The faith journey is a life journey. You can't get everything on the first day. Take it slow. It is a life long race not a marathon to get a prize. Show them what really matters in life and then eternity because salvation starts here and now. You don't just wait until you die to enjoy it.
Part of discipleship is to teach them how to follow Jesus after salvation. It is teaching them how to prioritize God. You teach them how to search for God's truth, promises, and love on their own. You teach them the urgency to share God's Word without being perfect. You teach them to use what they have and be grateful.
Teach them how to deal with discouragement, waiting, prayer, and not always getting the happy ending they wanted. Success looks different on everyone, so teach them no to compare themselves to you or anyone else. Celebrate the victories where you find them and let go of the disappointments.
Isaiah 41:8-10, Matthew 11:25-30, Romans 10:1-4, & 2 Peter 3:8-10
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