BEING AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS

   Mark 5:18-20 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, b you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.ut said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for him and all marvelled.

     Unlike the disciples who followed and served Jesus, the demon-possessed man who was delivered by Jesus was clearly instructed to go back to his home and be a witness among his own people. To me, this account serves as a reminder that while not all are called to a path of full-time church ministry, we are certainly all called to be ministers of the gospel wherever God has planted us.

      For believers who are in secular jobs, it is no accident God has placed you where you are today. He has a divine purpose for putting you in that job and workplace. And the purpose certainly goes beyond getting a paycheck or achieving your personal goals. You are where you are for far greater reasons beyond yourself. You are where you are for the Lord and the advancement of His kingdom. There is an eternal value to your workplace. Are you gathering those eternal gems? The man who suffered from the gathering demoniac had such a powerful encounter with Jesus that it changed his life forever. It drove him to share Christ to those around him. It placed in his heart a burning desire for Jesus that he wanted to leave all behind to follow him. But eventually this passion for Christ was channeled to sharing Jesus to his people which impacted a community.

     What compels us to share Christ with others is our own experience of the great depth of His love for us and the impact He has made in our lives as well as His deep love for others. Is it in your heart to share Christ with the people around you? Do you feel that compelling burden to share Him with others? If the answer is no, the question you may have to ask is are you in a growing relationship with Christ? Because if you are, you will also have a growing desire to share Him with others. It will be part of your nature to talk about Him and His work in your life. He will be so integral to your identity, wherever you go or whoever you are speaking with, you will just be speaking of Him in one way or another. Have you ever considered that you spend most of your waking hours in the workplace? It is almost your second home. Sometimes you will even spend more time with the people in your offices than your own families. Have you ever wondered for the length of time you spend in your workplaces, how much of it will count in your eternity? If our lives on earth are meant to prepare us for eternity and most of these lives are spent in the workplace, we must therefore seriously consider how much of what we do in the workplace would have eternal value.

Four Keys to Becoming Effective Witnesses

1. Life Message - The first place to start being effective witnesses for Christ is our personal testimony. We must be people of real character. Our lives should be of the highest standard. People must see Christ in us-in our work ethics, integrity, speech, the way we honor and respect our colleagues, and our love and compassion for others. Our personal character builds up our authority and credibility to share about our faith. A life that is consistent to the Word is a very powerful message that speaks to others non-stop.

2. Prayer - It takes the power of the Holy Spirit for people and organizations to be infiltrated by Jesus. Thus, we must be people of prayer who will stand in the gap for our organizations and colleagues. Maybe it's time for you to devote a regular prayertime for your office. How about giving up one of your breaks at work to pray for your workplace and colleagues?

3. Share the gospel - People need to hear the Word of God. They need to hear the Truth. God will open opportunities to those who are bent on sharing Him. I remember a time when God enabled me to share the gospel to a colleague who was diagnosed with cancer. She opened up her situation and her fears of death to me and another colleague. And as she spoke I just felt that her heart was ready to receive the gospel. This talk on the reality of death became a chance to share about the reality of life in Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

4. Make the most of every opportunity to share Christ. The Scripture tells us to be actively sowing and to do so in all opportunities that come our way.

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.   Isaiah 32:20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters...

Make every opportunity count. Actively plant seeds in others be it by simply testifying of God’s goodness in your life to someone who asks how you are doing or having a listening ear to someone who is going through rough times. Through the years, I have come to realize that as believers we have testimonies that we can share to others that can pave the way for the Lord to be introduced to them. They can be powerful encounters with Jesus or times when God saved us from a certain ordeal or perhaps a work of transformation. Be prepared to share these with people that they may know the reality of the God we serve. Further, because fruits may take time to come forth, we need to learn to patiently invest. I remember a woman of God who used to be a high school teacher. In school, other teachers would refer students to her for counseling and guidance. This open door became an opportunity for her to share the Lord to these students and it eventually ignited a revival in that school. Many students came to know the Lord. One of those students who was a product of this woman's ministry is now being used mightily by the Lord as a senior pastor and overseer of ministries in their region. This woman continues to bear fruits in her community long after she has moved out of it simply because she planted seeds in others. May we be like this woman - fruitful ministers wherever God has planted us.