Powerful Words

My sister told me she had a talk with her father-in-law Steve* that she never expected to have. For more than an hour they talked about God’s love and Jesus’ death as the only way we can receive forgiveness. She told him the only way to be accepted by God and gain entrance into heaven was through Jesus; no amount of good deeds, money given to the church, and not even being baptized in water will earn your way into heaven. It all comes down to what you do with Jesus.

About fourteen years ago Steve was in the hospital at the same time as our dad. On one of our visits I went up to Steve’s room to pray with him. He told her during their talk, “I lost a week-and-a-half of my life. I don’t remember anything that happened to me; the only thing I remember is your brother praying for me.”

Now to be honest with you I have a hard time remembering what happened yesterday, so I certainly don’t remember much of that short visit with Steve. But something that was said back then wasn’t just me and my thoughts. God connected with Steve through what was said and he hasn’t forgotten it.

Paul took the gospel of Jesus Christ to the city of Thessalonica. What Paul told them changed their lives.

• For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message.
  1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT)

The power of the Holy Spirit confirms the words we speak to others with power; God makes the word come to life in their hearts so their eyes are opened to their need for salvation. The message we bring is not our own; it is the power of God unto salvation (see Romans 1:16).

Steve is proof of how God takes what we say and uses it to draw people to Jesus. God is at work in the circumstances of his life to give my sister the chance to reaffirm God’s love. God is making her words alive in Steve’s heart with power.

How about you? Are you willing to be a spokesman for Jesus? You don’t need to be eloquent or even know all the answers. Just begin to tell people about God’s love and let the Holy Spirit do the rest; God will make what you say burn in their hearts so they will never forget it.
* Steve is not his real name.