I just wanted to share a quick testimony to encourage everyone this evening.
Just a bit of context, I’ve been reading Ezekiel and I came across this verse:
And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
So back to today….
Today Auntie Grace and I went to Wembley to witness. As I was (shamefully) running late, Aunty had gone ahead of me. When I found her, she was sitting with a man called Marcus in McDonalds. As soon as I arrived, she switched over to me and I asked him about himself.
Marcus told me how he had grown up in Goa and his story was just one of constant victimisation; abused, beaten and cheated, he had really suffered. His mother had passed away, his father didn’t show him any love, he lost his job and his friends had abandoned him. The Holy Spirit just told me that this is the prodigal son, so I retold him the parable. As I was telling it, he was weeping. I can’t count the number of tissues Auntie G handed him but he was broken.
So as we were speaking, talking about God, Jesus, and what it means to be ‘saved’, Marcus was saying that he wanted to come back to the Father, and of course, as evangelists, this is music to our ears!
But something was not right. Since the moment I sat down, my eye was locked on a set of peculiar beads on his neck. I asked him what they were, and he said someone (a stranger) had given this to him as a gift and he had worn it ever since. Auntie Grace explained that he should find out what the beads represented before putting it on, and he took them off immediately and said he would research. Eventually we got back to the matter at hand and asked Marcus to speak to God and tell Him what he wants and needs. Again, he was broken at what appeared to be the realisation how much sin he was, and the weight of the resentment and unforgiveness he was carrying.
We rounded up the prayer and encouraged him as much as we could. By the end of the conversation, we had arranged a second meet up and we were just overjoyed.
So I just want to thank God because He is oh so kind.
Three simple things I learnt from today’s events:
1. Back to Ezekiel 22:30, God is always looking for a man (or woman) to stand up for Him. It didn’t matter that I felt rusty or had not been out to witness at any point this year – God sees hearts.
2. Sometimes (or all the time) the only strategy you need is prayer. Auntie G and and I didn’t speak a word to each other before this morning, yet she told me later that the Prodigal Son story I was telling was the exact same story she was telling before I arrived.
3. Evangelism is only ever a conversation. Once I had described the characteristics of God, Marcus knew he had to know Him. We don’t have to illicit a reaction to the Gospel, it is powerful enough on it’s own.
So yes, let’s be encouraged! Let’s keep witnessing, sowing seeds, watering and encouraging. God wants to use us and what a privilege it is to be involved in the process!
S
Stephanie Speaks On 