Battle Log

Thursday, 2 August, 2018

Posted 2 August 2018, 11:51 PM by Matthew Andersen. Permalink

This afternoon as the team were at Sunnybank, there were many people whom God had prepared to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These included, Christians who were encouraged, Mormons misunderstanding the Gospel and even an atheists fighting against it. This afternoon was fruitful and exciting.

One encouraging thing when on the street is found in speaking to other Christians. Many are excited to overhear conversations and will support you. When we as a team encounter Christians we often, exhort them to take a couple of tracts and share the Gospel with people they sit next to on the bus or train as they head home. We also then assist them by asking what they would share and how they would share it. This also doubles as a good way to see how they understand the Gospel. Across this afternoon, three of these encounters were had with Graham, Howie and Hannah.

One early conversation was had with a man named Daniel. He professed to know "all about Christianity" and has "been there and done that". When challenged on what he thought Christianity was all about, Dan said it was simply being good, living a good life and God will accept you. This question was followed up with another, "If Christianity is just about being good, what has Jesus Christ got to do with it?" Dan paused for a moment and said, "He has something to do with sacrifice".

And a third and final question was posed, "What does Jesus' sacrifice have to do with, us being good?" Dan wasn't sure. It turns out he had grown up as a JW, which is a religion in which one tries to justify themselves by works. When it was explained, that this was not Christianity, Dan didn't have much response.

He had some other attacks against Christianity, most of which seemed to be a flurry of attacks to avoid addressing the real elephant in the room, his failure before a Holy God. Sadly his bus arrived and he had to leave. Please be praying that Dan is given a hatred for sin and comes humbly to the Saviour.

Another conversation was had with Mitchell. Mitchell had spent most of his life on the streets but had recently started to get his life together and had been going to a local Church with some friends. During the conversation he was constantly getting distracted by his phone and wasn't being all that attentive. Thankfully at times he did pay attention.

Mitchell had been discouraged because his friends had all said they'd been hearing God speak to them and talk back to them as they prayed and he wasn't. He was encouraged never expect things of God that God hasn't promised.

It also came up that he struggled to read. He was encouraged to download a bible app that could read the Bible out to him. Beautifully it could solve both dilemmas, he could hear God's personal revelation and learn more about who God is, at the same time!

Mitchell seemed encouraged by this, he took a tract and headed off.

A final conversation at the end of the afternoon was had with a woman, one other team member had spoken to early on in the afternoon. Marissa, had some Christian-ish beliefs but had largely rejected God because people she loved had died. It was explained that God's intention is not spite or callousness. Rather, everyone has a time appointed for them to die, in God's good plan. The purpose of this plan is for His glory and the good of those who love Him.

Marissa, didn't really understand what it meant to trust in Jesus, so a simple analogy was given. She then understood and when asked if she was trusting in Jesus, now understanding what it meant, she said "No".

She was encouraged to place her total reliance upon who Jesus is and what He has done. She mentioned a few different things holding her back but these objections were answered and she understood.

Please be praying that Marissa, dwells upon the trustworthiness of God and stakes her eternity on His promises and work. Please pray that Mitchell is able to begin to trust God and learn about Him through the audible Word. Please pray that Dan may by humbled by God's Holiness and come in surrender to Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Please be praying that Graham, Howie and Hannah stepped out in faith and, in the power of the Spirit, declared boldly and clearly, God's offer of salvation.