I had a shirt made for my business the other day, and it just so happened that the lady making them is a Muslim. My words are emphasized.
“I’m from Turkey, which is a Muslim nation.”
“So you’re a Muslim?”
“Yes, but I’m not like other Muslims. I believe in God, and He loves me, and gives me what I want.”
“Oooooh.” Immediately, the Holy Spirit was dealing with me to witness to this lady.
“So what do you think about Jesus?”
“Well, He is a prophet from God, and sometimes God sends down prophets to help His people.”
By now, the Holy Spirit was practically screaming at me, and there was only one thing that I could think of to say.
“So what do you think it meant when Jesus said, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me?”
Her face suddenly changed and she said, “I don’t like to talk about religion.”
To which I responded, “isn’t it great that we live in a country where we can talk about religion, and not have to worry about being killed for our beliefs?”
Turkey just happens to be a place where Christians are persecuted and even killed for their beliefs. Unfortunately, she closed the door, and it would have been wrong for me to take it any further. She was nice though. Really nice, and very smart. I hope some day her intelligence will lead her to the Truth.
Please pray that this seed will be watered by the Holy Spirit and that she will come to know the Savior!
Will certainly pray. She sounds like a lovely lady.
We’ve also been making friends with some Turkish Muslims. There’s a community of them working in our town centre who we often say “hi” to. They are lovely people, as you say, and very hard working. I’ve found them to be particularly willing, wanting even, to discuss religion. They’re not militant and they’re very intrigued by Jesus and the fact that He’s sending us to help build community. But like anybody else in our neck of the woods they’re very standoffish if anything we say sounds militant.
If it helps any, this book by Doug Addison has really helped me to attune to where people are in their spiritual journey and learn to help them simply draw nearer http://shop.newdayinternational.org/customer/product.php?productid=570&cat=120&page=1 and http://shop.newdayinternational.org/customer/product.php?productid=885&cat=120&page=1
The book has revolutionalised how I respond to the unction of the Spirit and words of knowledge when I’m loving others. My job is to co-operate with what He’s doing, which for me at least means learning how to channel my zeal differently to how I was once-upon-a-time taught in church
Sounds like you offered a great thought for this lady to chew over and I’ll pray that she’s challenged to bottom it out rather than brush it aside.
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Mark - This is the best advice I could ask for, and I will definitely consider getting the book. There have been so many books that I have been led to get, and I don’t know which one to start with!
I love what you said about cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Whenever I feel like witnessing, I always have a little fear that I am going to send the person back a few steps, rather than forward. I have a lot to learn about witnessing, and it is so neat that God is sending me little missions here and there to teach me what to do and not do. Thanks again for this advice, it is a blessing from God!
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 8:15 am
You might also like some notes I wrote on the subject recently (drawing quite heavily from Doug’s book) http://www.madetopraisehim.com/media/1/20080409-prophetic-evangelism.pdf
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Mark - I just read the whole thing and it is exactly what I needed. I am praising God right now for using you to bless me with this knowledge. It has sparked a new hunger in me, and I want to know more!
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 9:45 am
That was a good approach, Justin, well asked! Witnessing to Muslims can sometimes be quite a tricky issue in this part of the world. Just recently, a couple was arrested for passing out a Jack Chick tract to 2 Muslims.
They will be charged for sedition (which I don’t agree with) and possession of ‘undesirable’ publications (Jack Chick tracts are banned in Singapore).
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Justin. Glad to be able to help a little. Know that I’m learning with you
Isaiah. Woh! That makes me so grateful to be living in the UK, and yet also strangely unsettled that that’s one less excuse for not being “candid/forthright with love” more often in conversations here.
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Wow, that surely is an encounter. Authority and love of the Spirit is very important.
Sid
Comment Submitted: April 17th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Justin,
Thank you so much brother for sharing this powerful post with us.
It is very interesting to say the least.
I read your blog often but promise I will comment more.
God bless you brother.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
In HIm,
Kinney Mabry
Comment Submitted: April 18th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Thanks for your comment Kinney! It is always appreciated! I have been a little lazy in keeping up with the blogging world (including my own), but I’ll try to give you some good posts to comment on.
Comment Submitted: April 18th, 2008 at 2:54 pm