Overcoming fear of sharing the gospel
Sometimes fear is the greatest obstacle between us and taking a step of obedience. One college student shares how God used a Sifting Week with Global Gates in New York to help her face her fear and engage in His mission.
I was feeling anxious about sharing my faith while preparing for my mission trip to New York for a Sifting Week (https://globalgates.info/get-involved/) with Global Gates. As I tried to process through why I was having those feelings I realized that I was inherently terrified of evangelism. I didn’t feel prepared to talk to others about Jesus. The Lord used Global Gates to help me build confidence in my ability to testify as I was reminded time and time again that it’s not actually me talking, but the Holy Spirit through me. Through evangelism training and lots of practice I slowly felt the Holy Spirit melting away my feelings of anxiety, which gave way to excitement and expectancy to see how the Lord would work.
The Holy Spirit’s activity during one encounter particularly sticks out from the trip. My team and I had just asked God to make it abundantly clear who He wanted us to talk to. As we were walking through a neighborhood, a mother and her daughter stopped us to ask for directions. As I was giving those women directions, I felt led to stay with them. We decided to walk with them to their destination and engaged in small talk on the way. The lady was wearing a cross, but when asked about Jesus, she didn’t know she could have forgiveness through His sacrifice. Because I came from the same religious background as her, I was able to share about Jesus’ love in a way that was understandable to her. The mother didn’t seem too thrilled. However, I had the daughter’s attention. I shared with her how we can have freedom and a relationship with God, because of Christ’s sacrifice, death and resurrection. Neither of them came to faith that day, but the Lord can cultivate those seeds.
The trip wasn’t full of spiritual highs, though. I was uncomfortable, self-conscious and constantly doubting that any of these people would come to faith. Truthfully, the act of going door-to-door and talking to strangers gave me anxiety, and that was our main avenue for sowing the gospel broadly. To say that I was pushed out of my comfort zone is an understatement, but what the Lord calls us to do He also enables us to do through the power of the Holy Spirit. He was so faithful to give me rest in His Word and encouragement that His Spirit dwells in me – a broken and sinful vessel, because He loves me.
I am challenging myself to not stay the same after I return home. We are called to always live on mission, and we don’t have to go to another place to do it. Serving in New York gave me evangelism techniques that I can use when I go to a coffee shop to study or when I’m in line at the grocery store. Jesus calls us to walk by His Spirit, and now I finally know what that means.
Is fear keeping you from engaging in God’s mission? Jesus promises us that He will be with us to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18-20). Walk in the freedom and courage He gives. Global Gates would love to help you take steps toward that. Check out the opportunities we offer at globalgates.info/get-involved/volunteer/. You are sent.
*By Sarah, a college student from Mercy Church in Charlotte, NC.
