WINNING THE LOST TO THE SAVIOUR

Here are our marching orders in the Savior’s words. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:8; John 20:21-23.) Every Christian is to always be on the job of winning sinners to the Savior. The opening study title contains the three most important words WINNING, LOST, and SAVIOUR. These keywords emphasize every Christian’s responsibility to be a soul-winner, and they indicate ways in which we may engage in this glorious and high calling.

1. First of all, let us think of the word “SAVIOR.”

Savior is the most precious of the names given to our Lord. It was a divine announcement (Matthew 1:21) Mary, the mother of Jesus, spoke of Him as “my Savior” (Luke 1:47). Jesus made clear the primary purpose of His advent, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, which was humanity’s salvation. He did not come primarily to be our teacher, reformer, example, or king. Jesus came to save the lost (Luke 19:10; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:25). In the Gospels, we see Him doing this work, and for two thousand years, He has not ceased to do it (Acts 2:47).

1. He is the UNIVERSAL Savior; that is, He is the Savior of all men (John 1:29; 3:16; 10:9 and 16; Romans 10:12-13). He is the Savior whom everyone, everywhere, needs to look up Acts 16:30-31.
2. He is the ONLY Savior; that is, there is none other (Isaiah 45:22; John 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12).
3. He is the PERFECT Savior; that is, no case is too hard for Him (Hebrews 7:25).

2. Now, let us think of the word “LOST.”

Why was it necessary for the Savior to come? Because apart from Him, all men are lost. This solemn word” lost” describes humanity’s deep spiritual need for those who have never saved. In Luke 15, the sheep got lost, the silver got lost, and the son was lost, too. Look up and compare Matthew 18:11. To be lost is to perish (John 3:16), under condemnation (John 3:18), under the wrath of God (John 3:36), spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), and bound for a Christ-less eternity (Matthew 13:49-50). The need to save the lost is urgent. 

3. Finally, let us think of the word “WINNING.”

The supreme passion in the heart of the Savior is the winning of the lost. The utmost need of every lost soul is to be won by the Savior. Now notice this. The winning of the lost is a supreme business of every Christian. The foremost business of soul-winning as expressed in Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 1:17 and Acts 1:8 applies to each Christian. Every Christian is to be a soul-winner. It is the Lord’s purpose, plan, and program for world evangelization.

Q: What prevents believers from engaging in soul-winning?

Q: How can we overcome these challenges?

Here are seven simple secrets for a successful soul-winning.

1. Recognize that winning the lost to the Savior is your life work. Think this out carefully and prayerfully. However, whoever you are, young or old, you are to be about your Father’s business (Luke 2:49; John 20:21), always following your Savior so that He may make you a fisher of men.
2. Place yourself at the disposal of your Lord for this great work. Get alone with Him not once, but every day and hear Him saying to you Mark 1:17; and in response, say to Him, “Here I am, Lord, at your disposal. Make me a fisher of men!” Philip was at the Lord’s disposal, and when he was in the midst of a revival at Samaria and the Lord called him away to go into the desert to win the Ethiopian eunuch, he was ready to go (Acts 8:5 and 26-40). if we are at the disposal of the Lord, He will use us to save souls.
3. Trust the Lord to use you in His way and time. Look up and get the significance of Genesis 24:27. We may be unconscious of the fact that He is using us, or of how He is using us, as in the case of Stephen (Acts 7:58); or we may know that He is using us, as in the case of Ananias (Acts 9:10-17).
4. Ask Him to show you what to do. We must plan to win souls (Acts 9:6). We must set out to win them, as a fisherman sets out to catch fish, as a man sets out to win a girl’s affection, or as an athlete sets out to win a race.

Q: Mention one thing you can do today to be intentional about soul-winning.

1. Make a list of potential souls to win.
   1. Pray regularly for them.
   1. Seek contact with them and their need. Write and send a helpful book and take them to Church. Invite them to your home, etc.
   1. Be interested in their interests.
   1. Keep on until they get saved or won.
2. Be prepared for the Lord to use you where you are. It may be at home, at school, in business, in hospital, or while you are traveling.
3. Be willing to be a link in the chain of God’s purposes. Rarely will God use one instrument in the salvation of a soul. In most cases, He uses different mechanisms. Be willing to do your share by prayer, or conversation, or gentle persuasion.
4. Always remember that you are only an instrument in His hands and that you cannot win a soul, but that He can do the work of winning others through you. This great work is His work (1 Corinthians 3: 7-9).