Who is God Calling Me to Share My Faith With?

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Plan to Use You as His Witness

You are called to be a witness for Jesus, not because of your own qualifications, but because He has sent you. The weight of this important message is carried not by your own strength, but by the authority of the One who commissions you. It is a profound truth that God’s primary strategy for reaching the world is through ordinary people like you. He intentionally places His followers in specific contexts to be His ambassadors. You are sent by somebody, and that makes all the difference. [25:26]

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NIV)

Reflection: Who are one or two people in your immediate circle—your "Jerusalem" of home, work, or neighborhood—that God has uniquely placed you near to be a witness of His love?

Day 2: Placed for a Purpose in This Time

God has sovereignly positioned you in your particular time and place for a divine purpose. You are not here by accident, but by His intentional design to be a light right where you are. Your city, your workplace, and your community are your mission field. Consider the people you interact with regularly; you may be the only Christian they know. God has placed you where you are for such a time as this to represent Him. [58:27]

"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Reflection: What specific relationships or environments has God entrusted to you, and how might He be inviting you to see them as your mission field for this season?

Day 3: The Integration of Words and Actions

Sharing your faith is a holistic calling that involves both your actions and your words. A life of love and service opens doors for the message of the gospel to be heard. Conversely, the message itself gives meaning and context to the love you show. It is not one or the other, but both together that create a compelling witness to who Jesus is. Your life should proclaim the same truth as your lips. [38:18]

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:5-6 NIV)

Reflection: Is there an area where your actions are already pointing people toward Jesus, and what is one step you could take to be prepared to gently explain the hope behind those actions?

Day 4: Listening for the Spirit’s Prompting

As you go about your life, the Holy Spirit desires to guide you into divine appointments. This guidance may not be an audible voice, but often a persistent tug on your heart or a repeated theme. Being a witness involves a posture of prayerful attentiveness, watching for the opportunities God provides. Like Philip, we are called to be ready to move when the Spirit leads, trusting that He is already at work in the people around us. [40:24]

The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." (Acts 8:29 NIV)

Reflection: When have you recently sensed a gentle prompting to engage someone? How can you cultivate a greater awareness of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your daily routines?

Day 5: Intentionality in Building Relationships

Reaching people requires a purposeful decision to be in places where you can build relationships with those who don’t know Jesus. This means regularly putting yourself in environments outside the church walls where you can be known and know others. It is a commitment to love people for who they are, not as projects, while always hoping and praying they will come to know the Savior you love. [44:48]

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19 NIV)

Reflection: What is one place you can consistently show up—a coffee shop, a hobby group, your front yard—to intentionally build a genuine relationship with someone who is not yet a follower of Jesus?

Sermon Summary

Lincoln Glen opened with community announcements, Holy Week plans, and invitations to serve and learn. The congregation received details about CERT partnership opportunities, discover classes, lilies for Easter, and family events like the egg hunt. The core teaching centered on the call to witness: Acts 1:8 frames evangelism as the work of every believer, empowered by the Holy Spirit and aimed first at the places people already live. The teaching reframed common excuses—“who am I?”—by insisting that identity matters less than being sent; ordinary people become vehicles of God’s mission because Jesus chooses them and equips them.

Scripture examples underscored that God assigns mission fields. Esther’s story illustrated providential placement “for such a time as this,” and Paul’s account in Galatians showed tailored assignments—Peter to the circumcised, Paul to the Gentiles—so some believers may connect especially well with particular groups. Matthew 28 and the “as you go” rhythm urged making disciples in everyday contexts: work, neighborhoods, hobbies, and online spaces. The Philip–eunuch encounter modeled Spirit-led timing—Philip responded to a prompt, entered a conversation about Scripture, and baptized a seeker on the road.

Practical strategy emphasized intentional presence. Congregants were urged to put themselves regularly in places where non-Christians gather—coffee shops, stores, volunteer efforts, the senior living manor—and to cultivate relationships over time rather than treating evangelism as a transaction. Research and local statistics provided urgency: hundreds of thousands in the city do not attend church, yet many people express curiosity about spirituality and will accept invitations from friends. Invitations to community events, camps, and low-barrier gatherings function as entry points for seekers.

The teaching closed with a call to disciplined prayer and watchfulness: pray for three specific people, look for “people of peace,” and make the most of openings the Spirit provides. The church distributed prayer cards and encouraged believers to combine faithful action with gentleness, respect, and clarity when explaining the hope within. The final prayer committed the community to loving neighbors, sharing the gospel in word and deed, and inviting people to Easter as a moment of special spiritual openness.

Key Takeaways

1. You are sent, not self-sufficient God’s plan often uses ordinary people rather than spectacular personalities. The urgency lies not in personal giftedness but in obedience to the One who sends; presence and availability matter more than polish. This reframes fear of inadequacy into reliance on the Spirit as the agent of change. [25:26]
2. Know your God-given mission field God places people in particular circles—work, hobbies, neighborhoods, language groups—intentionally opening doors that others may not have. Identifying that field clarifies where time and relationships will produce fruit and prevents drifting into generic outreach. Focus and faithfulness in those settings normalize gospel conversations. [30:23]
3. Listen for Spirit-led moments The Spirit sometimes nudges into unexpected encounters that lead to clear gospel opportunities. Paying attention to those “tugs” and Scripture-saturated moments allows immediate, compassionate engagement rather than forced tactics. Openness to promptings turns ordinary routines into evangelistic pathways. [39:49]
4. Pray for three named people Deliberate, sustained prayer for specific individuals shapes attention, courage, and follow-through in relational evangelism. Naming people creates accountability to invest time, hospitality, and invitation rather than vague hopes. Prayer prepares both the heart that reaches out and the soil of the one being prayed for. [55:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[12:19] - CERT partnership opportunity
[13:36] - Discover class and lilies
[14:27] - Holy Week schedule overview
[15:39] - Opening prayer and offering
[22:52] - Series recap: share your faith
[25:26] - Sent as witnesses (Acts 1:8)
[30:23] - Mission fields: Peter and Paul
[33:47] - Go and make disciples (Matthew 28)
[39:49] - Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch
[44:06] - Put yourself in people’s places
[47:57] - Local statistics and openness
[55:26] - Pray for three people
[60:18] - Closing prayer and Easter invite

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Acts 1:8 (ESV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Observation questions

According to Acts 1:8, what is the source of power for a witness and what is their role?
What are the four geographical areas Jesus mentions for being a witness?
The sermon mentioned that God often places people in specific circles like work, hobbies, or neighborhoods to be his witnesses [30:23]. What are some of the "mission fields" listed?
What happened when Philip responded to the Holy Spirit's prompting and went to the chariot? [39:49]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus specifically included "Samaria" (a place of enemies) in the list of locations for his witnesses? What might be a modern equivalent of "Samaria" for a believer today?
The idea of being "sent" was contrasted with being "self-sufficient" [25:26]. What is the difference between these two postures, and why is relying on being sent so crucial for sharing faith?
The story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch shows an encounter that was both Spirit-led and used Scripture [42:03]. How do the Holy Spirit's guidance and God's Word work together in explaining the good news about Jesus?
Jesus instructed his disciples to look for a "person of peace" when they entered a town [52:12]. What are the characteristics of a "person of peace," and why is it important to discern who is open and who is not?

Application questions

You are sent, not self-sufficient. What fears or feelings of inadequacy most often hold you back from sharing your faith, and how can relying on the Holy Spirit's power change your approach?
Know your God-given mission field. Who are the three people God has placed in your life that you can begin praying for regularly? [55:26] What is your next step to intentionally build a relationship with one of them?
Listen for Spirit-led moments. This week, where can you intentionally and regularly put yourself to be around people who don't know Jesus? [44:06] Is it a coffee shop, a store, a gym, or your own front yard?
The most likely way someone will come to know Jesus is through you [47:57]. How does this truth change the urgency and importance of your everyday interactions with the people on your prayer list?
Easter is a time of special spiritual openness. Who is one person you can lovingly and clearly invite to join you for a service or a church event like the egg hunt? [01:00:18]
Sharing faith involves both words and actions [37:53]. Is your natural tendency to lean more on actions without words, or words without actions? What is one practical way you can better integrate both this week?
Being a witness is done with gentleness and respect. When you think about having a spiritual conversation, what does it look like for you to explain your hope in a way that is both clear and full of grace?

Sermon Clips

Let me give you good news and bad news. I'll start with the bad news. With the question of who am I that I should go share Jesus with anybody. Let me give you the bad news. The bad news is you are nobody, and I am nobody. And and so no one like that we are just nobodies. But here's the thing. We are sent by somebody. Jesus' plan is to send you and me. So it doesn't matter if you and I are nobodies because Jesus is the one who sends us. [00:25:05] (29 seconds) #SentNotNobody

Philip is led by the Holy Spirit. Go have this encounter with this person. He does. He takes the open door that's in front of him. He shares Jesus with him, and the guy becomes a follower of Jesus right there on the spot. That may not be the story that happens every time. It might be for you that you might have that happen where someone comes to know Jesus on the spot, but it might be you planting a seed or watering a seed in someone's life, and down the road, they come to know Jesus. [00:42:43] (28 seconds) #HolySpiritOpensDoors

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