In our journey as believers, God calls each one of us to the Great Commission, to sharing the message of salvation with others and winning souls for Christ.
Throughout history, God has used individuals who were willing to align their hearts with His purpose. David and Paul are shining examples of the types of people God can use for evangelism. By understanding their characteristics and applying them to our own lives, we can become effective ambassadors for Christ and fulfill the Great Commission.
We can also examine the lives of Bible characters like Cain and Abel to glean lessons for the types of soul winners God wants us to be.
“In over 53 years of ministry, I’ve been in 165 nations and I’ve noticed some common denominators of men and women who get used by God, who are blessed, who are called, who are used and who are anointed,” Pastor Rick Warren told a packed house at the Amsterdam 2023 Conference. “If you want the blessing of God in your life, if you want the power of God through your life and if you want the anointing of God on your life, you must care about what God cares about most. What He cares about most is He wants his lost children found.”
During his stirring sermon, Warren explored four types of individuals God can consistently use to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
1. God is looking for people who make God’s dream their dream.
Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, presented their offerings to God. Abel’s offering pleased God, but Cain’s offering did not. Instead of responding with humility and seeking to align his heart with God’s desires, Cain allowed envy and anger to consume him.
If we want God’s anointing in our lives, we must make God’s priority our priority. When we make God’s dream our dream, we become vessels through which God can work to reconcile the lost to Himself.
2. God is looking for people who are willing to risk failure.
The faithful son of Adam and Eve, Abel offered a sacrifice that pleased God. Abel’s act of worship required faith and demonstrated his willingness to risk failure. Similarly, God is looking for people who are willing to step out in faith, even when the outcome is uncertain.
“Stepping out in faith often involves taking risks, but we should not allow the fear of failure to hold us back,” Warren says. “God calls us to trust Him completely, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill His promises. When we embrace a mindset of faith and step out in obedience, we position ourselves to be used mightily by God.”
3. God is looking for people who expect Him to use them.
David, a man after God’s own heart, serves as an example of someone who expected to be used by God. From a young age, David recognized God’s dream for his life and fully embraced it. He served God’s purpose in his generation and made God’s dream his dream.
David expected God to use him and as a result, he accomplished great things for the kingdom of God. In our lives, we must cultivate a mindset of expectancy, trusting that God desires to use us to fulfill His purposes. When we align our expectations with God’s plans, we position ourselves for divine opportunities and miraculous interventions.
4. God is looking for people who never give up.
The apostle Paul encountered God’s grace in a profound way. Once a persecutor of Christians, Paul experienced a radical transformation and became one of the greatest evangelists in history. He understood that God’s grace was not dependent on his own worthiness or abilities but on the finished work of Christ.
Paul’s unwavering faith in God’s grace propelled him to complete his mission and finish the task that Jesus had given him. Likewise, we are called to rely on God’s grace, recognizing that it is by His power and provision that we can effectively carry out the Great Commission.
“Proverbs 24:16 says that although a righteous man falls seven times a day, he rises again,” Warren says. “I love that verse because it says even good people stumble. Even righteous people mess up and make mistakes.”
As Christians, we are all called to be ambassadors for Christ and to share the good news of salvation with others. Through the examples of Cain, Abel, David and Paul, we learn that God can use anyone who aligns their heart with His purpose, embraces His dreams, is willing to take risks, expects to be used and trusts in His grace.
Let us strive to be individuals who make God’s dream our dream, who step out in faith, who expect God to use them and those who never give up, no matter what the circumstances. {eoa}
Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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