WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST 4

Part Four
PERSONAL WORK

24
Suggestions to Winners

Remember to pray. Your main chance to succeed in per-
sonal work is in your touch and fellowship with God. Jesus
said: "No man can come to me, except the Father which
hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). God holds the reins
that guide souls to him. It is absolutely necessary that you
keep in and up with God. Prayer--constant, supplicating,
importuning, soulful prayer--is God's key to his secret
sources of power. Pray before, during, and after your efforts
to win men. You cannot otherwise find your way success-
fully.
Pray that your own heart will be right, your motive
heavenly, your words wise, your heart burdened, and that
God's will may be done in and through you. Pray that you
may be led to the right person, that your method of approach
will be right. Pray that God will go before you as he has
promised (Isa. 45:2), that he will mellow the heart of the
lost and do his convincing and convicting work. Pray that
you may easily find the key to the soul of the unsaved, that
you will use the right Scripture passages, and that an abun-
dant entrance may be given the gospel message. Pray for
human tact and divine power. God promises you the Holy
Spirit in this task (Luke 11:13; Acts 1:8). Pray that God
will go behind you as he has promised (Isa. 58:8), that he
will convert your mistakes into victories, override your errors,
and bring to full fruition the seed sown and the work you
sought to accomplish.
Remember that victory depends upon the Holy Spirit.
Keep these verses before you: "Not by might, nor by power,
but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). "With-
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154 WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST
out me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). "Be filled with the
Spirit" (Eph. 5:18).
Heaven bends low and longs unspeakably to endue you
with resistless power (Luke 11:13). Seek it, obtain it. It
is the reasonable claim of your spiritual birthright.
Remember that "faith is the victory." Conquering faith
raises the dead, removes barriers, unlocks doors, accom-
plishes the impossible, and brings victory in personal soul-
winning. "All things are possible to him that believeth"
(Mark 9:23). "This is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). "Concerning the work
of my hands command ye me" (Isa. 45:11). "What things
soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them,
and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24).
Remember to use the Bible. Make much use of God's
Word--"it is the power of God unto salvation," the channel
of life. It is "the sword of the Spirit," powerful in its dis-
cernment and incisiveness. It cuts, divides, separates, ham-
mers, burns, and enters into the secret thoughts and intents
of the heart. Put its most trenchant passages into your own
heart and give them out to lost men, trusting in the Spirit
to apply them in power.
Use the passages which tell about sin--its presence in the
sinner's heart and life; its guilt, soiling and poisonous, pervad-
ing the entire spiritual and moral nature; its power; and
its penalties and eternal punishment. Emphasize the pas-
sages on the way of life--repentance, confession of sin, faith,
acknowledgment of Christ. Point out Jesus Christ as the
only Saviour, stressing that he saves by his blood, by his
grace, and by his wonderful risen life. "For there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Remember that your own life, motive, and conduct must
be pure. Never seek a heavenly end with an earthly motive;
never try to accomplish God's will with the devil's tools.
"Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord" (Isa. 52:11).

SUGGESTIONS TO WINNERS 155

Compromising with sin in your life will never bring you far
on evangelism's road.
Remember that your attitude is of primary importance.
If you are formal, purely intellectual, unemotional, and un-
compassionate, you will fail. "They that sow in tears shall
reap in joy" (Psalm 126:5).
Remember to be tactful and exhibit common sense. The
matter of approach and of tactfulness in seeking an entrance
for the gospel message is very important. Sometimes it is
best to adopt indirect methods of approach, to come up on
the "blind side"; sometimes the direct method is best. "Are
you a Christian?" "Have you been born again?" "Are you
saved or lost?" [...]
Remember that it is usually best to deal with your own
sex and age. [...]
Remember to talk with people alone, quietly. [...]
Remember not to be sidetracked or led into an argument.
[...]
salvation. Keep to the main matter at hand.
Remember to be courteous. [...]
Remember not to be discouraged. Patience and persist-
ence are virtues in soul-winning. The game is worth many

156 WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST
failures. [...] "[...]
to the gate" (Isa. 28:5-6) is one of God's promises to those-
who seek to win against odds.
Remember your own experience. The wise use of personal
experience, one's own saving testimony, is often of great
value in leading the lost to Christ, but care must be exercised
for fear extravagant and extreme experiences will produce
wrong impressions. [...]

25
How to Deal with Children

PROVERBS 8:17.
MATTHEW 19:13-14.
DOCTRINAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT CHILDREN
1. What is the condition of a child spiritually when it
comes into the world? Let the Word of God answer:
PSALM 51:5.
PSALM 58:3.
ROMANS 3:23.
These and other verses speak of the place of sin in the
experience of the human race. Adam was created in the
spiritual likeness of God. When sin came into his life, that
likeness was vitiated. Then Adam begat children in his own
likeness, i.e., with a corrupt nature. This does not mean that
they were born guilty of sin and under God's condemnation.
It means that they were born with a nature predisposed to
sin, a nature which would lead them to personal sin and
guilt as soon as they should come face to face with personal,
conscious choice between good and evil. Total depravity
does not mean that a person is born guilty. It means that he
is born with his tendency to choose evil stronger than his
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158 WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST
tendency to choose the good and that apart from the
power of Christ he will continue to grow worse and worse
in disobedience to God.
2. If a child dies before he comes to the time of account-
ability to God, what becomes of his soul?
He is covered by the atoning work of Christ and, not
being responsible for any conscious act of sin, is saved by
Christ's death.
3. When does a child become accountable to God for
his soul?
There is no certain age--some are younger than others.
When the child voluntarily chooses sin and is conscious of
his wrong, then he becomes an active transgressor and
comes under God's law. [...] Most children have
a sense of sin between seven and ten years of age.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING CHILDREN
The [...]
Children [...]
The [...]

HOW TO DEAL WITH CHILDREN 159

useful [...]
The [...]
DANGERS IN SEEKING TO WIN CHILDREN
Parents and teachers [...]
The devil [...]
The distinction between being saved and joining the
[local] church should be clearly made. [...]
Children must not be led to join the [local] church in the hope
that it will help them to find Christ. [...]

160 WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST
evidence that they have fully and understandingly trusted
Christ as their Saviour and Lord.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WINNING CHILDREN
The best place to win children is in their homes, where the
parents can teach the Word of God. [...] "[...]" (Isa. 38:19). [...]
The next most fruitful place of soul-winning among chil-
dren is in the Sunday school, where teacher, superintendent,
and pastor can give them a winning gospel and urge them
individually and by classes to accept Christ. [...]
Vacation Bible schools are becoming increasingly effective
in the winning of the children. [...]
Another glorious opportunity for child evangelism is in
the church services. [...]
Special children's meetings during a revival offer a great
chance for the evangelization of children. [...]

HOW TO DEAL WITH CHILDREN 161

should be clear, plain, short, filled with the gospel, sparkling
with illustrations. The plan of salvation, Christ as the
Saviour, and the need for repentance and faith and for
confession and obedience after salvation should be clearly
put to the children.
AN EFFECTIVE MESSAGE
The following is a simple but [...]
times. Call it "The ABC's of Salvation." [...]
A "[A]ll have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God" (Rom. 3:23).
B "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world" (John 1:29).
C "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the
LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they be red like crim-
son, they shall be as wool" (Isa. 1:18).
A good object lesson [...]

26
How to Win the Unconcerned

CONVICT THEM OF SIN
Most people are without spiritual interest in their own
salvation. [...]
The agencies for bringing this conviction about are--
Prayer.--Pray definitely for them, seeking the convicting
power of God's Spirit on them (John 16:8-11).
Sermon.--Bring them under the influence of evangelistic
and spiritual preaching and teaching.
God's Word.--Get them to study God's Word--in tracts,
interesting books, in the Bible itself.
Fellowship.--Seek to bring them in contact with con-
secrated Christian leaders and workers.
Personal Appeal.--Strive to bring the work of these other
agencies to fruition by a private appeal in some quiet place.
USE THE BIBLE [KJB]
God's Word should be used in showing them--
1. Their sin, its consequences, their eternal punishment.
AMOS 4:12.
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HOW TO WIN THE UNCONCERNED 163

JOHN 3:18, 36.
JOHN 8:24.
ROMANS 6:23.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:7-10.
HEBREWS 10:28-29.
REVELATION 21:8.
2. The love and mercy of God.
ISAIAH 38:17.
ISAIAH 55:3.
JOHN 3:16.
ROMANS 2:4-5.

164 WITH CHRIST AFTER THE LOST
3. That Christ died for them.
ROMANS 5:8.
GALATIANS 3:13.
1 PETER 2:24.
4. What they must do to be saved: repent of their sins
and trust their souls to the keeping of Christ.
JOHN 3:16, 36.
JOHN 5:24.
ACTS 3:19.
ACTS 4:12.
ACTS 17:30.
ACTS 20:21.
5. How perilous it is to neglect or postpone the matter of
the soul's salvation.

HOW TO WIN THE UNCONCERNED 165

PROVERBS 1:23-31.
PROVERBS 27:1.
PROVERBS 29:1.
LUKE 13:3.
HEBREWS 2:3.
LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD
You cannot do much with a sinner ahead of God. The
[...]
You should seek His power (Luke 11:13). When the sinner
begins to realize his need of Christ and becomes conscious
of his sins and their pressure on his soul, then your task be-
comes easier rapidly.