Overcoming Fear of Sharing Your Faith

Have you ever met someone so different from you that you didn’t know what to say? That’s how I felt when a woman approached me and said, “Hi, my name is Christy. I’m a vampire. Will you talk with me?”

What do you say to someone who believes they are a vampire? I had no idea, so I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom. I then asked, “What makes you a vampire?”

Christy said she killed animals and drank their blood to cleanse herself from sin. I felt clueless about how to bring up Jesus. I prayed again, asking the Spirit to guide me. My next thought was to affirm the partial truths she believed. I said, “You know, Christy, blood and sacrifice are necessary, but I don’t think you know the whole story. Do I have permission to share it with you?”

I wanted to be respectful and make sure she was open to listening. Yet, I didn’t know what I was going to say! So, I prayed again. The Spirit reminded me that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the final sacrifice who takes away the sins of the world. This prompted me to share the gospel with her. I asked if she wanted Jesus in her life. Sadly, she said no.

I felt discouraged. Why did God put her in my path and guide our conversation just so she could say no? Christy interrupted my thoughts to ask for a ride home. I wasn’t thrilled about this request, but I agreed. During the drive, she started knocking on the car window. I pushed past the awkwardness and asked why she was knocking. I couldn’t believe her answer: “Something is knocking at my heart.”

Excitedly, I said, “That’s Jesus! The Bible says He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If you open your heart to Him, He’ll begin a relationship with you.” To my surprise, she invited Jesus into her life!

What if I hadn’t pushed through the awkwardness or invited the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation? Christy might never have come to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is waiting for us to invite Him into the conversations we have with others. He wants to give us wisdom, peace, boldness, and the words to say. All we have to do is ask.

Application Questions:

• Is there someone in your life who is difficult to connect with? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you love and engage with them.
• What motivates you about knowing the Holy Spirit wants to help you share Jesus with others?

Prayer:

"Lord, please empower me with your Holy Spirit so I may have the boldness and the right words to speak when I interact with others who are different from me. Amen."

Holly Melton
Arizona, USA
Theological Development & Evangelistic Initiatives