Hello, my friend! I’m Ben Hughes from Pour It Out Ministries. I want to tell you a really quick story today about a new friend of mine. His name is James and he came round to our house to mow our lawn. He’s the lawn mower guy.
We were having a quick chat just before he was doing his work. And he began to tell me this, he said, “yYou know, I really struggle to sleep at night.” And he said that he has this condition called restless legs syndrome. Some of you may even have this. And I believe even right now, God can heal that. And I said to him, I said, “James, you know what? I’m a Christian and I see God heal people all the time. Can I pray for you?’
Now I knew that James was not a believer, but he said, “Yes, you can pray for me.” Then I said, James, “Can I put my hand on your shoulder?” He said, “Yes, ok.” So I put my hand on his shoulder and when I did that, I knew that what came next was legal. Everything I said when I was praying for him was legal. I used the opportunity to tell him that Jesus loves him. So here’s what I did, I put my hand on his shoulder and I said, “Father, I thank you that You love James so much. You love him so much that you died on the cross for him and Your Bible says that by Your stripes, Jesus, those wounds on Your back, he was healed and so I speak healing over James today in the mighty name of Jesus. “ Friend, the opportunity was there to share the love of God, to share the Gospel with James, while I was praying for his healing.
A couple of weeks later, James comes back and he knocks on my door. I opened the door and he said, “Hello, Ben. You know that thing you did, it worked, it worked!” He said, “That night I went home and I had the best sleep I have had in years. Even my wife could not believe it and I wanted to come back today and tell you.” And so standing there on the front steps of my house, I was able to, again, just share the simplicity of the love of God with James.
You know, it’s so important that we’re ready at all times to simply share the love of God. I want to encourage you, have a 30 second version of your story. When somebody asks you about your faith or there’s an opportunity, you don’t have to have a five minute or a 10 minute sermon. You just need to have a 30 second version.
Mine goes like this. When I was 15 years old I encountered Jesus. I met Him in a barn and I experienced the tangible love and power of God and I gave Him my life. It’s really important. We have a very simple version like that, so that when the opportunity arises, whenever it arises, we’re ready just to share the love of God.
The Bible tells us this in Acts 1:8 that the Holy Spirit has come upon us, we shall receive power and we shall be His witnesses. That simply means that the anointing, the presence of the Holy Spirit is upon us to enable us to share the Good News of the Gospel everywhere we go. And the Bible promises that signs, wanderers, and miracles will also follow us.
I want to pray for you today. God, I thank You that Your Word says that the righteous are as bold as a lion. That boldness is not a personality type, but it’s simply a fruit of being in You, of having You in our lives, the righteous are as bold as a lion. I thank You for a fresh boldness coming upon your people today, Lord, and that every opportunity to share the Gospel Lord, your presence would be there. You’d go before us Father and we’d bear much fruit. I bless you today, friend, and the mighty name of Jesus. I’m Ben Hughes. And this is God today.