"THE EXPERIENCES OF A SOUL WINNER"
Dr. Dennis Deese - Fan The Flame Ministries, Inc.
ACTS 16:16-40
Soul winning is truly adventure. If you’ve never been involved in the soul winning ministry of your church then you’ve missed out on the best of the best of church life. There is no substitute for winning someone to Christ.
This passage is also a beautiful portrait of the universal love of God and the availability of God’s salvation to all people. Lydia represents the wealthy class, the slave girl represents the poor and the jailer represents the middle working class.
Paul’s life was that of a soul winner. This passage is a brief record of some of his soul winning experiences. There are three experiences recorded here that you can expect if you chose to be a consistent witness for the Lord.
I. REJECTED 16:19-24
A. Satanic blindness
2Co 4:4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
B. Secular bondage
Mt 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
C. Selfish behavior
Pr 14:12 ¶ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Pr 30:12 [There is] a generation [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] is not washed from their filthiness.
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation.
Lu 12:19-20 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, [and] be merry. But God said unto him, [Thou] fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Ga 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
As a result of this rejection, they were persecuted and put in prison. No matter what happens to God’s children He’s always with us. He will never leave or forsake us! He was with them in their time of suffering.
I believe the Lord was listening to their worship through praise and began to tap his foot to the point that he rocked the world and caused an earthquake.
I’m a prisoner singer myself - always behind a few bars and can’t find the right keys.
Ps 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
II. RECEIVED 16:14, 18 & 30-33
Why were they so successful in presenting the gospel and seeing so many lives changed? Because of their:
A. Consistent
B. Prayers 16:13, 16 "went to prayer"
C. Faith 16:25 "at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang"
D. Love 16:15 "unto God"
E. Commitment 16:28 "do thyself no harm"
F. Obedience 16:32 "they spoke unto him the word of the Lord"
III. REWARDED
What was their reward?
A. They reaped what they sowed - They ministered to others and now they were being ministered to 16:33-34
B. Their needs were met - 16:39
C. They saw lives changed by the grace of God right before their eyes.
D. They were pleasing the one who saved them. Note the verse below. It’s not the angels rejoicing but it’s the trinity in their presence.
Lu 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
