Do You Have A Burden For Souls?
July 9, 2025
One of the greatest joys in the Christian life is sharing our faith with others, who in turn come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This has happened a few times in my life, and I can tell you for a fact that it is one of the greatest joys in life.
Paul said something similar in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? 20, For ye are our glory and joy." Bringing other people to faith in Christ is the highest achievement a person can make this side of eternity.
Recently I had a dream along these lines. In the dream I was at a bible conference with my wife. Someone handed my wife an envelope which contained a hand written letter. She gave me the letter, and it was a personal letter to us from one of the church elders at the conference. His letter started with a prayer to cast out the devil, and then he asked us a question: "Do you still have a burden for souls?" This was a spiritual dream. I always pay attention when I have spiritual dreams like this. All day today I've been wondering "do I still have a burden for souls"?
There are different seasons in life where I have been zealous for evangelism. I visited jails and prisons, churches, and shared my testimony on the streets. I've stood on street corners with brothers in Christ handing on gospel tracts. I've preached on the streets, preached in churches, preached in jails and prisons. I was zealous for the Lord in my past. But I do I still have a burden for souls?
There is encouragement found in the scriptures to be a soul winner. He who wins soul is wise! Proverbs 11:30, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise."
He who turns people to righteousness shines like the stars in the universe! Daniel 12:3, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
A good example of a soul winner was the apostle Paul. He was so passionate about winning his own country men to Christ that he said he could wish himself cut off from Christ if it would mean the salvation of the Jewish people. Romans 9:3, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:"
What is more important than a method in sharing the gospel? Heart attitude. Love for God, love for people. We still need to know the scriptures, and show people in the Bible the basic facts needed to know how to be saved.
When I was in my early twenties I went to live for a while with a man whose full time ministry was street evangelism. He called himself a street preacher, and he really was a street preacher. He would take a huge wooden cross down onto Bourbon Street in New Orleans and share the gospel with people. He walked around the country, down roads and highways, carrying a wooden cross. I went with him along the Florida coast for a while helping to drive the van while he walked with the cross. During that time I learned a basic method for sharing the gospel with people.
What is the gospel? The gospel is outlined for us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2, By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3, For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4, And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
When you are sharing the gospel with people you need to make it clear that Christ died for our sins. He was buried, but on the third day he rose again. This testimony is recorded for us in the Bible, the scriptures.
The Bible clearly teaches us that when a man believes this message (the gospel) that he is saved.
Romans 10:9-13, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
What may prevent some people from believing the gospel is that they do not think they need a Savior. They do not understand that they are sinners and have broken God's law. They do not understand that they are under the wrath of God. This attitude of ignorance and unbelief is the result of the hardening of a person's heart.
Ephesians 4:17-19, "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19, Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."
When Jesus confronted people like this, even religious people, he would give them the law of God when he was preaching to them. God's law is for proud people who do not believe they are sinners. Grace is for the humble. God's law will bring people to the knowledge of who they truly are in the light of the truth.
God's word is light that will shine into the darkness and expose everything that is in the dark. It reveals us for who we really are. It strips us of our flattering opinions of ourselves and shows us we are sinners in need of the Savior.
Some people already know this and they are ready to hear the good news. When you tell them that Christ will forgive their sins and heal their souls they are ready to hear, receive, and believe. These kind of people can be found in jails, prisons, homeless shelters, and on the streets. Many people who are bound by drug addiction or alcoholism are dying to hear the gospel.
How are they going to hear the good news that Christ died for their sins? Somebody has to tell them. This is the question the Holy Spirit is asking us today. Do you have a burden for souls?
Romans 10:14-15, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15, And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
Mike Kines
July 9, 2025